sonladan

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Grammys 2018: Bruno Mars Wins Song of the Year “That’s What I Like” beat out songs by JAY-Z, Julia Michaels, Logic, more Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic track “That’s What I Like” has won Song of the Year at the 2018 Grammys. Bruno beat JAY-Z, Logic, Julia Michaels, and Luis Fonsi (with Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber) to take the category. Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Johnathan Yip, Ray Romulus, Jeremy Reeves, and Ray McCullough II also won for their contributions. The song also won Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song, and 24K Magic won Best R&B Album, during the pre-televised ceremony. Mars was nominated for several other categories, including Record of the Year (for “24K Magic”) and Album of the Year. This year, JAY leads the nominations with eight, while Kendrick Lamar racked up seven. Follow all of Pitchfork’s coverage of this year’s Grammy Awards.

#IFTTT #YouTube Grammys 2018: Bruno Mars Wins Song of the Year Grammys 2018: Bruno Mars Wins Song of

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Zuleyka Rivera Shuts Down Haters After Her 'Despacito' Performance at Grammys Zuleyka Rivera got down to “Despacito” last night at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, sharing the stage with the record-breaking hit’s singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. However, severals viewers weren’t too pleased with the Puerto Rican actress’s performance. While the former Miss Universe surely had her supporters — “Congratulations! You were spectacular,” one wrote. “Simply wow,” another added — many slammed her dance moves and outfit on social media. “That was supposed to be a performance for television, not for her own living room,” one scathingly tweeted. “The dress was horrible and she looks really bad. She is talented, beautiful, but why does she have to dress like a prostitute?” another snapped. Rivera clapped back at her critics in an Instagram post after the ceremony. “The day that all of those who gave negative criticism step on a Grammy stage, then their opinions will count. Until then, stay looking pretty sitting in front of the television screen,” she wrote. On a brighter note, she also shared a snap alongside Fonsi and Daddy Yankee with a message of gratitude, and what could be seen as a veiled response to her haters: “Joy and satisfaction, that’s how I describe my feelings in this instant. Last night was another memorable moment in my life where the eyes of the world were focused on Puerto Rico. An island that has suffered like never before this past year but keeps bringing talent and joy to the rest of the world through art. Last night was a historic night when Latin music paved the way. My seconds on the stage where a dream come true, I thank the Recording Academy for their invitation and for giving the awards this touch of sensuality. Wardrobe? Performance? Award Shows? Trophies? Nothing is more important to me than then genuine satisfaction that we as boricuas made history again. It’s time to unite keep succeeding together as Latinos.”

#IFTTT #YouTube Zuleyka Rivera Shuts Down Haters After Her 'Despacito' Performance at Grammys Zuleyka

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What Is Tom Brady's Net Worth? The Patriots Player Makes More Than You Think Tom Brady is one of the most recognizable names in football. He should be too, it's a rare player who spends his entire career on a single team, winning Super Bowl after Super Bowl. He has more rings than any quarterback in history (five) and has been named Super Bowl MVP more than any player ever. That sort of name recognition also bring endorsements on top of his salary, making him one of the highest earning football stars in the United States. So what is Tom Brady's net worth? Last year, after winning his fifth Super Bowl since that first magical 2002 season, Sports Illustrated ranked him the 15th highest paid athlete in the country, with $44 million earned in 2016. That included part of the two-year contract extension which kept him with the Patriots through the end of the 2018 season (next year), plus all his endorsements, which are in the $7 million range and include Movado, Under Armour and Ugg. That may seem oddly small next to his salary, but football endorsements aren't like, say, the Olympics, or Tennis endorsements. In sports where the individual achiever is the one who shines, the endorsement deals are much higher. Despite Tom Brady being a large name, football is still a team sport, with no player bigger than those they are surrounded by. That makes their earning potential off-field much smaller while they're still playing. According to CNBC, $7 million is actually quite high for someone in his sport. (Peyton Manning makes the most with $12 million. That Nationwide song pays really well.) But that's only his year to year worth. What's his all time net worth? Current estimates by Celebrity Net Worth put him as being worth $180 million all together. That might sound like a lot, but Brady isn't the major breadwinner in the family. That honor goes to Gisele Bundchen, the Brazilian supermodel he's been married to since 2009. Her net worth is more than double his at $380 million. And she doesn't even have to have to get hit in the head every Sunday for it. Put together then, the Brady-Bundchen family is worth $560 million. But they're not rich and distant parents. Between them they have three children, Vivian Lake Brady, Benjamin Brady, plus John Edward Thomas Moynahan Brady's son with his ex, Bridget Moynahan. Despite the money and the fame, they work hard to keep their family protected from the press. Brady famously cut his weekly interview with WEEI sports radio host Alex Reimer a few weeks ago, when Reimer called his daughter "annoying" in a video and a "pissant." (For the record, his daughter is five.) Reimer wound up suspended. The message: don't screw with Brady's kids. Like most stars, Tom Brady gives a portion of these earnings to charity, though he's not one to diversify and give to a lot of different ones. The big four he gives to are Best Buddies International, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Entertainment Industry Foundation and KaBOOM! This past year, he also stepped up and gave money to the relief fund created by Houston Texans player J.J. Watt, to bring hurricane relief after Harvey's devastation last fall. With a possible sixth ring coming his way on February 4, in Super Bowl LII, Brady's earnings will most likely continue to rise, and his net worth gain even further, the longer he can keep it up. And once he does retire from the Patriots, his value will shoot up again, as TV networks will most likely fight for the right to have him on as commentator. And he won't even have to be hit in the head for it.

#IFTTT #YouTube What Is Tom Brady's Net Worth? The Patriots Player Makes More Than You Think What Is

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This is a hard lesson for Alex Reimer to learn Alex Reimer was barely out of the starting blocks as a talk-radio personality when he violated one of the unwritten rules of the profession: Leave civilians out of the discussion. And that was before this incident with Tom Brady’s little girl. We’ll get to that in a moment. In discussing a guy he’d previously dated, Reimer went first name, last name. You don’t do that. Athletes, politicians, entertainers and sports media types are fair game for discussion — within reason, one hopes — but husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, and (especially) children should be left alone. Dragging a civilian into the discussion for a cheap laugh isn’t going to inspire listeners to pal you up. Alex and I talked about this misstep after it happened. We’ve talked about this third rail of talk radio several times since then. About six months ago, we began doing the “Two Outs” podcast on WEEI, which soon led to a weekend on-air show. While Reimer, 24, has been brash and opinionated in discussing politics, entertainment and the offerings of other on-air personalities and sportswriters, he has largely avoided the third rail since. Or did, anyway, until he made a comment about the 5-year-old daughter of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady Thursday during a nighttime show on WEEI. Reimer had been discussing the first installment of the Facebook Watch documentary “Tom vs. Time,” which begins with a cheerful exchange between Brady and his little girl, but he failed to see it for what it is: An informal parent-child moment that plays out in millions of homes each morning. Reimer called it staged, referring to Brady’s daughter as “an annoying little pissant.” And now Reimer has been indefinitely suspended by Entercom, which owns WEEI, with the company calling Reimer’s comments “utterly indefensible.” The station plans to review the case in a couple of weeks. And if Reimer manages to save his job, he’s going to owe Brady more than an apology. Speaking at last night’s “Super Bowl Opening Night” event at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., Brady threw Reimer a lifeline when he said, “I certainly hope the guy is not fired. I would hate for that to happen.” But Brady also said this: “Any parent is protective of their kid. I’ve never strayed away from criticism. That’s part of sports. But I don’t think my children or any other children deserve to be in that. That’s how I felt.” What we have here is Brady displaying a measure of maturity and humanity to which Reimer should hope to aspire. We can all agree Reimer was 100 percent wrong. He made a comment about a child who can’t defend herself, shouldn’t have to defend herself. What a dumb thing to do. Speaking on WEEI last weekend, I called it a rookie mistake. But that’s too simplistic, partly because Reimer’s logged enough on-air at-bats to no longer be considered a rookie. Yes, he was just a year out of Boston University when he emerged as a semi-regular presence on WEEI. He was brash. He went after big names. He was open about being gay, even if, and I’ve talked to him often about this, he has a habit of overdoing it. But he’s been around the block a few times by now. He should know better. Yet here he goes, touching the third rail again, and Brady had every right to express his anger when he briefly appeared on WEEI’s “Kirk & Callahan” program Monday morning. This isn’t just a case of Reimer needing to think about what he says, though that’s a big part of it. He also needs to learn the fine art of nuance. I can tell you that off the air Reimer is a caring individual who respects people and institutions. I had lunch with Alex and his dad just last month and, speaking as someone who lost his own father at age 15, it was uplifting to see them talk about the Sox, Patriots, etc., in the easy, carefree, innocent fashion that fathers and sons do. But things have a way of going horribly wrong with Alex when the red light in the studio goes on. Obsessed as he is with everything being a hot take, he can’t see roses. He sees only thorns. He wants to be Gerry Callahan and/or Kirk Minihane, two seasoned, card-carrying tough guys. But listen to how mushy these two tough guys get when they talk about Jimmy Fund “play lady” Lisa Scherber and all those beautiful kids fighting cancer at Dana-Farber. For all the daily bombast, it’s at times like these that their humanity is revealed in a way that’s entirely organic. It’s possible Reimer, too, has used his radio presence to display his soft side. If so, there hasn’t been enough of that. That’s what happens when your entire mind-set is focussed on a dig, a one-liner, a barb, a criticism, a stand . . . the list goes on and on.

#IFTTT #YouTube This is a hard lesson for Alex Reimer to learn This is a hard lesson for Alex Reimer

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Tom Brady Doesn’t Want WEEI To Fire Alex Reimer Tom Brady still doesn’t sound very happy with a Boston radio host who made disparaging remarks about his young daughter, but he also doesn’t want to see him get fired for those comments. After the first episode of Brady’s docuseries “Tom Vs. Time” aired on Facebook Watch last week, WEEI’s Alex Reimer said the quarterback’s 5-year-old daughter, Vivian, was acting like “an annoying little pissant” in the episode’s opening scene. Brady voiced his disappointment with the station during his appearance on Monday morning, cutting their weekly interview short. Reimer was suspended indefinitely by WEEI, a decision they discussed with Brady and the Patriots. Asked about the suspension during Monday night’s Super Bowl Opening Night in Minnesota, Brady said he didn’t want to see Reimer get fired. “We all have careers and we all make mistakes,” said Brady. “I’d hate for someone to have to change their life because of something like that. It’s certainly not what he intended. “Any parent is protective of their kid,” he added. “I’ve never strayed away from criticism, that’s part of sports. But I don’t think my children or any other children deserve to be in that. That’s how I felt.” Brady has been making appearances on WEEI for years as part of the station’s “Patriots Monday” coverage, but said Monday he was considering ending that relationship. Asked about that decision on Monday night, Brady said he was focused on the Philadelphia Eagles and Super Bowl LII. “Life is too short,” said Brady.

#IFTTT #YouTube Tom Brady Doesn’t Want WEEI To Fire Alex Reimer Tom Brady Doesn’t Want WEEI To Fire A

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Tom Brady's daughter appeared on Jay Leno when he was 12 and implied steroids were good for baseball and joked about another guest's weight Alex Reimer, the sports radio host who called Tom Brady's daughter a 'little pissant' has a history of making controversial statements Reimer, now 25, appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2005 when he was just 12 years old He was already known back then as a strongly opinionated 'sports reporter' He was asked about his thoughts on steroids in baseball and responded that it was good for business Reimer made headlines on Monday after Brady expressed outrage over the sport host's comments regarding his five-year-old daughter The sports radio host who caused outrage after calling Tom Brady's five-year-old daughter an 'annoying little pissant' has a history of making controversial statements. Alex Reimer, now 25, appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2005 when he was just 12 years old. He was already known back then as a strongly opinionated 'sports reporter' and 'fanatic' after gaining a big following from the sports-related blog that he started as a child. 'Well coming back from the 94 strike business was obviously down a bit. You know, McGwire and Sosa in the 98 home run chase got people interested in home runs,' he said. 'If those two did indeed take steroids, people are accusing them of doing it, then steroids helped get baseball back on the map. Leno asked: 'So you're saying it's a good thing?' 'I'm not saying it's a good thing but it is good business wise, people knew about it... I'm a bottom line kind of guy,' Reimer said. After going back and forth with Leno, he said: 'Baseball is a business. They need to make money, they go on money. Do you think they just get free stuff?' Reimer later went on to seemingly joke about fellow guest comedian Larry the Cable Guy's weight and said poker couldn't possibly be a sport because 'Larry can play it.' Larry, to the crowd's delight, responded: 'Can you get in trouble for kicking a little kids a**?' At just 25, Reimer seemingly has an established career in sports reporting. He has contributed to publications like Forbes, Boston Magazine, Boston Herald, SiriusXM, and Kirk & Callahan. In a bio on Forbes, Reimer says: 'I always knew I wanted to cover sports from the moment I launched my own Red Sox podcast as a squeaky-voiced pre-teen.

#IFTTT #YouTube Tom Brady's daughter appeared on Jay Leno when he was 12 and implied steroids were go

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WHAT DID ALEX REIMER SAY ABOUT TOM BRADY'S DAUGHTER TO MAKE PATRIOTS QB HANG UP? Tom Brady’s Super Bowl 52 week began with the New England Patriots quarterback cutting short his interview on the Kirk & Callahan Show on WEEI after one of the station’s hosts insulted his 5-year-old daughter. Alex Reimer called Vivian Brady an “annoying little pissant” on another WEEI show last week while discussing the documentary "Tom vs. Time," according to Yahoo Sports columnist Dan Wetzel. Reimer was not presenting the Kirk & Callahan Show on Monday, when Brady called in for his weekly interview. "I've tried to come on this show for many years and showed you guys a lot of respect," Brady said in quotes reported by ESPN later on Monday. "I've always tried and come on and do a good job for you guys. It's very disappointing when you hear [Reimer’s comments], certainly. My daughter, or any child, certainly don't deserve that. Keep Up With This Story And More By Subscribing Now “I really don't have much to say about it this morning," Brady added before ending the call at a little over two minutes. WEEI said on Monday it had chosen to suspend Reimer last Friday, before Brady complained on air about his comments. “Reimer was informed last Friday he was being handed an indefinite suspension by WEEI, effective immediately,” an article on the station’s website read. Brady will “assess” whether or not he wants to continue with the show, according to Boston.com. WEEI’s agreement with the Patriots includes two exclusive interviews per week, one with Brady and the other with head coach Bill Belichick. Under Reimer’s last tweet, posted on January 26, a Twitter user posted the original audio of his comments. “I thought the first scene [of "Tom vs. Time"] was so staged,” Reimer said. “Where Brady’s in the kitchen, his kid’s being an annoying little pissant.”

#IFTTT #YouTube WHAT DID ALEX REIMER SAY ABOUT TOM BRADY'S DAUGHTER TO MAKE PATRIOTS QB HANG UP? WHAT

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This Blake Griffin trade might be a trap for 'super-mediocrity' Blake Griffin is an exquisitely skilled player in his prime. When you read that the LA Clippers traded him for (mainly) a lightly protected first-round pick and a younger power forward they might have some interest in re-signing in July 2019, your reaction was probably: That's it? That's all they get for Blake freaking Griffin? And if the Clippers don't re-sign Avery Bradley this summer or Tobias Harris in two summers, then they flipped Griffin -- the greatest homegrown player in the franchise's (mostly pathetic) modern history -- for one first-round pick and one second-rounder. But right now, this is probably the very best deal the Clippers could have gotten for Griffin. He is in the first year of an absolutely ginormous five-year contract that will pay him about $35 million per season -- and almost $39 million in 2020-21. He has a scary injury history. The Detroit Pistons could end up paying Griffin and Andre Drummond almost $70 million combined that season. Considering they have literally zero bankable long-term talent around them, and fewer avenues to find any after this trade, that scenario doesn't seem great. The Clippers saw their own version of that hard ceiling, and bailed out -- kicking off a potential rebuild that could go in a bunch of different directions. The Pistons got the best player in this trade. Griffin has played his entire NBA career with a Drummond-esque rim-running center, though Drummond is a way better passer (and worse defender) than DeAndre Jordan. They can fit. But Detroit risks paying a ton of money to mimic the Chris Paul-Griffin-Jordan triptych, though with Reggie Jackson in the role of Chris Paul. Gulp. There is more to this for Detroit -- we'll get there -- but it is almost impossible to see any path to anything above a kind of "super-mediocrity" topping out around 50 wins. And it's important to remember: maybe super-mediocrity, with multiple playoff appearances in the middle of the Eastern Conference, is OK for the Pistons. They have obviously considered that endgame. They are struggling to fill a new arena, at risk of missing the playoffs for a second straight season. Being the Joe Johnson-era Hawks might be a great outcome for them. For the Clippers, it's tempting to compare this deal to the trades for Paul George and Jimmy Butler over the summer. The Bulls got more for Butler, and that was clear at the time, before Kris Dunn blossomed and Lauri Markkanen started cramming all over fools. The Pacers probably got more for George on an expiring contract, though no one -- not even the Pacers -- knew it then. Butler and George are barely younger than Griffin, who turns 29 in March. So the Clippers sold low on Griffin, right? Not really. That contract is locked in. A lot of Griffin's injuries have been flukes, but flukes add up as a player ages. Recurring knee issues preceded some of those flukes. Griffin's athleticism has already declined some. Griffin is a power forward who can't protect the rim, and only began really shooting 3s this season. Without that 3-pointer, he's an antique in the modern NBA -- a casualty of math. George and Butler are multi-positional wings who can shoot, pass and defend at a high level. They are the modern NBA. The Griffin trade almost reminds less of those deals, and more of the Hawks foisting Joe Johnson's albatross on the Nets in return for draft assets (and a bunch of players the Hawks didn't care about). That's not fair to Griffin. He's better now than Johnson was then, and almost three years younger. But the downside risk for Detroit is similar to what happened with Johnson in Brooklyn. There just wasn't a lot of demand for Griffin, according to sources around the league. Some good teams with big dreams were turned off by his contract. Most good teams are already too expensive to absorb it without sending out their best or second-best players. The half-dozen or so worst teams are so far away from contention that flipping their best picks and young players for an almost 29-year-old doesn't make any sense. The Lakers loom as a possible exception, only because they have clear and immediate free agency ambitions. We all know they need cap space to sign two max-level free agents, and Griffin would obviously cannibalize that. But there has long been another avenue: Get one star in the door now, and use him as bait for the second. The Lakers even have Brook Lopez's $22 million expiring contract to help match salaries. But they don't appear to have taken a serious look at Griffin, per league sources. Maybe it wouldn't have been workable; the Lakers already traded their 2018 first-round pick. The veteran max contract, worth 35 percent of the salary cap, is one of the trickiest pieces to move -- and one of the most potentially damaging contract types in the league. It is a massive commitment that takes players beyond their primes. The Bulls and Kings

#IFTTT #YouTube This Blake Griffin trade might be a trap for 'super-mediocrity' This Blake Griffin tr

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Los Angeles Clippers trade Blake Griffin to Detroit Pistons as part of package deal After nine seasons, Blake Griffin’s tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers has reportedly come to an end. On Monday, the Clippers dealt their star power forward to the Pistons as part of a package deal centered around Griffin, while the Pistons will part ways with forward Tobias Harris and guard Avery Bradley, per multiple reports. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the trade.

#IFTTT #YouTube Los Angeles Clippers trade Blake Griffin to Detroit Pistons as part of package deal L

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Pistons, Clippers agree to deal to send Blake Griffin to Detroit Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin has been traded to the Detroit Pistons, according to reports. Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted Monday afternoon confirming the deal - here's what he reported: At around 6:30 p.m., Woj tweeted that the deal is done: The Clippers have agreed to a deal to send Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons, league sources tell ESPN. The Clippers and Pistons have agreed on a deal to trade Blake Griffin for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a first-round and a second-round draft pick, league sources tell ESPN. Clippers will also send Brice Johnson and Willie Reed to Detroit. If this trade goes through, the likely starting lineup, when healthy, would look like: Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Stanley Johnson, Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond. Griffin is averaging 22 points and 8 rebounds per game this year with the Clippers. He resigned with the Clippers last year on a a five-year, $173 million contract in July.

#IFTTT #YouTube Pistons #Clippers agree to deal to send Blake Griffin to Detroit Pistons #Clippers ag

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How ‘lifelong Clipper’ Blake Griffin ended up in Detroit So much for Blake Griffin being a modern-day NBA anomaly. The Clippers’ elaborate pitch to their franchise centerpiece this summer, based on the idea of making him a “lifelong Clipper,” quickly became the butt of a joke. Seven months after the famous meeting, which inspired Griffin to sign a five-year, $173 million contract extension, the Clippers shipped him to Detroit on Monday, along with Brice Johnson and Willie Reed, and received Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic and two draft picks in return. The announcement sent shockwaves through the NBA, and Griffin shared that reaction, posting a GIF on Twitter soon after of a young Will Smith turning to the camera with his mouth slightly ajar and a look of utter surprise on his face. Who wouldn’t be surprised after being taken through a lifelong narrative of where you’ve been and where your organization wants to take you, ending with a clip of an older Griffin attending his hypothetical retirement ceremony in 2029 and the public-address announcer shouting over the loudspeaker, “Tonight, we’re honoring a lifelong Clipper!”? “That was the sell,” Griffin said as part of a Sports Illustrated feature on his return to Los Angeles, published in November. “‘This is where you’ve been. This is your home. You’ve been here for 17 wins and you’ve been here for 50.’ It made me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself. I couldn’t be the guy who was like, ‘Well, everything that went wrong here is the team’s fault, so I’ll just leave.’ I wanted to take ownership.” Griffin’s story was supposed to be one rarely seen in the NBA nowadays, with more stars requesting trades or turning free agency into their playground, with the goal of forming super teams and winning championship rings. The Clippers’ first-year general manager, Lawrence Frank, appeared first in line to make the 28-year-old Griffin a Clipper for life, especially after Chris Paul was dealt to the Rockets two days before Griffin’s meeting at Staples Center. But once the Clippers continued to tread water into this season and Griffin caught the injury bug again, missing two months with an MCL strain, the Griffin experiment must have lost its luster in the eyes of the front office. A team that was supposed to compete for championships with the core of Paul, Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Austin Rivers and J.J. Redick never made it past the Western Conference Semifinals during six straight trips to the playoffs from 2012-17 — and that trend only seemed to be heading downward. The Griffin trade signals a rebuild in Los Angeles, which currently sits just above .500, and portends more franchise-altering moves, perhaps trading Jordan or letting go of head coach Doc Rivers. The Pistons are making headway of their own, hoping to move in the direction opposite the Clippers, and are giving Griffin the opportunity to rewrite his NBA narrative.

#IFTTT #YouTube How ‘lifelong Clipper’ Blake Griffin ended up in Detroit How ‘lifelong Clipper’ Blake

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Blake Griffin traded from Clippers to Pistons in blockbuster deal, sources say The LA Clippers have agreed to trade All-Star forward Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons, league sources told ESPN. The Clippers will receive Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, and a first- and second-round draft pick, league sources said. The Clippers are also sending Brice Johnson and Willie Reed to Detroit alongside Griffin, sources said. Protections on Detroit's 2018 first-round pick include 1-4 in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and unprotected in 2021, per sources. Talks on the blockbuster trade began six days ago, but accelerated in the past 24 hours, according to league sources. The framework of a deal had been in place since early afternoon. Sources say Los Angeles will continue to discuss dealing Lou Williams and DeAndre Jordan, with a plan to focus on young players and draft picks while competing for a playoff spot this season. Pistons center Andre Drummond welcomed Griffin on Instagram.

#IFTTT #YouTube Blake Griffin traded from Clippers to Pistons in blockbuster deal #sources say Blake

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Blake Griffin Headed to Pistons in Trade With Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers shook up the N.B.A. on Monday night, just over a week before the league’s annual trade deadline, by swinging a blockbuster deal to send the face of their franchise, Blake Griffin, to the Detroit Pistons. The Clippers have exceeded expectations so far this season with a record of 25-24 in the wake of Chris Paul’s off-season departure, but team officials decided to begin an aggressive roster shake-up with a major trade. The deal, which was first reported by ESPN, will send Griffin, Willie Reed and Brice Johnson to the Pistons for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic and a first- and second-round draft pick, according to two people with knowledge of the trade who were not authorized to speak publicly because it had not yet been announced. The trade came just seven months after Griffin signed a five-year, $171 million contract to stay with the Clippers. The team referred to Griffin as “a lifelong Clipper” in the free-agent recruiting pitch it made to him last summer, but the club abruptly changed course when it had the opportunity to acquire two starting-caliber players from the Pistons in Harris and Bradley as well as Detroit’s first-round pick in June’s draft. With eight seasons of service time and four seasons with the same team, Griffin met the N.B.A.’s requirements for a no-trade clause in his contract. But the Clippers were able to keep a no-trade clause out of his new contract because of the high dollar amount and long-term nature of the deal, which naturally appealed to Griffin after a series of injuries that cost him his entire rookie season in 2009-10 and limited him to an average of 67 games over the past seven seasons.

#IFTTT #YouTube Blake Griffin Headed to Pistons in Trade With Clippers Blake Griffin Headed to Piston

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10 players who improved their draft stock during the Senior Bowl The Senior Bowl is designed to simulate what a tough week in the NFL looks and feels like to the draft’s top senior prospects. The weeklong event, which concluded with a 45-16 blowout of the much-hyped North squad, shows NFL teams how draft prospects handle themselves while learning a playbook, being surrounded by unfamiliar teammates, and facing constant scrutiny from talent evaluators and the media. Here’s a look at 10 players who showcased themselves well in practice and Saturday’s game:

#IFTTT #YouTube 10 players who improved their draft stock during the Senior Bowl 10 players who impro

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Turnovers bite Lee in Senior Bowl Tanner Lee didn’t find out until well into the offseason that he was going to get the chance to play in the Senior Bowl. The former Nebraska quarterback was tabbed as a replacement on the North team in the annual all-star game for NFL hopefuls when Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph dropped out earlier this month. Not only did Lee make the trip to Mobile, Alabama, and get extensive work in front of scouts during the week of practice, but he saw a lot of playing time during the game Saturday, too. The results looked very similar to his 13 games at the helm of the Huskers: flashes of the big arm and throwing talent overshadowed by turnovers. Lee was sacked by a free-rusher and fumbled early in the third quarter, leading to a scoop-and-score. On the next possession, he made a good throw on a deep-in, but then threw behind his receiver on a similar throw shortly after that and was intercepted. The Destrehan, Louisiana, native’s final numbers: 8-of-19 passing for 86 yards and the pair of turnovers. His 31 plays resulted in 139 total yards (4.48 per snap) on eight drives for no points (four punts, turnover on downs, interception, fumble, end of half). Lee got four first-half drives, when he completed 4-of-9 for 38 yards. He could have had more yardage, but a 20-yard throw on the run was dropped by Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki and a deep ball for Colorado State receiver Michael Gallup was just off his fingertips. Lee was also nearly intercepted throwing into a tight window on a designed roll-out to the right. Lee was part of a deep North quarterback group, but wound up sharing most of the workload with a likely high draft pick in Wyoming’s Josh Allen. Heisman Trophy Winner and Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield started and played two drives before giving way to Allen, who played three. Then Lee finished the final 10 minutes, 5 seconds of the first half. Allen and Lee combined to play the whole second half. Allen finished 9-of-13 for 158 and a pair of touchdowns. The South, though, rolled, 45-16.

#IFTTT #YouTube Turnovers bite Lee in Senior Bowl Turnovers bite Lee in Senior Bowl Tanner Lee didn’

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Five Standouts From the 2018 Senior Bowl After three practices and the game itself, Senior Bowl week for 2018 is officially in the books. It culminated with the South team dominating the North 45-16 on Saturday afternoon at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, AL. The game gave NFL scouts, coaches, and front office executives an ever-improving picture as to which prospects are ideal fits when it comes to filling their off-season needs. This week’s festivities in Mobile are just one of many steps in the journey that ends in Dallas with the NFL Draft. The next big event takes place in early March as many of these same prospects will meet in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. With that in mind, who enhanced their draft stock on Saturday and put themselves in position to do so even further as the evaluation process continues between now and the draft? Five Standouts From the 2018 Senior Bowl Josh Allen, quarterback, Wyoming Saturday’s Senior Bowl didn’t exactly get off to an ideal start for Josh Allen. The Wyoming product managed just 14 yards passing in the first half for the North team who trailed 18-3 at halftime. But Allen turned it around big time in the second stanza. On the North’s first possession, he led the team on an 11-play, 81-yard touchdown drive that ended with him finding Central Michigan tight end Tyler Conklin in the end zone. After the defense forced a punt, he came onto the field and made two picture-perfect passes to Michael Gallup and Durham Smythe respectively. The latter to the Notre Dame tight end resulted in a touchdown that cut the South’s lead to two. Though the two-point conversion to tie failed and his team got shut out the rest of the way, Allen has nothing to hang his head about. He finished the game completing nine of 13 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Though his cannon for an arm is well-known, what stood out on Saturday was his ability to make touch throws over the top of the secondary. That skill set was apparent on both touchdown tosses. And it has Allen in good shape regarding his draft stock, especially if he impresses in Indy. Kyle Lauletta, quarterback, Richmond Heading into Saturday’s game, Allen and Baker Mayfield were the quarterbacks garnering all the hype. In Mayfield’s case, that certainly didn’t come as a surprise considering he took home the Heisman Trophy. But throughout this game, two quarterbacks overshadowed those two with their play. Early on, it was Western Kentucky’s Mike White who completed 72.7 percent of his passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in the first half. And down the stretch, Kyle Lauletta did his part in turning this game into a rout. The reigning Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year got started with a 75-yard strike to D.J. Chark one play after Allen got the North to within two. On his team’s ensuing two possessions, he showcased his ability to lead sustained drives which result in scores. Not only that, but he made a wide range of throws in the process. Whether it was connecting with tight ends on seam routes, finding wide receivers underneath, or threading the needle in tight coverage, Lauletta did it all. It’s no wonder then that he took home Senior Bowl Most Outstanding Player honors for his efforts. Marcus Davenport, edge rusher, Texas-San Antonio Heading into this week’s practices, perhaps no other player on defense was generating as much hype as Marcus Davenport. The edge rusher out of UTSA won Conference USA defensive player of the year in 2017 after a season which saw him set single-season school records with 17.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. His exploits had many observers comparing him to NFL pass rushing mainstays such as DeMarcus Ware and Ezekiel Ansah. But Davenport dealt with some quiet spells during the practice sessions. It included getting bottled up consistently in one-on-one drills between the offensive and defensive lines. That wasn’t the case in the game as he gave opposing tackles fits early and often. His ability to win with athleticism and violent hands around the edge in addition to doing so with power on bull rushes was on full display. Given the importance of generating terror on the perimeter in today’s NFL, a solid Combine could all but ensure he goes in the top 10. Rashaad Penny, running back, San Diego State It’s hard to believe that Rashaad Penny didn’t garner an invitation to the Heisman Trophy ceremony at the very least. Though it’s unlikely he’d have beaten Mayfield out for the award, his body of work in 2017 certainly deserved an appearance in New York City. Penny led the nation with 2,248 rushing yards and was one of just two running backs to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark (Stanford’s Bryce Love was the other). And only Florida Atlantic’s Devin Singletary finished with more total touchdowns than his 25. The biggest question mark surrounding Penny’s game surrounded his pass-catching acumen. He managed

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Penny Shines at Senior Bowl Every time Aztecs running back Rashaad Penny steps on the football field he makes eye-popping plays. People wrote off the explosiveness of 2017’s all-purpose yardage champ saying he did it against lesser competition in the Mountain West Conference, even though he ran roughshod over Pac-12 opponents Arizona State and Stanford. The people who peddled that narrative can’t make the excuse anymore. At the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL, a showcase of the best senior football players in the country that included Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, Penny was the game’s leading rusher AND third-leading receiver to lead his South team to a 45-16 win over the North squad. Penny carried the ball nine times for 64 yards, a tidy 7.1 yards per rush, and showed his versatility and deceptive speed on a 73-yard touchdown catch. After the game multiple NFL Draft experts had Penny, who was named the game’s co-Most Outstanding Player with LSU wide receiver D.J. Chark, on their short lists of the guys who helped themselves the most during Senior Bowl week. The consensus on the consensus All-American is at the moment he’s at least a second round pick. With a good showing at the NFL Combine in February there is the chance he could move himself into the first round. Penny’s SDSU teammate, defensive back Kameron Kelly, was also in the game and had a pair of tackles.

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