In light of Drexel’s historic athletic season, we decided to interview Dragon psychologist Madeline Barlow. We discussed her experiences with athletes during the pandemic, along with her journey into sports psychology and her advice for athletes. She has been working with Drexel athletes since 2018.

The Triangle: Can you tell us a little bit about your experience as a college athlete, and how this inspired you to do what you do now?

Madeline Barlow: I was a competitive swimmer from 8 to 22 years old. Swimming was my life. I lived and breathed the sport (chlorine fumes and all!). In the pool, I experienced the most joyful moments. It’s also where I experienced the deepest of disappointments. At the time, my mind was full of noise and negative self-talk —  something I didn’t know how to deal with, nor did I have the support to help reframe my thoughts. I’m also extremely sensitive and feel my emotions deeply, yet I didn’t know how to honor my feelings in the moment and release them. In time, this led me to become the support I wished I had at the time. Now, I have the opportunity to support student athletes through the highs and lows and teach them how to lean into their true self in and out of sport.

TT: Congratulations on your new book! How has the writing process been for that, and who would you suggest reads it?

MB: Thank you! Writing a book has always been a dream of mine, I just never knew what to write about. My book is called “The Highly Sensitive Athlete: How to Embody the Magic of your True Self In & Out of Sport.” The writing process came naturally once I found the inspiration. In fact, I was inspired by the athletes I work with daily (plus my personal experience as a highly sensitive athlete). Many of the individuals that come to me for support identify themselves as being highly sensitive — in simple terms, they feel, observe, understand, care and are stimulated more deeply than the average person. This can either be viewed as a detriment in sport or recognized as a strength! When you learn how to lean into your sensitivity and have the tools and support to align with your true self, you’ll find yourself doing exceptional things in all areas of your life. This book is for highly sensitive athletes, coaches of highly sensitive athletes (15 to 20 percent of people are highly sensitive, so most coaches will have a few athletes with this trait), administrators, parents and even partners of someone who is highly sensitive. The book also applies to performers outside of sport, such as musicians, dancers, and other performing artists.

TT: What is the main focus on most of your work when you work with athletes as teams rather than individually?

MB: The focus of our “team” work differs from team to team. I will get to know the coaches and athletes well enough to understand what tools would benefit them the most based on their goals. Examples include building confidence (which could be the focus over an entire season), motivation with a reminder of their “why” (useful for mid-season slumps) and managing emotions in the present moment.

TT: What is your main focus when working with athletes individually?

MB: The main focus of my work with individual athletes is confidence (or the lack thereof). Over our sessions together, I help bring their awareness to this: Confidence isn’t dependent on performance (or at least it isn’t designed to be). Confidence lives within you, and you can access it whenever you need it!

TT: What is the biggest difference you’ve seen collectively since working with Drexel athletes?

MB: I have seen teams go from totally disconnected to coming together in high-pressure situations, from little to no belief in themselves or the team to standing up and yelling out their personal strengths to the entire team! It’s been inspiring to witness.

TT: Have you noticed any different issues or conversations coming up in light of the pandemic?

MB: Yes, a big topic of discussion this year was leaning into uncertainty. As athletes, you often feel that you are in control. When I was swimming, our meet sheets told us the exact time we would be stepping up on the blocks and the date and location of our championship meet (months in advance). This certainty was nowhere to be found in 2020. I spoke with our teams about what it would feel like to lean into this uncertainty while also “controlling the controllables.” The pandemic and the “new normal” equals uncontrollable, their effort and willingness to connect as a team equals controllable.

TT: As we see many students graduating and ending their college careers, what advice would you give student athletes as they come to the difficult end of their sport? I know you have spoken a lot about your experience of not feeling good enough after this experience—could you expand on that?

MB: Moving on from something you have devoted years of time and energy to is rarely easy. The most important thing I can say is to remember you are not alone. While some people finish their sport with a sense of relief, so many others are faced with a lack of passion, direction and purpose after sport. Seek out support from a professional (with a background in this or sport) and other former athletes with similar experiences. If the phrase “just move on,” “get over it” or anything else pressuring you to move forward feels out of alignment for you, that’s OKAY!

There is no timeline. Your life is not a race. You are right where you need to be. After I touched the wall of my final race, I felt like a piece of me died and left my body. It was wild and extremely emotional. For many years, I struggled to find any form of movement that I was passionate about (like I was about swimming). I even went a whole year barely exercising. While I continued to study and ended with two additional degrees post-grad, very little compared to how I felt when I swam a best time or made a Nationals cut. I had been conditioned to only see my worth as it related to my performance. Over time (and a 120-page dissertation later), I found myself working with a therapist and then my own (life) coach, who helped me to implement the tools necessary to separate what I do (swim, teach, coach, etc.) from who I AM (Madeline Barlow).

TT: What is your favourite part about working with Drexel athletes?

MB: There is nothing better than watching someone have an AHA moment right in front of your eyes. When we are working on a new mental skill/tool and suddenly something just clicks! And then I get to watch them applying this on the field, court, pool, etc. It’s also been a beautiful experience to watch athletes light up when they talk about something they love, whether that is a part of their sport, team, or otherwise. It is an honor to support athletes in this way.

TT: What would your best piece of advice be to any student athlete looking to improve mentally?

MB: Society has done a good job of making people feel weak for needing help. My advice? The strongest thing you’ll ever do is pause, look inward, and recognize you need support. The second strongest thing? Reaching out. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find a professional you connect with, but when you do, magic happens! By the way, asking for support doesn’t only have to apply when something is wrong. So many of the athletes I work with have come to me when they simply want to be even better!

TT: What is your favourite mindful activity?

MB: This is a tough one — I have so many! Over the last year and a half, I have established a daily meditation practice. This is a beautiful and powerful practice that allows me to meet with my true self each day. I also practice breath work, yoga, reiki energy training and walking outside (nature is good for the soul). A short, living-room dance party is also a super fun way to bring mindfulness into my day!

TT: Finally, what inspires you to continue your work with our athletes?

MB: The athletes are my inspiration. Every time an athlete shows up for themselves, it fuels my passion for this work. I’ve truly become the person I always needed when I was younger, and our athletes have trusted me to be that person for them. I am forever grateful.

Anyone wanting to work with Madeline can find her on Instagram @mindwisementor or at her website mindwisementor.com. Madeline shares offerings for athletes who have transitioned out of sport (applies to former Drexel athletes and those who competed elsewhere/in high school). If you want to work with Madeline you can fill out this form https://rb.gy/mcwocu Madeline’s book is in the pre-order stage and can be found at madelinebarlowbooks.com.

Nick Maton has been contributing at the big league level for the Philadelphia Phillies ever since his call-up April 19. The lefty is batting 0.286 with an OPS of 0.740, solid numbers for a rookie. Maton has shown the Philadelphia fans that he can contribute to the team now and in the future. So, how does Maton fit into the Phillies’ future?

I think it’s important to rule out a future in the outfield. Maton has been superb in the middle infield defensively and it’s hard to imagine a future with him in the outfield, knowing how much better he is defensively in the infield. The  Phillies outfield also looks like it could be jammed up if some of their high draft picks pan out the way they expected.  

Andrew McCutchen and Odubel Herrera both have team options to be decided on after this year, it’s most likely they are not coming back, but there’s a chance they could return on cheaper contracts. Adam Haseley and Roman Quinn are not going anywhere from all indications, and Mickey Moniak is still a hopeful developing player. Also, a change to another position could dramatically affect a young player like Maton in a negative way, both defensively and offensively. So, Maton as a future starting outfielder? I don’t think so.

The Phillies, as of now, are set in the middle infield. At the very least, the Phillies don’t have an opening in the middle of the infield until after 2022, unless they decide to part ways with Segura or Gregorius. Segura has a team option after 2022, and Gregorius’s contract is over after 2022. After that, the Phillies will need a new middle infield, as Segura will be 33 and Gregorius 32 years old.

Projecting into the future, there’s a good chance Bryson Stott will be a fit in the infield. Stott, the Phillies third-best prospect (according to MLB.com) is a shortstop, but there’s a chance he might move over to second base by the time he’s in the big leagues. 

A couple years ago, Scott Kingery seemed like the Phillies’ future second baseman. Yet, he has not found any success in becoming productive again and still has a ton of work left to do. Maton and Stott, as of now, look like the next Phillies middle infield duo. Both could play second or short, so it’ll be interesting to see how that works out. Most likely, whoever is the better shortstop will play shortstop and the other at second, since shortstop is a premier position. 

Even though Phillies fans wish they could see Maton play more when everyone is healthy, don’t fret—there will be plenty of Maton in Philly for the future. Homegrown talents always hold a special place in a fan’s heart, so don’t be surprised if Maton becomes a fan favorite in the city of brotherly love.

The media is already labeling the 2021 season as a lost season or a “rebuild” year, and quarterback Jalen Hurts has been ranked the 31st worst quarterback in the league by Pro Football Focus. Despite all that, the Eagles could very well win the NFC East this season.

In 2020 the Eagles had a putrid record of 4-11. They were in the midst of a quarterback controversy when Carson Wentz was benched in favor of Jalen Hurts in a Week 14 start. Ultimately, Hurts could only start four regular season games, where he threw for six touchdown passes and four interceptions. Four games are not enough to evaluate a player; however, when Wentz decided to pout his way off the team, the Eagles started setting up Hurts for success in 2021. And hopefully, the entire team will follow.

New coaching staff brings a fresh start

After five seasons, including winning the Superbowl in 2017, the Eagles decided to fire Doug Pederson after a destructive 2020 season and the drama surrounding Carson Wentz. In comes a new coaching staff, led by head coach Nick Sirianni. Sirianni was 39 years old, energetic and a former offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts. Bringing in Sirianni as the new head coach gave the team an opportunity for a fresh start.

Sirianni has already made an impression with Eagles players this offseason. Veteran center Jason Kelce praised Sirianni’s energy, saying, “He has energy every single day; it’s not an act” (Twitter). Another new face to the Eagles coaching staff is defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, who previously coached with the Colts last year as the defensive backs/secondary coach.

Bringing Gannon in as the defense coordinator brings a much-needed new philosophy. It also gives some familiarity with players who have signed this offseason, such as Anthony Harris and Eric Wilson, who spent time with Gannon when coaching with the Minnesota Vikings.

Jalen Hurts has some familiarity with the new coaching staff, as the quarterback coach Brian Johnson (who was with the University of Florida last year) has known Hurts since he was four years old and has helped develop quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Kyle Trask.

More options on offense for Hurts to succeed

Last year, it was evident that the Eagles lacked a true number one wide receiver. While Jalen Reagor still has the chance to become a solid contributor, it’s pretty clear that he is not fit for number one. The Eagles may have solved the problem by trading up in this year’s draft, after trading down earlier, to take Devonta Smith with the 10th overall pick.

Smith was the Heisman winner this past year after recording 117 receptions and 1856 receiving yards. The addition of Smith will help Hurts, and so will the return of a healthy offensive line that was decimated by injuries last year. In 2020, the Eagles offensive line had  14 different line combinations in 16 games, thanks to injuries to starters Andre Dillard, Brandon Brooks, Lane Johnson and Issac Seumalo.

When healthy, the Eagles have one of the best offensive lines in the league. If the Eagles offensive line can stay healthy, then Hurts will have more time to throw and create opportunities for his teammates. If the offensive line is not healthy, Hurts will likely find himself constantly running to survive or find more time on his backside.

Defensive reinforcements have been made

Just like the offensive makeover, the defense has also been addressed this offseason. The most notable addition was the free-agent signing of safety Anthony Harris, who spent the last five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Also signed from the Minnesota Vikings is linebacker Eric Wilson, which is a position that the Eagles have struggled with during the last few seasons and needed an upgrade.

Most recently, the Eagles added Ryan Kerrigan to a pass-rushing corps that already was one of the best in the league. Kerrigan comes after spending the last 10 seasons with Washington. The most sacks he has against any team is the Eagles, where he has recorded 13 and a half sacks in 19 games against the team. If Sirianni can fit the pieces together, the Eagles have the makings of solid defense this year and a stable offense.

The success of the team is ultimately in the hands of Jalen Hurts. If he can meet the standard, he will be the Eagles quarterback of the future. If he can’t, then Eagles fans are likely in for another ugly season.

As we have discussed before, the title races in Europe are wrapping up, resulting in what is arguably the most exciting part of the season. Some leagues have already crowned a champion, but others will go down to the final matchday. La Liga, the top-flight league in Spain, is one of them. After one of the best seasons in La Liga history, the fight to win the title has been visceral due to some clubs being in transition and some squads aging while other teams are hitting perfect form at the ideal time.

The Philadelphia 76ers find themselves back in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, but this year holds more expectations and promise than years past. The Sixers enter the playoffs as the number one seed in Doc Rivers’ first year as head coach. After two straight losses in the conference semifinals in 2018 and 2019, followed by a first-round exit in 2020, the Sixers look to capitalize as the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference. However, for them to be successful, these three things have to happen.

Joel Embiid has to play every game from here on out.

Embiid has taken his game to new heights this year; he averaged 28.5 points and 10.6 rebounds to become one of the favorites for league MVP.  In any sport, once the playoffs come, your best players have to play their best and be the ones to lead the team to the promised land.

Embiid has the ability to carry the team on his back, but he can only do that if he is on the court. Embiid has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, and it has carried into the playoffs before. Fortunately, the Sixers have not been affected by Embiid missing time in those three games, but that is not something to expect if Embiid misses time again. This Sixers team goes as he goes, and they are going to need him for every game from here on out.

Ben Simmons will need to play aggressive

Every team’s defensive game plan will involve throwing as many double teams on Embiid as possible, so the Sixers will need a second scoring option, which has been Tobias Harris. But we know what Simmons is capable of when he is aggressive. Take his series against the Nets in 2019 as an example, where he averaged 17.2 points, including 31 points in game three.

As I said, the best players have to play their best in the playoffs, and Simmons has to play with the confidence that a three-time All-Star should play with. If he does, not only will it benefit his effect on the scoreboard, but it will also open up more opportunities for Embiid and the rest of the team.

The bench has to maintain the score through defense

The Sixers don’t feature any 20-point scorers off the bench, but they will need to find a way to maintain leads or close games when Embiid, Harris and Simmons are not on the floor. The Sixers’ identity has become defense since the arrival of Doc Rivers, and they need to stick to that identity, as they ranked six in opponents points allowed this past regular season. If the bench can defend their way to maintain the score while the starters rest, that will take a lot of pressure off the main scorers. It’s a recipe for disaster if the bench starts giving up leads or trailing by a significant margin, which will cause Embiid or Harris to work even harder to get the score back even.

As stated before, expectations are high this summer for the Sixers, who look to complete the process with an NBA Championship. They tip off their playoff journey on Sunday, May 23, against the number eight seed Washington Wizards, who beat the Indiana Pacers in the new play-in tournament on Thursday night.

Sunday, May 16, saw the Drexel Women’s Rowing team head into the College Athletic Association Championships in Pennsauken, New Jersey. In a successful bid, the Dragons placed second overall and came away with three team members named All-CAA Team. Honors were awarded to seniors Margarita Amihava, Julianna Hunt and Kylie Magee — a fitting way to see out their final season as Dragons.

Drexel came in second place in the final team standings with 36 points, just below the winners Northeastern with 42 points. Drexel remained well above Villanova and Delaware, both with 23 points and tied for third place. Fifth, sixth and seventh places went to UC San Diego, Eastern Michigan and UConn, respectively.

Women’s Third Varsity 8 consisted of the Marlene Buckley II boat, with coxswain Maya Duberstein and stroke Addison Devine. Numbers 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 were Valentina Frusone, Sophia Lamb, Rachel Civan, Chloe Tramontano, Abby Citta and Julia Porro, respectively. The bow was Genevieve Rowlands. This team placed fourth in their race with a time of 7:18.062, just behind Northeastern. Villanova came out as champions of that race with an impressive time of 7:07.318.

Women’s Varsity 4 used the Marci boat, with Chloe Speciale as the coxswain and Anna Kretzer as the stroke, followed by Olivia Zwickle as the bow. Number 3 and 2 were Morgan Van Dexter and Katie Ernst. In an impressive race, the Dragons won the silver medal. Their time of 7:44.821 fell just short of Northeastern’s time of 7:42.139.

Another silver medal came in the Women’s Second Varsity 8 race. This team used the boat Cara Fry, with coxswain Olivia Szabo and stroke Julianna Rogers. Number 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 were Mackenzie Dorsett, Lexie Hain, Mollie Knoff, Fiona Mauer, Rita Keefer and Makayla Wenzke. The bow was Kayla Driscoll. The ladies rowed an impressive time of 6:55.406, although once again, they were just edged by Northeastern, who rowed a time of 6:53.414. Another silver medal for the Dragons!

In the final race, the Women’s Varsity 8 also proved themselves worthy of a silver medal — as well as three All-CAA members. The boat used was the Alleva XVII, with coxswain Natalie Cleri, stroke Isabella D’Angelo and bow Hunt. Numbers 7 through 2 were occupied by Hayley McKeever, Magee, Amihava, Alexandra Natale, Kirby Droogan and Giavanna Hunt. In an emerging trend, the Dragons were just beaten by Northeastern for the top spot. Drexel’s time of 6:39.331 proved just short of Northeastern’s 6:35.101.

At a fitting end to the championships, the Dragons finished second place overall, with only Northeastern above them. In the last six CAA Championships, the Dragons have finished second place. The Dragons also walked away with an impressive three team members named the ALL-CAA team, all three from the Women’s Varsity 8 team. Congratulations, Dragons, on another successful season!

The Drexel Men’s lacrosse team is going dancing! The Dragons extended their seven-now-nine match winning streak last weekend at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships in Hempstead, New York.

The Dragons beat UMass 13-8 with five goals from freshman Sean Donnelly, four goals from senior Aidan Coll, two goals from graduate student Reid Bowering and one goal from junior Jack Mulcahy. The nine-straight goals from the Dragons in the second half took them from a four-goal deficit to a five-goal advantage. Just two days later, on Saturday, May 8, the Dragons were once again stunned with a 15-11 win against Hofstra and a place at the 2021 NCAA Lacrosse Championships secured. Bowering (named Most Outstanding Player) scored five goals, Coll scored three, Mulcahy scored two and freshman Luke Tomak also scored two goals. The CAA Championship win marked the second in the program’s history, with both titles notably coming under head coach Brian Voelker’s lead.

The Triangle spoke to junior goalie Paul Macrina about the successful CAA’s, the team’s preparation, and how they feel going into the NCAA’s.  

The Triangle: How has the preparation been this season?

Paul Macrina: Preparation has been different this year, with Covid delaying our season and our fall being more individual versus team-oriented. It forced us to do a lot of work on our own, and I think that caused us to work harder, knowing that we had to push each other even though we weren’t together as a team. Nobody wanted to let the other guys down, which helped us provide better results in practice and on the field with the increasing competition as everyone got better on their own. Once we got practices started, preparation differed from years past because we were no longer focused on stick skills and working out the kinks of the summer; it was more focused on preparing for the teams we are about to play and the new things we were implementing. 

TT: How has the season been for you guys? Have there been any particularly tough games? 

Macrina: The season went just about as we had expected. The locker room has a certain energy that is very apparent every single day. From seniors that start to freshmen that don’t play, everyone has bought in, and everyone believes that we can truly do something special here, which we have. The CAA is a phenomenal conference with a lot of very tough teams. We knew that there was going to be a challenge with each team we played, and we weren’t going to take anyone lightly. Obviously, our two losses to Delaware and UMass were our toughest games because it showed where we had lapses in our execution. Thankfully we played both those teams again and won. It definitely shows a lot of growth not only from our coaching staff with how we changed our game plan, but it also shows resiliency among our team knowing what we’re capable of beating anyone. 

TT: How did it feel to win the title? Is this something you have been working towards as a team? 

Macrina: I’m honestly still struggling to put how it feels in words. There’s something extremely special about making history with your best friends, it is very hard to put into words because it is everything we have worked for our entire lives. The last time we went to CAA championship, Towson beat us and we had to watch them celebrate and receive the trophy. That feeling of heartbreak stuck with all of us, and I think now that we have won, it’s an overwhelming sense of pride knowing that we worked to be in their position that year and not where we were watching someone else celebrate.

When we came in as freshman, the team goal was always to win the CAA championship. At the beginning of each season, we set a list of goals we want to achieve as a team, and a CAA championship is always on that list. On top of that, we usually meet at the end of each season to go over what goals we missed and how we can achieve those for next year. So yes, this is definitely something we’ve been looking forward to and a standard we plan to set … for years to come. 

TT: How do you feel going into the NCAA’s? Are you confident? 

Macrina: Growing up, it’s every kid’s dream to make it to the NCAA tournament, and now we’re about to fly out to Denver and see that dream come true. Naturally, many of us go back-and-forth in the locker room talking about the win, we are all absolutely fired up to be here. Being the second team in Drexel lacrosse history to ever go to the tournament is an extremely fulfilling feeling because we know how much hard work the guys in years past put into this program in order for us to have this opportunity. Knowing we were able to capitalize on that opportunity is our way of showing that we acknowledge and appreciate the road they paved for us to be here. We are extremely confident in our ability as a team, and we are extremely confident that the coaches have put us in the right positions to be successful. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain, and the sense of being underappreciated and under-respected has given us a lot more confidence as a team.

TT: What preparations are you currently doing for the tournament, apart from taking some rest after the win? 

Macrina: The biggest preparation is to keep our emotions in check until the game. It’s going to be extremely difficult to do so because this is a new experience for every guy on the roster, and it is obviously very exciting. If you allow yourself to express all that excitement too early, you could get burnt out when you need those emotions the most at game time. Other than that, playing at higher altitude will definitely be different and something we have taken into account. On top of that, we know that Notre Dame is probably the best team we have faced all year, so there’s not a lot of film and scouting to mentally prepare us for this moment. Our coaches and training staff have emphasized taking care of our bodies. We also are constantly talking about taking in this moment. If you allow yourself to get too focused on the game itself too early, … you can miss everything else going on around you. Flying out Wednesday and spending a few days in Denver before the game allows us to take in this experience as it is potentially a once in a lifetime event. We enjoy being around each other for an extended season making history for Drexel. 

The Dragons will be playing the first round of the NCAA’s on Saturday, May 15 at 5 p.m. in Denver, Colorado against Notre Dame. We wish both the men’s and women’s teams (who will both be competing at the NCAA’s) the best of luck. Go Dragons!

Now that it is the middle of May, with only a few weeks left of club football in the 2020/21 season, domestic football leagues across Europe are in the process of wrapping up; this is often the most exciting part of the campaign, with this weekend and midweek as prime examples. As we approach the 11th hour, some leagues have already mathematically crowned their champions while other title races are tightening like vice-grips, going down to the wire. Even in those leagues where the winner is guaranteed, the scramble to qualify for European competitions as well as avoid relegation is still very much alive.

The Premier League (England)

On Tuesday, second-placed Manchester United was defeated by third-place Leicester City, officially confirming Manchester City as the 2020/21 Premier League champions. They sit in first place with a 10-point lead. Pep Guardiola and his players have now won the league three times in the five seasons he’s been in Manchester, but this dominant victory is remarkable given how he skillfully transformed this team this season. However, they could have clinched the title themselves when Man City played Chelsea last Saturday.

In what was arguably the most anticipated matchup of the weekend, Manchester City welcomed Chelsea to the Etihad Stadium. This match was particularly interesting because of Man City’s title finalization and because Chelsea is fighting to stay within the top four spots for Champions League qualification. To add even more drama, both these teams will meet each other at the Champions League Final on May 29. Man City dominated the first half with Raheem Sterling opening the score following an error from Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen, but they missed a chance to go 2-0 up after Sergio Aguero shockingly squandered a penalty with a terrible miss. In the second half, Chelsea gained the foothold and equalized with a great low-shot from Hakim Ziyech. Man City was denied a penalty late on, but Chelsea snatched the victory when Marcos Alonso scored a last-minute winner to win 2-1.

As was mentioned before, third-place Leicester City traveled away from home to face second-place Manchester United in what was a tightly contested match. Luke Thomas opened the score for Leicester before Mason Greenwood equalized with a great goal. Caglar Soyuncu’s towering header ended up winning the match for Leicester 2-1, solidifying their spot in the top four.

After their great victory over Man City, Chelsea could not carry over their form to their midweek game against Arsenal, which they lost 1-0, leaving their spot in fourth place unsecured. Interestingly enough, fifth-place West Ham United can leapfrog Chelsea if they win their next match.

At the other end of the table, Sheffield United has long since been mathematically relegated after a historically bad season. West Bromwich Albion was relegated last week despite hiring the famous relegation escape artist Sam Allardyce in December. Then this week, Fulham confirmed their place as the last team to be relegated with their 2-0 loss to Burnley.

La Liga (Spain)

While the Premier League title race is all but wrapped up, that is not the case in Spain, where there was a four-way race for the 2020/21 La Liga title before this week.

The highlight match of the round, and arguably the best match of the week, was Sevilla’s showdown with Real Madrid. Sevilla traveled to Madrid needing a victory to stay in the race, but Real Madrid took the lead after Karim Benzema’s header, or so they thought, as VAR called it offside. Sevilla officially opened the score 10 minutes later after great footwork from Fernando. Into the second half, Real Madrid laid siege to Sevilla’s goal and finally equalized after a quick shot from Marco Asensio. Then, chaos ensued as a dangerous ball was played into Real Madrid’s box during a corner, but the ball did not find its target, and Benzema was released on the counterattack until he was taken down by Sevilla’s goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, in what was a clear penalty. However, VAR showed that before Benzema’s run, Eder Militao handled the ball in Real Madrid’s box, and Sevilla was awarded the penalty, which Ivan Rakitic scored with ease. Just when it looked like Sevilla’s win was inevitable, Toni Kroos sent a wild shot towards goal, but a lucky deflection turned the ball into the net with almost the last kick of the game, and it all finished 2-2. With this draw, fourth-place Sevilla is realistically out of the race while second-place Real Madrid is still alive but was unable to take a commanding lead.

Meanwhile, third-place Barcelona met the league-leaders in the Camp Nou, knowing that a win would see them jump two spots into first place. Unfortunately for Barcelona, Atletico Madrid dominated the first half and was very unlucky not to score. While Barcelona had more chances in the second, they were denied a series of world-class saves from Atletico’s goalkeeper, Jan Oblak. The pick of the bunch being a jaw-dropping run from Lionel Messi, who dribbled past multiple defenders and would’ve scored the goal of the season if not for the outstretched fingers of Oblak. The match ended 0-0, meaning neither team could take advantage of the other, but Atletico remains in first.

Barcelona’s title aspirations took another significant dent in the midweek as they failed to hold on to a 2-goal lead, drawing 3-3 with Levante, while Atletico Madrid strengthened their control with a crucial 2-1 win over fifth-place Real Sociedad, who themselves stand far behind fourth-placed Sevilla.

The relegation battle is equally tense as only three points separate the bottom three teams as of Wednesday, and no team is officially relegated. Bottom-place Eibar earned a hard-fought win over Getafe, giving them desperate hope to stay up. Following two back-to-back 2-0 losses, 19-place Elche is in free fall while 18-place Valladolid was crushed 3-0 by Valencia.

Serie A (Italy)

With Atalanta’s draw with Sassuolo two weeks ago, Inter Milan has mathematically crowned Serie A champions after a genuinely dominant season. Seeing them break Juventus’ nine-title winning streak, much to the delight of their manager, Antonio Conte, who used to coach Juventus. In their first match as champions, Inter smashed Sampdoria 5-1, proving why they are the best team in Italy, then in the midweek, Inter repeated this feat by professionally defeating Roma 3-1.

Below first place, the following few areas were far from guaranteed going into the weekend, with five teams all competing for three Champions League spots. After Lazio meekly lost 2-0 to Fiorentina, they fell out of contention. Conversely, both Napoli and Atalanta convincingly won their two matches during the weekend and midweek, most likely sealing Atalanta’s spot in second place and Napoli in third, though nothing is for sure yet. Though, what is for sure is that the fight for the final Champions League spot will go right to the very end, especially after these past few games.

Milan traveled to Turin to face the reigning champions, Juventus. Milan started the season so well but has since hit a run of bad form leading most to think Juventus would come away with all three points. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth as Milan thoroughly rinsed the Bianconeri 3-0. Despite Franck Kessie missing a penalty, Milan still scored three beautiful unanswered goals from Brahim Diaz, Ante Rebic and Fikayo Tomori. Milan then continued their excellent form by tearing apart another team from Turin, mercilessly crushing Torino 7-0, the biggest win of any team this season in Serie A.

While Juventus currently sit in fifth, they are far from out as they overcame Sassuolo 3-1 in the midweek, meaning they are only one point behind Milan. Coincidently, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala reached the 100-goal milestone for Juventus to victory over Sassuolo.

After having poor seasons, both Crotone and Parma have been relegated, and while Benevento still has a chance to survive, it does not look likely as they sit four points behind Spezia, who are just outside the relegation zone.

Bundesliga (Germany)

In the most straightforward title race of Europe’s Top Five leagues, Bayern Munich waltzed to their ninth consecutive Bundesliga trophy, to the surprise of no one. After second-place RB Leipzig lost to fourth-place Borussia Dortmund, it confirmed Bayern’s victory before their match against Borussia Monchengladbach, against which they won 6-0 — Robert Lewandowski coming only one goal away of Gerd Muller’s record for most goals in a single Bundesliga season.

The match between Leipzig and Dortmund was exhilarating to watch, as an Erling Haaland-less Dortmund side went 2-0 following two skillful goals from Marco Reus and Jadon Sancho. Leipzig did not let up, and deep into the second half Lukas Klostermann got one back off a corner before Dani Olmo rolled in the equalizer 10 minutes later. However, with a little over three minutes left, a beautifully worked team goal saw Dortmund steal the win 3-2 after Sancho’s second strike. Despite hovering outside the European qualification zone not long ago, Borussia Dortmund just snuck back into the top four, sitting just one point above fifth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt. Meanwhile, third-place Wolfsburg further protected their spot in the top four after a comfortable 3-0 win over Union Berlin.

At the other end of the table, Schalke 04 were officially relegated last month after having one of the worst ever performances of a Bundesliga team, winning only two of their 32 matches, losing 23, and conceding 82 goals with a -61 goal difference. After their loss to SC Freiburg, FC Koln looks likely to join Schalke in the second division next season while Arminia Bielefeld is in the relegation play-off spot, though they are level on points with Werder Bremen.

Ligue 1 (France)

Unlike England, Italy and Germany, but similar to Spain, the title race in France looks like to comes down to the last day of the season as three teams have a chance of winning the trophy. Despite Paris Saint-Germain starting the season in topsy-turvy form, most thought the reigning champions would eventually get their act together and steamroll all opposition just like seasons past. To everyone’s shock, PSG remained inconsistent while Lyon, Monaco and Lille all mounted serious title challenges. And though Lyon trailed off slightly and Monaco’s title hopes were damaged after a 3-2 loss to the same club, Lille sits in first place, three points ahead of PSG in second.

Lille marched closer to their first Ligue 1 title since 2010/11 after they defeated Lens 3-0, headlined by a match-winning performance from Burak Yilmaz, who has been one of the best players in France this season.

This weekend, the most eye-catching match in France was the confrontation between PSG and seventh-place Rennes, who are fighting for a Europa League qualification spot themselves. PSG started the match on the front foot, taking the lead right before halftime after Neymar Jr. scored a penalty. PSG never really looked like they had complete control of the match as Rennes continued to find themselves in good positions. Their perseverance paid off when Serhou Guirassy scored a powerful header off a corner. Afterward, the momentum swung in Rennes’ favor, seeing them have the majority of chances and PSG’s defender, Presnel Kimpembe, sent off. Rennes were unable to beat Keylor Navas in goal, though, and the match ended 1-1, marginally widening the gap between PSG and Lille.

The struggle for the last Champions League post intensified as well, with both Monaco and Lyon winning their matches, meaning only one point separates them.

In the relegation-survival skirmish, Dijon had already been relegated, capping off a very disappointing season while Nimes look unlikely to escape. By contrast, the relegation play-off spot is up for grabs. Nantes currently occupy the spot, but depending on future results, one of Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Lorient could fall into the play-off position as only two points separate all four teams.

Outside Europe’s Top Five Leagues

Across Europe, outside of the Top Five Leagues, the Portuguese giants, Sporting Lisbon, won their first Primeira Liga title since the 2001/02 season while the Dutch champions Ajax successfully defended their title, winning the Eredivisie. In the Russian Premier League, Zenit Saint Petersburg was crowned champions after a dominant season. In Belgium, Club Brugge, Antwerp, Anderlecht and likely Genk will enter the play-offs to decide the champions. Elsewhere, Red Bull Salzburg won the Austrian Bundesliga, Rangers won the Scottish Premiership, Dynamo Kyiv won the Ukrainian Premier League, and either Besiktas, Galatasaray or Fenerbahce will win the tightly contested Turkish Super Lig.

The Philadelphia 76ers are on track to clinch their first top place finish in the Eastern Conference in 20 years.

A striking dichotomy can be seen between the 2020-21 76ers led by Head Coach Doc Rivers and the 2000-01 76ers coached by Larry Brown. The contemporary version is led by a 7-foot do-it-all big man from Cameroon, while the latter was carried by 6-foot MVP Allen Iverson. While a whole foot and nearly a hundred pounds separate Philadelphia’s greatest basketball players this century, the two are comparable. Iverson became Philadelphia’s first MVP in decades, and Embiid is attempting to do the same while also having his hat in another ring, the Defensive Player of the Year.

Defense is the name of the game for this 76ers squad, who has remained near the top of the league in defensive rating despite countless injuries and missed games. Other than DPOY candidate Joel Embiid, Philly boasts two more presumptive nominees: All-Star Ben Simmons and second-year guard Matisse Thybulle. Simmons and Thybulle’s impact on the team, despite their collective inability to shoot three-pointers, cannot be overstated.

So, what does the one seed mean for the Sixers?

Perhaps most importantly, it means avoiding the three-headed monster Brooklyn Nets, and Giannis led Milwaukee Bucks until the Eastern Conference Finals. It also means that Philadelphia has to play Milwaukee or Brooklyn, not both. Boston has long been Philadelphia’s kryptonite, and with the way the standings are shaking out, it appears the 76ers won’t be seeing Boston on their half of the bracket.

But it means more than that.

The one seed means that the Sixers’ gamble took in the late 2000s and the majority of the last decade has paid off. Drafting a kid from Cameroon who barely played at Kansas and sat out his first two seasons was successful. Pairing him with another 7-foot player who dominates the paint works. When the league zigged towards three-point shooting, the 76ers zagged. And it paid off.

This is not the end of the process, but it is the end of the years of instability, lackluster performances and letdowns. For once, the Sixers had great potential and met it.

Any player or fan would tell you this is the beginning. The actual end comes when Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Matisse Thybulle and the rest of the 76ers hold the Larry O’Brien trophy while partying on Broad Street. Nobody knows if they will get there, but this certainly signifies the best chance for them since Allen Iverson.

“The Machine” Albert Pujols is in his 21st Major League season of what has been an iconic and legendary career for the 41-year old. However, due to recent struggles and disagreements with Angels manager Joe Maddon, the Angels released the future Hall of Famer, who was playing on the last year of his 10-year contract. Surely his career can’t end here, right? Here are three teams that Pujols could be a fit on.

3. Cleveland Indians

The Indians are struggling at first base as Jake Bauers and Yu Chang split time there. Bauers has a 0.204 batting average and an OPS of 0.580, while Chang is batting 0.140 and an OPS of 0.369. Despite the struggles at first, the Indians find themselves in second place in the AL Central, only a game back of the first-place White Sox.

As the Indians continue to make strides towards the playoffs, they’ll need to figure out first base. Pujols wants to play every day somewhere, which simply won’t happen, but he could still get plenty of at-bats in Cleveland. Unfortunately for Pujols, the Indians have a solid everyday designated hitter in Franmil Reyes; Pujols would have to play first, but he could still find rest days splitting time. Bauers, a lefty, could start against right-handers, and Pujols, the righty, could start against left-handers.

2. Boston Red Sox

Pujols in Boston could be entertaining to watch. One of the best players of all time in Fenway Park playing for a historic franchise like the Red Sox—it doesn’t get much better than that. Like the Indians, the Red Sox do have an everyday designated hitter with J.D. Martinez, who is putting together a strong season so far. But Pujols can split time at first with the rising slugger Bobby Dalbec. Dalbec has struggled in his first entire Major League season, batting 0.188 with only two home runs after hitting eight in 23 games last year. Nevertheless, the Red Sox believe he is their first baseman of the future.

The Red Sox find themselves in first place in the AL East right now. They have to get more production at first base in a strong division while still developing Dalbec. Pujols would be a snug fit for the Red Sox. Pujols can be a mentor for Dalbec, who could learn a ton from the three-time MVP. Pujols would also get plenty of rest, as he would split time with Dalbec. Lastly, playing in Fenway Park is ideal for the right-handed bat of Pujols as he hits towards the monster.

1. St. Louis Cardinals

We can talk all day about what makes the most sense from a baseball standpoint. However, there’s only one jersey everybody wants to see Pujols in for the rest of his career. The Cardinals have to give Pujols a chance to finish his career where it started: in St. Louis.

Pujols spent 11 years in St. Louis, and they are quite easily the best 11 years of his career. Rookie of the Year, three MVPs, nine All-Star appearances and two World Series Championships are just some of his accomplishments while with St. Louis. His number will undoubtedly be retired by the Cardinals at some point, and a statue may even be built one day. Pujols would have to recognize he isn’t going to play every day with Paul Goldschmidt at first base and the Cardinals in first place. But coming off the bench as a pinch-hitter is something Pujols could most likely excel at since he has five home runs already this year, showing he still has plenty of pop left in his bat.

As much as the Indians and Red Sox are good baseball fits for Pujols, St. Louis is the best fit. If this truly is Pujols’s last season (and everything seems to be pointing in that direction), his Hall of Fame career needs a homecoming ending.