Coming into the offseason, the Phillies had a lot of work to do. They had to address holes on the mound, bullpen, catcher, shortstop, and bench while bringing in a new front office. After several acquisitions, the Phillies have covered those holes, at least on paper, in a productive winter. Here are the key acquisitions from this offseason for the Phillies ranked, based on which ones will have the most critical impact on the season.

Transaction that didn’t make the list:

Signed RHP Bryan Mitchell, Signed RHP Neftali Feliz, Signed RHP David Paulino, Signed Michael Ynoa, Re-Signed INF Ronald Torreyes, Re-Signed C Christian Bethancourt, Signed OF, Travis Jankowski, Signed C Jeff Mathis and Acquired INF C.J. Chatham

All of these moves provide depth for the Phillies, but I don’t expect to see these faces at the big league level this season, as they will most likely have a minimal impact on the season.

14. Signed Ivan Nova to a minor league deal

I don’t expect Nova to make the big league roster to start the season, but I think the Phillies will keep him around for depth. If a starting pitcher goes down with an injury, or the Phillies need an extra arm for a double-header, Nova is a viable option to suit up in red pinstripes.

13. Acquired Sam Coonrod from the Giants

The Phillies lacked velocity out of the pen last year. Finding hard throwers became a trend this offseason, which is where pitcher Sam Coonrod comes in. According to Baseball Savant, his average fastball velocity was 97.6 mph. Other than that however, Coonrod will have to fight for meaningful innings as he finished the 2020 season with a 9.82 ERA.

12. Signed Hector Rondon to a minor league contract

Pitcher Hector Rondon might make the major league roster, but he will have to prove himself in Spring Training. His numbers last year weren’t too pretty as he allowed 17 earned runs in 20 innings pitches (7.65 ERA). However, the move can’t hurt the Phillies as it is a low-risk high-reward move for them.

11. Signed Matt Joyce to a minor league contract

The Phillies added to their bench by signing outfielder Matt Joyce to a minor league contract. It’s a strong possibility he’ll make the big league roster to pinch-hit and occasionally give the starters a day off. Joyce, who was an All-Star back in 2011, isn’t anything special, but is still a solid big league bat who had an on-base percentage of .351 last year.

10. Agreed to terms with Brad Miller

Infielder Brad Miller returns to Philly after playing for the Phillies in 2019. With no DH in the National League this year, Miller is going to get a ton of pinch-hit opportunities as he provides a lot of pop at the plate. His hard-hit percentage was 43.3 in 2020 according to Baseball Savant and his slugging percentage was .451. He also provides depth at almost every position on the diamond, as he played every position besides catcher and pitcher at some point in his career.

9. Signed Matt Moore to one-year contract

This move for the Phillies was a head-scratcher for me. The lefty will most likely find himself in the starting rotation as he was the starting pitcher the Phillies opted for over a lot of other free-agent candidates. After success early in his career, Moore had his struggles in the majors and headed to Japan in 2020. His numbers were solid there as he had a 2.65 ERA, but will it transfer back into the MLB? If he is able to reinvent himself into a quality big league starter again, then he will be a solid pickup for the backend of a rotation that is top-heavy.

8. Signed Chase Anderson to a one-year contract

This move can’t hurt the Phillies too much and creates some new options for them. The Phillies won’t have to worry about lack of arms in the bullpen or rotation as they determine what pitcher Spencer Howard’s role will be for the upcoming season. The depth pitcher Chase Anderson gives will help the Phillies make the best decision for Howard’s future. Anderson will battle with pitcher Vince Velasquez for that fifth spot in the rotation and it wouldn’t be a shock if the Phillies are ready to replace Velasquez in the rotation. Anderson has found success as in 55 starts combined from 2017-2018, his ERA was 3.37. He struggled mightily last year with a 7.22 ERA, but if he does win a starting role and finds some sort of success, it will be a big-time pickup for the pitching staff.

7. Re-Signed Sir Didi

The Phillies would have an easy fix if shortstop Didi Gregorius, as they would have Jean Segura back to shortstop and insert infielder Scott Kingery into the starting role, but a lot of production would have been lost. His 2019 season was cut short because of injury, so it will be interesting to see how he’ll adapt to a full season after two short years, although it is worthy to note that he played all 60 games last season. Even with a small sample size, Gregorius seems to be improving as his on-base percentage jumped from .276 to .339 from 2019 to 2020 along with a slight increase in slugging percentage.

6. Signed Archie Bradley to a one-year contract

After the worst bullpen in the majors last year, the Phillies needed to find reliable arms. In comes pitcher Archie Bradley, who has established himself as exactly that, reliable. In 18 and a third innings last year, Bradley had an impressive 2.95 ERA and only gave up one home run to go along with an opponent on-base percentage of .288. If Bradley’s numbers continue this trend into 2021, he will be a reliable arm out of the bullpen, no matter what his role is.

5. Acquired Jose Alvarado from the Rays

This lefty reliever is simply electric. According to Baseball Savant, Alvarado had an average fastball velocity of 96.1 in 2020, and occasionally touched 100 mph. That was on a small sample size, as he only pitched nine innings in 2020, but in 2019 Alvardo’s velocity was even better with an average velocity of 97.1 and occasionally reaching over 100 mph. He has swing-and-miss stuff as his sinker, the pitch he uses the most, breaks 1.5 inches more than the league average, and in 2019 and 2020 his cutter had a whiff percentage of 61.4 and 42.9 respectively. Alvarado will be a key arm out of the pen late in games this season against lefty bats.

4. Signed Tony Watson to a minor league contract

I’m surprised the Phillies were able to sign Watson to a minor-league contract, but he’ll be a lock for the big league roster. The lefty adds another reliable reliever to the bullpen. The job of a pitcher is run prevention, and Watson has a career ERA of 2.80. Last year in 21 appearances, he had an ERA of 2.50. What does this mean? Watson is a reliable run preventer out of the pen, which is just what the doctor ordered.

3. Signed Brandon Kintzler to a minor league contract

Again, I’m surprised the Phillies inked Kintzler to a minor-league contract. As stated before, the Phillies needed to find reliable relievers and Kintzler has been that. In 2019 and 2020, his ERA was 2.68 and 2.22 respectively. He gained experience closing last year as well as he recorded 12 saves in 14 save opportunities in 2020. Before this signing, Hector Neris and Archie Bradley were the two favorite candidates to be the closer this season, but now Kintzler is definitely in the mix. Regardless of his role, Kintzler seems like he will be a reliable arm for the Phils out of the pen.

2. Re-Signed J.T. for five years and $115.5 million dollars

Replacing the best catch in baseball was going to be next to impossible, but fortunately for the Phillies, it isn’t something they will have to worry about. It was quite a rollercoaster ride for Phillies fans and thankfully the organization didn’t have to deal with the outrage that would have occurred if catcher J.T. Realmuto left. Realmuto will return to the middle of the Phillies lineup where he will be a threat to win a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove award. The Phillies would have taken a huge step back if Realmuto didn’t return to Philadelphia, but with a new five-year contract, Realmuto will be a favorite for the city’s baseball fans.

1. Hired Dave Dombrowski as President of Baseball Operations

The hiring of manager Dave Dombrowski will be a transcendent decision for this franchise as they try to turn the tides and win a championship. Since he was hired as general manager by the Marlins in 1993, his teams have found success at some point. He helped lead the Marlins to a championship in 1997 and then went to Detroit in 2002, where he got the Tigers to five playoff appearances and two World Series appearances in almost 14 seasons with the Tigers. He then went to Boston, where the Red Sox won a World Series in 2018. When you combine Dombrowski and manager Joe Girardi’s championship pedigrees, the duo seems destined to accomplish incredible things in Philadelphia.

Though different sports and levels, the end of the Super Bowl has long signified the unofficial start of college basketball season. While the season has been raging for months, this is the point in the year where people really start to pay attention. After all, we are just three weeks away from selection Sunday. So, what have you missed this Men’s College Basketball season so far?

Here are three key things:

COVID-19

Yes, the coronavirus is alive and well and playing a significant role in this season — two crucial things to note. First, the NCAA Tournament will be played entirely in the state of Indiana. A vast majority of the tournament will take place in Indianapolis, a hub for basketball in the Midwest. Much like we saw last year with the NBA in Orlando, the NCAA plans to create a bubble with courts located in Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Colts), Bankers Life Fieldhouse (home of the Pacers), Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Mackey Arena on the campus of Purdue and Indiana University’s Assembly Hall. All teams will practice on courts in the Indiana Convention Center. The second COVID-related change comes in terms of seeding. Location preference is no longer a factor, given that all games will be played in the same state. Due to the Ivy League canceling their season, one more at-large place is up for grabs, along with 31 automatic qualifiers. The presence of fans is still up in the air.

Changing of the Guard?

When one thinks of the best college basketball teams, they almost immediately say Duke, North Carolina or Kentucky. This year it is unlikely that any of these teams will make the tournament. Duke has had a tumultuous year, and now their star Freshman Jalen Johnson has left the team and declared for the NBA Draft. Duke is 8-8, and with looming matchups against ranked and Indianapolis-bound opponents, things are looking bleak for the Blue Devils. For their bitter rival UNC, the problem has been on the offensive side of the ball all year. They have dominated the glass but struggled night in and night out in scoring the ball. They still have a shot at the big dance but need to perform well down the stretch and make a run in the ACC Tournament. At the very least, however, they beat Duke in Cameron Indoor. For the Wildcats, it just has not come together this season. They are 6-13, one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the nation, and turn the ball over at a staggeringly high rate. It will be a longer than usual offseason for Coach Cal as he hopes to return Kentucky to its winning ways next year in an improved SEC.

So who are the new top teams in the nation?

Gonzaga and Baylor are in a league of their own right now. Though the Zags probably have the upper-hand in seeding, don’t be surprised to see these two duking it out for the National Championship. Gonzaga is loaded from top to bottom, with future lottery pick Jalen Suggs leading the charge. Drew Timme is a force in the paint, and the Bulldogs are undefeated on the year with no future losses insight. Baylor has been active for a couple of weeks now due to COVID issues but is set to resume play this weekend. They missed out on some big matchups to gauge their true ability (including a game against Gonzaga in December); however, they face two top-25 teams in West Virginia and Kansas upon their return. Other teams to look out for include Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois and the surging Oklahoma Sooners.

Top Players

Headlines have been flaunting the name Cade Cunningham nearly all year, and rightfully so. The Oklahoma State Freshman guard is carrying his team and looking impressive while doing it. Cunningham can do it all on the offensive end of the floor and is projected to be the top pick come draft night.

The most impressive Freshman, however, has not been Cunningham. Evan Mobley is a Freshman Center at USC and is an absolutely electric player to watch. At 7’0″ with a 7’6″ wingspan, Mobley is a terror on both ends of the court. His ball-handling skills, coupled with a high basketball IQ and soft touch, make him nearly unguardable on offense. Defensively he is a shot-blocking machine and a menace in the paint. Watch out for Mobley in the tournament, and don’t be surprised to see his name called early on draft night.

Luka Garza is a traditional big man who punishes his defenders in the paint. The Iowa Hawkeyes Senior is making noise as a Senior and has to be considered one of the favorites to win the Wooden Award – the award handed out to the nation’s best player. Though you won’t see his name top any draft boards due to his more traditional style of play, Garza is closing out his career strong and has played himself into a second-round draft selection.

This season has indeed been like no other but, fingers crossed, it will end like nearly all other seasons have, and going into March, tons of questions still need answering.

U.S. number one, world number seven and Harvard alumni Amanda Sobhy has moved to Philadelphia for the upcoming completion of the Arlen Specter U.S. Squash Center. Sobhy talked with the Triangle about the challenges she has faced with her squash career due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, her advice for college athletes and her move from Boston to Philly for the new U.S. Squash Center.

The Specter Center, originally planned for completion in the fall of 2020 but pushed back due to the pandemic, will feature 18 squash courts, two of them being full-glass exhibition courts. The center is located in the Armory building opposite Drexel’s Daskalakis Athletic Center, where onlookers can peer in at the current construction efforts. The center promises to be a first of its kind for U.S. Squash, and, as a result, it has attracted some of the biggest names in world squash.

Sobhy is the highest-ranked American squash player in history, currently sitting at number seven, with her highest ranking being number six on the PSA World Tour. She served a successful college career at Harvard, with a 62-match undefeated record. Sobhy answered some questions for the Triangle concerning her move and her hopes for the new center.

“My move to Philly definitely wasn’t easy to begin with, as I moved in August and none of my stuff arrived from the movers until 10 days later. Since then, I have been loving being based in Philly! My main reason for moving to Philly was for the Specter U.S. National Center, that is currently in the process of being finished. I wanted to be based at a facility that had everything under one roof, from squash to fitness to physio and recovery, and the Specter Center will have all of that. It was originally meant to be done in August, so timing-wise, it would’ve been perfect with my move, but then COVID kept delaying everything, so now I think it will be done this spring,” Sobhy said.

Hopeful for the new center but having had to adapt her plans temporarily, Sobhy explains how she is still enjoying squash whilst living in Philly.

“Thankfully, the squash community in Philly has been amazing, and I got set up as a member at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia when I moved. I am doing all of my training there now, whether it’s in the gym or on the squash court. I’ve even been getting on the tennis court! There are fortunately a ton of players at the club, so I have so many people to hit with. It’s been a great form of community since the pandemic has definitely been tough on finding that social connection,” Sobhy said.

Despite the current setbacks, Sobhy explains why she is excited for the new center and what she expects it will bring for the future of U.S. squash. She excitedly explains the new facilities that the center will unveil.

“I am excited to have a high-performance center to train out of that will have everything I need. Besides the singles and doubles courts, there will be a Team USA locker room, a recovery room with a sauna and cold tub, a fueling station for all our nutritional needs, a performance gym and a bunch of players to train with. I’ve been waiting my entire athletic career for a facility like this to train out of, so I am extremely grateful that it has happened while I’m still competing,” Sobhy said.

Sobhy expects that the center will have a significant impact on U.S. Squash, its current and future stars, and the popularity of squash itself.

“I think it will incentivize a lot more junior and collegiate players to want to play pro after college, which will help grow the depth of players. What I envision with this center is to make squash in the U.S. a powerhouse where they are up there with the Egyptians in dominating the sport! I also think the center will have a huge impact on accessibility and getting new people engaged in the sport because it will be a community center for people in the city to come and play! I’m excited to bring some of my friends who aren’t squash people to the center to teach them the sport,” Sobhy said.

When can we expect to see Sobhy back in action on Drexel’s campus?

“I’m hopeful that the U.S. Open will be happening this October at the Specter Center, so I fully expect everybody to be there!” Sobhy laughed.

Finally, Sobhy gave some candid advice to college players, coming from an experienced and successful college career playing at Harvard (the current national champions).

“My advice for college squash players is to enjoy those four years with your teammates and playing on a team! I loved college squash from the atmosphere on game day to actually playing for a team for once! Savor those moments because it goes by quickly. My other advice is that you probably will struggle with finding a good balance… and that’s okay! People think I had it all figured out. Well, let me tell you, I most certainly did not! I felt like I was hanging on by a thread most of my time there. Balancing sports, studies, and a social life is hard. Depending on the time of year, certain areas might need more attention, so don’t beat yourself up that your training isn’t as consistent as you would like or you are swamped with school work and behind. Do the best you can and give 100 percent of your best effort into what you are doing in the moment. You got this!” Sobhy said.

The Arlen Specter U.S. Squash Center will be an exciting new feature on Drexel’s campus, and we can expect to see world-class squash at the heart of our community.

Super Bowl LV was a shock to many—except the players who were participating. 

To begin with, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has played two Super Bowls, including this one, and he only has four years under his belt.

On the other side, as most know, is Tom Brady. Super Bowl LV was Brady’s 10th Super Bowl appearance. Yes, double digits. He leads NFL history, with John Elway’s five appearances far behind him. A win at this Super Bowl means more Super Bowl wins for Brady himself than any franchise and Brady walking away with seven championship rings.

For the first time ever, the Super Bowl was played at a stadium that belonged to one of the participating teams. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosted, which is the last thing the Chiefs want: Brady on his home turf. Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay was almost filled to the brim. Don’t worry: most seats were occupied by cardboard cutouts, which you could buy and customized yourself for $100 before the game. However, the 25,000 fans present, who were predominantly Buccaneers fans, still made their noise.

Brady totally outdueled Mahomes. The legend completed 21 out of 29 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns. He had no interceptions as well. His committee backfield (meaning they shared the ball) lifted him up as well. Ronald Jones II had 12 carries for 61 yards, and Leonard Fournette continued his impressive playoff streak by rushing for 89 yards on 16 attempts and found the end zone once.

The receiving core for the Buccaneers, Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, seemed like they were not even playing. Evans and Godwin combined for three catches and just 40 total yards. Evans’ only catch was for 31. 

The show was stolen from Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski and Antonio Brown, two veterans who were not very productive during the regular season.

Brady’s best friend from New England, Gronk had two touchdowns for a total of 67 yards. The chemistry between Brady and Gronk is unbreakable.

Ex-Steelers wide receiver phenomenon Antonio Brown appeared in his first Super Bowl in 2011 against the Packers but lost. Brown tallied just one reception for one yard. A whole decade later, he’s won his first well-deserved Super Bowl and scored a touchdown.

The Buccaneers defense showed up and backed Brady by pressuring Mahomes many times. Ndamukong Suh tallied 1.5 sacks in the outing.

The Chiefs were a disaster. Mahomes completed 26 out of his 49 attempts with two interceptions—definitely not something the fans are used to. Antoine Winfield Jr. and Devin White had the picks. Mahomes and Travis Kelce still had their connection with 10 passes and 133 yards. However, no touchdowns for him or Tyreek Hill, as they contained Hill to just seven receptions and 73 yards. Hill put up over 200 yards and three touchdowns last meeting between the two times. Tampa needed their revenge on him and got it.

The running game was also missing in action because Clyde Edwards-Helaire had just 64 yards on nine carries. The Chiefs did not find the endzone once and had to rely on their kicker, Harrison Butker, to give them points. Butker was three for three on the night, with his longest field goal from 52 yards out.

The final score on the night was 31-9 in the Buccaneers’ favor. Brady will now soak up the sunshine in Tampa this offseason with just three ringless fingers. Mahomes will be back without a doubt, but how much more does Brady have left in him? Brady has once again defied all odds and lengthened the gap between himself and the second greatest quarterback ever… unless Mahomes someday tops his career.

Manchester United spoiled multiple leads against Everton in a Premier League matchup on Saturday, Feb. 6. The game resulted in a 3-3 draw between the two clubs.

Early on in the match, Everton kept steady possession of the ball and looked like the dominating side. They failed to find the back of the net and give themselves the advantage.

In the 24th minute, Manchester United struck first with a delightful connection between Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani. Rashford crossed a dipping ball to the back post and Cavani converted, with his head, to give United the lead a little over halfway through the first 45 minutes.

Cavani, a previous Paris Saint-German player, was signed in early October 2020. He now has seven goals in 22 appearances for his new club.

Everton would go into the locker room down 2-0 after United’s Bruno Fernandes hit an absolute rocket right outside of the box into the net’s top left corner in stoppage time. The midfielder has been deadly on the pitch, scoring 13 goals in 23 games and adding on nine assists.

Although United led 2-0 going into the second half, Everton was determined to bounce back from the two-goal deficit. In the opening minutes of the second, Dominic Calvert-Lewin received a through ball from an Everton teammate into space. Calvert-Lewin attempted to score but United’s goalkeeper, David De Gea, got a hand on the ball, and it fell right to the feet of Abdoulaye Doucoure, who touched the ball into the net.

Three minutes later in the 51st minute, James Rodríguez settled a ball from Doucoure in the box and then smashed it low into the corner, making it difficult for De Gea to reach. Everton was right back in the game after it looked like a difficult recovery from the United lead.

Gameplay continued for the two teams, and United was looking to regain control of the match. They did so in the 70th minute on a free kick. Defender Luke Shaw delivered a ball into the box to Scott McTominay, who headed it past Olsen to give United a 3-2 lead.

With the game nearly over, Everton won a free kick with the ball placed in United’s third of the field. The ball found the head of Michael Keane, who flicked it on to Calvert-Lewin, and he kicked it past De Gea to end the match 3-3.

In the end, United’s lack of defense caused them to concede three goals in the second half. After the match, ESPN caught up with United’s manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, to hear his thoughts about the result.

“We played some good football in the second half, but conceded three goals from three shots on target. When you do that, it is disappointing,” Solskjaer said. 

United sits in second place with 45 points behind Manchester City’s 50 points. Everton currently has 37 points in League play but will look to go higher in the standings as they compete against Fulham on Sunday, Feb. 14.

Manchester United will also take the pitch on Sunday as they face West Bromwich. That game can be seen on NBC Sports Network.

Back in September 2020, Manchester City hosted Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium in their second match of the 2020/21 English Premier League Season.

Man City was looking to make amends for last season, which was disappointing by their high standards. However, what ended up happening against Leicester showed zero improvement, as Man City slumped a 2-5 defeat with Jaime Vardy scoring a hat trick. This was the first time in football history that a team managed by Pep Guardiola conceded five goals in a single match.

Despite spending tens of millions in the transfer window, Man City’s defense looked unsure of themselves, reckless and disjointed. The defending champions, Liverpool, had just surged to the top end of the table after beating tough opposition in Leeds United, Chelsea and Arsenal; so it looked like there was no chance for Manchester City to dethrone their new rivals.

Fast forward to February of 2021, and the league table paints a whole different picture. Traveling to Liverpool’s famous Anfield Stadium last Sunday, Man City utterly smashed the home side to pieces, winning 4-1 in a professional and classy performance.

Currently, the Citizens sit atop the Premier League with a five-point lead over second-place Manchester United, seven points above third-place Leicester City, and 10 points above Liverpool in fourth place. Barring a disaster, it seems likely that Man City will be the 2021 Premier League Champions.

So, what exactly happened between now and September? How did Man City go from struggling to keep goals out of their own net to the best in England, maybe even all of Europe?

To understand how Manchester City came this far, one must understand what problems had been plaguing this team. By far, the biggest issue that Man City had was their defense, a problem that has been lingering since early last season. When they won the league in 2018/19, Man City were known for their daunting attack, which saw them regularly beat teams with goals margins as wide three, four or five. However, their defense was very strong as well, especially with the great center-back partnership formed between Vincent Kompany and Aymeric Laporte. From January to May 2019, they only conceded eight goals in the Premier League.

However, plays were not as solid next year in the 2019/20 season, as Vincent Kompany left the club to wind down his career back in Belgium, and Aymeric Laporte struggled heavily with injuries that forced him to miss many matches. Pep and the board decided not to bring in a replacement for Kompany, and his lack of leadership in the backline (coupled with injuries to Laporte, Benjamin Mendy and John Stones) was a recipe for disaster.

In defense, Pep was forced to heavily rely on Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones (who were nowhere near as dependable), Eric Garcia (who had just turned 19 years old) and Fernandinho (whose normal position is not even a defender). With Manchester City’s electric attacking prowess, their defensive frailties could often be swept under the rug, as they would just simply outscore the opposition.

But injuries or poor form to their best attackers—Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling—saw the goals dry up and exposed the defensive dilemmas. In 2018/19, Man City scored 169 goals and conceded just 39 in all competitions. In comparison, they scored 149 and conceded 53 in 2019/20.

Defense quickly became Manchester City’s biggest weakness, and this carried over into this season despite the signing of center-back Nathan Ake. The match against Leicester City this past September was the most blatant example of this. Man City’s attack was decent; they created many chances,  but they were not as clinical as usual despite dominating much of the possession. On the other side of the pitch, it was a completely different story; every time Leicester went forward, Man City collapsed. Whether it was players being late to challenges or far too reckless in the box, Leicester took advantage of the chaos and scored five points, three from penalties.

This match was a wake-up call for Pep and his team, and with credit to him and his players, they worked hard to correct it. With the transfer window still open, Pep splashed the cash and bought the center-back Ruben Dias from Benfica for 62 million pounds while the aging Nicolas Otamendi was sold. This would turn out to be a masterful piece of business, as Dias turned out to be one of the most reliable defenders in the Premier League this season.

But the improvement did not stop there. With that Leicester defeat in mind—as well as their shock elimination in last season’s Champions League at the hands of Lyon—Pep focused on enhancing the backline during training. The overall team looks calm and confident, plus the new signings of Dias and Ake have turned out to be some much-needed fixes. Ake offers speed and good decision-making, two things City has been lacking. Dias also brings great leadership qualities and is an all-around wonderful defender, something that has been lacking since Kompany’s departure.

However, the biggest and most surprising improvement was the rebirth of John Stones. The English center-back originally arrived at the Eithad from Everton in 2016 for a hefty fee of 47.5 million pounds due to his high potential as a young player. While there have been glimpses of his great talent, Stones had often drawn much criticism for being too error-prone and unconfident throughout his tenure at Man City. Still young, many thought he just needed more time to develop, but it seemed that last season Pep lost faith in his abilities, as he regularly chose to play Fernandinho, Garcia and Otamendi ahead of Stones. This summer, it was even rumored that Tottenham Hotspur submitted several bids during the transfer window to sign the Englishman.

Whether it be his fighting spirit to stay in Manchester or his desire to earn Pep’s trust, John Stones has truly become a completely different player these few months, finally reaching the potential he was always said to have had. No longer is he suspect to errors nor does he lack confidence; in fact, quite the opposite. Every time he is on the pitch, Man City’s defense is impenetrable. In the 13 Premier League matches Stones has played in, Man City has conceded a grand total of three goals. In fact, in Man City’s only two defeats this season—their 5-2 loss to Leicester and a 2-0 loss to Tottenham—Stones was not in the squad.

Furthermore, following that defeat to Tottenham, Pep began to start Stones, and Man City has gone undefeated. With his outstanding performances in December, he won the Eithad Player of the Month Award (given to Man City’s best player every month) and he also scored his first and second Premier League goals. Stones has been so good that he even benched Laporte, as Pep seems to prefer the center-back pairing of Dias and Stones.

Beyond center-backs, City’s defense has also been very strong this season with the fullback, Joao Cancelo, eventually starting to settle in England following his transfer. Meanwhile, Benjamin Mendy, who has been plagued with injuries in past seasons, looks to finally be getting a consistent run of matches played. In goal, Ederson has been very dependable as usual, while the new backup goalkeeper, American shot-stopper Zack Steffen, looks to be a safe pair of hands as well.

When looking at Manchester City’s record in total, the numbers do not lie. After that loss to Tottenham in November, Man City have won in 14 matches in the Premier League, including a 10-match winning streak since December. They have gone unbeaten as they both entered the fifth round of the FA Cup while also reaching the EFL Cup Final set to be played in April.

The Champions League Group Stage shows the same spirit, if not better, as they won five matches and drew one out of a total of six, topping their group. As for the Premier League, they have scored 43 goals in 22 matches while only conceding 14—the best defensive record in the league and least amount of goals conceded. In fact, this equals the second-best defensive record in Europe’s Top Five Leagues, as Man City is tied with PSG with 14 goals conceded while Atletico Madrid is in first with 12. Atletico Madrid is historically a defensive team, making Man City’s record particularly remarkable.

On the other end of the pitch, things have not been as electrifying. As was mentioned before, Manchester City is a team known for their attacking power, but this year was lackluster compared to seasons past. This is still sustainable at this point of the season, given how overtly strong their defense has been.

When necessary, their attack does show up in the most important moments. Case in point: their 4-1 victory over Liverpool last Sunday, their 3-1 win against Chelsea, the 4-1 win in the EFL Cup against Arsenal, and their entire Champions League campaign so far.

You also have to look at why their attack is not as strong as usual as well. Their main striker and primary goal scorer, Sergio Aguero, has had several terrible injuries, and he has only played four league matches all season. Similarly, Kevin De Bruyne, their best midfielder and playmaker, has had a few major injuries himself. Throughout the season, numerous players contracted COVID-19, forcing them to miss several games before they recovered. In addition, there were minor injuries of fatigue that players picked up due to the congested calendar as a result of the pandemic.

Saying all that, it is only a matter of time before Aguero and De Bruyne come back and the goals start flying in. In the meantime, many players have picked up the slack. The new signing, Ferran Torres, has fit in perfectly with the team. Phil Foden is quickly developing into one of the best attacking midfielders in the league. Ilkay Gundogan is having possibly the best season of his career, scoring 11 goals from midfield, which is already more than double his goal tally from last season.

Overall, Manchester City have come a long way from their crushing 2-5 defeat to Leicester City back in September. Highlighting the major problem of the team—their defense—both Pep Guardiola and his players have worked tirelessly to resolve the issue and have exceeded expectations in doing so. With players like John Stones, Ruben Dias and Ilkay Gundogan in the form of their lives, it looks like only of matter of time before their attack returns to their swaggering best.

With all things said and done, Manchester City are no doubt the best team in England currently, and possibly even in Europe, making them serious contenders for both the Premier League and the Champions League. Will they be able to keep up this fine form for the rest of the season? Only time will tell.

Two spring trainings ago, the Phillies introduced Bryce Harper as the newest member of the Phillies organization, which sent a message that the Phillies were making serious strides to be competitive again. Expectations have been high for the Phillies since then, who have not made the playoffs since 2011.

Following a disappointing 60-game 2020 season, the Phillies entered the offseason with a lot of question marks. After a productive winter by the organization, the Phillies prepare to head down to Clearwater, Florida to begin spring training, starting on Feb. 16.

However, many decisions still need to be made by manager Joe Girardi and the front office this spring. Here are the five biggest questions heading into spring training for the Phillies.

1. Who will be the closer, if anyone?

The most obvious weakness for the Phillies last year was their bullpen, which was historically bad. They have made a few acquisitions this winter to fix that weakness, none bigger than signing pitcher Archie Bradley to a one-year six-million dollar contract. Now the question is: who will close?

The ninth-inning job candidates for this upcoming year seem to be between Bradley and Hector Neris. Neris has been inconsistent in the closer role and comes off a year where he had a 4.67 earned run average and blew three saves out of eight opportunities. Bradley has expressed that he doesn’t care what his role will be, but he has ample experience pitching in the ninth, making him a viable option.

We’ll see if Bradley or Neris can impress this spring to win the job, or if  Girardi decides to roll without a named closer and play it by game.

2. Was Bradley’s velocity decline a fluke?

Fastball velocities are a crucial part of baseball now.  Every team needs multiple members that throw in the upper 90s with command, along with a dominant secondary pitch. According to Baseball Savant, Bradley had an average fastball velocity of 96.3 mph back in 2017. Since then, he’s had a drop in that number, and his average fastball velocity was 95.5 mph in 2019 before a major decline to 94.1 in 2020.

In his introductory press conference, Bradley was asked about his velocity decline.

“I had a little drop in velo, but I really didn’t notice a ton of drop in success.  I’m still able to compete, my change up has been a huge addition to me and I truly believe full season that it should tick back up and [be] ready to go,” Bradley said.

This question might not be completely answered by the end of spring, but with a regularly scheduled offseason and spring training, Bradley may show that he can still impress on the radar gun.

3. Can Scott Kingery win a starting spot?

Scott Kingery was irrefutably one of the biggest disappointments of the 2020 season, as he hit for a 0.159 average and only drove in six runs. At the end of the day, this is the same guy the Phillies signed until 2026, which sends a clear message that Kingery is a part of the Phillies future.

He has a lot to prove this year, and it will start in spring training. If he has a good spring and starts the regular season on the right foot, he could replace Jean Segura at second. Or he could win the starting spot in centerfield.  Regardless, the Phillies need Kingery to get back on the right track if they are going to be successful.

4. What will Spencer Howard’s role be?

There’s been a lot of speculation on what Spencer Howard’s role will be this year.  Howard has been limited with his workload for a couple of years through the minors and into the majors, so there are concerns about inserting him into the rotation for a full 162-game season.

Still, his future in baseball will be as a starter, so they can’t put him in the bullpen and keep him there. It will be interesting to see where Giradi puts Howard to begin the season, whether that’s in the rotation on an innings limit or in the bullpen as a long relief arm.

5. Who will be the fifth starter in the rotation?

Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler are the Phillies’ one and two in the rotation respectively. Zach Eflin seems to be the third man.  After that, however, the rotation has a lot of question marks.  Hypothetically, we’ll put Howard in the rotation, and he is the fourth starter.

That leaves Vince Velasquez and Matt Moore competing for the fifth spot, along with a slim chance Chase Anderson wins the spot. Those three will be battling this spring for that fifth slot in the rotation (and maybe the fourth as well, if Howard is moved to the pen). Or the front office could bring in one more free-agent starting pitcher to solidify the back end of the rotation before opening day.

It will be a critical spring for the Phillies this year as they prepare to compete in a loaded and difficult NL East. Lots of decisions are ahead for Joe Girardi, Sam Fuld and Dave Dombrowski as they try to turn the tide and get back to October baseball—and it all starts in the spring

On Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, the so-called “GOAT” of the NFL in Tom Brady, and the “baby GOAT” of the NFL, Patrick Mahomes, will headline an epic Super Bowl matchup of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Kansas City Chiefs. Remarkably, this will be 43-year-old Tom Brady’s 10th Super Bowl appearance, looking for his seventh championship ring. 26-year-old Patrick Mahomes will be appearing in his second consecutive Super Bowl looking to win back-to-back rings.

Shockwaves were sent throughout the entire NFL this season when it was announced that Tom Brady would be leaving the New England Patriots, the place where he won a record six Super Bowls, to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team that hadn’t had a playoff appearance since 2007. Enter Tom Brady, who signed a two-year $50 million dollar deal to join the team, and the Buccaneers are in the Super Bowl in Brady’s first year. Interestingly, the Super Bowl will be played at Raymond James Stadium, the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, making it the first time In NFL history that a team will play in a Super Bowl at their home field.

In the regular season, Brady recorded 40 touchdown passes to go along with 12 interceptions leading the Bucs to a record of 11-5. The team didn’t only rely on Brady for their success, it was a complete team effort. Superstar wide receiver Mike Evans recorded his seventh straight season with 1,000 yards. The offseason addition of Tom Brady’s longtime friend and Patriot teammate Rob Gronkowski paid huge dividends, especially after Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard tore his ACL in week four of the regular season. On the season Gronkowski finished with 45 receptions and 623 receiving yards.

Defensively, the Buccaneers were just as impressive as they were on the offensive end. In the regular season, the Buccaneers had an overall defensive rating of fifth overall against the pass and the first overall rating against the rush. (USA Today)

For The first time in Tom Brady’s career, he had to start the playoffs in the wild-card as an away team. While Brady has played in wild-card games it has always been as the home team. Being the away team was no problem for the Buccaneers as they defeated the Washington Football Team 31-23 in the wild-card round, In the NFC Divisional Round Tampa Bay won 30-20, and in the NFC conference championship game the Buccaneers defeated the Green Bay Packers in a thrilling 31-26 game.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ road to the Super Bowl wasn’t as strenuous as the Buccaneers because they had a first-round buy after having an outstanding regular-season record of 14-2. Patrick Mahomes performed at his usual MVP level during the regular season throwing for 38 touchdowns and only six interceptions. His receivers in the regular season and in the playoffs also played at an extremely high level, most notably Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Hill showed off repeatedly his lightning-quick speed that saw him catch 87 passes for 1,276 yards in the regular season. Hill’s best game in the regular season came in week 12 of the regular season against the Buccaneers recording 13 receptions for 269 yards. It’s fair to say a lot of fantasy football owners who had Tyreek Hill won their matchups that week. Superstar Tight end Travis Kelce had himself a stellar regular season putting up video game numbers going for 105 catches and 1,416 receiving yards.

On their journey to the Super Bowl, the Chiefs defeated the Cleveland Browns in the divisional round by a score of 22-17. Had Patrick Mahomes not gotten injured in the third quarter of the game with a concussion, the Chiefs would have probably beat the Browns in a more comfortable fashion. However, backup quarterback Chad Henne did just enough to squeak the Chiefs into the next round. In the AFC Championship game, the Chiefs went up against the Buffalo Bills, who proved no match for the Chiefs, especially with a healthy Mahomes under center. The Chiefs beat the Bills handedly by a score of 38-24.

This Super Bowl matchup has the potential to be a classic game, but that is going to depend on several key aspects. For the Bucs to stay in the game and have a chance to win they are going to have to somewhat contain Tyreek Hill. While the “cheetah” can outrun everybody, it will be nearly impossible for the Bucs to win if Hill goes off for 269 yards again. The same goes for the Chiefs defense, they are going to have to be able to contain the Buccaneers wideouts, consisting of all pros Mike Evans, Chris Goodwin, and Antonio Brown.

The only thing to do now is to wait until Sunday and see how this potentially classic game will unfold. Will Brady get his elusive seventh ring or will Patrick Mahomes show that this is now his league and win a second championship in a row?

On the sunny Sunday afternoon of Jan. 30, 2021, the biggest game in South American club football was underway. The Copa Libertadores, or the South American equivalent of the Champions League in Europe, is the premier club football competition in al Sur del Mundo, setting up all the best teams from each country against each other every year until one is crowned king. Originally supposed to be held on Nov. 20, 2020, the pandemic may have postponed the date, but the fans now had to wait no longer. Hosted in the famous Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro with partial fan-attendance permitted, the crown of South America was to be contested between the two Brazilian clubs and cross-town rivals from Sao Paulo, Palmeiras and Santos, in the 2020 edition of the Copa Libertadores Final.

The Route to the Final

In the group stage, Palmeiras was drawn into a group with Guarani (Paraguay), Bolivar (Bolivia) and Tigre (Argentina). Palmeiras were virtually perfect in the first round, topping the group after playing six matches, winning five, drawing one and losing none. They also scored a total of 17 goals and only conceded twice. These results also included several statement wins such as a 5-0 demolition of Bolivar and another 5-0 victory over Tigre. Halfway through the group stage back in March, the entire season was put on hold due to the COVID-19 Outbreak, forcing the Copa Libertadores to resume in September. However, this break did not affect Palmeiras — in fact, they got better.

Santos was drawn into a group with Delfin (Ecuador), Defensa y Justicia (Argentina) and Olimpia (Paraguay). While not as dominant early on as Palmeiras, Santos still laid out their claim as a major contender for the cup after topping the group with five wins, one draw and no losses in the six matches, while also scoring 10 goals and conceding five. Like with Palmeiras, the elongated break did not seem to affect Santos that much.

In the Round of 16, Palmeiras were drawn against Delfin (Ecuador) in what would turn out to be a huge mismatch. In the first leg in Ecuador, Palmeiras simply outclassed Delfin in their home turf, winning 3-1. The second leg in Brazil was even worse for Delfin as Palmeiras ran riot, mercilessly winning 5-0, with all five goals being beautiful combinations of great team play and individual talent.

Santos’ opponent in this round was LDU Quito (Ecuador), and unlike their compatriots, Delfin, LDU put up a much better fight. In the Ecuadorian capital city, Santos ended up winning narrowly 2-1, but LDU was an extremely hard opponent leaving much to work to do in the second leg. The return leg back in Sao Paulo was just as nervy, both teams had great chances but LDU would actually end up winning 1-0. However, with the two away goals in the first match, Santos did just enough to secure their victory on aggregate.

By the time the Quarterfinals came, Palmeiras were drawn against Libertad (Paraguay). A decent opponent, Libertad were able to scrape a 1-1 draw with Palmeiras, despite the Brazilian side having the larger share of chances. In the next match, Libertad were spared no sympathy though, as Palmeiras turned it up a notch and brushed aside their opponent 3-0.

In another heavyweight clash, Santos were set to face Gremio (Brazil), the 2017 Copa Libertadores champions, in the quarterfinals. The first leg lived up to the billing as both teams battled valiantly. Santos scored first but Gremio equalized in the last minute, meaning that the second leg in Santos’ home stadium was all to play for. For all the hard work both teams did in the initial match, it was Santos who caught Gremio sleeping and came out swinging. In a statement win for themselves, Santos ended winning the match 4-1.

With only four teams left in the competition, the semifinals were guaranteed to have some eye-catching matchups that were almost certain to set off some fireworks. Palmeiras lined up against River Plate (Argentina) who finished runners-up in 2019 and were champions in 2018. One of, if not the best club team in South America, River Plate served as a litmus test to prove if Palmeiras were truly worthy of the title.

With the first leg in Buenos Aires, it seemed Palmeiras did have that fortitude. Despite River Plate having some great chances early on, Palmeiras waited for their opportunity and capitalized on it after the winger, Rony opened the score following a mistake from River’s goalkeeper, Franco Armani. River Plate were by no means bad, but Palmeiras quickly established their dominance on the match, which was solidified after the veteran striker, Luiz Adriano scored to make it 2-0.

After a red card to River Plate and a third Palmeiras goal from Matias Vina, it looked certain that Palmeiras stamped their spot in the final. However, with a team like River Plate, you can never count them out. This tie was far from over. Back in Sao Paulo, Palmeiras were perhaps a little too complacent, which played perfectly into River’s game plan. River severely pressured Palmeiras and, eventually, this tension paid off when they went 1-0 up after Robert Rojas scored from a corner. Only a few minutes later, Rafael Borre bundled the ball over the line and next thing you know, it was 3-2 on aggregate with River only needing one goal.

Palmeiras were left shell shocked and were forced to hold on for dear life for the rest of the match. Fortunately for the Brazilians, apparently God was a Palmeiras fan on that night as chaotic controversy robbed River Plate of getting that elusive third goal. Firstly, the full-back, Gonzalo Montiel scored, only for it to be disallowed as part of the buildup was offside. Next, Matias Suarez went down in the box in what looked to be a certain penalty for River, but after a Video Assistant Referee check, the officials chalked off the penalty saying Suarez dived. Before the match ended, River had a shot hit the post, a shot cleared off the line and even another possible penalty in the last minute. The complaints fell on deaf ears though, and by the skin of their teeth, Palmeiras were now Copa Libertadores finalists.

The other semifinal matchup, while not as crazy, was still too memorable to overlook. Santos faced Boca Juniors (Argentina) who were semifinalists in 2019 and finalists in 2018. Possibly seeing the chaos that occurred between River and Palmeiras in Buenos Aires, when Boca welcomed Santos to the same city to play the first match of their tie, it was a particularly subdued affair. Both teams decided to put more effort into defending and stopping their opponent from scoring, rather than scoring themselves. Neither side really had any clear chances to score and they both seemed fine with that.

Throughout this season, Boca were known for having an impenetrable defense, so they were used to playing like this. However, given that they settled for a 0-0 drawn at home, it meant that the responsibility to score was now on Boca heading into the return leg in Sao Paulo, which would ultimately be their downfall. As Boca are not used to having to play on the front foot, Santos were able to exploit that weakness and counterattack to devasting effect. In the first half, Diego Pituca was able to poke home a loose ball in the box and at that moment, Boca was chasing the match. Into the second half, the Venezuelan magician, Yeferson Soteldo, was able to dribble into some space before crashing Boca’s net with a fiery near-post shot. Only a few minutes later, Marinho waltzed past the tired Boca defenders before wonderfully setting up Lucas Braga for an easy finish. By the end of the match, Santos had crushed Boca Juniors 3-0 and clinched their spot in the final against their rival, Palmeiras.

The Final

While not the level of the River Plate and Boca Juniors rivalry, Palmeiras and Santos, still have a long history of animosity between each other. Often referred to as the “Classico da Saudade,” a meeting between these two rivals with the backdrop of the Copa Libertadores title was nothing short of exciting for ultras and neutrals alike. Heading into the final, all predictions were up in the air as neither team seemed to be a clear favorite.

Then, on a sunny afternoon in Rio de Janeiro, the Copa Libertadores Final was underway. The match quickly evolved into a scrappy, cagey affair as both teams tried to establish physical dominance, but at the same time without exerting themselves too far as to avoid conceding a detrimental early goal. As a result, there were not many scoring chances from either team, but there were definitely a lot of harsh fouls, bone-crunching tackles, yellow cards, injuries and “colorful” language shared between the players and the referees. Neither team had an upper hand in the match, and in all honesty, it was a relatively boring match to watch for neutral fans.

However, as the end of the second half approached, the dull majority of the game would be made up for as the match started to descend into chaos with the players starting to get more tired and more nervous. Rony almost scored a header, and Santos had a close call with a set-piece before Raphael Veiga’s longshot of a freekick just crept over the bar. However, the best chance of the match up until that point came Santos’ way when Pituca tried to curl in a shot from far out. With an unorthodox, volleyball-type save, the Palmeiras goalkeeper, Weverton, parried the ball with his forearms to which it rolled right to the Santos full-back, Felipe Jonatan. With just one touch with the outside of his boot, Jonatan unleashed a tomahawk missile of shot which just narrowly missed the top corner. Shortly after, the Santos’ winger, Marinho, played a dangerous cross. The wunderkind striker, Kaio Jorge, was able to control the ball which had bounced around the box. But with his back to goal, Jorge flicked the ball up until the air and let loose a shot on goal with a beautiful bicycle kick. Unfortunately, Weverton positioned himself perfectly and was able to catch save the shot with ease. 

With the plethora of chances going Santos’ way, it looked like only a matter of time before they would score. Heading into the minute 90, it seemed that two periods of extra time were inevitable, and both teams only made a few substitutions. Funnily enough, when the ball rolled out of bounds near the Santos bench, the enigmatic coach of Santos, Cuca, leaned over to slowly pick up the ball and stop Palmeiras from getting the ball back, in an effort of intentional time-wasting. However, this ended up causing a sideline bust-up between the players of each team and the coaching staff. Once the referee broke up the fighting, he gave Cuca a red card and sent him to the stands for his time-wasting.

In a moment of irony, Cuca’s stunt to waste time ended up backfiring. Palmeiras was able to capitalize on this lapse of concentration when Rony collected the ball on the right-wing. Far away from goal, Rony sent a powerful curling cross into the Santos box and out of nowhere came Breno Lopes who outleapt the unsuspecting Santos defenders and headed the ball over the goalkeeper, looping into the net. Breno, who was substituted on, had only arrived at Palmeiras as a new signing in November. While this was only his second goal for the club, it will no doubt be his most important. With virtually no time left on the clock, the referee blew his whistle and Palmeiras were crowned King of South America.

When the captain and veteran midfielder, Felipe Melo lifted the Copa Libertadores, it set plenty of new records. For instance, this was Palmeiras’ first Copa Libertadores win since 1999 and only their second in the club’s history. As for the manager, the Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira who only arrived at Palmeiras in October, became only the third European manager and second Portuguese to win a Copa Libertadores.

On Jan. 21, ESPN announced that the Philadelphia Eagles’ long search for Doug Pederson’s replacement was over, as they were hiring former Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni. The final two head coaching candidates for the Eagles were reportedly Nick Sirianni and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The choice of Sirianni over Mcdaniels delighted Eagles fans, who certainly didn’t want a Patriot to become head coach — especially one who was unsuccessful in his previous head coaching stint. Instead, the Eagles went with 39-year-old Sirianni.

There are two elements that come with the hiring of Sirianni:

1. Coaching staff changes
2. The quarterback situation

The hiring of Sirianni all but assures that Carson Wentz will still be on the roster at the start of the 2021 season. Throughout the quarterbacking process, it was rumored that Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was looking for an offensive coach in hopes of restoring Wentz to days of old. It should be noted that the Eagles still have Jalen Hurts as their quarterback as he enters his sophomore campaign. Hurts started the final four regular-season games for the Eagles and finished with six touchdown passes and four interceptions on the season.

When asked about Wentz, Lurie talked about how he hopes the new coaching hire will put Wentz back on track.

“It behooves us as a team with a new coach and a new coaching staff to be able to really get him back to that elite progression,” said Lurie.

1. Coaching Staff Changes

With the hiring of Sirianni comes a brand new coaching staff for the Eagles. There a number of coaches that have been brought in that previously worked with Sirianni during his tenure with the Colts.

The most notable coach to come from the Colts is now Eagles defensive coordinator Johnathan Gannon, who previously served as the Colts secondary coach from 2018 to 2020. It should be noted that Gannon does not have any experience calling defensive plays, which is what he will be tasked to do in Philadelphia. However, Colts cornerback Xavier Rhodes had a career resurgence this past year under Gannon’s coaching.

One of the most interesting additions to the Eagles coaching staff this year is quarterback coach Brian Johson. Johnson was previously the offensive coordinator at the University of Florida, where he helped develop Kyle Trask. Florida averaged 33.2 PPG last season, with better than 500 YPG. Johnson also worked with Dak Prescott at Mississippi State, where he helped Prescott develop into the quarterback that he is today. What’s really interesting about Johnson is that he has known Jalen Hurts since he was four years old and has spoken extremely high of him.

“You never see [Hurts] sweat,” said Johnson to the Philadelphia Inquirer in May“I do think he and Dak have similarities in their games – not only in their games, but in their approach and their mindset. Both of those kids are two of the mentally toughest people I’ve ever seen or been around – how they handle themselves, the competitive nature they have. They have an enormous amount of self-discipline, and they’re just true warriors, ready for whatever at any time. More importantly, they’re really, really good people. They’re great teammates. I don’t think you can have enough great teammates in your locker room.”

The relationship between Johnson and Hurts will certainly add to the Wentz situation, and it appears to give Hurts an advantage because of the familiarity he already has with Johnson.