Carson Wentz to the Colts
Quarterback Carson Wentz is on to Indianapolis, as the Philadelphia Eagles traded Wentz to the Colts in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick that could become a first-round pick, should Wentz play 75% of the Colts’ offensive snaps or 70% and the Colts make the playoffs.
In other words, Carson Wentz is Indy’s new QB1, and within 19 days of each other, the #1 and #2 picks in the 2016 NFL Draft have been traded. This also means that Jalen Hurts is the new QB1 in Philly.
With the trade, which cannot be finalized until March 17, Wentz will be reunited with Frank Reich, and the Colts can see if Wentz can bring his 2017 magic to a team that is primed for a successful season.
Naomi Osaka Advances to the Australian Open Women’s Final
Naomi Osaka beat Serena Williams 6-3 and 6-4 this week in the semifinals of the Australian Open.
“I don’t know if there’s any little kids out here today, but I was a little kid watching her play, and just to be on the court playing against her, for me, is a dream,” Osaka said of Williams.
Next up, Osaka will play Jennifer Brady in Saturday’s women’s final. Brady and Osaka faced off in September’s US Open semifinals, with Osaka coming out on top. Best of luck to both!
Fernando Tatis Jr.
It looks like Fernando Tatis Jr. will not be making a short stop in San Diego (I’m so sorry. I really couldn’t help myself), as the superstar shortstop and the Padres agreed to a 14-year, $340 million contract extension. That’s a lot of bat flips.
In his two MLB seasons, Tatis has hit .301, 39 home runs, has 98 RBIs, 27 stolen bases and an on-base slugging percentage of .956. Last year, San Diego reached the playoffs for the first time since 1998, and Tatis hit .318 in October before the Padres were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series. You may remember that Tatis hit a ball that looked like it was going to land on the moon before Cody Bellinger made the catch of his life and robbed him of the home run. At least I remember it.
Anyhoo, the Padres have made a plethora of moves to strengthen their roster this offseason, and Tatis is one of the game’s most exciting and talented young players. In other words, here come the Padres.
Limited Fans for March Madness
With March Madness, and “One Shining Moment,” just around the corner, the NCAA announced today that there will be a limited number of fans allowed for each round of the men’s NCAA tournament.
Limited means up to 25% capacity with distancing and masks, and that 25% will include players, staff, family and fans. The whole tournament will take place in Indianapolis – paging Carson Wentz – with teams staying at hotels near the Indiana Convention Center.
Selection Sunday is March 14, the Final Four, which will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium, is on April 3 and the Championship is on April 5.
35,000 for the King
LeBron James scored 32 points in last night’s Los Angeles Lakers’ 109-98 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Those 32 points brought him to 35,017 for his career, making him only the third player in NBA history to hit the 35K milestone. He is now 1,911 points behind Karl Malone and 3,370 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the only other two players to hit the milestone.
Yesterday was a big day for the King, as James was named a starter for his 17th NBA All-Star Game, which will take place on March 7 in Atlanta. James will be the Western Conference captain, while Kevin Durant will be the Eastern Conference captain.