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THE NHL IS EYEBALLING SOUTH TEXAS FOR THEIR NEXT EXPANSION TEAM

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The NHL has announced they are looking into putting an expansion team in either Houston or Austin, Texas. The league also has not ruled out bringing a new team to either Atlanta or Arizona in markets the NHL has already been in. The NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has come to an agreement with the Friedkin Family. Dan Friedkin is the CEO of the Friedkin Group & prospective owner of a new NHL franchise. It will be a hefty price of 3.5 million dollars which will be used to help build a new arena in whichever Texas city. Some of that 3.5 billion covers what the NHL calls an expansion fee to become the 33rd NHL team. The league will conduct a six month investigation of the two cities and then decide if either town will get a NHL team. Texas, like Arizona, and Hotlanta, have one thing in common which is they are huge markets. Which is a shame because some of the other options just sound better than adding hockey to a warmer climate in North America.

Other mentioned cities that have been talked about to join the NHL with an expansion team include Indianapolis, New Orleans, Portland (Oregon), Kansas City, and Quebec City. I also have a few cities in my mindset which should be considered for getting an expansion team – especially if some cities get multiple chances. The last two expansion teams, the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken, have been nice additions into the league. The way the Golden Knights make the Stanley Cup Finals and have already won a Cup makes your own city want to ditch their current team and replace them with an expansion team. The Kraken have also made the post-season already in their short history. The old Arizona Coyotes could not get a arena built in the desert for some odd reason. They moved to Salt Lake City, Utah and found a better supporting cast, as in fan base, around the Mammoth. Some times it’s not the fan bases of these cities that make the owner move the franchise elsewhere. These new teams always start with a fan base because the city is usually excited about something new in town. Most of the time it’s the greedy owners that ruin everything and break the hearts of the fan base or just turns them off. Nobody wants to continue lining the pockets of a Greedy Gus. The owner then moves the franchise. The NHL itself is responsible for this kind of foul play. Yes, you Mr. Bettman, the Commissioner of the hockey world should take a look at your ugly self in the mirror. You hope the mirror speaks back and tells him the truth.

What are the pros and cons of some of these cities on the expansion list? Would you want to visit these cities to watch hockey?

AUSTIN, TEXAS

Austin Texas has had some minor league teams in their city. The Austin Ice Bats played in town from 1996-2008. They played in two leagues: the Western Professional Hockey league and the Central Hockey league. The Texas Stars are the current team playing there. The Stars are the Dallas Stars affiliate who play in the AHL. The city of Austin does not have any of the 4 main professional sports teams in its city. The City of Austin you could compare it to Nashville, who now have the Titans in the NFL and Predators who play in the NHL.

HOUSTON, TEXAS

The city of Houston has three professional teams from the 4 main sports. The Houston Texans of the NFL, Rockets of the NBA and those cheating bastards the Astros of the MLB. Houston does have some hockey history. They had the Houston Apollos from 1965-69 which was a farm system for the Montreal Canadiens that played minor league hockey. The Aeros have been the staple of Houston Hockey. The Aeros once won back to back championships in the WHA (World Hockey Association) back in 1974 & 75. That league disbanded. The Aeros would return in 1994 and last until 2013 playing in the IHL (International Hockey League) and the AHL (American Hockey League). Both leagues were minor league hockey.

That jersey with that logo I would love to see in the NHL.

OTHER POTENTIAL LOCATION FOR EXPANSION

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Atlanta once had the Flames from 1972 through 1980 and then they moved from the state of Georgia to Calgary. To this day they are still the Calgary Flames.

Then Atlanta received another expansion hockey team in 1999 in the NHL. The Atlanta Thrashers lasted 11 seasons and then moved to Winnipeg in 2011. The incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets resurfaced after their city lost their original team in 1996. Those original Jets became the Phoenix Coyotes who then became the Arizona Coyotes.

ARIZONA

Then the Coyotes moved to Utah to become the Mammoth. I would not give the state of Arizona or Atlanta, Georgia another franchise. The NHL has done this did that. You can say bad owners had those franchises. It can still happen again. Even though both are big markets and both have professional teams from the 4 major food groups.

PORTLAND, OREGON

The Buckaroos is a name I would love to see on an NHL jersey. Not in present day, the youth would not buy this name or jersey. Portland has some nice hockey history which includes these Buckaroos who played in the Western Hockey League from 1960-1974. The early Buckaroos which also were later called the Eagles played hockey in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1928-1951. Then we can’t forget about the Portland Rosebuds who played in the same Pacific Coast Hockey Association from the early years of 1914-1918. The city of Portland only has the Trail Blazers of the NBA as their main professional team. A Portland team could be a nice rival to the Seattle Kraken and Vancouver Canucks. Would Seattle and Vancouver lose some fans if Portland, Oregon landed an expansion team?

MONTREAL CANADA

When the NHL moved the Quebec Nordiques to Colorado, it was a travesty. The Nordiques was part of the WHA World Hockey Association in the 1970’s from 72-79. They won the WHA championship in 1977. Then they were one of multiple teams when the league disbanded went to the NHL. From 1979 to 1995 they played in the NHL. Then they moved to Colorado to become the Avalanche. I always thought the city of Quebec got a raw deal. It’s a city that loved its hockey team. The Jets got their team back the city of Quebec should get theirs back.

Another city that should get their team back is Hartford Connecticut. The Whalers are now the Carolina Hurricanes who just won the Stanley Cup. The Whalers left Hartford back in 1997. The Whalers were one of those teams that played in the WHA from 1972-79 & then transitioned to the NHL. They were the New England Whalers at the time in and then they became the Hartford Whalers in 1979 until 1997 which is 25 years. I know the Hurricanes wear that Whalers jersey a few times a year. The Whalers jersey should be in the NHL in present day. To bring them back to Hartford would be a great idea.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

The city of Indianapolis has some hockey history. One team name, the Racers, who played in the World Hockey Association from 1974-78 has me interested. They obviously named the team after the famous car race that is in the city of Indianapolis every year. The Indianapolis Ice played in the CHL and the IHL from 1988 until 2004. They won two titles in 1990 and 2000. The city of Indianapolis had the Capitals, a team that played in the AHL back from 1939-52 and won two Cups – one in ’42 and the other in ’50. The city of Indianapolis has the Pacers in the NBA and Colts in the NFL. This is an interesting option. I like the fact it’s a colder state and kids growing up probably skate outside on frozen rinks loving the game.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

Once upon a time ago, the city of Kansas City did have a NHL team in 1974 that lasted two seasons. They were called the Scouts and Kansas City likes those Indian names like the Chiefs they have in the NFL. The Scouts then became the first Colorado Rockies which now they have a baseball team named that. Then the Rockies left Colorado to become the New Jersey Devils. The city of Kansas City also has the Royals in the MLB. Other hockey history in BBQ town was the Outlaws who skated in the United Hockey League from 2004-2005. They had the Kansas City Blades from 1990 until 2001 in the IHL as they won the Turner Cup back in 1992. Kansas City is a town from the Midwest that has seasons that the youth would bring out the hockey sticks and net to play on some local frozen lake or rink.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

The city of New Orleans does not have a rich history in hockey. They have two professional teams in the Saints of the NFL and Pelicans of the NBA. From 1997-2002, New Orleans had a minor league hockey team called the Brass. Cool logo with horns and trumpets playing that New Orleans style music. They were in the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League). If the city of New Orleans did get a team in the NHL, you could probably come up with a cooler name involving Cajun, gators, crocodiles or voodoo in the name. The Big Easy is an awesome city. Come on hockey. No way.

WILD SHAMROCK RANKINGS ON WHICH TEAM SHOULD GET THE EXPANSION TEAM FROM 1-10

(1 being the top cities & 10 being no way Jose)

#1. Quebec (It’s time the NHL corrected a wrong.)

#2. Indianapolis (No longer just a basketball state, ask Indiana University that.)

#3. Hartford (Another wrong the NHL needs to address and bring back the Whalers.)

#4. Houston (Only if they are nicknamed the Aeros and can play at the old Astro dome which would be cool.)

#5. Portland (Great craft beer town and a gorgeous state in general.)

#6. Austin (I can see Nashville part two as being a nice destination for a weekend away with lots to do there.)

#7. Kansas City (BBQ, BBQ, and BBQ)

#8. Arizona (Only if they have a pool at the new arena like they have with the Diamondbacks stadium in baseball.)

#9.Atlanta (Did that already twice.)

#10. New Orleans (Do they even know what hockey is down there?)

A honorable mention for shits and giggles: Fargo, North Dakota

Fargo could be nicknamed the Wood Chippers. Yes, that is piece of wood not a wooden leg.

Or the Fargo Ice-Holes

THE RETURN OF PENNYWISE TO THE HOUSTON TEXANS DEFENSE

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Last year the Houston Texans defense was ranked number 1 in the entire NFL. The Texans defense allowed 277.2 yards per game which was number 1 overall. Their defense were only 2nd in points allowed as they only allowed 17.4 points per game. They had the number 1 overall pass defense because of their book ends they have as defensive ends. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are two guys that can kill your quarterback on any given Sunday. They can wreck havoc on your offensive game plan in the very first series of the game. The Texans defense unfortunately could not overcome all the interceptions CJ Stroud threw on the road in New England in the AFC divisional round, which was 4. The Texans would lose that game 28-16. The Patriots would go on the road and beat the Broncos in the AFC Championship at their place to move on to the Superbowl. The Patriots played the Broncos without their starting quarterback and the snow came down very heavy in the second half of that game. The Texans would be home to watch the best defense in the NFC give Drake Maye and the Patriots a beat down with their defense. In the latest move, the Texans added more teeth to their defense in bringing home their former number 1 pick in Jadeveon Clowney.

Jadeveon Clowney returns home to Houston to where it all started. In 2014 he was selected number 1 overall by the Texans from South Carolina University. Clowney played 5 seasons out of his 12 year career with the Texans. His second stint will be a one year deal as his thought process is he has a chance to chase that Superbowl dream with the team he started his career with. In 2019 the Texans placed a franchise tag on their star defensive end. Both sides could not come up with a fair number in a contract extension, so Houston had a problem with Clowney and traded him to Seattle. After Houston, Clowney has not found a permanent home as he has gone team to team. He has been with six teams since he left Houston. Obviously Seattle, he has also played in Baltimore, Carolina, Cleveland, Tennessee, and Dallas last year. Only in Cleveland he stayed longer there and played for the Browns for two seasons instead of the 1 he played with every other franchise. Last year he played in only 13 games for the Cowboys. He signed late and played his first game with the Boys in week 4. In those 13 games he did create havoc chasing down the other team’s quarterback. He tallied up 8.5 sacks and had three of them against the Giants in the season finale. He had 24 solo tackles and forced a fumble in his lone year in Dallas. In 12 seasons he has tallied up 66.5 sacks and has 296 solo tackles. He has racked up 16 forced fumbles. He is a 3x Pro-Bowler. He has never had a double digit sack season, but his career high was close at 9.5 in 2017 when he wore the Texans uniform. In 2023 he matched that number of 9.5 with the Ravens.

You would have to say that Will Anderson Jr., who had 12 sacks, or Danielle Hunter, who had 15 sacks, would be the Pennywise of the Texans defense. That is 27 sacks your starting book ends had last year. You can always add another clown to the defense. Jadeveon Clowney is 33 years old but could still be an asset to this current Texans defense that could unleash the Killer Klowns from outer space at the edges. Clowney will most likely be used as a rotational piece. He could also fill in if Hunter or Anderson Jr. had an injury. Can the Texans come up with a scheme to have all three of these guys on the same line coming after your quarterback? With Clowney you could keep your other two beasts at the book ends refreshed especially when you want them to be ferocious at the end of the games and in the post-season. The Texans may have the best corner back in the NFL with Derek Stingley. They have a very solid middle linebacker in Al-Shaair Azeez when his head is in the game. If CJ Stroud can get his act together and play like he did his rookie year, this team will be in the post-season and could go beyond the divisional round. They added a number 1 running back this off-season in X-Lion David Montgomery. If they run more. Make less mistakes on offense. The improved running game should give the Texans defense more rest in between series. Guys like Clowney along with Anderson and Hunter will be teeing off on quarterbacks this upcoming season. This Clowney move is an under the radar kind of move. But it is savvy. All the greatest defenses of all-time have a slew of stars that coexist and all help take their game to the next level but in a unit style of play. Right now quarterbacks in the NFL are stuck in the middle with Texans clowns to the right of them and Texans Jokers to the left of them.

KANE RETURNING TO CHICAGO AFTER TWO YEAR HIATUS IN THE MOTOR CITY

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Patrick Kane never looked good wearing the Detroit Red Wings costume on the ice for the last two seasons. In 2023 the Chicago Blackhawks were in rebuild and with Kane’s contract about to lapse, they traded the hockey legend to the Big Apple’s New York Rangers. Kane was drafted number 1 overall by the Blackhawks in 2007 and was a huge part of resurrecting a franchise that was playing in the dark ages. That first resurrection resulted in three Stanley Cups. Can Kane’s reunion with the Blackhawks help this team get back to the post-season for the first time since the pandemic in 2020? This original six organization has resorted back to their old ways skating in the dark ages. This reunion could put the Indian-head back on the map as Kane could be very important with getting Chicago’s next superstar Connor Bedard to take the next step. This reminds me of when Mario Lemieux on the Penguins helped their next superstar unfold in Sid the Kid Crosby.

Patrick Kane is 37 years of age and the right winger will be playing in his 20th NHL season. This will be his 17th season with the Blackhawks in his second stint with the franchise. Kane in 19 NHL seasons is like a decorated General with all the hardware he has won wearing the Indian-head sweater. Before he was traded to the Rangers, he was ranked high in many of the Blackhawks team records. He is second all-time in points with 1,225 as he trails the great Stan Mikita who has racked up 1,467 points in his time in Chicago. Kane is 3rd on the Blackhawks list in goals with 446 tallies. Bobby Hull is number 1 with 604 tallies while Mikita is number 2 with 541. Kane is also 3rd in games played wearing the Indian-head sweater. Kane gets a two year deal worth 16 million to return to the Windy City. He may not break any of these prestige Blackhawks records but he can move up on the charts certainly. He does have a chance to break the record for the most goals scored by a player born in the United States. Kane has 508 career goals and is ranked number 4 right now. Mike Madano is number 1 with 561 career goals. That would be very cool to achieve that record in a Blackhawks uniform. Last year with the Red Wings, Kane scored 16 goals but dished out 41 assists in 67 games. In his late 30’s he has been very productive still on the ice.

We don’t know how many teams this off-season expressed interest in Patrick Kane’s services. It seemed like it came down to two teams: Blackhawks and Kane’s hometown team, the Buffalo Sabres. You could easily put your money down that Kane was going home to play for the Sabres for a few reasons. Playing at home in front of family and friends. The other reason is the Sabres were the better team last year as Buffalo went deep into the post-season. If Kane signed there, would he have been the X-factor of helping his home team get to the Stanley Cup finals? Buffalo may be a few players away from getting that far. Then why the Blackhawks? Kane has spent 16 years in Chicago. I’m not sure if Kane resides in Buffalo during the off-season. He may certainly visit Western New York. Kane has spent many of his adult years in the city of Chicago. He definitely has ties to the city and not just playing hockey. He knows the organization very well. He may have never really wanted to leave in the first place. At the time, the Blackhawks really had no choice trading him. How the front office failed to build a few more solid teams around Kane leaves you scratching your head.

Connor Bedard is only 21 years of age and has been in the league for three seasons. Bedard was drafted number 1 overall. Patrick Kane was a young pup when he started playing for the Blackhawks. Right there you have things in common. Kane had Jonathan Toews to lean on with a few other veterans when he first came into the league. The Blackhawks have added veterans and are still in the midst of developing the younger core they have assembled after many dreadful years of hockey and being awarded with high draft picks. The Blackhawks were streaky last year. They had some stretches where they looked like a post-season team. Adding a veteran like Kane should help this team get closer to post-season or get into post-season as a wild card team. The fact that Bedard lobbied for the signing of Blackhawks legend Kane shows you he wants to win. I truly believe Kane was a wild child at Bedard’s age and having Toews somewhat kept him in check. Bedard does not seem to be the party animal like the Kaner. Kane’s everyday approach to the game and wisdom should rub off on Bedard. In the future it may be Bedard who breaks all of Kane’s old records as the Blackhawks signed him to an extension keeping him here in Chicago for years to come. Bedard and Kane may not win a cup together in the next two seasons. Kane’s presence and seeing how the Blackhawks crowd treats him like a rock star will be something Bedard will crave. Down the road Bedard may have Kane’s eye of the tiger and score that deciding goal like Patrick did to seal the deal versus the Flyers in that first Cup he helped win with that dynasty. WELCOME BACK KOTTER!! The Blackhawks sweathogs need you most definitely to help them grow.

NO JUICE WILL BE SERVED AT THE BILLS’ NEW STADIUM

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The Buffalo Bills will be playing at a brand new spanking facility this upcoming season. The new Bills stadium will still be named Highmark stadium which cost 2.1 billion dollars to construct this new facility that is across the street from the old building. The Old Highmark stadium is being bulldozed which is already underway. Left under the rubble will be one of the Bills most famous running backs not named Thurman Thomas. All the Bills greats from the old stadium will be honored at the new stadium like nothing ever happened except one name. The Juice. OJ Simpson will be a ghost of the past when it comes to his old team moving into a new home. You can’t erase the past. However you could erase him from your new building which many thought they should have done a long time ago when the Bronco was in motion and the gloves did not fit in the 1990’s. When Juice was suddenly not a healthy choice in Western New York anymore. The Bills X running back created more black clouds above their skies which lingered for decades. Now the Bills leaders have finally got rid of a stain on the franchise that Simpson caused murdering two people and getting away with it.

OJ Simpson was the oil and gasoline of the Buffalo Bills on the field during the 1970’s. Simpson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills number 1 overall in the 1969 NFL draft from USC. He played 11 seasons in the NFL of which his first 9 came in wearing a Bills uniform. His last two seasons he went back home to the west coast and suited up with the 49ers. From 1969-1977 he made a name for himself on the gridiron playing professional football after a very solid college career. In 1973 he became the first running back in the NFL to rush for over 2,000 yards in one season. He was a 6 x Pro-Bowler. He made 5 first All-Pro squads in his 11 year career. He played in 135 games and ran the ball 2,404 times and tallied up 11,236 rushing yards. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored 61 rushing touchdowns. He was a 3x AFC MVP. He was the first inducted member of the Bills Wall of Fame at the old stadium. They called it the Wall of Fame and his name was there for a reason. His play on the field eventually earned himself a trip to Canton as he made the NFL Hall of Fame.

Then in 1994 Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman were found stabbed to death. OJ Simpson now became a person of interest. Everyone was glued to their television set when OJ tried to make a run for it in his white Bronco with his best friend. Which set up one of the slowest ever police chases of all-time. Then in 1995 Simpson was charged with murder for what he did to his X-wife Nicole and Mr. Goldman. When you have money you can hire the dream team table of lawyers which the Juice did. His trial drew a larger audience than he ever saw on the football field. It was a world wide trial of people wanting to know what would happen next. What happened was Simpson was acquitted of all charges & that put plenty of dark clouds on America’s justice system. A trial that prosecutors botched big time. Simpson was a free man. But two years later his bank account all of a sudden dried up as he lost the civil court case that cost him 33.5 million dollars. The civil court claimed he was liable for wrongful death. In 2007 Simpson would be arrested in an arm robbery along with kidnapping charges with several accomplices. He claimed he was trying to get back his sports memorabilia that was stolon from him as he broke into a hotel in Las Vegas. In 2008 he was locked up. He served only 9 years in prison as he was once again a free man in 2017. Simpson would die of cancer in 2024 at the age of 76.

The Bills President of Business Operations, Pete Guelli, said, “We have an organizational decision that he is not fit to display inside our new stadium and family circle.”

The family circle will be all the Bills legends outside with three gigantic bison statues that will be open all year round.

Inside, other players on the Wall of Fame will be in the new stadium except OJ Simpson. No Juice. Just tall boys of Labatt Blue. Inside the new stadium will have history of all those great teams in the 1990’s with the 4 Superbowls in a row in that decade. Then other seasons that were memorable.

OJ Simpson had it all. He was a side line reporter for the NFL after his playing career concluded. He was a pitchman for Hertz car rental. He was a Hollywood movie star starring in all three of the Naked Guns.

Simpson was a guy that was liked on those commercials and movies. The fans in the NFL liked his insight on the sidelines of games he covered. He had a dark side and that is what came out years later.

OJ Simpson will always be one of the Best Buffalo Bills running backs of all-time. When he played the game on the gridiron, he did not have that dark side. He had a knack and the athleticism to run the football well on the field. He may have played with an edge. He had that friendly personality that fans loved after the games. Those were dark days of your franchise because the team did not win a ton of games like they do now in present day. He was a bright spot in those dark days that turned into a problem when he stabbed his X-wife and Ronald Goldman. Murderers should only be on the walls of the post office as a wanted person dead or live by the law. You have to protect the youth and not glamorize an athlete who committed double homicide. If you call something Family Circle, no way you should have OJ’s face on that. The Bills should have removed OJ from the old stadium . They let it linger. It’s better to leave OJ’s memories there. The Bills did not win any Superbowls in the old facility that had OJ on the wall. It’s a new beginning. The Bills are making the smart decisions to hopefully create more sunshine above Highmark stadium and disburse those dark clouds to New England.

UFL MVP LOOKING TO RUN WITH THE BISON IN BUFFALO

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The Buffalo Bills added another running back to their roster by signing the UFL,United Football League MVP of the recent championship, Ian Wheeler. Wheeler helped the Louisville Kings win their first title in the United Bowl III which was only weeks ago. Wheeler is 24 years old and will be 25 when the month of September rolls around. This is a guy that put medical school on hold to achieve his NFL dreams. His NFL dreams were crushed with a preseason injury with the Chicago Bears. After that he made the Saints practice squad which only lasted a week. Can Wheeler help the Bills and Josh Allen win a championship with a very loaded running back room already in place?

This will not be the first time Ian Wheeler has run with the Buffaloes. Wheeler played college football at Howard University.

Howard University had nothing to do with that award winning Hollywood movie, Howard the Duck. Howard University’s nickname is the Bison. When Wheeler played for the Bison during his college years, he averaged 6.5 yards per carry on the grid iron. I imagine in the classroom his grades were also off the charts as he already achieved a degree in Psychology. His college stats he carried the ball for the Bison 177 times and tallied up 1,154 rushing yards with 14 rushing touchdowns. The passing game he only tallied up a couple hundred yards with one more touchdown. In the return game, he had three touchdowns on special teams in his collegiate career. He was an undrafted free agent and signed with the Chicago Bears after he concluded a very nice career at Howard.

On August 10th of 2024, Ian Wheeler in a Chicago Bear Uniform scored two touchdowns against the team he just signed for, the Buffalo Bills, in a preseason game. By August 24th he was placed on injury reserve as a torn ACL which made his football career at that time very grim. By 2025, about a year later, the Bears released Wheeler. In late November he was able to sign with the Saints practice squad but it only lasted for a cup of coffee in the Big Easy. To keep Medical School on hold, Wheeler needed a new plan and that’s when the United Football league would help his case to show teams what he still has in his legs. Wheeler played in 9 regular season games for the Louisville Kings and finished 4th in rushing yards for the season in the UFL. He carried the ball 68 times and tallied up 370 rushing yards in those 9 games. Which averages out to 5.4 yards per carry. He had 6 rushing touchdowns during regular season. In two post-season games, he carried the ball 17 times for 175 rushing yards. He scored two rushing touchdowns. One of those touchdowns came in the 4th quarter in the United Bowl, a 44 yard dagger that beat last year’s champions the DC Defenders in their home stadium. Wheeler ranked number 5 in the UFL during the regular season for all-purpose yards. He averaged 28.5 yards on kick off returns for the Kings this spring.

Why do the Bills even need another running back when their starter won the rushing title in 2025? James Cook III tore up the league last year and won his first rushing title of his career. The Bills already have in place a solid third down running back in veteran Ty Johnson. The Bills also have the legendary Frank Gore’s son, Frank Jr., as the guy on the practice squad that has been improving every week and waiting to latch on to the main roster this upcoming season. Then Ray Davis who has been crucial on the return game on special teams for the Bills. When Davis carries the rock, he has done very well in limited time on the field. However Davis has been disgruntled as he voiced his opinions that he should be used more in the Bills offense. Could Wheeler be his replacement?

The Bills gave Ian Wheeler a contract as this is not your normal thing inviting UFL players or un-drafted free agents to try out for your team. Wheeler is a winner everywhere he played. Obviously we saw that with the Louisville Kings. If we go back to his college days, he helped the Bison of Howard win back to back MEAC championships. I’m not saying Wheeler is the missing piece that the Bills need to get to the Superbowl. He is a smart guy. He is a smart guy with talent on the field which you don’t get very often on the football field. You don’t get that very often in general in sports. I like anybody that can make big plays in the 4th quarter in a crucial game. He may be a guy the Bills only use on special teams. In football to be a Superbowl team, you have to be talented in all three phases of the game: offense, defense, and special teams. Wheeler could be an important factor if any of these guys get injured. This is a nice signing because there is nothing wrong with having too much talent at one position. It’s a low risk/high ceiling type of move here by the Bills. Hoping medical school waits a little bit longer to see Wheeler run wild with the Buffaloes in Orchard Park, New York.

NO PLACE LIKE JORDAN’S HOME

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Cameron Jordan has stayed afloat in the free agent pool lingering until June looking for his next team to play for in the NFL. After coming off a solid season weighting his offers, he clicked his spiked shoes three times and decided to come home. Jordan is coming home back to the New Orleans Saints for his 16th season in the NFL. All of them have been in the Big Easy. At 36 years of age, Jordan will turn 37 in July & says this will be his last season in the NFL. He could have pursued a Superbowl ring with a contender. He always had an invite by the Saints organization to play another season. He probably would have made more money elsewhere. He settles on a 1 year deal which is an incentive-laden type of contract. He will have to perform his best to get all the extra trimmings. The Saints right now are not Superbowl-bound. Late in the season last year, the Saints showed their fan base improvements. Could the Saints win their division the NFC South which is not a power house in the NFL? When any team makes it to the post-season, sometimes anything can happen. Look at the New England Patriots – a team that looked like they did not belong in the Superbowl. The Patriots found a way winning games on one of the easiest schedules in the NFL last year.

The Saints Defensive End Cameron Jordan was a 1st round pick by the Saints in the 2011 NFL draft 24th overall coming from the University of California. In 17 games last year for the Saints, he recorded 10.5 sacks along with 32 solo tackles and forced two fumbles. Not too shabby for a 36 year old athlete. Jordan has made the NFL Pro-Bowl 8 times in 15 seasons. Jordan has hit double digits in sacks in 7 out of 15 seasons. His career high in sacks was 15.5 sacks in 2019. In 2017 he had 13 sacks that year. He has a pair of 12.5 sack seasons as well. Last season was a contract year for Cameron as he responded but did not get the deal he expected to sign. In 2024 & ’25, he combined 6 sacks in those two seasons. Jordan has started every game in his career except 1 game. He has only missed 1 regular season game in his career. He has played 11 extra games in the post-season and has recorded 5.5 sacks in the playoffs. He has never played in a Superbowl as he missed Drew Brees and the Saints winning their only title by a few seasons. His career numbers he has 132 sacks in the NFL during regular season. Which ranks number 17 all-time in the NFL since they made the sack a stat. He has tallied up 494 solo tackles and has forced 17 forced fumbles in his career. He has 3 interceptions and has tallied up 248 QB hits in 15 seasons. Last year he had 15.

Ricky Jackson was a former Saint line backer as he played some defensive end as well. Jackson played for the Saints from 1981-1993 and racked up 115 sacks which is good for number two all-time on the Saints sacks list. Jackson would move on from New Orleans and play two seasons with the 49ers where he helped San Francisco win a Superbowl. In 15 seasons Jackson has 136 total sacks in the NFL. Cameron Jordan has 132 sacks all with the Saints which makes him the number 1 guy all-time at killing the quarterback for New Orleans. He would need 4 sacks to tie Jackson and with 5 he would move ahead of him on the all-time NFL sacks list. Number three all-time in sacks for the Saints is Wayne Martin who tallied 82.5 sacks from 1989-1999. One of the biggest bad asses in Saints history on their defense was Pat Swilling, who tallied up 76.5 sacks in Saints history from 1986-1992. Which is good for 4th all-time dressed in gold, black and white.

Then Will Smith rounds the top 5 on the Saints all-time sacks list. Smith unfortunately passed away in 2016. He helped the Saints win their only Superbowl as he played from 2004-2013 and played a few seasons with Cameron. He recorded 67.5 sacks for Smith.

The Saints came into last season with a new head coach, Kellen Moore, a guy that has played some quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Moore has been one of the league’s best play callers as well as being an offensive coordinator for years before getting his first head coaching job in New Orleans. The Saints fans may have found their next Drew Brees in Tyler Shough, who was a rookie last year. He showed he can throw the football and use his legs to get some yards. He was quite the leader out there. As a starter down the stretch he had a 5-4 record and Saints looked like a complete different team. The Saints added another top notch receiver in the draft picking up Arizona State Jordyn Tyson which will give Shough another play maker in New Orleans offense. The Saints still have Chris Olave who was the number 1 Saints receiver last year. The Saints aerial attack will be making some noise with Tyson and Olave. Then the Saints added running back free agent Travis Ethienne Jr. who had a monster year for the Jaguars last year. This offense will be better. The Saints defense played better as the season went on. Bringing back Cameron Jordan for peanuts is a big move for this organization. He is a guy that wants to be playing in New Orleans. His wife and 4 kids love the Big Easy. It’s their home away from home. Jordan dd not want to play for an arch rival like the Falcons, Panthers, or Buccaneers. That shows you something. He was honest he did not want to play for any cold weather teams. I thought the Bears should have tried to lure him to Chicago with the Saints old head coach Dennie Allen who is the defensive coordinator in the Windy City. Jordan gave the Saints a definitely home town discount. His heart is still in New Orleans and I have to give credit to a guy playing in one city his entire career. With free agency & trades that is unheard of in the sports world. If the Saints do make the post-season and don’t quite get to the Superbowl, they still look like a future contender. I think Jordan Cameron will go another year after this season just because this team is trending upwards. Look for Jordan along with the Saints to march after your quarterback at a stadium near you. Jordan is back home in the Big Easy looking to kill the quarterback.

BULLS ARE GOING BRAZILIAN STYLE AS THEIR NEW HEAD COACH

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The Chicago Bulls have found their replacement for Billy Donovan who stepped down from his duties several weeks back as head coach of the team. The Bulls brass must have liked what they saw from the Portland Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter who is 41 years of age and got his big break last year starting the season working as an assistant. It took federal charges and the removal of the Trail Blazers original head coach, Chauncey Billups, who’s been in hot water being involved in an illegal gambling scheme to promote Splitter early on last season. Splitter ran with and compiled up a winning record of 42-39 in the Western conference. Which was good enough to be the number 7th seed in post-season. Why didn’t the Trail Blazers resign Splitter and remove the interim tag and make him their head coach for the future and beyond? Is this another “Another’s person junk, is the Bulls treasure type of move” by Chicago?

Tiago Splitter played 7 seasons in the NBA. Before the San Antonio Spurs drafted Splitter he was playing professional basketball overseas. San Antonio drafted the Brazilian 28th in the first round of the 2007 NBA draft. He made his NBA debut in 2010 and helped the Spurs win a title in 2014. He spent 5 seasons in San Antonio & then moved on and played one season in Atlanta. He concluded his career with the Philadelphia 76ers where he only managed to play in 8 games his final season which was 2016-17. He played mostly center his entire career as he stands at 6’11”. He did play some power forward as well. He averaged 7.9 points per game along with grabbing 5.0 rebounds per game. He averaged 1.2 assists per game as well. He played in 355 NBA games which does not count all the games he played elsewhere. In 2018 he joined the Nets as a scout and was part of the player development staff. In 2023 & ’24 he went into coaching as he was an assistant for Ime Udoka who was head coach of the Rockets. Then he went to the Euro league as he became a head coach in their 2024-25 season. Then he returned to the states and took the assistant job with the Trail Blazers that led him to the head coaching gig.

Tiago Splitter broke some long droughts in only one season being the guy out in Portland. Splitter’s winning season in his first season being head coach of the Blazers, you have to go back to 2001-02 when Maurice Cheeks came in and won right away. He also became the first Trail Blazer head coach in his debut season to win a post-season game. Splitter and his Trail Blazers were quickly dispatched in round 1 but they did win one game out of that best of 7. Mike Dunleavy was the last to win a post-season game in his debut. That was the 1997-98 season. Some things the Trail Blazers did well this season under Splitter was their last 51 regular season games they were a top 10 defense in the league. Wow, actual defense in the NBA. The Trail Blazers had a 30-21 record during that span. Another cool stat under Splitter as a team is they led the league in 2nd chance points. Rebounding and defense is a perfect recipe for winning basketball games. Instead of just chucking up the three pointer every chance you get and not rebounding to get the ball back.

Why did the Trail Blazers let Tiago Splitter walk out the door? From the players perspective, all of them who played for Splitter last year liked him as a head coach. The Trail Blazers have a new owner of the franchise in Tom Dundon, the same guy that owns the Carolina Hurricanes who just won the Stanley Cup. He is somehow not a fan of Splitter. Dundon’s search for a coach will a be guy they can get at a lower cost. This has worked for Dundon with the Hurricanes by giving the job to Rob Brind’Amour, a former player that played for Carolina as his first head coaching gig. He actually helped the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup in 2006 as a player. Brind’Amour took the family discount to get the job and it has paid off with multiple trips going deep into post season and now this season has another title for the Hurricanes.

The Bulls don’t have new ownership but they did clean out the front office getting rid of all their top guys. They hired Bryson Graham as the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Bulls. This is Graham’s hire. The Bulls are in a a rebuilding stage right now. It seems after the Michael Jordan era came to an end, that all the Bulls have been doing is rebuilding. The Bulls have Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis as their core pieces right now on this roster. The Bulls have the number 4th pick in the NBA draft coming up. They also have the number 15 in the first round as well. This hire by the Bulls, your first instinct has you thinking just another guy they picked up on the scrap heap. I’m not sure this hire by the Bulls will be good, bad, or ugly. It depends on how this franchise builds this roster. What kind of talent will they have? It sounds like they will be looking to land a bigger type of guys with athletic skills. They sound like they want to play solid defense. Tiago Splitter and Graham will have the time to build this team without the pressure of winning right away. You’re basically building from the ground up again. I like the fact that Splitter has played for a winning franchise and won it all with the Spurs. When the head coaching job went to him last season because of Chauncey Billups’ federal charges, he did not back down. He turned a bad situation and an opportunity for himself into a head coaching job without the interim tag attached to it. Splitter is not a screamer or will be going ballistic on his players. He does hold his players accountable which in today’s NBA world is a totally different challenge than yesterday’s NBA. In a few seasons, the Bulls may be a scrappy bunch that you will root for because they will be doing the dirty things that need to be done to win games in the NBA. Instead of just shooting three pointers on each possession. I hope the Brazilian flavor to this franchise is what it needs to turn this awful organization around. Bulls nation has been waiting long enough. This may be one of the most exciting rebuilds in sometime.

THE UFL: 2026 UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION

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The UFL will be the first league since the USFL in the 1980’s to have completed their 3rd season in a row of spring football. The Birmingham Stallions had a three peat wining two straight USFL championships that carried over winning a third in the UFL’s first United Bowl. Can the Defenders repeat two straight seasons being the lowest seed in the post-season? The Louisville Kings in their first ever season in the UFL – can they win it all? Both teams were underdogs last week. I predicted the upset with the Kings over the BattleHawks. I did not predict the Defenders beating the Storm who had the number 1 seed. Will Mr. Bean get his revenge?

We have a prediction for the United Bowl III. We threw in a bunch of words and hoopla with some sizzling stats before we gave you our winner. You can read it all or scroll down just to see who we chose. Your choice. It’s riveting stuff.

#4. DC DEFENDERS(6-5) VS #3. LOUISVILLE KINGS(7-4)

The defending champions, the DC Defenders, have lived another week and find themselves back in the title game as they look to repeat. The Defenders were in the same spot last year with the number 4 seed, the underdog, and got the upset versus the BattleHawks on the road. Then proceeded to knock off the Michigan Panthers in the United Bowl 2 of 2025 to become champions. Last week the Defenders went on the road and upset the number 1 seed, Orlando Storm, in Daytona, Florida. Now the Defenders have a home game in this year’s title game that is being played in the nation’s capital which is home to the snake.

Wrong snake. The Defenders have the beer snake and will play this year’s championship in front of the home crowd. Like Tom Brady did years ago wearing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform. That went well for him and Tampa.

If you were one of the few motor boating fans in Memphis last year, it may be tough seeing the Kings in the championship this season.

The UFL moved three teams to different cities. The Memphis Showboats became the Louisville Kings. Last year Memphis was one of the bottom feeders of the UFL. The Kings roster is much different from last year’s Showboats. The Kings probably do have a few Showboats on their current roster. The Kings have been a hit in Louisville as you can tell by the following they get in Bourbon Town. The Kings went on the road and knocked off the BattleHawks in St.Louis in the Thunderdome last week. The Kings came into the post-season as the hottest team winning 4 straight games. By advancing to the championship, it is now 5 straight wins. The Kings started the season 0-3 and have gone 7-1 since.

REGULAR SEASON HEAD TO HEAD

The Kings swept the two game series versus the Defenders in regular season. In DC the Kings won 30-13. Then in Louisville it was a closer game, 33-30.

The quarterback match up is very interesting in this championship game. Jason Bean was the starting quarterback for the first few weeks for the Louisville Kings. He was traded to the Defenders which gave the starting job to Chandler Rogers, who has lost only one game as the starter for Louisville. The Defenders lost their starting quarterback in the first match up between these two teams in Louisville. Jordan Ta’amu’s injury in Louisville was season ending. Ta’amu guided the Defenders to their first championship last year. Bean was not even the first choice when Ta’amu went down. The Defenders elected to go with Spencer Sanders who was a disaster. Bean got the start in last week’s win over the Storm. He threw for 233 passing yards, 1 touchdown pass, and ran for 40 yards. Bean left last week with an injury but came back. When he was out, back up QB Sanders threw a pick six. Both QBs are duel threats. Rogers completed 12-20 passes last week with no mistakes for 162 passing yards with a touchdown pass. The BattleHawks defense were the number 1 unit in the league.

Both teams can run the ball well. Both teams have that two-headed monster in the backfield.

The Defenders running game is the heart of their offense. They need to run the ball to win this game. They have the best running back in the league this season in Deon Jackson, who scored a touchdown last week in Florida. Then they have the veteran Abraham Smith who has been with the Defenders for a lifetime it seems. Smith found the end zone last week too. The Kings two-headed monster each scored a touchdown in St.Louis. Both big gainers as well. The Kings back field has Ian Wheeler and former Jacksonville Jaguar running back, James Robinson.

The passing game, the Louisville Kings have the edge. You can’t forget that Jason Bean threw for over 200 yards last week. When Jordan Ta’amu was the quarterback for the Defenders, DC had a well-balanced offense. Just the Defenders passing game with Ta’amu behind center, they had one of the better aerial attacks in the UFL. In the first half of the season, the Defenders were outscoring everyone. The Defenders do have play makers. The last few weeks the Kings aerial attack with Chandler Rogers has been producing. The Kings winning streak to end regular season, they were averaging over 30 points per game. The Kings have some top notch playmakers like Isaiah Winstead, Lucky Jackson, and Tarik Black. The Defenders group have Keke Coutee, Briley Moore, and Braylon Sanders which all had multiple catches last week.

On defense the Defenders got one of their old faces back from last year’s championship. The Defenders called Andre Mintze as he came out of retirement to play in this year’s post-season. Mintze used some PTO at his current job to help the Defenders defense as he was part of last year’s championship team. The Defenders are that “bend don’t break” style of defense. They like to blitz. They thrive on turnovers.

The Kings have the better overall defensive unit between the two teams. Last week Jaheim Thomas was a tackling machine as he ended up with 9 which six were solo. The Kings have the sack king on this defense as Cam Gill led the league in regular season. Then registered 1 sack last week versus the BattleHawks. He had 5 solo tackles in that game as well. The Kings D led the league in takeaways. The Defenders need takeaways while the Kings can survive without them.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Both teams have that kicker who can sniper the ball off their foot from 60 yards or more. Matt McCrane for the Defenders was the first kicker in history to get the 4 point score, a new rule that was inserted this off-season for a field goal kick of 60 yards or more made. For the Kings, Tanner Brown made two 4 point kicks in the same game which was last week in the Thunderdome in St.Louis which is history. Brown is the first to have more than one 60 yard 4 point score in the same game.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Both head coaches have never lost a post-season game in the UFL. Chris Redman for the Kings, his only post-season win came last week on the road in his only game. Shannon Harris is 3-0 in the post-season. The funny thing there is he has never won a post-season game at home. The Defenders will be at home, but technically the Kings will be the home team being the higher seed.

Does Jason Bean get his revenge on the team that traded him away? It’s hard to beat a team three times in one season. The Storm could not do it last week as they beat the Defenders twice to close out the regular season. Are we going to see a Defenders repeat? Will the Kings win their first ever UFL Championship? This match up looks close on paper. I think it will be a close game at the very end. I think Bean will make the mistake while Chandler Rogers has had way more clean games. I like the Kings passing game over the Defenders. I think the Kings defense can make the Defenders offense one dimensional. I just don’t see Bean delivering with his arm. The Storm’s defense weakness last week vs the Defenders were the broken plays. The QB getting chunks of yardage with their legs. The Kings defense is a different animal. The Defenders backed into the post-season because they lost their starting quarterback. Bean is not Jordan Ta’amu.

OUR PREDICTION: IT’S GOOD TO BE THE KINGS!

THE UFL: UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2026 POST-SEASON PREDICTIONS

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The UFL is now down to the final 4 teams for the season as the post-season has arrived. The Houston Gamblers, Dallas Renegades, Columbus Aviators, and the Birmingham Stallions failed to make the post-season. They will be home watching the rest of the league try to win the UFL’s 3rd championship. In are the defending champs, the DC Defenders, who could have a home game if they win this weekend. The beer snake would be thriving being fed the craft beers in a championship atmosphere. The Kings are one of the hottest teams in the league coming into the post-season. Orlando will be riding out the Storm in Daytona’s stadium because their normal home venue is being used this weekend. The Storm have been hot as well. Can Ricky Proehl get the BattleHawks out of the first round? Something Anthony Becht could not do when he was head coach of the St.Louis. We are going to throw in our two cents by predicting both post-season games with some witty post-season analysis. Enjoy!! Post-season football is always entertaining.

#3. LOUISVILLE KINGS(6-4) AT #2 ST.LOUIS BATTLEHAWKS(6-4)

The Thunderdome in St.Louis will be hosting another post-season game. The BattleHawks once again showed the UFL they have the number 1 fan base as they had the best attendance in the league. However, can the BattleHawks win a post-season game? Anthony Becht is no longer their head coach. If he was the problem. The BattleHawks come into this post-season with a whimper. They lost to a bad Renegades team in the last week of the season with the number 1 seed in their reach. Renegades lost 7 straight until they upended the BattleHawks in the Thunderdome. Now they face one of the hottest teams, if not the hottest team, in the UFL. The Louisville Kings. Kings come in clicking on all cylinders winning 4 straight games. The Kings started out of the gates this season 0-3. They went 6-1 the rest of the season only losing to the BattleHawks in week six in a barnstormer of a game that finished with a score of 16-3.

After the BattleHawks acquired the King of the Spring Fling, Luis Perez, from the Renegades, I thought it was an instant ticket to a championship for them. In 4 games the King of the Spring Fling has not done well. He is 2-2 as a starter this season. He has tallied 1,018 passing yards . He has 4 touchdown passes to six interceptions. Yikes!!!

Meanwhile the Kings made a QB trade when they sent Jason Bean packing at the trade deadline. The starting job then went to Chandler Rogers who has made 5 starts for Louisville. Rogers went 4-1 as the starter. He’s a duel threat quarterback who tallied 1,119 passing yards with 5 touchdown passes to three interceptions. With his legs he scored two touchdowns. The Kings in the last 4 games have averaged over 30 points a game.

If Luis Perez can get his game straightened out, he has multiple weapons in the passing game. The BattleHawks have plenty of talent at the wide receiver room including Hakeem Butler who may be the tallest target in the league. It was another solid year for Butler who caught 29 balls for 641 receiving yards and three touchdowns. They also have veteran guys like Jahcour Pearson, Blake Jackson, and Steven McBride. The BattleHawks also signed one of Perez’s cronies who played with him on the Renegades, Sal Cannella, who has shown he is one of the best tight ends in the league. Sal came available after the Cleveland Browns cut ties with him this off-season.

The Kings have plenty of weapons of mass destruction as well. They have Lucky Jackson who can be a threat as a wide receiver and gives the Kings a home run threat in the return games. Then Isiah Winstead, who racked up 474 receiving yards this season. Then Kaden Prather gives Rogers a big target to throw to. Then tight end Zach Davidson can be that guy that moves the chains.

Both teams can run the ball well. The BattleHawks use a power back that will run you over in Jarveon Howard. While the Kings have a two-headed monster in their back field that features former Jacksonville Jaguar James Robinson and Ian Wheeler. Two well-balanced offenses as well as two of the better defenses in the league.

The Kings have the sack master on their defense in Cam Gill. Gill led the UFL this season with 11 sacks. The Kings also have Corey Mayfield Jr. who led the league this year in interceptions. The former Brahmas defensive back Mayfield Jr. had 4 interceptions this season. The Kings defense is solid from top to bottom. The Kings defense led the league with 17 takeaways. The Kings defense allows only 21.8 points per game this season.

The St.Louis BattleHawks defense is the best unit in the UFL. It’s a defense that features the last defensive player of the year in Pita Taumoepenu. The BattleHawks can get after the quarterback. They led the league with 31 sacks this season. The BattleHawks defense allows only 18.1 points per game.

This game will be the game of the weekend here. Both teams are pretty much equal. The BattleHawks average 287.1 yards on offense per game. While the Kings average 293.7 yards per game on offense. It’s hard to win on the road in the Thunderdome. The BattleHawks quarterback Luis Perez has won a championship a few seasons ago with the Renegades in the XFL. That was the year Perez was traded in mid-season and then took it from there and got hot in post-season. St.Louis has failed in the first round of the post-season. The Kings are one of the hottest teams right now which means opponents may be scared to play them at this time. I’m going with the road team in this because of Luis Perez struggling.. The Kings are playing well on all three phases of the game right now & that will carry over to the post-season.

OUR PREDICTION: LOUISVILLE KINGS

#4. DC DEFENDERS(5-5) AT #1. ORLANDO STORM(8-2)

After the Defenders and Storm conclude this post-season game, it will end the three game series between the two teams. The Storm and Defenders just finished the season playing back to back games against each other. In which the Storm won both match ups. Maybe it will be the third time is the charm for the Defenders. The Storm come in having the number 1 seed in the post-season as they finished the season strong winning 4 straight games. Meanwhile the Defenders backed into the post-season losing 4 straight games. Once upon a time the Defenders were the top scoring team in the league until they lost their starting quarterback Jordan Ta’amu with a season-ending injury at Louisville.

The Defenders will have a hard time defending their championship run with the quarterbacks they do have. Spencer Sanders has been no good as he was the first guy thrown into the ring to replace Ta’amu. Then a mid-season trade landed the Defenders’ Jason Bean who was the Kings former starter in Louisville. Bean has talent but makes too many mistakes. The Defenders did sign spring journeyman E.J Perry to the roster. Perry played for the Showboats and the Panthers. His play level in the past has been too erratic. The Defenders have the worst quarterback room in the post-season.

The Orlando Storm have the MVP of the league behind center for them. Jack Plummer has shown the UFL world he is the best quarterback in the league. He threw 17 touchdown passes to only 1 interception. He tallied up 2,188 passing yards. He has multiple play makers he can throw to. The Storm lacks a running game where the Defenders need to run the ball to win this game.

Deon Jackson is the Defenders’ entire offense. Jackson led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns. The Storm defense can struggle against the run. The Storm’s defense will also falter on broken plays that get extended with running quarterbacks. If the Defenders use Bean or Sanders they could make big plays with their legs. The Defenders are a one dimensional offense as the Storm want to be a well balance offense. It depends on what the running game can do for the Storm. Some weeks they are well balanced. Some times it’s all about what Jack has.

The Orlando Storm has only given up 18.6 points per game which makes them one of the better defensive units in the league. They have the best red zone defense in the league. Defensive tackle Isiah Buggs can swallow up the run. Keshawn Banks led the league with the most tackles for loss of yardages. The Defenders defense plays very aggressively and thrives on turnovers. They will come after the quarterback with everything including the kitchen sink on some of their blitz packages.

Anthony Becht and Shannon Harris are the only two remaining head coaches from last year. Becht was the long time head coach for the BattleHawks but took most his staff to Florida to coach the Storm. Becht and his staff were part of that testy rivalry between the Defenders and BattleHawks. Last year the Defenders were not favored to win the championship. Harris in his first season got DC to the post-season, coached two victories, and took home the championship. Harris is 2-0 in post-season while Becht is 0-2 in the post-season. His teams have been favored to win it all but the result have been losses. One loss was last year in the XFL Conference Championship when Harris’ Defenders beat up the BattleHawks on Becht’s home turf which was a 36-18 beat down in the Thunderdome of St.Louis.

It would have been cool to see the Defenders hoist the beer snake in the UFL championship game in DC next weekend. I don’t see the Defenders getting past the Storm this weekend. It’s the quarterback play that concerns me about the Defenders. I don’t think Moe, Larry, or Curly can come through behind center against a top defense like the Storm have. Even if they signed a Shemp, it would not matter. I know it’s hard to beat a team three times in a row. Without Jordan Ta’amu, this Defenders team will not get it done. This may be the best team Anthony Becht has coached in his career. He has the horses. I think he will use them wisely and slay his dark demons of the first round action.

OUR PREDICTION: ORLANDO STORM

RAMS PULL OFF CHECKMATE MOVE THAT LANDS THEM MYLES GARRETT FROM CLEVELAND

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In 2021 the LA Rams pulled out a blockbuster trade that helped them win the Superbowl in the same year they acquired their quarterback, Matthew Stafford, from the Detroit Lions. The Rams are notorious for trading their number 1 draft picks for established veteran players over the last several years. The Rams have done it again in another CHECKMATE move and acquired one of the best defensive ends in the league, Myles Garrett, from the Cleveland Browns. The Rams will send their much younger defensive end, Jared Verse, to Cleveland with three draft picks of which two are number one selections. The draft picks are 2027 first round pick, 2028 first round pick, and finally a 2029 3rd round pick. This is a trade that can certainly help the Rams get to the Superbowl which their home stadium is hosting next February. It also helps the Cleveland Browns get some of the draft capital they surrendered to the Houston Texans a few seasons ago when they acquired the sexual predator, Deshaun Watson.

Myles Garrett was originally drafted by the Cleveland Browns back in 2017 in the first round number 1 overall from Texas A&M. He is 30 years of age and already has 9 seasons in the NFL. He is the highest paid player in the league that is not a quarterback. He has won back to back years as the defensive player of the year. Last year he tied the NFL single season record of most sacks by a player in one season. He had 23 sacks. He played in all 17 games for the Browns last year, tallied up 43 solo tackles, and forced three fumbles in 2025. He has played in 134 career games in his career and has racked up 125.5 sacks with 293 solo tackles while forcing 23 fumbles. In 9 seasons he has only played in 3 career playoff games with the Browns and has recorded one sack in those games. Garrett is remembered for ripping the helmet off Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolf during a play & then using it as a weapon to hit him in the head with it. Garrett would miss six games including the post-season in 2019 for that incident as he was suspended by the league.

You have to feel sorry for Jared Verse who has two years in the league and has been a starter for the Rams both seasons. Now he leaves a potential team that could make it to the Superbowl to play for a flunky like the Browns. Verse is also a first round pick. He was drafted in 2024 by the Rams number 19 overall from Florida State University. Last year he racked up 7.5 sacks for the Rams as he played in all 17 regular season games. He also had 35 solo tackles and forced 3 fumbles. In two seasons he has racked up 12 sacks and has 71 total solo tackles in 34 games. He has also forced 5 fumbles. He has 45 total QB hits in two seasons. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year for the Rams in 2024. He is a 2x Pro-Bowler as well and has only two seasons under his belt. The Rams are getting a solid piece in return for Garrett who is still playing under a rookie contract. Plus he is 25 years of age which is 5 years younger than Myles Garrett. The Browns in March also restructured Garret’s contract making him easier to trade. The restructuring will allow the Browns two seasons to spread his 41.09 million dollars in dead cap space on the salary cap instead of taking the hit in one season. The Browns also get two number 1 draft picks along with a 3rd. Let’s not forget Verse was picked in the first round. Now you have your draft capital back from the horrific deal acquiring the sexual predator, Deshaun Watson, back in 2022 from Houston. Watson has been terrible most of the time since he came from Cleveland. He has missed a ton of games with season ending injuries. Plus he’s a cancer in the locker room. Then you still hear about more sexual assault cases against him popping up. Hopefully Cleveland can use one of those draft picks and find a QB. Next year’s draft will be loaded with QB talent.

When the Rams won their last Superbowl, they had that one player on that defense who was a game wrecker. Aaron Donald was a beast. He has been retired now for the last few seasons. The Rams defense was solid last year. By bringing in Myles Garrett they have that Donald, a guy that can change the game. He’s a QB killer who has 239 hits on the guy behind center in 9 seasons. If he does not record a sack he will let you know his presence is there. He’s a guy that can close out football games. Let’s face it, the Rams are all in. They have a veteran quarterback approaching 40 years of age in Matthew Stafford who has shown he is capable of still playing at a high level. Last year the Rams went out and got another top receiver in the NFL, in Devante Adams. The Rams went all the way to the NFC Championship game and lost to a division rival, the Seattle Seahawks, who went on to dispose of the New England Patriots in the Superbowl. The Rams feel they need one more player to get them over the top of the mountain to get back to the Superbowl. The Rams feel they get more for their teams by trading their number 1 pick for talented veteran players. They have also acquired Von Mille and Jalen Ramsey in the past. This off-season they made a deal with the Chiefs for their all-pro corner back, Trent McDuffie, for some draft picks. The Rams actually used their number 1 pick this season on a quarterback, Ty Simpson. This Rams team has one of the best coaches in the NFL, the young mind of Sean McVay. Then next year’s Superbowl is in LA. The Rams could do their version of Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, and host the Superbowl in their own stadium. The Rams before the trade landing Garrett, had good odds by Las Vegas to win next year’s big game. Now they should be the lead horse in the race to win next year’s Superbowl. In my opinion this looks like a solid trade for both teams. Cleveland is not getting to the Superbowl any time soon as they need to rebuild that roster. The Rams have done this before and made the big move to put themselves in the best position possible. You can really say, “CHECKMATE!!”