By Liam Day
After one-and-a-half seasons as the New York Giants head coach, Ben McAdoo has been fired as of December 4th immediately following the Giants’ tenth loss of the season. The decision was foreshadowed by the Giants after McAdoo benched two-time Superbowl MVP Eli Manning. While most fans were upset by this, some believed that it needed to happen. Sophomore Justin Robertson said that “Eli’s career is over, he has been overrated as a starter for the last five years.” Along with McAdoo, general manager, Jerry Reese, was fired simultaneously as he has not drafted a truly successful player since Odell Beckham Jr in 2014. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will take over as head coach at least for the remainder of the season. The obvious question being asked by fans is why not just wait until the end of the season? The decision wasn't made to alter the outcome of the disappointing season for the Giants, but more to appease fans infuriated with the direction the team was going and the benching of their franchise quarterback Eli Manning. John Mara told the media following the decision on Monday that, “We [Steve Tisch and Mara] agreed that wholesale changes needed to be made to this organization to get us back to the team that we expect to be. We also agreed that it was pointless to wait any longer to make these changes.” Waiting any longer would have resulted in empty stadiums for the remaining three home games. McAdoo was successful and the Giants had no intention of finding a new coach after the Giants finished 11-5 in the previous season. Despite a first round loss, the drafting of speedy tight end, Evan Engram, and signing of Pro Bowl receiver, Brandon Marshall, the Giants had been projected to greatly improve on their lacking offense from 2016. They were even often mentioned as favorites to take a trip to the SuperBowl. Huge NFL fan, Nate Swales said, “The Giants and the Steelers were my Superbowl pick.” Giants fans along with the rest of the NFL were shocked to see the outcome of the 2017 season. Left with no excuses for such a disappointing season, McAdoo was obviously not getting the job done in New York. Stephen A. Smith, a reporter for ESPN, agreed with the firing, lashing out on Mcadoo in saying, “He has vacillated between incompetent, unprofessional, laughable and then some. The manner in which he has conducted himself and this franchise has been far less than stellar.” Many of Mcadoo's in-game decisions were poor as well. Running the ball countless times of third and long and giving up games when they went down early infuriated fans leading to surges of “BOOOS” throughout Metlife Stadium. While the Giants’ season at this point is beyond over, the final few games will determine what direction the team will take entering the 2018 offseason. By Mason Steinberg
If you ask the average NFL fan who the best team is in the AFC there is not much debate. Senior Ryan Davis said, “ It’s the Patriots or Steelers, no doubt.”The Patriots are the model of consistency for the NFL; they have won their division thirteen out of the last fiveteen seasons. They have also won two out of the last three Super Bowls, and the last three matchups with the Steelers. The Steelers have the most explosive offense in the league with the top running back Le'veon Bell and top receiver Antonio Brown. Senior Garrett Mills agreed with Davis, “Anyone can beat anyone, but I’d say the Steelers or Patriots have the best shot of winning it all”. However, neither team has been dominant with the Steelers barely squeaking by the lowly Indianapolis Colts and the Patriots losing to the Miami Dolphins. This opens the door for a surprise team to win the AFC. While the two favorites are established, there is much debate over who the most dangerous team is. The hottest team in the league is the L.A Chargers, who have won four straight games. They have an elite quarterback in Phillip Rivers and a strong defense headlined by pass rusher Melvin Ingram and cornerback Casey Hayward. The Chargers look like they will win the AFC West and no team will want to face them in the playoffs. The Jacksonville Jaguars have the best secondary in the league, led by brash cornerback Jalen Ramsey who is rated the number two corner in the league by Pro Football Focus. While many insiders around the league continue to doubt them, they continue to defeat elite competition such as the Steelers and Seahawks. The Baltimore Ravens have one of the elite defenses in the league, they have shutout their opponents three different times this year. Only four other teams in NFL history have accomplished this feat, and three of them have won the Superbowl. They also have inconsistent quarterback Joe Flacco, who when playing well, can lead his team to a championship like he did in 2012. The NFL playoffs are extremely unpredictable and the whole country will be on edge as they watch who will come out champion. By Garrett Athey & Reagan Ahlquist
The college football season has come to an end, so bowl games are starting up. While the top four teams include Alabama, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Clemson battle which will play in the championship games, other outstanding teams will also compete in bowl games, which are held for teams that had an exceptional season to compete against each other in the postseason. Some of the most intriguing games this year include the Peach Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Cotton Bowl. These games will feature the teams that had great seasons, but were just short of reaching the playoffs. The Peach Bowl has No. 7 Auburn competing against No. 12 Central Florida taking place in Atlanta, Georgia. Auburn had three losses all season, but one was in the Southeastern Conference Championship against Georgia. The loss to Georgia dropped them down below the top four teams and out of playoff contention. However, Auburn did defeat previously undefeated Alabama during the regular season, proving they are capable of defeating any team. On the other side, Central Florida finished off their undefeated season after winning the American Athletic Conference Championship against Memphis. Some fans feel that Central Florida was snubbed by the committee because they never lost a game this season, but were not selected to play in the playoffs. Although Central Florida was undefeated, they had a pretty easy schedule and never faced a top ten team all season. They also had some close wins against easy opponents which kept them out of the playoffs. Senior Connor Hughes said, “Auburn will win because they have more losses, but they played harder teams and had more quality wins.” Auburn will have a better chance at winning the game as long as their standout running back Kerryon Johnson who was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year. The Fiesta Bowl features No. 9 Penn State against No. 11 Washington who will battle it out in Arizona. Penn State had a good season, only losing two games to Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Michigan State. They were led by star running back, Saquon Barkley, who had a breakout season and was considered to win the Heisman. On the other hand, Washington also lost two games to Pac-12 rivals Arizona State and Stanford. Quarterback Jake Browning has been the successful leader of this Washington team, leading them to a bowl game this year and the playoffs last year. As for who will win, Senior Brenden Rose said, “Penn State because Saquon Barkley is an absolute monster who will lead his team to victory.” Washington will put up a good fight for Penn State and the game will be a joy to watch. No. 6 Wisconsin will be facing No. 10 Miami for this year’s Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Wisconsin finished the regular season with a record of 11-1, and their only loss was to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game. Wisconsin was led by their defense, which was the best in total defense. Down South, the “U” is back, as for the first time since 2013, Miami is ranked again. Miami leads all of college football in turnovers, thanks to their new motivation with their turnover chain. Wisconsin is favored in this matchup by -5.5 odds according to OddsShark, but many analysis will not be surprised if Miami pulls off the upet. No. 5 Ohio State will be facing off against No. 8 University of Southern California (USC) in this year’s Cotton Bowl taking place in Texas. The Ohio State Buckeyes were controversially not included in the college football playoffs after finishing the season 11-2, including a victory in the Big Ten Championship. USC finished with a record of 11-2, led by standout quarterback, Sam Darnold, who is a projected first round draft pick if he decides to leave. This game will be a tough matchup for both teams, but Ohio State should have the upper hand according to Glenelg Senior Austin Steckler who said, “Ohio State is the better team. They should have made the playoffs and were overall dominate all year.” This game will be an exhilarating match between two quality teams as they battle to take home the hardware for the Cotton Bowl. When the college football season coming to an end, fans have some exciting bowl games to look forward to. These eight teams will be battling for their last game of the season, and for some players, the last game of their careers. By Matt Lipp and Tyler Curtiss
Fans all over the country anticipated the selection of the four teams who would participate in the College Football Playoffs (CFB) after an exciting Week 14 full of high leverage conference championship games. Week 14’s contained a couple of great matchups that acted like quarter finals for the playoff scenario. The Clemson Tigers had a commanding win over the University of Miami to secure the top spot in the playoffs. Quarterback Kelly Bryant and the dominant front seven of Clemson’s defense once again showed teams that they were going to be tough to dethrone. The Oklahoma Sooners led by Heisman Trophy winner, Quarterback Baker Mayfield, made another statement with their potent offense. The “Boomer Sooners” earned the number two seed with a 12-1 record. The third spot in the playoffs was another easy pick after the Georgia Bulldogs pummeled the previously second seeded Auburn Tigers. Glenelg High School Senior Mike Wilson said “ Georgia is built for a postseason run. They can pound the ball down defenses throats.” The new look Bulldogs led by Freshman Quarterback Jake Fromm came out of nowhere this year and now have a chance to make the Championship with one more upset. After the first three spots, controversy began to spring up when choosing between a handful of quality teams to finish out the final four. There were three teams with a solid case to play in the Sugar Bowl against the Clemson Tigers: the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Ohio State Buckeyes, and the UFC Knights. The dynasty of Alabama built by Coach Nick Saban finished the season 11-1 but did not make the SEC Championship Game. The Ohio State Buckeyes lost two games during the season but then dominated the undefeated Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship. The third team that had a shot at the playoffs was a surprising UCF team that ran the table and finished 12-0. Senior Bill Creslin believes “After the season that UCF put together, they should be rewarded with a spot in the playoffs.” Two prestigious schools and a non power five underdog awaited their fate from the Playoff Selection Committee. The announcement finally came and Alabama was chosen as the fourth and final team. For Alabama, they got their chance to continue their recent string of dominance but for OSU and UCF, they will only get to play one more bowl game. Many fans around the world reacted to the announcement and argued that Ohio State had the better resume for the final four. There was plenty of high drama surrounding the selection of the CFP teams. This could be a very special College Football Playoffs. Four elite teams will fight for the glory of a National Championship. Clemson will hope to defend last year’s National Title when they take on Alabama for a third year in a row, and Oklahoma will try and prove that they are the real deal when taking on the Georgia Bulldogs. All of the drama will unfold on December 31st. The College Football world can not wait for what should be a high energy fight between four great squads. By Liam Day
On November 7th, three UCLA basketball players were arrested in China for shoplifting. One of these stars was once the face of Chino Hills basketball after his brother, Lonzo Ball, went on to be drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. LiAngelo Ball and his teammates, Jalen Hill and Cody Riley, walked into not one, but three different stores and stole multiple pairs of Louis Vuitton sunglasses. They were then arrested and rather than being held in a prison, they were confined to their hotel room while the incident was further investigated. After being held in China for almost a week, President Donald Trump happened to be on a trip to China originally to discuss trade with Chinese President Xi Jinping. After their meeting, he was able to convince President Jinping to allow the young players to return to the US and he apologized for their unacceptable actions. They returned home on November 14th and were swarmed by reporters with questions. The incident intensified when the father of the well-known Ball Brothers, Lavar Ball, refused to give thanks or any credit to President Trump in saying, “Don't come in one time and think you did something for my son, I don't have to go around saying thank you to everybody.” He was ridiculed by reporters simply because without the help of the President, the three athletes would likely be sitting in a Chinese jail right now. His words quickly found their way to President Trump's attention and he responded harshly by tweeting, “Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!” President Trump gave his advice to the three boys by saying, “Go out and give a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China who made your release possible and, HAVE A GREAT LIFE! Be careful, there are many pitfalls on the long and winding road of life!” After the students came out to the public with long thoughtful apologies in saying that they “Apologize for the negative attention we have brought to our University and our Country.” Ball, Hill, and Riley were suspended from UCLA basketball indefinitely. They will have to earn their respect and trust back from the rest of UCLA and the country if they have hopes of playing again. By Tyler Curtiss
Roger Goodell is now in his eleventh year as commissioner of the National Football League. This year could be his last. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is pushing for other team owners to join together and get Goodell out of his spot. Goodell's contract was extended in 2012, but Jones has found out that there is a term in his contract that states that all 32 NFL teams need to approve an extension for it to be valid. Jones already has fifteen owners on board with him and he is not stopping there. Millions of fans want Goodell out of a job, considering the way he handled cases such as Ray Rice’s domestic violence, the Deflategate, and the Bountygate. Glenelg Senior Zach Odachowski had a strong opinion on Goodell’s actions, he exclaimed that “Roger Goodell is not fit to run the NFL!” The worst case was when he suspended Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady four games for having three footballs deflated during a playoff game in Indianapolis. Goodell suspended Brady with no evidence proving that he wanted the balls deflated. On the other end of the spectrum Goodell was criticized for not punishing the New Orleans Saints severely enough for the Bountygate. In that scandle, Saints coaches were offering rewards to players for hurting the opposing teams players. These are just two instances where Goodell infuriated people. Jerry Jones in the one going after Goodell because he was shocked to find out that his star running back Ezekiel Elliott was suspended six games for alleged domestic violence. The punishment sounds fitting but it is not. The charges were dropped so there was no need for the NFL to take any action. Roger Goodell has made more enemies in his eleven years than he has made friends. It will not be a surprise if he doesn't have a job after the 2017-2018 NFL season. By Matt Lipp
Coming off a huge upset win over River Hill, Glenelg was looking like a reborn team ready to make some noise in the postseason. A long trip to Thomas Stone High School was next for the Gladiators who looked to win their second straight Regional Title. Going into the game as underdogs again, Glenelg would have to pull off another upset to reach the game that only three Glenelg football teams have been before. The game was pretty much dominated by Glenelg all night long by Glenelg in a 27-18 upset win. Huge turnovers by Seniors Tyler Curtiss and Seth Taylor set up the Gladiator offense with a short field in two of their four touchdown drives. Junior Quarterback Tyler Reiff found paydirt three times after being set up at the goal line each time from fellow Junior Wande Owens and Sophomore Kyle Dry. Owens was shaken up early in the game but little 120 pound Dry stepped up in a big way running the ball hard all night. The defense was the unit that really stepped up late in the season and once again they controlled the game. Glenelg then had the ultimate test. They had to travel to Damascus High School to face a team that has won the last four Maryland 3A State Championships. They entered the game as 42 point underdogs and there was no surprises in this one. The Gladiators season was over after a 42-7 loss at the hands of the Hornets. After the tough loss, Senior Cory Willson said “We just faced an excellent team today. I definitely think we went as far as we could have. Nobody expected us to make it to this game.” It was a tough way to end a great season for Glenelg. It really was a special season for a Glenelg team that was destroyed by injuries all year long. Before the season began, they lost Senior Garrett Mills who was a four year starter on Varsity. Mills eventually returned to action in Week 7 against Wilde Lake High School. “I’m definitely going to miss it a ton. It was 4 years of great memories that I will remember for a lifetime”, said Mills after his last career game. Junior Sam Alsheimer who could be a future D1 football player was lost for the season in the second quarter of the opening game against Howard High School. After losing their best player and being blown out in Week 1, it is remarkable that the Gladiators made it as far as they did. By Garrett Athey
Recently audiences have been turned away from something that once united people all across the country. The NFL has recently been losing fans and is struggling to regain them. The ratings for games are low as fewer people are tuning into to watch them. Ticket sales have also taken a drop recently and fan attendance is low for all teams. NFL owners, as well as Commissioner Roger Goodell, are currently trying to find a solution to this rapidly growing problem. The problem started to arise after the players’ on field protest during the national anthem. Many of the players decided to take a stand by taking a knee during the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” instead of standing up like people are asked to. The athletes claim that they were fighting for equality in America by protesting the anthem. These acts of protests are still going on and many owners of NFL teams support the actions of the players. However, many others became very opposed to the antics of the players. President Donald Trump was one of the major individuals opposed to the protests and stated that the players who protest should be fired. Many fans felt similarly to the situation of the protests and felt the players were disgracing the flag and the soldiers who fought for it by not standing. To protest the protestors, fans stopped watching the games which has caused the NFL to decline in popularity and resulted in the league losing money. The topic has people divided as to whether or not the NFL players are doing the right thing or if the NFL needs to make a change soon. Opinions against the protests are very strong as a lot of people feel like the players are dishonoring America. Senior Seth Taylor said, “If you cannot stand for the National Anthem and honor those that have fallen for your freedom, you should just leave.” Many believe not standing for the flag is disrespecting the soldiers who fought and died for the flag. This is the main reason why people are against the protests, as they feel their country is being hated on. However, others have different feelings about the protests, Senior Jordan Taylor said, “They have the right to, but I do not think the players carried out the protests in the right way because it does seem like they are disrespecting the soldiers who fought.” The players do have the right to protest because of freedom of speech, therefore they can not be legally obligated to stand for the national anthem. It is clear that the NFL has a problem on its hands and need to resolve the issue quickly before things get out of hand. If the NFL continues to carry on with these issues, there is no telling how much of a hole they will be in later on. For the business side part of the NFL, owners and the commissioner need to come together to find an answer. By Mason Steinberg
Ninth graders committing to major division one Programs has become common place in this new era of lacrosse. This changed until last spring when the NCAA passed legislation to make it illegal to contact prospective lacrosse athletes until September 1st of their Junior year. Before this, many college coaches complained that they did not want to recruit kids so young. However, since all of the major programs were doing it, everyone had to as well so they did not fall behind. This became a vicious cycle because all of the coaches wanted to change the process, but they couldn’t be the first one to start the change. This early recruitment caused many problems for both the colleges and the student athletes. Athletes were being pressured into committing to a college,where they will spend the four most important years of their life, before they had even finished one year of high school. The athletes also could have their scholarship offer rescinded if they did not develop into the type of player the college coaches wanted. Michael Doughty, a junior lacrosse player said, “ The change in the rules has made the recruiting process less stressful for me and I think it is great for the game of lacrosse”. The problem for the college was if the early recruits didn’t develop then they were forced to look elsewhere, however most of the recruits were already committed to other places. The old process was causing hard working kids to lose their ability to fulfill their dreams and colleges with subpar players. All who were involved decided it was time for a change. “I’m pleasantly surprised,” Virginia men’s coach Lars Tiffany told US Lacrosse Magazine. “I didn’t think the NCAA would have the courage to pass a piece of legislation that is drastically different from the current state of affairs and is not easy to enforce.” With the new recruiting rules, student athletes can focus on adjusting to high school and working on their game instead of having to worry about a decision that most people won’t have to make until they have almost finished high school. This will also allow the colleges to evaluate prospective athletes further and recruit the right players for their system. This will lead to an increase in the level of play which will attract more fans. Overall the changes will help lacrosse continue to be the fastest growing sport in America. |
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February 2025
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