2 days Ago
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning.
We start with heavy news. Serious Matters: Tragedy and postponement in New Orleans Here are the facts about yesterday’s events where I live: There is nothing like living in New Orleans, a festive city that also knows the human toll of disaster all too well. Its highs are unlike anywhere else in this country.
Its lows have been well-documented, and can be frustrating to all residents. But to have a wanton act of violence kill 15 innocent people — on New Year’s Day, no less — is new in the worst way. It’s heartbreaking to read this tweet from Jack Bech, a TCU wide receiver and Louisiana native, who lost his brother Tiger, a 28-year-old former wideout at Princeton.
The victims included fathers, mothers, daughters and students. There is an emotional pall over New Orleans, a feeling I share. If you know anyone from here, send them love today.
And maybe visit sometime soon. Lighter News: The 12-team Playoff is good, actually There was a short period, just about a week ago, when national pundits lined up to decry the new 12-team College Football Playoff. The games were blowouts.
The wrong teams were in. Blah, blah, blah. It was just irksome shouting.
Because yesterday’s slate of games proved this might have been the perfect year to debut the 12-team format, actually. Consider: I do think we could work on the seeding structure of this 12-team setup , as Justin Williams wrote yesterday, but calling this Playoff a failure? Never. Onward: The end for Rodgers? Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers acknowledged yesterday that this weekend’s game against the Dolphins could be his last in an NFL uniform, which, if you zoom out, would be a shocking way to end a career like his.
For all his off-field shenanigans, the 41-year-old ranks as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play this game. His supposed final chapter with the Jets would end with one year lost to injury and then a four- or five-win season. Woof.
His comments are legitimately worth a read . James heading to Arizona Bryce James, the younger son of LeBron James, committed to Arizona yesterday. The 17-year-old is a three-star 2025 basketball recruit and, per our scouting report, less developed than his brother Bronny was at this stage.
Bronny would go on to be a limited contributor during his lone year at USC. See the full backstory here . More news: 📫 Love The Pulse? Check out The Athletic ’s other newsletters .
Watch, Listen and Play đź“ş CFB: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No.
2 Georgia 4 p.m. ET on ESPN As we said above, a complicated yet extremely important game.
Maybe the Bulldogs can become the only team with a bye to win in this first 12-team Playoff. đź“ş NBA : 76ers at Warriors 10 p.m.
ET on TNT I am most intrigued by Philadelphia, who has rebounded after an awful start but still sits outside of the playoff picture. The Warriors have taken an opposite arc, once sitting atop the Western Conference. Now they’re in 10th.
Plus, it’s Joel Embiid against Steph Curry. Get tickets to games like these here . 🎧 The Colts are enduring another lost season.
This is what a crossroads looks like, and as one veteran player said in this story, “There’s no vision.” Zak Keefer and James Boyd explained why it’s such a mess . All eyes are on the NFL MVP race.
Mike Jones gave it to Lamar Jackson in his annual awards file here . Have at it. Brody Miller has 22 predictions for the 2025 golf season .
Sorry, Rory. Wayne Rooney is out of a job again after Plymouth sacked him earlier this week. Tom Burrows and Richard Amofa have the inside story of how it happened — and wonder if Rooney will ever manage again.
Philip Buckingham detailed the possible cost of relegation for Manchester United . It is staggering . Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday : NFL QB Christmas gifts for their offensive lines .
Most-read on the website yesterday : People are still invested in the Shane Beamer-Brett Bielema beef . (Top photo: Adam Cairns / Imagn Images).
