It's over. The Bryce/Manny saga is FINALLY (!) over. Thank goodness it is because I am goddamn tired of the endless speculation about where Harper or Machado will sign. Boring tidbits about the latest Bryce Harper/Manny Machado news will be no more. Now there are some free agents that can help a team out, i.e. Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel. But this off-season period, coupled with the advent of spring training, puts a cap on this off-season. Who were the winners of this off-season and who blew their chance at stealing the spotlight?

• Winner: Philadelphia Phillies... and Bryce Harper: Harper gets paid to the tune of 13 years and $330 million and the Phillies get their megastar with a lefty stick. Albeit there are no opt-outs for Harper, so he's stuck with Philly fans that aren't the most forgiving. However, the acquisition caps off a productive off-season where the Phillies acquired J.T. Realmuto, Jean Segura, and Andrew McCutchen as well.
  
• Winner: Superstars Getting Paid: It wasn't just Harper who finally got his money. Nolan Arenado got a massive extension for eight years and $260 million and Manny Machado got a deal with the San Diego Padres for ten years and $300 million. The free agency market may be moving slowly (which may play a role in MLB going on strike in the future). However, the superstars get their paydays in the end.
  
• Winner: Seattle Mariners (?): It remains to be seen whether the haul of prospects and young talent will pan out in the Emerald City. However, the Mariners shed plenty of payroll, including Robinson Cano's albatross contract, and got younger. There's even better news on the horizon as Felix Hernandez is set to come off the books after this season and Kyle Seager will follow suit in the near future.
• Loser: Chicago White Sox: The White Sox were in play for both Machado and Harper, but wound up getting neither. The White Sox made a concerted effort to get Machado by bringing in some close friends/family members (Jon Jay and Yonder Alonso), yet it was all for naught as their bid for Machado was greatly overshadowed by San Diego's. If they want to salvage the rest of the off-season, they can sign Dallas Keuchel or Craig Kimbrel to a deal.
• Loser: San Francisco Giants: The Giants were in serious consideration for Harper, but fell short in their pursuit. Now the Giants are left with a mediocre outfield and an aging core. There a lot of players that seemingly can't be moved, by the way.
• Loser: The Free Agency Market: For a second straight year, the free agency market remained suspenseful and stagnant up near or until spring training. Last year, it was the belief that teams wanted to wait until this off-season to spend. This year, it was the reluctance of teams to dole out massive contracts to players. Free agency will be of great concern when the next collective bargaining negotiations roll around, with commissioner Rob Manfred and MLBPA union head Tony Clark already going at it.

History of the first African-American NFL player can be a bit complicated. There's African-American players who've signed contracts and were player-coaches. Fritz Pollard and Bobby Marshall were the first African-American NFL players in the league, making their debuts in 1920 (the NFL only had player/coaches back then, so Pollard was the first black coach as well). But who was the first African-American player drafted in the NFL?

George Taliaferro was the first African-American player drafted in the NFL, taken in the 13th round of the 1949 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. Taliaferro never played for the Bears, though; he elected to play for the Los Angeles Dons in the All-American Football Conference. He did enter the NFL after the AAFC in 1950, going on to play for the New York Yanks, Dallas Texans, Baltimore Colts, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He made the Pro Bowl in three straight seasons (1951 to 1953).

Taliaferro was a versatile player, playing seven positions in his football career--quarterback, running back, wide receiver, punter, kick returner, punt returner, and defensive back. He ended his football career with 2,266 rushing yards on 498 carries, 15 rushing touchdowns, 95 receptions for 1,300 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns, and 1,633 passing yards with ten touchdowns and 29 interceptions. Taliaferro was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981, starring on a Indiana Hoosier team that went 9-0-1 in 1945. Taliaferro passed away last October.

Two storied NBA franchises are in a funk right now. The Boston Celtics have lost three straight and are in a heap of dysfunction right now. The Los Angeles Lakers are 3-7 in their last ten games and sit at 29-31 and three games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Both legendary franchises need to turn their fortunes around before it's too late. The Celtics have Kyrie and plenty of talent, but Kyrie may be gone by the end of the season. The Lakers have LeBron, but also have a bunch of listless players. Which franchise will be better off in the end?

The Celtics seem like the team that will be better off for a couple reasons. One, they play in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. They only have three games left against the top four teams in the Eastern Conference and one of those teams is without their superstar, Victor Oladipo. The Lakers have challenging games ahead of them, including games against Milwaukee (twice), Toronto, Golden State, Denver, and Oklahoma City.  The Lakers also lack talent on their team, arming themselves with a barren bench. The Celtics don't seem to have that much of a problem there. The only issues that have plagued the Celtics this season are chemistry issues and injuries.

It won't be the same old NBA without these two storied franchises missing the playoffs. However, Boston should be safe considering they're 9.5 games ahead of the first Eastern Conference team out of the playoff picture, Orlando. You will also hear a lot about these two teams when Anthony Davis is involved, too. A superstar like Davis can turn one of these franchise's fortunes around quickly. In the mean time, these two franchises will have to work their way into the playoffs if they want to get in.

The Carolina Panthers actually started the 2018 season great with a 6-2 start. However, they ran out of steam and finished with a 7-9 record. What can Carolina do to get back on track and contend for a Super Bowl?

• Get Younger on Defense (partially done): The Panthers are making many cuts to their aging defense. They didn't re-sign safety Mike Adams, who's soon to be 38 years old, and released nickel back Captain Munnerlyn. Julius Peppers retired and Pro Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis isn't coming back, either. Carolina can draft a pass rusher in the draft and look at younger options in the later rounds.
  
• Fix the Offensive Line: A problem that has persisted with the Panthers for a while has been pass protection. Cam Newton has been left vulnerable to devastating hits in the past and his offensive line has let him down. Granted, the unit played a bit better in 2018. However, injuries hurt the offensive line as well. If you want a perfect example of how improved pass protection can improve a team, look at the Indianapolis Colts in 2018. They got Andrew Luck some protection up front and were a wild card team in the playoffs in the 2018 season.
  
• Look to Free Agency or Trades for a Receiver: Carolina's leading receiver for 2018 was... running back Christian McCaffrey, whose versatility at the position makes Carolina more dynamic offensively. However, the Panthers need a good playmaker to make life easier for Newton. Unfortunately, this year's draft is devoid of reliable receivers. Therefore, the Panthers will have to either look to free agency or a trade to get their guy.
  

The Atlanta Falcons continued their fall from their Super Bowl 51 choke job, ending up with a 7-9 record. Injuries, especially on the defense, played a major role in Atlanta's paltry record. How can Atlanta rebound to become Super Bowl contenders again?

• Get New Coordinators (done): The Falcons' offense underachieved and the defense was devastated by injuries. Atlanta had to make changes, so they brought in Bob Sutton for the defense and Dirk Koetter to unleash Julio Jones and revitalize the running game.
  
• Find a Way to Extend Jones and Pay Him: Speaking of Julio Jones, he is an extraordinary talent. The man who once had 300 receiving yards in a SINGLE GAME is a vital part of Matt Ryan's success and Atlanta's offense. The Falcons could also look into extending Grady Jarrett if they have enough money.
• Make Cap Room (partially done): Getting Julio Jones extended will have to come at a cost. Kicker Matt Bryant and corner Robert Alford have already been cut and more moves could be on the way. Keep in mind that Atlanta has nine draft picks in the upcoming draft, so they can fill these positions with relative ease.
  

There's been a lot that I've thought about in my life recently. What path do I want to follow? Do I want to settle down? So instead of fretting over these questions, I decided to compile a bucket list of what I want to do with my life. I hope this list will help me stay focused on my goals so that I can eventually get to these goals. This list is put in place to help me understand that I don't have to do this in one sitting. Anyway, here is my bucket list:

1. Visit Joshua Tree National Park in California and the Grand Canyon: My goal of moving out west has many objectives in mind personally. Get away from Michigan's messy political picture, start fresh with a new life, push my brand, and other objectives. Anyway, one of my bucket list items is to go visit these two places. Personally, I'm not a big fan of lakes. They don't do much for me aesthetically. Plus, I've lived in a region surrounded by lakes, so I have gotten sick of them. I'm more of a fan of warm weather, mountains, and desert-like areas. These two places fit what I want to see, so I hope to explore them later in the year.
2. See a Baseball Game at Every MLB Park: This goal is kind of complicated. MLB teams usually build new stadiums a couple decades or more after they have built their previous home. Therefore, I'm going to go with visiting the home of every MLB team. I've been to the home of four teams so far: Anaheim, Cleveland, Detroit, and the Chicago White Sox. Let's add the rest of the 26 teams on that list.
3. Live in Los Angeles for a Year Minimum: My grandmother might not like this one because she thinks people from this area are batshit crazy. For that, I apologize. But I want to live in LA for at least a year just to experience life in one of the world's biggest cities. Just being in the middle of everything is something I would like to experience in my life.
4. Have as Many Experiences as I Can Gather: As I've grown older, I have learned about the importance of having certain things around. I don't want to "have the most toys", but I would like to get to experience different places and things in my life. For me, the true value in life comes from experiencing different cultures and events rather than loving items and hoarding them.
   
5. Go to the Super Bowl: Just because. It'd be awesome to get to see the biggest game in person. I do worry that the halftime show will be some cheesy pop music act, though.

Zion Williamson recently suffered a freak injury when his Nike shoe unraveled in a rivalry game against North Carolina. Zion's injury is only day-to-day with a Grade 1 sprain on his right knee, but the injury doesn't just prompt questions of if high school players should be drafted in the NBA or not (personally, I think they should). Who can take down Duke and their dominant five-star players in a one-and-done situation?

• Gonzaga: The Zags shut down Cam Reddish to the tune of three for nine from the field and ten points in the Maui Invitational Championship, en route to a 89-87 victory. Rua Hachimura will obviously be a key factor, but keep an eye for Zach Norvell Jr. The redshirt freshman had 18 points and had four three-pointers in Gonzaga's Maui victory.
• North Carolina: Duke's hated rival, the Tar Heels have only lost one road game this season (excluding the neutral site game against Texas). In fact, they went to Durham on Wednesday night and kicked Duke's ass, forcing 20 turnovers in a 88-72 win. North Carolina loves to attack the boards and will do so with vigor if a potential rematch arises in the tournament.
  
• Syracuse: Jim Boeheim loves the zone defense, which is difficult to attack. The Orangemen are a difficult match-up for any team, as proven by their tournament wins over Michigan State and Virginia in recent years.
• Tennessee: Rick Barnes's team has plenty of scorers to attack Duke. How will Duke take care of junior forward Grant Williams and senior guard Admiral Schofield, especially with Tennessee's balanced scoring attack being a factor?

Any hope of getting Gareth Bale from Real Madrid may have gone out the window, for Bale has expressed no interest in returning to the Premier League. Granted, Chelsea can still make a move for Bale. However, they'll have to compete with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for his services.

That's not all, though. FIFA has handed Chelsea a two-year ban on transferring players under the age of 18 for breaching rules in relation to youth players. The breaches cover 29 players, but Chelsea confirms it was 92 players that they were charged with (Chelsea did not sign all the players). Chelsea also breached the rules of third-party ownership among the players.

Right now, Chelsea is in a battle for fourth place in the Premier League along with Manchester United and Arsenal. However, Chelsea's had a bad week and that may derail things from here on out. Chelsea F.C. fans certainly hope that isn't the case.

Hallelujah, spring training is here! We can finally enjoy long summer days, warm weather, and baseball! What may seem like a sport where everyone is trying to lose leaves room for some potentially surprising teams. Who is set to shock the world and possibly make the postseason?

• Chicago White Sox: The White Sox may have missed out on Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, but they still have a good team developing. A young rotation along with a lineup that has the likes of Yoan Moncada and an up-and-coming Eloy Jimenez should make for a surprisingly dangerous team. Plus, the AL Central is weak and Cleveland appears to be on its last legs. If this year isn't the year, watch out for the White Sox next year.
  
• Philadelphia Phillies: Speaking of Bryce Harper, there are plenty of rumors surrounding Harper and the Phillies. If the Phillies end up not getting Harper, they'll still have Jean Segura, Andrew McCutchen, and J.T. Realmuto in their lineup. That does not seem like a bad lineup at all. Also, the Phillies added some bullpen pieces. As long as Gabe Kapler doesn't screw the season up, the Phillies could be in the running this year.
  
• Cincinnati Reds: The Reds added Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp in a hitter-friendly ballpark to a team that can hit. Scooter Gennett and Joey Votto also make for a dangerous core of players, while Eugenio Suarez isn't a bad player himself. Can Cincinnati overtake the Cubs and shock the world?
  

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers didn't have a spectacular 2018, going 6-9-1. What can the Packers do to regain their NFC North supremacy?

• Find Some Playmakers on Offense: Aaron Rodgers and Antonio Brown would make for a lethal combination in Green Bay. Anyway, the Packers need another playmaker who can stretch the field.
  
• Fix the Front Seven: The Packers could use a defensive tackle to generate pressure. If Dexter Lawrence isn't available, Ed Oliver should be the next player that comes off the board for Green Bay.
  
• Special Teams. Special Teams: The special teams is in need of repair. It isn't just Mason Crosby who needs to fix things, either. Shawn Mennenga has been hired to fix a unit that had a endless string of offside penalties, misguided punts, and an underwhelming return game.