The Knicks didn’t even offer Kevin Durant a max contract, which led to Durant signing with inner city rival, the Brooklyn Nets. James Dolan, the kazoo-wielding charlatan/owner/dumbass of the Knicks, gifted Brooklyn one of the best basketball players in the world. Dolan has done some stupid stuff before, but this takes the cake.

I understand that you’d want to pass up a basketball player due to an Achilles injury. After all, it is one of the most devastating sports injuries known to man. But when you throw a beloved Knick like Charles Oakley out of Madison Square Garden, ban a news outlet from a press conference because you don’t like them, and you run your team to the ground, you deserve all the bad karma and hubris. 

The Knicks had an unfortunate off-season this year. They failed to clinch the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft (surprise! Zion was picked first). Then, Kevin Durant hurts his Achilles. Then Durant and Kyrie Irving, two superstars heavily linked to the Knicks, go to New York... to play for the Nets. Perhaps this is karma rearing its ugly head at Dolan. Even this will be more entertaining than the Knicks this year.

If James Dolan was a personification of a Dungeons and Dragons class, he’d be a bard. In fact, he’d be the worst bard since Chuggaaconroy. In the meantime, enjoy James Dolan’s kazoo, which should come up every time the Knicks screw up.

The NBA’s free agency period started today and big names have already chosen their teams right out of the shoot. This means that the NBA landscape has dramatically shifted in favor of some teams and against others. Where does the NBA stand regarding its ‘superteams’ and duos?

• Golden State Warriors: Getting Klay back was key, but they won’t have him until at least the end of the season. They also lost Kevin Durant, who was angry at the organization, and will probably be without Draymond Green after the upcoming NBA season. Is this the end of the line for the Warriors dynasty?
• Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron got his partner-in-crime in Anthony Davis and they’re trying to bring in Kawhi Leonard. The team does need shooters and would benefit from bolstering their thin bench. Is ‘Showtime’ back?
• Oklahoma City Thunder: Not much has happened on the OKC front, but Paul George and Russell Westbrook are a formidable duo. Fun fact: Westbrook has averaged a triple-double in the past three seasons. A vastly underrated MVP candidate.
• Houston Rockets: There were reports of strife between James Harden and Chris Paul, so this team will probably be shuffled around. Daryl Morey is trying to bring in Jimmy Butler, but who will be expendable for Houston.
• Dallas Mavericks: A budding superteam, Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are the foundation the Mavericks are hoping will dominate the NBA landscape. The Mavericks are sitting back on the big free agents, opting for solid veterans and role players to help the younger players grow instead.
• Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers kept one of the best backcourts in the league intact for a little longer by inking Damian Lillard to a supermax deal. If the Blazers are to be serious contenders, they should make a run at Kevin Love.
• Philadelphia 76ers: What happens with Jimmy Butler will remain to be seen. But they did lock up Tobias Harris to a five-year deal, which should be good news for the Sixers considering that J.J. Redick went to the Pelicans.
• Boston Celtics: Kyrie Irving has left town on bad terms, but the Celtics did pick up Kemba Walker, who should enjoy playing with Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum and company. Walker is also a good consolation prize for a team who has had a summer from the depths of hell. 
• Brooklyn Nets: The new superteam on the block, the Nets were the biggest winners of free agency. Picking up Kyrie, Durant, and even DeAndre Jordan to boot, the Nets look to be a force to be reckoned with in the future. They will likely have to wait on Durant to make his first appearance, though; KD will likely be out for the 2019-2020 NBA season with an Achilles injury.
• Toronto Raptors: Will Kawhi stay or go? That is the biggest question that will be asked up until next week, maybe even longer.
• Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks got Khris Middleton back, so that is a plus for keeping a competitive team around Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, the Bucks better make next season count, for this group of Bucks won’t be around for very long.
• Detroit Pistons: Meh. 

What better way to bring baseball to Europe than to bring the Yankees and Red Sox across the Atlantic? In an attempt to grow the game, MLB is bringing a two-game series between the two heated rivals this weekend, with the Cardinals and Cubs playing in London next year. Who should get their shot at showcasing America’s pastime in Europe?

• ​Giants vs. Dodgers: You can argue that this has been the hottest rivalry of the decade, and rightfully so. Both teams have appeared in the World Series more than once and both teams have maintained a competitive rivalry. The biggest rivalry on the West Coast and in California, the two teams could bring a sunnier vibe to London. Let’s just hope the fans don’t try and kill each other.
• The Los Angeles Angels vs. Anybody: Europe needs to see Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in action. These are two of the biggest stars in baseball at the moment and they need to be heavily marketed across the globe. The Angels also have upcoming stars in their minor league system, i.e. Jo Adell, that should be seen on a global scale. Any of the Angels’s division rivals could suffice as a formidable opponent.
• New York Yankees vs. New York Mets (Or Any Intercity Rivalry): The Subway Series heads across the Atlantic as the two New York teams duke it out. Not bad, right? Europeans and Brits alike will get to see the likes of Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, and hot-hitting Pete Alonso knock balls out of the park. Either that or Britain will get to see how godawful the Mets truly are. 
• Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves or Washington Nationals: MLB also needs to showcase Bryce Harper as much as possible to the globe. Growing the game should involve the player with perhaps the most bravado to his game coming to London and hit a couple home runs. The Braves make sense because they’re a competitive rival of Philly’s and have a good fan base and Washington makes sense because, well, it’s Bryce Harper’s old team.
• ​Tampa Bay Rays vs. Miami Marlins: This one is merely for shits and giggles. If no one in Florida cares about MLB, will England care about these two teams?

The Los Angeles Lakers, who fumbled their way through freeing up cap space for a max contract player, are suddenly in the mix for every noteworthy NBA free agent this summer. This sounds nice for the Lakers, compounded by the acquisition of Anthony Davis to accompany LeBron James. This has Laker fans envisioning a team of LeBron, the Brow, and any superstar ranging from Klay Thompson to Kawhi Leonard.

It would be a great addition, too. Having two of the best postseason players in NBA history in LeBron and Kawhi on the Lakers would make the Lakers a scary force come springtime. It would also bring an excitement not seen in Los Angeles since the early part of the 2010 decade. The NBA would be even in the mainstream with one of the best NBA players ever on one of the most prestigious sports franchises ever that is dominating once again. The new “Big Three” of LeBron, Anthony Davis, and another NBA superstar would catapult the Lakers to undeniable favorites for the NBA title. Given the NBA’s uncertain status for who will be the dominant force in the next few years, it would make Los Angeles the clear cut favorites going into next season.

​But there are a few problems with adding a max contract player. The Lakers were 22nd in the NBA in bench scoring last season with a team average of 34.5 PPG. This wouldn’t be a problem for the Lakers considering teams like the Warriors, 76ers, and Rockets sustained success last season without much scoring from backups. However, they also played their starters quite a bit, with starters like James Harden (2nd in minutes per game last season with 36.98 MPG), Klay Thompson (8th with 35.05 MPG), and Tobias Harris (tied for 10th with 35.01 MPG) racking up lots of minutes. Last year, the Lakers saw LeBron get shelved and got decimated along the way. Their lack of depth was exposed, leading to the Lakers missing the playoffs. What the Lakers need more than anything are shooters and veteran role players. Injuries can expose a team’s lack of depth and ruin its season. That means players like George Hill, Patrick Beverley, and Danny Green should be on their radar.

Whatever the case, the Lakers making cap space by shedding a few players has made this free agency period more interesting. Thank goodness for this because this period almost went to the wayside with Kevin Durant’s injury and Klay Thompson following suit. The Lakers will probably go for the max contract player to make their dynamic trio despite their shortcomings elsewhere. If it will pay off has yet to be seen.

The 2019-2020 NHL schedule has been released, which means we will finally find out who our favorite teams will play and when next season. Who should we expect to see play on national television next season? 

• Affirmative: The 2020 NHL Winter Classic between the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators will be shown on NBC since it’s in their television contract to showcase the spectacle. Any game featuring a match-up between the following teams after mid-January will most likely be featured: the Bruins, Capitals, Penguins, Blackhawks, Flyers, and Rangers.
• ​Should Be On: The February 15th match-up between the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche should get some airtime on the peacock network. Los Angeles is a big market and NBC typically shows match-ups of the Stadium Series. The game will be at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, so it’s a good bet to be on national television. The defending champions, the St. Louis Blues, should also get at least one game on NBC. Whether it’s a March 8th match-up against their rivals, the Chicago Blackhawks, or a divisional game on February 15th/16th against Nashville, the champs should get some exposure on national television. Other teams that should be on the NHL on NBC programming (if they’re good) include Tampa Bay, Buffalo, Detroit, Minnesota, the New York Islanders, and New Jersey (especially with P.K. Subban and Jack Hughes on board).
• Hopeful: ​Upstart teams like Carolina and Columbus could get some airtime if they’re dominant forces. From a March 8th match-up between Carolina and Pittsburgh to a January 19th match-up between Columbus and the New York Rangers could get airtime. Other hopeful teams include the Vegas Golden Knights, Toronto Maple Leafs, and San Jose Sharks.
• No Chance: Teams that were awful last season and aren’t traditional hockey clubs (Florida, Anaheim, and Arizona) or are based in Canada because of Gary Bettman’s bias against the Canadian teams (all Canadian teams excluding Toronto) will most likely not get any airtime next season. That means you probably won’t be seeing the Ottawa Senators on the NHL on NBC any time soon.

Seriously, the Mets deserve to be ostracized from modern society for their crimes against humanity. The Mets front office calling bullpen changes for the most part, coupled with a struggling Robinson Cano, has only scratched the surface. Somehow, Mickey Callaway still has a job after a heated confrontation with a reporter, which worsens the blow. All these events culminate to the need for wiping the Mets off the face of the earth.

It hasn’t just been the recent events that have caused chaos in the organization. Bobby Bonilla is still getting paid to this and will still get paid until 2035. There was the Bernie Madoff scandal, where the Bobby Bonilla fiasco stemmed from. Bobby Valentine got ejected from a game one time and returned to the game incognito (okay, that was actually pretty funny). It has been a bizarre adventure for the Mets.

The good news? At least the Mets are mashing. Pete Alonso (27 home runs, 61 RBIs, 1.015 OPS) deserves to be NL Rookie of the Year and Jeff McNeil (.329 BA, .381 OBP, .852 OPS) has been great as well along with Michael Conforto (16 homers, .381 OBP, .897 OPS). This group of talent will be a great base to form around for the future.

That seems to be the best thing the Mets have going for them right now. Everything else is a dumpster fire. The sad thing is that Mets fans have seen this before and aren’t surprised by it at all. Will it ever end for the Mets?

Brighton & Hove Albion has a listless season, finishing 17th in the Premier League. What should their plans be going forward? 

• Just Survive: Brighton & Hove Albion just survived being relegated last season and the outlook looks grim for this season. Clubs like Arsenal are looking to clean up any decent players on Albion (I.e. Lewis Dunk) and many mid-tier clubs are looking to break through into the conversation of the top of the Premier League. There’s a chance the Seagulls could be relegated, but could get some contributors on board. Players like Portsmouth defender Matt Clarke will help, but it’ll be about trying to get the Seagulls’ heads above water for most of the Premier League season.

Burnley finished 15th in the Premier League last season, a far cry from the top of the pecking order. What will Burnley do to improve next season?

• Figure Out What To Do With Tom Helton: The English keeper isn’t too keen on playing for Burnley, so BFC must find a suitor for his services. Clubs such as Watford and Aston Villa have been linked to the goal keeper, so he could potentially be a bargain for a club looking up.
• Free Up Some Money: It won’t just be Heaton potentially being on the move. Ben Gibson is rumored to be targeted by Sheffield and Middlesbrough and Joe Hart is being targeted by Lille. The Clarets should look to generate some money to spend in the future by just letting some players go.
  
• Fight To Keep Lewis Richardson: Not all players should be on the chopping block. The 16-year-old striker is being targeted by Celtic and could be swooped up, so the Clarets should do what they can to keep him. Richardson might be a piece they’ll build around.
  

The hype was surrounding Zion in the NBA Draft, but there were more fireworks than before. What were some of the takeaways from last night’s NBA Draft?

• David Griffin Is Building Something Big: Aside from drafting Zion, the Pelicans also picked up two additional picks in the first round. They were used on Jaxson Hayes, a center from Texas (No. 8), and Nickeil Alexander-Walter, a shooting guard from Virginia Tech (No. 17). Essentially, David Griffin trades his No. 4 pick and gets an additional first round pick. Keep in mind that the last super team, the Golden State Warriors, became a dynasty mainly through the draft.
• Atlanta Also Made Moves: The team that acquired New Orleans’s No. 4 pick, the Atlanta Hawks, also made some moves. With the fourth pick, the Hawks picked a good defensive power forward in De’Andre Hunter from Virginia. They also got Cam Reddish from Duke, who can make shots off the dribble. In fact, Reddish is an extremely efficient shooter who will boost Atlanta’s offense further.
• The Knicks Appeared To Have Gotten A Good Consolation Prize For An Unfortunate Off-Season: First, New York didn’t get the No. 1 Pick needed to draft Zion in the NBA Draft Lottery. Then, Kevin Durant suffered a devastating Achilles injury in the NBA Finals, hurting the Knicks’s chances of landing the superstar. Then, rumors surface that Kylie Irving prefers to sign with the Nets over the Knicks. It has been an off-season from hell for NewYork. They did get what appears to be a good consolation prize in R.J. Barrett, who’s an excellent ball handler and wants to win at all costs.

Everton, A.K.A. Tim Howard’s former club, finished 8th in the Premier League last season. It wasn’t a bad finish, but the sky’s the limit. What can the Toffees do to get there?

• Go Big... Kind Of (done, but there’s more to do): Competing with the bigger clubs means signing some of their key players away. Everton has started with Andre Gomes, who will be with the club for 22 million Euros. Gomes’s career may have stalled a bit, but Everton is banking on his career being resurrected. Another potential big move would be to bring in Donny van de Beek.
• Look For A Fullback: Everton has been linked to Atletico Madrid’s Santiago Arias, even going as far to offer 35 million Euros for the Colombian’s services. Arias would be reunited with Marcel Brands in Everton and would bring a cutthroat style to the Toffees. Fullback isn’t the only position of interest for Everton; the Toffees are looking at centerback as well, as shown by their link to Diego Llorente.
• Sign Leighton Baines To A New Contract: Baines is a key part of Everton competing this season. The veteran has scored 29 goals in 340 appearances and provides Everton with veteran leadership. Blaine’s has been impressed by the work and prospects that Everton has put in so far.