kelly

Raiders hire Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator

Chip Kelly is rejoining the NFL after almost a decade. The Las Vegas Raiders want to hire Kelly as their next offensive coordinator. Kelly brings years of proven experience to the staff, led by head coach Pete Carroll as Las Vegas looks to save their offense that placed 29th in scoring during the 2024 campaign.  Chip served as offensive coordinator for the Ohio State Buckeyes during their season at the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship. He last worked in the NFL as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. Before that, Kelly was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles from 2013-2015.

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lopez

Nicky Lopez joins the Cubs on a minor deal

The Chicago Cubs have entered a Minor League deal with infielder Nicky Lopez. A source reported this, while the club has not officially confirmed it.  Lopez spent the last MLB season playing in second base and shortstop for the Chicago White Sox. He batted .241 with a .606 OPS across 445 plate appearances. He has a .626 OPS across six major league seasons shared between the Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, and White Sox. While he does not leave much mark at the plate, Lopez is a plus defender by outs above averaged. He gathered 5 OAA last season and had 53 OAA in the infield since the beginning of 2021. This record is fifth among all skilled infielders.   Lopez could play a crucial role for the Cubs Opening Day match, especially with Nico Hoerner unclear after he had flexor tendon surgery on his right forearm on October 11th.  Chicago will start their 2025 regular season in Tokyo, Japan, against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 18. 

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killorn

Killorn, Ducks beat Canadiens for 4th victory in past 5

Alex Killorn delivered a goal and assist for the Anaheim Ducks, who scored three straight goals to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 at Honda Center on Sunday.  Mason McTavish and Frank Vatrano scored too, Leo Carlsson recorded two assists, and Lukas Dosta saved 21 shots for Anaheim (22-24-6), who have won four of their last five.  “We played pretty fast. I mean, both teams did, we just kind of capitalized on our chances,” said McTavish, who has seven goals in the past six games. “We got off to kind of a slow start, but we battled back, so (I’m) proud of the group.” Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak scored, while Sam Montembeault saved 19 for the Montreal Canadiens (24-24-5), who have lost five in a row (0-4-1). “We have to come out next game and have our best game of the season,” Montreal captain Nick Suzuki said. “We can’t be losing these games and falling back in the standings, so we really have to find a way to win the next two on this road trip.” The Ducks cut the lead to 2-1 at 13:37 of the second when McTavish tipped a shot from Killorn past Montembeault. “Just kind of instinct and reaction,” McTavish said. “Just hand-eye, I guess. I was able to tip it and just kind of found a hole.” Vatrano scored a goal 40 seconds later on a one-timer from the inside edge of the right circle off a backhanded centering pass from Ryan Strome to tie it 2-2 at 14:17. Killorn had a chance to take the puck into the right circle before scoring with a wrist shot through traffic to give the Ducks a 3-2 lead at 11:11 of the third period. “Coming in the zone, I thought that their (defense) was going to step on me, and (McTavish) was driving through, so I was looking to hit (McTavish), but they just kind of gave me a ton of room,” Killorn said. “I just decided to take it and the shot goes in.”

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bucks vs grizzlies

NBA Predictions Today: Milwaukee Bucks VS Memphis Grizzlies

Tune in to one of the NBA’s best game matchup as the Milwaukee Bucks play against the Memphis Grizzlies. This preview features Match Plug’s NBA predictions, odds, and analysis of the Bucks VS Grizzlies game held on Sunday. Two of NBA’s star players, Jaren Jackson Jr and Giannis Antetokounmpo will face off in this match at Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee. Note: Before you lock in your picks for Sunday’s game, read below for Matchplug’s odds, and analysis on Bucks VS Grizzlies. Betting Preview for Milwaukee Bucks VS Memphis Grizzlies Odds as provided by 1XBet. Betting On The Milwaukee Bucks The Bucks haven’t been strong home favorites (11-10-1 against the spread) this season. They also lost two straight games and have dropped to the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. Their last game ended in a loss on Friday with a score 114-118 against San Antonio Spurs to end their 4-game road trip. The Bucks were only favored going into this game with 2.5 points. Betting On The Memphis Grizzlies The Grizzlies have been doing great this season, despite dealing with major injuries of some of their top players – Marcus Smart, Vince Williams Jr. Even though they’ve faced these setbacks, Memphis has managed to win 8 of their last 10 games and are currently holding the 3rd spot in the western conference. However, with the absence of Morant, the team are not at their full potential. MatchPlug Prediction For Milwaukee Bucks VS Memphis Grizzlies Both teams played earlier this season and Memphis won 122-99 in the first meeting at Memphis without much trouble. That said, we predict that the Grizzlies will likely struggle playing against Giannis and Damian Lillard this Sunday without the strong offense boost from their star player Morant, who will probably sit this game out. Final Prediction: Bucks -3.5 Spread.

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dallas stars vs columbus blue jackets

NHL Predictions Today: Dallas Stars VS Columbus Blue Jackets Expert Picks

The Dallas Stars will host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday February 2nd, 2025 for the first time this season at American Airline Center in Dallas. Read our analysis for Stars VS Blue Jackets. The Stars, who are 33-17-1 have won against the Blue Jackets 26-19-7 in the last two games. A 5-3 victory at American Airlines Center at home, followed by a 5-2 win at Nationwide Arena, at Columbus. Both teams face each other again this season on February 25 in Columbus. Note: Before you lock in your picks for Sunday’s game, read below for Matchplug’s NHL Predictions, odds, and analysis on Stars VS Blue Jackets in this preview. Betting Preview for Dallas Stars VS Columbus Blue Jackets Odds as provided by 1XBet. Betting On The Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars have been on a strong run, winning their last four straight games. Since December 29, Stars have scored an average of 3.35 solid goals per game. Their 5-3 victory in their last game against the Vancouver Canucks last Friday was secured with a combined six points from Robertson and Roope Hintz. Despite having a bit of a rocky start this season, the team have settled in the second spot in the central division. Betting On The Columbus Blue Jackets Columbus started this season pretty strong and it led many to believe that a falloff was imminent. However, they’ve held the top Wild Card Spot in the Eastern Conference for this season and have won 10 of their last 13 games. Their last three victories were overtime wins, so they will need major improvements scoring better goals if they want to stand a chance at capturing a Stanley’s Cup this season. MatchPlug Prediction For Dallas Stars VS Columbus Blue Jackets While The Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets are formidable opponents in this 2024/2025 season, we anticipate the Stars to beat the Blue Jackets this Sunday, considering how they have performed in the last ten games on each side.  Dallas Stars are firming as major contenders for the Stanley Cup this 2024/2025 NHL season. Final Prediction: Dallas Stars Moneyline.

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76ers vs celtics

NBA Predictions Today: Philadelphia 76ers VS Boston Celtics Expert Picks

It’s an Atlantic Division showdown this Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center as the Philadelphia 76ers play against the Boston Celtics for the second time this season. Read our analysis for 76ers VS Celtics. MatchPlug has got you covered with the NBA Predictions for 76ers VS Celtics. Before you lock in any picks, check out the odds, and analysis we laid out in this preview. Betting Preview for Philadelphia 76ers VS Boston Celtics Odds as provided by 1XBet. Betting On The Philadelphia 76ers Earlier this season, the 76ers were hosted by the Celtics in Boston on Dec 25, 2024. They left the Celtics stunned with a 118-114 win. The 76ers who were on a four-game winning streak sadly lost 137-134 at home against Denver, at Philadelphia. The team will again be playing without Joel Embiid (left knee), Paul George(left finger), KJ Martin(left foot), and Jared McCain(left knee), who have all been reported injured and have missed on the court this season. Betting On The Celtics The Celtics have been one of the hottest teams this season. They have won five of seven games(two in a row), including their last win 118-116 against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. Forward Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown have been the elite players in Celtics recent wins. It’s safe to say that they’re gunning for a third straight win at Wells Fargo this Sunday. MatchPlug Prediction For Philadelphia 76ers VS Boston Celtics The 76ers have been on a roll lately, winning four of their last five games but still remain at a lower position than the Celtics. The Celtics, meanwhile have maintained second position in the Eastern Conference having won six of its last 10 games. Despite the fact that the 76ers upset the Celtics earlier in the season, it’s unlikely that they will record another win against them on Sunday. Final Prediction: Boston Celtics Moneyline.

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post malone

Post Malone emerges as headliner for Super Bowl LIX YouTube Tailgate Concert

The NFL has announced that 9x diamond-certified GRAMMY Award-nominated global superstar Post Malone will feature as the headline performer for the Super Bowl LIX YouTube Tailgate Concert. This is the league’s pregame party, exclusively live streamed on YouTube.  The concert will be held a few steps away from Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9, 2025, before the championship game starts. This year signifies YouTube’s first time as the official sponsor of the Super Bowl Tailgate. YouTube wants to give people from across the globe  a front-seat row to an unforgettable concert powered by one of the biggest stars in music.  The Super Bowl LIX YouTube Tailgate Concert will bring New Orleans’ ultimate pre-game party straight into the home of fans, bringing all the excitement and action live from Caesars Superdome. Now for the first time, fans can tune into the NFL’s YouTube channel at 3.pm. CT to watch a high-energy performance from Post Malone.  Post Malone has become a global phenomenon with his sound that defies genre. Malone has numerous videos in YouTube’s “Billion-View Club’’ and almost 18 billion total views on his YouTube channel. He recently released his record-breaking album, F-1 Trillion which made #1 on the Billboard 200.  Malone’s album, and 2024 collaborations earned him 8 2025 GRAMMY nominations. This spring he will headline Coachella before hitting the road for his The Big Ass Stadium Tour. With a series of record-breaking achievements, Post Malone keeps pushing boundaries and dominating the music world. 

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sza

SZA and Kendrick Lamar to feature as guest for Super Bowl halftime show

Grammy-winning singer SZA will be joining Kendrick Lamar on the Super Bowl LIX halftime stage.  The iconic music duo teased their collaboration with a trailer. Lamar and Apple Music released a trailer on Thursday of him walking on a football field before SZA walked up from behind and playfully splashed him. Lamar and SZA would lead the halftime festivities from the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feburary 9.  Sza was formerly in Kendrick’s Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate. She was in his recent album “GNX” and was featured a few songs including “Gloria” and “Luther,’’ which also featured sampled vocals from Luther Vandross and Cherly Lynn through “If This World Were Mine.’’ Previous hits from the duo include the Oscar-nominated “All the Stars’’ and “Doves in the Wind.’’ Lamar and Sza will co-headline too at a 19-city North American tour this spring and summer. The Grand National Tour will begin on April 19 in Minneapolis and end June 18 in Washington, D.C.  Sza enters the Feburary 2nd Grammys with two nominations for the single “Saturn’’ in the best R&B song and R&B performance categories. She won a total of four Grammys.  Meanwhile, Lamar enters the upcoming Grammys with seven nominations, including for “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin, and “Not Like Us,’’ which is up for song and record of the year. Kendrick won a total of 17 Grammys.  Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will act as co-executive producers of the halftime show. PgLang will provide the creative direction for Lamar’s performance, it is a creative company founded by Lamar and Dave Free, who has directed Lamar’s music videos in the past. 

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wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama, Jaylen Brown join 2025 All-Star Game reserves

Seven players from each conference including Victor Wembanyama and Jaylen Brown have been chosen by the NBA’s head coaches as reserves for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game. The tournament will be played on Sunday February 16 at Chase Center in San Francisco. The new four-team, three-game mini-tournament will premier at 8 ET on TNT.  In choosing the All-Star Game reserves, every NBA head coach voted for seven players in his conference – two guards, three frontcourt players and two extra players at any position. The head coaches were not allowed to vote for players from their own club.  The rosters for three of the four clubs in the NBA All-Star Game will be decided through the NBA All-Star Draft. The Draft will be conducted live on TNT on Thursday, February 6 at 6:30 p.m. ET. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will choose the substitute for any player that cannot participate in the All-Star Game.  Below are the 14 players honored as reserves are below: 2025 All-Star Roster Western Conference reserves: Eastern Conference starters: Western Conference starters:

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madrigal

New York Mets include Madrigal on split deal

The New York Mets signed infielder Nick Madrigal on Friday, to a one-year contract. It is a split deal worth different amounts in the Majors and Minors. On paper, Madrigal will replace Jose Iglesias, a prominent infielder whom the Mets did not pursue in free agency. Unlike Iglesias, Madrigal has an accessible Minor League option, which allows the Mets to start him out at Triple-A Syracuse if they want.  Madrigal batted .317 his first two major league campaigns, but hasn’t reached that height since. He delivered a .251/.304/.312 slash line since then. Like Inglesias, Nick can play second and third base and is one of the harder hitters to strike out. He did so in only 9 percent of his career plate appearances.  Nick was traded to the Chicago Cubs in a deal for Craig Kimbrel at the 2021 Trade Deadline, and was non-tendered after last term.  This spring, the right-handed hitter will face Luisangel Acuña, Luis De Los Santos, Brett Baty and Jared Young, for a position in the Mets’ Opening Day roster. If he does not, then he might end up in Triple-A. 

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