Burke Sports Talk

Wild Card Round AFC (2) Bills 27, (7) Broncos 10(3) Ravens 18, (6) Steelers 6(5) Chargers 24, (4) Texans 16 NFC (7) Packers 24, (2) Eagles 23(3) Buccaneers 28, (6) Commanders 20(4) Rams 23, (5) Vikings 17 Divisional Round AFC (1) Chiefs 27, (5) Chargers 20(3) Ravens 33, (2) Bills 30 NFC (1) Lions 29,…

Most Valuable Player Offensive Player of the Year Defensive Player of the Year Offensive Rookie of the Year Defensive Rookie of the Year Comeback Player of the Year Coach of the Year

NCAAF South Carolina transfer QB Robby Ashford commits to Wake Forest Ashford was a lot better in 2024 with South Carolina than he was from 2022-23 with Auburn, but that’s not saying much. While quarterbacking the Tigers, Ashford was dreadful, throwing nine touchdowns and nine interceptions across two seasons. After those two campaigns, the quarterback…

MLB Orioles sign SP Charlie Morton to one-year, $15 million contract The Orioles’ inexperienced rotation needed stability, and Morton, 41, certainly offers it. Plenty of it, in fact, as the right-hander hasn’t started fewer than 30 games in a full season since 2017. That’s great reliability, but this isn’t a great contract. For starters, Morton…

NCAAF (7) Notre Dame 23, (2) Georgia 10 I expected this matchup to produce the best game of the CFP quarterfinals. A narrow point spread? Check. Two teams wanting to win with ball control? Check. Two programs built through the lines of scrimmage? Check. The formula for a great game was there, at least. Alas,…

NCAAF (5) Texas 39, (4) Arizona State 31 There are wild games, and then there are strangely wild games. Texas, despite being significantly outgained, was in control for most of this contest, striking with big play after big play. That was until, of course, Arizona State began capitalizing on its yardage and time of possession…

MLB Nationals sign SP Trevor Williams to two-year, $14 million contract The National’s most likely won’t contend in 2025, but this deal is a bargain, making it hard to knock Washington for signing the 32-year-old. After years of serving as a middling starting pitcher, Williams excelled last season, finishing 6-1 with a 2.03 ERA over…

NBA Lakers receive: PF Dorian Finney-Smith and SG Shake Milton Nets receive: PG D’Angelo Russell, SF Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks Amidst a rebuild, it’s been an active trade season for the Nets. This was naturally the next order of business for Brooklyn after trading Dennis Schroder to Golden State two weeks ago. Despite…

NBA Kings fire head coach Mike Brown Most underachieving teams select a fall guy, someone held responsible for a season gone awry. For the 13-18 Kings, Brown inherits the blame. Ironically enough, Sacramento’s now former head coach is among the least responsible for the team’s struggles, but this reactionary move fits the bill for the…

NCAAF California transfer QB Fernando Mendoza commits to Indiana If it worked once, why not go back to the well? I’m referring, of course, to Indiana signing a tall quarterback from the transfer portal. The Hoosiers struck gold with Kurtis Rourke this season, who, like Mendoza, is a 6-foot-5 signal-caller with passing prowess. It’s unrealistic…

NFL Texans WR Tank Dell out for season with torn ACL We knew the second Dell suffered a devastating knee injury last Saturday that he would miss extended time. Yesterday’s news only confirmed that — and then some. Along with an ACL tear, Houston’s second-year receiver dislocated his knee and suffered other damage. Playing in…

MLB Red Sox sign SP Patrick Sandoval to two-year, $18.25 million contract There are worthwhile risks and then there’s this. Sandoval flashed in from 2021-22 with the Angels, but hasn’t been the same since, pitching to a 5.08 ERA over 16 starts last season. Moreover, the 28-year-old is recovering from Tommy John surgery, making a…

NCAAF Wake Forest hires Jake Dickert as head coach Dave Clawson stepping down was a relatively large blow to Wake Forest, but this is a decent response from the school’s administration. Washington State, no longer a power-conference program, is a difficult job in many ways, and Dickert still found success in Pullman. The Demon Deacons’…

MLB Cubs receive: RP Cody Poteet Yankees receive: CF Cody Bellinger At last, the Cody Bellinger domino has dropped. The 29-year-old was a trade candidate the moment he exercised his $27.5 million player option for 2025, a figure slightly too rich for the Cubs to stomach. The Yankees weren’t interested in footing the entire bill…

NFL Lions RB David Montgomery out indefinitely with torn MCL The Lions are getting ravaged by injuries, more so than any contender in a long time. It’s becoming harder and harder to envision Detroit surviving deep in the postseason with so much attrition, but perhaps the team is talented enough to overcome it. This week,…

NFL Ravens 35, Giants 14 The NFL is a league of parity, but this matchup didn’t represent that. In a mismatch of great proportions, the Ravens had their way with the Giants, especially MVP candidate Lamar Jackson. Josh Allen is and should be the leader in the clubhouse for the award, but Baltimore’s quarterback is…

NCAAF New Mexico hires Jason Eck as head coach It’s hard to nitpick this hire. Eck has substantial ties out west and put together three strong seasons at Idaho. Bronco Mendenhall did a solid job in his first year in Albuquerque, but he bolted for Utah State, so the onus falls on Eck to continue…

NBA Heat receive: Second-round pick Pacers receive: C Thomas Bryant and second-round pick This transaction amounts to next to nothing, as Indiana receives an insurance policy at center in wake of multiple injuries at the position and Miami clears a roster spot. I suppose a trade like this works in favor of the aggressor —…

NFL Broncos sign OT Garett Bolles to four-year, $82 million contract extension Bolles is one of the better left tackles in the league, but at 32, I fear Denver is paying for past — not future — performance with this extension. Peaking in 2020 with a second-team All-Pro nod, Bolles is a standout pass blocker,…

NCAAF Tulane transfer QB Darian Mensah commits to Duke Out goes Maalik Murphy and in comes Mensah; quite an upgrade, I’d say. The former Green Wave signal-caller flashed immediately as a freshman, throwing for 2,723 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. It’s surprising that Mensah committed so quickly, but this is a massive addition for…