#defense

#defense

There is a lot going on with the Minnesota Vikings right now. They shocked the NFL world by firing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah extremely late in the hiring cycle, and they will not be seeking a permanent replacement until after the 2026 NFL Draft. Not the conventional approach, but those in power believed it was necessary. Rumors of a disconnect on how to move forward at the quarterback position were rife in the firing's immediate aftermath.

We did a lot of really good things in that game. I think we gave up six chances at five-on-five. You don't lose those games a lot of the time. We did a lot of good things, but the one area of the game we still need to improve upon is the costly turnovers that end up in goals or cost you in general.

If last offseason was about rebuilding the Chicago Bears' offense, this one is shaping up to be about stabilizing and reshaping the defense. A year ago, Ryan Poles attacked the offensive line from every angle, adding four new starters through a mix of the draft, free agency, and trades. The result was tangible progress. This offseason calls for a similar approach on the other side of the ball, where needs are both obvious and unavoidable. That's what makes this weekend in Mobile so important.

The Lakers closed the game on a 29-8 run from there, with Doncic thwarting his former coach, Jason Kidd's scheme to attack him on defense when the Mavs had the ball. "We counted after the game, he had six straight stops where they targeted him," Lakers coach JJ Redick said of Doncic. "Just a fantastic job from him. Then [he] makes the game-sealing defensive play with the charge on [Naji] Marshall."

"I was definitely hyped," Allen told ESPN. "I had Paul Pierce in my ear telling me, 'Get ready! You stick me every day [in practice]. You should be ready. Let's go! That's Kobe Bryant!'" The No. 25 pick in the 2004 draft was trying to soak everything in and get himself in the right frame of mind for the 54th game of his young NBA career.

Joe Sterling, one of the best three-point shooters in the country, tried to put up a three-point attempt from long range at the outset of the third quarter on Wednesday night at Sierra Canyon. He must have forgotten who was guarding him, because Brandon McCoy came flying like Superman to block the shot, then took the deflected ball, dribbled and delivered an uncontested dunk.

Miami is going through one of its more up-and-down seasons in recent years. Although the argument could be made that they've gone through a stretch of up-and-down seasons going back a few years, now. The current season, however, just seems and feels like a new low, and while there are contributing factors, much of it has to do with star players not playing like star players.

Josiah Nance, a 6-foot-4 junior guard, volunteered to guard 7-foot-4 Cherif Millogo of St. Francis in the third quarter on Thursday night in a tight game. "It was a challenge," he said. "They were letting us be tough. Most physical guy wins." Nance couldn't have been more correct. He was so effective guarding Millogo despite having three fouls that Notre Dame turned a five-point halftime lead into a 20-point bulge through three quarters en route to a 71-48 victory.

Brendan Donovan is a utility player (primarily second baseman) who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals. About to turn 29 on January 16, he was born in Germany while his father was stationed there, and grew up an Army brat, moving around. He's credited that upbringing for forging his team-first mentality, his desire to always do the right thing, and his willingness to work hard.

If the AI rally continues this year, I expect it to return to its roots. AI investors poured into hardware companies early on before coalescing into software companies and driving up broader tech valuations to nosebleed levels. This year, I expect hardware stocks to outperform their software counterparts. Money is moving from hyperscalers into the AI buildout, not the other way around. AI models are yet to generate profits, so for 2026, AI hardware companies are still the best picks.

December ended with Brooklyn leading the NBA in opponent scoring, allowing just 104.6 points per game, nearly six points better than the next-lowest team in the Eastern Conference. It was a sharp reversal for a group that entered the month allowing 113.9 points per game and searching for traction. The question now is whether that version of the Nets can carry into January. So far, the early returns have been mixed, though it's still a small sample.