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March 31, 2022

MLB Season Preview 2022: New Rules, Expanded Playoffs, and More

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , — admin @ 5:55 pm

After all that—a 13-week player lockout, uncertainty about Major League Baseball’s economic structure, and canceled-then-reinstated games—the 2022 MLB season will start on April 7.

The collective bargaining agreement the league and its players union reached in early March will change the sport in ways big and small. At the top end of the sport, the status quo will remain—the new agreement did little to encourage bad teams to spend more money or good ones to spend less of it. But in terms of actual baseball, fans will notice a difference in the way the game is played and in how the pennant races unfold this year.

Ahead of Opening Day, here are three stories to keep an eye on in the 2022 MLB season.

1. How will the new rules change the sport?

Two changes in particular will make waves from the first pitch:

  1. The universal designated hitter. Pitchers haven’t hit in the American League since 1973. Now that rule will apply to the National League as well (this was also the case in the 60-game, pandemic-chopped 2020 season).
  2. The expanded postseason. Twelve teams—six in each league—will make the playoffs, up from five clubs per league, which has been the case since 2012.

The universal DH rule changes a lot. It makes the sport more exciting in the long run, because we don’t have to watch pitchers (who struck out over 40 percent of the time each year since 2018) attempt to swing a bat. I politely clapped for a well-executed sacrifice bunt just as much as the next person, but let’s be honest: It’ll be more fun to watch professional hitters hit.

For National League teams, though, the DH rule means teams need an extra hitter who’s worthy of an everyday lineup spot. Some teams, like the Washington Nationals, went out and found one (in their case, slugger Nelson Cruz). The gap in hitting ability between various teams’ pitchers was usually small—unless we’re talking about Shohei Ohtani—but the gap between a good DH and a bad one should be quite noticeable. It’s time to beef up those rosters.

The 12-team postseason is more of a mixed bag. The good seems obvious enough: More teams will be in contention for longer, and that will mean more meaningful games later in the season. But the bad is likely to show up, too: The 162-game regular season will mean less for teams that are safely in the playoff picture, and teams at the bottom of the league (hello, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles, among others) could easily use the expanded playoffs to justify not investing in their rosters. With a larger postseason, they might assume they can skimp on talent and sneak into the playoffs anyway within a few years (before quickly getting bounced). That said, it will take a year or two before we get a full picture of how teams respond to the new rule.

New York Mets' Max Scherzer winds up to throw a pitch during a spring training game. MLB 2022 season preview
Max Scherzer, now playing for the New York Mets, pitches during a spring training game. Sue Ogrocki/AP / Shutterstock

2. How will the National League’s game of free-agency musical chairs work out?

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been the NL’s most consistent winner over the last decade. The Atlanta Braves (who dethroned the Dodgers in the championship series last year before winning the World Series) and the San Francisco Giants are their most competitive rivals. Interestingly, there has been a lot of roster turnover among these teams at the top of the National League.

The Dodgers watched shortstop Corey Seager, trade deadline rental ace Max Scherzer, and closer Kenley Jansen sign big deals elsewhere. In fact, it was the Braves who took Jansen, but they only did that after the Dodgers signed Freddie Freeman, the longtime first baseman and franchise cornerstone in Cobb County.

The Braves replaced Freeman with Matt Olson, a similarly good first baseman who came their way via the tanking, mid-firesale Oakland A’s. The Braves also let outfielder/DH Jorge Soler head off to the Miami Marlins.

The Giants, meanwhile, let deadline pickup Kris Bryant go to their division rival, the Colorado Rockies, while starting pitcher Kevin Gausman headed north to the Toronto Blue Jays. (The Giants did pick up Carlos Rodón, the fireballer coming off a great year with the Chicago White Sox.)

What do all these trades mean for the 2022 MLB season? The Giants outperformed projections last year and will have to do that again; Fangraphs predicts they’ll be only a few games better than .500. The Dodgers and Braves should continue to be the premier clubs in the NL, but we’ll see how their various shuffles play out for them.

3. Many teams aren’t trying to win. How bad will it get, and how will they skew the playoff race for everyone else?

The expanded playoffs mean that most of the league is within shouting distance of October baseball this year. But some teams aren’t even making an effort to entertain that possibility. Four are set to have payrolls below $45 million on Opening Day, meaning they’re spending about one-fourth or one-fifth of what the top teams are spending.

Three of the five teams in the NL Central (the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Pirates) are in full rebuilding mode, which might reduce an entire division to a two-team race between the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals. The Orioles have essentially bowed out of the highly competitive AL East, where four teams have preseason playoff odds north of 50 percent—and Baltimore is at 0.1 percent. By trading away not just Olson but his corner infield partner Matt Chapman and pitcher Chris Bassitt, the A’s have similarly disappeared from an AL West that has just one clearly good team, the Houston Astros.

That’s a bummer for fans of these teams, who are looking at lackluster seasons in 2022. But the new playoff schedule could be exciting for fans of teams who are making an honest near-term effort. And considering that some clubs have checked out, the 12 playoff spots are actually up for grabs between just 22 or 25 teams rather than 30—which means better chances for some postseason action.

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March 21, 2022

NCAA Tournament 2022: These Teams Will Battle It Out in the Sweet 16

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , — admin @ 11:32 pm

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament moves to its regional rounds this weekend, with the Sweet 16 on Thursday and Friday and the Elite Eight on Saturday and Sunday. Most of the teams still hanging around in March Madness are exactly the ones you’d expect. Ten of the top 12 teams in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted efficiency ratings are still standing, including three of the four No. 1 seeds. A pair of No. 2 seeds (Kentucky and Auburn) didn’t make it out of the opening weekend, however, and four teams with double-digit seedings have made it to the regional semifinals.

For everyone left (you can view the complete schedule here), the days leading up to the Sweet 16 are a time for optimism. Here’s the brief case for each remaining team to be the one cutting down the nets after the Final Four, which tips off on April 2 in New Orleans. Teams are ordered by their bracket placement in each region, so the first two teams face each other and so on.

West Region

No. 1 Gonzaga is (on paper) the best team in the country for the second year in a row. Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren form the best frontcourt in college basketball, and the Zags’ superior conditioning and lightning pace should serve them well as we enter the later stages of March Madness. It isn’t hard to envision the Bulldogs getting over the hump this time.

No. 4 Arkansas is also well conditioned and comfortable playing at a fast pace, so the Zags might not overwhelm them like they have so many other teams. If the Hogs can win this game, they won’t face a more difficult opponent in the rest of the NCAA tournament.

No. 3 Texas Tech has what almost every team wants this time of year: loads and loads of experience. The Red Raiders lost their coach, Chris Beard, to Texas after last season. But new boss Mark Adams hasn’t missed a beat, and a mix of developmental players and transfers has TTU in the mix again. The team has players who were around for a lot of Beard’s success and others who have had it elsewhere—for example, forward Kevin Obanor, who was a star in No. 15 seed Oral Roberts’ ride to the Sweet 16 last year.

No. 2 Duke has as much raw talent as anyone remaining, with the possible exception of Gonzaga. You might prefer a “team of destiny” case considering it’s coach Mike Krzyzewski’s last season, but that doesn’t explain why Duke could win it all. The real reason: There just aren’t that many players in college basketball who can effectively guard 6’10” mega-athlete and Duke forward Paolo Banchero.

East Region

No. 8 North Carolina already beat No. 1 seed and defending champion Baylor, so the difficulty level is arguably all downhill from here. That’s not really how it works, of course, but it helps that the Tar Heels are one of the best recruiting teams in the nation and seem to be playing their best ball of the season right now. (Keep in mind that they stuffed Duke into a locker in the second half of Krzyzewski’s last home game just a few weeks ago.) Center Armando Bacot and power forward Brady Manek give the Heels a frontcourt edge over almost everyone.

No. 4 UCLA made the Final Four last year and nearly beat Gonzaga. The key players from that team are still here, the Bruins have no major statistical weaknesses, and they take good enough care of the ball (their offensive turnover rate is 11.4 percent, fourth-lowest in the country) to avoid shooting themselves in the foot.

No. 3 Purdue has both size in the frontcourt and elite shooting ability in the backcourt. The Boilermakers’ offense is scary in every way, and an occasionally troubled defense has looked quite good in the first two games of this tournament. Coach Matt Painter has had many good teams in West Lafayette, but there’s a real chance this one winds up being his best.

No. 15 Saint Peter’s is the longest of longshots to win even one more game, let alone four. The Peacocks are just the third 15th seed to ever make it this far (although they’re the second in two years), and everything about them—their lack of size, lack of scoring talent, and seed line—says they should lose. But they did beat Kentucky, so I’m not going to say they can’t keep this magic carpet ride going a bit longer.

South Region

No. 1 Arizona has lost just two games in this calendar year. The Wildcats are giant in the frontcourt, with two excellent seven-footers in Azuolas Tubelis and Christian Koloko. Freshman guard/forward Bennedict Mathurin is playing as well as just about anyone in the country and turned in 30 points against TCU. What’s not to like?

No. 5 Houston has been here before—last year, in fact—and has a head coach, Kelvin Sampson, who has repeatedly found ways to win March games. It’s fair to wonder if the Cougars, who got smacked by Baylor in last year’s national semifinals and have not played a team of Arizona’s caliber this year, are up to it. But the Cougars’ voracious offensive rebounding and interior defense should give them a shot.

No. 11 Michigan has Hunter Dickinson, a 7’1” center and one of the few players in the tournament who could drag a team to the Final Four with little help. Admittedly, we’re pushing it a bit here. Michigan will need to win four more games in a row to win it all and it has not won more than three in a row all season. But Dickinson? He’s good.

No. 2 Villanova is one of the most reliable great teams in college hoops. The 2022 outfit lacks the elite shooting talent of Jay Wright’s 2016–18 national champs, but it pounds the offensive glass and makes more of its free throws (82.6 percent) than any team in Division I. The Wildcats can string wins together, and Michigan is a good matchup for them this week.

Midwest Region

No. 1 Kansas has what might be the easiest path to the Final Four of any team left. That doesn’t mean the Jayhawks will get there, of course. It simply means if they can get past No. 4 Providence, they’re guaranteed to face either a No. 10 or No. 11 seed in the Elite Eight. KU has both the shooters (Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun) and the rebounders (David McCormack) to be an all-around offensive threat against any team it faces.

No. 4 Providence feels like a longer shot than its seeding would make you believe, because the Friars are not awesome at any one thing. But they get to the foul line a lot, and their roster is almost entirely upperclassmen. In a tightly officiated game, they could be dangerous.

No. 11 Iowa State is what I like to call a chaos team. The Cyclones pressure the ball aggressively, and it works for them—they force a turnover on every one in four defensive possessions. The main problem for the Cyclones, though, is who they play in the Sweet 16 (see below).

No. 10 Miami takes better care of the ball than almost anyone, turning it over on just 14 percent of their trips down the floor. The Canes like to work the ball inside and have been able to score reliably around the basket. Their coach, Jim Larrañaga, made a Final Four with ultimate Cinderella George Mason back in 2006; compared to that, getting Miami to the Final Four doesn’t even feel like a big lift. Miami has the offense, and if its opponents have cold shooting nights to lighten the load on an iffy UM defense? Then hey, it’s possible.

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March 11, 2022

Daniel Ricciardo on the Latest Installment of Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , — admin @ 10:21 pm

For most of his career, eight-time Formula 1 winner Daniel Ricciardo was a bit of a dark horse for all but the most passionate Formula 1 devotees. But as one of the central figures in Netflix’s Drive to Survive documentary series, his happy-go-lucky persona has charmed a wider audience and a multitude of new fans around the globe.

We caught up with the Aussie at the beginning of F1 testing in Spain to talk about this year’s season, the elevation of his celebrity, and his dream on-track battle.

Men’s Journal: What are your expectations for the 2022 season?

Daniel Ricciardo: I’m hopeful we can obviously be competitive, podium, try to win a few races, but we haven’t seen these rule changes in such a long time that we don’t really know what to expect. I really hope the field bunches up, like from first to last there’s only a second between the cars, as opposed to two or three seconds. Close to harder racing, I think that would be awesome. I mean, I’m prepared, but obviously the car is a big factor in this sport, so I couldn’t tell you today where I expect to finish.

Can you tell me what success looks like for this season?

A handful of podiums, top three in the teams championship. I’d love to obviously get another win, if not 10. But how I rate my success is how I feel leaving a race. If I know I’ve done everything I can that weekend and left it all out on the track, then that’s success.

Who do you view as your main rival this season?

I definitely expect Mercedes and Red Bull to be strong again. So, Lewis [Hamilton], Max [Verstappen], the usual contenders. But I think it’s a year that Ferrari could step up again and really fight for wins. Lewis also has a new teammate this year, George Russell. He’s a very young, fast driver, so he could be a threat as well—a real competitor.

Aston Martin looks like they’ve designed a pretty different car to everyone else at this stage, with a different philosophy, so they might be onto something.

Orange race car
Courtesy of McLaren F1 

After two years with no Aussie GP, I imagine you’re excited to get home to race?

Yeah! Having a home race is a real privilege because you’ve got so much support and love. The sport’s grown in the last 24 months, quite significantly, and I expect it to be pretty wild. It’ll be a nice entrance.

What do you think Drive to Survive’s impact has been on F1?

Putting it simply and very basically, it’s been massive! I know there are statistics that the growth has been immense from it, but personally I’ve felt it. Europe’s known about F1 since the start of time, really, so it’s grown in Europe, but it’s more the markets that didn’t really know anything about F1—particularly the States. Three, four years ago I’ll holiday there and not get stopped once. Now it’s a regular occurrence and people enjoy it. So it’s not just that you’re recognized, it’s that they really are taking a liking to the sport, and that’s what makes me most happy. You can share the sport now with more of the world, and it’s getting more appreciated.

Do you think it’s because of the accessibility—that the series lends a lens into what happens day to day, race to race?

Yeah, absolutely. For years it was such a doors-closed, private sport. It was only a few years ago we were allowed to take videos with our camera phones in the paddock and the pits. They’ve opened up a lot more, and obviously Netflix has come in full steam. It’s also a sport where not only did it used to be very private but, unless the driver’s on the podium, you never really see the driver with the helmet off. So there’s probably a period of time where no one really knew what drivers looked like as well.

Has the show made it easier for the previously loyal F1 fans to get a little deeper into the sport?

If you’ve been a fan of F1 for 10, 20 years, it’s probably what you always craved or wished for, all this access. So now getting it, it’s probably pretty huge for someone who’s followed it for so long.

In the show you come across as a happy-go-lucky warrior, which is a bit atypical for an F1 driver. Do you feel like that’s accurate?

Yeah, it’s definitely me. I think when I first got into F1, people thought ‘Oh, okay, this kid’s too happy-go-lucky, and he’s not hard enough and he doesn’t want it enough because he’s just bouncing around, smiling and joking a lot.’ But I think once I proved that I can deliver on the track and I do have that other side to me, then it was cool. It encouraged me to still be me, because I was able to make the transition from Daniel to driver.

How do you keep that vibe even when things aren’t going so great?

That vibe is challenged for sure, it’s not unconditional. I’ll credit perspective, and I definitely have the ability to find perspective in things. I remember one bad race, I got taken out on lap one, which is like worst case scenario. You build up all day to race, then in 30 seconds your race is over. Obviously, I was upset and pissed, but I was still like, ‘You know what? My friends would kill to have this job.’ I want to appreciate that if a bad day for me is still being at a racetrack somewhere and having a chance to perform, then it’s not all bad. And I knew I had another chance the following week. As long as you get a chance for redemption, then I think there’s always a good way to look at things. And having people around you, whether it’s family, friends—they can help pick you up when things don’t go as planned.

Race car driver in yellow printed helmet and car
Courtesy of McLaren F1 

So with the chaos of the finish in Abu Dhabi, do you feel like there’s an asterisk on the last season?

I don’t. I think it was definitely a moment in time that was obviously quite dramatic. I guess for the whole race, everyone was thinking Hamilton was probably going to win, and then obviously that changed. So yeah, the outcome and everything was a big moment in time, but I don’t think it tarnishes the season. Of course, that race was what it was, and some people agreed. Some people didn’t. So it was quite polarizing. But to show my respect to Lewis and Max, what they did all season was pretty immense. So I think that will be appreciated and respected much more than that last lap.

Do you think that was the right decision?

I think with hindsight you’d probably say maybe a red flag would’ve been best, then everyone can restart on, say, the same tires. But it’s obviously easier said than done. And I’ve never sat in race control, so I would hate to know how hard those decisions can be. In hindsight, yeah, I guess they would’ve probably changed a bit.

How do you evaluate risk behind the wheel?

A lot of it is on feeling. It’s kind of two parts. It’s the literal feeling of do I think the car can do what I want it to do. But then the other part of the feeling is how will this make me feel if I take this risk. So my example is overtaking. There’s always a risk overtaking someone. But, you kind of go, ‘How will this make me feel if I don’t take the risk and I just finish wherever I am and play it safe?’ The answer normally is that won’t make me feel good because I didn’t try.

What does speed feel like to you when you’re on the edge?

It’s fun and scary. Speed is something you become conditioned to as well. Driving F1 the first time I was like, ‘Oh man, I don’t think I can do this. This is so fast.’ But the more you do it, the more you’re like, ‘Oh, actually this isn’t fast enough.’

The feeling it gives me is freedom. I guess if you’ve ever ridden a motorcycle, you know you’ve got the wind blowing in your hair and that sort of stuff, and you feel like you’re going fast, and you feel like you’re free and you’re untouchable. So, they’re kind of the feelings I get from speed. But yeah, ultimately, it’s an adrenaline rush, and that’s what I love about it, probably more than anything.

From Instagram, you seem more like a truck guy. What’s your daily driver right now?

I love bikes, mountain biking or dirt biking, so I’ve always had a truck of some sort so I can put a bike in the back. My favorite truck I’ve had is a Raptor; that’s kind of my happy truck. And then if I’m obviously doing any kind of Sunday drive, where I want to have a bit of fun, then the good people of McLaren assist me wherever I am in the world.

Race car driver on track
Courtesy of McLaren F1 

You’ve got a few tattoos. Any new ink?

My last one actually was in Spa (Belgium Grand Prix)—the race that got rained out last year. My friend was there at the race and he’s a tattoo artist, and he’s like, ‘Oh, I’ve got my gun with me.’ So, he tattooed me in a Belgium hotel room, and yeah, that was that. It says “Of love and life,” and it’s the title of a song for the band I love, Caamp. I don’t know, it just kind of rings, and I just love it. The song as well, it’s quite deep, and it actually makes me think of the things that I do love and care for, like family, especially when I’m away from home for a long time.

Do you have any guilty pleasures on the road? Tattoos not withstanding.

I love trying to find a good burger, especially a Buffalo chicken burger or something. So yeah. Mostly if I’m in the States, I feel like they do it well. I normally try and eat something naughty.

I spent quite a bit of time in LA, and one of the first fried chicken burgers I had was in Santa Monica at this restaurant called The Misfit, and they do wicked fried chicken. I think they even call it a fried chicken sandwich, but it’s a fried chicken burger, and that was one of the first I had, and it opened my eyes to how good fried chicken can really be.

If you could only race one more race, any series, any car, anything, against whom would you race, and where would you do it?

Look, I’ve never done it and it would be cool, so Daytona 500 and, yeah, if I could race against Dale Earnhardt Jr. that would be really cool.

Is Dale Earnhardt a hero?

Massively! I was a big NASCAR fan growing up. In Austin last year, at the race, I did a Dale Earnhardt kind of tribute helmet, because it was 20 years since his passing. That was cool.

Drive to Survive Season 4 debuts March 11.

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February 24, 2022

NFL Futures Betting Guide: Teams and Players to Bet on for Next Season

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , — admin @ 11:12 pm

NFL futures betting is not for everyone, and it is far from the most efficient way to make money, even by the highly uncertain standards of sports betting. Observers struggle to understand the present in sports, much less predict the future, and even successful futures bets require the bettor to let a sportsbook hold their money for extended periods. That’s time that could be spent putting your money to work in various other ways.

On the other hand, NFL futures betting is fun. To the extent that gambling on a sport can provide a thrill, nothing beats having something pegged months in advance and watching it pay off. I recommend it only in small doses and as a way to give yourself something to keep track of over the course of a season or even offseason. The best futures strategy, I’ve always found, is to spread money around on a couple of intriguing prospects and see what happens—while keeping your expectations limited.

With that attitude in mind, here are a handful of early NFL futures bets for 2022 that deserve consideration. Let’s use American odds, where -110 correlates to a $110 bet needed to win $100 and +700 correlates to a $100 winning bet returning $700 (see this article on Super Bowl bets for an odds explainer). Odds here are via the online sportsbooks at DraftKings and FanDuel.

NFL Futures Bets to Make Ahead of Next Season

1. Los Angeles Chargers to Win the Super Bowl: +2400

If you’re going to park money on a futures bet for almost an entire year, don’t do it for a small return (in the event your bet hits). That typically means not picking the favorites, which in this case are the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills at around +750 odds each. This past season’s champion, the Los Angeles Rams, had the seventh-best odds at this time in 2021 (+1500). Nothing’s a guarantee, but it’s not a bad idea to pick teams with similar odds this year.

The Chargers are an intriguing lottery ticket. They have a (hopefully) ascendant quarterback in third-year man Justin Herbert. After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020, Herbert didn’t take as big a leap as he might’ve preferred in 2021. His interception rate ticked up from 1.7 percent to 2.2 percent of his throws, his adjusted yards-per-attempt held steady at 7.6, and his QBR hopped from 62.6 to 65.6.

The numbers aren’t the full story, though. Herbert has some best arm talent in the NFL, and he thrived in tough moments to manage five fourth-quarter comebacks. The Chargers had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, but there’s enough individual talent sprinkled around (defensive end Joey Bosa and safety Derwin James are the headliners) that a step forward in 2022 seems like a good bet.

2. New England Patriots to Win the Super Bowl: +2800

The Patriots got dragged around the field by the Bills in the wild card playoff round, but they’re a good value at these long odds, too. They finished the regular season fourth in Football Outsiders’ DVOA, a play-by-play efficiency stat that tends to be relatively predictive of who’s good and who isn’t. Quarterback Mac Jones was the league’s best rookie passer by a wide margin in 2021, even though New England didn’t ask a lot of him. If Jones gets better, the Patriots could be a threat.

3. Los Angeles Chargers to Win the AFC West: +400

The Chiefs have won this division six years in a row and frequently piled long playoff runs atop their dominant regular seasons. But eventually, every dominant team gets some bad breaks, like injuries, and slips up a bit. The Chiefs are still the best bet in the AFC to contend for the Super Bowl in any given year, but they’re due for some bad luck, and 2022 seems like it could be the time.

They’ll probably put the franchise tag on free agent tackle Orlando Brown, but there’s a good chance that an inconsistent secondary loses its best player (safety Tyrann Mathieu), one of the league’s better cornerbacks (Charvarius Ward), and maybe another player or two. If the Chiefs take a small step backward and the Chargers make the leap I’m expecting, then L.A. becomes an attractive option here.

4. San Francisco 49ers to win the NFC West: +200

The Rams are, of course, the division favorites at +150. But let’s note a few things: The 49ers beat them in Los Angeles to close the regular season and very nearly did it again in the NFC Championship. The Rams are excellent and will stay that way for a while, but it’s difficult to see how they’re better than they were in 2021.

Cooper Kupp just had the best receiving season ever. It’s hard to go up from that, and the Rams’ No. 2 receiver down the stretch, Odell Beckham Jr., is staring down both free agency and rehab from the torn ACL he suffered in the Super Bowl. Matthew Stafford, the title-winning quarterback, will be another year older at 34. Andrew Whitworth, the 40-year-old left tackle who somehow continued to play at an elite level in 2021, will probably retire. Von Miller, the similarly ageless pass-rusher, is a free agent and might roll out of town. Even if he doesn’t, the Rams have an old roster core with lots of contractual uncertainty. They are a brilliantly managed team and will be fine in the long run, but they might drop down a peg in 2022.

The 49ers are poised to get better, and they’re clearly not far behind the Rams to begin with (they finished fifth in DVOA to the Niners’ sixth). Second-year QB Trey Lance, who figures to have a lot more upside, if a lower floor, than Jimmy Garoppolo, is likely to take over behind center. They aren’t going to lose any premium free agents and only have one player, guard Laken Tomlinson at No. 26, in the top 75 of the Pro Football Focus free agent rankings. For those reasons, the Niners are a good futures bet in the West, and probably for the NFC title and Super Bowl, too.

5. Kayvon Thibodeaux to be the NFL Draft’s first pick: +800

Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal at +120 and Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson at +200 are the far-and-away market favorites to go first in April’s draft. I don’t see a ton of value there, and it’s not clear the Jacksonville Jaguars have figured out who they want. But Thibodeaux at +800 looks like the pure value play. He entered the 2021 college season as most people’s favorite, and he’s likely to test off the charts in the pre-draft workout circuit. I must caution, however, that placing any bet on the Jaguars’ decision-making is a dangerous exercise.

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NFL Offseason 2022: This Year’s QB Prospects, Free Agent Moves, and More

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , — admin @ 1:00 am

The NFL has built itself into a year-round eyeball magnet. The NFL offseason supposedly begins after the Super Bowl, but in reality, the pro football machine keeps right on turning. The pre-draft showcase and workout season get underway even before the Super Bowl is over, free agency begins in mid-March, the draft happens in mid-April, and then there’s only a few months of (relative) quiet before training camps open at the end of July. Even with no games on the calendar, the league has a way of generating enough drama to stay top of mind.

That said, the NFL does seem to be headed into an unusually wide-open offseason. The greatest quarterback ever just retired, as did another future Hall of Famer. Another one may or may not leave his career-long franchise, and the pecking order of QBs in this year’s NFL Draft is even harder to determine than usual.

So what’s going to happen? Below, I’ve called out four key questions that’ll shape the NFL over the next year.

NFL Offseason 2022: Quarterback Prospects, Free Agents, and More

1. What will Aaron Rodgers do, and how quickly can we stop discussing him?

I have lost interest in acquiring new information about the Green Bay Packers’ four-time MVP quarterback. At this point, everyone gets the idea: He is a preternaturally great quarterback and a preternaturally self-obsessed individual.

After his relationship with the Packers deteriorated to the point of a trade becoming a real possibility last year, Rodgers had a singular 2021 season. He won another MVP award (which is normal for him), lost another home playoff game (also normal for him), misled the public and probably the NFL about his COVID-19 vaccination status, and compared himself to Martin Luther King Jr. for not taking the shot. I learned more than I ever wanted to about his relationship with Shailene Woodley and his offseason cleansing regimen, which you should not read more about if you have a weak constitution.

As we head into the NFL offseason, Rodgers’ football future is uncertain. The Denver Broncos hired his Packers offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, as head coach, prompting speculation that Rodgers might head to the Mile High City. Maybe he’ll retire, or get traded somewhere else, or find some other path away from Green Bay. Maybe he’ll just play there again next year. He’ll single-handedly make whichever team he plays for into a title contender. Or maybe he’ll go into public health consulting.

2. Some legendary quarterbacks are retiring. Who will replace them?

Tom Brady’s NFL career is over after 22 seasons and seven Super Bowl wins, and he has cemented his status (among most observers) as the greatest to ever play the position. Ben Roethlisberger’s career is over after 18 seasons, two Super Bowl wins, and a much grimmer off-field legacy. Rodgers may or may not leave the Packers, but that’s at least two teams—if not three—who need to replace Hall of Fame passers in 2022.

Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming from a position of strength: They’re just a year removed from a Lombardi Trophy and have a quality defense. This franchise spent most of the century getting mediocre QB play or worse before Brady signed ahead of the 2020 season. In his absence, the frontrunner might be 32-year-old backup Blaine Gabbert, a long-ago first-round draft bust who has a couple years’ experience playing behind the best ever and learning the system of head coach Bruce Arians.

It sounds uninspiring, but it’s hard to immediately replace a generational QB. The Steelers will likely learn that while finding Roethlisberger’s successor. The in-house frontrunner is Mason Rudolph, a backup for most of the last four years who played poorly after Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending injury early in the 2019 season. The Steelers gave him a tepid “if the season started today” vote of confidence. External faith in him is almost nonexistent.

On the other hand, finding a worthy replacement in the draft is possible. But it won’t be easy.

3. The quarterback class in this year’s NFL Draft is something of a mystery. How will teams handle it?

There are no sure bets at QB or in the draft, but most years have one or two quarterbacks who analysts believe are worthy of high first-round selections. Last year had several: Quarterbacks were snapped up for the first, second, third, 11th, and 15th picks.

This year’s class has a handful of passers who might turn out to be good NFL players. Pitt’s Kenny Pickett morphed into one of the most exciting and productive college QBs in 2021. Liberty’s Malik Willis has a bazooka arm and will immediately be one of the most effective running QBs in the NFL. Matt Corral from Ole Miss could thrive in an offense that’s heavy on run-pass options and deep balls. Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder gets high marks for both his leadership and athleticism. North Carolina’s Sam Howell is mobile and can throw hard, but he didn’t play well against the ACC in 2021. Nevada’s Carson Strong is, well, big and strong, but he’ll have to answer questions about the quality of competition he faced in the Mountain West. (Though Wyoming’s Josh Allen has shown that the conference can produce NFL-caliber QBs.)

It’s safe to say that a few of these players will be solid NFL quarterbacks. But I have a hard time deducing who, exactly, will break through. Pro Football Focus doesn’t rank any of them higher than No. 20 overall (Howell), and it’ll be interesting to see how high a team reaches because it needs a quarterback.

4. This year’s free-agent class is heavy on wideouts. Who’s going where?

By PFF’s ranking, the No. 1, 3, 7, and 10 players available in free agency this NFL offseason are wide receivers: Davante Adams (Green Bay), Chris Godwin (Tampa Bay), Mike Williams (Los Angeles Chargers), and Allen Robinson II (Chicago). A couple of them seem like obvious targets for the franchise tag, where their teams hang onto them by offering them a one-year contract for what’s likely to be about $19 million each.

If the Packers get Rodgers back, it’s hard to see them letting Adams, his longtime No. 1 target, walk away. Williams seems another likely candidate for a tag if the Chargers don’t offer him a long-term contract extension—they have cap room and a mega-valuable young quarterback, Justin Herbert, who needs capable receivers.

The Bucs might be in for a lot of hurt. They could tag or extend Godwin, but they are short on salary cap room and don’t know how Brady’s contract will affect their cap room now that he’s retired. They have two other premium free agents in center Ryan Jensen and cornerback Carlton Davis, and they still need to sort out a quarterback. So Godwin might be on the move, and if he’s not, someone else, or even a couple of his teammates, will be.

In Chicago, Robinson also seems poised to hit the open market. His departure will sting for second-year Bears quarterback Justin Fields but be a boon for whoever signs him.

There’s uncertainty in every offseason, but 2022’s uncertainty seems concentrated between those who throw the ball and those who catch it.

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February 15, 2022

The Essential Gear Your Need to Run Your First Half Marathon

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , — admin @ 12:30 am

I’m going to begin by stating this: I am not a runner. I have never enjoyed running, nor was I ever any good at it. I never understood the appeal, and I always scoffed at the idea of people getting pleasure out of pounding the pavement for hours on end. Now, with all that out of the way, I will say this: I recently completed my first half marathon at 6,300 feet above sea level in Jackson Hole, WY, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

To say that I completed the race “straight off the couch” would be selling myself short—but it’s not too far off. Once I accepted the invite to participate in the Jackson Hole Marathon, I knew I had to begin seriously training, but I was excited. After a couple years of COVID-related monotony, I was thrilled to begin a new challenge.

jackson marathon
The author during the race Photo: Orijin Media

I trained for roughly three months leading up to the big day. I started out running every couple days with varying goals each time (e.g. three to five miles on flat pavement, one to two miles on soft sand at the beach, or even two to three miles on uphill trails). The key for me was to change up my routine and push my body in different ways throughout the week. At that point, it wasn’t only about hitting my mileage; it was more about training my legs and my lungs to adapt to varied terrain. By the end of my first month or so, I was consistently hitting five to six miles with no trouble at all.

Once I arrived at that benchmark, I set my eyes on the seven- to nine-mile range, and then I discovered the elusive runner’s high. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt. When I collapsed on the grass after my first 10-miler, I was experiencing pure bliss.

jackson marathon
Photo: Orijin Media

My goal before race day was to hit 12 miles on varied terrain. I felt like that would allow me to head to Jackson confident that I could complete the distance no matter what the route threw at me. Seven days before the race, I hit the 12-mile mark on an undulating route that featured several long descents mixed with multiple steep, low-gear ascents. I wanted to give my legs a solid week to fully recover, but I still squeezed in two four-mile beach runs before the race. By the time I departed for Wyoming, I felt like I was at my peak.

jackson marathon
Photo: Orijin Media

Having flown in from sea level the day prior to the race, the altitude was the most taxing part on my body—and the fact that it was below 30 degrees Fahrenheit the morning of the race. But after the sun rose above the glorious Tetons (and I regained feeling in my fingertips), the run itself turned into one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I finished in just over two hours, and I ran the whole time. The high I felt after crossing the finish line on two feet was indescribable.

jackson marathon
The author feeling high as a kite Photo: Orijin Media

Want to take on your own half marathon? Below, I’ve highlighted the gear that got me through the whole thing. While every runner has their own gear preferences (especially when it comes to races), the picks below helped a guy who’d never ran more than three miles get into entry-level “big race” territory at high altitude—that’s saying quite a bit.

Half Marathon Gear: Essential Items for Your First Race

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February 11, 2022

Canada Goose Drops New Collab for NBA All-Star Weekend

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , — admin @ 11:22 pm

Roughly a decade ago, Canada Goose became hyper-ubiquitous. It didn’t matter if you were traipsing through a mountain town or urban city streets: goose down parks were everywhere. Canada Goose though, is not sitting back on its laurels, relying on existing designs. The brand just released a bold new collab with famed footwear designer Sales Bembury—the man behind Cole Haan’s LunarGrand wingtips, Yeezy Season 3 and 4 Military Boots, Versace’s Chain Reactions—for the NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.

Part of a multiyear partnership with the NBA and its annual All-Star celebration, this new limited-edition collection uses patterns and materials essential to Canada Goose’s design DNA mixed with basketball style of the ’90s.

“The NBA significantly influenced my interest in design. Growing up watching games with my dad, and loving everything about ’90s basketball culture, from the ’94 Knicks to Space Jam and The Fresh Prince,” says Bembury. “The ’90s were a time of fashion exploration, and that ethos is what I believe Canada Goose, the NBA and I have captured with this collection.”

Canada Goose's collaboration with the NBA and Salehe Bembury brings 90s style to the cold weather brand.
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The Canada Goose & NBA Collection plays off the brand’s functional heritage and adds in a dash of Bembury’s “style without rules” approach. The four-piece unisex capsule was created so you can layer, mix, and match to present your own take on Canada Goose’s trademark style.

“Salehe Bembury is one of the world’s most innovative designers of today and we are excited to work with him as this year’s design partner for the NBA All-Star 2022,” said Woody Blackford, executive vice president of product at Canada Goose. “Our NBA partnership has opened the door to bold new interpretations of the Canada Goose brand. This capsule combines the quality and function that Canada Goose is renowned for with the cultural richness of the NBA and Salehe’s boundless design approach.”

A Look at the Canada Goose & NBA Collection

Canada Goose's collaboration with the NBA and Salehe Bembury brings 90s style to the cold weather brand.
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The Expedition Parka has been redesigned with an exaggerated chenille hood trim and removable vest.

Canada Goose's collaboration with the NBA and Salehe Bembury brings 90s style to the cold weather brand.
Courtesy Image

The Concord Fleece uses the bold pattern of Bembury’s signature all-over thumbprint design.

Canada Goose's collaboration with the NBA and Salehe Bembury brings 90s style to the cold weather brand.
Courtesy Image

The Signal Vest has an overstated front hem for added coverage and protection.

Canada Goose's collaboration with the NBA and Salehe Bembury brings 90s style to the cold weather brand.
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The Tundra Bib is built to protect the lower body from extreme conditions and features adjustable elastic suspenders plus an interior drawcord for a closer fit.

Each style features an exclusive co-branded Canada Goose and Salehe Bembury patch along with label showing Bembury’s signature thumbprint pattern and NBA logo.

Canada Goose’s collaboration with acclaimed footwear designer Salehe Bembury for the NBA All-Star Weekend celebration launches in the U.S. February 11, and will be available in select Canada Goose retail stores February 12.

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At 50, Kelly Slater Is Nearing Greatest-of-the-Greats Status

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 8:14 pm

Right now, the No.1 ranked surfer in the world is a middle-aged bald guy. This sport, so often associated with reckless youth, is currently led by the calculated Kelly Slater—who turns 50 today after winning the Billabong Pipeline Masters last weekend. That would be 30 years after he won it the first time.

Slater is, by far, surfing’s G.O.A.T., but there are many who see his ability to stay there in four consecutive decades as a sign he may be the greatest of the greats. It begs the question where he fits in with other athletes known for longevity.

In 1965, Satchel Paige took the mound for the Kansas City Athletics at the tender age of 59. It was his only game of the season after a hiatus from the Majors. He pitched three innings, giving up only one hit to the Boston Red Sox. The Hall of Famer’s career had started 40 years earlier in the Negro Southern League—and Paige was still a force in 1948 at age 42 when he joined the Cleveland Indians. He’d continue to pitch in the Majors until he was 47.

Baseball legend Satchell Paige holds a baseball to his lips.
Satchel Paige Courtesy Image

“He was still striking people out because his stuff was so nasty,” says Lindsay Berra, contributor to MLB.com and writer for ESPN Magazine for 13 years—not to mention granddaughter of affable Hall of Famer Yogi Berra. “Paige put so much movement on his pitches, you could tell someone where the pitch was coming and they still couldn’t hit it,” adds Berra. “He pitched a 12-inning shutout for the Cleveland Browns when he was 46.”

In the hockey world, the standout equivalent remains Gordie Howe, who began his NHL career in 1946 and scored his final (801st ) goal on April 9, 1980, in a Stanley Cup Playoff game for the Hartford Whalers at age 52. “His son, Mark, got the assist,” chuckles Berra.

A young Gordie Howe smiles in a Detroit Red Wings jersey
Gordie Howe Courtesy Image

In the 90s, Slater was often compared to Michael Jordan when they were both stacking championships. Slater was to surf brand Quiksilver what Jordan was to Nike. They both obsessed about details and both “retired,” but couldn’t stay away from the games they loved.

In terms of pure hoop longevity, there was a guard named Nat Hickey who started playing pro in 1921. As late as 1948, he was coaching and would put himself in the game when needed. But Nat Hickey didn’t have a signature collection of kicks. If you’re looking for the NBA comparison, it would have to be LeBron. Both James and Slater dominated from the age of 18 and continue to be among their sport’s elite long after the average age of retirement, having cultural impact beyond their respective playing fields.

The Greatest Record of All Time

Last Saturday, Slater won the Billabong Pipeline Pro, the first World Surf League WCT event of the year. Back in 1990, the surfing phenomenon aced his first professional event before taking the Pipe in 1992 along with (as it was then known) the Association of Surfing Professionals world title. The Florida native went on to rack up 55 more event wins and 10 more titles, the next closest competitor being Aussie Mark Richards who won less than half that in the 1970s and early ‘80s. It would take a book to retell the entire Slater story and marvel at all those stats. Indeed, his two biographies may have been written a bit prematurely.

If we simply focus on the numbers from last weekend, Slater put up 18.77 of a possible 20 to beat Seth Moniz, from a family of Hawaiian surf royalty. In the 90s, Slater surfed in the same events with Tony Moniz, Seth’s father. Seth wasn’t born until three years after Slater first won at Pipe.

Slater surfed the Tour long after all his “Momentum Generation” friends who revolutionized competitive surfing hung up their boards. His closest contemporary, Taylor Knox, retired in 2012. Slater’s twisted rivalry/friendship with three-time champ Andy Irons ended in 2011 with Irons’ tragic death at age 32. Slater outlasted Aussies Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson, both 10 years younger, who combined for four world titles. He’s won specialty big-wave events, influenced the competition format, changed the equipment, set a new bar in heavy water, founded separate surfboard and apparel companies, and played his part in the development of the man-made wave at the Surf Ranch—which may completely alter the future of surfing.

In recent years, with Slater fighting injuries, surfing’s focus has shifted to John John Florence and Gabriel Medina, a pair of surfers 20 years his junior. They’ve each won two titles in what should be the twilight of Slater’s career. But with Medina choosing not to compete this year and Florence slipping in the semis at Pipe, Slater is again on top.

“I look at surfing or skiing or snowboarding a little different,” says Berra. “You have two opponents—your actual opponent, then the elements of the waves or the hill. You can be a smart, old boxer, but you can still slip and a young guy can break your jaw. It’s athletically incredible that Kelly is doing this 30 years later. In his case, age is almost an advantage. He knows his body and Pipeline so well.”

In fact, Slater is credited for smarts more than any other surfer. In any given heat at Pipeline, there may only be so many waves to come through that will garner an excellent score. Had Seth Moniz been in position for one of those three amazing Backdoor tubes, Slater would have been runner up. But time after time, decade after decade, Slater is the guy with the strategy to nab those coveted waves in each heat.

Tom + Kelly

On Tuesday of this week, just days after Slater’s Pipe win, newly retired NFL quarterback, Tom Brady, 44 posted a congratulations to Slater on Instagram, to which Slater replied “@TomBrady Legend! Congrats on your retirement this week, but I’ll hold out hope that with the skills still obviously intact, you make another appearance. You’ve made Florida and @Buccaneers fans proud. Thank you, Tom.”

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady throws a pass during a game.
Tom Brady Wong / Shutterstock

The two have a mutual admiration, but possibly more in common than that. Seth Wickersham, award-winning NFL reporter, senior ESPN writer, and author of It’s Better to Be Feared: The New England Patriots Dynasty and the Pursuit of Greatness has studied Brady’s career and spent countless hours with him. He reports that Brady has started surfing and skiing in later years—and has a library of surfing books at his home.

“I think when Brady came into the league, he figured he’d play 10 or 12 years then move on to something else—but I think his love for the game only intensified,” notes Wickersham, who recalls a transcript of a 27-year old Brady interview on 60 Minutes where correspondent Steve Kroft asked him, “What really scares Tom Brady?” Brady’s reply was, “The end of my playing career.”

“It was one of the most autobiographical statements of his life and shadowed much of what was to come,” adds Wickersham. “He continued to play for a few years before hurting his knee in 2008 and missing the season. That was when he started working closely with body coach Alex Guerrero, who became a controversial figure, but at the time really helped Tom with his rehab.”

Guerrero and Brady developed an entire approach to wellness designed to keep muscles soft and pliable. Wickersham stresses how Brady became evangelical about diet and hydration. Wickersham also mentions that Brady, as a rookie in 2000, started practicing yoga—leading to some very strong parallels with Slater, who’d quietly educated himself on fitness philosophies before anyone else in surfing. Prior to the mid-2000s, tour surfers worked out by carrying rocks underwater then rehydrating with cheap beer. Slater was into yoga and Pilates dating back to the ‘90s. By the time exercise balls started showing up at tour events, Slater could’ve had a degree in sport physiology, and his muscles were already elongated. The similarities didn’t stop there.

“When he missed that year, Brady not only began to question some of the tenets of Western medicine, but he also saw the game move on without him,” says Wickersham. “I think the next couple of years is when he really started talking about playing into his 40s.”

This sounds an awful lot like Slater’s attempt at retirement 20 years ago—while watching Irons start gobbling up titles.

“You saw Jordan come back after he retired because nothing makes him happier than playing basketball,” adds Wickersham. “Tom Brady saw that in himself. He was going to challenge the conventional wisdom that once you’re in your mid-30s in the NFL, you’re a senior citizen and you’re on your way out. Kelly is a phenomenal athlete. As great athletes age, often their love for the game doesn’t lessen. It actually intensifies.”

An emotional Kelly Slater embraces a surf competitor in the ocean.
Kelly Slater and 24-year-old pro surfer heavy Seth Moniz embrace after Slater took the Billabong Pipeline Masters title on Saturday February 5, 2022. Six days later, Slater now celebrates his 50th birthday. Courtesy of WSL

Final Wave?

Slater was visibly emotional in the circus surrounding him last Saturday. He hadn’t won an event since 2016.

“I committed my life to this,” he gushed to the world, “To all of this. To all of the heartbreak and winning and all this crap. You know, I’ve hated lots of it, but I savor this and this is the best win of my life.”

And then he threw an awkward stick in the spokes of the moment, mentioning he might not compete at the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach, which could start today. Does that mean he’s skipping an event to focus on the rest of the season? Does it mean he’ll never put on a jersey again?

Hard to say.

Kelly Slater has thought aloud about retiring as many times as he’s won titles. Keep in mind that while he has a mastery of Pipeline, Trestles and Teahu’poo, the big tricky walls of Sunset have never been his thing. But it certainly sets up the intrigue for the rest of the season. No matter what he decides to do, at 50, he’s earned his place on a very short list of greats.

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Wayne Boich is Bringing the World Padel Tour to the US

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , — admin @ 6:45 pm

Miami-based investors, Boich Investment Group and 777 Partners, today announced that the World Padel Tour will begin its 2022 season in Miami, Florida. ‘Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open,’ a six-day lifestyle and entertainment sporting event will take place at Island Gardens Miami, from February 22nd-27th. Home to the world’s largest and most notable global sporting events, the beautiful city of Miami offers an idyllic backdrop for the launch of the 2022 World Padel Tour. Bringing together the best within the sport of padel, first-class entertainment, premium dining, and beverage programming curated shopping experiences, and exemplary luxuries, the Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open will offer guests the chance to be a part of what is poised to become South Florida’s premier luxury lifestyle sporting event. Also supporting the event is a team of padel enthusiasts including Grinda Investments and Dani Homedes, Owner of the Wynwood Padel Club.

Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open will transform Island Gardens into a riveting and experiential 2,000-person open-air entertainment venue, lending to the ultimate padel tournament experience. Spectators can anticipate an unbelievable VIP experience presented by luxury Swiss watchmaking brand, Richard Mille. The Richard Mille Luxury Boxes will house 76 individual VIP Boxes coupled with a special boutique activation by culinary titan Major Food Group’s exclusive private membership destination, ZZ’s Club.

In addition, luxury wine label La Fête du Rosé will feature a specialty pop-up bar serving its signature rosé. While, Pura Vida, South Florida’s beloved wellness-driven destination, will be serving guests within their own dedicated area on-site throughout the weeklong event. In true Miami fashion, attendees can expect daily/nightly live music programming and impromptu celeb performances, including a special performance by Ludacris, a multitude of dining options, concessions, and a not-to-be-missed selection of retail offerings, all set against the beautiful backdrop of Biscayne Bay and Downtown Miami.

Below, you can find an interview with Wanye Boich about the process of bringing the World Padel Tour to the States.

World Padel Tour
Camille Puratore

You’re bringing the World Padel Tour to the US with the Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open, tell us why.

We feel the timing is right to have this event in the U.S. as the popularity of the sport has grown tremendously over the last few years, particularly in Miami. We’re very excited to be able to bring the best players in the world to this incredible city to be a part of an amazing event.

You are an avid Padel enthusiast and started playing about 8 years ago, tell us what drew you to the sport?

Growing up playing tennis, I was always drawn to racket sports. A friend of mine invited me to play padel one day, and from then on I was instantly hooked. I started playing padel in Miami, at a time when there weren’t many dedicated padel courts. It’s been great to see the growth over time, particularly in the last couple of years. Padel is an incredible mix of tennis, racketball, and squash. It’s an extremely interactive and social sport that uniquely allows for people with different levels to all play and be competitive.

Since you started playing till now, tell us what you have seen in terms of growth for the sport and where do you see that going over the next 10 years?

Over the last 4-5 years, Padel has received a great amount of attention outside of the U.S., particularly in Europe, and the Middle East. It really started to explode in Miami over the last couple of years. I foresee, over the next 5-10 years, that padel will continue to be (one of) the fastest growing sport(s) in the world, and undoubtedly the U.S. will serve as a catalyst for that growth.

What can people expect from the Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open?

It’s going to be a truly multifaceted event that will fuse the best of sport and lifestyle to offer an unbelievable experience for all different types of people, both day and night. Guests of the Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open can look forward to an array of dining options, a curated shopping experience, and some really spectacular celebrity performances with artists like Ludacris, Wyclef, and Rick Ross to name a few. The Richard Mille VIP Luxury Boxes will feature the exclusive membership destination, ZZ’s Club by Major Food Group. La Fete Du Rose will have its own specialty rose bar on-site and wellness-driven eatery Pura Vida will also be serving guests throughout the week/weekend. There will also be a very special charity pro-am tournament and celebrity match that was conceived as an engaging means to give back to the local community. Some of the organizations this match will benefit include the University of Miami Athletics, Overtown Youth Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, and the Miami Beach Jewish Community Center, among others.

Tell us about the people attending the tournament, who is the Padel fan?

The Blockchain.com Miami Padel Open was conceived to be inclusive and accessible, much like the sport itself. Padel is diverse. The demographic is widely spread out in terms of the different ages and types of people that play and watch the sport.

What does the future hold for this tournament?

I envision this tournament becoming an annual highlight in the U.S. from both a social and entertainment perspective. I can see it becoming a real part of the Miami community and the potential to become one of THE signature sporting events in South Florida.

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February 1, 2022

How Slopestyle Gold Medalist Red Gerard Keeps His Cool

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , — admin @ 1:43 pm

Snowboarder Red Gerard returned to the United States from the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang at the age of 17 with a gold in slopestyle around his neck. The youngest person ever to win a snowboarding gold for Team USA, he garnered attention for his youth, talent, and laid-back nonchalance. A gifted athlete with a friendly, effortless demeanor, he made being an elite athlete look easy. There was a little time for the dreamscape to continue—riding a high from the hardware, A-list sponsorships, and ensuing late-night talk show circuits—before returning home to three of his brothers in Silverthorne, CO, who promptly reminded him to do the dishes and take out the trash.

We spoke with Gerard about what it feels like up at the gate before a race, the importance of family (he’s one of eight kids) in staying grounded, and how the 2022 Olympics have a different meaning this time around.

Red Gerard reacts to his results in the slopestyle Olympic qualifier at Copper Mountain
Red Gerard reacts to his results during the Olympic qualifier at Copper Mountain. Courtesy Image

Men’s Journal: How many snowboarders will be representing Team USA this year and who are your biggest competitors?

Red Gerard: Team USA will be four men and four women. As far as our biggest competitors, Canada and Norway always have pretty good teams. If I had to focus on someone specifically, I’d say Marcus Kleveland from Norway. He’s really good at what he does, and somebody I grew up watching and looking up to. He was the guy all my teammates watched too, even before we made the U.S. National Team. He was just this crazy kid who could do double courts—and we’re all, “Oh my God. I want to be this kid.” And now I’m up against him.

What’s also cool is that everyone in our sport is so nice. You expect people you grew up watching to be these big professional athletes, then you meet them and they’re just these nice, humble men and women.

What does family mean to you?

My family is everything. I feel so lucky to have such a big one and I love them all so much. There have been many times where they’ve helped me along when I’m stressed out, or just kept me grounded during little victories along the way. People ask me who my best friends are. They’re family.

You exude buoyancy and levity. How do you stay grounded as an internationally known athlete going into your second Games at the age of 21?

I go golfing with my cousin every day after he’s done working. I also live with my brothers. It’s the simple stuff: doing dishes, taking out the trash. I’m no better than them in any way, and that’s what helps keep me grounded. No matter how much I win, lose, succeed, or attract media attention, I’m still their little brother. So they’re always kind of beating up on me and keeping me in line. They never let me forget that I’m the little brother!

Also being around a large family, I roll easily with a lot of people. It makes being on the road easier for me than it is for athletes who’ve never had that constant movement and energy. There are a lot of people on the team from smaller families than my own, and I think they do struggle with being around a lot of people for that long—especially being on the road for months on end. A lot of times, you don’t really have a ton of personal space while traveling because we’re always rooming with someone. That doesn’t bother me at all because that’s just how I grew up—y’know, in a house where there were 10 of us.

Has Covid impacted your training? Is it a psychological hurdle at all for you?

No. Obviously, there’s always that scare of getting sick, especially so far away from home. I got it in August 2020 and was lucky it didn’t do much to me. That boosted my confidence about traveling. The rigorous testing and staying in a bubble is a little annoying but necessary, and by now I’ve gotten used to that.

How do you approach training physically and mentally for your runs?

At this point, I’ve been doing it for so long it just feels really natural. At the training camps, I’ll have a couple of tricks I want to learn and I’ll just slowly chip away at trying to reach my goal. After, it’s all about trying to treat my body for the next day because it does get pretty sore, especially if I’m training seven days a week on snow. After snowboarding, I stretch and get in the ice bath for maintenance. In the spring when days are longer, we have full days. It’s so fun. We’re linking up, snowboarding, then getting off the hill and going skateboarding, then ending it with golf. By then I’m so torn up.

How much coaching do you need if you’ve been on the snow since you were two?

My coaches are out there every day with me. I’ve been with Dave Reynolds since joining the U.S. team when I was 13. I have a really good relationship with him and consider him to be one of my closest friends.

All my brothers were into snowboarding when I was growing up and it was always more about getting in a good groove and riding with friends. That’s when you tend to learn tricks and snowboard better—when you’re just out having fun, so that’s how it is on the mountain. Obviously, it’s on a different scale now that we’re doing bigger tricks and all that. I think all of that makes me very coachable.

Are you planning any new tricks you haven’t done before?

For sure. Every time we go to those training camps, we always have tricks we want to do. Right now, it seems the trick in snowboarding is 1620s and figuring those out. That’s been the goal—to get those dialed. Luckily enough, I feel I’ve done a couple of them and now it’s just trying to get to that comfort level where I feel like I can do it in bad weather. I can’t be scared of the trick.

Do you also train on a trampoline or is it all open-air on the mountain now?

I did a lot of that when I was younger. Then as I got older I noticed that the trampoline started to hurt my body more, so I stopped. Now, it’s just all up on the mountain. You just work yourself up to it. There’s obviously a level of commitment when it comes to competing at this level. For me, a lot of it is mental. Picturing it in my brain and doing it in my head—a million times over and over, until it’s time to actually execute it. Then at that point, you just kind of go out and do it.

Have you ever had a major injury?

I’m lucky. Knock on wood, I’ve never broken a bone or anything. Last year, I did have a ligament issue and knee surgery on my meniscus. It was a six-month process, but it’s good now.

What have you learned about yourself since your last triumphant Olympics?

At the 2018 Winter Olympics, I was pretty young and I think it forced me to mature quicker than your average kid—which I was very grateful for. I got to meet a lot of cool people, and I was just put in this realm where I needed to mature very quickly.

Before the Olympics, I didn’t really care much about winning because it was just such a rush going to all these contests and competing with all of these people. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned that I really do enjoy being on the podium. If I’m going to compete, I want to give it my all. Another thing I’ve learned over the years is just more about myself and how my body works. Before the last Olympics, it was all just fun and games. And it still absolutely is, but there’s also a new sense of professionalism for me now.

A shift in your mindset?

Very much so—just trying to achieve something special. I’m a natural athlete, and I really like being fluid, in the zone, and being present. It’s what makes me tick and I never want to lose that.

Do you see yourself going for four Olympics?

I’m a pretty step-by-step guy. I try never to get that far ahead of myself. After these Olympics, maybe I’ll take a little break. I’m a big fan of filming snowboarding and making movies, so maybe I’ll take a year to do that. But I absolutely plan on coming back to competing because I really enjoy it. I think a lot of snowboarders don’t enjoy it as much. But for me, I like to put together these runs. It’s like nothing else.

Does competing in the Olympics feel different? Do you feel a patriotic pull?

The actual snowboarding part of the Olympics is no different than any other contest I do, but there’s a whole other aspect here obviously. A lot more media attention. A lot more eyes on you. And, of course, I’m representing my country and I have my family there watching. It’s bigger in many ways, but when I’m standing at the top I just try to think, “I’ve been doing this since I was two years old.” A lot of people ask me how I got to this level. Step by step. I’ve just been doing it for so long.

Some speed round questions for you: Favorite food?

I’m all about the sushi.

Favorite film?

The last Bond movie.

Do you have a favorite band?

I’ve always been a Rolling Stones guy.

Favorite place to snowboard with friends?

Powder resorts are the best. Woodward Park City just opened and it’s really cool.

Greatest snowboarding influence or mentor?

My brothers. Danny Davis has always been up there too—the way he treats people with kindness and carries himself with such integrity. I think he’s just a great representation of how snowboarders should be.

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