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Good morning! Tyrese Haliburton is funny.
Big Returns: What the Vols’ resurgence says about modern CFB
The Tennessee football program occupies a rare space in the sport. The Volunteers boast a rich history, a fervent (and massive) fan base and … few elite results in this century.
But now, the Vols are acting like a refreshed powerhouse — on and off the field. Layers here:
- We should start by going back to the recruitment of five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who agreed to an unprecedented $8 million NIL deal in 2022 after committing to the Vols. It’s still a big number, but even just two years ago, it made waves. The largest NIL deal anyone had heard of was going to a QB who’d spurned steadier powers for oft-turbulent Tennessee.
- Tennessee was ahead of many NIL-wise, which brings us to today’s news: The program will add a 10 percent “talent fee” to its season ticket prices, in light of power-conference athletes likely becoming eligible to receive compensation from not just NIL, but also directly from their schools. The Vols are the first to add a fee this overt, but won’t be the last. Bruce Feldman says they picked the right time to make this move.
- Which brings us back to Iamaleava, who is making good on that flashy NIL deal. Through three games this year, Iamaleava has thrown six touchdowns and completed 71 percent of his passes. He’s thriving under Josh Heupel, the coach hired in 2021 to break Tennessee from its spell of mediocrity. An 11-2 season in 2022 and a 9-4 campaign a year ago were encouraging. This year, the Vols are No. 5 in Chris Vannini’s 134-team rankings and beating Vegas spreads by more points than any other team in CFB. They are legitimate SEC title contenders.
Tennessee travels to No. 15 Oklahoma this weekend for an early-season showdown in the SEC (yep, OU’s in that conference). A victory would probably make Vols fans forget all about that fee for a while.
News to Know
Ohtani nearer 50/50
Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani hit his 48th home run of the season in a loss to the Marlins, giving him 48 homers and 48 steals with just 11 games left to play. Ohtani is trying to become the first player in MLB history to record a 50-50 season. At this point, I would believe any superlative about him. Our full report has more.
Tua goes on IR
The Dolphins placed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on IR yesterday after the QB suffered a scary concussion in last week’s loss to the Bills. Tagovailoa, 26, will miss at least the next four games as both the team and player search for medical insights. This is the third diagnosed concussion in three years for Tagovailoa. Also going on IR yesterday: Colts All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.
Joshua diagnosed with cancer
The Vancouver Canucks will be without forward Dakota Joshua when training camp opens this week, as Joshua shared a statement yesterday announcing he has been diagnosed with testicular cancer. Joshua, 28, said he plans to continue his career as soon as he’s medically cleared and encouraged all men to get checked regularly for the ailment. Read his full comments here.
More news
- Fight! Both Brittney Griner and Rickea Jackson were ejected in the first half of Phoenix’s 85-81 win over the Sparks. More of a scuffle.
- Wittenberg University, a Division III school in Springfield, Ohio, has canceled all sporting events through the weekend due to “ongoing threats of violence.”
- Timberwolves executive vice president Sachin Gupta — who, fun fact, created ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine — is heading to the world of soccer for a role at Chelsea.
- The Chiefs signed Kareem Hunt to their practice squad. Full report here.
Real Estate: You just missed buying MJ’s house
Michael Jordan’s famous Chicago mansion is under contract as of last weekend, The Athletic confirmed, bringing a close to one of the most ludicrous and captivating sports-adjacent sagas. Just these two facts boggle my brain:
- The house has nine bedrooms and 19 bathrooms, which makes for an absurdly luxurious ratio. The total square footage is around 32,000, and the entirely separate guest home is considerably larger than my own.
- The house has been for sale for 12 years . There is no better barometer for how different the luxury real estate market is than the one you and I exist in. It makes sense: How many people are feasibly lining up to buy a $15 million estate adorned with customized Michael Jordan decorations? Not many. But all it takes is one.
Of course we had to peruse the Zillow. The estate has a full-sized basketball court, giant gym, tennis court and — obviously — a cigar room. I have thoughts, though:
- The best part of the house: the outdoor grounds. For all the features inside, the estate around it is simply stunning. Beautiful landscaping, great pool, a pond, outdoor grilling setup. I’d spend all my time out there.
- The worst: the entire decor. This is rich coming from someone who could never afford the property, but everything looks dreary and dated in this house. Maybe the buyers can hit me up to talk aesthetics with a newsletter writer.
And a final lingering question: Do the new owners keep the “23” emblazoned on the gate? I would. I’d want people to know I bought Michael Jordan’s house.
See all the details in our full story here. I also enjoyed this video tour of the house.
Watch and Listen
📺 Soccer: Manchester City vs. Inter Milan
3 p.m. ET on Paramount+
Another big round of Champions League action is set for today, and it feels momentous for Man City, as the juggernaut faces possible demotion over financial charges. Oh, and a star player is talking about a player strike.
📺 MLB: Yankees at Mariners
9:40 p.m. ET on Prime Video
New York is finally closing in on the AL East title as Baltimore fades. Seattle is still afloat in the wild-card race, too, just three games back. Easily the best game of our late window.
Stream games like these here and get tickets here.
🎧 Two choices for you today: “The Athletic Football Show” did QB therapy for Bryce Young with The Ringer’s Steven Ruiz, while the “No Dunks” crew ranked 21 NBA MVP candidates for this upcoming season.
Pulse Picks
I thought David Ubben’s column on why Arch Manning was never going to leave Texas last offseason was smart. I’m excited to see what he can do in his first start this weekend, too.
Always a midweek must: fantasy football waiver wire recommendations from Jake Ciely.
Harman Dayal has 10 NHL breakout candidates for this season, which creeps ever closer.
Hey, why are baseball cards still more popular than NFL or NBA cards, even as the latter two sports surpass baseball in the national conversation? Michael Salfino explained.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: The news story from Monday’s wild Falcons comeback win.
Most-read on the website yesterday: NFL Power Rankings for Week 3. Who dat, baby.
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(Top photo: Lance King / Getty Images)
