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The Iowa Hawkeyes have had a rough 2024-25 college basketball season. Similar to what the football team went through this past year, it has been filled with ups and a lot of downs.
At this point in the year, Iowa is 14-10 and their hopes of making the NCAA Tournament are not very good. No one can ever say never, but the Hawkeyes will likely miss out on March Madness.
Payton Sandfort has had a good year. He has been a major leader for Iowa and has backed that leadership up with consistent production on the court.
After helping to lead the Hawkeyes to a big win over Rutgers on Wednesday evening, Sandfort spoke out with some uplifting comments about his team.
Despite the rollercoaster ride of the season, Sandfort could not be more happy with and proud of his teammates.
“The way we’ve stayed together, the way that we keep fighting, putting on that jersey with pride. It means a lot to me as someone who's been a part of this program for a long time," Sandfort said.
Payton Sandfort: “The way we’ve stayed together, the way that we keep fighting, putting on that jersey with pride. It means a lot to me as someone who's been a part of this program for a long time.” pic.twitter.com/1qZbwejAea
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) February 13, 2025
Once again, his leadership was on full display with those comments. He's also 100 percent right about how the team has stayed together instead of falling apart and giving up.
Against Rutgers, Sandfort ended up scoring 20 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Josh Dix led the way with 26 points on the night.
Hopefully, Iowa can finish out the season strong. They may not end up making it to the tournament, but continuing to play through adversity and finishing strong would give them something to be very proud of moving forward.
Next up for the Hawkeyes will be a Sunday evening matchup on the road against the currently No. 25 ranked Maryland Terrapins. It's another opportunity for Iowa to come through with a statement win.
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Dolphins considering drastic Tua Tagovailoa move
Tua Tagovailoa's future as the Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback may be on shaky ground. Through nine starts, Tagovailoa is 2-7 and has posted a below-average 43.6 QBR. If his play doesn't improve soon, the team may make a drastic move. Dolphins are reportedly considering benching Tua Tagovailoa In a story published Sunday, NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport reported the Dolphins could bench Tagovailoa in favor of Zach Wilson or rookie Quinn Ewers later this season. Rapoport added, "Tagovailoa's play would really have to fall off for Miami to turn to either Wilson or Ewers." However, the QB may be nearing that point. In his past four games, the 2020 first-round pick has tossed seven of his 11 interceptions. Wilson and Ewers have both filled in for Tagovailoa during blowout losses this season. Former New York Jets flop Wilson completed 5-of-8 passes for 32 yards in a 33-8 Week 1 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Ewers, a seventh-round pick out of Texas, finished 5-of-8 passing for 53 yards in a 31-6 Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns. What would happen if the Dolphins benched Tua Tagovailoa? The Dolphins' benching of Tagovailoa would signal they want to move on from the QB, but that would be challenging. In July 2024, the former Alabama star signed a four-year, $212.4M contract extension with $167.1M guaranteed. The deal is now an albatross for the franchise. According to Rapoport, Miami would incur an NFL-record $99.2M cap hit if it released him this offseason. The Dolphins could designate him as a post-June 1 cut to spread the amount out over the next two seasons ($67.4M in 2026 and $31.8M in 2027). The Denver Broncos did the same in March 2024, after taking an $85M cap hit following the release of former starting QB Russell Wilson. To avoid these expenses, the Dolphins could consider trading Tagovailoa with a post-June 1 designation. A pre-June 1 trade would leave $45.2M in dead money against Miami's salary cap. But a declining and injury-prone Tagovailoa shouldn't attract many suitors. The sixth-year veteran has had four documented concussions in his NFL career. The Dolphins should hope Tagovailoa gets his act together. Per Over The Cap, his deal runs out of guaranteed salary in 2027. Until then, they're likely stuck with the 27-year-old passer.
Three offseason trade targets for Blue Jays to add an impact bat
The Toronto Blue Jays and their fans are fresh off the most heartbreaking loss in franchise history. Putting the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers on the brink of elimination with two cracks to win the World Series at home, only to lose two nail-biters that each came down to the final out. It’s going to take a long time to get over it, if that’s even possible to do. However, they'll have to turn the page rather quickly because in just three days, the negotiating window for free agents expires, and all are free to sign wherever they so choose. Toronto will be busy in an attempt to retain the likes of star shortstop Bo Bichette and starting pitchers Shane Bieber, Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer. At the same time, the front office must be active in improving its roster from the outside, whether that’s via free agency or trade. While there are some intriguing names for the Blue Jays to target on the open market, given their needs, heading down the trade route could make the most sense. Here are three ideal trade targets for the Toronto Blue Jays to add an impactful left-handed bat to their lineup for 2025-26 and beyond: Oneil Cruz | Pittsburgh Pirates Cruz’s name popped up in trade rumors ahead of the deadline in August, and it’s fair to wonder if he still could be available if Pittsburgh gets the right offer. The 27-year-old has all of the tools to be one of the best hitters in baseball, standing at 6-foot-7, 240 pounds with extreme power and bat speed. His numbers last season (20 HRs, 61 RBI), while solid, didn't reflect his talent, but it's understandable given the lack of protection around him on the Pirates. In Toronto, Cruz could slot in behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bichette, immediately becoming the most dangerous left-handed hitter in a right-heavy lineup. Matt Wallner | Minnesota Twins The 39th overall pick back in 2019 may not publicly be on the trade block, but after its sell-off at the deadline, it doesn’t feel like anyone is untouchable in Minnesota. Like Cruz, Wallner, at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, has big-time power, and the Blue Jays saw that firsthand when he crushed three HRs and six RBI during their three-game series in Toronto in late August. He does have some swing and miss in his bat (.231 career average), but with how often the top of the Blue Jays lineup gets on base, all it takes is one swing for Wallner to put up a crooked number on the scoreboard. Jarren Duran | Boston Red Sox The 2024 All-Star Game MVP has been in constant trade discussions for over a year now, and it feels inevitable that he gets dealt out of Boston this winter. Duran had more of an up-and-down 2025 campaign, though he's displayed the ability to drive in runs (84 RBI) and has power with even more untapped potential. Combine that with his speed and athleticism, and you can see why so many teams would love to acquire him. Trading within the division is never easy, but the 29-year-old would be a perfect fit in the middle of Toronto's lineup, so it's something they should absolutely look into.
Dan Orlovsky just called out Joe Whitt in the bluntest way possible
Another prime-time embarrassment against the Seattle Seahawks was masked by yet more injury problems for the Washington Commanders. But that should not detract from the real issue at hand. Luke McCaffrey broke his collarbone on the opening kickoff. Marshon Lattimore cut a dejected figure on the sidelines after tearing his ACL. Superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels, who had no business being in the game midway through the fourth quarter, suffered a dislocated left elbow that could rule him out for the entire campaign. These issues, particularly those involving Daniels, will take the headlines. However, this game once again exposed what's really behind Washington's demise this season. That, of course, is their woefully incompetent defense. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold carved up the Commanders like a Thanksgiving turkey, with more than 250 passing yards, four touchdowns, and a 100 percent completion success in the first half. Seattle took pity on Washington after that, but Mike Macdonald's squad could have scored whenever they felt like it. Dan Orlovsky blasts Commanders for fatal defensive flaw that won't go away If defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. isn't on the hot seat, he should be. This unit lacks ideas, inspiration, and motivation. It looked like the players legitimately downed tools on their coach in Week 9, which typically only ends one way. Quarterback turned ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky hit the nail on the head. He pointed to Whitt's insistence on playing so much man coverage when it's painfully apparent that Washington doesn't have the talent to do so effectively as a massive flaw that must be urgently rectified. Have said it all season long. I truly don’t understand Washington running all this man coverage when they clearly do not have the people to play man coverage. They make it easy on QBs.Dan Orlovsky In fairness to Whitt, he's tried more zone coverage. That hasn't worked either, so it's a case of finding the lesser of two evils. Either way, an ongoing capitulation feels almost inevitable. Confidence has been sapped from this squad. Influential figures are sidelined, and the ripple effects are too much for this threadbare roster to counteract. Although Lattimore hasn't exactly covered himself in glory this season, losing the four-time Pro Bowler only stretches this failing group even more. Just what Whitt or anyone else can do at this point is anyone's guess. The Commanders don't have the personnel to make effective adjustments. The veterans are slow. The young players expected to make strides have regressed. They are not generating pressure and have a soft underbelly against the run. It is a woeful concoction of ineptitude, and fans aren't expecting much to change. That's the most depressing part of all.
NFL executive explains why Bills may ultimately have big Micah Parsons regret
The Buffalo Bills have the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player in quarterback Josh Allen, and they looked like legitimate Super Bowl contenders when they improved to 6-2 on the season via a 28-21 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) on Sunday afternoon. That said, not everybody is convinced the Bills' roster has the goods to win on the biggest stages during the winter. For a piece published on Monday, one unnamed NFL executive spoke with Mike Sando of The Athletic and suggested that Buffalo will ultimately regret not completing an all-in trade ahead of the 2025 campaign. Are Bills one piece away from being a Super Bowl champion? "I would want a real pass-rusher if I were Buffalo," the executive explained. "They probably could not have afforded this, but Micah Parsons to the Bills would have been a 'holy s---' moment." The executive was referencing how the Dallas Cowboys traded Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round draft picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark in late August. As part of that deal, Green Bay signed Parsons to a four-year, $188M contract that included $136M guaranteed. For a piece posted on Monday afternoon, Bills reporter Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN noted that Buffalo could look to acquire an edge-rusher before the trade deadline arrives at 4 p.m. ET this coming Tuesday. Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals and Kayvon Thibodeaux of the New York Giants could be options for Buffalo. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, "the Bengals are still asking for a first-round pick in any deal for" Hendrickson's services. Meanwhile, the Giants reportedly won't trade Thibodeaux for anything less than a first-round selection. Do Bills have to buy to topple Chiefs in January? The previously mentioned Allen holds a career postseason record of 0-4 against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Thus, outsiders would understand if those running the Bills would feel that the club must bolster its defense ahead of the trade deadline. "Buffalo is not impressive talent-wise, but they are very well-coached," the executive added. "My gut just tells me that Buffalo is going to break through this year. They have been pretty unlucky to lose games three of the past four years against the Chiefs (in the playoffs). Those could have gone either way. Eventually, those bounce the other way, so I think they will be fine." It remains to be seen if the Bills will determine their roster is "fine" as it is before the trade deadline comes and goes.
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