HOT
Arizona men’s basketball
The Wildcats proved they are a team to be reckoned with when they beat Utah at home 69-51. Plus, Brandon Ashley was named to the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award midseason watch list. If Arizona can get victories on the road in its upcoming games against Stanford and California, it will prove it needs to be ranked in the top five again.
Arizona track & field
The Wildcats opened the season at the NAU Lumberjack’s J.L. Walkup Skydome and showed the Pac-12 Conference that this team means business. Sophomore pentathlete Alyssa Thompson led the pack, posting a personal best in shot put and earning first place in the long jump. Plus, freshmen additions to the team showed they can compete at the highest level. This track and field team means business.
Max Scherzer
The 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner just got a little bit richer when he finalized his $210 million seven-year contract with the Washington Nationals. The former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher has proved to so many why it was so dumb to have traded him in the first place. The Nationals now have a pitching duel in the works, with Jordan Zimmermann and Scherzer fighting for who will be the Ace.
NOT
Deflate Gate
Sources have now confirmed to the NFL that 11 of the 12 balls used by the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game were underinflated. That’s just silly. Although the Patriots have made it all the way to the Super Bowl, they are getting media attention that is not the kind an NFL team normally wants right before it tries to win a championship, especially going up against the Seahawks.
Arizona women’s basketball
The Wildcats need to find themselves as fast as possible. With six-straight Pac-12 losses, this team is struggling. After starting the season with a couple of victories, Arizona and head coach Niya Butts need to figure out how to fix the drought before they have another off season.
LeBron James
The Cleveland Cavaliers are struggling at just two games over .500. The small forward has been scoring almost 32 points a game and is pulling his team out of the bumpy road that was the beginning of the season. At least that is what some might think. James’ SpringHill Productions will be partnering with NBC to create a prime-time game show. Come on LeBron: You need to focus on basketball before you get into the game show business.
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