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Good morning! Personally, I would put Alex Rodriguez in Monument Park.
Things, Ranked: Let’s yell about some QBs
Every year, The Athletic’s Mike Sando produces one of the most interesting data files in the NFL: his QB tiers, which are sourced by votes from 50 league coaches and executives on where to slot today’s NFL QBs, from Tier 1 to Tier 5. The results are always instructive and tend to produce a lot of arguing.
It’s our sweet spot, right?
I want to play Name That QB with my three favorite quotes. Answers listed below:
- “Is there a zero category (above Tier 1)?”
- “I wonder if he loves it enough. He should be way better than this.”
- “You go back and watch those first four plays before he got hurt, he did not look good … He looks old.”
OK, to our answers:
- Patrick Mahomes. Duh. He has received 249 of 250 possible Tier 1 votes over the last five years.
- Deshaun Watson. The Browns have arguably the NFL’s best defense, but the team’s success largely hinges on the league’s all-time most expensive QB, one who has largely looked lost since arriving in Cleveland.
- Aaron Rodgers. Oh baby. The haters are out for Rodgers, who missed Tier 1 for the first time in Tiers history. He even got two Tier 4 votes. Clearly, NFL brains are skeptical of his post-injury effectiveness at 40.
Oh, and two statistical notes:
- Brock Purdy and Jordan Love are new favorites among NFL power brokers. Both jumped 13 spots in the overall rankings and ascended from Tier 4 to Tier 2. Both received Tier 1 votes as well.
- Only three QBs made Tier 1, the fewest since 2016. Lamar Jackson — the reigning MVP, mind you — missed Tier 1 by three votes. An honorable-mention best quote: “Putting an MVP of this league in Tier 2 is being on some quarterback high horse.”
Make sure to read the full Tiers list here, which also features a shocking rise for C.J. Stroud. It’s worth your time.
News to Know
Aaron Judge cannot stop homering
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit his 50th and 51st home runs of the season yesterday, continuing another otherworldly year at the plate. He became the fifth player to ever hit 50 or more home runs in three separate seasons, which floored me. The other four: Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Alex Rodriguez. Barry Bonds did it just once (a record 73 homers in 2001), and Ken Griffey Jr. did it twice, with three 45-plus homer seasons in there for good measure. Judge is now on pace for 63 home runs this season, which would top his AL single-season home run mark of 62 from two years ago.
Another big Yankees-related number from yesterday: That controversial Babe Ruth “called shot” jersey sold for $24 million at auction.
Fanatics adds Marvin Harrison Sr. to suit
In an amended legal complaint, sports memorabilia giant Fanatics accused both Cardinals rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. and his Hall of Fame dad of engaging in “a corporate shell game” to breach terms of a contract with Fanatics. The company originally sued the younger Harrison in May. See the full report here.
More news
- Ja’Marr Chase’s contract situation appears pacified for the moment, as the star Bengals wideout returned to practice as a full participant yesterday.
- Ravens offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris died yesterday at age 70, the team announced.
- Michigan formally received an NCAA notice of allegations yesterday for its sign-stealing scandal. Attorneys for controversial former assistant Connor Stalions blasted the NCAA.
- Lydia Ko, already author of a Hall of Fame career, won the Women’s Open at St. Andrews yesterday. On the men’s side, Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship by a single shot.
Things You Need to See: Hats are better than gloves anyway
Cionel Pérez has been pretty good for the 76-56 Orioles this year, a reliable reliever with a 3.86 ERA in 48 appearances. What he’s done on the bench might be more impressive. Just look at this snag last night:
Cionel Pérez caught the SIXTH homer in his cap 😱
🎥 @MLBpic.twitter.com/1QSf6tqHhv
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 26, 2024
Fun fact: That’s the sixth home run ball he’s caught in his hat this year. It’s already a bit in Baltimore, clearly. I love how the entire Orioles bullpen just cleared out for Pérez to make the grab.
Put him in the outfield.
Watch This Game
MLB: Astros at Phillies
6:40 p.m. ET on FS1
These are two division leaders, but I want to watch Houston here, as the ‘Stros hold a 4 1/2-game lead over the volatile Mariners, who fired their manager last week but still have a slim hope to reach the playoffs. A bad week for Seattle and a good week for Houston decides the AL West.
WNBA: Fever at Dream
7:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV
Yep, we’re gonna have a Fever-Dream. Caitlin Clark continues to crush, and this happens to be a critical game for WNBA playoff seeding, as Atlanta sits just a half game out of the final spot heading into this one. Worth a look.
Get tickets to games like these here.
Pulse Picks
The Minnesota Twins are one of baseball’s biggest success stories this season. How did they do it? Tacos and beer, apparently.
Don’t miss Jon Greenberg’s story on the moribund Chicago White Sox, who lost their 100th game last night — and it’s still August. There’s beating a dead horse, then there’s what the Sox players have to endure.
The NFL regained something this offseason when the Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh: the league’s most fascinating — and sometimes terse — rivalry.
Fantasy football drafts should be in full swing this week, if they aren’t underway already. We have one burning fantasy question for every NFL team.
Corey Pronman’s NHL Pipeline Rankings feature debuts today, and we’ll have more content to add throughout the week. This morning, he set the table for all 32 teams and their young stars.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Our story from Dublin, where Georgia Tech’s huge upset sparked college football chaos before Week 1 even begins.
Most-read on the website yesterday: I swear I did not rig this: Bruce Feldman’s list of toughest places to play in college football from back in June, which ranks a certain venue in South Louisiana as No. 1.
Top podcast in The Athletic network: Our Daily Football Briefing is a must-listen during soccer season. Catch up on all the weekend’s action in 10 minutes here.
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(Top photo: Elsa / Getty Images)
