deadspin.com | Stephen Knox

Freelance Writer

If you don’t like players in college sports getting paid, you're really not gonna like this

The fire hydrant has been busted open and money is spewing in the streets of college sports. Mens’ college basketball saw the success of the Inaugural 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament and has decided to start one of its own....

by Stephen Knox|Sports

|Mon Mar 11 2024

NFL Safeties are getting the short end of stick this offseason

It’s cap casualty season. The new league year begins on March 13, and every team in the league has to be under the hard salary cap by 4 p.m. EST on that date. Teams across the league are bleeding talent to reach the $255.4 million number....

by Stephen Knox|NFL

|Sun Mar 10 2024

Marlins are attempting to build on the success of 2023 World Baseball Classic, but a year too late

The 2023 World Baseball Classic was fantastic. I was watching the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament at a bar in Los Angeles, when I noticed that most people there had gathered to watch Mexico take on Puerto Rico. The energy in the room was captivating, much of it because Loan Depot Park in Miami was ...

by Stephen Knox|deadspin.com | Stephen Knox2023 World Baseball Classic

|Fri Mar 08 2024

The Buffalo Bills are feeling the pain of the NFL's hard salary cap

The Buffalo Bills gave it their best shot. When they signed Von Miller to that six-year, $120 million contract it was a sign that a “Super Bowl or Bust,” had been hung on the team bus, plane, practice facility, and on the front of Ralph Wilson stadium. ...

by Stephen Knox|Buffalo Bills

|Thu Mar 07 2024

Big men are back in style in the NBA

The 1995-96 season was the end of the golden era for big men in the NBA. Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Shaquille O’Neal were stuffing opponents into lockers with their unstoppable back-to-the-basket games. They were the superstars in the paint, but Alonzo Mourning, Rik Smits, a...

by Stephen Knox|the NBA

|Thu Mar 07 2024

When Emmitt Smith talks about race, people should listen

Emmitt Smith is probably not the first athlete people associate with Black people’s American struggle. He wasn’t at the press conference with the then-Lew Alcindor (now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Bill Russell, and Jim Brown in support of Muhammad Ali electing to not serve in the United States mi...

by Stephen Knox|Emmitt Smith

|Wed Mar 06 2024

No tag for Barkley, Danny Dimes buyer's remorse: The Giants appear ready to hit the reset button

The New York Giants are reportedly looking to move on from QB Daniel Jones — whom they signed to a four-year, $160 million deal — and decided against using the franchise tag on Saquon Barkley, arguably the second-best player in franchise history. ...

by Stephen Knox|Barkley

|Tue Mar 05 2024

Damian Lillard finally played like the superstar the Bucks expected him to be

It is tempting to say that the Milwaukee Bucks turned a corner on Monday night. Without Giannis Antetokounmpo in the lineup, they were still able to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers, 113-106, and remain undefeated since the All-Star break. Damian Lillard did not play his best game of the season in An...

by Stephen Knox|Damian Lillard

|Tue Mar 05 2024

The Buccaneers finally came to their senses with Mike Evans

Mike Evans is a Hall of Fame talent. His 1,255 receiving yards last season makes him the only player in NFL history to record 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 10 NFL seasons. Regardless of whether the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is Tom Brady, Jameis Winston, Baker May...

by Stephen Knox|Mike Evans

|Mon Mar 04 2024

Increasing the NFL season to 18 games is a terrible idea

An 18-game NFL regular season has been looming over the league at least since it was clear that the 2011 lockout was an inevitability. What the league wants, the league — more specifically the team owners — usually gets. The revenue split used to be 50/50 with the players, but now a greater share ha...

by Stephen Knox|NFL

|Mon Mar 04 2024

Turns out America loves the Denver Nuggets

Most of the state of Colorado can’t watch the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets. However, the rest of America is enjoying the show. NBA insider/analyst Ethan Strauss dove into some viewership data for a recent post on his substack....

by Stephen Knox|Denver Nuggets

|Mon Mar 04 2024

Victor Wembanyama finally got a win against Chet Holmgren

Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren play for teams that occupy two very different places in the Western Conference standings. The San Antonio Spurs are going to be in the running for a second-consecutive No. 1 overall pick. The Oklahoma City Thunder are a game behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for t...

by Stephen Knox|Chet Holmgren

|Fri Mar 01 2024

'Cream Abdul-Jabbar' has Indiana State back in the spotlight

The first Magic Johnson and Larry Bird matchup in the 1979 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game is the most viewed college basketball game of all time. Being that more than 35 million people watched, certainly a few of them have wondered over the years what happened to the Indiana State ...

by Stephen Knox|Abdul-Jabbar

|Sat Mar 02 2024

The Patriots sure put the F in family

The New England Patriots are not a family-friendly organization. Color me surprised. ...

by Stephen Knox|Tom Brady

|Thu Feb 29 2024

NBA defenses can't keep up with the record-setting highest-scoring offenses

Complaints about NBA defensive intensity have littered sports debate television, podcasts, and columns all season. As of Tuesday, the top five teams in offensive rating will have the five highest marks in that category in NBA history. Six players have scored 60 or more points this season. Luka Donči...

by Stephen Knox|NBA

|Wed Feb 28 2024

What the hell is wrong with Sean Payton?

Earth to Sean Payton: Russell Wilson is still on the Denver Broncos’ roster. There is nothing the Denver coach can say to make that $85 million in dead salary go away. The NFL salary cap for the 2024 season will be $255.4 million. That dead money would account for a third of their cap space, and the...

by Stephen Knox|Sean Payton

|Wed Feb 28 2024

Come on people, let LeBron be a proud dad!

LeBron James has a right to feel any type of way about the attention his son, Bronny, receives. The young man doesn’t even go by LeBron Jr. anymore because the surname attached to his life and Southern Cal basketball jersey is enough pressure by itself. ...

by Stephen Knox|McDonald's High School All-Americans

|Tue Feb 27 2024

Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Marvin Harrison Jr. are making the right call by not working out at the NFL Combine

In young people’s latest affront to the spirit of competition, the participation of some top NFL draft prospects in the upcoming scouting combine will be slim to none. Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels will not throw until their respective Pro Days. Marvin Harrison Jr. will not be participating in a...

by Stephen Knox|Caleb Williams

|Mon Feb 26 2024

If Mecole Hardman can turn his 2024 around, anyone can

If 2024 has not been the desired new year, new you you were hoping for, fret not and use Mecole Hardman as an example of how quickly life can change. He caught 15 combined passes for two teams during the 2023 regular season. During the playoffs he tallied two receptions and was not even targeted dur...

by Stephen Knox|Mecole Hardman

|Mon Feb 12 2024

Young artists should study Usher’s Super Bowl performance

I was a little nervous at the start of the Usher performance. The field at Super Bowl LVII had been criticized, and the one at this year’s game took out Dre Greenlaw in the first half while he was simply trying to run out onto the field. Fortunately, Usher’s lower extremities held up as he glided ac...

by Stephen Knox|Super Bowl

|Mon Feb 12 2024

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