Buzz Feds

Scarlets held out in a full-blooded Pro14 Welsh derby at Cardiff Blues to remain top of Conference B.

Gareth Anscombe's opening penalty was followed by Tom Prydie's memorable opening try.

Blues went ahead through flanker Ellis Jenkins, and Anscombe added another penalty.

But Rhys Patchell's try and Leigh Halfpenny's conversions of both Scarlets tries ensured a second festive win for Wayne Pivac's side.

With the 2018 Six Nations looming, there was much at stake for leading players and rising talents.

It was also a chance for Alex Cuthbert to return from injury off the bench, a day after fellow wing George North's comeback for Northampton.

A calf injury had kept Cuthbert out since Wales' November win over Georgia, while North had been absent since September because of a knee problem.

Scarlets made eight changes, with Pivac having stated he would not be happy for some of his players to appear on Blues' artificial pitch.

High-scoring wing Steff Evans was absent because of a four-week ban for his sending-off for an aerial challenge on Ben John in Scarlets' Boxing Day win over Ospreys.

Blues' 40-year-old Tongan tight-head Taufa'ao Filise led them out for his 250th appearance following his three-week ban.

However, along with the rest of the home forwards, life was tough at the scrums under Scarlets' potent power.

But Blues' line-out drives were equally as effective in underlining Scarlets' frailties.

Anscombe's early penalty was soon overhauled as Scarlets' scrum provided the platform for Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies to break clear before sending Prydie over.

Blues struck back as returning flanker Jenkins touched down after a driving line-out splintered the home defence, and Anscombe's second penalty stretched their lead to four points at the break.

However, after an Anscombe clearance was charged down, flanker James Davies took the visitors into Blues' 22, where Patchell finished off as the home defence cracked under pressure.

Halfpenny added his second conversion, but saw his next penalty shave the wrong side of an upright.

Home scrum-half Tomos Williams was denied by Tadhg Beirne at the other end and Scarlets open-side Davies relieved the pressure as he stole possession at a ruck on their line.

That proved crucial to the outcome as Blues' late efforts never looked as threatening and the host left the fray without adding any second half points.

Blues head coach Danny Wilson told Scrum V: "It's a pretty tough one to swallow because I think we were the dominant team, if I'm honest, except on the scoreboard.

"We didn't take our opportunities from that territory and possession and that's the difference."

Scarlets boss Wayne Pivac told Scrum V: "It was one of those days, really. In the first half we didn't look after the ball well enough and had something like 30% possession and something similar with the territory .

"So it was just talking at half time about being composed with the ball and not throwing those 50-50 balls and stringing a few more rucks together and getting our game going.

"We were able to score that try just after half time and it was enough to win it."

Cardiff Blues: Matthew Morgan; Owen Lane, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Tom James; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Rhys Gill, Matthew Rees (capt), Taufa'ao Filise, George Earle, Josh Turnbull, Josh Navidi, Olly Robinson, Nick Williams.

Replacements: Kristian Dacey, Brad Thyer, Dillon Lewis, James Down, Ellis Jenkins, Lloyd Williams, Jarrod Evans, Alex Cuthbert.

Scarlets: Leigh Halfpenny; Tom Prydie, Hadleigh Parkes, Scott Williams (capt), Paul Asquith; Rhys Patchell, Gareth Davies; Wyn Jones, Ryan Elias, Werner Kruger, Tadhg Beirne, Steve Cummins, Josh Macleod, James Davies, Will Boyde.

Replacements: Ken Owens, Rob Evans, Simon Gardiner, David Bulbring, John Barclay, Aled Davies, Dan Jones, Ioan Nicholas.

Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino - known to the MMA world simply as Cris Cyborg - cemented her position as the world’s premier female featherweight fighter with a hard-earned unanimous decision victory over former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm after five high-octane rounds at UFC 219 in Las Vegas.

Holm started impressively, using her footwork well as she effectively counter-struck the champion in the early stages of the contest, working well off the back foot as two of the three judges scored the first two rounds to the challenger.

But as the fight wore on, Cyborg’s power began to take over as she started to read Holm’s attacks and walk down the challenger, punishing her with heavy punches and kicks.

Both women showcased their durability and conditioning as they traded shots for the full 25-minute duration as their five-round title fight went all the way to the scorecards.

And, when the judges rendered their verdict, their scores told the story of a closely-contested matchup, with the champion taking the unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 48-47, 48-47 to take her career record to 19-1 (1 no contest).

“I want to say thank you to Holly Holm,” said Cyborg after the bout.

“She’s an amazing fighter and she did really well here.”

The world champion said she’d next like to face the fighter who succeeded her as the Invicta featherweight champion when she left to join the UFC.

“I would like to fight somebody at 145lb. Maybe fight Megan Anderson in Australia,” she suggested. “I have a lot of fans down there.”

Nurmagomedov calls for Ferguson after battering Barboza
In the night’s co-main event, Russian one-man wrecking crew Khabib Nurmagomedov extended his perfect professional career to 25-0 with a three-round battering of No.4-ranked lightweight contender Edson Barboza.

Barboza has a well-earned reputation as one of the division’s best strikers but Nurmagomedov closed the distance with ease, taking the Brazilian to the mat and pummelling him with strikes in the first round.

Nurmagomedov dished out more of the same in the second frame, as he showcased his ground fighting dominance with another 10-8 round.

And while Barboza was able to land a spectacular spinning kick to the Russian’s head in the third and final round, Nurmagomedov just walked straight through it and continued his relentless assault on his way to a landslide decision win.

The judges scored the fight 30-25, 30-25, 30-24 to hand the Russian the 25th win of his career and his eighth straight win in the UFC as he told commentator Joe Rogan he’s ready to face either of the UFC’s lightweight belt-holders: "If you give me one hour rest, I can fight Tony or Conor, no problem."

But while many fans are clamouring to see Nurmagomedov face McGregor next, ‘The Eagle’ said if he had the opportunity to choose, he’d pick interim champ Ferguson, saying a bout with undisputed lightweight champ Conor McGregor is unlikely to happen until McGregor “spends all his money”.

Hooker catches Diakiese
It was a disappointing night for British lightweight prospect Marc Diakiese, who fell to his second straight defeat in the octagon with a third-round submission loss to New Zealand's Dan Hooker.

The pair contested a cagey first two rounds, with both men showing each other a lot of respect as they carefully looked to engineer openings. But the third round saw the contest open up, as Diakiese pushed forward, landing some solid punches on his opponent.

But, after a combination had forced Hooker back against the cage fence, the Brit shot in for a takedown attempt and was promptly locked up in a guillotine choke, forcing Diakiese to tap out 42 seconds into the final round.

Decisions, decisions
Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Carla Esparza produced a gritty performance to come from behind and defeat previously unbeaten prospect Cynthia Calvillo by unanimous decision. Calvillo started the better of the two, dominating the opening round, but the former world champ came back strongly in the second round to level things up, then edged the final frame to earn the nod from the judges.

In the opening fight of the night, Neil Magny delivered an excellent performance to ensure that Carlos Condit’s long-awaited return after an 14-month absence ended in defeat. Magny dictated terms for long periods of the contest, scoring a host of takedowns to earn a unanimous decision victory, the 20th of his professional career.

On a night where finishes were at a premium, the fight card delivered eight decisions from 10 contests.

Kicking off 2018
UFC 219 closed out the UFC in 2017, but the action will come thick and fast in the New Year, starting in St Louis, Missouri, as featherweight knockout artists Jeremy Stephens and Doo Ho Choi kick things off on 14 January.

Then all eyes will turn to UFC 220 in Boston, Massachusetts on 20 January as the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion of the world Stipe Miocic will look to become the first fighter to defend the title three times when he faces Cameroonian Francis Ngannou, who knocked out Alistair Overeem in devastating fashion at UFC 218 to book himself into a title fight.

In the Summer of 2012, I decided to take one big step towards an adventurous life by joining the 4k for Cancer on a cross-country bike ride from Baltimore, Maryland to Portland, Oregon over a 2 1/2 month period. My adventure began with me hanging over the toilet and ended with a tan that was far from sexy. It really doesn't sound too glorious, but there are a few things that were.

Here are five things my cycling adventure taught me:

1. Life is more beautiful on a bike.

Something about the breeze on my face and row of cows staring at me seemed to captivate me. When your range of distance relies solely on your two feet, you absorb more of your natural surroundings that you'd miss in a bus or car. The lack of speed forces you to use your senses at a slower rate.

My parents met me and my humungous calves in Portland when my cycling adventure was over. We stayed a few days longer to take in the sights and to experience the hipster culture that Portland had to offer. Once I stepped onto a tourist-filled coach bus, my senses weren't tingling as much as they were used to on my two-wheeled mode of transportation.

2. We can live more on less.

I had to fit all my makeup and animals into a small, carryable duffle bag. Don't worry, my animals were stuffed. That's when I realized that maybe I could leave my eyeliner and Mr. Snuggles at home.

In 2 1/2 months, I rotated the same 5 shirts every week and changed outfits at least once a day which made the rotation even more frequent. After a couple weeks, you got used to the same clothes. And, yes I washed them (usually by hand). YES, by hand. Did you read that, Dad?

Without the extra baggage, you begin to learn the value of what you have and realize what you don't need. You don't realize how much you can live without until you actually live without it.

3. Strangers actually care.

With all the hate in the world, it's can be hard to see the sun through all the clouds. During our trip, we stayed at churches, non-profits and sometimes in the privacy of people's homes.

You may think, "it must have been difficult to find housing in every city and every town you traveled to", and yes, you're absolutely right. But then, when you find that special person who takes you in as if you were their own child, you also begin to wish they were your real parents. You wonder where these people have been all your life, but then again, I live in the midst of Washington, D.C. chaos.

4. Stress is self-inflicted.

If you imagine yourself biking cross country beginning tomorrow, you'd probably feel a teensy bit stressed out. Besides waking up at 3 am, surprisingly, biking cross country wasn't too stressful. It takes a couple weeks to warm up to the fact that you will be sitting for hours on end, but without the added stressors of work, class or personal drama - the day-to-day duties of biking cross country were very minimal with the ability to take in the sights. Of course, having a cool group of cyclists to hang out with helps tremendously too.

Now, with my daily habit of being anxious and stressed, I began to realize the toll of stress on my body and the importance of staying grounded. Stop and breathe. Don't let your anxiety wander too much. Your body and mind will thank you.

5. You can never say "thank you" too many times.

You may think fundraising $4,500 before even going on the trip may seem daunting, but trust me, people will support you and think you're so crazy that even the strangest of strangers will donate. Lucked out with the most supportive friends and family a girl could have, we campaigned at school events, online and even on the side of the road.

One thing I regret while being a naive college student was not giving written, personal "thank you"s to each and every friend and family member for their donation. Thank you for not only supporting one of the most humbling and life-changing events in my life but contributing to help young adults battle cancer across the nation. Some of my friends and family donated not only once, but two or three times! Wow!

All-in-all, you can never say "thank you" too many times in a world filled with givers. Acknowledgement goes a long way and it gives them credibility for their actions. Who doesn't love getting a little credit?

Completing the 4k for Cancer Portland ride will always be a memory to look back on. Even though you won't catch me on a bike as often as the Summer of 2012, you will find me with a kinder soul and backpack conquering the outdoors with the goal of seeking my next adventure.

As a woman, mother, and psychotherapist- I tend to run on the care-taking side. I grew up in an alcoholic household as the oldest of five desperately wanting to make sure everyone else was taken care of. For a long time I ignored what I needed to charge my own batteries and often felt myself running on empty. Even though my graduate training expressed the importance of self care in conjunction with my role as a mental health professional, it wasn’t until I became a person in recovery, that I realized how vital self care is. Today, my self care is a non-negotiable.

Self care is a preventative “medicine” for everyone but especially a necessity to help those avoid relapse, mental health issues, weight gain, and insomnia-to name a few. I suggest my patients create a “prescription card” to carry with them of a list of self care ideas so they can commit to engaging and putting themselves first 3 to 5 times daily – even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time. If we don’t make US a priority, we can’t take care of anyone else effectively. Below are some examples I personally like to engage in but the selfcompassionproject.com has a list of dozens more!

-going for a bike ride

-meditating

-journaling

-reading

-yoga

-sitting and drinking coffee

-lighting a candle and taking a couple of cleansing breathes.

Benefits of self care include increased positive thinking, less susceptibility to stress, and provoked feelings of calm and feeling taken care of. When we neglect our needs, we can become angry, resentful, and burned out resulting in conflict in relationships and low self-esteem.

Self care IS NOT selfish! I hear this way too often when I first introduce my patients to this concept. They fear their desires of wanting to do something for themselves will be judged by other people. I educate them by explaining a selfish person would view others as a means to get what they want-maybe when they were actively using drugs or alcohol, this was the case. Selfish people are often manipulative, narcissistic, and have a fear of loss of control. Choosing to get your nails done doesn’t qualify as selfish but rather self care.

It’s okay to have your needs met- some of us aren’t sure what our needs are or at the beginning stages of learning what they are. It is a conscious choice to put YOU first and make YOU a priority. Other people will greatly benefit when you are your best self- you will have more to share. “Self care is learned, purposeful, and continuous. It is the cultivation of self in a comprehensive sense, focusing in particular on the soul and the knowledge of self.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- Jimmy Garoppolo has already helped the San Francisco 49ers make a bit of history for the NFL's best in-season turnaround.

No team that ever started a season as poorly as the 49ers did with nine straight losses has ended it as well as it is going in San Francisco with Garoppolo having led the team to four straight wins.

The 49ers (5-10) already have the best record of any team that started a 16-game season with a 0-9 record and they can double the previous best win total held by many teams by winning the season finale Sunday at the division champion Los Angeles Rams (11-4).

''We think we're playing better. But, by no means have we arrived,'' coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday. ''We've got a long way to go, we better keep getting better.''

The midseason arrival of Garoppolo in a trade from New England has been just the spark the 49ers needed. He has won all four of his starts for San Francisco and his 1,250 yards passing are the most by any player in his first four starts for a franchise.

That play has lifted the entire team and the expectations surrounding the 49ers. Running back Carlos Hyde even talked about a possible Super Bowl run in 2018 now that Jimmy G is in place.

''I definitely would want to rein that in,'' Shanahan said. ''I haven't spoken to Carlos yet. Just from what I know of Carlos, I have a pretty good feeling that he was halfway joking.
''But, I haven't seen him yet. But, definitely that's not something that we want, because I don't believe that's the way you should think. You can't control what's going on next year. You only can worry about right now.''

Ending the season on a streak such as this and falling short of the playoffs is rare. The 49ers could become the 41st team in the past 23 seasons to win their final five games but only the 2005 Miami Dolphins missed the postseason in that group.

Whether there's a big carry-over effect remains to be seen. Nearly half of those teams - 19 of 40 - missed the playoffs the following year whether it was because of quarterback injuries that doomed teams such as Green Bay this season, New England in 2008 or Washington in 2013, or natural regression that impacted other teams, finishing strong is no guarantee of future success.

''It depends on the people you have and how they show up ready to go,'' Shanahan said. ''If you end the season on a real positive note and you've got a group of guys that like reading their own press clippings and feeling good about themselves so they can relax, then that type of stuff will hurt you.

''If you have guys who aren't fazed by whether people say good things or bad things about you, it doesn't matter. You just work as hard as you can and do as good as you can every single day, then I think we'll be all right. We feel good about where things are ending right now.''

The mood is far different than it was when the season started. The 49ers struggled mightily early in the season, including a record five straight losses by three points or fewer.

But sticking together through that process has paid dividends now, according to Shanahan.

''It was hard when we went through it, but the fact that we were able to get through it and still find a way to get some wins here recently, I think it made our team stronger,'' he said.

''When you go through some really hard things with each other and you make it through there, I feel you get stronger from that stuff. I think our team has gotten tighter through it, they've gotten stronger, and that's led to us starting to win a few games and having more confidence. I believe our team feels that they are tough enough mentally to get through anything.''

NOTES: Shanahan said the coaches all took Christmas off and he took his kids to see the movie ''Jumanji'' - which he gave a five-star review. ... LB Reuben Foster (stinger) and S Adrian Colbert (shoulder) will be limited this week but should be available Sunday.

The rumor is real. JaVale McGee's future with the Warriors is in jeopardy.

The Warriors are willing to part with their part-time backup center, according to multiple league sources, and there are several possible destinations, with the Milwaukee Bucks being one of them.

Should the Warriors move the 7-footer, and it's fairly certain they will, it will disappoint many of their fans. McGee, who turns 30 next month, quickly became a fan favorite last season, and now has something of a cult following.

There are at least four reasons why the Warriors are open to trading McGee, who clearly was more valuable to them last season than he has been this season.

Reason No. 1: The emergence of Jordan Bell.
The Warriors quickly became enchanted with Bell, who shined in Las Vegas Summer League and continued to be effective once the regular season began. They realized he's capable of guarding multiple positions, which is a valuable commodity with this franchise. Check the roster.

As much as the Warriors liked Bell, though, they weren't ready to fully activate him until they evaluated his performance when Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia each missed two weeks. The Warriors were 4-0 during that stretch, and Bell was a big reason why. He proved he could handle being a starter.

Both Bell and McGee are prone to glaring errors, but it's easier for the Warriors to live with them from the rookie than from someone in his ninth season.
Reason No. 2: The juggling of minutes.
The Warriors have concluded that most of their "center" minutes are going to go to David West, Pachulia and Bell. Kevon Looney and Green can still fill in at the "5" position, but those minutes have diminished as Bell has emerged.

West, Pachulia and Bell are very different from each other, which is why the Warriors can turn to any one of them for a very specific purpose. Each is valuable and each is needed.

When Green and Pachulia were out of the lineup for four consecutive games, McGee played a total of 28 minutes. He didn't play at all against the Trail Blazers on Dec. 11. In three of the last seven Warriors games, he has not played a single minute.

Reason No. 3: Damian Jones is closing the gap between he and McGee.
Jones, healing from injury, missed training camp and the first two months as a rookie last season. By the 7-footer was physically able, McGee had established himself as the backup big man who provides a decent vertical presence in the paint.

But the Warriors have always visualized Jones someday providing production similar to that they received last season from McGee. Sure, Jones was raw. He's a project. That's why this season, as part of his development, he has been with the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors. Jones is progressing.

The Warriors are asking themselves a reasonable question: Is McGee providing anything we can't get from Jones? The answer: Generally, no.

Reason No. 4: The Warriors would like to add another shooter.
The Warriors got precious little scoring from their bench last season, particularly from beyond the arc. Their bench ranked 29th in 3-point makes per game, and they addressed that by signing Nick Young and Omri Casspi.

The numbers through 34 games are similar to those posted through 82 last season. Though the bench is the league's best net rating (9.3), it ranks 18th in scoring (33.8 points), 15th in 3-point percentage (35.4) and 29th in 3-point makes (2.4 per game).

Quinn Cook might help, while also addressing point guard depth. His two-way contract allows for 45 days in the NBA, after which time the Warriors can decide to sign him. They might. They're ready to add someone, for sure.

So, all things considered, no one on the roster is more vulnerable than McGee, who has been a good teammate and is a popular figure in the locker room.

The Warriors have four All-Stars and they care much less about who is popular than who can help them win another championship.

It will be surprising if McGee is on the roster in mid-January and downright stunning if he's around past Feb. 8 trade deadline.

Here is what I think is going to happen:

Someone from the Detroit Lions' front office will tip off a national writer late Sunday night that the organization has decided to make a coaching change. The report will go out, citing an unnamed source, that Jim Caldwell is about to be fired.

Less than 12 hours later, the Lions will send out a press release, making it official.
In all likelihood, that press release will be bland and to the point.

But this is what I hope it will say:

“I’m so sick of losing!” Lions owner Martha Ford will hopefully say in the release.

“Getting spanked in Baltimore is not acceptable. Losing to the Cincinnati Bengals – the freakin' Bengals – in a must-win game, is not acceptable. We have gone 60 years around here without a title! And somebody has to be held accountable. At the end of this season, I did not like what I saw. We were trending in the wrong direction. Being mediocre is not acceptable. I’m tired of excuses and I will not stand for this. Our loyal fans deserve more than this. And before you even ask, no, I’m not about to sell. Are you nuts? Why in the world would I sell? This franchise is a gold mine. So get that out of your heads.”

Certainly, the release will praise Caldwell for his service.

“As I think back to this season, I had such high hopes,” Ford will hopefully say, in the release. “But this season was nothing but a blown opportunity. Yes, there were injuries. Yes, the offensive line was in shambles. But excuses are for losers and that’s all we have done around here. That has to change.


"It saddens me to get rid of Jim Caldwell, a man I truly like, respect and admire. He has done some good things, but nothing great. Still, make no mistake, the blame does not end with Jim Caldwell. Bob Quinn deserves some criticism as well. Our running game was atrocious. We made too many mistakes across the board. The blame starts with Quinn and it spreads from Caldwell to the players. They have to be better.

More on Caldwell:

Jim Caldwell's 'extension' shows Bob Quinn doesn't believe in coach

Hayes: Lions coach Jim Caldwell's hot seat tied to racism

"Now, let me be clear, I deserve blame as well. I’m the owner of this team. I am the one who sets the tone for this entire franchise, and I have to do a better job. This franchise has been stuck in mediocrity for decades. So right now, I am making my expectations crystal clear. There is only one goal: A Super Bowl championship. And if we can’t get there, I’ll keep whackin’ people until we do. Losing is not acceptable. I have charged Bob Quinn to find a great coach and we will hire a great coach and a great group of assistants. I don't care how much money it costs. We have to end this cycle of losing.”
OK. So that’s a pipe dream.

That’s what I hope she will say.

Will she? Of course not.

And that’s one of the reasons why this franchise has been so bad for so long.

'Running' out of excuses
If Caldwell is fired, as I expect, I would hope that Quinn would hold a news conference early next week.

“I have enjoyed working with Jim,” I hope Quinn will say. “But the truth is, I have a hard time getting over the disaster in Baltimore. Putting nine players on the field? That was totally unacceptable. But we still had a shot to get into the playoffs. It was right there. But if Baltimore was disappointing, than Cincinnati was disgusting. We were playing for the playoffs, and that’s the effort we got? Now, I’ve been compiling a list of coaching candidates since the day I was hired. Obviously, I have the most familiarity with New England Patriots coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia. Later today, I will be flying to an undisclosed location to interview both of them. They are at the top of my list. But there are other coaches that I will look at as well.

More on Quinn: GM faces biggest task: Lifting the Lions out of mediocrity

"I want to stress something as well. I should be held accountable. Clearly, I was wrong about our running game. I thought that by revamping our offensive line, we would see improvement. I’m not one to make excuses, but injuries decimated that plan. So I am going to spend this offseason looking at every running back in the draft and in free agency, and I’m going to invest heavily in a new running back. I won’t make the same mistake again. Bringing in a new running back won’t solve everything, but it will sure help this team. Same goes for the defensive line. I made a huge mistake by not addressing that last season. We have to improve our running game and we have to get better on the defensive line

In this space I’ve said for weeks that it seemed New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady probably had the award locked up. That was not based on what I thought should happen, but what I thought would happen.

As stated often here, since 1993, the only non-quarterbacks to win MVP were running backs who: A) rushed for 2,000 yards, or B) set a single-season touchdown record. There has not been one non-quarterback in 24 years to win MVP without that criteria. But it suddenly seems Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley has a chance.

CBS writer Pete Prisco, an MVP voter, tweeted this after Week 16:

Prisco is one of the most respected voices in the industry, and if he’s voting for Gurley, it might lead to others considering doing the same. There hasn’t been much chatter on Twitter or elsewhere from known voters identifying their front-runner heading into Week 17, though The MMQB’s Peter King said he’d be voting for Brady. For what it’s worth, ESPN’s poll of 12 of its experts still have it at 10-2 for Brady. But Gurley has legitimate steam after another big game in Week 16.

If Gurley wins, it would be a good thing. We spend a lot of time, especially this late in the year, talking about MVP. When J.J. Watt didn’t win as he should have in 2014, I thought the door was closed on any non-quarterback who didn’t hit a statistical milestone. I figured it became a quarterback award that year. Maybe not.
A win for Gurley might signal a shift and give other non-quarterbacks hope. Maybe Antonio Brown could have a chance next year. Perhaps Rob Gronkowski would get a look. Maybe even a defensive player could win for the first time since 1986. A vote for a running back isn’t too groundbreaking. Since the AP award was first handed out in 1957, there have only been three non-quarterbacks or non-running backs to win (defensive tackle Alan Page, linebacker Lawrence Taylor and kicker Mark Moseley). Giving it to a running back doesn’t exactly shatter the mold. But it’s at least a little bit different. Nobody with Gurley’s résumé has won since Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith in 1993 — even then, Smith was coming off a Super Bowl season for the most visible team in the NFL — and it would be something fresh for him to win. It would be good for the game.

One thing in Gurley’s favor is he’s finishing well, while Brady has slumped a bit. In Gurley’s last five games he has 877 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns. In Brady’s last four games he has just four touchdowns with five interceptions and a rating of 81.5. Gurley might not build on that, however. Rams coach Sean McVay said he thinks resting starters is more important than getting the No. 3 seed (the Rams can’t get a top-two seed and a bye), so Gurley might not play. Brady has to play as usual, since the Patriots need to win to get the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

Maybe the Gurley buzz is just the annual “let’s talk about an alternate candidate, then the guy we all figured would win will take it in a landslide” that we are subjected to. That has happened before. But this time it seems like Gurley has a real shot. We shall see.

1. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady — I’ll believe someone outside of the quarterback/2,000-yard rusher/TD-record-RB group wins when I see it. And let’s be clear: Brady is a fine candidate. This is an award for the full season, not just December. Brady helped keep the Patriots afloat early when the defense was awful and the offensive line wasn’t protecting well. He has a league-leading 4,387 yards, 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His 104.2 rating barely trails Alex Smith (104.7) for the league lead. His 8.1 yards per attempt is tied for the NFL lead along with Drew Brees, which is remarkable for a 40-year-old quarterback. The Patriots are likely to clinch the No. 1 seed on Sunday. Brady checks any box you’d have for an MVP.
PLAYOFF_SCENARIOS
2. Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley — If we look deeper at the MVP history, it can be fairly stated that it has been a long, long time since someone in Gurley’s specific situation has won. 1993 was the last time for a running back who didn’t rush for 2,000 or set a touchdown record. Emmitt Smith won that year, but he was coming off a Super Bowl so he had that momentum. The running back before him to win was Thurman Thomas in 1991, also coming off a great Super Bowl performance against the Giants. Before that? Marcus Allen in 1985, and he was a Super Bowl MVP two years before. When Earl Campbell won in 1979, he tied a single-season rushing touchdown record. Gurley wasn’t some unknown or anything, but he was also coming off a poor 2016 season and won’t set any single-season milestone that has won the award for a running back before. Make no mistake about it: If Gurley wins, you can argue we haven’t had an MVP quite like him in 40 years.

3. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson — The MVP race officially became a two-man race last week. Yes, the Seahawks won, but Wilson threw for a career-low 93 yards and Seattle’s offense was terrible (quarterback wins aren’t a real stat, always remember that). Wilson has had a great season, but it’s hard to see how he could rally enough momentum after the last two weeks to win the award.

4. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz — I’m putting Wentz back on my top five out of respect for the season he had. He has missed two games and another full quarter since his knee injury and still leads the NFL in passing touchdowns. If you watched the Eagles offense struggle on Monday night, you understand how good Wentz was. If he stayed healthy I think he’d be the clear front-runner by now.

5. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees — I’m reluctantly putting Brees on the list. I think Brees has deserved MVP a few other seasons. This isn’t the year, as the defense and running game have taken center stage. I’m sure Brees is fine with that, but his candidacy revolves around being a good quarterback on a winning team, and quarterback wins isn’t a real stat. Brees is great, and criminally underrated on some all-time lists, but this isn’t his best MVP argument. Still, because he’s a quarterback, he has a better chance than anyone else you could round out the top five with.

But what, exactly, makes the Cowboys, Ronaldo, Nike or CAA so successful? What is it that’s driving the impressive numbers on their balance sheets? It’s the business relationships they have throughout the sports ecosystem.

The Cowboys are tremendously successful largely because they field superstar athletes like Dez Bryant and have deals with some of the world’s most valuable brands in Pepsi, Ford, AT&T and Bank of America.
Ronaldo earns so much because he has a massive contract with Real Madrid - worth $56 million last year - and a group of corporations willing to shell out more than $30 million per year just to be associated with him.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's highest-paid athlete, Real Madrid is one of the world's most valuable teams and their relationship is largely responsible for both being among the sports world's most influential figures. (Gerard Julien/AFP/Getty Images)

Nike is able to sell $20 billion worth of shoes annually because it’s directly associated with some of the biggest names in sports – Barcelona, LeBron James and the NFL, to name just a few.

And CAA has built its success upon the sports agency world's most star-studded roster of athletes, boasting a lineup of Eli Manning, Drew Brees, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Julio Jones and many, many more.
Those sorts of relationships are the very foundation of the sports business world. And though we’ve long detailed the end results – which teams are most valuable, which players are highest paid – until now nobody has ever done a comprehensive study of how all of those connections fit together to create wealth.

Introducing the FORBES SportsMoney Index, the definitive money ranking in sports. We’ve ranked 430 athletes, agencies, brands and teams, accounting for both their financial power as well as their influential relationships with others in the sports world. To create the SMI, we’ve combined all of FORBES’ SportsMoney annual valuations lists (sports teams, brands, athletes, agencies) and proprietary financial data into a single ranking that reflects their monetary success and how their values affect one another. This is the first time that a cross-category ranking of sports business influence has ever been compiled.

You have scheduled your fishing charter and are ready to go. What do you need to take on the adventure? Most of the articles we recommend are for protection and comfort on your St.Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa Bay or Costa Rica inshore or deep sea fishing charters.

Dress for comfort on your fishing charter

Be prepared for changing weather conditions during various parts of the day. Layered clothing is a great choice, as mornings are colder and late afternoons are warmer. Always be prepared for the random rain shower that might stroll through. The time of year will also have an impact on your fishing attire. Your charter Captain will will inform you the most up to date weather conditions just prior to your trip. Be sure to ask!

Be smart on your fishing charter

Adequate protection from the sun is strongly recommended for a relaxing day on the water. Protective clothing and proper sun screening products will keep you safe. The sun’s direct rays, and the sun’s reflection off the water, can be very unforgiving for your skin, even when you are under shade. Be smart, no sunburns please.

Recommended Items to consider when packing for your inshore or deep-sea fishing charters:

• Non-skid rubber sole shoes are a necessity
• Dress in light colored clothing as to not retain heat on warm days
• Lightweight micro-fiber long sleeve shirts to protect arms from the sun are optimum
• Take your favorite hat (wide brimmed is the most protection)
• Short pants when warm, long when cold
• Waterproof windbreaker for possible rain and cooler mornings
• Swimsuit, as you never know when you’ll get the urge for a swim
• Polarized sunglasses to protect your eyes, cut the glare and to see fish better
• Sunscreen and lip balm that protect from UVA and UVB rays
• Seasickness medication if you’re prone to seasickness
• Bug spray for inshore fishing by the mangroves
• Hand sanitizer if you don’t want to smell like bait
• Waterproof bag or backpack for your personal belongings
• Camera or smartphone to record your trophy catch

When adequately prepared for your fishing charter, you can relax and enjoy the day knowing that you have every angle covered. You can enjoy the day catching a variety of fish on your Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Costa Rica and Clearwater fishing charter including but not limited to, Tarpon, Snook, Trout, Redfish, Kingfish, Grouper, Snapper, Tuna, Swordfish and Mahi.

Selecting a fishing charter Captain

It’s important to do your homework when it comes time to pick on which charter Captain you would like to spend the day with. Do some homework to help determine if a charter Captain would be beneifical for your needs. Be sure and read the reviews of any fishing charter you are considering. It’s encouraged not to only go by the rating number, but see what people are talking about.
If you’re on the market for a St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Costa Rica or Tampa Bay Fishing Charter, be sure and give the crew at YACHTFISH Fishing Charters a chance. Our experience with YACHTFISH and Captain Matt Douglas has been second to none. We strongly recommend giving them a try. We can guarantee you'll be happy you did.