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Should NCAA athletes be paid?

The Villanova men’s basketball team celebrates their win over Texas Tech on Sunday, March 25, 2018, in Boston to advance to the Final Four. Photo Credit: Associated Press

Every year when the NCAA Tournament rolls along, it re-raises the debate of whether college student-athletes should get paid or not.

 

Those in favor of the status quo say scholarships are compensation enough for these student-athletes and that playing college sports is a privilege. Others disagree, saying the schools are profiting off their talent — in some cases making millions — and that student-athletes should receive a portion of the funds.

Should college student-athletes be paid? If so, how much should they get paid? If not, why not?

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Super Bowl LII Eagles fan reaction videos

Fans took to social media during and after Super Bowl LII between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Watch their fan reaction videos below:

Hofstra’s heroics: The last-second shots

Hitting one game-winning shot in the final seconds is enough excitement for some teams. Hofstra did it three times in a five-week span this season.

“Sometimes you go years without having a last-second win and shots like we’ve had this year. It’s incredible,” coach Joe Mihalich said. “To have three in one year, I don’t know how to equate that, I don’t know how to put that in perspective.”

Watch the three plays below and listen to the coach and key players discuss their roles in the big moment.

‘It’s never, ever worked’

The score: Monmouth 84, Hofstra 82

Time left :02.4

Justin Wright-Foreman stood at the foul line for the second of his two free throws. But there was a problem for Hofstra. The Pride trailed by two points with 2.4 seconds left. Every college basketball fan knows what the broadcasters will say: Miss the free throw on purpose, get a rebound putback or tip it out to a shooter. Here’s the thing: That play never works.

This time, however, it did.

Wright-Foreman, an 84-percent shooter from the foul line, intentionally bricked his shot. Stafford Trueheart got good position, Hofstra got a great bounce and Jalen Ray got wide open at the three-point line to hit the shot with 1.5 seconds left for the 85-84 win.

‘Just had to buckle up and make a shot’

The score: James Madison 72, Hofstra 69

Time left :01.1

The ball was inbounded from the sideline on a cross-court skip pass to the far corner. Matija Radovic caught the ball in the corner and passed to Justin Wright-Foreman, who was coming off a screen. Wright-Foreman hit the three-pointer in front of two defenders with 1.1 seconds left to tie the score at 72. Hofstra won the game in overtime, 87-81.

‘I thought I overshot the ball’

The score: Towson 73, Hofstra 73

Time left :01

Jalen Ray barely was in view when Hunter Sabety gathered up the rebound off a Towson airball. Ray already started running the floor to beat the Towson defense. He took a pass from Justin Wright-Foreman, stopped and swished a buzzer-beating three-pointer for a 76-73 Hofstra win.

(Game footage courtesy of Hofstra Athletics)

NFL Route Tree

NFL Route Tree

Each movement by a wide receiver is carefully coordinated, and they all stem from one thing: the route tree.

The route tree is a simple way for an offense to teach, organize and quickly call plays. It was developed by Don Coryell while coaching at San Diego State in the 1960s. He brought it to the NFL in the 1970s as a head coach with the Cardinals and Chargers.

Odd-numbered routes break out to the sideline, even-numbered ones into the middle. An offense can use these numbers to quickly tell the receivers what routes to run on a play. For instance, a call that has the number “958” means that one receiver runs a “go” route (9), one runs an “out” route (5) and one runs a “post” route (8).

Click on each tab below to learn more about each route in the route tree, as well as the best players (active or retired) to run each pattern.

1 Flat

Flat Play

A flat is a short, quick-hitting route run close to the line of scrimmage. The receiver takes a step upfield, then quickly breaks out toward the sideline. It’s called a flat route because it’s run into the area between the sideline and the hash marks, known as the flat.

Usually, flat routes are run by running backs out of the backfield, tight ends and speedier, more elusive receivers, since the play’s result mostly will depend on what they can do after they make the catch.

Flat routes are effective when a defense commits to covering deep or as a checkdown option against heavy pressure. They’re also good when a team needs to quickly gain a few yards and stop the clock during a two-minute drill. In addition, flats often are paired with one or two other routes as part of a combo route — “stick,” “flood,” “spacing,” “curl-flat” and “slant-flat,” among others — designed to put stress on a specific defender and force him to choose who to cover.

Best to run the route: Roger Craig

2 Slant

Slant Play

A slant is the inside-breaking relative of the flat route (meaning, it’s a short, quick route close to the line). Here, a receiver takes three steps upfield, then cuts in at a 45-degree angle and runs toward the middle of the field.

Slant routes are good for speedier, shiftier receivers who can quickly shake defenders and do damage after the catch. Odell Beckham Jr. is a perfect example — he’s made a habit of turning 5-yard slants into 60-yard touchdowns.

Slants are good against a defense that is playing off coverage and giving the receiver a cushion, or against man coverage (since the receiver’s inside break should give him a step on his defender). An offense also can throw the slant route against a blitz-happy defense, since the quarterback doesn’t have to wait for his receiver to get far downfield and can get the ball out quickly.

Best to run the route: Beckham, Jerry Rice, Andre Reed, Art Monk

3 Comeback

Comeback Play

A comeback is an intermediate route that usually covers about 10-15 yards. As soon as the receiver reaches the top of the route , he plants, turns out and runs back toward the sideline to make the reception.

The key part of a comeback route is the timing between the quarterback and the receiver. In an ideal situation, the ball should be at the receiver as soon as he turns around at the top of the route, so the quarterback needs to anticipate the break. The receiver’s ability to sell a “go” route also helps — the receiver wants to make the cornerback think he has to cover deep before making his cut. That would make the defender off-balance and create natural separation as the defender tries to recover.

A well-run comeback route can help a team beat man coverage. Like the other outside-breaking routes, it’s good if a team needs to drive down the field in a two-minute drill since the receiver already is close to the sideline to stop the clock.

Best to run the route: Michael Irvin, Steve Largent, Terrell Owens, Jarvis Landry

4 Curl

Curl Play

The curl — also called a “hook” or a “button hook” — is largely the same as the comeback route, with one key difference: When the receiver reaches the top of the route, he plants and turns back in toward the middle of the field. When run closer to the line of scrimmage (about five to eight yards downfield), a curl becomes a “hitch” route.

The curl relies heavily on timing and the ability to sell the go route. As soon as the receiver plants and turns, he should expect the ball to be there. At the same time, if he can convince the cornerback that he’s going deep, the inside break will be that much more effective as the defender has to react and make up ground.

The curl route is good against man coverage, for the above reason. It’s also part of several combo route concepts, including “curl-flat,” “smash,” “spacing” and “spot,” among many others.

Best to run the route: Michael Irvin, DeAndre Hopkins, Hines Ward

5 Out

Out Play

The out can be run at pretty much any level of the field, though it’s usually run at about a 10-yard depth. The receiver runs straight ahead when the ball is snapped, then once he reaches the top of the route, he sharply cuts 90 degrees toward the sideline.

Here, the receiver needs to be aware of the distance between him and the sideline — and be prepared to toe-tap to stay inbounds if the pass is outside. The cut also is important — if it’s not crisp enough, the defensive back will know what’s coming and can jump the route.

Out routes are very common in two-minute drills and other time-saving situations since it’s a great way to get a decent amount of yards and stop the clock. They can beat both man and deep zone coverages — the outside break should fool the defender in man, while a shorter out route could allow an opportunity for some yards after the catch against a deep zone such as Cover 4.

Best to run the route: Larry Fitzgerald, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, Cris Carter

6 In

In Play

An in route (also called a “dig”) is the inside-breaking version of the out route.

An in route becomes a “drag” route when: (a) it’s run closer to the line of scrimmage with no stem, and (b) the receiver rounds off the route instead of sharply cutting inside.

The break on an in route needs to be crisp or else the receiver risks the defender diagnosing the play and putting himself in better position to jump the route. It also helps to have a receiver who can make catches in traffic since the middle of the field often is flooded with players.

Ins are very good against man coverage since the defender will have to recover against a strong-enough cut. Depending on the depth of the route, they can work against zone coverage — shorter routes can exploit deep coverage, while deeper ones can attack the area between the linebackers and the safeties. In routes also are used in several combo route concepts such as “levels” and “Mills”, while drag routes are popular in “mesh” combo routes or as checkdown options for a slot receiver or tight end.

Best to run the route: Larry Fitzgerald, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, Cris Carter

7 Corner

Corner Play

A corner route, also known as a flag route, attacks the deep portion of the field. The receiver runs straight ahead for 10-15 yards, then cuts 45 degrees and runs diagonally toward the sideline. It’s called a corner or a flag route because it often is run to the pylons (which were flags in the old days) in the corners of the end zone.

The receiver should be able to create separation with his cut. He can sell an inside-breaking route against the cornerback by turning his head inside toward the quarterback right before he plants his foot and cuts outside. The quarterback often will wait for the receiver to make the cut before throwing and should place the throw to the receiver’s outside shoulder to help avoid defenders.

Corner routes are great against Cover 2, since there are coverage holes along the sidelines between the corner (who is covering the flat) and the safety help over the top. They’re also useful whenever the offense needs to get out of bounds on a chunk play, and are common in the “smash” combo route — the inside receiver runs a corner route, while the outside receiver runs a hitch — and other concepts where the defender has to choose whether to cover deep or shallow.

Best to run the route: Cris Carter, Randy Moss, Jerry Rice, Odell Beckham Jr., Jordy Nelson, DeAndre Hopkins

8 Post

Post Play

The post is the inside-breaking variation of the corner route. The receiver runs 10-15 yards downfield, then cuts 45 degrees inside and runs across the middle of the field. It’s called a post route because the receiver is running toward the goalposts.

A common variation of the post route is the “skinny post” or “bang 8,” in which the receiver runs a less severe angle than usual — in essence, narrowing the route.

The receiver should be able to handle catches in traffic, since he’ll likely have a safety bearing down on him. And like the corner route, the receiver should be able to create separation from his initial defender on the cut.

Posts are good against defenses with a single-high safety, such as Cover 1 or Cover 3, since the inside break allows the offense to attack the defender over the top. They can work against man, but the receiver needs to get good inside positioning on the defender and the quarterback needs to loft the pass over any underneath defenders. Skinny posts are good against Cover 3, since the narrower route can attack the small seam between the outside cornerback and the safety responsible for the deep middle third of the field.

Best to run the route: Torry Holt, Terrell Owens, Jerry Rice, Al Toon

9 Go

Comeback Play

This route has many names — you’ll also hear it go by “fly,” “streak” and “clearout” — but it’s the simplest of them all: a straight line downfield.

There are three ways a go route can play out: a pure over-the-shoulder throw-and-catch, a jump ball or a back-shoulder catch. The first is a result of pure speed — the receiver speeds by the defensive back, and the quarterback hits the receiver in stride. The second usually happens on underthrown passes, traditional over-the-top fades in the end zone, or instances where the receiver has a clear size advantage and can outmuscle his defender. The third is all about ball placement — the quarterback throws it behind the receiver, who adjusts based on where both he and the ball are in relation to the defender.

Of course, faster receivers such as DeSean Jackson are better at burning defensive backs, but bigger receivers also can have success on go routes. Jordy Nelson has mastered the back-shoulder fade concept with Aaron Rodgers, while Mike Evans uses his size and 37-inch vertical leap to make deep contested catches over defenders.

Go routes can beat both Cover 2 and 3, since the defense has only two (Cover 2) or three (Cover 3) defenders dropping back deep. So, if an offense sends enough players downfield, they should outnumber the defense. Go routes also can serve as decoys to take defensive backs out of the play and free up space for shorter underneath routes.

Best to run the route: Randy Moss, Tim Brown, Isaac Bruce, Tyreek Hill, Jackson, Evans, Nelson

Production: Nick Klopsis (with Bob Glauber) Design: James Stewart

Nick Fanti: Life in the minors

'I knew he was special'

Chapter 1

'I knew he was special'

When Nick Fanti began playing baseball as a child, he didn't want to go anyway near the pitcher's mound. By his senior year at Hauppauge High School, the lefthander was attracting scouts for his pitching ability. Now he'll try to use that to get to the majors.

Lakewood BlueClaws/Mike Dill

The Fanti famiglia

Chapter 2

The Fanti famiglia

As the youngest of five and the only boy in the Fanti family, Nick Fanti said it was like he had five moms growing up. The tight-knit group made an effort to travel the 120 miles from Hauppauge to Lakewood, New Jersey, to see Fanti pitch as often as possible. Fanti also had support from his host family, the Hoffmans, who are BlueClaws season-ticket holders.

Lakewood BlueClaws/Mike Dill

'Can you do it in three months?'

Chapter 3

'Can you do it in three months?'

Lakewood pitching coach Brian Sweeney, who's also the coach for Team Italy, asked Nick Fanti, 20, if he would be able to pitch in the World Baseball Classic in three or four years. Then in December 2016, Sweeney asked Fanti if he could pitch in the 2017 WBC in March. Fanti threw a scoreless inning and struck out Mets utility man T.J. Rivera in his lone relief appearance against Puerto Rico.

WBC Inc.

The no-hitter

Chapter 4

The no-hitter

Fanti made a name for himself on Long Island when he threw back-to-back no-hitters in high school. On May 6, he added his first professional combined no-hitter when he went 8 2/3 innings without giving up a hit against the Columbia Fireflies. His roommate, Trevor Bettencourt, closed out the game with a strikeout to preserve the no-no. Two months later, Fanti tossed a no-hitter of his own against the Charleston RiverDogs.

Lakewood BlueClaws/Mike Dill

The last game

Chapter 5

The last game

After the BlueClaws beat the Kannapolis Intimidators in the final game of the season, Fanti said goodbye to his teammates, fans and host family and headed back to Long Island for the offseason -- one step closer toward achieving his dream.

Lakewood BlueClaws / Mike Dill

Tale of the tape: Aaron Judge vs. Jose Altuve

Yankees rightfielder Aaron Judge and Astros second baseman Jose Altuve are two of the leading candidates to win the American League MVP award, announced after the World Series.

But for the next week or so, they will be opponents in the ALCS. Here is the long and short of it when comparing Judge and Altuve.

Height

Jose Altuve is 5-foot-6

Aaron Judge is 6-foot-7


Jose Altuve stats

  • Regular season
  • .346 average
  • 24 home runs
  • 81 RBI
  • 112 runs
  • 204 hits
  • 32 steals
  • .410 OBP
  • .547 slugging

  • Postseason (through ALDS)
  • .533, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 5 walks

Longest home run:

435 feet

May 15 at Marlins Park off Miami’s Dustin McGowan.

Average distance of home runs:

378.29 feet

Aaron Judge stats

  • Regular season
  • .284 average
  • 52 home runs
  • 114 RBI
  • 128 runs
  • 157 hits
  • 9 steals
  • .422 OBP
  • .627 slugging

  • Postseason (through ALDS)
  • .125, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 5 walks, 16 strikeouts

Longest home run:

496 feet

June 11 at Yankee Stadium off Baltimore’s Logan Verrett.

Average distance of home runs:

415.48 feet

How the Yankees, the World Series and the presidency are connected

The Yankees are the most storied franchise in sports, having won 27 World Series titles. But despite having won a title an average of every four years during their history, a strange trend has emerged in the last six decades.

Since 1958, the Yankees have not won a World Series with a Republican president in the White House.

During that stretch, they have won at least one championship almost every time a Democrat was president (the lone exception being Lyndon Johnson).

Here’s a look at the strangely coincidental run the Yankees and the White House have had over the past 60 years:


Republican Donald Trump (2017-present)

0 championships so far. Last year, the Yankees lost a dramatic seven-game American League Championship Series to the eventual World Champions, the Houston Astros. This year, the Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics in the Wild Card round before losing to the Boston Red Sox in four games in the American League Division Series.


Democrat Barack Obama (2009-2017)

1 championship. The Yankees won the World Series in 2009. It was the only World Series the Yankees played in during Obama’s presidency.


Republican George W. Bush (2001-09)

0 championships. The Yankees lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series and to the Florida Marlins in 2003.


Democrat Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

4 championships. The Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves in the 1996 World Series, then the San Diego Padres in 1998, the Braves again in 1999 and the Mets in 2000.


Republican George H.W. Bush (1989-1993)

0 championships. The Yankees did not reach the playoffs in any of these seasons.


Republican Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

0 championships. The Yankees lost the 1981 World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.


Democrat Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

2 championships. The Yankees won back-to-back World Series, beating the Dodgers in both 1977 and 1978.


Republican Gerald Ford (1974-1977)

0 championships. The Yankees lost the 1976 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.


Republican Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

0 championships. The Yankees did not reach the World Series in any of these seasons.


Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)

0 championships. The Yankees lost the World Series in 1963 to the Dodgers and in 1964 to the Cardinals.


Democrat John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)

2 championships. The Yankees beat the Cincinnati Reds in the 1961 World Series and the San Francisco Giants in the 1962 World Series.


Republican Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961)

3 championships. The Yanks won the World Series in 1953 to cap off a run of five straight titles. They won again in 1956 and 1958. The Yankees also lost three World Series in this span, 1955, 1957 and 1960.

How athletes and the sports world are reacting to President Donald Trump

Last Friday night, during a rally in Huntsville, Alabama, President Donald Trump said: “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners when somebody disrespects our flag to say get that [expletive] off the field right now, out, he’s fired, he’s fired.”

That set into motion a series of actions at Sunday’s NFL games across the country, with some players kneeling or locking arms in a sign of solidarity.

On Monday, Trump’s feud with the NFL shows no signs of abating, with the president tweeting early Monday morning: “The issue of kneeling has nothing to do with race. It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem. NFL must respect this!”

Athletes and analysts continued to share the opinions on the situation. Below is a collection of comments from stars such as Tom Brady, LeBron James and Drew Brees.

LeBron James

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin

Magic Johnson

NFL analysts

NBA MVP Russell Westbrook

Wizards guard Bradley Beal

Warriors coach Steve Kerr

Bob Costas

Aaron Rodgers, others after Sunday’s games

Saints QB Drew Brees

Warriors guard Stephen Curry

Patriots QB Tom Brady

Buccaneers WR DeSean Jackson

NBA Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Bills center Eric Wood

Sarah Sanders, White House spokeswoman

Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals

The Yankees, the Mets and 3 MLB games in NYC today

The Yankees host the Royals at Yankee Stadium at 1:05 p.m., followed by the Mets with a doubleheader against the Braves at Citi Field starting at 4:10 p.m.

Game 1: Yankees vs. Royals — Game story | Boxscore

Game 2: Braves at Mets, Game 1, 4:10 p.m. | Boxscore

Tonight: Braves (Fried) at Mets (Lugo), Game 2, Shortly after Game 1 ends