​I’ve been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. Going to games, watching them on TV, and reading about them in the paper were all routine activities of my childhood. That’s the byproduct of being born into a die-hard sports family. Pair that with the fact that a couple of my teams won their first championships during my formative years and you’ve got the recipe for a fanatic. While those experiences pulled me in, something more caused me to obsess over the visual intricacies in the world of sports.
 
During the summer and on weekends, I was a regular at the local library a few blocks down the street from my house. My visits were for numerous reasons: sometimes to do homework, other times to goof around on the computers, and more often than not to search for a new book – or rather, to search for an old familiar book.
 
I habitually found myself in the sports section upstairs, nestled between the shelves, reading the same edition of John Fulgaro’s Sports Logo Guide. This was in the late 90’s, before anything like Chris Creamer’s SportsLogos.net, so it was my go-to source for logos at the time. The guide was a tome a few hundred pages in length and chock full of thousands of black-and-white prints of logos and wordmarks from contemporary and defunct teams. I studied the book nearly every time I walked through those library doors. I loved learning about the visual history of my favorite teams. I loved discovering new logos I had never seen before and then immediately deciding if I enjoyed or hated them.
 
The love of logos, wordmarks, and uniforms has stuck with me to this day. I relish new information about the history of my favorite teams’ names and logos. I always enjoy the “what-could-have-been” stories and jersey prototype pictures for teams that were on the path to adopting a wildly different identity. I start every day by catching up on aesthetic news at the aforementioned SportsLogos.net and also at Paul Lukas’ Uni-Watch.com. Essentially, I love the look of sports.
 
An interest in team identities really lends itself to a delight in minor league baseball. In the minors, teams are more free to be a little silly and creative with their names. Minor league teams also tend to draw much more from the cities and the regions that they play in, capturing the essence of the small towns that they call home. As a result, you get unique names you won’t see at the pro or even collegiate levels. These great names lead to awesome baseball caps, wacky uniforms, and creative promotions.
 
So, in honor of spring training games starting in the minors today, here are a few minor league teams that I love the most based on their visual identities:

​Animals are common across the Big Four sports. Out of the 122 teams in the four pro leagues, 42 of those are named after some kind of creature or use an animal in their primary logo (or both). At the professional level, animal names tend to be limited to the powerful, menacing, and majestic, and the logos skew towards ferocious. This is not always the case at the minor league levels. There, unusual animals find their way into the figurative zoo. 

​El Paso Chihuahuas (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League)
Surprisingly, not a single team from the Big Four leagues has a dog breed nickname. Even if canines were better represented, it’s a safe bet that the tiny Chihuahua wouldn’t be the face of a franchise, despite how feisty and aggressive they are. But in the minors, the majestic Chihuahua gets the glory it deserves! The snarling Chihuahua in the primary logo and the pooch swinging a dog bone bat in the alternate logo make a great set. The baseball and dog bones arranged like a skull and crossbones makes a great accompanying alternate logo too.
 
Hartford Yard Goats (Double-A, Eastern League)
The G.O.A.T. can be a barnyard animal or the Greatest of All Time. In Hartford, both are one in the same. Technically, yard goat is railroad lingo for the switch engine that moves train cars between different locomotives, so this entry could’ve fallen into another category. But since the team’s primary logo is an actual goat chomping on a baseball bat, I put them here in the animal category. The Hartford Yard Goats easily have one of the best logos in minor league baseball.
 
Other animal favorites: Not since Rocky and Bullwinkle has the flying squirrel been as heroic as that of the Richmond Flying Squirrels…mythical, adorable, and vicious all at the same time, the Portland Sea Dogs logo offers a lot, with the baseball bat toting sea creature leaping through a ‘P’…what better to follow up a sea dog than a mud cat! The Carolina Mudcats give you exactly what you’d expect out of a catfish logo, and it’s pretty wonderful, in its own endearing way… 

​One of my favorite aspects of being a sports fan is the pride and sense of community that a team can help create. Minor league baseball teams often play in smaller cities and towns around the U.S. and they make quite the effort to anchor themselves into the roots of those communities. Their names often reflect the essence of life and culture in a region. 

​Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Double-A, Eastern League)
Binghamton, NY is known as the “Carousel Capital of the World”, a nod to its collection of six of the remaining antique carousels. So when the Binghamton Mets decided to rebrand in late 2016 with a “name the team” contest, it was no surprise when four of the six finalists chosen by the serious merry-go-round city were carousel related. Rumble Ponies beat out Rocking Horses, Stud Muffins, and Timber Jockeys. A rumble pony is a carousel horse, and the majestic steed is captured perfectly in the team’s logo. In the team’s secondary logo, the horse has broken free and uses its carousel pole as a baseball bat.
 
San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Texas League)
From the Alamo to the four structures in San Antonio Missions National Park, missions are symbol of Texas’ culture and history. While it seems like it would be difficult to turn a historic building into a sports logo, the San Antonio Missions have succeeded in doing just that. The letters in the team’s wordmark and primary logo evoke Southwestern architecture, especially the ‘M’ which comes complete with a mission bell.
 
Other regional favorites: The Biloxi Shuckers name pays homage to the city’s role as a seafood capital with an awesome angry oyster logo to boot. Not necessarily one of my favorites, but definitely worth mentioning, as the talk of the MiLB this offseason was the name change in New Orleans. Runners-up from the “name the team” contest were Night Owls, Crawfish, Po’boys, Tailgators, Red Eyes, and King Cakes, with New Orleans Baby Cakes ultimately winning. The new name – a reference to the baby figurine baked into a king cake during Mardi Gras – has drawn mixed reviews among fans and has yielded a nightmare-fueling mascot…

​The inanimate object category is where the minors get really fun. While major league teams tend to stick with intimidating or traditional names, minor league teams push the boundaries and introduce some pretty wild mascots. 

​Montgomery Biscuits (Double-A, Southern League)
Nothing says “the South” like good, down-home cooking, and biscuits are a Southern food staple. The Montgomery Biscuits bring food to life with their anthropomorphic buttermilk biscuit. Monty, a fluffy biscuit with eyes, gloved hands, and a butter tongue, appears in the team’s logo and on its cap. Now that’s a fun – and delicious – logo.
 
Albuquerque Isotopes (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League)
Fans of The Simpsons are surely fond of Springfield’s home team, the Isotopes. Homer Simpson definitely was, which is why he went on a hunger strike to prevent the team from relocating to Albuquerque. Nevertheless, ABQ found a way to make the team their own. When choosing a new team name for the Albuquerque Cannons just two years after The Simpsons episode aired, 67% of voters selected Isotopes. The ‘Topes name fits right in with the many national science labs headquartered in New Mexico, too. The Isotope ‘A’ primary logo has not only become somewhat iconic in pop culture – both being a clever play on Springfield’s logo, going on to appear in Breaking Bad, and appearing on promotional jerseys for Better Call Saul night – but it also makes for an excellent baseball cap insignia.
 
Fresno Tacos/Grizzlies (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League)
The Fresno Grizzlies have the best alter ego since Bruce Wayne first donned the Batman mask. Spurred by Fresno’s love of tacos, the Grizzlies trade in their usual identity every year and become the Fresno Tacos to help commemorate the city’s Taco Truck Throwdown. Fresno brings tacos and baseball together with new caps and jerseys each year. All of the on-field designs so far have been amazing, featuring both taco trucks and tacos themselves – I’m a proud owner of this Tacos cap. The Tacos bring sabor to the baseball diamond with the best promotion in the minors.
 
Other inanimate favorites:  Beer enthusiasts might find a new favorite team in the Hillsboro Hops – or at least a cool cap to rock when hanging out at their favorite brewery… The Akron RubberDucks pay tribute to the city’s history as the birthplace of a few big tire and rubber companies; thus, the mallard in their logo is not a typical bath time rubber duck but instead resembles a tire… 

A number of the logos featured in this article were created by the graphic design company Brandiose. While some sports logo reviewers don’t like their work, critiquing the style and similarity of their designs as a whole, I am a fan. Their impact on the minors is undeniable and I feel like they do a great job of pulling out what it means to be from a city and incorporating that into their designs. Their designs are always fun and fit minor league baseball perfectly.
 
I mentioned earlier that teams in the minors experiment much more freely with silly names. While that’s true now, it hasn’t always been the case. Many of the teams in this list are the result of name changes that occurred in just the last few years and most of those came as a result of voting contests that allowed communities to choose a name that is close to them. I think this evolution of sports team names is great. It’s amazing to see imaginative and fun names and logos become the norm.

The weeks leading up to the NBA trade deadline bring about gossip and rumors that would make a reality TV fan’s head spin. In the end, plenty of deals get done; a mix of some splashy big player trades and a slew of small, financial moves. Here’s a timeline and rundown of every single deal made this year and a few thoughts on some that weren’t.



​

​February 2
Bucks Receive: Spencer Hawes (C), Roy Hibbert (C)
Hornets Receive: Miles Plumlee (C)
Not a flashy trade and shouldn’t make much of an impact other than depth. Milwaukee later moved Hibbert to Denver anyway.
 
February 13
Nuggets Receive: Mason Plumlee (C), 2018 2nd round pick, cash considerations
Trailblazers Receive: Jusuf Nurkic (C), 2017 1st round pick
As expected, the Nuggets parted ways with Nurkic in a deal that should benefit all parties involved. Nurk gets a change of scenery; the Nuggets get a tremendous passer and backup center in Plumlee; the Blazers add another first round pick to their stockpile; the Nuggets get a pick and $2 million.
 
Cavaliers Receive: Protected 2017 2nd round pick
Hornets Receive: Chris Andersen (C), cash considerations
Pretty much a dump move for both teams. The Cavs freed up a roster spot by trading away the injured 38-year-old Andersen and the Hornets immediately waived him upon arrival. The Cavs get a future asset as well as room to acquire another player and the Hornets get cash.
 
February 14
Raptors Receive: Serge Ibaka (F)
Magic Receive: Terrence Ross (G), 2017 1st round pick
This trade makes the Orlando Magic look really bad in the long run. The Magic gave up a lot last year (Oladipo, Ilyasova, and an early 1st round pick) to get Ibaka in the first place. Now, with the threat of him leaving for nothing as a free agent, they were only able to recoup a sixth-man and a worse draft pick. Ibaka’s numbers weren’t great during his time in Orlando, but he should benefit the Raptors.
 
February 20
Pelicans Receive: DeMarcus Cousins (F/C), Omri Casspi (F)
Kings Receive: Buddy Hield (G), Tyreke Evans (G/F), Langston Galloway (G), 2017 1st round pick, 2017 2nd round pick
Wow…in the biggest and most unexpected trade of the deadline, the Kings backtracked on their stance that they weren’t going to move Cousins. The Kings lost the only star they’ve managed to draft out of a decade of lottery picks and didn’t get an equal return. Oh, not to mention that GM Vlade Divac admitted that they received and turned down a better offer a few days earlier. That, the loss of Boogie, the lack of a return, and flip-flopping after telling their superstar that they wanted him around for a long time all highlight the dumpster fire that is Sacramento’s ownership and front office. As for the Pelicans, time will tell how their new duo of bigs – Cousins and Anthony Davis – play together. 

February 21
Lakers Receive: Corey Brewer (F), unprotected 2017 1st round pick
Rockets Receive: Lou Williams (G)
Another trade that benefits both teams. The Rockets’ system is ideal for a productive, efficient shooter like Williams, who should boost Houston’s offense as they look to contend in the playoffs. The Lakers add a veteran and an asset.
 
February 22
Wizards Receive: Bojan Bogdanovic (F), Chris McCullough (F)
Nets Receive: Andrew Nicholson (F), Marcus Thornton (G), 2017 1st round pick
The Wizards’ bench should get some scoring help from Bogdanovic. They also free up some salary space by unloading Nicholson’s unfriendly contract. The Nets will benefit from the much-needed draft pick. Not a spectacular trade for either team. Just average.
 
Hawks Receive: Ersan Ilyasova (F)
76ers Receive: Tiago Splitter (F/C), 2017 2nd round pick, draft pick option
Meh. Ilyasova has now been traded five times in two years and Splitter didn’t work out in Philly.  
 
February 23 a.k.a. Deadline Day!
Mavericks Receive: Nerlens Noel (F/C)
76ers Receive: Andrew Bogut (C), Justin Anderson (F), conditional 1st round pick
Rumors had been swirling about regarding the Sixers possibly trading big-man Jahlil Okafor. Instead, they dealt their former 1st round pick from 2013, Nerlens Noel. Joel Embiid, drated in 2014, is now Philly’s longest tenured player, as the team looks to build around “The Process”. By acquiring Noel, Dallas looks to make a run at the up for grabs 8-seed in this year’s playoffs. The Sixers will likely buy-out Bogut’s contract.
 
Thunder Receive: Taj Gibson (F), Doug McDermott (F), 2018 2nd round pick
Bulls Receive: Anthony Morrow (G), Joffrey Lauvergne (C), Cameron Payne (G)
Uhh…is everything okay, Chicago? Do you need to talk? This move by the Bulls front office is… questionable, to put it very mildly. Chicago gave up their starting power forward in Taj Gibson and their best three-point shooter in Dougie McBuckets. In exchange, they got another point guard (added to the four they already have) in Cameron Payne and a couple spare parts. With the Bulls keeping Jimmy Butler while failing to add any considerable pieces (in fact, losing some), I’m not sure at all what their game plan is. 

Nuggets Receive: Roy Hibbert (C)
Bucks Receive: Protected future 2nd round pick
While this was primarily done to get the Nuggets closer to the salary floor, Hibbert could provide some solid bench minutes down the stretch.

Nets Receive: K.J. McDaniels (G)
Rockets Receive: Nothing but cap space ($3 million)
Yawn. Boring financial move to free up money that’s typical near deadline time.
 
Lakers Receive: Tyler Ennis (G)
Rockets Receive: Marcelo Huertas (G)
The Rockets waived Huertas immediately, so…no big deal (literally). Frees up cap space for Houston.
 


​Suns Receive: Mike Scott (F)
Hawks Receive: Protected 2nd round pick, cash considerations
See Nets-Rockets trade analysis above.
 
Suns Receive: Jared Sullinger (C), 2017 and 2018 2nd round picks
Raptors Receive: P.J. Tucker (F)
Tucker should give Toronto some defensive help for the playoffs.
 
Trades That Didn’t Happen

• The Nuggets made a play at Pacers’ superstar Paul George. The deal didn’t gain any traction and PG was apparently unlikely to stay with Denver long-term anyway.
• The “annual Ricky Rubio trade rumor” was (once again...) just a rumor, despite some late talks about swapping him for Derrick Rose.
• The Bulls weighed the interest in Jimmy Butler, but ultimately decided to stand pat.
• The Celtics had been linked to a number of different players and many expected a big move. Instead, Boston is exercising patience and moving forward with Isaiah Thomas and the rest of the core, a move they feel pretty good about.
• After a month of trade talk, Jahlil Okafor stays with the 76ers. 

The NHL is past the All-Star Break hump and the quest for Lord Stanley is intensifying! But before teams move into the playoffs (or an early offseason), some will tinker with their roster before the trade deadline, which features a wrinkle this year thanks to the league’s newest team. The hockey world stands to look a lot different by next month, both because of rising contenders and moving players.
 
Where the Wild Things Are
If Max from Maurice Sendak’s children’s book were a hockey fan, he would find the Wild in the Land of First Place. Minnesota is leading the Western Conference and is looking impressive while doing it. The Wild have been competitive in recent years, but never as dominant as this year’s iteration. The uptick in performance can be attributed, at least in part, to a few key offseason moves. First, they hired Head Coach Bruce Boudreau shortly after he was released by the Anaheim Ducks. Boudreau has given the team a change of pace after former coach Mike Yeo struggled late in his tenure. Next, they made a splash in free agency by signing veteran center Eric Staal. That move not only gave them depth at center, but allowed them to move Mikael Granlund from center to right wing. Granlund has excelled at wing on a line with Koivu and Parise, leading the team with 50 points (16 goals/34 assists). Staal has contributed offensively too (16 g/28 a). Pair these new pieces with an existing amount of talent, an offense firing on all cylinders, and an immensely reliable league-leading goalie, and it’s easy to see why the North Star State is shining so brightly. 
 
Fear and Trading in Las Vegas
While rumors usually fly ahead of the NHL trade deadline, this season offers an added twist for why teams may or may not look different after Thursday, March 1st at 3 p.m. ET. This year, teams will have a lot more to consider due to the impending Expansion Draft for the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Here’s a primer on what the new franchise means for the other 30 teams heading into this year’s trade deadline.
 
Before the Knights begin play in the 2017-18 season, they will fill out their roster in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft on June 18-20. There, they will select 30 players – one from each existing team – including at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goalies. Additionally, Vegas will follow some salary cap limits and at least 20 of the players Vegas chooses must be under contract for the 2017-18 season.
 
Each of the existing 30 teams can protect some of their players from Vegas. They have two options: A) seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie, or B) eight total skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goalie. While option A allows teams to protect two more players total, it allows for less flexibility in who a team can keep. Players with no-movement clauses will be automatically protected but will count against the limit. First-year and second-year players are also automatically protected and will not count against the protection limit.
 
Whew…still with me? With the rules covered, here’s how the Expansion Draft should strongly alter the trade deadline this year. Teams won’t have to worry about their youngest talent or the stars they protect, but each team will have to fear losing some considerable talent and depth in players they leave exposed. If a team has a valuable player they don’t have the room to protect, it then makes more sense to try and trade that player prior to the draft to get some compensation rather than to lose them for nothing to Vegas. At the same time, however, teams might avoid trading for an additional player that they then have to worry about protecting. This could reduce the number of players a team would usually consider, limiting them to “rental” players – high level or aging talent that they can use to make a championship push – and younger players that are exempt from the Expansion Draft. Teams will be forced to deal with these complications that wouldn’t appear around a normal trade deadline when analyzing their rosters, and it may cause some teams to be a little reluctant to deal this year.
 
Rumour Has It He’s the One They’re Trading You For
With all that being said about the implications of the new Vegas franchise, there are still some very clear buyers and sellers that could engage near the trade deadline.

• The Colorado Avalanche are dead last (by a mile), have a few key pieces of talent, and will be sellers at the deadline. Matt Duchene, captain Gabriel Landeskog, and Jarome Iginla have been at the center of rumors so far. Duchene and Landeskog are talented and relatively young, and will command a high asking price. NHL legend Jarome Iginla is approaching 40 years old and has expressed interest in joining a contender and trying to win a Cup before he retires. Player scouts from virtually every team have been in attendance at Avs games all season long, and the Avs have been involved in deep talks with the Bruins, Predators, Penguins, and Canadiens. Look for Colorado to consider moving Duchene and Landeskog if the price is right and count on them to find a Cup-contending home for Iginla.
• The St. Louis Blues are looking to move pending free agent defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.
• A wild card spot is still within reach for the Dallas Stars, but they are on the outside looking in. They’re in the awkward position of deciding whether to buy, sell, or stay put. The Stars don’t play between the 18th and the 24th and GM Jim Nill has stated that he will make a decision on the team’s direction after that bye week.
• Goalies are a rare commodity but Tampa’s Ben Bishop is an unrestricted free agent after this season and has been the subject of some speculation. The Sharks and Stars have some need for a backup goalie and may make a play.
• Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has been floated around in some rumors, but the Penguins are in full Stanley Cup hunt mode and are comfortable hanging on to him, so he may not move after all.
• The Buffalo Sabres are falling out of the playoff race and, as a result, will likely trade defenseman Dmitry Kulikov who is an unrestricted free agent after the season.

 
Stay tuned for a special Trade Deadline Recap edition of Slapshots after deadline day for a rundown of all the moves!
 
A Look Back
Updates on the stories from January’s Slapshots.

• The Columbus Blue Jackets are still in line for a top playoff position, but have evened out a little since their big surge. They’ve gone 5-4-1 in their last ten games.
• The Washington Capitals still look like a true contender. The Caps have the best record in the league and have the best goal differential (+71) by a mile thanks to their impenetrable defense.
• Following the Brock Lesnar logo mishap, the Winnipeg Jets season may actually be doomed. The Jets have lost four straight, have only won four of their last ten, and now have a losing record.
• 2017 All-Star Weekend was decent, but nothing to write home about. No records were set in any of this year’s skill challenges, and the results of the “Fastest Skater” competition were blemished by controversy as the league used different rules than they did last year. The main-event, the three-on-three divisional tournament, was pretty lopsided in the early rounds. The Pacific blew out the Central 10-3, while the Metropolitan beat the Atlantic 10-6. The finals were much more competitive, as the Metro beat the Pacific 4-3.
• Red Wings Playoff Streak Tracker: With 56 games played, things are looking dire for Detroit’s 25 year-long playoff streak. The Wings are last in the Eastern Conference and are struggling to keep pace in the wild card race. 

All eyes in America were on the biggest stage in sports this week. Super Bowl LI provided excitement galore in an unprecedented overtime thriller. Not to be outdone, the Association followed up with some excitement of its own. The day after the big game, the surging Washington Wizards took on the Eastern Conference leading Cleveland Cavaliers in a back-and-forth big play battle that found its way to OT, with the Cavs ultimately stealing the road win in an early “Game of the Year” nominee. Amazing contests and heavy doses of drama should be in steady supply down the stretch. Here’s what to look for heading into the second half of basketball season.
 
“The Process”
“Trust the Process” has been emphasized as the motto for the Philadelphia 76ers so much in recent years that it may challenge “Let Brotherly Love Endure” as the official motto for the city. That saying may finally be coming to fruition as the rebuilding process is beginning to bear fruit. Joel Embiid, Philly’s first round pick from 2014, has been a bright spot in another gloomy season. Embiid missed both the 2014-15 season with a broken bone in his foot and the 2015-16 season after a setback in recovery. But finally, on October 26th 2016, Embiid made his long-awaited regular season debut. He has looked spectacular since then, earning the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award in November, December, and January: a.k.a. every time it’s been awarded this season. In response to the team’s rebuilding slogan, Embiid has hilariously nicknamed himself “The Process”. This season still may not be going their way in the standings, but with Embiid as their future, Sixers fans have a lot to trust.
 
Big Trouble in Little Chicago
It’s been anything but smooth sailing in the Windy City as the Chicago Bulls have hit some rough patches both on and off the court. The Bulls have been inconsistent in January and February, teetering back and forth between the win and loss columns and failing to get any sort of momentum going. Frustrations with their struggles boiled over into the locker room. After blowing a ten point lead in the last three minutes to the Atlanta Hawks, veterans Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler both publicly voiced concerns about the team’s issues, essentially calling out all other players on the roster in the process. Rajon Rondo wasn’t happy with how Wade and Butler handled the situation, posting a lengthy response on Instagram which began, “My vets would never go to the media. They would come to the team.” The trio has since played off the incident, claiming that there is no tension between the players. Time will tell the truth, however, as the clash over leadership has led to trade speculation.
 
All-Stars in the Big Easy
We’re on the brink of the jam-packed NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans! Friday, February 17th brings the always enjoyable Celebrity Game and the Rising Stars Challenge. Saturday, February 18th features the Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Announcement and NBA All-Star Saturday Night (Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest, and Dunk Contest). The game itself is Sunday, February 19th at 8 p.m. ET.

• In the Dunk Contest, look for last year’s runner-up Aaron Gordon to try and top his jaw-dropping effort from 2016. He’ll try to out jam Deandre Jordan, Glenn Robinson III, and Derrick Jones Jr.
• Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, Nick Young, and Kyle Lowry headline the Three-Point Contest.
• Reflecting their popularity across the sport, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors make up almost thirty percent of All-Star representatives this year.
• 2017 is the year of the point guard. There is so much talent across the league at the point guard position this year that Russell Westbrook, the man averaging a triple-double, is not a starter for the West. He is a reserve behind Steph Curry and James Harden. Failing to make the roster are outstanding PG’s Damian Lillard and Mike Conley.
• As is the case with any All-Star roster, the main event is not lacking in drama. Rookie of the Year frontrunner Joel Embiid was robbed of an All-Star nod.

 
Ed Monix for a Washing Machine
The trade rumor mill is firing up as we approach the NBA trade deadline, Thursday, February 23rd at 3 p.m. ET. While we may not see any trades for washing machines a la Semi-Pro, some intriguing moves have been hinted at.

• The rumor taking the league by storm is the idea that the Knicks may look to move Carmelo Anthony. Melo has seemingly worn out his welcome in New York and neither the organization nor the star appears happy. After a frustrated LeBron James made comments suggesting that he would like to see a playmaker in Cleveland, reports have linked Melo to the Cavs, including one which suggested LeBron is pushing to trade Kevin Love for Melo. Since then, LeBron has spoken out and (bluntly) clarified that the report is “trash. And the guy who wrote it is trash, too.” Anthony is still reportedly being shopped around the league. Any deal would require him to waive his no-trade clause.
• With the problems in Chicago discussed earlier, many have suggested that the Bulls may look to move either Jimmy Butler or Rajon Rondo.
• *Insert annual rumor about the Timberwolves trading Ricky Rubio here*
• In a twist regarding another player perennially surrounded by trade rumors, Sacramento Kings GM Vlade Divac recently insisted that the team is not looking to trade DeMarcus Cousins, and that the team hopes he is around for a long time.
• Not the splashiest of players, but one most likely to be moved is Denver Nuggets’ center Jusuf Nurkic. The Nuggets are riding the talents of Nikola Jokic at the center position, relegating Nurkic to the bench. Nurkic deserves an opportunity to start and would absolutely contribute to another team in a more prominent role. Denver is reportedly pursuing a combo forward and a second round pick in return.
• The New Orleans Pelicans are in the market for an offensively-minded big man and are close to a deal with Philadelphia for center Jahlil Okafor, per source.

 
Stay tuned in the days following the deadline for a special Trade Deadline Recap edition of Hoop Talk for a rundown of all the moves!
 
Rebounds: A Look Back
Updates on the storylines from January’s Hoop Talk.

• The Brooklyn Nets are now in sole position to earn the number one pick in the draft. Since last month, they’ve won only one game and have lost seventeen more, and are now sitting at 9-42… ouch.
• The Houston Rockets are still battling it out in the Wild West, maintaining their third place spot at 37-17.
• The MVP race is still neck-and-neck and as a close as it has ever been. Between the two main contenders, Harden has the edge in assists, while Westbrook wins out for points and rebounds. 

Football is a sport filled to the brim with clichés, ones that every football fan out there is familiar with. We’ve heard over and over again, that the game isn’t over until the clock strikes zero, or that it’s always a tale of two halves, and sometimes a team wins simply because they want it more. But while those are tired sayings to say the least, we keep hearing them because of the sheer fact that they are grounded in truth, and that was never more evident than it was last night in Super Bowl LI.
 
Because last night, the game did in many ways come down to the wire. It was indeed a tale of two halves, and the Patriots truly did want to win it more, and well…the end result of seeing so many classic tropes come together in a single night, was one of the greatest Super Bowls ever played in the history of the game. The New England Patriots earned their fifth franchise championship in the most epic way imaginable, by defying the odds, by making history and by thrilling fans of the game everywhere, in a game that let’s be honest…they should have lost.
 
Because for a good chunk of the game, the Atlanta Falcons utterly dominated the Patriots, scoring 21 unanswered in the first half and they added another touchdown early in the third quarter for good measure. But something changed shortly after that. The fight went out of Atlanta and it seems as though they believed they could simply coast from here on out and the Patriots, took full advantage of that. They made quick adjustments on defense, and turned Tom Brady loose and the rest of the second half…belonged to New England.

It was during the second half that ​Tom Brady made history and led his team to a 25 point comeback, tying the game late in the fourth quarter to give us another historic moment on this night, by sending this Super Bowl into overtime for the first time in Super Bowl history before wrapping up this game with a stunning touchdown drive and well…I have to admit, this was one hell of a game. Whether you love Tom Brady, or outright hate him…we were witness to some incredible play from the man as he more or less willed his team to the title, and inspired them along the way and for proof of that, just take another look at that catch by Julian Edelman.
 
But what truly makes this particular win so sweet and so special for the Patriots and all of their loyal fans is that those that love the sport of football, myself included, wrote New England off this year. Few of us thought they would win any games without Tom Brady. Even fewer of us expected to see them in the Playoffs, or celebrating a victory in the Super Bowl. Yet, here we are. After months of being told they’re not good enough, or that they couldn’t accomplish such a feat, the New England Patriots are Super Bowl LI Champions.
 
Their victory caps what many could consider to be the greatest revenge tour ever seen in sports since Brady has earned all kinds of vindication by winning his fifth championship and fourth Super Bowl MVP and by pulling off this incredible victory, he more or less cements his status as the Greatest Quarterback of All Time and what better way to do that, than by playing the underdog all year long and coming from behind to win it all. Either way, congratulations to the New England Patriots and I certainly hope they enjoy every single moment of this well deserved and historic victory.

The brutal heat of summertime, is something that stays with a professional football player. Because baking under the sun at training camp, signals the beginning of a long journey. One that will lead to a grueling preseason and a long regular season filled to the brim with aches and pains and the agony of defeat...all in the hopes of reaching the playoffs for an opportunity to raise the Lombardi Trophy and be crowned as a Champion along with their teammates, and reaching the top, being able to see the confetti fall from the sky, allows for that unbearable heat to serve as a reminder, that only the best understand sacrifice, because the wonder of a Super Bowl Championship makes every tough moment worthwhile.

There is no greater honor for a football player, because being a Champion in the NFL, means you are the indisputable best. No one can take that title away from a team, and no one can ever rob them of the wonder and the glory of knowing that they are truly the finest to play the game and today...that long and winding journey will come to an end. But who will win it all? Will it be the New England Patriots? Do they get to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for a fifth time? Or will the Atlanta Falcons finally bring home the hardware for the first time in franchise history? We will find out later today, but before the festivities get underway, let's take an in depth look at both teams and what they will need to accomplish, to win Super Bowl LI.

THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - STRENGTHS 
Sure, the Pats have accomplished plenty in the Bill Belichick era, and we can talk all day long about 'The Patriot Way' or how they consistently find players that fit their system...but let's be honest. There's one reason, and one reason alone that New England has experienced this kind of wild success, Quarterback Tom Brady. Love him or hate him, the man is simply a wonder to watch on the field. It doesn't matter if his top weapons are playing or not, he finds a way to move his offense down the field and put points on the board, and that's precisely what we can expect in this game, a heavy dose of #12 and the Patriots unique style of offense where they use the pass, to set up the run.

THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - WEAKNESSES
Oddly enough, New England's greatest strength, is also their greatest weakness. Because despite Tom Brady's prowess on the field, he is a creature of habit and routine and if a defense finds a way to disrupt the Patriots passing game, or if they find ways to hit him or sack him...Brady has a tendency to let frustration settle in and make costly mental mistakes.

​​THE ATLANTA FALCONS - STRENGTHS
It's all about the offense in Atlanta, and that powerhouse O has led them to the biggest game in all the land. Creative play calling and game planning is a staple for this team since they have a knack for finding their opponent's weaknesses and exploiting them to the fullest by air and by land and we can expect more of the same for this game. Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan has no doubt prepared Matt Ryan and the boys for everything that New England will throw at them...and he's most certainly found holes in the Patriots D that Atlanta can take full advantage of.

THE ATLANTA FALCONS - WEAKNESSES
Regardless of the fact that Atlanta can essentially score at will on offense, their defense is one that remains suspect. They operate on a 'bend, don't break' mentality and that has at times cost the team the win or put them in close shootouts, which means that the Falcons defense will have to find a way to remain stout against a quarterback that is looking for any opportunity or window to make a play.

KEYS TO SUPER BOWL LI
If the New England Patriots want to win this game, then they have to accomplish two key things. On offense, they have to attack the Atlanta defense all day long and wear them down mentally and on defense, they will need to learn to adjust on the fly. That means in game, or in series adjustments to try and answer and neutralize what Matt Ryan is throwing their way and if they can do that, and make the Atlanta Falcons a one dimensional team on offense and shred that defense and wear them down then the New England Patriots will be Super Bowl Champions once again.

As for the Atlanta Falcons, the keys to this game are simple. First and foremost, they need to play their game on offense and execute on every play. The Patriots defense will do their best to get in their heads and try to control the tempo of the game, but as long as the Falcons stay cool and collect and take what opportunities come their way, they'll score plenty of points. As for the defense, they have to take a page from the New York Giants Super Bowl Playbook...and attack Tom Brady all night long. They have to get into that backfield and hit him, drop him or sack him to rattle him, and they absolutely have to blanket the receiving corps and keep them from getting open. If they can do all that, then the Atlanta Falcons will be Super Bowl Champions for the first time in franchise history.