NEWSLETTER
So, today is my Dad’s birthday and I won’t be around the office after these bullets. I have some stuff scheduled out throughout the day. But I’ll be on the golf course celebrating with my Dad. But first, some football news. While the sale of the Washington Commanders could be right around the corner, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos will not be a part of the bidding. This according to a source close to Bezos via ESPN’s John Keim.
- In Keim’s latest story at ESPN, he says that a source close to Bezos said, “no, he’s not” when asked whether or not the billionaire will bid on the Commanders. Puck News also reported that Bezos, who, according to Forbes, has a net worth of $125 billion, wasn’t “currently planning” to bid on the team.
- Bezos had some interest in purchasing the Commanders. Still, in March, reports surfaced that Dan and Tina Snyder would not allow him to bid on the team. Bezos owns the Washington Post, which published several investigative stories over the past three years that led to issues for Snyder and the organization.
- Keim also wrote that Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said on CNBC that he bid $5.6 billion — the value Forbes placed on the franchise.
“At some point you’ve got to draw a line in the sand, and that’s where we are,” Ferttita said. “If they can get somebody to pay them more than that, good luck to them. … I don’t think $6 billion is the right number.”
- Josh Harris — who owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils — has submitted an official offer. Harris’ offer is reported to be around $6 billion.
- During the Arizona Cardinals’ team press conference on Tuesday, new head coach Jonathan Gannon admitted that the allegations against owner Michael Bidwill are a distraction. Gannon was asked by a reporter: “Do you have any response to the allegations that are just kind of put out there about owner Michael Bidwill?”
- To which Gannon responded:
“No, I don’t,” Gannon said. “My sole focus is on improving our team right now, so that’s kind of exactly like you said, I think a distraction. But that’s not gonna take away from my focus, any outside noise like that. I’m worried about the players right now.”
- The interesting note here is that Gannon decided not to take the easy way out. He could have said that that was before his time in Arizona or that he didn’t have any thoughts on it. He could have even punted with a “no comment.” But instead, he chose to point out that the topic was, in fact, a distraction from Arizona’s rebuilding efforts.
- Gannon and the Cardinals have the third pick in the NFL Draft two weeks from tonight. So, they have plenty to focus on from a football operations standpoint. His point is accurate and a refreshing bit of matter-of-fact honesty from the rookie head coach.
- Speaking of the Cardinals’ third pick in the draft, a few mock drafts have Arizona trading back. This was an interesting one:
- The New York Giants report for the start of their offseason program on Monday. However, star running back Saquon Barkley will not be there. Barkley hasn’t signed his franchise tag, and according to Kim Jones of Newsday, he doesn’t intend to. The Giants placed the franchise tag on Saquon Barkley last month ahead of the deadline to do so after they reached an extension agreement with quarterback Daniel Jones.
- NFL teams received a letter from Dr. Robert Watkins regarding Utah TE Dalton Kincaid on Tuesday. Dr. Watkins provided a clean bill of health for the projected first-rounder. As a result, we have the Packers taking Kincaid in our mock draft.
- So, tonight will be Jonathan Toews’ final game in a Blackhawks sweater:
- However, you have to read Tab’s goodbye before puck drop tonight:
