Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.
Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.
Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.
Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.
Go to Blogger edit html and find these sentences.Now replace these sentences with your own descriptions.
TEMPE — When you think about a running back, toting the rock and catching passes out of the backfield quickly come to mind.
Cardinals first-round pick Jeremiyah Love more than checks those boxes after back-to-back monster seasons at Notre Dame, but it’s the dirty work that can sometimes fall by the wayside that really gets the running back’s juices going.
“Pass protection is the most important part of my game. That’s the only thing I really train on when I’m at practice. Footwork is natural,” Love said Friday. “But pass protection is what we really focus on because you got to be able to protect the ball, you got to be able to protect the quarterback so that he can have time to make plays. … People always hitting me, so whenever I get to deliver a blow, I’m going to take pride in it and I’m gonna do the best of my ability to try and knock your head off.
“I love pass protection. I love trying to hit people. I’m a football player at the end of the day. I used to play defense back in the day. So, I got a little bit of craziness to me. Pass protection is the key for success.”
Safe to say pass protection is high atop the priorities for Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love.
“I’m a football player at the end of the day. I used to play defense back in the day, so I got a little craziness to me.” pic.twitter.com/yAeKxuzpii
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) April 24, 2026
That should be music to head coach Mike LaFleur and the Cardinals’ offense’s ears after what went down last year.
Forced to throw the rock that much more thanks to a stagnant run game littered with injuries, the pass attempts skyrocketed for Jacoby Brissett last year.
And with more chances to get home, plus an inconsistent offensive line, defenses basically lived in Arizona’s backfield with 59 sacks. That ranked fifth-most in the NFL last year.
Love by himself isn’t going to be able to remedy all of the issues that were on display last year. He does, however, provide a boost in the department thanks to his willingness to rattle someone’s cage.
The grittiness to Love’s game doesn’t stop at pass pro, either.
Making defenses pay in short-yardage situations is another part of Love’s game that may not get all the glitz and glam as explosives but can be equally important in a given week.
It also embodies the sport Love has dedicated his life to.
“It’s just gritty. Football is supposed to be gritty. You’re supposed to exhibit toughness and those short-yardage runs allow you to do that,” Love told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke. “They show me who I am as a person and as a player. And I like to hit people, man.
“In short yardage, you get to hit. A lot of guys will come up for your neck, you come up for theirs, man on man, and you get to test your mettle against another man. … At the end of the day, you get to dominate somebody, so that’s what I love about short-yardage.”
The Phoenix Mercury revealed their New Originals uniform and matching court Friday as part of the WNBA’s Court Origins program with Nike.
Phoenix’s third new uniform for the 2026 season comes after a rebrand in November and honors the franchise’s 30th season by taking inspiration from its original design during the inaugural 1997 season.
The jersey will feature a watermelon base, yellow shoulder straps and a purple trim. Across the chest, “Mercury” is written out in white with the script the franchise used for 28 years.
A “Fry’s” logo remains below the numbers while Hero Bread, the team’s new jersey badge partner, appears in the top left corner.
The shorts are outfitted with the original yellow “M” icon and a retro WNBA logo.
In addition, a patch on the back neckline includes the number “3” and a silver trophy to celebrate Phoenix’s three WNBA championships.
The ‘New Originals’ court design brings back the classic Mercury logo at center court, while the sidelines are to be painted watermelon. Other details include each side of the court featuring the names of every single player in franchise history written out in the key (Ring of Honor members will be bolded) with the team’s 30th season logo on the left.
Phoenix will debut the uniform and court combo on May 21 against the Los Angeles Sparks, and continue to showcase them on 30th Season Celebration Nights during the season.
May 21 is also the first time the New Originals jersey will be made available for purchase.
The Mercury are also scheduled to participate in the WNBA’s Courts Origins game nights on Aug. 1 against the New York Liberty, who revealed its retro jersey and court pairing Friday alongside Phoenix and the Los Angeles Sparks.
Devin Booker intentionally expressed his dismay over the officiating after the Suns’ Game 2 loss to the Thunder.
“Whatever I get fined for, everybody can pull the clips and see where the frustration comes from,” he said Wednesday night.
But where was his empathy?
It came without an ounce of concern for Chet Holmgrem or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who were the victims of Phoenix’s over-the-line antics. Didn’t you see this?
Ah yes a foul on Oso Ighodaro. pic.twitter.com/fveBtx8K4f
— Mike Vigil (@protectedpick) April 23, 2026
How about this felony committed by Collin Gillespie, who violently hit Holmgren in a very natural shooting motion?
It's not just SGA, it's the whole team š pic.twitter.com/2Ehqc2vHD7
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 23, 2026
Losing the sarcasm: The Suns’ gripe might be futile considering the point differentials in two losses to begin this series.
Reality is the Thunder are an awesome team, who have the NBA’s top defense because of their personnel and their athleticism. Phoenix has not gotten killed on free throws, losing the point differential by just two in a 120-107 Game 2 loss and only eight in a 119-84 series-opening blowout.
Nor have the blown whistles gotten any Phoenix players in grave foul trouble.
But the plays that mirror one another have not gotten the same whistles, depending on who was wearing the jersey. That is likely what digs at the Suns and tests their emotional stability.
On Wednesday, a push-off by Suns forward Dillon Brooks got an offensive-foul call, while a similar ducked shoulder plus a quick forearm shove into Gillespie by Gilgeous-Alexander was a non-call.
Pulling clips. pic.twitter.com/rvyhTKtWEZ
— Kevin Zimmerman (@KZimmermanAZ) April 23, 2026
I mean this has to be called as a push off š
Dillon Brooks got called for this earlier in the game pic.twitter.com/07gtmjrLdP
— Fliff (@fliff) April 23, 2026
Booker going up for a jumper through contact and Gilgeous-Alexander doing the same got completely different calls, too. The Suns guard got an offensive foul call. Gilgeous-Alexander got to the foul stripe.
When the @NBA referees have a preference for OKC. First Booker did not hit Caruso at any time who did not have a position either. Challenge the play and the referees confirmed their incompetence. pic.twitter.com/CbZV8NiURx
— BasqueTradamus (@basketradamus) April 23, 2026
You have gotta watch this one!!
Shai just hurt his hand after flopping and pretending he got hit. What has the NBA become!? šš pic.twitter.com/HwaWG6GxGh
— HeroOfTheDay (@Hero_OfThe_Day) April 23, 2026
“They said unnatural shooting motion, hit (Alex) Caruso,” Booker said of one offensive foul call. “But Caruso is moving forward on that, and if that’s an unnatural shooting motion compared to what guys are doing to get fouls nowadays — you can play them side by side. I’ll let you guys be the judge. Pull the clips. Run it back. I’m surprised this is happening on national TV, in playoff games.'”
And that’s before we get to Booker’s technical for trying to save a ball inbounds — we think. The Suns said the referees did not give them an explanation.
Everyone tries to figure out why Devin Booker received a tech pic.twitter.com/YVtg5xe5j0
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) April 23, 2026
Booker has a fine incoming.
How the referees respond and adjust to that public criticism that appears warranted is the question for Game 3 on Saturday in Phoenix.
Let’s go to Instagram, where quickly growing sports impersonator Henry Marken, playing a rec league official, broke down some of the Suns’ fouls against Gilgeous-Alexander.
View this post on Instagram
Marken has been on top of this trend since Game 1.
View this post on Instagram
The Jeremiyah Love talk continues to grow as the NFL Draft closes in, especially when it comes to the Arizona Cardinals.
And just like most of us, the Notre Dame running back has heard all about it.
“I have no idea where I’m going, but there’s a lot of talk about me going to the Cardinals, Titans, Giants,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
“Honestly, I’d be blessed to go anywhere and bring my talents anywhere. … Whatever team I go to, I’m going to make them better.”
Love landing with the Cardinals at No. 3 overall has been a main talking point this past week.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter stoked the fire on Monday, saying there’s “growing chatter in league circles that Love is truly in play” for Arizona at No. 3.
In ESPN analyst Peter Schrager’s final mock draft of the offseason published Wednesday, he paired Arizona with the Notre Dame running back with the pick.
There’s little doubt Love will translate well at the next level. His rushing ability tracks after posting at least 17 rushing touchdowns, 1,125 yards and 6.9 yards per carry in each of the past two seasons at Notre Dame.
Last year was the All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist’s best, with 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 199 carries. He caught 27 passes for 280 yards and three more scores.
“I don’t know if they go there but I would say it’d be a great move,” NFL.com’s Charles Davis told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Wednesday. “You don’t draft because you want your fans to jump up and down at a draft party. But you also don’t draft not to give them some juice.
“(This) fanbase needs juice in a big way. … He gives me Christian McCaffrey vibes.”
There are, however, a few red flags that come up with a potential Love-Cardinals pairing.
The big one that stands out is Arizona’s current roster construction. On top of previously addressing the running backs room through free agency and revising James Conner’s contract, the Cardinals also need an upgrade along the right side of the offensive line.
One way to accomplish that is utilizing the No. 3 pick on an offensive tackle prospect or moving down the draft order and doing something similar.
There’s also the money side of things. If Love goes No. 3 overall, his contract will carry an average annual value of $12.5 million. That would be good enough for the seventh-highest mark among NFL running backs before even taking a snap.
