Author: Around the Felt Sports
It’s been said that old habits die hard. Every time I bet on a UFC event, I am reminded of that very same phrase. The sport in general is just too unpredictable, and that’s not to mention which way the judging will go. Yet, while I failed, quite a few athletes won this weekend. UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Brady took the promotion back to the UK on a night where hometown fighters had the opportunity to put another tally in the win column. In an uninspired night by cage fighting standards, there was still plenty to appreciate, particularly the…
In the world’s most unpredictable mainstream sport, it pays to expect the unexpected. Perhaps unfortunately, this rang especially true on Saturday night at UFC 313. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat was on full display as Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje rematched Rafael “Ataman” Fiziev in the co-main event, while defending light heavyweight champion Alex “Poatan” Periera took on the dark horse of the division, Magomed Ankalaev. Let’s break down what happened and why.The co-main event was a bit of a crapshoot. Lightweights Gaethje and Fiziev came into this contest with little to no momentum behind them. Gaethje…
Sports have never been about solely numbers, drafts, or matchups. Those drive the game forward, of course, and they are critical, don’t get me wrong. Much of the chatter seen online is about the current events in said sport, arguments being made, etc. However, one aspect that is not discussed nearly enough is the human element behind these individuals. If I named a wide receiver, you could probably tell me how many touchdowns they have, or their average yards after catch. But you’d likely have a harder time telling me what that person had to go through, what kept them…
Mixed martial arts is arguably the most unpredictable mainstream sport. Regardless of the analytics, styles, and statistics, the octagon is, as UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier put it, “the theater of the unknown.” At the highest level, any fighter can beat another, and all it takes is one mistake or one strike to land in the right place. A fighter is only as good as his/her last fight, and momentum is every bit as much of a factor as statistics. While Sean Strickland’s brutal honesty and entertaining personality have made him a fan favorite, he did himself no favors as he…
Each year, the NFL MVP award is a heated topic of conversation, this year particularly so. What makes these debates so entertaining is that there are multiple sound arguments for many candidates, along with a variety of factors to consider. Each factor also needs context, as stat sheets or a Win/loss record alone aren’t enough to support an argument, especially in a team sport. In this opinion piece, I will explore the facts at hand while also acknowledging nuance and circumstances. I also acknowledge that the award is as much of a popularity contest as anything else. The MVP is…
We are officially hours away from the start of the 2024 NFL Draft. LET’S GO! With this mock draft, Max Hayford, Nick Wolmart, and Alex Vindici joined me in predicting the first round. We took the approach of drafting based on what we think is going to happen on Thursday night as opposed to what we would do. If you haven’t done so, check out my first mock draft and Around the Felt’s two most recent mock draft videos on YouTube. Now let’s get into it. 1. Chicago BearsGeneral Manager: Max HayfordPick: Caleb Williams, QB, USCNo brainer here. It’s been…
We are less than two weeks away from the 2024 NFL draft, which means it’s time for Big Tong’s mock 1.0. I absolutely love the NFL draft and all of the surprises that come with it. I only projected two trades in my mock, but keep in mind that there were six trades during the first round of the 2023 NFL draft and nine in the 2022 NFL draft. Before we dive in, make sure you are subscribed on youtube and following both aroundthefeltsports and aroundtheoctagonpod on Instagram. The boys appreciate it. Now let’s roll.1. Chicago BearsPick: Caleb Williams, QB, USCThis…
What a wild coaching carousel it has been thus far in the NFL. First, it was Mike Vrabel getting fired, which shocked everyone. Then, Pete Carroll gets fired and steps into an advisory role within the Seahawks organization. Finally, the biggest domino fell when Bill Belichick and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways. Add in Nick Saban retiring and it has been an absurd week for the sport of football. Before we dive into ranking the NFL head coaching vacancies, please check out our new Around the Felt hoodies, available for purchase until January 18th. The support means more than…
With the trade deadline approaching on Tuesday, I will be ranking my top 15 trade candidates and potential fits. Before we dive into it, a couple of notes: Howie Roseman has stuck again as the Eagles made a splash by acquiring Kevin Byard from the Tennessee Titans. Kirk Cousins will be excluded from this list after the Vikings beat the Niners and improved to 3-4. I also find it highly unlikely the Broncos will trade all-pro CB Patrick Surtain II. All contract and salary cap data provided by Spotrac. All player statistics provided by Pro Football Reference. 15. Carl LawsonAge: 28Contract Status: 2023…
I am ranking my top 10 MVP candidates heading into Week 7 of the NFL season. Current Vegas odds for each player are listed in parentheses. All stats provided by ESPN. 10. Justin Herbert (+3000) I placed a pre-season bet on Herbert to win MVP at +2000 which isn’t looking too hot. Herbert remains in the top 10 due to his ability to light up the stat sheet. Despite only playing in 5 games (Chargers had a bye in Week 5), Herbert ranks T-9th with 9 passing TDs, 6th in passing yards per game with 266.6, 7th in completion rate at 68.7%,…