The State of Hoops, NFL rule changes and an off-the-rails game show in the sports moments of the week
NC State, Duke and North Carolina are still dancing in the NCAA tournament...with the Wolfpack and Blue Devils still alive in the men's and women's bracket. We look back at all the madness and much more!
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No, you're not dreaming Wolfpack fans. This is real life!
NC State is having a pretty fantastic March, and last week was their best yet.
And then of course, there's the headliners on the hardwood.
The Wolfpack men's and women's basketball teams are on to the Sweet Sixteen -- the first time both teams have made it this far in the same year since 1989.
As fate would have it, the men's team will be playing at almost exactly the same time on Friday, as they try to continue their run against No. 2 seed Marquette.
The Wolfpack absolutely bullied Texas Tech in their round one victory, then outlasted upset-minded Oakland in overtime to win their round two matchup.
Saturday's game against the Golden Grizzlies pitted two crowd favorites against each other -- Oakland's Jack Gohlke and NC State's DJ Burns.
I certainly didn't see this coming for the men's team, but given the overall good vibes in Wolfpack Nation right now, I don't know how you can bet against them.
NC State may be the highest seed remaining in the men's bracket, but their run to the Sweet Sixteen wasn't a fluke. They are absolutely playing like one of the top teams in the nation right now.
Seven straight wins with their season on the line is incredibly special. Win or lose on Friday, this will go down as an all-time run in NC State history.
Enjoy the moment, WPN!
Duke men and women still dancing
There are four schools in the country who have both their men's and women's teams still playing basketball.
NC State, UConn, Gonzaga... and Duke.
Unlike the Wolfpack, it's the Blue Devil women who had the most improbable run to get to the second weekend.
The Blue Devils are going to need Richardson to match buckets with UConn star Paige Bueckers if they want to continue their run on Saturday night. That will be appointment television.
The Duke men, on the other hand, enjoyed a mostly drama-free path through their opening weekend of the tournament.
No. 13 seed Vermont kept pace early, but never really threatened the Blue Devils in a 64-47 decision on Friday.
McCain's shooting will be critical in Duke's next matchup when they take on one of the best defenses in the country in No. 1 seed Houston.
If McCain (and others) can hit from deep, it should open things up for a potential upset. If not, it could be a long night in Dallas.
Fired up Hubert Davis spurs Tar Heels to the Sweet Sixteen
UNC couldn't quite complete the Sweet Sixteen six-pack to open March Madness (condolences to the women's team, who ran into a South Carolina buzzsaw in Round 2). However, the Tar Heels may still have the best chance of winning it all.
The No. 1 seed UNC men's team is still dancing after they squashed Michigan State (who was a trendy upset pick) on Saturday in Charlotte.
The Spartans seemingly had the Heels on the ropes in the first half, but it seems that a head coach Hubert Davis pushed the right buttons and turned the game around.
Players say Davis challenged the Tar Heels to "join the fight" against the Spartans, who were having their way early on. And that's exactly what they did.
UNC turned an 8-point deficit into a 9-point halftime lead, and then cruised the rest of the way to a victory.
You can expect a high-scoring game when the Tar Heels take on Alabama this Thursday in Los Angeles. If they're able to get through that game (as they're favored to do), it could set up the Caleb Love grudge match that fans have been clamoring for.
Now that would be a Hollywood-worthy script.
Big NFL rule changes are coming and it's going to be weird
If you've been all-in in March Madness (completely understandable), you may have missed some developments at the NFL's Annual League Meeting that could have a dramatic impact on your Sundays this fall.
For starters, kickoffs are going to look very different, with the coverage and return units lined up just 5 yards from each other at the kick.
But while the kickoff changes are certainly jarring, the league's ban of the so-called "hip drop tackle" is probably an even bigger deal.
The "hip drop tackle," if you are unfamiliar is an increasingly popular term for when a defender drags down a ball carrier (usually from the side or from behind) by dropping their hips to the ground after wrapping up.
The new ban brings up a pretty reasonable question -- what exactly is the defense supposed to do?
Can't hit high. Can't hit low. Can't land on a quarterback. Can't hit a receiver hard across the middle. And now, they have to figure out a way to tackle a full speed Derrick Henry (for example) without using their body weight to drag him down.
Seems pretty impossible to me.
"I'm sure this won't be a train wreck at all," he said sarcastically.
USMNT wins CONCACAF Nations League in spectacular fashion
If you haven't been following the United States Men's National Team through the CONCACAF Nations League, you've missed a wild ride over the last few days.
The U.S. won the game and the trophy, 2-0. It's their third CONCACAF Nations League title in as many tries (it's a pretty new competition) and will hopefully provide some valuable momentum heading into the Olympics this summer in Paris.
Name That Mascot is "the worst game ever"
Finally this week, for your viewing pleasure, it's one of my favorite off-court moments from the NCAA Tournament so far.
Happy March Madness. We'll see you next week.
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