Marc Lawrence

WALK THIS WAY: Utah stands as the undisputed masterclass of modern Power Conference excellence… that has never received its CFP invitation. Few programs can rival their impeccable resume - They've been close enough to smell the roses, but never received an invitation. Their credentials include: • Multiple Pac-12 championships in the CFP era • Rose Bowl appearances • Consistent Top-15 finishes • Numerous wins over CFP teams and bluebloods • Elite defensive reputation across two conferences • Undefeated regular season in 2008 (pre-CFP) with a Sugar Bowl demolition of Alabama The Utes had been one of the nation's most stable programs under Kyle Whittingham, who left the program for Michigan this season. New head coach and Utah's interim coach last season, Morgan Scally, has some very large shoes to fill. The content above is from the 2026 Playbook Football Preview Guide magazine at: tinyurl.com/2bm6wvd2. #UtahUtes #Big12Football #PlaybookSports

WALK IN MY SHOES Utah stands as the undisputed masterclass of modern Power Conference excellence… that has never received its CFP invitation. Few programs can rival their impeccable resume: They’ve been close enough to smell the roses, but never handed the invitation. Their credentials include: • Multiple Pac-12 championships in the CFP era • Rose Bowl appearances • Consistent Top-15 finishes • Numerous wins over CFP teams and bluebloods • Elite defensive reputation across two conferences • Undefeated regular season in 2008    (pre-CFP) with a Sugar Bowl demolition of    Alabama The Utes had been one of the nation’s most stable programs under Kyle Whittingham, who left for Michigan this season. New head coach and Utah's interim coach last season, Morgan Scally, has some very large shoes to fill. #UtahUtes @PlaybookSports #CoffeeClub

SUPERBOWL 61, ESPN, VALENTINE'S DAY Who will headline the Super Bowl 61 half-time show? The big game, which will air on ESPN for the first time in history, is set for Valentine's Day 2027. According to reports, Miley Cyrus is emerging as the "favorite" to perform at half-time of Super Bowl 61 in Southern California. NFL fans have mixed reactions to that news, mostly negative. I understand. "Hannah Montana" and the NFL are simply not a good mix. Sort of like a 'Wrecking Ball.' #NFL #SuperBowl #PlaybookSports

WHERE'S THE LOVE? The NBA MVP results are in, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just collected his second straight trophy like it was inevitable. Fair play to SGA — the Thunder rolled, and he was the engine. But let's talk about the real head-scratcher in Los Angeles. Luka Dončić spent the 2025-26 season reminding everyone why he's a problem. Before that hamstring betrayal in April, the Lakers superstar was unbothered — torching defenses, dropping franchise records like loose change, and turning March into his own personal highlight reel. He led the entire league in scoring for the second time in his career at 33.5 points per game(basically his career peak 2.0), added 8.3 assists, 7.7 boards, and 1.6 steals, while shooting 47.6% from the field and 36.6% from three. That's not "good." That's "how is this even allowed" territory. Yet when the 100 ballots came back? Zero first-place votes. Fourth place overall behind SGA, Jokić, and Wembanyama. Zero. Nada. Not one voter — not a single one — looked at Luka cooking the league on a nightly basis. They gave him some scattered lower-place love, sure, but when it came time to crown the king? Radio silence. Gimme a break. The man won the scoring title, put up video-game numbers on the floor, carried a Lakers squad through stretches, and was treated like a trendy supporting actor instead of the blockbuster. That's NBA malpractice—elite-level disrespect. #LukeDoncic #MVP #Lakers #NBA

OWNERSHIP AT ITS ABSOLUTE FINEST: From today's Coffee Club e-letter: tinyurl.com/tpurea88 In Game 7, every detail is decisive. He sent 26 buses — overflowing from the original 25 — loaded with season-ticket holders, Rocket Arena staff, and die-hard Cleveland fans across Lake Erie to Little Caesars Arena. Roughly 1,300 Cavs supporters flooded the building, carving out a vocal stronghold inside a hostile 20,000-seat arena. Noise, energy, belief — the razor-thin line between advancing and going home often comes down to who shows up loudest when everything is on the line. On a charged Sunday night in May 2026, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert delivered one of the most audacious power moves in modern NBA playoff history. Facing another brutal road Game 7 against the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Gilbert didn't hope for support. He manufactured it. A Detroit native whose Rocket Mortgage empire towers over the Motor City, Gilbert mobilized a full-scale invasion of loyalty. This was no spontaneous stunt. Gilbert had seen the Rocket Arena crowd spark a first-round Game 7 victory over Toronto two weeks earlier. Sensing that same electricity could neutralize Detroit's edge, he acted with decisive vision. For a franchise still rebuilding trust after past instability, the move signaled total organizational unity from ownership to the stands. The numbers were staggering: 26 buses, each carrying roughly 50 passengers, delivered over 1,300 Cavaliers faithful. "Let's Go Cavs!" chants pierced the early boos. By the final buzzer, the Pistons crowd had fallen silent while Cleveland's contingent roared on. The Cavaliers responded with total dominance, dismantling Detroit 125-94 in a 31-point statement win that punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals against the Knicks. Donovan Mitchell led with 26 points. Jarrett Allen owned the paint with 23 points and commanding physicality. Off the bench, Sam Merrill exploded for 23 points, draining five threes and igniting the decisive surge. Head coach Kenny Atkinson was visibly moved afterward. "I've never seen anything like that in the NBA," he said. "A visiting team bringing that many fans and making their presence felt throughout the game. The seats were right behind our bench — perfect. Players and coaches felt every chant. It was special." The night before the game, Atkinson had dinner with Gilbert at the team hotel. In a moment of sharp intuition, the owner delivered a prophetic key. "'You know who the spark is?'" Atkinson recalled. "I thought Harden or Mitchell. He said, 'Jarrett Allen.' That stuck. We ran the first play for him because of Dan." Allen received a personal text from Gilbert before tip-off, reinforcing the belief in his impact. It fueled a standout performance. Merrill, who re-signed with Cleveland on a four-year, $38 million deal after four prior organizations, praised the franchise's player-first culture — elite facilities, family treatment, and genuine investment flowing straight from ownership. The fans experienced pure magic. Leading the brigade was Señor Cleveland, the iconic superfan in his custom Cavs lucha libre mask and championship belt, a season-ticket holder since 2015. Gilbert covered the pre-game dinner for the entire group at one of his Detroit properties. The 2.5-hour bus ride became a nonstop party of chants and high-fives. After the blowout, celebrations spilled into the parking lot with hugs and photos long past midnight. Many didn't reach home until 3 a.m. Every mile was worth it. In the jubilant locker room, Gilbert reflected with raw emotion. "We've had this team for 22 years," he said, "and this is my second favorite day." A powerful statement next to Cleveland's 2016 championship. Gilbert's masterstroke will echo far beyond this series. It builds unbreakable trust between the front office and the locker room. It deepens fan loyalty in the most tangible way possible. It proves that culture isn't slogans — it's 26 buses crossing a lake when the stakes are highest. Players compete with greater freedom when they know ownership will go to extremes for them. Fans invest harder when they feel truly valued. In an NBA era defined by player movement and massive contracts, Gilbert reminded the league what committed, hands-on ownership looks like: bold, visible, and unforgettable. No empty gestures. Just action. Game 7 reaffirmed an eternal truth: every little bit matters. Dan Gilbert made sure his Cavaliers had far more than a little. They had an army behind them — and that army helped deliver a dominant victory that could carry Cleveland all the way to June. It was a true masterclass in ownership. The kind of move that creates lifelong memories. Ownership at its absolute finest. #Cavaliers #NBA #NBAplayoffs

YOU DON'T WANT ANY OF US: And then there are the Chiefs, reeling off a rare losing season under head coach Andy Reid last year. In fact, it was only the third sub .500 effort in his NFL career. Each of those same teams roared back to make the playoffs the following season, although the 2013 team was coached by Chip Kelly. FYI: Reid himself went 11-3 during his first season with the Chiefs in 2013, one of the greatest bounce-back years in NFL history after Kansas City went 2-14 in 2012. Beware of the Mustache in 2026. #NFL #Chiefs #AndyReid

EDDIE'S READY: From the 2026 Playbok Football Preview Guide magazine: tinyurl.com/2bm6wvd2 Eddie George charges into Year Two at Bowling Green with serious momentum after a 4-8 rookie season (2-6 MAC) sealed by a gritty rivalry takedown of Toledo. The Heisman winner and NFL warrior is forging a steel-tough MAC culture, powered by elite recruiting and sharp portal hauls. It starts in the trenches: veteran offensive returners and battle-tested FCS additions fortify the lines, while dual QB threats Drew Pyne (veteran poise) and Hunter Najm (explosive upside) fuel the attack. Doyt Perry Stadium is electric, roaring for Military Appreciation, Homecoming, and Senior Night. The Falcons are rising — and will be bowling for blood in Eddie’s Year Two. STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Over the last 14 years, the Falcons are 61-12 in games in which they win the stats, and 13-77 when they don’t. #EddieGeorge #BowlingGreen #PlaybookSports

QUOTE THE DAY: " Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. When you try to take it too far, people turn the other way. That's rule No. 1 of business." -Mark Cuban #MarkCuban #CoffeeClub #PlaybookSports

SHARK MOVE: It can now be told. Mark Cuban is the reason Indiana landed Fernando Mendoza last season. He said he funded Indiana's pursuit of quarterback Fernando Mendoza from the transfer portal. Mendoza led the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and national championship as the Heisman Trophy winner. Cuban wouldn't reveal how much money he gave his alma mater to lure Mendoza away from California. Mendoza led the Hoosiers to their first national championship in an undefeated season. After transferring from California last offseason, the quarterback earned the Heisman Trophy by accounting for 48 touchdowns with 10.8 yards per pass attempt. The Indiana Hoosiers need to thank Cuban for helping them achieve history Cuban recalled a conversation with Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson during the program’s first-round College Football Playoff loss to Notre Dame in December 2024. “We started talking,” Cuban said. “He’s like, ‘We got this quarterback that we really, really like that we think would be great. Just need a little more.’ I’m like, ‘How much is a little bit?’ And so he told me and I’m like, OK. We’re on a roll. I’ll put up the money to get this quarterback.” Cuban already had a connection to the Mendoza family before the star quarterback joined the Hoosiers. The entrepreneur met Fernando’s brother, Alberto Mendoza, at Mavericks games. “I knew [Alberto], who was already on the team, was a Heat fan and he would sit behind the Miami bench,” Cuban said. “And when I would come to go to Mavs-Heat games, he was like, ‘Oh yeah, I go to IU.’ So we met. And so I’m like, OK, I’ll put up the money, and we can go get Fernando. And the rest is history.” Cuban had donated to academics, but he had never given any money to Indiana’s athletic department. The 67-year-old picked his spot wisely, as Fernando Mendoza elevated Curt Cignetti’s team into a 16-0 juggernaut before the Las Vegas Raiders made him the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. #MarkCuban #Hoosiers #FernandoMendoza

7 COME 11: After Sunday's 144-114 win over the 76ers, the Knicks have reeled off seven straight wins after falling behind the Hawks 2–1 in their opening round series. They got things together quickly and are now cruising. If they can get OC Anunoby back from his hamstring injury, they have a great chance to reach the NBA Finals. In the conference finals, they'll face either the Pistons or Cavaliers, both of whom were pushed to seven games in the opening round, and neither has been as impressive as New York in the postseason. Given their ability to lock down on defense and the team's depth of talent, New York might be the only team left that can challenge Oklahoma City. The Thunder have largely cruised in the playoffs, while the Knicks have had some late-game battles. Their balance and grit are hard to ignore. The one thing we know that the Knicks do not know: NBA playoff teams, coming off exactly 7 consecutive playoff wins, are just 11-7 SU/5-12-1 ATS going for an eight straight playoff win. Buyer beware. #NBA #NBAplayoffs #Knicks

WAKE UP LITTLE SUSIE: Jake Dickert replaced longtime coach Dave Clawson last season and delivered an impressive 9-4 record, including a bowl victory, instantly injecting energy into the program after two down years. A proven turnaround artist from his time at Washington State, Dickert brings high-energy leadership, defensive grit, and offensive creativity. Wake Forest recently rewarded him with a long-term contract extension, signaling strong confidence in his vision for sustained success in the ACC. Dickert did the same across three relentless seasons on The Palouse at Washington State, landing three bowl appearances in the four years. Look for Wake Forest to vault back into postseason contention for the second consecutive season. STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Dickert is 4-0 ATS in his career as a dog of 15 or more points. #WakeForest @DeacomDemons #ACCfootball

TOTAL CLASS Tim Tebow's father, Robert, passed away earlier this week at age 78 after health struggles. Tebow invited everyone to a public celebration yesterday at Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville, Florida, honoring his father's faith and legacy. "Heaven ushered in a hero of the faith last night as my dad was welcomed home! Many will say, "Sorry for your loss," but the truth is, he's not lost; we know exactly where he is. He's home. Forever!" Tebow wrote. "He couldn't wait to see Jesus face-to-face. Praise God that his wait is over. Death has been swallowed up in victory. He's healed and whole now. So, we don't mourn as those with no hope. See you soon, Dad!" We wouldn't expect anything less from Robert Tebow's son, Tim. #TimTebow #RobertTebow

GRINDING OUT THE PROFITS Transfer Tsunami Hits Central Florida From the 2026 PLAYBOOK Football Preview Guide, tinyurl.com/2bm6wvd2 Take a look at what we've got now... UCF The offense at UCF Knights flatlined last season, limping to 24.3 points per game—the program’s worst showing since the infamous 0-12 collapse in 2015. That didn't sit well with head coach Scott Frost, now in his second tour of duty, who responded with a full-scale roster purge. More than 30 transfers in. More than 30 out. The result? A near-total rebuild featuring up to eight new offensive starters. Translation: this isn't a patch job—it’s a teardown and rebuild. The x-factor is quarterback Alonza Barnett III, the former James Madison Dukes star who threw for 4,404 yards and 49 touchdowns over two seasons. STAT YOU WILL LIKE: After a pair of 3-0 starts the last two seasons, UCF closed on a 5-22 SU/4-14 ATS note thereafter. #CentralFlorida #2026PlaybookFootballPreviewGuide

STAT OF THE DAY: 32-0 On 32 previous occasions, Boston had taken a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven series, and 32 times the Celtics had won. They are now 32-1 following their series loss to the 76ers. #NBA #NBAPlayoffs #Celtics #76ers

MMM MMM GOOD: With the 2026 PLAYBOOK Football Preview Guide coming July 11, take a look at what we've got now... Penn State – LIONS FINALLY GET THEIR EDGE Believe it or not, for just the fourth time since 1996, Penn State Nittany Lions turns the page at head coach. Enter Matt Campbell—a program builder with teeth. He replaces James Franklin, whose 12-year run ended midseason, marred by a glaring 4-21 mark against Top-10 foes. Campbell arrives from Iowa State as the school's all-time wins leader and a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year, armed with a reputation for giant-killing—10 outright wins as a sizable underdog. Translation: Happy Valley just traded stability for upside—and a coach who doesn't flinch. STAT YOU WILL LIKE: Matt Campbell is 44-23 ATS as a dog in his CFB head coaching career, including 24 outright wins. #PennState #MattCampbell #PlaybookSports

SIZE MATTERS: The 2026 NFL Draft snubbed Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia outright. No surprise there. At 5-10, 207 pounds, with a gritty, lunch-pail style that screams “college hero,” Pavia was always projected as a late Day 3 dart throw at best. Size questions and schematic fit doubts loomed large. Yet the snub still stung. Pavia became the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since Northern Illinois’ Jordan Lynch in 2014. Then came the real jaw-dropper: even as the board cleared, he stayed on the shelf. Hours after linebacker Red Murdock was announced as Mr. Irrelevant, multiple quarterbacks had already signed, and the 24-year-old gunslinger was still available. Finally, Pavia inked a free-agent deal with the Ravens. For context, the kid is a proven winner. Counting his two JUCO seasons, he’s 47-22 as a starter—including a gritty 10-3 campaign in the SEC at Vanderbilt last fall. There were concerns about his maturity level, to which Pavia replied, “Coach Lea always pressed that your frontal lobe isn’t fully developed until you’re 25, and I just turned 24. So, I’ve got like 365 days to go.” Undrafted doesn’t mean unproven. Now, Baltimore gets a fighter with something to prove. The NFL’s loss just became the Ravens’ gain. #NFL #NFLDraft #DiegoPavia

THANKFUL: You can't blame Shedeur Sanders for not wanting to mark the first anniversary of his inglorious slide in the 2025 NFL Draft by rehashing what, how, and why it all happened. "I'm thankful that everything happened how it happened," Sanders said. Sanders mentioned the word "thankful" 9 times in a single response after someone asked what stood out from his experience over the past year. "I don't look at anything as a negative," he added. "When you start looking at things as a negative, that's when you grow spite and hatred, you know, and nothing positive comes out of that." "I'm blessed. I was in a position where I could handle everything that comes my way..." And he got his Colorado number back. Good for you, No. 2.

From the first round of the NFL Draft, here are the,,, TOP 2 WINNERS: No. 8, WR, Jordyn Tyson, New Orleans Saints It wasn't just about the tears of relief and happiness Tyson shed as his name was called (although it helped solidify him as a winner); it was about the landing spot. Head coach Kellen Moore is also the offensive play caller. Moore is known for adapting his systems to his talent. Tyson now finds himself as the WR2 in Moore's system behind Chris Olave. It's all young QB Tyler Shough could ask for. No. 25, S, Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears Fully expected Thieneman to go to the Minnesota Vikings with the 18th pick. When that did not happen and the Dallas Cowboys went edge with their 23rd pick, Thieneman to the Bears was the next best option for him and the best option for the Bears. The Bears' defense led the league last year in interceptions with 23. Safety Kevin Byard led the team with seven. This year in free agency, the Bears not only lost Byard but also Joquan Brisker and cornerback Nahshon Wright. Thieneman is known not only for his football IQ but also for his ability to play up in the box, in the nickel, or deep safety. He is a day one starter. TOP 2 LOSERS: No. 3, Running Back, Jeremiah Love, Arizona Cardinals Love is a generational talent. And his pick as the third person off the draft board further signifies his talent. It is not the talent that makes the loss, it's the Arizona Cardinals' destination. The Cardinals are in disarray. Their first-time head coach and brother of Green Bay Packers head coach Matt Lafleur is Mike Lafleur. The offensive coordinator is Nathaniel Hackett. Their quarterbacks are veteran Jacoby Brissett, who wants to be paid, and Gardner Minshew, who is recovering from a knee injury suffered last December. The Cardinals ran on a league low 34.08% of their offensive plays. They were 31st in rushing yards per game, 93.1, and 30th in rushing first downs, 5.4. Love will undoubtedly be RB1 on the Cardinals. The fact is, it may not matter. No. 24, WR, K.C. Concepcion, Cleveland Browns Concepcion did not fare much better with his landing spot. The Browns currently have three mid-range (at best) quarterbacks on the roster. Their leading receiver last season was rookie tight end Harold Fanin Jr., and their 31st-ranked offensive line allowed 29 sacks and 224 quarterback pressures. A supar offensive line, a three-headed quarterback rotation, and a passing game that finished 15th in passing attempts (32.8) but 31st in passing yards per game (165.1) do not inspire optimism for Concepcion in the fantasy football world. #NFL #2026NFLDraft #PlaybookSports

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft concluded last night. We'll tear apart what stood out and what didn't in tomorrow's Coffee Club. Until then, here is a look back to 2000 at six selections that no one saw coming... 2000: Brian Urlacher, LB - Chicago Bears The 2000 NFL Draft included quite a bit of Round 1 talent, including running back Shaun Alexander. However, the first round's lone Hall of Famer, Brian Urlacher, takes the cake. Despite his greatness, Chicago was never able to capture a title with Urlacher in the fold. 2004: Ben Roethlisberger, QB - Pittsburgh Steelers The 2004 NFL Draft featured the selections of quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, and Eli Manning. However, never forget that the first round also included Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, linebacker Jonathan Vilma, nose tackle Vince Wilfork, and the late safety Sean Taylor. Selecting Roethlisberger here was no easy feat. He gets the nod as the best in his class for his greatness, leading the Steelers to two titles in the 2000s. 2007: Calvin Johnson, WR - Detroit Lions 2007 was the year to grab a difference-making player in the first round of the NFL Draft. Offensive tackle Joe Thomas could very well have been the selection here, but Calvin Johnson accomplished feats on the field that we had never seen before at his position. Both players are in the Hall of Fame. In just nine seasons, Johnson amassed 11,619 receiving yards and 83 receiving touchdowns. His gaudy stats were all on terrible teams in Detroit. 2011: J.J. Watt, Edge - Houston Texans The 2011 NFL Draft was a true era-defining class. Round One itself was full of future Pro Bowlers. Watt's dominance in the 2010s was too difficult to ignore. This was a three-time DPOY, with multiple 20.5-sack seasons. Sadly, injuries plagued Watt over the second half of his career, but he was a true game-breaker in his prime. 2017: Patrick Mahomes, QB - Kansas City Chiefs The 2017 NFL Draft class was stacked, but Patrick Mahomes takes the cake as not only the best first-rounder but simply the best player in this class. Mahomes is already considered the most talented quarterback ever to play. If he adds a little more hardware to his trophy case, he will go down as the GOAT. He’s still not finished. 2020: Justin Jefferson, WR - Minnesota Vikings While Justin Jefferson's college teammate, quarterback Joe Burrow, could have made this list, Jefferson's start to his career is unlike any we have ever seen at his position. He has already recorded 8,480 receiving yards and 42 touchdowns. What makes Jefferson so special is that he is not a physically imposing wide receiver. He simply has fantastic hands and savvy that make him nearly unstoppable. #NFLDraft #PlaybokSports

THE NATION'S MOST ACCURATE NFL MOCK DRAFT: The annual 2026 Playbook NFL Mock Draft is in, and you can view it in its entirety here: tinyurl.com/yctxs46y It's where you'll find we've identified 190 players out of 254 (74.8%) chosen in the first round of our PLAYBOOK NFL Mock Draft over the last 8 years. This includes 49 of 64 in the last two years, with 40 players matched to their correct teams. Nineteen and Counting: We know that for the 19th straight year, the SEC has produced the most players selected in the draft, with a record-high 79 picks, and Ohio State led all teams with 14 players (13 for the SEC). But this year's Playbook Mock Draft doesn't see that streak continuing See which conference edges them out in this year's First Round Mock Draft. #2026PlaybookNFLMockDraft #PlaybookSports