Brad Pye’s National Sports Beat (1/18-1/24/18)

Who will wind up with Mater Dei High’s Bryce Young, the Southland’s next great QB? Young has just transferred from L.A. Cathedral High.

Check This! Coach Dwane Casey of the Toronto Raptors and his All-Star DeMar DeRozan, operate on the same page on and off the court. DeRozan says: “I wanted to simplify the game and make it easier on me to be a complete player. Seeing the way the league was shifting, seeing what I could be better at. I was just trying to put all that together and master a new craft.” And the beat continues!

Gary Payton, Jr.’s dad, by the same name, didn’t help the Lakers win a title. Will Jr. do something dear old dad couldn’t do? Lakers fans hope so! And the beat continues!

Those Ball Brothers, LiAngelo and LaMelo had a scoreless debut. Lonzo Ball doesn’t have much time to worry about his young brother’s play in way, way away in Lithuania And the beat continues!

“The coolest monkey in the jungle” in H&M’s ad showing a Black kid in a hoodie T-Shirt with a demeaning statement. And this didn’t set well with LeBron James and many other celebrities around the world. A decade and a half is not enough for the Cavs’ LeBron James. He wants more! James says his sons will figure in his plans. James told USA TODAY Sports: “I’ve got a 13-year old son now (LeBron James, Jr.) He’s in the seventh grade; He’s a damn good basketball player, too. On this road trip, I’ve already missed four of his games. That kind of sucks. I’ve got a 10-year old boy (Bryce). I’ve got a 3-year old girl (Zhuri). His daddy side kicks in sometimes. That will be the deciding factor in how long I want to play.”

At least for a night Sweet Lou Williams rung the nets for a career high 50 points to spark the Clippers to a 125-106 win over the NBA Champions Golden State Warriors for the first time in this season. Now Hear This!

For the record there were only 13 catchers on Major League rosters last year. Not a single one was an African-American.

Coach Pete Carroll has added and some new members to his staff.

Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who played for the Raiders’ Jon Gruden for two years, is a Gruden supporter. Rice told media at his return: “Just listening to him talk—and I’ve been out of the game for a long time—I wanted to suit up. He can get you going. But the thing too, is he’s so smart about the game of football; he’s going to know what buttons to push.” With a 10-year contract reportedly worth $100-million, Gruden better know what buttons to push.

Say what you want to, but I’m picking QB Tom Brady to pass the New England Patriots to their seventh NFL Championship. Right now, Brady can’t do anything wrong, He’s just that good and better than ever. Brady kept things going in that 35-14 beating of the Tennessee Titans. And the beat continues! Come Sunday, it will all be all over except Super Bowl LII, which will be played on Feb. 4 on NBC TV 4. This classic will be the winner of the Philadelphia and Minnesota and the New England and Jacksonville.

UCLA’s Aaron Holiday is leading the Pac 12 with a 23.8 point average and his brothers; Jrue and Justin are already in the NBA. And Aaron wants to follow his brothers to the NBA. But first, Aaron wants help UCLA win another national championship. Aaron Holiday had to be good in athletics. His mother, Toy, is a high school administrator and athletic director and his father Shawn played basketball at Arizona State. Aaron has a sister, Lauren who played at UCLA. And the beat continues!

Venus Williams will not to worry about losing for second time in year. Venus’ younger sister Serena opted out of the event four months after the birth of her baby.

For the record Super Bowl LII, on NBC, will generate an estimated $900 million with Super Bowl Sunday, including the TV Show ‘‘This Is Us.” The Winter Games for the rest ($500-million). The Sochi Games generated about $800 million in ad sales. And the beat continues!

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