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Franchises

NFC Franchise Notes: Giants' Assistant GM Kevin Abrams Gains Prominence In Front Office

On Long Island, Tom Rock notes Giants Assistant GM Kevin Abrams, who served as interim GM after Jerry Reese was fired, appears to have "gained a more prominent role (if not title) in the front office." Abrams will be a part of the Giants' coaching search as they "continue their interviews and he will be part of the decision-making process." That may "also indicate Abrams, 43, is being groomed to eventually take over" for newly hired GM Dave Gettleman, who is 66 (NEWSDAY, 1/5).

PLAYING DISTRACTED? In Seattle, Matt Calkins notes Seahawks coach Pete Carroll during his end-of-year press conference was asked if any of the "extracurricular stuff, such as political or social activism," had an effect on the team's performance this season. Carroll said that he thought it "had an effect" in the game against the Titans on Sept. 24, when the team was not on the field for the national anthem. Carroll: "That was a different amount of emotional output that occurred before the game, and it looked like it the way we played. It looked like it took its toll." Carroll said the team "did OK" when it came to focusing on football after that game. Calkins notes with DE Michael Bennett "possibly on his way out," there is a feeling that fans "might have seen the last of the Seahawks' pregame demonstrations" (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/3).

SURPRISE, SURPRISE: Former Eagles and Browns Exec Joe Banner said he was "very surprised" to see the Packers' Ted Thompson vacate the GM role. Banner: "I had not even contemplated that job being available. ... Over time he's done a really good job." Banner added, "On the other hand, there’s no question the league is moving towards people with more progressive attitudes, whether you’re talking about the increased use of analytics, or just basic constructive, even limited use of free agency and the trade market. ... So maybe they felt it was time to move on to a different person with maybe a different perspective." Additionally, Banner said the Lions' coaching job is the best among those currently available: "I don't really think it's close" (THEATHLETIC.com, 1/3).

STARTS AT THE TOP: In Chicago, Rick Morrissey wrote Bears Chair George McCaskey and President & CEO Ted Phillips "don't know what they're doing," and they "don’t know that they don’t know what they’re doing." This is the Bears’ "biggest problem, and it has haunted them for years." It is not yet clear if GM Ryan Pace "knows what he’s doing," and that is "scary." If Pace insists on collaboration in the team's coaching search, he should "collaborate right up until it’s time for a final decision." Whichever coach McCaskey and Phillips want, Pace should "go the opposite way" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/4).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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