We trade December frustrations for real analysis: Indiana’s near-flawless turnaround, OKC’s midseason wobble, college football’s bye problem, and the NFL’s coaching carousel collide with strategy, matchups, and money. The thread through all of it is discipline over drama and process over panic.

• Indiana’s rise built on clean football and culture
• OKC’s skid framed by injuries, depth, and sample size
• Bye-week downside vs momentum in the 12-team playoff
• Texas Tech résumé questions and seeding context
• Oregon vs Indiana as physicality vs finesse
• Ole Miss vs Miami decided at the line of scrimmage
• NFL firings, Ravens reset, and OC accountability
• Best coaching openings weighed by assets and timelines
• Running back efficiency, usage, and market value
• NIL, portal, and coaching loyalty trade-offs
• Boxing notes on Shakur vs Teofimo and Bud’s legacy

Catch Ole Miss–Miami on Jan 8, 7:30 ET (ESPN) and IU–Oregon on Jan 9, 7:30 ET (ESPN)

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Two friends sort through a busy week in sports, from NBA power rankings and the Lakers’ rotation problems to college football upsets and a tangled NFL playoff picture. We push for clearer roles, cleaner systems, and fairer paths from high school to the pros.

• OKC, Spurs, Knicks, and Denver rising in NBA power rankings
• Lakers’ defense, shooting variance, and undefined rotations
• Spurs vs Thunder rivalry forming around structure and pace
• Bowl slate preview with Alabama’s trench issues and IU’s precision
• Ole Miss vs Georgia rematch risk and motivation question
• Oregon vs Texas Tech upset potential and red zone execution
• NFL playoff picture, seeding fairness, and schedule strength
• Case for or against expanding the NFL playoff field
• NIL, G League pathways, and the future of college hoops
• Defund picks: front-office decisions and accountability

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We argue that stakes, not gimmicks, make great basketball, using the NBA Cup energy to build a case for real All-Star incentives. Then we tackle a messy college MVP moment, sort through what awards should reward, and finish with a clear look at the NFL playoff race.

• NBA Cup momentum and live score check
• Brunson’s scoring surge and Knicks trends
• Why prize money changes effort and urgency
• Concrete fixes for All-Star Weekend
• The LeBron dunk contest debate without hype
• College MVP controversy and voter logic
• What awards should value: stats, wins, clutch
• Media, character, and draft stock realities
• AFC and NFC playoff paths and must-win games
• Cincinnati sports frustration and leadership gaps

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