The ripple effects of Tom Brady’s retirement, plus of course Alabama has the top 2023 recruiting class

Good morning to everybody however particularly to…

THE ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

Precisely one yr in the past, Texas A&M brought in the highest-rated recruiting class ever. Shortly thereafter Nick Saban said the Aggies “bought every player on their team.” Ah, the thrill of college football recruiting.

Saban and his Alabama program wasted little time formally reclaiming the throne on Wednesday, wrapping up the top recruiting class of 2023 and the third highest-rated class ever, solely behind the Aggies’ 2022 class and Alabama’s 2021 class.

• Alabama’s 2023 class contains a document 9 five-star gamers, together with EDGE Keon Keeley (No. 3 general), offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor (No. 5 general) and security Caleb Downs (No. 8 general)
• Of the Crimson Tide’s 28-player class, 27 are five- or four-star recruits. The one one who is not? Conor Talty, the second-ranked kicker within the nation.
• Behind Alabama is Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma and Ohio State. Here are the 2023 team rankings.

Not each five-star recruit signed with the Crimson Tide, despite the fact that it typically appears that manner. The truth is, one other SEC crew — South Carolina — signed five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor, and the Gamecocks were one of the big winners of National Signing Day, writes Brandon Huffman.

No recruiting battle was extra dramatic, although, than Jaden Rashada‘s, and he ended up at Arizona State. I actually loved Dennis Dodd’s story on new Sun Devils head coach Kenny Dillingham.

Honorable mentions

And never such a great morning for…

THE CAROLINA PANTHERS AND MATT RHULE

Matt Rhule‘s tenure with the Panthers went poorly, and apparently, issues nonetheless have not been smoothed over, even almost 4 months after his firing. Final week, Rhule — who received employed by Nebraska in late November — filed an arbitration suit against the franchise, claiming the Panthers are refusing to pay his severance compensation.

Contract phrases point out there’s roughly $5 million being disputed, writes our NFL insider Jonathan Jones.

• The Panthers plan to argue that Rhule’s contract with Nebraska violates the league’s anti-tampering policy. Rhule signed an eight-year, $74-million contract with the Cornhuskers, up from the seven-year, $60-million cope with Carolina.
• “The argument is that Rhule’s Nebraska contract has an unreasonable enhance of higher than 20 p.c when factoring in deferred wage and different advantages,” Jonathan writes.
• From Rhule’s facet of issues, his Carolina contract states he is owed $34 million from Feb. 1, 2023 by Jan. 31, 2027. The Nebraska contract pays him $29 million from the Nov. 2022 begin date by Dec. 31, 2026. That is the place the $5 million distinction comes from.

There needs to be a conclusion within the coming weeks.

What Tom Brady’s retirement means for Bucs and everybody else 🏈

Welcome to your first full day of retirement, Tom Brady! In case you someway missed it, Brady is calling it quits — this time “for good,” he says — after 23 seasons, seven Super Bowl wins and so many ridiculous numbers that we’d be here forever if I listed them all. His profession is actually one-of-one, and it’ll seemingly keep that manner endlessly. Robert Kraft certainly thinks so. The profitable, the longevity, the data… it is really overwhelming.

His retirement created shockwaves throughout the NFL — here’s how the sports world reacted, and here is how two of his closest teammates reacted — and the impression of his departure will attain far and vast, particularly forward of what seems to be one other hectic quarterback carousel this offseason.

Our Cody Benjamin checked out the ripple effects of Brady walking away, particularly on one hypothetical vacation spot.

• Benjamin: “Probably the most popularly predicted Brady vacation spot within the occasion of a transfer from Tampa, the Raiders made sense solely due to the Josh McDaniels connection… With that situation evaporated, the Raiders are nonetheless primed to half methods with Derek Carr… Jimmy Garoppolo is probably the following smartest thing for McDaniels, sharing the Patriots roots, however a Jarrett Stidham return, at the side of a rookie addition, can be a logical different.”

We even have winners and losers from the decision, and it is essential to notice that Brady himself is the largest winner, as our Bryan DeArdo writes. One massive loser, although, is the Buccaneers, and Bryan has options for what’s next under center in Tampa Bay. May it’s Garoppolo? Maybe, says Tyler Sullivan. I’ve to present main props to our NFL crew, which has each single angle coated:

Breanna Stewart joins Liberty as a superteam grows in New York 🏀

Breanna Stewart is taking her talents to the Big Apple. And, my goodness, what a gifted crew the New York Liberty can be.

After being picked No. 1 general within the 2016 draft Stewart spent the primary seven years of her profession with the Storm, the place she crammed up her trophy case:

• Two-time WNBA champion (2018, 2020)
• MVP (2018)
• Commissioner’s Cup champion and MVP (2021)
• Two-time Finals MVP
• 2022 scoring champion
• 4-time All-Star
• 5-time All-WNBA
• 4-time All-Defensive crew
• Rookie of the 12 months

Stewart joins 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones, acquired from the Solar in mid-January, and 2022 All-Star Sabrina Ionescu to type one heck of a “Massive Three.” Expectations are now high, writes our Jack Maloney.

• Maloney: “There might be some rising pains as they determine how you can play collectively, however they’re all unselfish gamers and it is onerous to guess towards that sort of expertise. … Barring any additional surprises, the Liberty seem like on a crash course with the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, who bolstered their squad by agreeing to a cope with Candace Parker. “

Stewart’s free company was maybe the biggest in WNBA history, with Kevin Durant even recruiting her to New York. Now that she’s there, count on her to proceed to be outspoken on some main points — together with chartered flights — off the courtroom whereas dominating on the courtroom. As Jack notes, “the WNBA has formally entered its superteam period.”

As LeBron James closes in on scoring title, benefit from the journey 🏀

LeBron James is 89 points from breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s all-time scoring document. It is now not a matter of “if,” however “when” and “when” might be subsequent week — potentially Feb. 7 at his current rate.

In fact, the grey cloud hanging over that is that the Lakers aren’t superb. Solely the Spurs and Rockets are worse within the West. If the season ended immediately, James would miss the playoffs for a second consecutive yr — one thing that hasn’t occurred since his first two years within the league. Accidents, underperformance, unhealthy luck, rigidity, questionable choices. You title it, the Lakers have handled it.

For just a few nights, although, let that subside and focus on James passing a record long believed to be untouchable, writes our Invoice Reiter.

• Reiter: “Will it’s sufficient freedom from angst — sufficient pleasure, and positivity — to spark a Lakers revival and a run between now and season’s finish? Perhaps. Perhaps not. … However a reminder of a sense — of the purple and gold sitting on the heart of the basketball universe, of the sport’s most talked about crew once more emanating from downtown L.A., of the whole NBA turning its usually jaded and jealous eye towards the Lakers — will surge once more, even when briefly.”

What we’re watching Thursday 📺

🏀 No. 19 FAU at UAB, 7 p.m. on CBS Sports activities Community
🏀 Grizzlies at Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
🏀 No. 8 Maryland at No. 6 Iowa, 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Clippers at Bucks, 10 p.m. on TNT