Connect with us

Published

on

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State had enough competition from Power 5 college football teams also hoping to hire Jonathan Smith that it added a seventh year to his contract, helping a shaken program land the former Oregon State coach.

“I was nervous a couple weeks ago because there were jobs that were talking about being open — and there were jobs that were open — that were looking at him,” athletic director Alan Haller said Tuesday, adding that Smith will make $7.25 million in his first season. “I had to step up my pursuit.”

The Spartans had a lot at stake to get it right.

They’re coming off a 4-8 season stunted by news that led to Mel Tucker being fired and entering a year with the Big Ten expanding to include Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA from the Pac-12.

“There’s no other Big Ten coach that is going to have that jumpstart on those four schools,” said Haller, who interviewed 12 coaching candidates at least once.

Smith will need all the help he can get because Michigan State has had only one winning season in four years.

The program’s history is marked by inconsistency, showing it can win 36 games and two conference titles in a three-year span as former coach Mark Dantonio did, and yet failing to sustain success in any decade since joining the Big Ten in 1953.

“A lot of us in this room understand, this is going to take some work,” Smith said at his introductory news conference at the Breslin Center. “I am definitely excited and up for the challenge — and the opportunity.”

Smith is scheduled to get a $100,000 raise in each year of his contract, getting $7.85 million for his seventh season in 2030.

This will not be Smith’s first shot at turning around a team, and the Spartans who stay and those who choose to come will hear his mantra, “low ego, high output,” early and often.

Oregon State was winless in conference play and had only one victory the year before it brought Smith back to campus.

“The place was not having a ton of success, had some turmoil,” he said.

The Beavers were 2-10 in 2018 during Smith’s first season and improved enough under him to win 25 games over the last three seasons of his six-year stay. He won 10 games last season, sharing Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors, and finished with a 34-35 record over six seasons at his alma mater.

Smith, 44, was born in Pasadena, California, a mile from the Rose Bowl. He went to Oregon State as a walk-on and became a two-year captain and starting quarterback for Mike Riley and Dennis Erickson, coaches he worked for at the school as a graduate assistant.

Smith coached quarterbacks at Idaho, Montana and Boise State, where he worked with Chris Petersen and left with him to call plays as Petersen’s offensive coordinator at Washington.

“I like that he’s a regular guy,” Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo said. “I like that he was a walk-on, who has been through the process, starting as a grad assistant. It reminds me of myself.”

During Smith’s first 48 hours at Michigan State, he had dinner with Izzo and spent time with the last coach to turn the football program around.

Dantonio inherited a team in 2019, coming off three losing seasons under John L. Smith, and surpassed Duffy Daugherty as the school’s all-time winningest coach while winning three Big Ten titles from 2007 to 2019.

“I had an opportunity to sit down with Coach Smith for an hour and I was impressed,” Dantonio said. “He’s got a good plan moving forward and you can tell he’s a meticulous person who can carry out his plan because he’s done it before.”

Continue Reading

Sports

D-backs star Marte’s home robbed during break

Published

on

By

D-backs star Marte's home robbed during break

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A home belonging to Arizona Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte was burglarized during the Major League Baseball All-Star break, according to police.

Scottsdale, Arizona, police confirmed that the department is investigating a “high-dollar residential burglary” that is believed to have happened on Tuesday night, which is when Marte was playing for the National League in its All-Star game win in Atlanta.

Numerous personal items and jewelry were stolen. No one was at home when the burglary occurred.

Police said the home is “reportedly” owned by Marte. Maricopa County Assessor’s Office records show Marte owns a home on the block near the investigation.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.

Marte hit a two-run double in the first inning of the NL’s win, which was secured after a home run contest at the end of the game after the score was tied after nine innings.

The burglary is the latest in a series of thefts from the homes of high-profile athletes across the country this year. Players have been targeted because of the high-end products believed to be in their homes and sometimes the thefts occur when they are away with their teams for road games.

The FBI has warned sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes. The NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to athletes.

A Seattle man was charged last month in connection with a string of burglaries at the homes of prominent active and retired professional athletes in the area.

Continue Reading

Sports

Cubs icon Sandberg ‘continuing to fight’ cancer

Published

on

By

Cubs icon Sandberg 'continuing to fight' cancer

Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg said Wednesday he is “continuing to fight” cancer and is prioritizing time with those closest to him.

He posted a letter addressed to his fans and extended baseball family on Instagram.

“I wanted to share an update regarding my health,” wrote Sandberg, 65. “It’s been a challenging few months as I have been going through treatment on a regular basis.

“While I am continuing to fight, I’m looking forward to making the most of every day with my loving family and friends.

“I haven’t been to Wrigley Field as much as I hoped in the first half but I’m watching every game and am excited for the second half.”

He threw out the first pitch, surrounded by fellow Cubs greats, before the home opener on April 4.

In January 2024, Sandberg announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, then last August announced he was cancer-free. In December, he said the cancer had recurred and spread. He vowed to “continue to be positive, strong, and fight to beat this.”

Sandberg spent 15 of his 16 major league seasons with the Cubs, along with 13 games at the start of his career for the Philadelphia Phillies (1981).

Sandberg was the 1984 National League MVP, when he batted a career-high .314 with a major-league-leading 19 triples and 114 runs scored as well as 19 home runs, 84 RBIs and 32 stolen bases.

The second baseman also earned the second of his nine career Gold Glove awards that year. He was a 10-time All-Star selection and a seven-time Silver Slugger honoree, batting .285 with 282 home runs and 1,061 RBIs in his 2,164-game career.

Sandberg, who was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, also spent parts of three seasons (2013-15) as the Phillies’ manager.

Continue Reading

Sports

Rangers give All-Star bonus to snubbed Eovaldi

Published

on

By

Rangers give All-Star bonus to snubbed Eovaldi

Despite an excellent first half to the season, Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi wasn’t selected as an All-Star this year, but the team made sure that he’ll be paid like one.

Despite the snub, Eovaldi was given the $100,000 All-Star bonus in his contract by the Rangers after he posted a 1.58 ERA with 94 strikeouts over 91 innings. Teammate Jacob deGrom, who was selected as an All-Star, also received a $100,000 bonus.

Eovaldi, in his 15th major league season, would lead the majors in ERA, but after missing a month due to a triceps injury, he fell six innings short of the necessary 97 innings to qualify among leaders for individual statistical categories.

Eovaldi, a two-time All-Star, won his third straight game on Sunday to improve to 7-3, giving up five hits and a run with eight strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings against the Houston Astros.

The right-hander ranks second only to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal among MLB starting pitchers in WHIP (0.85) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.71). Opposing batters are hitting a paltry .194 with a .237 on-base percentage, .286 slugging percentage and .523 OPS against Eovaldi.

Eovaldi is scheduled to make his first start of the second half at home on Sunday against Skubal and the Tigers at Globe Life Field.

Continue Reading

Trending