In the ever-unpredictable world of college football, injuries can often be the unforeseen adversary that teams least want to confront. As the new season unfolds, both Baylor and Utah find themselves grappling with such challenges. With both teams potentially missing their starting quarterbacks, the upcoming clash promises to be as much about resilience and adaptability as it is about on-field prowess. Here’s a snapshot of the current situation:

• Baylor’s Rough Start:
  • The Baylor Bears had a difficult opening weekend, falling 42-31 to Texas State.
  • Baylor will be without their starting quarterback, Blake Shapen, for 2-3 weeks due to an MCL injury he got at the start of the 2023 season.
  • To add to their quarterback woes, backup QB Sawyer Robertson is now the center of focus for the Utes’ defense.
• Utah’s Quarterback Situation:
  • The Utes might also miss their starting quarterback, Cam Rising, who’s recovering from an ACL tear from the Rose Bowl earlier this year.
  • Rising didn’t play in Utah’s opening game against Florida, and his status for this week is uncertain.
• Kyle Whittingham Weighs In:
  • Utah’s coach, Kyle Whittingham, addressed the Baylor situation during a Monday press conference.
  • Whittingham acknowledges that Baylor underperformed but anticipates a stronger performance in their upcoming match.
  • He stressed the need for Utah to play their best football to secure a win.
  • Whittingham recognizes the potential of Baylor’s backup QB, Sawyer Robertson, despite his intermittent struggles. He emphasizes the need for Utah’s defense to remain solid.
• Injury Updates:
  • Apart from their quarterback, Baylor has more injuries to deal with:
    • Starting safety Devin Lemear will be absent due to a dislocated elbow.
    • Outside linebacker Garmon Randolph will likely miss the game against the Utes due to a high ankle sprain.

With both teams looking to solidify their season’s momentum, the upcoming match isn’t just another game on the calendar – it’s a true test of depth and determination.

The post Quarterback Quandaries: Baylor and Utah Face Injury Woes Ahead of 9/9 Showdown appeared first on Sports Blog it.

Tyson McGuffin is currently one of the top male pickleball players in the world. As of May 2022, he is the fourth-best player in the men’s singles category and the third-best player in the men’s doubles.

Like most of his fellow professional pickleball athletes, Tyson grew up playing tennis. He attended the Jon Newcombe tennis academy and went on to play tennis at his junior college.

The talented athlete later taught the game to up-and-coming players for a few years before he encountered the glorious sport of pickleball. It took him some convincing to try it, but when he finally did, guess what? He hated it!

That’s right. He found that adjusting to pickleball after years of playing tennis was very tricky. But after playing his first tournament, he realized that pickleball was winning him over.

It’s always challenging to learn something new, and even for an experienced tennis player, pickleball can still prove to be fairly difficult to learn.

This was the case with Tyson, but he never gave up. And just about six months later, he competed in the 2016 USAPA National Championships and came second in the men’s singles.

Tyson’s favorite version of the game is the singles, and he prefers playing outdoors (like most of us) instead of inside. Apart from racquet sports, Tyson also loves wrestling, which he competed in as a child and teen.

Tyson McGuffin’s Competition Performances

Let’s take a look at some of McGuffin’s major competitions and wins:

2016:

• USA (USAPA) Pickleball National Championships – 2nd in the Men’s Singles 19+ and Open events.
• SoCal Summer Classic – 1st in Men’s Singles
• International Indoor Pickleball Championship – 1st in the Men’s Singles

2017:

• USAPA National Championships – 1st in the Men’s Singles

2018:

• USA (USAPA) Pickleball National Championships – 1st in Men’s Singles Open
• Tournament of Champions – 1st place in the Men’s Doubles Open
• US Open Championships – 1st in the Men’s Singles Open

2019:

• US Open Championships – 1st in the Men’s Singles Open
• International Indoor Pickleball Championship – 1st in the Men’s Singles; 2nd in the Men’s Doubles with partner Morgan Evans
• USAPA National Championships – 2nd in Men’s Singles pro

2021:

• USAPA National Championships – 1st place in the Men’s Singles pro and Men’s Doubles pro with partner Riley Newman; 3rd place in the Mixed Doubles pro with partner Anna Leigh Waters
• US Open Championships – 2nd in the Men’s Singles; 3rd place in the Men’s Doubles pro with partner, Riley Newman

Tyson McGuffin Off the Court

The Washington native now resides in Idaho with his wife and children.

When he’s not on the pickleball court, Tyson might be coaching younger players in the sport, rocking out at a concert, hanging out with his family and friends, or having fun at the lakeside.

Tyson McGuffin’s Paddles

One of Tyson’s sponsors is Selkirk Sport, which has a range of pickleball paddles and gear. Tyson uses his signature McGuffin AMPED Invikta midweight paddle, which he co-designed with the brand.

This custom paddle features a comfortable, padded 4.25” handgrip that can be customized to the user’s liking.

The standard weight of the paddle is 8.1 oz., but this too can be tailored to suit the player. The 16mm polypropylene core provides increased control and power, and the 16 ½ “ fiberglass face makesfor a high-quality hitting surface.

Tyson McGuffin’s Net Worth

As of 2021, McGuffin has earned at least $84,075 in prize money from various pickleball tournaments.

Besides this source of income, he has several sponsors including Selkirk Sport, SaltStick, Tourna Pickleball, The VooDoo Lab, and, most recently, Skechers.

The pro athlete also has his own brand of merchandise called ‘TM’, and hosts pickleball training camps. We don’t know what his net worth is, but we know that pro pickleball players can surely make a living from the sport.

Frequently Asked Questions

What paddle does Tyson McGuffin use?

Since he signed with Selkirk Sport, we’ve seen McGuffin using his custom-made signature paddle, the McGuffin AMPED Invikta (midweight).

How old is Tyson McGuffin?

Tyson was born on the 16th of Decemebr in 1989. This year he will celebrate his 33rd birthday.

How tall is Tyson McGuffin?

The pickleball star is 5’10” tall.

The post Tyson McGuffin Pickleball News and Best Shots appeared first on Sports Blog it.

If you’ve been following pickleball for a while, then you know who Ben Johns is. But in case you don’t, Ben Johns is currently the world’s top-ranked men’s pro player in the doubles and mixed categories, and the third-best player in men’s singles pickleball.

At only 23 years old, this talented athlete already has fifty Pro Pickleball Association (PPA) titles! Now that’s impressive! So far, he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down and is expected to continue his winning ways in the future.

Like several other pickleball players, including his brother, Collin Johns, Ben has a background in tennis. He also has quite a lot of experience playing table tennis.

Johns got into pickleball in his late teens and quickly fell in love with the sport. With some practice and coaching, he became pretty good at the sport and competed in the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships only a few months later. He came fifth in that competition but didn’t give up.

The following year, Ben entered the U.S Open tournament again and captured the men’s singles title.

Ben Johns’ Competition Wins

Six years later, he is regarded as the best men’s pickleball player in the world. His achievements by year include:

2017:

• U.S Open Championships – 1st place in the Men’s Singles pro; 3rd place in the Men’s Doubles pro with partner Joey Farias.

• Canadian National Championships – 1st place in Men’s Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles pros.

• USA Pickleball (USAPA) National Championships – 1st place in Men’s Singles 19+; 2nd place in Men’s Doubles pro; 3rd place in Men’s Singles pro.

2018:

• U.S Open Championships – 3rd place in the Men’s Singles pro and the Mixed Doubles pro with partner Irina Tereschenko.

• USAPA Tournament of Champions – 1st place in the Men’s Singles; 2nd pace in the Mixed Doubles with his partner, Tereschenko.

• SoCal Summer Classic – 1st in Men’s Doubles pro and Mixed Doubles pro.

• USAPA National Championships – 1st place in Men’s Doubles with partner Kyle Yates; 3rd place in Men’s Singles.

2019:

• U.S Open Championships – 1st place in the Men’s Singles pro and Doubles pro.

• USAPA National Championships – 1st place in Men’s Singles pro and Doubles pro, again with Kyle Yates.

2021:

• U.S Open Championships – 1st place in the Men’s Singles and Doubles with his brother, Collin Johns; 1st in Mixed Doubles pro with partner Simone Jardin.

• Jigsaw Health Tournament of Champions – 1st in Men’s Doubles pro and Mixed Doubles pro with Simone Jardim.

Ben Johns, the Entrepreneur

Besides being a pro athlete, Ben is also an entrepreneur. He launched his virtual pickleball tutoring service, Pickleball 360 in 2021, a few years after starting a pickleball coaching and travel business with fellow pro player Dekel Bar.

Since he turned pro, Ben Johns has attracted several sponsors like clothing brand Fila, sports gear brands Franklin, and JOOLA Pickleball, and nutrition company Jigsaw Health.

When he’s not out on the court, Ben is most likely playing another sport, traveling the world, or doing something fun with his loved ones.

Ben Johns’ Paddles

The pickleball star has a signature paddle, the ‘Ben Johns Signature Pickleball Paddle’, with the Franklin sports brand. This professional paddle features a polypropylene core with a fiberglass face, for great performance.

Ben also has a line of signature paddles with the JOOLA Pickleball brand, which became his sponsor in 2022. The Ben Johns Hyperion series paddles come in two offerings; the Carbon Abrasion Surface for amateur players, and the higher-end Carbon Friction Surface for professionals.

Ben Johns’ Net Worth

As of 2022, Johns has won at least $146,325 in prize money. He also has several sponsors like JOOLA Pickleball, Fila, Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR), and Jigsaw Health. In addition to these sources of income, Ben also has a few businesses which are expected to become more successful as pickleball becomes more popular.

Frequently Asked Questions

What paddle does Ben Johns use?

The talented athlete has used his signature paddle from Franklin for the past few years, but now that he has switched over to JOOLA Pickleball, he uses his signature paddle, the JOOLA Hyperion CFS.

How old is Ben Johns?

Ben was born in 1999 on the 18th of March and is 23 years old this year.

How tall is Ben Johns?

Ben is 6 feet tall.

The post Ben Johns Pickleball News and Best Shots appeared first on Sports Blog it.

Pickleball is America’s fastest-growing sport and one of our favorite lunchtime activities. Therefore we thought it was about time SportsBlogit covered this incredible sport. For the inaugural first pickleball article, we felt it was our duty to present the greatest pickleball memes of 2022. We have selected the ultimate memes across a variety of categories that are sure to make your day, holiday, or even life.

Best Pickleball Memes

Lion King Pickleball Meme

Weekend forecast meme about pickleball.

Pickleball Lob Meme

“That moment you lob the ball not just quite high enough…”

Pickleball Marriage Memes

“98% of married couples who play pickleball as partners end up needing marriage counseling”

“No shirt, yes shoes, yes service”

Pickleball Kitchen Memes

“You Look Like Your Really Close to the Pickleball Net… Are you sure your not in the Kitchen?”

Pickleball Addiction Memes

Tyrone Biggums Pickleball Meme (created by SportsBlogIt).

“Y’all wanna play another pickleball game?”

Pickleball is Life Meme (created by SportsBlogIt)

Danny Rojas from Ted Lasso had the quote “Football is life”. This popular saying was turned into the “Pickleball is life” meme you see.

Pickleball Injury Meme

“Just tell it to me straight Doc… Can I play Pickleball this weekend?”

Pickleball Birthday Memes

We didn’t like any of the pickleball birthday memes we found. Therefore we felt it was on us to make the first “not the worst” pickleball birthday meme. 

Pickleball Out of Bounds Meme

We love the Frozen pickleball out-of-bounds meme. I think every player has at one time yelled at their partner to move and let the ball go out.

“When you see the ball going out and your teammate goes for it…”

Sir Mix-a-lot Pickleball Meme

Baby got dinks! The Sir Mix-a-lot chorus will be playing in your heard during your pivotal tournament match-up. It will creep up on your brain and you will find yourself singing all sorts of different variations.

“baby got dinks”

“I like big serves and I cannot lie”

“I like faults and I cannot lie”

See it practically plays itself. 

This concludes the first article on the best pickleball memes of 2022. If you find or create an amazing pickleball meme send it our way as we would love to feature it here! If you want to improve your dink game check out our latest guide to improving your pickleball dink shot.

The post The Best Pickleball Memes of 2022 appeared first on Sports Blog it.

The post Zames Fight Club Face-Off Turns Ugly With Flying Knee appeared first on Sports Blog it.

Karolína Muchová is a Czech professional tennis player who currently holds the World No.31 position in the singles category. She reached a career-high ranking of world no. 19 in the singles category on May 17, 2021.

Known for her aggressive playing style and being an all-court player, she possesses the versatility and an ability to adapt to all situations.

She was born in Olomouc, in the Czech Republic and started playing tennis at the age of seven with various other sports disciplines. Her father, Josef Muchov, is a former Czech professional football player who played for domestic clubs like SK Sigma Olomouc and FC Tescoma Zlín. Growing up, her tennis idol was Roger Federer, and she only became serious about playing tennis at the age of 12.

Karolina Muchova Tennis Career

In October 2013, Karolina made her debut at the ITF Women’s circuit at 17. Described as being a late-bloomer by Czech tennis player standards, in July 2014, she nonetheless won her maiden ITF title in the Michalovce Cup, held in Slovakia.

In March 2016, she won her second ITF singles title at the Sharm El Sheikh cup in Egypt. She also made her debut at the WTA qualifiers of the US Open but did not make it into the main draw.

By July 2017, she made her first WTA main-draw debut at the 2017 Korea Open but lost her first round to Australian player Priscilla Hon.

2018- Present

Karolina made her Grand Slam debut at the 2018 US Open, winning all three qualifying matches and advancing up to the third round, where World No. 1 player Ashleigh Barty defeated her.

At the start of her 2019 campaign, she made it to the first round of the Australian Open, losing to Karolína Pliskova. Later, she reached her first WTA quarter-final of the Qatar Open but lost to Elina Svitolina.

She then reached her first WTA final at the Prague Open, where she lost to the Swiss player Jil Teichmann.

Regardless of the setbacks, these experiences propelled her into the WTA Top 100 rankings for the first in her career.

Her first maiden WTA title came at the 2019 Korea Open, where she beat Magda Linette in the final match. At the end of the year, she finished as World No. 21.

In 2020, she made several appearances at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open but had received setbacks due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

By the start of 2021, she reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open but lost to Jennifer Barty in three sets. She also made it to the quarter-finals of the 2021 Mutua Madrid Open, defeating Naomi Osaka and Maria Sakkari along the way. This enabled her to reach the career-high, World No. 19 rank.

Karolína Muchová Bio

• Date of birth- August 21, 1996
• Age- 25
• Height- 5 ft. 11 in. / 180m.
• Weight- 75 kg / 165 lbs.
• Plays- Right-handed
• Birthplace- Olomouc, Czech Republic
• Current residence- Prague, Czech Republic

Karolina Muchova Sponsors

• Clothing- Adidas
• Shoes- Adidas
• Racket- Head

The post Karolina Muchova 2022 Tennis News and Pictures appeared first on Sports Blog it.

Bernarda Pera is a professional tennis player from America. She was born in Zadar, Croatia, on 3rd December 1994. She is a left-handed player with a height of 1.75 m (5 feet 9 inches). The 27-year-old began playing the sport at the age of five and turned professional in 2011. She made her debut in the Croatian ITF Circuit.

Coached by Guillermo Cañas, Pera has been sponsored by various companies, including Lacoste for apparel, Mizuno for footwear, and Babolat for sports equipment.

Bernarda Pera Career Highlights

2009 – 13

Pera’s first events were held on the ITC Circuit in Croatia. She was guided by her coach, Velimir Zovko, and earned titles that included 3 Singles and 1 Doubles.

2014 – 15

She entered the WTA scene in 2014 at the US Open, in which she competed as a wildcard in the Doubles tournament alongside Tornado Alicia Back. In Quebec City, she competed and qualified for her first WTA Tour appearance.

In 2015, she entered events worth $10k and won in Alkmaar, Rotterdam and Breda. She fell twice, qualifying in WTA, elevating her No. 646 to rank No. 361.

2016 – 17

In 2016, she entered the main draw of WTA in Guangzhou and won several titles during the ITF Circuit.

She had 54 victories and 20 losses at every level during 2017. Her rank shot above 200 places, and she ended the season ranking 127th. She also competed in Olomouc for an $80k event, where she claimed her first top 50 victory by defeating Krystina Pliskova.

2018 – 19

Pera was the first to qualify for the Australian Open in 2018, beginning the season and advancing the third round. In Melbourne, she defeated Blinkova and won the main draw. She also earned a top-100 victory by defeating No. 9 Konta.

She participated in the Top 100 season a second time, finishing the year ranked No. 65.

2020 – 21

She was the third seed in the 2020 Indian Wells Challenger. She faced Serena Williams during the Top Seed Open but lost during the first round. She still finished the year ranking No. 61.

In 2021, Pera and her Polish partner Magda Linette reached the Grand Slam of the French Open, competing in the doubles semi-finals for the first time. She finished 83rd in doubles and 68th in singles. 

Bernarda Pera Personal Life

Bernarda Pera and her sisters, Ana and Andrea Pera, were born in Croatia to a family of Croatian-Dalmatian Italian descent. Her mother, Lidija Pera, and her father, Valter Pera, a US citizen, decided to relocate to America in support of their daughter’s sports career. She was 16 when she moved with her family to New Jersey.

Since 2018, she has been in a relationship with Kristijan Krajina, a Croatian basketball player. 

Bernarda Pera Achievements

• Bernarda Pera was ranked 59th in the world in singles.
• In 2018, she was ranked 5th in the WTA Singles Ranking.
• She also ranked 17th in the WTA Doubles Ranking in 2020.
• During the WTA Tour, Pera has won 9 singles titles and 1 doubles title.

The post Bernarda Pera Player Bio, News, and Photos appeared first on Sports Blog it.

Will Dustin Poirier fight Colby Covington in the UFC?

Dustin “Diamond” Poirier had some choice words for Colby Covington in the latest UFC news conference. For those who may not be as familiar with the Covington/Poirier beef, this has been brewing for years. Colby has made a habit of irritating multiple UFC fighters including Diaz, Usman, Poirier, and his former friend Masvidal.

In the latest UFC press conference, Dustin Poirier vowed that he would never fight Covington in the UFC. He led us to believe that if they are too thrown down it will happen on the streets.

“If I fight Colby [Covington], we’re both going to jail. I’m going to jail.”

Dustin Poirier

Dustin Poirier Quote about Colby Covington

Dustin said that if he fights Colby he will end up in jail. He also said that he won’t allow Covington to make a cent off his name and what he has done.

The post You won’t believe what Dustin Poirier said about Colby Covington appeared first on Sports Blog it.

Shaun’s reading included the book “The Power of Now”. This is an interesting choice considering the location of this year’s 2022 Olympics and the Chinese New Year. We at SBit wish Shaun the best of luck in his incredible Gold medal run this year!

The post Get an Inside Look at Shaun White’s 2022 Beijing Olympics Room appeared first on Sports Blog it.

Player Profile of Jeļena Ostapenko

Jelena Ostapenko from Latvia is a 24-year-old professional tennis player. She was born in Riga, Latvia, on June 8, 1997. She is a right-handed player who stands 1.77m (5 feet 10 inches) tall.

Her current coaching team includes Thomas Högstedt, along with her mother, Jelena Jakovleva. Ostapenko, who is prone to aiming for lines, has an extremely aggressive style of play and a strong groundstroke in and out. Eurosport described her playing style as “risky, aggressive, and fun tennis.”

Whos Sponors Jeļena Ostapenko

Wilson Blade sponsors her sports equipment, and Adidas sponsors her clothing.

Jeļena Ostapenko Career Highlights

She ranked no. 5 in the WTA Singles Ranking in March 2018, and in 2020, she ranked no. 17 in WTA Doubles.

2012 – 13

After she qualified for WTA Moscow, she won titles in singles and doubles on ITF Circuit for her first game. In 2013, she took home 2 singles and 4 doubles victories.

2014 ­– 15

She won the 2014 junior Wimbledon Championships singles. In the Tashkent Open in 2014, she defeated Shahar Pe’er but lost to Ksenia Pervak. She played at the French and U.S. Opens and lost in both to Vera Dushevina. She ranked no. 79 in the world that year.

2016 – 17

Ostapenko debuted in the top 50, finishing no. 41 in February and was primarily seeded in the singles at the 2016 French Open. She made her entry into the Olympics in the summer of 2016. In 2017, she defeated big names like Lesia Tsurenko, Louisa Chirico, Caroline Wozniacki, Monica Puig, Samantha Stosur, and Simona Halep. She entered the top 10 during September and won several WTA titles.

2018 – 19

Owing to frequent changing of coaches, she had a streak of losses in several matches. She had little success in the U.S. Open before heading back to her losing streak. Marion Bartoli became part of her coaching team in 2018 and contributed to her first win since Seoul 2017.

2020 – 21

Following her father’s death, she did not participate in the Auckland Open of 2020. That year, she participated in several series, having her fair share of victories and falls. She was the flag-bearer in the 2020 Olympics and ended 2021 by teaming up with Katerina Siniakova and winning the doubles title in Moscow.

Jeļena Ostapenko Personal Life

Ostapenko’s father, Jevgēnijs Ostapenko, was a former footballer. She is also known as Alona Ostapenko. Her half-brother, Maksim, resides in the U.S. Her mother steered her into the sport when she was 5, and she grew up idolizing Serena Williams. She also was a trained ballroom dancer for 7 years. She can speak Latvian, Russian and English.

Jeļena Ostapenko Achievements

• Jelena Ostapenko is considered a world-class female tennis player, currently ranked no. 47 in the WTA rankings.
• During the French Open of 2017, she was the first Latvian participant to be victorious in a Grand Slam match.
• She became the first champion who was unseeded, since 1993, in the French Open.
• Her ITF Women’s Circuit victories include 7 singles and 8 doubles titles and the Wimbledon Championships junior singles in 2014.

The post Jeļena Ostapenko Tennis News, Pictures, and Profile appeared first on Sports Blog it.