The Sportsletter - Chapel Hill Bill & Red-Hot NBA Drama

BY JEFF YODER

DEC. 12, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

Yesterday brought us one “didn’t see that coming” moment after another. Bill Belichick has a surprising new football team. Steve Kerr isn't happy after the Warriors’ controversial NBA Cup loss, and they're swinging deals at the MLB winter meetings. There’s also a must-win NFC West showdown tonight in California (Rams at 49ers) and a pair of huge college hoops clashes on our must-watch list.

No rest ’til the holidays! Bowl season is near...

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Coach Bill → Chapel Hill

Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

North Carolina Football Announces Hiring of Bill Belichick as Next Head Coach

No days off! 🗣️ In a college football stunner, the NFL's most decorated head coach with the most Super Bowls in NFL history is heading back to work, and back to school. North Carolina and Bill Belichick have reportedly agreed to terms on a five-year deal. Many thought this week's UNC rumors were just a publicity stunt by Belichick’s camp to gauge interest from NFL teams, but it appears not. Belichick, 72, had stated his desire to continue coaching since he was let go by the Patriots last January. UNC was his only real option.

“I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill. I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program at Chapel Hill.” — Bill Belichick (UNC Statement)

Sounds about as cut-and-dry as a typical Belichick presser. The Belichick-UNC marriage is both fascinating and confusing. Time will tell how the 72-year-old coach — who’s only ever coached in the NFL (1975-2023) — will adjust to the modern-day NIL chaos that exists in college football.

Belichick holds the NFL coaching record for both Super Bowl wins (6) and playoff wins (31). The iconic hoodie might look good in Carolina blue, though.

ESPN: The Hoodie’s a Heel: Hiring Bill Belichick a Hail Mary for Underachieving North Carolina

NBA

NBA Cup: Red Court Riots 🔴

Photo: Alex Slitz / Getty Images

Hawks & Rockets Advance in NBA Cup as Fire-Red Houston Court & Game-Changing Foul Go Viral

Another night of NBA Cup games meant another night of those wild court designs. The four-team finale in Vegas is set, and the roulette table was kind if you bet on red last night. The Hawks and Rockets are moving on to the semifinals. Trae Young played the villain in Madison Square Garden before the Rockets stole a wild one against the Warriors. It was Houston’s blinding-red court design and late-game drama that went viral. How about two pull-quotes (a before-and-after) from Steve Kerr?

“I felt like I was descending into the depths of hell when I was walking to the court.” — Steve Kerr (Pre-Game)

What do you think of the NBA Cup court designs? Love ‘Em | Hate ‘Em (click to vote)

EQF: #3 Hawks def. #2 Knicks (108-100)

Wednesday’s East bash kicked things off at Madison Square Garden. It was close until a third-quarter explosion from the Hawks. Atlanta went on a 21-6 run to flip a deficit into a double-digit lead. They never let New York get closer than six points. Trae Young (22 points, 11 assists) was the catalyst while De'Andre Hunter (24 points) caught fire. Karl-Anthony Towns (19 points, 19 rebounds) was a beast inside for the Knicks, but they shot just 26.2 percent from 3. The Hawks will face the Bucks in Vegas on Saturday for the East’s NBA Cup semifinals.

WQF: #2 Rockets def. #3 Warriors (91-90)

The nightcap in Houston — all court jokes aside — was a dunk contest for the Rockets’ athletic wing players before a crazy finish. Alperen Sengun (26-11-5) was a monster in the paint. The Warriors got hot in the second half, but the Rockets went on a 7-0 run to end a game that saw 10 ties and six lead changes. A controversial loose-ball foul with 3.5 seconds left gave Jalen Green the winning free throws. The Rockets will face the Thunder in Vegas on Saturday for the West’s NBA Cup semifinals.

"I've never seen a loose-ball foul on a jump-ball situation 80 feet from the basket with the game on the line... Unconscionable." — Steve Kerr | Steve Kerr Sounds Off in Postgame Interview

NBA Cup Semifinals

E: #1 Bucks vs. #3 Hawks (Sat. 4:30 pm ET)

W: #1 Thunder vs. #2 Rockets (Sat. 8:30 pm ET)

🏆 NBA Cup Finals: Tuesday (Dec. 17)

MLB

MLB's Winter Wonderland ❄️

Photo: Daniel Shirey / Getty Images

MLB Winter Meetings Are Full of Wonders & Question Marks — Will Anyone Make a Splash That Rivals the Mets?

The gas is on. The stove is hot. The epicenter of this week’s MLB mayhem is the Hilton Anatole hotel in Dallas. That's where the league’s winter meetings are being held. The entire executive branch of the baseball world is in attendance for what is, typically, the busiest stretch in the MLB offseason. The MLB Draft Lottery already took place, and the Nationals won the No. 1 pick in 2025. Free agents and trade deals are being swung, but the biggest move of the year — Juan Soto’s $765 million deal with the Mets — was finalized before this Texas-sized party began. So who else is on the move? And what else are we hearing?

MLB Winter Meetings (Storylines)

Players to Watch: SP Corbin Burnes (Orioles), 1B Pete Alonso (Mets), 3B Alex Bregman (Astros), SP Jack Flaherty (Dodgers), SP Shane Bieber (Guardians), RF Anthony Santander (Orioles), 1B Christian Walker (D-Backs)

⚾️ Every Pick of This Year’s Rule 5 Draft

HIGHLIGHTS 🎥

⚽️ Champions League Highlights

Barcelona def. Dortmund (3-2)

Juventus def. Man. City (2-0)

Atletico Madrid def. Bratislava (3-1)

Arsenal def. Monaco (3-0)

Milan def. Crvena Zvezda (2-1)

📊 UCL League Phase Table

🏒 NHL

Rangers def. Sabres (3-2)

Igor Shesterkin Notches 29 Saves

Senators def. Ducks (5-1)

Drake Batherson (3G, 1A) Tallie Hat Trick

STORYLINES

🏈 The Case for All 12 CFP Teams

More teams than ever have national title dreams in the second week of December. You can make a case for any of the 12 teams in the postseason to win the College Football Playoff. Even if you have to squint a little bit. (Yahoo! Sports)

🏀 Why A.J. Dybantsa Chose BYU

We can never predict with certainty how a 17-year-old phenom's career will pan out. NBA scouts believe A.J. Dybantsa has a chance to be special. His interesting decision to choose BYU will dictate the narrative for the 2025-26 NCAA season. (CBS Sports)

🏛️ The NCAA Welcomes Gov’t Oversight

After a $2.8 billion settlement over booster involvement in NIL deals, NCAA president Charlie Baker wants the federal government to help the NCAA supersede states and eliminate the threat of additional future lawsuits. (Sports Illustrated)

NEWS 📰

⚽️ Saudi Arabia to Host the 2034 FIFA World Cup (B/R)

🏛️ Ohio Lawmaker’s Proposal Would Make Flag-Planting a Felony After Michigan-OSU Debacle (CBS Sports)

🏈 Brett Favre Addresses Viral Exchange With Mark Gastineau Over Sack Record (SI)

🏒 Capitals Star Alex Ovechkin Skates Again, Continues Rehab on Broken Leg (USA Today)

🏈 QB Darian Mensah, Top QB in Transfer Portal, Chooses Duke (ESPN)

🏈 Dolphins & Eagles Become First NFL Teams to Welcome Private Equity (Yahoo! Sports)