TNS Sports Budget for Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022

Updated at 8 a.m. ET (1300 UTC).

TOP STORIES

Before Immaculate: Inside Franco Harris' journey from Army aspirations to budding NFL star

FBN-STEELERS-HARRIS-SPORTSPLUS:PG — PITTSBURGH — The concept of playing football beyond high school originally never occurred to the late Franco Harris.

The son of a World War II veteran and a first-generation Italian mother, Harris' goal growing up in South Jersey in the 1950s and 60s was to follow in the footsteps of his father, Cad, and enlist in a branch of the military. But while Franco was attending Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, N.J., his older brother, Mario, began playing defensive tackle at Glassboro State, now known as Rowan University.

1651 words by Andrew Destin, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. MOVED

PHOTOS

BASEBALL

Bryce Miller: Offseason for Padres, Dodgers, Giants makes NL West ‘wild’ in new ways

BBN-MILLER-COLUMN:SD — SAN DIEGO — It’s interesting who did and didn’t put the “Wild Wild” in the NL West during free agency. The Padres made the big move. The Giants tried to make the big move … twice. The Dodgers nibbled around the edges.

This is not your father’s division. The Padres become the group’s free-wheeling big spenders? The bedrock Dodgers and Giants swing and miss?

858 words by Bryce Miller, The San Diego Union-Tribune. MOVED

PHOTOS

David Murphy: The only appropriate response to Steve Cohen vs. John Middleton is to egg them on

BBN-MURPHY-COLUMN:PH — PHILADELPHIA — If you think about it, there’s something weird about taking a rooting interest in the way a billionaire spends his money. Which is why you shouldn’t think about it. Just enjoy it. In fact, do everything in your power to egg it on.

So, whaddaya say, Johnny Middlebucks? Just gonna sit there and take that? One of your biggest professional rivals is up there in Queens creating his own G20 economy and you’re gonna spend the rest of the offseason staring at your NLCS trophy? You know what Steve Cohen calls a $238 million payroll? Half empty! Chop, chop, then. You’ve got a vulnerable bullpen and the only way to bulletproof it is with Benjamins. Or David Robertsons. Or whoever is out there to replace Robertson. Because the Mets already signed him.

1036 words by David Murphy, The Philadelphia Inquirer. MOVED

PHOTOS

NFL

John Romano: The Christmas carols a deranged Tom Brady fan might be singing

FBN-ROMANO-COLUMN:PT — TAMPA, Fla. — Here are some excerpts from a few Christmas carols Tampa Bay sports fans might sing during the holidays:

— (Sung to the tune of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”)

593 words by John Romano, Tampa Bay Times. MOVED

PHOTOS

Mac Engel: Leighton Vander Esch situation with the Cowboys 'the ugly' of the NFL

FBN-ENGEL-COLUMN:FT — FORT WORTH, Texas — According to the classic children’s song, “The Skeleton Dance,” Leighton Vander Esch should be OK.

Because, according to the lyrics of that famous song, “The backbone is connected to the neck bone.”

866 words by Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram. MOVED

PHOTOS

Chris Perkins: Here’s why Dolphins punter Thomas Morstead runs and runs and runs on the sideline during games

FBN-PERKINS-COLUMN:FL — MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Keep an eye on Dolphins punter Thomas Morstead during Sunday’s game against Green Bay. He won’t be hard to spot. He’ll be the guy constantly running up and down the sideline, 30 or 40 yards at a time, while the Dolphins have the ball. Or he’ll be jumping up and down, or stretching, all the while dodging cheerleaders, photographers, game officials, TV camera operators and other such sideline traffic.

Morstead is constantly in motion because he likes to keep his heart rate between 110 and 130 beats per minute.

1206 words by Chris Perkins, South Florida Sun-Sentinel. MOVED

PHOTOS

Saturday's games

TNS expects coverage from the following games:

Buffalo at Chicago, 1 p.m. ET

Seattle at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

NY Giants at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati at New England, 1 p.m.

Detroit at Carolina, 1 p.m.

Atlanta at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Washington at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.

Philadelphia at Dallas, 4:25 p.m.

Las Vegas at Pittsburgh, 8:15 p.m.

SOCCER

Larry Stone: Men's World Cup play was spectacular, and it's headed to Seattle next

SOC-STONE-COLUMN:SE — SEATTLE — The men's World Cup final Sunday in Qatar was a mesmerizing event that touched every human emotion and fully displayed the galvanizing effect a sporting event can have both locally and globally.

Brace yourself. All that passion is headed to Seattle in four years.

926 words by Larry Stone, The Seattle Times. MOVED

PHOTOS

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