Acting legend James Caan passed away this week at the age of 82. His tie with the sports world is Brian’s Song, an award-winning 1971 TV movie classic about the friendship of Chicago Bears football players Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers. It shows the human side of the NFL and rates up there with The Pride of the Yankees as one of the great sports movies of all time. Was Caan anything like his on-screen roles?

Mark Davis and the Las Vegas Raiders are making significant changes in the front office amid various lawsuits and rumors of misconduct. They recently hired a new president, Sandra Douglass Morgan, as the first African-American woman president in NFL history to instill more diversity and inclusion within the franchise. Among her many qualifications, Morgan served as chair of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, and her husband is a former NFL player. The Raiders have a history of diversity hiring in the past, so is it a further step in the right direction, or is it too little, too late to please Raider Nation?

Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Commanders, has agreed to testify in front of Congress via Zoom to answer allegations of misconduct against him and his organization. In addition, he has stepped back from overseeing the franchise, and his wife is now in charge of operations. Will these actions help his case?

Baker Mayfield has been traded to the Carolina Panthers by the Cleveland Browns for a 4th- or 5th-round conditional draft pick, depending on how well he plays. Two years ago, Mayfield was one of the top ten quarterbacks in the league, but last season was rough for him. Should he be judged for one challenging year? Is the trade the right choice for the Panthers?

With Covid back on the rise again, the indoor mask mandate is likely to be reinstated in Los Angeles sooner rather than later. The Lakers are still considering bringing Kyrie Irving, who is adamantly against vaccination, on board. Would this be a sensible move for the Lakers since his stance means he could be ineligible to play for a good portion of the season?

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