Tom Brady and the Patriots were close to being 8-0 in Super Bowls since 2001, but they were almost as close to 0-8, according to win probability data.
Expanding on the long-standing work to help provide support, Farmers Insurance recently selected TGR Foundation as a community organization for the Stan Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund. Developed in honor of the late Stan R. Smith, the fund will recognize an Earl Woods Scholar and provide financial support for the program. Stan was a former Farmers Insurance employee for more than 30 years who advanced his career serving in many roles from operations to government affairs. After retiring he continued to work with the organization as a Governor and member of the Executive Committee of the Farmers Insurance Exchange Board of Governors. In its inaugural year, TGR Foundation and the Farmers Insurance Stan Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund is proud to recognize Karina Ramirez. Karina is a freshman attending Claremont McKenna College. “We are grateful for the ongoing support of Farmers Insurance and honored to celebrate the life and legacy of Stan Smith through our Earl Woods Scholar Program,� said Rick Singer, TGR Foundation President & CEO. “With their partnership we will continue to empower students like Karina to pursue their passions through education.� The Earl Woods Scholar Program is a signature initiative of TGR Foundation, supporting students on their journey through college and career success. With a 98-percent graduation rate, it ranks among the best scholarship programs in the country. Key components of the program include mentorship, personal and professional development workshops and internship placement assistance. “As an Earl Woods Scholar I have a second family I can count on for anything� Ramirez said. “I have yet to find out what my future will hold, but I know that I will have the skills to be successful because this program develops each individual in multiple aspects. We are all driven to find what makes us fulfilled in life and plan to give back.� For more than 90 years Farmers Insurance has been committed to serving the communities where their customers, agents and employees live and work. With education being one of its core issues of focus, the national insurer group invests in youth, improving access to education and job readiness, which aligns with the mission and initiatives of TGR Foundation. “It’s just awesome for Farmers to get involved in communities,� said David Smith, son of the late Stan Smith and a Farmers Insurance Territorial Legislative Affairs Manager. “When I met Earl Woods Scholar Karina Ramirez at the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open Youth Champions Dinner and got to visit with other young scholars at the TGR Learning Lab I was inspired. It reminded me of my time as a college teacher and that special formative time in one’s life.� To learn more about the Earl Woods Scholar Program and invest in the potential of students through education, visit TGRFoundation.org.
NASCAR suspended Ty Gibbs and former NASCAR driver David Gilliland three K&N Series races each for an illegal testing session.
Roger Goodell said the league will again take a look at instant replay and possible changes this offseason. “The game is not officiated by robots,” he said. “It’s not going to be.”
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Big round numbers were the hot topic of conversation as Phil Mickelson met the media before the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Wednesday. That, and a little, black scooter he was presented to mark his 30th start in the event, one of his two hometown tournaments. Mickelson, 48, first played here as an amateur sensation out of Arizona State in 1989, and has since won it three times (1996, 2005, 2013). 
“I just can’t believe that it’s been 30 years,â€� he said. “It just has gone by so fast.â€� Mickelson is coming off a T2 at the Desert Classic two weeks ago, when he flirted with a 59 but settled for a 60 in the first round. He is enjoying a mini-career revival, which he credits in part to increased swing speed after leading the field in driving distance (302.5 yards on all tee shots) in the desert. The gain has been surprising given that he’s the oldest player in many fields. He also has enjoyed an uptick in his short game. He was around the lead in Strokes Gained: Putting for much of last season, when he broke a nearly five-year win drought with his playoff victory over Justin Thomas at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship. It was in the afterglow of that win, Mickelson’s 43rd, that he issued a brash prediction: Q. You’re seven away from 50 PGA TOUR wins. Do you think you can get there? MICKELSON: Oh, I will, I’ll get there. Q. When? MICKELSON: I don’t know. Seven more wins and I’ll be there. I don’t have the month or the time, but I will get there. Today, not quite one year later, he’s having second thoughts. Asked at TPC Scottsdale whether he’s still sure he’ll get to 50, he dialed it back. The reason: The rest of 2018 didn’t go as planned. 

“I’ve got to be honest in my assessment of winning seven more times — is that realisticâ€� he said. “It’s certainly my goal and something I’m striving for and yet I know it’s not going to be easy. I don’t have the same, hundred percent I’m going to do this thing. I’m a little more realistic, because I really thought I was going to pick of off two or three more at the end of the year and I played terrible.â€� He made it to the season-ending TOUR Championship, but ran out of gas and finished last, then had a forgettable Ryder Cup in France. The good news, he added, was that he had a productive off-season in which he added speed and distance by stabilizing his core and retraining “the kinematic sequence of my golf swing.â€� He also has begun seeing a new nutritionist. “I think that I’m ready to start playing some of my best golf again,â€� Mickelson said. “I’ve had a massive jump in speed, which is a big thing, especially if you hit it crooked. If you’re going to hit it crooked you better not be short. That’s hopefully going to lead, along with the way I putted the last few years, it’s hopefully going to lead to a special year.â€�
He’s won the 2013 U.S. Open and the 2016 Rio Olympics, but you could argue the Englishman is due a few more big wins given the caliber of his play.
Sarah and Santino debate the best prop bets for Super Bowl LIII.
Jimmy Butler joins Posted Up with Chris Haynes and talks about being traded to Philly, other players’ perception of him, his upbringing in the NBA and much more.
Players hear the fans at the loudest hole in golf wagering. Sometimes they even get in on the act.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft wants to keep the team’s “symmetry” and “chemistry” intact and is open to signing quarterback Tom Brady to another contract extension.
