It was a very busy three-day weekend in the sports world between college football, community events, NBA rumors and a controversial NFL trade. Here are the biggest stories.

– KHALIL MACK TRADED TO CHICAGO BEARS – 

The Oakland Raiders spent many years in mediocrity until having a consistent Defensive Player of the Year candidate and a comfortable and productive ProBowl quarterback finally culminated in a 2016 Wild Card appearance. The Raiders lost their first playoff appearance to the Houston Texans 14-27. Two weeks before this game, the Raiders’ star quarterback in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, Derek Carr, suffered a fibula fracture. He then missed much of the next season because of a freak back injury.

After holding out all preseason awaiting a contract extension, Khalil Mack and two 2020 draft picks (second-round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick) were traded to the Chicago Bears for the Bears’ 2019 and 2020 first round selections along with a 2020 third-round pick and a 2019 sixth-round pick. This was one day after Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald agreed to the previously most expensive contract for a defensive player ever at $135 million ($87 million guaranteed) over 6 years. Being in the midst of contract talks with new coach Jon Gruden and the Raiders’ front office, Mack felt he should have been one of the highest paid players considering he was one of the best in the league. The Donald deal simply reaffirmed himself. After arriving in Chicago, a 6 year $141 million deal with $90 million guaranteed was signed between Mack and the Bears.

It wasn’t smooth news to fans or the current Raider players. Bruce Irvin, now the Raider’s best pass rusher, simply tweeted, “No f****** way,” the morning of the trade. On the other side of the line of scrimmage, Derek Carr had a much more hopeful message to fans: “This is the sucky part of this business… Mornings like this, but we have a season to play and games to win!! #RaiderNation we feel your pain trust me but we need you next Monday night!” This trade, along with the news of the Raiders moving out of Oakland into Las Vegas, has once again landed a right hook on the jaw of its fanbase by choosing finances over success.

On the Bears offensive side of things, having a 2017 first round quarterback in Mitch Trubisky, a young offensive minded first time head coach in Matt Nagy, and the phenomenal wide receiver Anthony Miller out of the University of Memphis already had Chicago fans very hopeful. This trade has only put them head over heels.

– JALEN RAMSEY SHENANIGANS –

The third year Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback has been making his rounds in plenty of headlines the past few days much to everyone else’s humor. Despite coming from one of the smallest markets in the NFL, the young All-Pro cornerback has garnered his fame from a skill that may have previously gone unappreciated: trash talking.

In an August 15, 2018, interview with GQ”s Clay Skipper, Ramsey went unfiltered. No one was safe. Not the 11 year veteran starter for the Baltimore Ravens, Joe Flacco, who “sucks.” Not the “overrated” former NFL MVP Matt Ryan who took the Atlanta Falcons to the Superbowl two short years ago. And certainly not the Buffalo Bills rookie out of Wyoming, Josh Allen, who’s “trash”.

Criticism wasn’t dished out to everyone though. When he was asked “Who are the quarterbacks, in your opinion, who don’t suck?” the usual suspects, Tom Brady and  Aaron Rodgers, were instant answers. As far as others who didn’t “suck”, to Ramsey their level of play was dependent on their team system, schemes, coaches, and personnel.

– 901 DAY-

I am from Hernando, MS. Literally 20 minutes south of Memphis. Over the past few years, my love of sports has grown hand-in-hand with my love of Memphis. If you have been to a Memphis Grizzlies playoff game, it is extremely difficult to say otherwise. Last Saturday was September 1st, or in Memphis, “901 Day” (901 is the area code). Between the Memphis Tigers football season opener at the Liberty Bowl Stadium and the first-ever MLS event in AutoZone Park, it was a very busy day.

Less than two weeks ago, Memphis fans had been keeping up with what seemed to be a close match-up between David Moore and Brady White for the starting quarterback role. Suddenly, Grind City Media’s Devin Walker reports that David Moore didn’t show up to practice and had plans to transfer; certifying Brady White’s starting job.

In White’s Memphis debut, he did not disappoint anyone. He completed his first 9 passes, eventually finishing 22-of-28, and threw 5 of Memphis’ 8 touchdowns with 358 total passing yards… all in the first 30 minutes of play. Before the game, some were worried about the shoes White had to fill following former a NFL first round pick, Paxton Lynch, and Riley Ferguson, who broke a Lynch’s touchdown pass record with 32. Safe to say Memphis fans aren’t as concerned anymore. Next week, they are 4.5 point favorites over Navy.

Autozone park was sold out to 8,957 soccer fans who enjoyed the match 3-2 friendly win from Howard’s Rapids over the USL’s Tulsa Roughnecks FC. This excerpt from Memphis 901 FC’s webpage properly describes the excitement surrounding this team, who begins play in March 2019:

“The pre-match party. The supporters march. The goosebump-inducing ovation Howard got when stepping on the pitch. The first touch. The five goals. Every chant, flag-wave, and smoke bomb. The full-time whistle. The post-match fireworks display. The coming-together of an entire region. It all happened in Downtown Memphis. Professional soccer is here at AutoZone Park.”