Nunnie on the Sideline
By Nunnie Robinson, WG Sports Editor
In the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens/Dexter Lawrence contract dilemma was quickly resolved when the All-Pro former Clemson Tiger was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals for a first-round pick in the upcoming draft, which takes place this Thursday. At an obvious impasse, the Ravens gave the Bengals permission to speak with Lawrence’s agent, Joel Segal. A deal was eventually agreed upon that added a year and $28 million to the two years and $42 million remaining on Lawrence’s 2023 deal, effectively making his contract with the Bengals a three-year, $70 million windfall. In a televised interview, Lawrence appeared pleased and content despite all the travails associated with adjusting to a new team and city. Don’t you find it somewhat strange that he was traded to an organization known for its frugal ways? Money above all else was the deciding factor, slightly shifting the draft’s pecking order.
The NBA playoffs are in full swing, with Western Conference favorite Oklahoma City facing the Phoenix Suns, while the Minnesota Timberwolves attempt to eliminate Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. The injury-plagued Lakers, sans Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, defeated the Houston Rockets in their series opener, surprising many. The other quarterfinal matchup has “The Alien,” Victor Wembanyama-led San Antonio Spurs facing the youth-laden, competitive Portland Trail Blazers.
In the East, the Boston Celtics have early on demonstrated their superiority over the Philadelphia 76ers, while regular-season champion Detroit lost Game 1 to No. 8 seed Orlando, portending a tight seven-game series. On Monday night, the Atlanta Hawks came from 12 points down to defeat the home-favorite New York Knicks, 107–106, tying the series at one game each. The final Eastern Conference series has the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 2–0 lead over Toronto, although the games have been competitive and entertaining.
Because the playoffs are much more competitive as teams vie for a title, now is the time to watch the NBA.
Following are the top-rated teams in the playoffs, regardless of conference:
Oklahoma City
San Antonio
Detroit
Boston
Denver
New York
Los Angeles
Cleveland
Houston
Minnesota
Toronto
Atlanta
Philadelphia
Orlando
Phoenix
Portland Trail Blazers
My final prediction: Oklahoma City in the West, Boston in the East, with OKC defending its ’25 championship.
In HBCU circles, FAMU’s football program was hit with sanctions stemming from longstanding APR issues. The NCAA last week issued FAMU football a Level II APR penalty, which includes a postseason ban and limits on practice time for the 2026 season. President Marva Johnson vowed to take immediate action to rectify all concerns related to student-athlete academic progress.
Norfolk State has moved its away “money game” vs. Virginia to Friday, September 11, 2026.
Grambling head football coach Mickey Joseph has named his starting quarterback for the upcoming season. Jacobe Robinson, who played at Boston College and Southern Mississippi, will lead the G-Men in ’26.
Meanwhile, Bethune-Cookman leads the SWAC in every conceivable preseason category, including Player of the Year (Andrew Martinez), Pitcher of the Year (Edwin Sanchez), and five of the top position players hail from the Wildcats. Under the leadership of Coach Jonathan Hernandez, the Wildcats are clearly the standard for SWAC baseball.
