The Hammer
Sports Talk with Sam Kouvaris & Tom McManus
Entries by Sam Kouvaris
Adding London games is fine for Jaguars, as a road team
We haven’t heard much about “the Jaguars are moving” story in the past couple of years. Los Angeles has two teams and a multi-billion dollar stadium being built. But there’s a new, albeit faint drumbeat about more games in London and fewer games in Jacksonville. By now you’ve probably heard what NBC’s Peter King said […]
Coughlin culture still permeates Jaguars
As the Jaguars gathered this week in Year 2 of the Coughlin/Marrone era, expectations are high. While quick turnarounds are common in the NFL, the Jaguars’ “worst to first” in 2017 seemed to come out of nowhere. Can a management and coaching change make that much difference? There are a lot of moving parts that […]
Authentic Duval shines as golf analyst
I’ve always liked David Duval. I know people have said he’s aloof and distant. He’s described himself as “quiet and reserved.” That might have been his personality as a golfer and it worked for him. Not anymore. Working for the Golf Channel, Duval is the best analyst on television. Not just the best golf analyst, […]
David Duval, Best Analyst On TV
I’ve always liked David Duval. I know people have said he’s aloof and distant. He’s described himself as “quiet and reserved.” That might have been his personality as a golfer and it worked for him. Not anymore. Working for the Golf Channel, Duval is the best analyst on television. Not just the best golf analyst, […]
Only Joke In The Hall Is TO
I didn’t want to write this article about Terrell Owens snubbing the Pro Football Hall of Fame because it only feeds his problematic (maybe clinical) need for attention. But not going to the HOF induction is unprecedented, and fans, the Hall and even Owen’s supporters deserve better. Upon being notified by Owens last month, the […]
Trabert’s Career Had A Little Of It All
This year’s Wimbledon champion will receive a winners check for about $3 million. When Tony Trabert won the trophy there in 1955 they gave him a 10-pound note. “Redeemable at Lilly White’s department store in London,” Trabert recalled last week. “But only in the sports section and only on tennis things.” Working the TPC for […]
Career Transition Happens Fast, And Every Day
Maybe you’ve heard I had a dramatic change in my employment status recently. It can be quite a shock if you’re not prepared, but you make of it what you want. No matter what career you have, you’re always looking forward to the next thing, the next accomplishment. When you’re suddenly not in it any […]
Bandon Dunes: A “Must Play” Golf Experience
Images Provided by Golfible.com So I topped two off the first tee. After weeks of anticipation and preparation for a trip to Bandon Dunes, that’s right, I topped two off the first tee in our first day of play at Bandon Trails. That’s something I haven’t done in probably 30 years. And I hit them […]
No TO, We Don’t Care
It’s rare to sit down and write an article you don’t want to write. I didn’t want to write this article about Terrell Owens snubbing the Pro Football Hall of Fame because it only feeds his problematic (maybe clinical) need for attention. But not going to the HOF induction is unprecedented, and fans, the Hall […]
Marrone’s Jaguars Year 2 Motivation
As the Jaguars enter their final week of OTA’s (scheduled Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) we’ve seen that they’re noticeably faster, they’re quarterback play is better than expected and they have high expectations of themselves. “We achieved a lot but didn’t check all of the boxes of our goals. How great do we want to […]
AJ Bouye Returns, Sets Jaguars Tone
Photo by: Phillips Helmets Back at the OTA’s Jaguars cornerback A.J. Bouye explained why he missed the first week. “Stuff that happened towards the end of last year kind of motivated me, so I just needed extra time with myself and my family just to work on that,” he said on Tuesday. “I had specific […]
Jaguars Start 2018 “Not Dwelling On The Past”
Photo by: Phillips Helmets “To be honest, I told the team it’s always good to learn from the past, but please do not dwell on the past.” And with that, Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone set the theme and the tone for the 2018 workouts for last year’s AFC runner-up.” There’s an excitement in the […]
Best “Feel Good” Win At THE PLAYERS
There’s nothing like a feel good story in sports. And in American sports, the comeback, feel good story is always the best. We’ve had all kinds of winners at THE Players Championship. Household names like Jack and Tiger, hometown champions in Mark McCumber and David Duval, and unlikely names on the trophy like Stephen (Ames) […]
Simpson (with Tesori) In Command At THE PLAYERS
It’s a weird thing to talk to athletes about their top accomplishments. People who are motivated, ambitious and energetic have an easier time remembering their failures than whatever success they had. There’s a specific kind of memory that sits close to the surface, protecting them from ever making the same mistake twice. On the other […]
Easy? Hard? Round 1 Of The Players Was Both
As a two-time champion at The Players, Tiger Woods understands the role the Stadium Course plays as part of the championship. “When you’re playing well, it seems easy,” Tiger said after playing last week in Charlotte and again after the first round of this year’s Players. “But if you’re a little off, there’s trouble on […]
THE PLAYERS To March: A Good Move
I’ve always said that most of the locals who attend The Players think every PGA Tour event is like that. Of course the Players is like nothing else out there, taking the best from every PGA Tour stop all year and incorporating it into the Stadium Course. It’s not only the best run PGA Tour […]
Players Says “Adapt” To THE PLAYERS In March
Without the old burden of achieving status as the “Fifth Major” gone, you knew it was only a matter of time before The Players moved back to March. Earlier in the year, the PGA of America announced that the PGA Championship will be moving to May with the PGA Tour moving the Players back to […]
A Bike Ride In The Tennessee Mountains
When my friend Alex sent me the info on George Hincapie’s first Gran Fondo in Chattanooga last January it looked like a great idea. Riding in a different city with different terrain and supporting some of the efforts George’s, charitable and otherwise I’m usually up for. From the one day 50-miler on Saturday, the trip […]
Anatomy Of A Pick: Jaguars Take Bryan At 29
It wasn’t flashy or a big splash but rather described as a “value pick” as the Jaguars selected defensive lineman Taven Bryan with the twenty-ninth pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. Bryan is listed at 6’5″ and 291 lbs and was projected to “become an instant starter” by the NFL scouts at the combine. So […]
Jaguars Draft is Wide Open
Photo by: Phillips Helmets As long as he’s been involved in the NFL and personnel decisions, Tom Coughlin has had very specific ideas. He likes big players, he believes in solidifying the run game and he wants a defense that can control the line of scrimmage. “The first round might have thirty-two selections,” he recently […]
Masters Memories: Sam’s 40 Years At Augusta
Getting an invitation to cover the Masters when I was at Channel 2 in Charleston in late 1978 was an unexpected and welcome surprise. I took my Dad as my cameraman since it was a one-man sports department at the time. We rented a room through the Augusta Housing Bureau and were both amazed the […]
At The Masters In Augusta, It’s Emotional
Before the traditional Green Jacket ceremony in the Butler Cabin at Augusta National, CBS ran a montage of players over the years reacting to a question about winning the Masters. The response was universal, a long exhale with a faraway look in their eyes. It’s enormous from a golf standpoint. A major championship, endorsements and […]
Coughlin: Same Guy, Different Role
Photo by: Phillips Helmets “Non-negotiable expectations from within. That’s all we look at. Our expectations are very high and anybody that comes on board has to understand there’s a way to accomplish what we’re trying to accomplish and it’s through team, it’s through individual improvement and it’s through a relentless drive in team success.” I’ve […]
Tiger Exceeds The Hype, Comes Back To Earth
Sometimes it’s funny, other times it’s strange, a celebration or even sad to follow an athlete’s career. In the 40 year’s I’ve been in sports journalism, I’ve experienced just about all of that. From watching Emmitt Smith and Chipper Jones in high school and seeing their careers take them to the Hall of Fame to […]
Tiger’s Back At Bay Hill
Winning Arnold Palmer’s tournament in March seemed like a rite of spring during Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour heyday. An 8-time champion, Tiger tied Sam Snead for the most wins at any tournament in Tour history. Snead won in Greensboro eight times as well. But even with that kind of success and familiarity, Tiger spend part […]
Jeff Klauk Back On The Course
It was cool and dreary. A light rain fell all morning during the annual charity shootout during Media Day at The Players. And none of that mattered to former PGA Tour player and North Florida resident Jeff Klauk. He was back on the golf course, thinking about yardages, the wind and the shot he needed […]
Signing Day Still A Big Deal
With an early signing day taking away some of the big names in football, you might not think the traditional signing day of the first Wednesday in February might not be as big. Think again. It’s become a “thing” and it’s not going away anytime soon. As a celebration of all high school athletes who […]
No Sure Thing In The Pro Football Hall Of Fame
Privileged to be in the room as the Jacksonville representative during the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame discussions, I’m annually surprised but never shocked at what happens during the selection meeting. When you get 48 people with an opinion talking about the same thing, the winds of change are always blowing. Players you figure […]
The Argument For Tony Boselli
Photo by: Phillips Helmets If there’s one sticking point to Tony Boselli’s inclusion as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it’s the perceived brevity of his career. The numbers are straightforward: Boselli played 91 regular season games plus six playoff games for a total of 97 games. Games played is a good […]
What Are Tony Boselli’s Chances? Inside The Hall Of Fame Process
It’s a long process to induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While the only eligibility for players to be retired for five years, the qualifications are stiff. But they’re not spelled out. If you were a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro player, you’ll get on the initial ballot, but pretty much any player […]
Jaguars Pain Is Real, Because They Earned It
Photo by: Phillips Helmets In the locker room, the pain was real. Quiet and somber, the Jaguars went about the business of breaking down the loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game, speaking with the media and having small conversations among themselves. I’ve been in the losing locker room for the […]
Heartbreaking Loss In AFC Championship Ends Jaguars Season
If there was an early indication of how the AFC Championship game against the Patriots would go it was how the Jaguars would survive the original onslaught from New England. Gillette Stadium can be a tough place to play when the Patriots are rolling and the noise meter is rising. Giving New England the ball […]
Jaguars In NE: “We’re Ready To Go”
It was very business like when the Jaguars departed the busses at their team hotel in Providence this afternoon. That’s not unusual. The team’s goal this week has been to keep their routine the same. “At the end of the day you just gotta play ball,” said the Jaguars Calais Campbell. “The game is the […]
Respect For The Jaguars? We Don’t Care, We Live Here
Photo by: Phillips Helmets There’s been a lot of talk this week about getting “respect” for the Jacksonville Jaguars. A 3-13 team in 2016, the Jaguars are on the verge of their first Super Bowl appearance, playing in their third AFC Championship game in franchise history. But the Jaguars are still suffering from what they […]
Telvin Smith Brings Talent, Heart
Photo by: Phillips Helmets There’s a reputation in the league that follows the Jaguars defense. Tough, talking, swagger, fast and relentless. They’ve put up historic numbers this season. While that’s the exterior, the public persona, the spirit and emotion of that side of the football is embodied in Linebacker Telvin Smith. A fifth-round pick out […]
Tom Mcmanus Says The Jaguars Will Win
It’s almost unbelievable how they’ve turned it around from a three-win team to go the AFC Championship game. The common denominator has to be Tom Coughlin but it also has to be Doug Marrone. They’re two in the same. They are committed to winning. They’re different personalities but they see that at the end of […]
Hard Work No Stranger To Marrone
If there’s one thing that Doug Marrone has learned in his years of coaching in the NFL it’s that it takes 53 guys, not just the starting 22 to compete. Injury, slumps, whatever, not every player is playing at his best on every play. So Marrone sees the big picture when it comes to who’s […]
Marrone: Right Guy, Right Place, Right Time
Photo by: Phillips Helmets When it comes to the subject of leadership, perhaps no group is easier to study than football coaches. At one point, fans in Jacksonville had Steve Spurrier, Bobby Bowden, Vince Dooley and Howard Schnellenberger or Jimmy Johnson leading the major college programs they followed. All very successful, all very different in […]
Blake, Teammate, And That’s How He Likes It
Photo by: Phillips Helmets I’ve been to Oviedo but I’m not sure I remember it. Apparently, that’s not unusual. “Kind of like Yulee but not that far away,” is how one Orlando native described it. They have a Target, a mall, movie theaters, all the things you’d expect of a suburb community. South of Sanford […]
Charity
