Sam’s Commentary

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Bortles Better, Defense Better

He’s a third year pro but perhaps more importantly, it’s Blake Bortles’ second year in the same offensive system. It’s allowed the Jaguars quarterback to be more in command and take a bigger leadership role. “Yeah, I think so, definitely. If I wasn’t then it would be pretty disappointing,” he said after Tuesday’s practice in […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Stadium Improvements March On

As the focus for the Jaguars concentrates on their improvement on the field, the backdrop at the stadium continues to be hammering and building as workers race against the calendar to have improvements done before the season starts. “That extra week in August because our first preseason game is on the road is a big […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

FSU/Boise St. To Play Here In 2019

As they continue to work toward bringing in “neutral site” college football games. JaxSports has found a willing partner in Florida State University. FSU is scheduled to play Boise State in a home-and-home series in 2019 and 2020 but talks are progressing to bring that game to Jacksonville to open the season. “Florida State is […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Air2G2 Local Company Making Good

As a concept, it seems pretty simple: All living things need air to grow. But for Glen Black, it was a brainstorm in college that led to a growing business based on that concept. Black is the President of Air2G2 by GT Air Inject, a Jacksonville company with connections all around the world. While a […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jaguars “Fact Finding” vs. Bengals

It might have been a “game week” of preparation but even as hard as they try, the players and coaches admit the third preseason game is different than the rest but still nothing like the regular season. “Fact finding” is how Head Coach Gus Bradley characterized his goal for Sunday’s game against Cincinnati. The Jaguars, […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Time for Jimmy Smith in The Pride

There’s never been a question about Jimmy Smith’s on-field greatness. Smith is one of just three players to play more than ten seasons for the Jaguars, from 1995-2005, and still owns 11 team records 10 years after his retirement in 2006. But how to you honor a player during his much-publicized struggle with drug addition […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Smith “Grateful and excited” to be in The Pride

“It’s not the end, but it’s a new beginning.” It was with that statement that former Jaguars WR Jimmy Smith summed up his thoughts about being the latest player to be invited to join The Pride of the Jaguars. Smith’s statistics are gaudy by any measure of wide receivers in the NFL and outsized when […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Khan On 2016 Roster: “Scary Good”

When the owner says it’s time to win, it’s time to win. And while he didn’t use those specific words today, Jaguars Owner Shad Khan clearly has high expectations for his team in 2016. “Absolutely, I can’t wait,” Khan said when I asked him if he was excited about the start of training camp next […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jaguars Ready To Win Says Malik Jackson

It’s been a pretty dramatic transformation in the Jaguars locker room over the last four years. As much as General Manager Dave Caldwell has been looking for talent as he builds the roster, he’s been vetting players’ personalities as well. There’s a certain type of player that can work inside a team with Head Coach […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Cryotherapy: The latest in “Sam’s Big Comeback”

For those of you who have followed by journey since my stem-cell surgery in November, first I want to say thank you. Somebody asks me about my knee, the procedure, the braces I wore or my rehab everyday, and I appreciate it. Since the stem-cell procedure is so new in the US, the experts are […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

MJD on Jaguars: “They can win the South”

He’s certainly no stranger to the stadium but it took an assignment from the NFL Network to get former Jaguars running back Maurice Jones Drew back on the Jaguars practice field. “Getting a feel for the team,” Jones Drew responded when asked what brought him to town. The network wants him to have a good […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Foley To Leave Florida In A Good Spot

When he first arrived on the University of Florida campus in 1976, Jeremy Foley thought he had made a mistake. “I drove down here from New Hampshire with my dad and got out of the car,” he said in Gainesville on Tuesday formally announcing his retirement as Athletic Director effective October 1st. “It was 4000 […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Marks Returns Optimistic

Looking for that blend of veterans and youth going into the 2016 season, the Jaguars are counting on Sen’Derrick Marks to return from injury, back to his Pro Bowl form. Marks returned for the final OTA on Friday, a little ahead of schedule. “That is what is good about our staff,” Marks said after practice. […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Hurns Deal Good All Around

It’s a “feel good” story for the Jaguars and their players. You can add anybody who ever overcame adversity to that list as well. Third-year wide receiver Allen Hurns, who made the team with his work ethic and performance as an undrafted free-agent signed a $40 million, 4-year contract with the team yesterday, rewarding him […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jaguars TE Thomas: We can be better

You might think this time of year would be tedious for a veteran like Julius Thomas. But after missing last year’s training camp and trying to get involved with the Jaguars offense as the season progressed, he says these OTA’s for the Jaguars are important. “This is probably the biggest time of the year for […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Hale Irwin at WGV: Winners have the heart of a champion

During his time on the PGA Tour, Hale Irwin had a reputation as a fierce competitor. It helped him to three U.S. Open titles but it also meant he was respected and sometimes feared by his peers. Irwin shot a final round 69 at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham on Sunday, just a few days […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jaguars Start OTA’s “Good not great.”

In his fourth year as the Jaguars head coach, Gus Bradley is pretty much done creating a culture. You could tell from his opening statement after the first OTA of 2016. “I would say a good start, not a great start,” is how he started. “I thought there were some things, but I kind of […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Ramsey Hurt: Jaguars Snake Bit?

About the first dozen people I told that Jalen Ramsey had a tear in his meniscus had the same reaction: “Come on! Really? Are the Jaguars snake bit?” It’s easy to draw that conclusion after last year’s injury to Dante Fowler and the just plain old bad luck the Jaguars have had in the last […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Day Wins THE PLAYERS 2016

It might have looked like a calm “walkabout” but Jason Day said it was anything but before the final round of the 2016 Players. “I told Ellie earlier this morning, this is probably the most nervous I’ve been before a tournament round,” he recounted after finishing at -15 and recording his seventh victory in his […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

THE PLAYERS Round 2: Low Scores Again

It was a blistering pace that he couldn’t possibly keep up but it was clear Rory McIlroy brought his ‘A’ game for the second round of THE PLAYERS. Starting on the back nine where he’s had tremendous success, Mcilroy birdied the first four holes and went birdie-eagle at 15 and 16 to shoot 29 on […]