On Feb. 1, 2022, NFL quarterback Tom Brady retired from football after 22 seasons in the league. 

Brady spent 20 of those NFL seasons with the New England Patriots and another two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He won seven Super Bowls: six with the Patriots and one with the Bucs. 

According to ESPN, Brady, 44, formerly said he wanted to play football until he was at least 45. However, when rumors of his retirement leaked on Jan. 29, he confirmed that football’s physicality and the 25 sacks he faced this year have taken a toll on his health. The speculation grew, and despite the rumors, Brady said he wasn’t ready to finalize anything and was “still going through” the decision-making process. 

But, in an Instagram post on Feb. 1, Brady said that he doesn’t want to “make the competitive commitment” to play NFL football anymore. He said that it was time to focus his energy and time on other things that are important to him, like his family and his health. Brady has finally put an end to his thrill of a career. 

In the long-winded, five-slide Instagram post, Brady thanked his former Buccaneers teammates, the Buccaneers organization, the Buccaneers coaching staff and Tampa Bay fans. He failed to mention any of his 20 years in New England, even when they were the team that drafted him in 2000 and gave him a fighting chance at making a name for himself.

Former Patriots’ teammates, coaches and managers still expressed their immense gratitude and appreciation for him. ESPN reports that Patriots fans did get a bit of a thank-you via Twitter, when Brady responded to a statement by Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft. 

Now that arguably the greatest quarterback of all time has left the league, the door has been opened for young stars to pave their roads to greatness. Patrick Mahomes has already shown immense skill, but even he has failed to make it to another Super Bowl, falling to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship. Josh Allen is in the same boat, except he is still seeking his first Super Bowl appearance. Patriots fans will be excited to see how their rookie QB, Mac Jones, develops as his career goes on after making the Pro Bowl in his first NFL season. None of them, though, will fill the void left by Tom Brady.

Sources: ESPN, The Sporting News

If your TikTok “For You” page looks like mine, you’ve seen a decent amount of Olympics-related videos. Whether they are videos of Shaun White eating a meal and reacting to a snowboard fail video, “haul” videos of athletes unpacking their two large duffel bags of apparel or tours of the Olympic village and hotel rooms, these posts are going viral.

If you’re not interested in sports, then you’re probably annoyed by these videos. However, there is still a lot to be said for these videos, as they give viewers a more human view of these physically (and perhaps skillfully) distant athletes.

Unless you’re bothered by the fact that most of these Olympic TikToks are showcasing the high lives of the athletes, these videos present an inside look into the Olympic experience that we otherwise wouldn’t get.

This is a plus of the immediacy and intimacy that social media provides; fans and viewers can get an insider’s perspective on an event that would otherwise be very distant. Instead of merely watching the events on TV and seeing the 60-second mini-stories for select athletes, TikTok allows fans, or just casual viewers, to see a little more of the Olympic lifestyle.

The personalities of these athletes are also shown. Shaun White, a US Olympic snowboarder, is most known for his TikToks where he “duets” videos and gives his reaction to them. However, when he traveled to Beijing for this year’s Olympics, he started documenting different parts of the experience. He recorded the dining hall, a face-recognition machine and his hotel room and answered questions about what he does with all of the clothing and what different parts of the Olympic village look like.

Other athletes, such as some of China’s women’s ice hockey players, posted trendy videos that showed fans around their Olympic hotel room. The TikTok was to the sound “Che La Luna” by Louis Prima, and the video was the trend, “things that just make sense.” The hockey players went around their hotel room and pointed out quirky features, just as in other videos for this trend.

This phenomenon is more interactive than past Olympic games. Fans are directly asking White and other athletes questions through their TikTok comment section, and these fans are getting the athletes’ genuine responses. They are also able to see the same TikTok trends that everyone else does used by these athletes to showcase their experiences. Relatability is established between viewers and otherwise distant athletes, making these competitors a bit more human. Fans are able to see the athletes’ personalities shine through.

Basic “Get Ready With Me” or “Outfit Check” videos are popular not only on YouTube but now on TikTok as well. Whether they are live videos or shorter “For You” page ones, these videos take watchers through athletes’ routines of getting ready for a day out at the Olympics. The athletes sometimes ask for advice on previous videos and then show their completed “outfits of the day” once they decide on what to wear.

Considering the large distance between, for lack of a better term, commonfolk and Olympic athletes, it would seem almost impossible for there to be a connection. Despite its downfalls, TikTok actually provides a platform where viewers and fans can feel closer to these high-level competitors.

It was supposed to be an opera. A group of friends and I had tickets to see “Fedeli d’Amore” at the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus. But when we found out that the Italian opera singers couldn’t travel internationally and that the show was postponed until next year, we thought we made the trek to Philly for nothing.

That was, until jazz saved the day! We got our tickets “exchanged” (and I put that in quotes because we didn’t actually have to hand in our opera tickets) for a jazz concert that was happening in the Zellerbach theater: the Jazz Gallery All-Stars.

The Jazz Gallery All-Stars consist of six musicians: pianist Fabian Almazan, bassist Matt Brewer, saxophonists Miguel Zenón and Melissa Aldana, drummer Kendrick Scott and guitarist Charles Altura. In this show, they also featured a vocalist, Renee Neufville.

In the 105-minute concert, the musicians performed some original pieces by each of the All-Stars and two classic jazz pieces by the Jazz Gallery’s founder Roy Hargrove. Each of these pieces were similar but unique, combining the same dissonant elements of jazz but experimenting with different instruments and tempos.

I was not sure what to expect when sitting down at a jazz concert. I had two images in mind: one was classic jazz music and the other was the jazz band that Ryan Gosling’s character plays with in “La La Land.”

The Jazz Gallery All-Stars shattered my few expectations. Their musical talent was immense. My favorite was Kendrick Scott’s ability to keep multiple beats and tempos with each foot and hand while drumming.

I enjoyed being immersed in jazz culture. With the exception of several other college students that were most likely present for extra-credit for a UPenn music class, my friends and I were the only people under the age of 50 in that theater. The ethnic diversity of the audience was incredible as well. Latin American, Asian American, Black and White human beings lined the cushioned seats.

I learned what I termed “jazz concert etiquette,” which is how the audience reacts at certain points of a song. Each song features solos for specific instruments, and after the solo was finished, the audience clapped for that musician. I trained my ear to listen for each of those solos and clap for the musician once they were finished.

Although unexpected, the Jazz Gallery All-Stars concert was an intellectual, cultural and musical experience I will never forget.

Alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skating, ice hockey, luge, nordic combined, short track speed skating, skeleton, ski jumping, snowboard and speed skating: these sports are those featured in the Olympic Winter games. This year’s Olympic Winter games are being held in Beijing, China. Though athletes are still competing, the US, Canada, Britain and Australia are partaking in a diplomatic boycott of the games. This means that government officials from these countries will not be attending the games. Typically, this attendance is something that is common, since, Victor Mather for the New York Times writes, the Olympics are some of the largest international gatherings that take place, aside from the United Nations and “major summits.”

The reasons for the diplomatic boycott are abundant. Some countries are expressing displeasure with China’s policies, some are accusing the country of “genocide and crimes against humanity” and others are leary of the mysterious disappearance scandal of tennis player, Peng Shuai.

Despite the boycotts of government officials (and the National Hockey League not deciding to send its players to the games), Beijing will host athletes from countries around the world who are coming to represent their home nations by competing in the sports they love.For team USA, there are several notable names competing in several sports. Jamie Anderson will seek a fourth overall medal in women’s snowboarding. Also in women’s snowboarding, Chloe Kim is the favorite to be the first repeat winner in the women’s halfpipe, after winning a gold medal in 2018 at the age of 17. Figure skater Nathan Chen, who has previously been successful in the World Championships, is seeking his first individual Olympic medal. Hilary Knight and the women’s ice hockey team are looking to have more success atop the Olympic podium. Knight, as a veteran, will lead an already powerful team also featuring goaltender Maddie Rooney, forward Amanda Kessel and defender Megan Bozek.

An inspiring story from up north will also emerge at the 2022 games. Canadian snowboarder, Max Parrot, will compete in this year’s events. He recently beat Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2019, and he believes that this difficult experience has helped him “appreciate life 100% more.” Maybe this appreciation will allow him to go for gold at the Olympics. After all, he won three X-Games gold medals the year after he defeated cancer. No matter what sports you like to watch or which athletes you are rooting for, the Winter Olympics are always a spectacle. 

Sources: New York Times, Team USA Hockey, Olympics, USA Today

The cohosts of the GOLF.com podcast “The Drop Zone” call him the “Resort Golf King.” His several wins at resort courses across the world has proven this nickname fairly true.

Since turning pro in 2019, PGA Tour golfer, Viktor Hovland, has made quite an impression in both PGA tournaments and international events.

Sitting at number three in the World Golf rankings right now, Hovland has won three of his last five tournament starts. During the 2020 season, Hovland notched his first career win at the Puerto Rico Open. Later that season, he earned a top three finish in the Workday Charity Open and played in the final grouping with Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas. (During this tournament, he also co-led the field in birdies with 24.) Hovland had 7 top ten finishes on the PGA Tour during the 2021 season and made the cut to play on the weekend 22 out of the 24 times he started. He also finished as the runner-up in both the Farmers Insurance Open and the World Golf Championships–Workday Championship at The Concession.

This season, so far, Hovland won the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba and the Hero World Challenge (although the latter is considered an ‘unofficial’ PGA tournament win, since it was not on the PGA Tour but an international tournament). On Jan. 30, Hovland secured a tight victory at the Dubai Desert Classic, beating Richard Bland in a playoff hole. Hovland seemed to be out of the contest, sitting four strokes back of the lead while approaching the 16th tee box. But the Norwegian kicked something into high gear, as he went on to score under par on his last four consecutive holes. He birdied hole 16, eagled the par-four hole 17 (with a two) and birdied hole 18 to take the clubhouse lead. All he had to do was wait. Hovland watched Rory McIlroy fail to secure not only a victory but force a three-way playoff. The Northern Irish star’s too-aggressive fairway wood tactic got him in trouble, landing him a spot in the water and out of the tournament playoff. Viktor Hovland’s long birdie putt on the playoff hole helped him clinch this close-call of a win…in style.

Hovland has talent. His powerful swing, energetic attitude and calm head make him one of the best players in the world right now. Some say he’s playing better than Spaniard Jon Rahm. However, Jon Rahm in the groove is a lot more dangerous than the young Viktor Hovland.

It might not be fair to say that Hovland is the best player in the world, but he sure is on fire. With three wins in three months, Hovland hopes to continue his hot streak and perhaps seek a major title along the way.

Sources: “The Drop Zone,” GOLF.com, PGA Tour

Film directors have their styles, just as actors have their signature moves. For Wes Anderson, symmetrical shots, vintage color schemes and full-circle stories are the keys of his style. “The French Dispatch,” Anderson’s 2021 film, is another example of the most blatantly Wes Anderson-esque movie.

“The French Dispatch” is both the title of this movie and the special last edition of the newspaper, the fictional “Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun.” It is centered around four articles and their writers that contribute to the foreign bureau in the fictional French city of Ennui-sur-Blasé. 

I want to acknowledge that my favorite thing about this movie was not nerding out over Wes Anderson. (Of his films, I have only seen one other than “The French Dispatch.”) Yes, Wes Anderson is a film genius, and he checked off all the boxes he usually attempts in his films (in a good way). My favorite thing about “The French Dispatch” is how relatable it was to my actual life.

As a writer and the Editor in Chief of a newspaper (this one), I was drawn in with the central theme of highlighting journalism’s quirks and idiosyncrasies, from its lengthy feature stories to its archetype editor character. I also caught myself laughing at how the movie poked fun at the aspects of journalism as well. It reminded me not to take myself too seriously and to have fun with the profession I hope to get into.

One of these aspects that Anderson and the film poke fun at is when editor Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray) gives advice to his writers. His only piece of advice is “Just try to make it sound like you wrote it that way on purpose.”

The introduction to the film is ironically the end. It’s the obituary of the magazine’s editor, Arthur Howitzer Jr., who dies and causes the magazine to cease publishing. I found this setup of the plot entertaining and touching. We are introduced to the editor of the magazine, told that he is dead, and see his process of editing the final issue of the magazine through the rest of the movie.

The movie then outlines the final issue of the magazine with five segments: the Obituary, The Cycling Reporter, The Concrete Masterpiece, Revisions to a Manifesto and The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner. The movie ends with the writers and other staff coming together to write the obituary that was introduced at the beginning.

This storytelling is characteristic of Wes Anderson. His style of filmmaking and directing presents the plot of the movie as an authentic story, with elements reminiscent of a novel or play, that often comes full circle, as with this film. Wes Anderson is phenomenal at storytelling, which makes him one of the best stylistic cinema directors.

Another aspect of Anderson’s style is that of his blocking, use of color and symmetry. His color schemes are always especially vintage with pale and quite rustic undertones. But in “The French Dispatch,” Anderson’s use of color with black and white in certain scenes made parts of his film stand out. For example, Moses Rosenthaler’s musings were revealed to us in color, when the rest of the visualization of the feature story was in black and white.

Along with other stylistic and casting choices (for example, Timothee Chalamet as an angsty college student), I suppose this was his purpose: to make sense of a fictional city and fictional magazine while taking certain aspects seriously, or at least to be noteworthy.

To many people in the Philadelphia area’s dismay, I’m a Pittsburgh Penguins fan. I have been since I started faithfully watching hockey in 2013. Yes, like any other Pens fan, I love Sidney Crosby. But a specific player caught my eye a few seasons ago.

Brandon Tanev was signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2019–2020 season, when he was a free agent. Since he joined the team, he has made an impact both on and off the ice. Even now, with the newly formed team, the Seattle Kraken, Tanev’s personality is what makes him the likeable instigator that he is.

Tanev’s 2020–2021 season headshot became a meme amongst the hockey community, thus sparking league-wide likeability of his goofy personality off the ice. In the headshot, his eyes are wide open, as if he had just seen a ghost. In fact, this is what Tanev claimed when asked about the unique photo.

When traded to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, Tanev recreated this iconic headshot, just in a different team’s jersey. Former Penguins teammate, Kasperi Kapanen, even attempted to recreate Tanev’s photo during the Penguins’ 2021–2022 season media day.

Tanev and Kapanen’s relationship is also what makes Tanev’s personality shine. Their brotherly love still lives on, even on separate teams. Tanev recently underwent ACL surgery, and the Kraken tweeted that they were accepting get well cards mailed to their facility, with attention to Brandon Tanev. Of course, Kapanen sent a card.

Tanev also created tee shirt slogans and gained retweets with his expletive phrases at another player during a contest against the Boston Bruins. After placing a heavy hit on Jarred Tinordi (eventually getting ejected for it), Tanev received some backlash from an undisclosed Bruin. He shouted, along with other things, “You think you’re a ******* sheriff?” Stickers were made, tee shirts were printed, and the city of Pittsburgh and the hockey community were cracking up at the comedic chirps.

Brandon Tanev’s comedic personality has stuck with the hockey community during these past few seasons in the league. Literally—he has made his mark on tee shirts, posters, mugs and stickers by independent artists. Tanev’s radiant persona makes him one of my favorite players in the NHL.

Photo: Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Brandon Tanev posing for this iconic headshot.

Birdwatching is a common pastime among outdoorsy folks, from older individuals to young aviary enthusiasts. If you’re like me, you love to bring your binoculars on a hike and spot some birds when you hear their chirps. This art form/pastime takes much skill, patience and effort but much beauty results from it.

Birdwatching takes some preliminary research. Just as a sculptor needs to know what they are going to model, a birdwatcher needs to know what types of birds they are expecting to see. Of course, you never know exactly what birds you are going to encounter, but having a general idea of the birds common to the area you are watching is very helpful. That way, you’re not thrown off by any birds that look unfamiliar to you.

Before even knowing the birds of your region, it’s always a good idea to scout potential birdwatching areas. If you want to take your binoculars on a hike like I do, I suggest researching the trail that you plan on hiking and checking if birds are even going to be in that area. It’s a burden on your neck if you’re carrying binoculars and not using them.

Once you have gathered your binoculars, put on your hiking boots and begun walking a trail, you can start looking for birds. There are several areas of parks where different birds like to hang out. To watch birds that stay primarily in the trees, you can find an area where the tree cover is just thick enough that you can see into some branches but just light enough so that other branches aren’t blocking your view.

To watch birds that fly in open air, primarily birds of prey like hawks, eagles or falcons, you should find a trail spot that opens up over a large meadow, river or field. The sky should be visible with minimal tree cover. You should be able to look up and out and see a vast portion of blue or grey sky. This is helpful because not only are the birds going to be extremely visible, but your binoculars won’t interfere with any bushes or branches when you’re observing the creatures.

Birdwatching does not only include the work of the eyes; it includes the work of the ears as well. Knowing some bird calls isn’t necessary, but it’s a bonus when birdwatching, especially if you’re planning to record your bird sightings. Birds’ calls are some of the most common ways to identify a bird, especially if they’re not immediately visible. Knowing that taps on a tree mean that a woodpecker is near, knowing that screeches are most likely a bird of prey or an owl (if you’re birdwatching during dusk) and knowing that some birds, like catbirds and blue jays, may mimic other sounds or other birds are very useful pieces of information.

You may find birdwatching utterly exhausting or downright boring. Sometimes it takes all day to spot the bird you’re looking for. However, beauty takes time, and once you see that bald eagle flying over the river, you know that your work and wait has paid off.

I’ve been watching professional golf for my whole life. I grew up with PGA events on the TV, especially on Sundays between football games and commercial breaks. My television intake of golf increased with my competitiveness with the sport. I began favoriting players, and one of them rose to the top of my liking.

Justin Thomas is my favorite professional golfer. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama (Roll Tide) and has won 14 times on the PGA Tour since he turned pro in 2013.

If I remember correctly, I’ve liked JT since 2014, a year after his professional debut. I’m not sure what drew me to him. I think I figured that out as time passed, my golf game improved, and my love for him grew.

As I got more serious in my golf game, JT moved from being just my favorite golfer to my role model. I admire how he acts on the course, regardless of a few outbursts or slip-ups. I admire his confident attitude, swagger, and the slight tinge of arrogance when he knows he’s playing well. If you’re as good a golfer as Justin Thomas is, I think you’re allowed to be cocky.

I also adore JT’s golf swing. I find similarities between him and me regarding our technique and stature. I’m not the tallest person, standing at 5-foot-2 and 100 pounds, and neither is JT at 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds. However, the length that he hits the ball is insane for his build, and it’s something I can relate to. People always ask me how I drive the golf ball so far, and I reply, “I’m not sure. Probably just technique.” I’m sure JT would respond the same way.

I had the pleasure of watching Thomas play at the second round of the Northern Trust PGA tournament two years ago. I cherished every second of watching my idol play his sport, and I took inspiration from him. During my senior year golf season, I mimicked a part of JT’s pre-shot routine. Before taking a full swing at the ball, I took my club only part of the way back, checking the hinge in my wrist. This motivated me to hinge my wrists at the top of my backswing to get a full, powerful distance on my drive.

To this day, I write “JT” on my golf ball before every round I play. Justin Thomas was my first favorite professional golfer, and I don’t see that status ever-changing.

The MLB season is over, and the Atlanta Braves have taken the 2021 World Series Championship. They defeated powerhouse Houston Astros in six games to claim the title.

The MLB postseason had a lot more to offer than just the World Series, though. A handful of wild card games and divisional thrillers packed the playoffs with some must-see games.

In the American League Wild Card game, the Boston Red Sox defeated the New York Yankees 6–2. Key play from Xander Bogaerts, Kyle Schwarber, and Nathan Eovaldi contributed to the Sox’s playoff entry.

For the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers secured yet another year in the playoffs with a 3–1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Chris Taylor hit a two-run home run to propel the Dodgers to a walk-off victory.

Boston then faced their AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays. Christian Vázquez hit a walk-off home run in Game 3, and Kiké Hernandez hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in Game 4 to bring the Red Sox to clinch the series in four games.

In the NL West final, the Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants in five nail-biting games to advance to the NL Championship Series. Cody Bellinger, who struggled in the regular season for LA, came up with the game-winning hit to advance the Dodgers further into the postseason.

In four games, the Astros started their journey to the World Series with a dominating AL West series win over the Chicago White Sox. Boston looked like the dominant team up 2–1 in the series, but the Astros struck back, winning the next three games ending the series at Fenway.

The Braves made their way to the World Series beating the Brewers in four games. Then, in the NL Conference Championship, the Braves posted two walk-off wins at home ending the Dodgers playoff hopes.

The World Series spanned six games. The Braves took Game 1 with a score of 6–2. Jorge Soler had a home run and two RBIs to lead the team. Pitcher Charlie Morton threw 16 pitches on a broken leg but still recorded three strikeouts and only conceded one hit.

The Astros battled back in Game 2, though, winning 7–2. Jose Altuve had a home run, and RBI and Jose Urquidy posted seven strikeouts.

Both Game 3 and 4 were tight. The Braves won by a narrow margin of 2–0 with excellent pitching. Atlanta took Game 4 3–2, only need one more win. The Astros weren’t done yet. Dominating Game 5, 9–5. Martin Maldonado, Yuli Gurriel and Carlos Correa combined for six RBIs to keep Houston in the series.

However, the Braves were determined to end the series their way, and they did just that. A stunning 7–0 victory secured Atlanta’s World Series trophy. For the first time in 26 years, the Braves took home the championship, pleasing fans of the team and making history.

The MLB season has come to a close. Spring Training is around the corner and moves will be made. Will the Braves still be atop or is there another threat incoming?

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Sources: BleacherReport, CBS Boston, ESPN, True Blue LA

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