NEIU Independent

NCAA Board of Governors votes to allow athletes to profit off their name, likeness and image

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 29, 2020

The NCAA took a significant step toward modernizing its product today after the NCAA Board of Governors voted to allow student athletes to profit off their names, image and likeness. The measure is expected...

The Pippen myth: How Scottie Pippen went from underrated to overrated

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 28, 2020

For decades, NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen remained criminally underrated, emblazoned with the inescapable label of Robin to Michael Jordan’s Batman. Standing 6-foot-8 and 210 pounds, the six-time...

NFL Draft: Best remaining players on Day 2

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 24, 2020

With Day 2 of the NFL Draft just hours away, the NEIU Independent takes a look at the draft's best remaining prospects. As always, first-round talent slipped to the second round as NFL franchises filled...

Dak Prescott’s brother Jace passes away at age 31

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 23, 2020

Jace Prescott, brother of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, died at age 31. No cause of death has been revealed. The Dallas Cowboys organization released a statement confirming Jace's passing....

MLB to eliminate 25% of minor league baseball franchises

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 21, 2020

Update 5:00 p.m.: Represenatives of Minor League Baseball dispute the accuracy of the initial report. After launching a steady resistance against Major League Baseball’s proposal to eliminate minor...

BREAKING: Bears release tight end Trey Burton

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 17, 2020

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Chicago Bears are prepared to release tight end Trey Burton. According to Adam Jahns of the Athletic, Chicago plans to designate Burton as a post-June 1 release. An...

Skip Bayless goes on angry HORSE rant against LeBron James, Zach LaVine

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 16, 2020

Skip Bayless missed the memo about HORSE. You see, a game thrown together by executives desperate to produce original content quickly devolved into the equivalent of an elderly man yelling at children...

Von Miller, Denver Broncos issue statements on coronavirus diagnosis

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 16, 2020

Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller announced Thursday that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19, making him the second NFL player to test positive for the virus. Rams center Brian Allen...

The rise, fall and resurrection of Derrick Rose

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 14, 2020

It may be difficult to believe now, but when the Chicago Bulls drafted Derrick Rose with the first overall selection of the 2008 draft, he wasn’t the consensus top prospect. In fact, many draft analysts...

Critics accuse Bulls, White Sox owner of racism. Here’s why they are wrong.

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 12, 2020

When the Chicago Bulls hired Lithuanian-born Arturas Karnisovas to replace John Paxson as the franchise's executive vice president of basketball operations, it was a move applauded by NBA analysts and...

Chicago Bulls should inquire about feuding Jazz All-Stars

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 10, 2020

Reports indicate that the relationship between Utah Jazz All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert "doesn't appear to be salvageable," opening the door for new Chicago Bulls VP of Basketball Operations...

REPORT: NBA to consider rapid-response testing to resume season

Matthew Rago, Editor-in-Chief • April 6, 2020

The NBA and NBAPA are considering the effectiveness of rapid-response testing in hopes of resuming the regular season, according to sources. The tests are reportedly capable of detecting the presence of...