The Most Notable Sports Stories We Will Keep Following This Year
We might all be fed up with the whole Deflategate thing at this point, but that doesn't mean that we won't still be hearing a lot about it over the next few months—especially when the NFL season is in full swing.
With more details emerging as to the Patriots' alleged cheating, the battle between the team and the NFL won't be going away anytime soon.
That got us thinking about a few other stories that will continue to dominate the national media this year. So get ready, sports fans, because these are going to be the hottest topics.
Kam Chancellor's Holdout
1 of 10
He may not be as high-profile a player as fellow Legion of Boom members Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas, but strong safety Kam Chancellor is every bit as important to the success of the Seattle Seahawks defense, so not having him around for any or all of the 2015 season could be a major blow.
As the two-time defending NFC champs aim for a third straight trip to the Super Bowl, the absence of the massively intimidating Chancellor is one that could affect the team more than anyone within the organization wants to admit.
Sure, many around the Seahawks organization have said they'll go about business as usual, but without a three-time Pro Bowler manning the defensive backfield, it could hurt the product on the field.
With Chancellor holding out for a new contract, who knows how this situation will end.
The Chicago Cubs' Quest to End Their World Series Curse
2 of 10
Not since 1908 have the Chicago Cubs won a World Series title. Hell, it's been since 1945 since the team even made it to the Fall Classic, so pardon any hostility or negative feelings from the team's fans.
As frustrating as the past 106 MLB seasons have been for Cubby supporters, this season may just finally be the one that trumps all those heartbreakers, as the North Side club has a serious chance at winning the whole thing this year.
Currently sitting in one of the two NL wild-card spots, Chicago has an experienced manager in Joe Maddon, a seasoned veteran playoff hurler in Jon Lester and a rising star in Kris Bryant who is ready to make a name for himself in October.
They won't be favored if they get there, but the narrative anytime the Cubs make the playoffs always surrounds their championship drought, so why would 2015's be any different?
The Ohio State Buckeyes QB Battle
3 of 10
We may have seen Cardale Jones start, take the majority of the snaps and perform at a high level in the Ohio State Buckeyes' season-opening win against Virginia Tech, but don't think for a minute that the battle between him and J.T. Barrett for the starting gig is over.
Barrett proved that he's every bit as qualified with how he moved the ball up and down the field in his debut, especially when he came on in the fourth quarter and scampered for a long run and threw for a touchdown on his first pass of the year.
The Buckeyes are the resounding No. 1 team in the nation and favorite to win the national title again, but the way head coach Urban Meyer handles the playing time of these two signal-callers is a topic that will closely be monitored with each passing game.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
The Washington Redskins GM Controversy
4 of 10
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few months—OK, decade-plus—you know that the Washington Redskins are an absolute mess.
In addition to a certain former top pick of theirs being benched in favor of his backup quarterback, the Redskins found more drama within their front-office thanks to general manager Scot McCloughan and his tweeting wife.
According to a report, McCloughan's wife Jessica tweeted to ESPN's Dianna Russini, implying that her husband and the reporter traded insider info on the team for...well, some favors.
Jessica was quick to apologize, and the whole thing sort of just got lost in the whole debacle that is the Washington Redskins, but that doesn't mean that it just vanished into thin air. It'll be interesting to see what comes of this as the season progresses.
Kevin Durant's Pending Free Agency
5 of 10
Other than LeBron James and maybe Kobe Bryant, there might not be a bigger star in the NBA than Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant.
Winner of the 2013-14 NBA MVP Award and scoring titles in four of the past six seasons in which he was healthy—KD missed most of last season with an injury—there's a ton of speculation as to what Durant might be thinking about as his looming free agency hits in the summer of 2016.
Like James in 2010, Durant's every move and word will be dissected throughout the entire season, with people wondering if he's giving clues as to what he may do.
Currently playing alongside superstar Russell Westbrook—with the two forming one of the best one-two punches in the league—Durant would be wise to stay put and try to win a title in OKC. But the allure of his home city of Washington D.C. may be intriguing, too, along with the temptations of any number of teams salivating at the thought of acquiring him.
It may only be September, but get ready for the Durant-to-(insert team here) rumors happening nightly.
The Patrick Kane Allegations
6 of 10
This one is without a doubt the most serious of any on the list, and is a bit surprising it's not getting more attention nationally.
Patrick Kane is the undisputed face of the Chicago Blackhawks, as the former No. 1 overall pick has led the team to three Stanley Cup titles since being drafted in 2007, signed a monster deal in the summer of 2014 and had landed on the cover of the video game NHL 16—until EA Sports removed him following sexual assault allegations.
Yet, here's the 26-year-old, one of the biggest stars in the league, embroiled in the aforementioned sexual assault case as the new season looms, putting his present and future in the balance.
Forget hockey: This story is about Kane's freedom, as he could wind up in jail should he be found guilty.
Whatever the outcome ultimately is, it will be something that will hang over the Blackhawks and the entire NHL until a decision is reached.
The Matt Harvey Innings Limit
7 of 10
As the undisputed ace of the New York Mets, right-handed pitcher Matt Harvey is the leader the team needs to get into the postseason. And with the Mets currently leading the NL East, Harvey could have a huge role in how far the team goes should it get there.
That is, of course, if he even gets a chance to pitch when the calendar hits October.
As all of us have probably heard over the past week-plus that Scott Boras—Harvey's super agent—has put the team on blast in hopes to limit his client's innings to 180 this season, hoping to keep the strain off Harvey's arm after his Tommy John surgery last year.
Currently in a battle of player's health versus team success, there have been plenty of opinions going around about what the Mets and Harvey should do with this one, and even after their season ends, their decision on Harvey will continue to be debated—whatever it is they end up doing.
RG3 vs. the Washington Redskins
8 of 10
We mentioned the debacle that the Washington Redskins have proven to be earlier with the whole tweeting incident from the team's general manager's wife and a reporter, but the relationship between team and former franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III is the story getting the most attention.
That's because, as you might expect, after the Redskins went all-in with RG3 over the past few seasons, supporting him and sticking by him when healthy, head coach Jay Gruden pulled a complete 180 and named Kirk Cousins his starting signal-caller for the 2015 season.
Wait, what?!?
Soon thereafter, RG3 apparently "liked" a photo on Instagram that a fan posted blasting the organization, and the team mysteriously "forgot" to include Griffin on its countdown-to-kickoff post on Instagram last week and...well, this whole thing is juicier than a reality dating show.
Time will tell what happens with this, but for now, Cousins believes that the media is just blowing this up into something more than it really is. Yeah, whatever you say, Kirk.
Ronda Rousey vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. Beef
9 of 10
We'll be the first to admit that the whole Ronda Rousey-Floyd Mayweather Jr. beef is getting to be old hat. However, that doesn't mean that it's not awesome to follow each day, wondering what these two will bicker about next.
After some dissing back and forth over the past couple months—with Rousey punking out Floyd during the ESPYs, getting a heated response and then returning the favor with another jab of her own—the two undefeated fighters from different sports are must-see drama.
There's really no telling where this one might actually end up going, but it won't be going away anytime soon, so strap on a seat belt and get ready for a wild ride, because Rousey and Mayweather will use anything they can to get the better of each other.
If only they could just meet in the ring to settle the score, though.
The NFL vs. the New England Patriots
10 of 10
Whether you want to define this as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell against Tom Brady or the NFL versus the New England Patriots organization, it's all one and the same—because neither seems to get along.
Deflategate is a tired subject that has been debated and discussed ever since the Pats held their victory parade back in February, but the meat of this sandwich may have just been added, because new info has surfaced (per Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham of ESPN The Magazine) accusing New England of cheating for a long, long time.
From spying on or stealing info from opponents as far back as 2002 to the Commish knowingly covering it up, the Patriots, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's beef against Goodell and the NFL is more than just a beef—it's a full-fledged episode of Jerry Springer, with both sides doing anything they can to uncover the truth while still being cautious enough to "protect the shield."
This is so strange that the NFL's official Twitter account even posted and deleted a tweet that excluded Brady—you know, the defending Super Bowl champ who has won four rings in his career—from a photo for fans to predict the matchup in Super Bowl 50 this season.
Don't blink, guys, because this thing is like the Energizer Bunny, it's going to go on... and on... and on... and on.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
