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    NBA first impressions and a shocking college football surprise
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    NBA first impressions and a shocking college football surprise

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    5 minutes, 24 seconds Read

    The Pulse newsletter đź“Ł | This is The Athletic's daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse straight to your inbox.

    Good morning! Race across the field today.

    While You Were Sleeping: The Biggest Surprise of the Year?

    Kennesaw State entered last night's game against Liberty looking hopeless. In the Owls' only year at the FBS level, they had lost all six games and were ranked 133rd in Chris Vannini's 134. They welcomed a CFP contender to the Atlanta suburbs – and made history.

    Last night's 27-24 win as 27-point underdogs ends Liberty's previously unbeaten playoff hopes as the Flames had a real chance to finish the season as the top-ranked team in the Group of 5. No longer.

    It was a big moment for the Owlswho started their football program less than 10 years ago. Fans – including our senior newsletter editor Jason Kirk, a graduate – stormed the field after the game. Here is Jason's review:

    “When the students stormed the field, they were a little hesitant because KSU has literally never done anything like this before. After the officials added another second, we were allowed to speed up again like the veterans. To answer a FAQ: Our cheer is 'Hooty Hoo,' like the OutKast song.”

    Hooty hoo. It continues:

    First impressions: The Intuit Dome debuts a barn burner

    Tuesday's NBA action was just a taste of last night's more extensive menu. Let's overreact to a few opening statements:

    • The suns! Even the Clippers! I was fully expecting to write a “Suns Stacked, Clips Cooked” piece here. But a feisty Clipper group — sans Kawhi Leonard, mind you — nearly upended a team many consider a top contender, opening the brand new Intuit Dome in LA with an overtime loss. It may not be sustainable without Leonard, but James Harden looked good overall (29 points and 12 rebounds). Honestly, a solid performance for both teams.
    • Charlotte? The Hornets beat the Rockets 110-105 last night, which is a slight surprise considering we thought Charlotte would end up playing for Cooper Flagg while Houston was a fringe playoff team. LaMelo Ball scored 34 points and Houston obviously has some things to figure out.
    • Speaking of tanking, we may be able to put Portland in that group now after a 139-104 debacle against the Warriors, who looked like real contenders again. Steph Curry scored 17 points (in three quarters), but more importantly, Buddy Hield – a freshman – scored 22 points off the bench.

    All results can be found here. There's a lot of action tonight too.

    P.S. In sadder news, Pelicans point guard Dejounte Murray, who was just signed this offseason, broke his hand in New Orleans' 123-111 win over Chicago. He will be out for a long time.

    Interesting facts

    Packers hire Saleh
    Fired Jets coach Robert Saleh is in a “fluid” role with Green Bay's coaching staff, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said yesterday, noting that Saleh has not been officially hired in any capacity. Saleh and LaFleur look back on their time as roommates in central Michigan. I just find it funny that Aaron Rodgers' last two coaches remain loyal to Rodgers' old team. (Since you're wondering, the Packers aren't playing the Jets.) Full details can be found here.

    Bond set for former PSU players accused of rape
    Former Penn State football players Jameial Lyons and Kaveion Keys appeared in court Wednesday, where a judge set bail at $500,000 for Lyons and $400,000 for Keys in their ongoing case. Both are accused of aggravated rape and other sex crimes and were delisted in August. Read our full report here.

    More news

    Trades! Hello, NFL hot stove

    Remember yesterday when we talked about NFL trades in the abstract, wondering if and when they would happen?

    About an hour after publication time, the Chiefs agreed to acquire Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins — not Cooper Kupp of the Rams — setting up a potentially busy trade deadline. Hopkins, most recently a Pro Bowler in 2020, adds extremely necessary (and talented) hands to a WR corps desperate for bodies. Getting compensation for the 32-year-old (a conditional draft pick) is a big win for 1-5 Tennessee.

    So business takes place. Check. Two more we'd like to see from this list compiled by Jeff Howe and Mike Jones:

    • Maxx Crosby to the Lions. Detroit is an aggressive franchise, and nothing screams “We have to win the Super Bowl this year” like grabbing an All-Pro to replace the injured Aidan Hutchinson. Crosby also has a contract for two more years.
    • Justin Fields (!) to the Dolphins. That probably won't happen with Tua Tagovailoa back, but it's hard to imagine a better place for the still-young Fields than in a Mike McDaniel offense. Fields is a great talent who has never been in a great situation; Tagovailoa is obviously an injury problem. I love this idea.

    The full list can be found here. I hope the deadline is dramatic.

    Watch and listen

    đź“ş NFL: Vikings at Rams
    8:15 p.m. on Prime Video
    There are no good losses in the NFL, but Minnesota's near miss against Detroit last weekend comes close. They started the year unheralded, went head-to-head with one of the league's best and are now 5-1. You should roll here.

    đź“şNBA: Oklahoma City at Denver
    10 p.m. ET on TNT
    Two expected contenders from the West can make their first impressions this evening. I will sit.

    Get tickets for games like these Here.

    🎧 “The Athletic Football Show” revisits the QB ranks, where Lamar Jackson wasn't a Tier 1 guy to begin with. Absurd. Listen here.

    Pulse picks

    I loved this story so much: Sam Blum and C. Trent Rosecrans tracked down “cameo” players who made brief appearances World Series Champions and asked them what they thought about getting rings. The answers are…nuanced.

    I thought Dusty Baker's Homage to Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela was profound.

    Andrew Marchand had a good conversation with ESPN's Joe Buck about his forward-looking reputation Chris Godwins Injury on Monday.

    It's a game, yes, but listen to this Lakers and you see signs of very real hope, All thanks to the new coach JJ Redick.

    Novak Djokovic will miss the Paris Masters, This is a bigger deal than you think.

    Most clicked on in the newsletter yesterday: Our obituary for Valenzuela.

    Most read on the site yesterday: Our story on crazy World Series ticket prices.

    đź“« Do you love the pulse? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters.

    (Top photo: Harry How / Getty Images)

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