Happy Tuesday, sports fan!

Today is a day of rest. We’re officially through the first two very surprising rounds of the men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments, the first week of NFL free agency and now, we recover. For a moment, at least.

Take a breath, hydrate, and then dive into some newsletter goodies.

• 3️⃣ teams that should have been on the phone with Lamar Jackson like, YESTERDAY📲

• NBA Game of the Day 🏀

• Underdog parlay of the day 🔥

• The baddest of bad beats so far in March Madness

☎️ 3 teams that should be calling Lamar Jackson ASAP ☎️

ICYMI: The Baltimore Ravens applied the non-exclusive franchise tag to Lamar Jackson, meaning he’s free to negotiate a deal with other teams.

So, what’s with the lack of news? There's speculation that teams aren’t on board with paying out fully guaranteed contracts, which Lamar Jackson reportedly desired.

The latest word: A representative for Lamar Jackson is making contact with teams… and saying he’s “ready to move on” from the Ravens. They’re also noting now that he’s not asking for a fully guaranteed contract. Interesting.

Bottom line: Teams should be rushing at the opportunity to chat with this guy.

Here are 3 teams I think need to be on the phone, like, yesterday to negotiate with Lamar Jackson.

• Atlanta Falcons: Under HC Arthur Smith, it’s become clear that the team’s primary goal is one thing — to run the football. You know who’s the perfect complement to that? LAMAR JACKSON. His fit in this offensive scheme is so good it’s stupid. So, pick up the phone.
  
  If he heads to ATL, it seems impossible that this team wouldn’t be playoff bound with an NFC South title. Going from worst to first never looked so easy!
  
  Current odds to win their division: +400 (Bet $100 to win $400 profit if they win the NFC South). Expect these odds to decrease (meaning less profits for you) if Lamar Jackson were to sign there.
  

• New York Jets: Fuh-get about Aaron Rodgers for a second. The Packers want to play hardball right now with a steep asking price for the 4x NFL MVP.
  
  Real q: why should this team consider trading two first-round pick AND take on a monster contract to acquire Aaron Rodgers, AKA a quarterback on the fringe of retirement for the last couple of years? Instead, trade two first-round picks and sign Lamar Jackson to a monster contract. You know, that 26-year-old former MVP guy who isn’t on the brink of retirement.
  
  Current odds to win their division: +230 (Bet $100 to win $230 in profit if they win). If Lamar Jackson signs with the Jets, expect these odds to remain stable. Oddsmakers are already baking in the likelihood of a quarterback upgrade into these odds.
  

• Detroit Lions: Spicy take of the day — this roster would be Super Bowl-bound with Lamar Jackson under center. This team is GRITTY and over-caffeinated HC Dan Campbell has created a culture that is VIBING. They’ve got playmakers on both sides of the ball, have a plethora of picks in the upcoming draft… who could argue that Lamar Jackson wouldn’t send this team over the top?
  
  I’m #TeamJaredGoffIsUnderrated all the way, but I do think Jackson gives them a competitive edge that Goff does not. He’s got a more versatile skillset thanks to his athleticism and an arm to boot. Lions should be all-in.
  
  Current odds to win the Super Bowl: +2500 (Bet $100 to win $2,500 profit). Expect these odds to decrease exponentially if Lamar Jackson were to sign there, meaning less profit for you!

🏀 Game of the day 🏀

Game of the day? More like game of the WEEK… especially if your March Madness brackets are six-foot deep (like mine). I jest — there’s still plenty to enjoy in both the men’s and women’s tournaments, but who can resist some good, ol’ fashioned NBA action? NOT ME.

What we’re watching: Boston Celtics vs. Sacramento Kings
When: Tuesday, March 21
How to watch: NBA TV or live stream here

The Celtics and Kings have met just once this season, back in November when Boston forced a very convincing 122-104 win at home. Jayson Tatum was doing Jayson Tatum things, with a team-high 30 points and eight rebounds. Jaylen Brown was crushing, posting 25 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and two steals in 27 minutes played.

… so what’s different this time around? The Kings are different — that’s what!

On one hand, the Celtics should win. After all, they are the Celtics. They’ve got the second-highest win percentage in the NBA. Jaylen Brown is on a hot streak. Jayson Tatum will undoubtedly be looking to bounce back after Saturday’s slump against the Jazz. How do you bet against

But the Kings! Simply put, Sacramento is a GOOD basketball team. They’re at home and averaging 121 points per game to lead all teams in the NBA. De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis are the perfect 1-2 punch. They are vibing. They’ve got chemistry! They’re the underdog no one saw coming. And, our team totally, unbiased-ly loves what they’re doing (read more about that from NBA contributor Katie Heindl here).

The Celtics are five-point favorites on the road tonight, making the Kings underdogs on their own home court!  Moneyline odds for the Celtics are at -215 ahead of tipoff, meaning it would take a $215 wager to yield $100 profit if you bet on them to win. Moneyline odds for the Kings are at +180, meaning you’d win $180 profit if you bet $100 on them to win.

 😤 Gaming Society’s Game of the Day Underdog Parlay 😤

📱Social moments that altered my brain chemistry this week📱

Is Adam Thielen blowing smoke?

New Panthers WR Adam Thielen made an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show Monday to comment on his recent signing with the Carolina Panthers. Be warned before you watch, however. What you hear might shock you!

Yep, that’s right. This man really just said the sentence, “I feel like there is a real chance to win a Super Bowl.” Please don’t run out to bet on the Panthers to win the Super Bowl, folks — even if the payout potential is quite large!

Maybe Adam meant to say that he thinks there’s a chance for the Panthers to win the NFC South. Right now on FanDuel Sportsbook, their odds to win the division sit at +270 (AKA, a $100 bet wins $270 profit!). Somehow, it doesn’t feel all that unrealistic if we remember how bad the rest of the division is.

🗣 Austin Ekeler speaks up 🗣

Damn skippy, he’s underpaid. The former UDFA RB is averaging $6 million a year, which ranks 15th among running backs in average annual salary. However, since signing that deal in 2020, he ranks 9th in total touches (757), 8th in scrimmage yards (4,128) and 1st in touchdowns scored (41). PAY THIS MAN. 💰

Fun fact about Austin Ekeler: He’s had back-to-back seasons with 18+ touchdowns but has never been voted to the Pro Bowl. PFFT.

What’s with the post-game pat-a-thon?

We’ve seen so. many. pats between coaches through these March Madness tourneys. If we had to replace the post-game pat-a-thon with something other than pats, what would it be? My vote would be for post-game noogies.

🌈 Betting Academy meme of the day 🌈

Did you know? 💡 A “bad beat” in sports betting refers to an instance when a wager that seems like a total lock doesn’t end up hitting due to something totally unlucky or unexpected, like a meaningless last-second bucket!

On the flip side, though, for every losing side of a bet, there’s a winning side. So, cheers to those who are on the other side of every bad beat celebrating… as much as it hurts those of us on the losing end.

There might not have been a badder bad beat than this one, though…

Gonzaga-TCU had a BAAAD BEAT on Sunday…

What we all witnessed: Gonzaga had a six-point lead with 0.7 seconds left. TCU inbounds the ball… takes a totally meaningless and undefended three-point shot… AND MAKES IT.

Before the game, the point spread indicated that Gonzaga was favored by 4.5 points — aka, projected to win by 5 or more points. This would have happened… if it hadn’t been for that meaningless three-point basket with 0.17 seconds to go made every single Gonzaga -4.5 bettor into a loser and every TCU +4.5 bettor into a winner. 🥲 Sports betting is an evil mistress, but we love her anyway.

Take a look here as this group of bettors documented their journey through the end of the Gonzaga-TCU game. WHAT A ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS, regardless of what side you were betting!

Learn more about the basics of sports betting, including key terms to know, over at The Betting Academy!

Before you go, check out some more cool things we’ve been workin’ on!