Sam’s Commentary

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jaguars Fall to Eagles, Learn Lessons

As Eagles fans were just settling in their seats, the Jaguars went to work utilizing some of their off-season acquisitions to some success early in the games. Toby Gerhart carried the ball very effectively, moving the pile and getting positive yardage (although he was stopped on 3rd and 1 on the first drive) and the […]

The Hammer Podcast, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Hotel Domestique: (Almost) Cycling Paradise

Most of my bike trips have been like bohemian adventures: piling in a car with some friends, stops for fast food, a cooler of beer and accommodations just a step above a hostel. So looking at pictures of George Hincapie’s place “Hotel Domestique” in South Carolina was something that didn’t seem real. A luxury hotel […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jaguars/Eagles: It’s What’s Up Front That Counts

While the off season has been full of quarterback and giant video boards talk, the on-field product for the Jaguars this year will be tested in an unglamorous way. Up front. Both sides. We can talk about the future for Blake Bortles and whether Chad Henne is the right call all we want. We can […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Henne Takes Control, Jags Move Forward

From the opening series, the Jaguars were looking to get different players involved in the offense and use their up tempo look to move the ball downfield. Both were evident as Marqis Lee, Toby Gerhardt and Marcedes Lewis all had touches for considerable gains right away. The “no-huddle” started paying dividends right away, keeping the […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Keep Improving and Jaguars Have A Chance

From the opening series, the Jaguars were looking to get different players involved in the offense and use their up tempo look to move the ball downfield. Both were evident as Marqis Lee, Toby Gerhardt and Marcedes Lewis all had touches for considerable gains right away. The “no-huddle” started paying dividends right away, keeping the […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Chasing Greatness: The Right Way

It’s easy to admire greatness. I’ve always been fascinated by sports dynasties. Some might find it boring to see the same team win year after year. On the other hand, I marvel and admire and what it took that group and their leaders to get there and stay there for an extended period of time. […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Team USA Brings Us Together: Again

No matter where you went, its all people could talk about. The US team had played well enough to advance into the knock round of the tournament but were still underdogs. A young team, they had a coach who was positive, challenged them, and made them believe in themselves. Sound familiar? While that’s been the […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

A Special Day in Town

Saturday was just a validation of who we are. Not how we’re perceived. Not how we’re talked about or thought about or written about or disparaged by people who don’t live here. They’re usually about two years behind what’s actually happening in North Florida. Whether you decided to watch a sailing regatta or a powerboat […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jaguars 1st OTA: Plenty of Questions

Competition is what it’s about for Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley. It doesn’t start at a specific time, and it’s obvious with him, it never ends. “Everything counts,” Bradley said after practice. “Everything. They way they walk on the field, they way you handle yourselves in the huddle, the way you talk to your teammates, […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jaguars Rookie Camp: A Look At The Future

It didn’t take long for Jaguars fans to get excited about the draft class of 2014. At the first rookie mini-camp at the practice fields, more than 2,000 showed up to see Blake Bortles, Marqis Lee and the other 7 draft picks take the field for the first time as professionals and for the first […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Jaguars “Sustainability” Seems Upward

As the main presenter on Tuesday, Jaguars President Mark Lamping reviewed what the team calls the “sustainability” of the franchise, outlining different ideas to create revenue and not raise ticket prices across the board. Owner Shad Khan admitted they have big ideas in their organization. From the no-reality of the big scoreboards, to the potential […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Kaymer Wins Players: Wins Fans Too

Expecting a shootout between Germany’s Martin Kaymer and the USA’s PGA Tour wunderkind Jordan Spieth, fans surrounded the first hole from tee to green, five deep when the two approached for their 2:35 tee time. Kaymer ripped it 310 yards down the middle. Spieth hit it in the right rough. A chink in the armor? […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

The Players: First Round Update

As predicted, low scores were the rule of the day among the morning players in the first round of The Players. Russell Henley shot 65, seven under par while, eight players, including Lee Westwood, Gary Woodland, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia are at -5. “It’s playing a little softer,” Woodland said after his […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Players 2014: Will The Greens Be Up To Par?

Tee times for the first two rounds are out fo the 2014 Players. They’ll play in threesomes and start at 7:15 as expected, going off the first and the tenth tee. If you’re a morning player on Thursday, you go in the afternoon on Friday and vice versa. In the morning on Thursday, last week’s […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Players 2014: Who Can Win?

As the PGA Tour progress through the past five decades, some of the old adages have faded away. Fields were smaller and not as deep, meaning you could probably pick the winner any week out of a pool of about 20 players. Jack Fleck beating Ben Hogan was a huge story on tour, given Hogan’s […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Players Preview 2014

For most of it’s existence, The Players signaled the beginning of the golf season for many fans. While the Masters was a sign that spring is here, The Players in March is where golf fans started to focus on the season and the sport. Many of the top players skipped the California swing (private jets […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

The Players : Wide Open

As the last qualifier for The Players, JB Holmes has quite a story. He was a well-known quantity on the PGA Tour. A popular player with galleries and a two-time winner in Phoenix, one of the most raucous stops on the circuit, Holmes embodied the ‘grip it and rip it” bomber style popular on Tour. […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

The Players Update: Monday Afternoon Some greens still closed

For a while it was a murmur, then some idle chatter but the talk about the greens at the Stadium Course for this years Players has grown into a full-blown conversation today. It’s been customary to allow players to practice on the Stadium course starting on the Saturday before the tournament, accommodating those who either […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

Pre Draft Jaguars Ramblings

It’s annually called the “Pre-Draft Luncheon” and it qualifies as that because it is before the draft and they do serve lunch. (Great potato chips and nice BBQ sliders this year). It’s mainly a chance to get the powers that be with the Jaguars on the record about their philosophy when it comes to the […]

Jacksonville Sports News, Sam Kouvaris - SamSportsline.com

The Players Field Almost Set

In addition to Tiger Woods, add Jason Day’s name to the list of PGA Tour players not participating in next weeks Players. Day is still recovering from a thumb injury and has decided he needs at least another week of rest before reentering competition. The 26 year old Australian won the Match Play Championships in […]