📈 Caitlin Clark, Josh Allen, & The Masters

Good Morning - This is Sports Visualized. We aim to present sports news with a focus on data and visuals, moving away from the typical hot takes of sports media. Let’s dive into round two, shall we?👇

In Edition 2.0:

1.  Caitlin Clark’s Historic Season

2.  Josh Allen’s Big Deal

3. The Masters 

 🏀 Caitlin Clark

For some reason, Caitlin Clark has gotten some…heat? this past week during her and Iowa’s runner up finish in the NCAAW Basketball Tournament. Former WNBA players, current WNBA players, talking heads on tv, all trying to diminish Clark’s accomplishments for whatever reason. Diminish all you want, but when you are setting record after record and ahead of Steph Curry for most 3 pointers made in College History…people are going to be talking about you.

Clark attracted viewership that Women’s College Basketball had never seen before. In Iowa’s game against LSU in the Elite 8, 12.3 million viewers tuned in to see the Hawkeyes get revenge on the Tigers who put them out in the National Championship the year before. That viewership number set the record until the Final Four game against UConn…and then that game set the record until the National Championship game against the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks, which drew 18.7 million views.

Clark is sure to be the #1 selection in the upcoming WNBA draft and without a doubt, the eyes will follow her to the WNBA to try to see if she can shatter records like she did at Iowa.

 🏈 Josh Allen

The Jacksonville Jaguars have made a decisive move to secure their defensive star, Josh Allen, with a five-year, $150 million contract, cementing his place as one of the premier pass rushers in the league. The commitment includes $88 million in guarantees and is a significant step by the Jags to build up the defensive front. Allen is poised to continue his impactful play, which has already earned him two Pro Bowl selections and a remarkable 17.5 sacks in the recent season.

Allen's new deal supersedes the initial one-year franchise tag that would have paid him over $24 million for the upcoming season. With a total of 45 sacks under his belt, Allen is not only setting personal bests but is also proving to be a cornerstone for the Jaguars' defense.

This offseason has been a rollercoaster for the Jaguars, marked by a surprising departure of Calvin Ridley to a division rival, which potentially accelerated their move to lock in Allen. While the loss of Ridley was unexpected, the acquisition of Gabe Davis from the Bills was a strategic addition to their roster. The Jaguars are evidently determined to prevent their high-caliber players from reaching the open market, and Allen’s lucrative extension is a clear indication of their strategy to keep competing for the AFC south.

⛳ The Masters

Every year, The Masters rolls around and we pick who we want to win, or who we think is going to win, “oh that guy is dialed in right now!” or “man, if he can just get his putter going…watch out".” For the guys in the graphic above, I’m sure they’ve heard it all too much. It takes winning throughout the golf season to get invited back to Augusta National year after year if you’re not a former champion. The margin for error is so thin at a course and event of this magnitude.

The guys in the graphic above all will be teeing off starting today, trying to get their first green jacket. Some guys you wouldn’t believe hadn’t won…I know I thought for sure Brooks Koepka had donned the green jacket before. Or Justin Rose…poor guy, has been in the lead at the end of each round except the 4th day that matters.

Just goes to show how tough it really is to win The Masters. Everything has to go right not just for you, but potentially for the guys on the leaderboard above and below you. So kick back this weekend with a Crows Nest, and a Pimento Cheese sandwich, and let’s see if any of these guys can become first time winners at the 88th Masters after trying for so long.

Wager Watchlist

The 88th Masters Tournament is underway this morning as Day 1 begins in Augusta, GA. Here are some pre tournament odds you can look into…(odds via DraftKings Sportsbook)

• Outright winner: Scottie Scheffler (+400), Rory McIllroy (+1000), Jon Rahm (+1100), Xander Schauffele (+1400), Brooks Koepka (+1600)

• 2 or more Holes in One (+225)

Stat Track

The NHL Regular Season is winding down with the Playoffs set to begin April 20th…

• Eastern Conference Clinching Teams: New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, & Florida Panthers.

  • With 3 spots remaining, the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Washington Capitals, & Detroit Red Wings are all in a battle with each other.

• Western Conference Clinching Teams: Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators, & Edmonton Oilers.

  • With 2 spots remaining, the Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings appear to have those spots secured. In the West, it is just a matter of seeding and who plays who.

⭐ As for individual races, the race to win the Hart Trophy, the NHL’s MVP, is going to come down to the final week like the playoff push. Nathan MacKinnon of the Avalanche is the odds on favorite to win the award but it isn’t going to come without challenge & differing opinions of voters. Take a look at this table here and decide for yourself who should take him home the Hart…