Jackson Payne

Salt Lake City

Sportswriter @deseret | Believer | Orioles and Commanders diehard | Undefeated against cancer | Email: [email protected]

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Articles

Are the Birds real?

1 week ago | paynefulthinking.substack.com | Jackson Payne

I’ve spent most of the past two months pondering the following question:What unpardonable sin did the Orioles commit to so wildly enrage the baseball gods this year? The Orioles have been a really tough watch in 2025. Their pitching stinks. The offense is frustrating. They have no clutch gene. Most of their young stars have underperformed. The injury bug won’t stop biting their already flawed roster. They fired their manager before Memorial Day.
BYU will play this ACC team at Madison Square Garden in December

1 week ago | deseret.com | Jackson Payne

BYU has added another marquee matchup to its 2025-26 schedule - and it'll be played at one basketball's most iconic venues. The Cougars will face ACC foe Clemson at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 9, the program officially announced Wednesday morning. The game will be part of the Jimmy V Classic, an annual college basketball showcase organized by ESPN to honor the legendary late NC State coach Jimmy Valvano and raise money for cancer research.
How this BYU football commit just made history in California

2 weeks ago | deseret.com | Jackson Payne

McKay Madsen just ended his high school sports career with a bang. The BYU football signee captured California state championships in both shot put and discus this past weekend, marking his second consecutive state title in each event. Madsen's repeat championships in the two events made him the first California athlete to accomplish such a feat in more than 100 years.
Are the two best NFL players under the age of 25 from Utah?

3 weeks ago | deseret.com | Jackson Payne

It's no secret that Utah boasts a great deal of football talent, but one outlet believes two Beehive State products to be among the NFL's best young players. Pro Football Focus released its ranking of the top 25 players in the league under the age of 25, and a pair of Utah natives were chosen for the top two spots: Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell came in at No. 1, with Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua finishing right behind at No. 2.
What Egor Demin said on 'The Ringer's NBA Draft Show'

3 weeks ago | deseret.com | Jackson Payne

In just over a month, Egor Demin will be an NBA Draft selection. But where he winds up in the league has become an interesting mystery within draft discourse. As previously reported by the Deseret News, Demin has been projected by experts to be drafted anywhere from inside the lottery to the end of the first round. His NBA Combine performance - particularly his shooting - proved strong, further thickening the plot and turning the BYU star into one of the year's most intriguing prospects.
A 3-star prospect from California has committed to BYU

4 weeks ago | deseret.com | Jackson Payne

BYU continues to bolster its 2026 recruiting class. Three-star athlete Sefanaia Alatini has committed to the Cougars, he announced Tuesday morning via social media. Alatini's 0.865 composite score from 247 Sports places him as the No. 84-ranked recruit in the state of California. The rising senior plays for St. Francis High in Mountain View, California, where he was a teammate of 2024 BYU signee Kingston Keanaaina, a running back.
This former BYU basketball player just won a championship in Europe

4 weeks ago | deseret.com | Jackson Payne

Spencer Johnson's first year of professional basketball just ended with a bang. The former BYU star, who is now playing overseas in England, was part of the Leicester Riders squad that won the British Super League playoff championship on Sunday. The Riders thumped rival Newcastle 105-74 at London's O2 Arena to earn their 20th trophy in club history. "Built to win. Love this team. Go Riders!" Johnson wrote in an Instagram post following the championship game.
This former BYU basketball player just won a championship in Europe

4 weeks ago | sports.yahoo.com | Jackson Payne

Spencer Johnson’s first year of professional basketball just ended with a bang. The former BYU star, who is now playing overseas in England, was part of the Leicester Riders squad that won the British Super League playoff championship on Sunday. The Riders thumped rival Newcastle 105-74 at London’s O2 Arena to earn their 20th trophy in club history. Advertisement“Built to win. Love this team. Go Riders!” Johnson wrote in an Instagram post following the championship game.
What Brian Santiago said about becoming BYU’s new athletic director

1 month ago | sports.yahoo.com | Jackson Payne

It’s a new era at BYU. Brian Santiago will succeed Tom Holmoe as the school’s director of athletics, the school announced Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, Santiago was officially introduced by BYU at a press conference. Santiago has worked at BYU in various capacities since 1997. He became a senior associate athletic director in 2008 and was then appointed as Holmoe’s deputy athletic director in 2017, a role in which he served until being selected as Holmoe’s successor. “These are exciting times.
BYU introduces Brian Santiago as its new athletic director at press conference

1 month ago | deseret.com | Jackson Payne

It's a new era at BYU. Brian Santiago will succeed Tom Holmoe as the school's director of athletics, the school announced Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, Santiago was officially introduced by BYU at a press conference. Santiago has worked at BYU in various capacities since 1997. He became a senior associate athletic director in 2008 and was then appointed as Holmoe's deputy athletic director in 2017, a role in which he served until being selected as Holmoe's successor.