So says New York Times: HBO announced Wednesday that it would be the exclusive television home for Mr. Simmons and that he would get a talk show that will debut in 2016. His contract with HBO starts in October. Additionally, Mr. Simmons will have a production deal with HBO and will do video podcasts, similar to what he did at ESPN. At the sports network, he helped create ESPN’s “30 for 30” series of sports documentaries. In a statement, Simmons said that HBO is “The single best place for creative people in the entire media landscape.” Here’s the full press release from HBO: LOS ANGELES, July 22, 2015 – Bill Simmons, one of the most influential figures in contemporary sports media and the founding editor of Grantland.com, and HBO have entered into a major exclusive m…

No. 10 Illinois will go for its fourth win in a row when it visits Michigan State in a Big Ten Conference matchup Saturday afternoon in East Lansing, Mich. The Fighting Illini (17-5, 8-3) are coming off an 87-84 overtime victory on their home court against Nebraska on Sunday. That followed wins over Ohio State on the road and Indiana at home. "Typical day in the Big Ten," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said after the victory over the Cornhuskers. "It's the best league in the country. Great players. Great coaches." Now comes a tough challenge on the road against Michigan State (14-9, 6-6). The Spartans are coming off a 59-56 loss at Minnesota on Tuesday but are 12-2 on their home court. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo wants to see a better performance from his tea…