Members phkrause Posted May 14 Author Members Share Posted May 14 🏀🏒 ROUND 2 PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: WHERE THINGS STAND Aaron Gordon (27 points in Game 4) throws it down. (Abbie Parr/AP Photo) When we last spoke on Friday, the Knicks were rolling, the Nuggets were reeling, the Rangers were unbeaten, and Bruins fans were feeling pretty good. A lot has changed since then. Nuggets 2, Timberwolves 2: The champs are back. After losing Games 1 and 2 at home, Denver went to Minneapolis and tied the series. Nikola Jokić scored 35 points in Sunday's 115-107 win, while Anthony Edwards had 44 (franchise playoff record). Knicks 2, Pacers 2: Indiana cruised to a 121-89 win on Sunday to knot things up before the series shifts back to NYC. This is the sixth time in seven playoff matchups that Knicks-Pacers will go at least six games. Mavericks 2, Thunder 1: PJ Washington scored 29 points in Saturday's 105-101 Mavs win, his second straight game with 25+ points and 5+ threes. OKC may need to rethink their strategy of leaving him open. Celtics 2, Cavaliers 1: The Celtics won, 106-93, on Saturday in Cleveland to rebound from an ugly Game 2 loss. When Boston is good, Boston is good. Their six playoff wins have come by 34 points, 25 points, 20 points, 20 points, 14 points and 13 points. A shot gets past Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin during Game 4. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) Rangers 3, Hurricanes 1: The Canes scored their first power play goal of the series at the perfect time, striking late in the third period on Saturday to avoid elimination and hand New York its first playoff loss. Panthers 3, Bruins 1: Florida stunned Boston in the first round last year. 12 months later, the Panthers have the Bruins on the brink after rallying to win Sunday's Game 4. Stars 2, Avalanche 1: Colorado led the NHL in scoring (3.68 goals per game) and scored 5+ goals in every first-round game. Nobody told the Stars, who've held them to four goals, three goals and one goal. Canucks 2, Oilers 1: Unexpected hero Arturs Silovs made 42 saves in Vancouver's 4-3 win on Sunday. Not bad for a rookie who played in just nine regular-season games. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 14 Author Members Share Posted May 14 🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🏒 Dreadful night in Denver: The Avalanche are on the brink after losing 5-1 to the Stars, and leading playoff goal-scorer Valeri Nichushkin has been suspended for six months after allegedly failing a drug test. 🏀 NBA scoreboard: The Thunder stormed back to beat the Mavericks, 100-96, and tie the series; the Celtics beat the short-handed Cavaliers, 109-102, to take a commanding 3-1 lead. 🏈 NFL schedule release: The Chiefs will host the Ravens in the opener (Sept. 5), and Tom Brady's announcing debut will be Cowboys at Browns (Sept. 8). The full schedule comes out tomorrow. 🏀 Bluder retires: Iowa women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder is retiring after 24 seasons with the Hawkeyes, where she went 528-254 (.675), made 18 NCAA tournaments, and oversaw the Caitlin Clark era. 🏈 Big extensions: The Lions are making QB Jared Goff their highest-paid player ever (four years, $212M); the Bucs are making S Antoine Winfield Jr. the NFL's highest-paid defensive back (four years, $84.1M). ⚾️ MLB on Roku: Roku has signed a multi-year deal with MLB to stream Sunday games that were previously on Peacock. Of note: Roku is free, Peacock is not. ⚽️ Canada hires Marsch: American Jesse Marsch, a finalist for the USMNT job in 2022, is Canada's new manager. 🏁 In-season tourney: NASCAR will launch a five-race, in-season tournament next year that will see 32 drivers compete for $1 million. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 17 Author Members Share Posted May 17 🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🏀 Playoff scoreboard: The Celtics beat the Cavaliers, 113-98, to reach their third straight East Finals; the Mavericks beat the Thunder, 104-92, to take a 3-2 lead; the Avalanche beat the Stars, 5-3, to force a Game 6. 🏈 NFL on Netflix: Netflix will broadcast NFL Christmas games each of the next three seasons in a landmark deal for the world's biggest streaming service. 🏀 Clark's debut delivers: Caitlin Clark's Fever debut drew 2.1 million viewers on ESPN2, making it the most-watched WNBA game since 2001. By comparison, last year's WNBA Finals — the most-watched in two decades — averaged 730,000 viewers. ⛳️ Augusta thief pleads guilty: Former Augusta National employee Richard Globensky admitted stealing more than $5 million worth of Masters memorabilia between 2009 and 2022, which he then sold in online auctions. 🏈 "Hard Knocks" spin-off: The Giants will be featured on a new offseason version of "Hard Knocks" debuting July 2 on Max. The HBO series already has training camp and in-season shows. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 19 Author Members Share Posted May 19 📆 ON THIS DAY MAY 17, 1979: PHILLIES 23, CUBS 22 (Philadelphia Phillies) 45 years ago today, the Phillies beat the Cubs, 23-22 (10 innings), in the second highest-scoring game in MLB history. Fun fact: The highest-scoring game in MLB history was also between the Phillies and Cubs. Chicago prevailed, 26-23, on August 25, 1922. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 20 Author Members Share Posted May 20 Mavs and Stars advance to Western Conference finals Matt Duchene celebrates his karmic, game-winning goal in double overtime. Photo: Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images The Stars and the Mavericks advanced to their respective Western Conference finals in thrilling Game 6 wins during the weekend. Why it matters: Dallas sports fans will have playoff games to watch for at least two more weeks. The latest: The Mavericks will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 on Wednesday. The Wolves overcame a halftime deficit to defeat the Denver Nuggets last night in Game 7 of the semifinals. The Stars will face the winner of tonight's Game 7 between the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers. State of play: The Stars head to the Western Conference Finals for the second year in a row. They were knocked out last year by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Vegas Golden Knights. The Mavs last went to the NBA Western Conference Finals in 2022, when they lost the series to the Golden State Warriors, who went on to win the championship. Luka Dončić knows the Mavs are great. Photo: Sam Hodde/Getty Images What happened: The Stars won 2-1 over the Colorado Avalanche in double overtime in a game that continued into early Saturday. Matt Duchene scored the winning goal after being involved earlier in a no-goal after the refs ruled he interfered with the goalkeeper. The Mavs overcame a 17-point third-quarter deficit to top the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-116 Saturday night — with Dirk Nowitzki in the crowd. What we're watching: How the days off help the teams. The Stars were missing Roope Hintz in the last two games of the semifinals. And, star Luka Dončić has been playing through injuries. What's next: The Mavs' Game 1 is 7:30pm Wednesday in Minnesota. The Stars play at 7:30pm Thursday at home. Both series will be broadcast on TNT. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 20 Author Members Share Posted May 20 🏀 NBA PLAYOFFS AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR (Yahoo Sports) Sunday marked the first time in NBA history that two road teams won Game 7s on the same day. The Timberwolves overcame the largest halftime deficit in Game 7 history (15 points) to stun the Nuggets, 98-90, and make their first Western Conference Finals in two decades. Total team effort: Anthony Edwards struggled (16 pts, 6-24 FG) but Karl-Anthony Towns (23 and 11) and Jaden McDaniels (23 pts) led a true team effort to beat Denver on the road for the third time this series. Another one bites the dust: Nikola Jokić (34-19-7) and Nuggets are the sixth straight reigning champion that failed to make it past the second round. Hours earlier, in New York… The Pacers shot 67.1% (playoff record) en route to a 130-109 victory over the Knicks, who fittingly lost Jalen Brunson (broken hand) in the final game of their injury-riddled season. The drought continues: The Knicks haven't made it to the Conference Finals since 2000, where they lost to… the Pacers. The underdogs: Indiana will try to join the 1995 Rockets as the only teams seeded No. 6 or lower to win it all in the 40 years of the NBA's 16-team format. Dynasties are dead: For the sixth straight year, the NBA will not have a repeat champion, which hasn't happened since 1975-80. 1975-80: Warriors (1975), Celtics (1976), Trail Blazers (1977), Bullets (1978), SuperSonics (1979), Lakers (1980) 2019-2024: Raptors (2019), Lakers (2020), Bucks (2021), Warriors (2022), Nuggets (2023), TBD (2024) Another fun fact: This is the first time in modern NBA history that the Final Four won't feature a current or past MVP. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 20 Author Members Share Posted May 20 ⚽️ PREMIER LEAGUE MAN CITY COMPLETES FOUR-PEAT (Michael Regan/Getty Images) Manchester City beat West Ham, 3-1, on Sunday to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title and state its case as the greatest English team ever. Historic dominance: City is the first club in the 124-year history of English football to win four straight top-flight titles (and six in seven seasons). City can also become the first to win back-to-back domestic doubles by beating Manchester United in Saturday's FA Cup final. Yes, but: The caveat, of course, is that the club allegedly cheated. The Premier League has charged City with 115 breaches of rules, and leaked documents show the club used false accounting to allow it to splash more money on players. Since Sheikh Mansour and the Abu Dhabi royal family took over in 2008, City has spent ~$2.8 billion on transfer fees. Season notes: Final standings: The top four clubs (City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa) qualified for the Champions League, while fifth-place Tottenham qualified for the Europa League. The bottom three clubs (Luton Town, Burnley and Sheffield United) will be relegated. Awards: Phil Foden (City) was named Player of the Season, Cole Palmer (Chelsea) was named Young Player of the Season, and Erling Haaland (City) won the Golden Boot with a league-best 27 goals. Klopp's farewell: For the last time as manager, Jürgen Klopp ran over to The Kop and delivered his famous fist pumps following Liverpool's 2-0 win over Wolves. "I'm one of you now," he told the crowd. Worst bottom three ever: For just the second time in Premier League history, all three of last season's promoted clubs are headed right back to the second tier. Luton Town (26), Burnley (24), Sheffield United (16) combined for the fewest cumulative points of any relegated trio. Meanwhile, on the women’s side… Chelsea won its fifth consecutive Women's Super League title under Emma Hayes, who takes over as USWNT manager next week. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 22 Author Members Share Posted May 22 🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES ⚾️ Six-game homer streak: Rafael Devers homered for the sixth straight game, which is a Red Sox record and two away from tying the MLB record. 🏀 All-Rookie team: Victor Wembanyama (Spurs), Chet Holmgren (Thunder), Brandon Miller (Hornets), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Heat) and Brandin Podziemski (Warriors) were named to the All-Rookie first team. See who made the second team. ⛳️ Scheffler update: Scottie Scheffler's arraignment on charges stemming from Friday's incident at Valhalla has been delayed from today until June 3. Here's footage of his attorney in court. 🏈 Jefferson skips OTA: Justin Jefferson was absent from Vikings facilities amid long-term contract negotiations. The star WR is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is due $19.7 million in 2024. 🏆 Women's golf champ: Texas A&M's Adela Cernousek got her first collegiate win on the biggest stage, cruising to a three-shot victory at La Costa (Carlsbad, California) to win the NCAA individual title. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 23 Author Members Share Posted May 23 A casual fan's guide to the Western Conference Finals The Dallas Mavericks are one series away from the NBA Finals, which means it's time to welcome the bandwagoners to our fan base. Driving the news: The Minnesota Timberwolves are hosting the Mavs tonight for Game 1 of the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals. The Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers are playing in the Eastern Conference Finals. Flashback: The Mavericks last played in the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and lost to the Golden State Warriors, who went on to win the championship. Luka Dončić had only been a Mav a few years, and he didn't have a strong team behind him — yet. And, it was Jason Kidd's debut season as head coach. State of play: Versatile players like Kyrie Irving, Derrick Jones Jr., PJ Washington and rookie Dereck Lively II have since joined the team. Irving and Dončić have become a power duo, pulling off some wild plays in critical moments. Lively is only 20, but he's been a key contributor on offense and defense. What's next: The Timberwolves (No. 3 seed) will be a tough matchup for the Mavericks (No. 5 seed). The Wolves often play two big men at the same time and have a deep bench. Dončić played through some injuries in the past two series. Winning the conference semifinals in six games gave him extra days of rest before this series. How to watch: TNT will broadcast the games, which means they'll be streamed on services like HBO Max and Sling. Game 1 starts at 7:30pm. Game 2 is Friday in Minneapolis. The teams will travel to Dallas for Games 3 and 4. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 25 Author Members Share Posted May 25 🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🎓 Landmark moment: The NCAA has voted to approve a $2.8 billion antitrust settlement and future athlete revenue-sharing model that will change college sports forever. We'll do a deep dive on this soon. 🏀🏒 Road teams win Game 1: Luka Dončić (33 pts) and the Mavericks beat the Timberwolves, 108-105; The Panthers blanked the Rangers, 3-0, as Sergei Bobrovsky recorded his first shutout of the playoffs. ⚾️ 36-14: The Phillies are off to MLB's best 50-game start since the 2001 Mariners, who won a record 116 games. Worth noting: They've played just three games against teams that currently have a winning record. 📺 CFP on TNT: TNT Sports has reached a deal with ESPN to broadcast early-round College Football Playoff games starting this year. 🏈 78 years later: The 2026 NFL Draft has been awarded to Pittsburgh, which last hosted the event in 1948. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 25 Author Members Share Posted May 25 "Game-changing": Toronto lands WNBA expansion team The WNBA announced Thursday it will expand outside of the U.S. with a new Toronto-based team joining the league for the start of the 2026 season. https://www.axios.com/2024/05/23/wnba-toronto-expansion-team-canada? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 26 Author Members Share Posted May 26 🏈 1 for the road: Professional college sports Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios The NCAA and its five biggest conferences voted to approve a settlement that would pave the way for schools to pay college athletes directly for the first time, Axios' Sareen Habeshian writes. Why it matters: The groundbreaking deal, which includes nearly $2.8 billion for former players, could lead to athlete payments as soon as Fall 2025. The optional payments for current players are expected to add up to around $20 million per school. The deal still must be approved by a federal judge. Keep reading. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 28 Author Members Share Posted May 28 🏃♀️ Women's sports surge Data: Axios research. (Includes future teams with confirmed start dates.) Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios At least 20 professional women's sports teams will play their inaugural season in 2024, Axios' Ashley Mahoney and Simran Parwani report. Why it matters: It's a historic time for viewership and engagement in women's sports. Investors are taking notice. Between the lines: Women's sports fans have higher engagement rates than men's sports fans, according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Keep reading. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 28 Author Members Share Posted May 28 14-time champion Rafael Nadal loses in the French Open’s first round to Alexander Zverev PARIS (AP) — The noise was loud and relentless, a chorus of thousands of belting out “ Ra-fa! Ra-fa! ” whenever their guy found the occasional moment of brilliance of the sort he has conjured up so often at the French Open and elsewhere through the years. https://apnews.com/article/french-open-5-27-2024-results-nadal-dff0c7946d746eb4b050a9cb0383c7cd? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 28 Author Members Share Posted May 28 🏀 🏒 Mavs, Stars lead their Western Conference finals Kyrie Irving hugs Luka Dončić during Game 3. Photo: Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images The Mavericks are one win away from the NBA finals after taking a 3-0 lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. The Stars are now 2-1 in the NHL Western Conference Finals. Why it matters: The Mavericks haven't been to the NBA finals in 13 years — and they won the championship that year. The odds are in Dallas' favor to win this series. "No team in NBA playoff history has rallied from 3-0 down," AP says. The latest: The Stars took down the Oilers in dramatic fashion last night in Edmonton. Dallas looked sluggish at first, ending the first period down 2-0. But Jason Robertson scored three goals to help the Stars win 5-3. Jason Robertson had gone 10 games without a goal until last night when he got his first with an assist from Roope Hintz, who was back after missing four games due to an injury. Photo: Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Catch up quick: The Mavericks faced tight matchups in Friday's Game 2 and Sunday's Game 3. The Mavs were leading the Timberwolves most of Sunday, but the Wolves managed to get ahead during the third quarter. Between PJ Washington's three-pointer, Daniel Gafford's alley-oop dunk and his block of a Wolves layup, Dallas took and widened its lead. Fun fact: Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving scored a combined 66 points in the 116-107 win Sunday night. 🐐 Dirk Nowitzki, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were at Sunday's Mavs game. Kelce was also at Saturday's Stars game. Yes, but: Rookie Dereck Lively II, who has been solid on offense and defense in the playoffs, hurt his neck in the second quarter Sunday and couldn't play the rest of the game. He collided with Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, whose knee hit Lively's head. Lively is out for tonight's game. What's next: The Mavs look to sweep the Wolves tonight at the American Airlines Center. Game 4 starts at 7:30pm. Whoever wins the series will face the Boston Celtics in the finals. The Stars play Game 4 tomorrow in Canada. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 28 Author Members Share Posted May 28 🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 💔 RIP, Bill Walton: The hoops legend passed away at 71 after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was a Hall of Fame player, a one-of-a-kind broadcaster, and a wonderful soul. ⚾️ Acuña tears ACL: Reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL for the second time in three years. Brutal blow for the Braves. 🥍 Lax champs: Notre Dame beat Maryland, 15-5, behind Chris (five goals) and Pat (six assists) Kavanaugh to repeat as national champions; Boston College rallied from 6-0 down to beat Northwestern, 14-13, and win its second women's title. ⚾️ Selection Monday: The NCAA baseball championship's 64-team field was announced on Monday. The top eight national seeds: Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas A&M, UNC, Arkansas, Clemson, Georgia and FSU. 🏒 Winner-take-all: Boston outlasted Minnesota, 1-0, in double OT to force a decisive Game 5 in the PWHL's inaugural Walter Cup Finals. ⚽️ Soccer roundup: Man United beat Man City, 2-1, to win the FA Cup; Barcelona beat Lyon, 2-0, to win the Women's Champions League; Southampton beat Leeds, 1-0, to earn Premier League promotion. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 29 Author Members Share Posted May 29 ⚾ MLB incorporates Negro Leagues records Josh Gibson of the Homestead Grays (right) with Satchel Paige before a game in Kansas City in 1941. Photo: Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics via Getty Images Major League Baseball will announce today that it's adding statistics from the Negro Leagues to the MLB historical record, Axios' Russell Contreras writes. Why it matters: Negro League players who were barred from MLB during segregation, but called greats by those who saw them, will hold some of baseball's most prominent records. The intrigue: Negro Leagues legend Josh Gibson will become MLB's single-season and career record holder in batting average (.466 in 1943 and .372 career). The career record broke Ty Cobb's .367 mark that has stood since his retirement in 1928. Keep reading. 🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🏀 1 vs 2: No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark (career-high 30 points) outplayed No. 2 pick Cameron Brink (three points, two blocks) but Brink's Sparks got the win to drop the Fever to 1-7. ⚾️ Dodgers bounce back: The Mets were the cure for the ailing Dodgers, who swept their doubleheader against New York to snap their longest losing streak in five years. ⛳️ Retiring at 29: Lexi Thompson will retire at the end of the season. The 15-time LPGA winner has been in the spotlight since the age of 12, when she became the youngest golfer to ever qualify for the U.S. Women's Open. 🏈 Offseason overhaul? The NFLPA is reportedly finalizing a proposal that would eliminate offseason voluntary on-field work in the spring in favor of a longer training camp. 🏁 Shutting down: Stewart-Haas Racing, which currently fields four cars in the NASCAR Cup Series, will shutter its team at the end of the year. ⚾️ BASEBALL HISTORY MLB ADDS NEGRO LEAGUES STATS TO RECORD BOOKS The Homestead Grays pose for a team photo at their home park, Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, in 1942. (Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images) Negro Leagues statistics will become part of MLB history today, with more than 2,300 players from the seven iterations of the Negro Leagues (1920-1948) being officially added to the record books. What this means: Negro League legends, unfamiliar to many modern fans, will now be listed among all-time leaders, while Negro League players who played in MLB — including Willie Mays, Minnie Miñoso and Larry Doby — will have their stats integrated and updated. What they're saying: "This initiative is focused on ensuring that future generations of fans have access to the statistics and milestones of all those who made the Negro Leagues possible," said MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. "Their accomplishments on the field will be a gateway to broader learning about this triumph in American history." Josh Gibson, MLB's new career batting leader. (AP Photo) The man, the myth, the legend: Negro Leagues icon and Baseball Hall of Famer Josh Gibson is now the all-time leader in batting average (.372, eclipsing Ty Cobb), slugging percentage (.718, eclipsing Babe Ruth) and OPS (1.177, eclipsing Ruth). Gibson, who played 17 years with the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords, also holds the single-season record in all three categories: .466 BA, .974 SLG and 1.474 OPS. "He was referred to as the black Babe Ruth, but some believe it might be just as accurate to call the Bambino the white Josh Gibson," wrote Bill Johnson of the Society for American Baseball Research. Yes, but: While Ruth was a global celebrity and earned upwards of $80,000 a year (~$1.5 million today), Gibson drew little acclaim and made $1,500 a month at most. He was just 35 when he died in 1947 — the year Jackie Robinson joined the Dodgers. That was then… Hall of Famer Walter Johnson summed up Gibson's talent — and baseball's color barrier — with this quote from 1939. "There is a catcher that any big league club would like to buy for $200,000. His name is Gibson. He can do everything. He hits the ball a mile. He catches so easy he might as well be in a rocking chair. Throws like a rifle. Too bad this Gibson is a colored fellow." This is now… John Thorn, chairman of the Negro Leagues Statistical Review Committee, led a team of historians, former players and researchers who spent years combing through data and box scores to make today possible. "I believe that the past is a living, breathing thing that informs every present moment. No sport is more attuned to its history and its heroes of old than baseball, and now we have a chance to tell the story of the game, and the nation, inclusively." Coming up: MLB will pay tribute to the Negro Leagues on June 20 when the Giants and Cardinals play at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, former home of the Birmingham Black Barons. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 30 Author Members Share Posted May 30 Charges against world’s top golfer Scottie Scheffler dropped after arrest outside PGA Championship LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Criminal charges against Scottie Scheffler have been dismissed, ending a legal saga that began with images of the world’s top golfer being arrested and handcuffed in Louisville during the PGA Championship. https://apnews.com/article/scottie-scheffler-police-arrest-louisville-cf7f59fc48d223083bb71d272d139050? Josh Gibson becomes MLB career and season batting leader as Negro Leagues statistics incorporated NEW YORK (AP) — Josh Gibson became Major League Baseball’s career leader with a .372 batting average, surpassing Ty Cobb’s .367, when Negro Leagues records for more than 2,300 players were incorporated Tuesday after a three-year research project. https://apnews.com/article/negro-leagues-statistics-4a204a3cac0527ab5be750783fd411df? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 30 Author Members Share Posted May 30 Cricket's T20 World Cup is almost here USA's Ali Khan and Monank Patel will compete in the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup's first match this weekend at Grand Prairie Stadium. Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images One of the largest tournaments for one of the world's biggest sports will go to bat Saturday in Grand Prairie. Why it matters: This is the Men's T20 World Cup's first time in the U.S., and Grand Prairie Stadium will host the first match. The International Cricket Council chose Grand Prairie for the match because "Texas is iconically U.S.," T20 USA CEO Brett Jones tells Axios. The big picture: This is a milestone for the U.S. — the bid for host country took years of lobbying and professionalizing cricket. The West Indies, in the Caribbean, is a co-host. Global viewership is expected to be in the billions on digital, social and broadcast platforms, Jones says. Zoom in: Grand Prairie is hosting the first match — the U.S. vs. Canada on Saturday — and three other matches. The stadium has capacity for 7,000 to 8,000 spectators. Investors converted a dormant minor league baseball stadium into the cricket stadium last year, hoping to make the sport more mainstream in the U.S. Cricket legends will likely visit North Texas to attend matches and meet fans. There are also international media deals, sponsorships and thousands of fans traveling for the matches. Zoom out: The most anticipated matchup, Pakistan vs. India, will be in New York. Hundreds of millions of fans are expected to tune in. Resale tickets for Pakistan-India are over $900 each. By comparison, tickets for Saturday's match in Grand Prairie start at $125. Expanding the fan base 🏏 How to watch the World Cup Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios The T20 World Cup is June 1-29, with matches in the U.S. and West Indies. The intrigue: Many matches are during the day to accommodate international viewers in other time zones. How it works: T20 is a condensed format of cricket, taking only a few hours instead of a full day or multiple days. Twenty countries are competing. There will be 40 matches to decide the Super Eight countries, which will be whittled to the final two World Cup contenders. How to watch: Tickets for the four Grand Prairie matches, start around $125. The matches will be broadcast on WillowTV in the U.S. and Canada. EpicCentral in Grand Prairie will host watch parties throughout the tournament. Sheesh Eatery, in The Colony, is also planning a watch party for the Pakistan vs. India game June 9. Plus: The ICC is hosting a World Cup kickoff party tomorrow at EpicCentral, with a DJ, vendors and cricket equipment to try out. Worthy of your time: AP has this guide to cricket. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted May 30 Author Members Share Posted May 30 📺 DOUBLE FEATURE WATCHLIST: A PAIR OF GAME FIVES Sam Reinhart celebrates his OT game-winner on Tuesday. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) Prepare your dual-screen experience for an exciting night, with simultaneous Game 5s in the NHL and NBA. 🏒 New York City: Panthers (2-2) at Rangers (8pm ET, ESPN) 🏀 Minneapolis: Mavericks (up 3-1) at Timberwolves (8:30pm, TNT) More to watch: ⛳️ LPGA: U.S. Women's Open* (8am, USA/Peacock) ⛳️ PGA: Canadian Open* (6:45am, ESPN+; 3pm, Golf) 🥎 NCAA Softball: Women's College World Series (ESPN/ESPN2) … Four games in Oklahoma City. 🎾 Tennis: French Open (5am, Tennis) 🏀 WNBA: Storm at Fever (7pm, Prime) *Prize money: The U.S. Women's Open has a $12 million purse (women's golf record), while the Canadian Open purse is $9.4 million. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted June 1 Author Members Share Posted June 1 Dallas Mavericks advance to NBA Finals The Dallas Mavericks will face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. Basketball fans, mark your calendars for Game 1 on June 6. Mavs return to the finals, at last All the Mavs gather around team hero Luka Dončić — the MVP of the Western Conference Finals. Photo: David Berding/Getty Images The Dallas Mavericks are heading to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves last night, 124-103. Why it matters: Winning is fun. Making it to the championship series is the payoff for team leadership adding versatile players around superstar Luka Dončić. The latest: The Mavericks led the Wolves by nearly 30 points for much of Game 5. Dončić and Kyrie Irving scored 36 points each. Dereck Lively II was back in action after missing Game 4 because of a neck injury. He scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench. The intrigue: Coach Jason Kidd was a member of the championship Mavericks team. Irving scored the Cleveland Cavaliers' championship-winning three-pointer in 2016. Many of the young Mavs players haven't experienced the playoffs before, and now they'll get to compete in the finals. "They believe in each other," Kidd said of Irving, Dončić and the rest of the team. Flashback: Dallas has only been to the NBA Finals twice, winning once in 2011. It was payback against the Miami Heat, who won the championship during the Mavs' first finals visit in 2006. The Mavs last played in the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and lost to the Golden State Warriors, who went on to win the championship. What they're saying: "We're a great team. It's not just about me and Luka," Irving said after last night's win. State of play: The Mavs will face the Boston Celtics, who swept the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The NBA Finals will be a battle of the road warriors. The Celtics haven't lost an away game during the playoffs this year. The Mavs have lost just two. What's next: Game 1 will be Thursday in Boston. Mavs stats 📣 Does Dallas have bad fans? We actually think Dallas Stars fans are the best in town. Photo: Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Mavs aren't quite the best NBA road team, but they're close — especially after last night. The Stars have the best road record in the NHL this season. And, the Rangers had an 11-game winning streak on the road last season, ending with their World Series win. Why it matters: We, the fans, are starting to feel a little bad watching our teams struggle to win in front of us. State of cheer: The Rangers have their ring, largely because of road wins. The Mavs and Stars have generally been more clutch on the road, even though the AAC has been packed with cheering Dallas fans. Context: The Stars dropped their first two playoff games at home before shocking the Vegas Golden Knights there. The Stars bested the NHL's top home team, the Colorado Avalanche, in Denver. Meanwhile: The Mavs have the second-best road record during the playoffs, behind the, ahem, Boston Celtics. Yes, but: The Dallas Cowboys were terrible on the road last season. At least Jerry can boast about home wins. The bottom line: Do Dallas sports fans … suck? Or, do our Dallas sports heroes relish being hated on the road? 📬 Tell us. Hit reply to this email and let us know what you think. Should we be better sports fans? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted June 2 Author Members Share Posted June 2 🏀 THE GRAND FINALE NBA FINALS: MAVS VS. CELTICS (Yahoo Sports) The Mavericks beat the Timberwolves, 124-103, on Thursday in Minneapolis to advance to the NBA Finals, where they'll play the Celtics. Fun fact: This will be the first Dallas-Boston postseason meeting in any major sport. Star duos: The Mavs' treacherous path to the Finals is the culmination of a brilliant partnership between Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, who will face off against another elite duo in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Playoff scoring: Dončić (28.8) and Irving (22.8) are averaging 51.6 points per game. Tatum (26.0) and Brown (25.0) are averaging 51 points per game. Finals notes: Long wait ahead: Game 1 tips off in Boston on Thursday, June 6, which is six days from now. Early odds (via BetMGM): The Celtics are -225 to win the series, while the Mavericks are +180. Tatum is the Finals MVP favorite at -135, followed by Dončić is +190. Prepare for 3s: The Celtics led the NBA in 3-pointers made and attempted, while the Mavericks were second in 3s attempted and third in 3s made. NBA Finals preview: Five questions about a matchup that will be worth the wait Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted June 3 Author Members Share Posted June 3 At a glance ... The French Open continues today with fourth-round action at Roland Garros in Paris. Defending men's champion Novak Djokovic outlasted Lorenzo Musetti in a marathon five-set match that ended just after 3 a.m. On the women's side, top seed Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff both cruised into the quarterfinals. The final round of the 79th US Women’s Open tees off today at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Wichanee Meechai, Minjee Lee and Andrea Lee are tied atop the leaderboard at 5-under. World No. 1 Nelly Korda, who was chasing a seventh win in eight starts, shot an opening round 10-over-par 80 that included a septuple-bogey at the par-three 12th. She failed to make the cut. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Florida Panthers advanced by eliminating the New York Rangers with a 2-1 victory in Game 6 of their series. The Panthers will face the winner of the Western Conference Final between the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers lead that series 3-2. The puck drops in the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday. Speaking of Dallas, the Mavericks are headed to the NBA Finals following a 124-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves last week. Dallas will face the Boston Celtics, with Game 1 scheduled to begin on June 6 at TD Garden in Boston. Finally, the 156th running of the Belmont Stakes — the final leg of the Triple Crown — is set for Saturday. Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and Preakness winner Seize the Grey are among the entries expected to enter the starting gate, but the final field is subject to change as any horse can be scratched on race day. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted June 3 Author Members Share Posted June 3 ⚾ MLB's new GOAT Gibson practices his swing before a 1940 game. Photo: Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics via Getty Images The estate of Negro League legend Josh Gibson is examining new licensing deals — from sneakers to books — after Major League Baseball added once-banned Black players' stats to its official record, making Gibson the all-time batting champion. Why it matters: For more than half a century, the images of former players of the Negro Leagues have been used and exploited. Now families can benefit from a newfound interest in those like Gibson, who changed the game. "Now all of a sudden, Josh Gibson is the GOAT [greatest of all time] ... He was never afforded that opportunity," Ed Schauder, the estate's licensing agent, tells Axios' Russell Contreras. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted June 4 Author Members Share Posted June 4 🥅 The Stars aren't going to the Stanley Cup It was an incredibly sad series of handshakes last night in Edmonton. Photo: Codie McLachlan/Getty Images The Dallas Stars failed to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row. Why it matters: It felt like this was the Stars' year after they toppled the two most recent Stanley Cup champs to get to the Western Conference Finals. The latest: The Stars went into the weekend tied in the series 2-2 against the Edmonton Oilers. But Dallas looked lifeless in Game 5 on Friday, losing 3-1. And they lost Game 6 last night 2-1. State of sadness: The Stars also made it to the Western Conference Finals last year but lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Vegas Golden Knights. Dallas last went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2020. They lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Context: The Stars were the best NHL team on the road this season but couldn't pull through last night in Edmonton — again. They trailed most of the game 2-0 before scoring one goal in the third period. They looked like they could tie in the final minutes but time ran out. The bottom line: Losing isn't fun. But we're still proud of our Stars. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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