Members phkrause Posted October 11 Author Members Share Posted October 11 🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🌪️ Milton does damage in Tampa: The roof of the Rays' Tropicana Field was destroyed when Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday, while the field at the Buccaneers' Raymond James Stadium is completely submerged in water. ⚽️ NWSL lawsuit: Five former San Diego Wave employees have sued the NWSL and Wave over claims of harassment and discrimination. This comes two months after allegations of a toxic workplace first surfaced. 🏈 WR injury news: Texans WR Nico Collins, the NFL's leading receiver through five weeks, was placed on the IR with a hamstring injury and Colts WR Michael Pittman is expected to miss multiple weeks with a back injury. 🎾 Wimbledon ditches line judges: The All England Club will adopt electronic line calling beginning next year, ending a 147-year run of using line judges. That leaves the French Open as the only major yet to make the switch. ⛳️ "The Showdown": The previously-announced match pitting the PGA Tour's duo of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler against LIV's Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau now has a name ("The Showdown"), a date (Dec. 17) and a site (Las Vegas' Shadow Creek Golf Course). Championships sometimes feature a David vs. Goliath narrative, but the 2024 WNBA Finals will be a battle of juggernauts seeking a legacy-defining title, Jeff writes. No. 1 vs. No. 2: The New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx, the WNBA's top two teams, begin their best-of-five finals clash tonight in Brooklyn (8pm ET, ESPN). The Liberty (32-8), who defeated the two-time defending champion Aces to get back to the finals for a second straight year, have the league's No. 2 offense, No. 3 defense and hit a WNBA-best 10.1 threes per game this season. The Lynx (30-10), who won 14 of their final 16 games for their first 30-win season, have the league's No. 2 defense and led the WNBA in both assists and three-point percentage. Head-to-head: Minnesota won the season series, 3-1, including the final of the Commissioner's Cup, the in-season tournament with a $500,000 prize. Roster breakdown: The Liberty are a bona fide superteam while the Lynx have surrounded the league's most unheralded superstar with a perfect complementary cast. New York's Breanna Stewart could go down as a top-five all-time player, Sabrina Ionescu is arguably the league's best shooter (save maybe for Caitlin Clark), Jonquel Jones is a former MVP and Courtney Vandersloot is the all-time leader in assists per game. Plus there's Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, a two-time WNBA All-Defensive player. Minnesota's Napheesa Collier, the Defensive POY and second-place MVP finisher, is flanked by Courtney Williams — the straw that stirs the Lynx's drink — and a trio of sharpshooters in Kayla McBride, Bridget Carleton and Alanna Smith. Coaching matchup: Minnesota's Cheryl Reeve is a four-time coach of the year (including this season) and four-time champion, all with the Lynx. New York's Sandy Brondello was the coach of the year in 2014 when she won the title in Phoenix, where she coached until 2021. What's at stake: No matter who wins, history will be made as the Lynx seek a record-breaking fifth* championship and the Liberty — the only still-active original WNBA franchise without a title — seek their first. Minnesota built a dynasty last decade behind Reeve and superstar Maya Moore, winning four titles from 2011-17, but this is their first trip back to the finals since then. The Liberty have played in five WNBA Finals, more than every team except the Lynx, but have yet to win it all. Pre-game reading: Three things to know *Tied at the top: The Lynx (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), Storm (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) and Comets (1997-2000) are tied with four titles each. ⚾️ MLB PLAYOFFS METS ADVANCE, DODGERS STAY ALIVE (Elsa/Getty Images) For the first time since 2015, the Mets are back in the NLCS, Jeff writes. ICYMI: The Mets beat the Phillies, 4-1, on Wednesday night in Queens to clinch a spot in MLB's final four. Francisco Lindor played the hero as he's done so many times this season, smashing a grand slam over the right-center-field fence in the sixth inning — the Mets' first postseason grand slam in 25 years. For the Phillies, it's the third straight disappointing playoff exit after trips to the World Series, NLCS and now NLDS in the last three Octobers ended with nothing but heartbreak. Wild stat: The 6-seed has now upset the 2-seed in the NLDS all three years since the playoffs expanded (Phillies over Braves in 2022, D-Backs over Dodgers in 2023, Mets over Phillies in 2024). Storybook season: New York still has plenty of work left to do, but the fact they just booked a trip to the NLCS would have been almost unthinkable a few months ago, when they were floundering in late May with a 22-33 record, third-worst in the NL. They didn't even clinch a playoff spot until that Hurricane-fueled doubleheader on the final day of the regular season, and a week ago they were two outs from elimination when Pete Alonso saved the day. Now, they're four wins away from the World Series. Somewhere, Grimace is smiling. Elsewhere: The Dodgers routed the Padres, 8-0, to force a winner-take-all Game 5, while the Tigers (3-0 over the Guardians) and Yankees (3-2 over the Royals) took 2-1 series leads 🏈 WEEK 6 NFL POWER RANKINGS: CHIEFS STILL ON TOP (Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports) The undefeated Chiefs and Vikings remain atop our Week 6 power rankings, courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab. Best division in football? Three of our top 10 teams (and four of our top 15) play in the NFC North, which is the only division to have all four teams above .500. Unsurprisingly, their 14 wins lead all divisions. NFC North (14 wins): Vikings (5-0), Lions (3-1), Packers (3-2), Bears (3-2). AFC West (12): Chiefs (5-0), Broncos (3-2), Chargers (2-2), Raiders (2-3). NFC East (11): Commanders (4-1), Cowboys (3-2), Eagles (2-2), Giants (2-3). NFC South (9): Falcons (3-2), Buccaneers (3-2), Saints (2-3), Panthers (1-4). AFC East (8): Bills (3-2), Jets (2-3), Dolphins (2-3), Patriots (1-4). AFC North (8): Ravens (3-2), Steelers (3-2), Browns (1-4), Bengals (1-4). AFC South (8): Texans (4-1), Colts (2-3), Titans (1-3), Jaguars (1-4). NFC West (8): Seahawks (3-2), Cardinals (2-3), 49ers (2-3), Rams (1-4). Yahoo Fantasy: Players to trade away/target ahead of Week 6 📺 WIN OR GO HOME WATCHLIST: ALDS ELIMINATION GAMES The Tigers mascot celebrates Wednesday's Game 3 victory. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) The ALDS resumes tonight in Detroit and Kansas City, where the Tigers and Yankees are a win away from the ALCS. Guardians (down 2-1) at Tigers (6:08pm ET, TNT/Max) Yankees (up 2-1) at Royals (8:08pm, TNT/Max) More to watch: 🏀 WNBA Finals: Lynx at Liberty (8pm, ESPN) 🏈 NFL: 49ers at Seahawks* (8:15pm, Prime) 🏈 NCAAF: Coastal Carolina at JMU (7:30pm, ESPN2); Middle Tennessee at Louisiana Tech (8pm, CBSSN); UTEP at Western Kentucky (8pm, ESPNU) *One-sided rivalry: The 49ers have won five straight over their NFC West rivals and it hasn't been particularly close, winning by an average of 15 points per game during the streak. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 11 Author Members Share Posted October 11 🏈 Commanders vs. Ravens = DMV Super Bowl Jayden Daniels (left) vs. Lamar Jackson. Photos: Christian Petersen/Getty Images and Patrick Smith/Getty Images If the Commanders beat the Ravens on Sunday, be prepared for the biggest bandwagon, hype train, supernova of fandom to consume Washington. Why it matters: Quarterback Jayden Daniels and co. are bouncing on a four-game winning streak, making this regional face-off the most hotly awaited game of football for D.C. in recent memory. State of play: The momentum fueling the Commanders (4-1) will collide with the high-power Baltimore Ravens (3-2) — and their star quarterback, Lamar Jackson. Everyone is comparing Daniels, a 23-year-old rookie, to Jackson, a 27-year-old 2x MVP. Both teams have electric offenses, so expect a high-scoring game. What they're saying: "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't wait for Commanders at Ravens. I mean, could this be a Super Bowl preview?" longtime sports commentator Skip Bayless posted on X. While many people wanted the game to be broadcast primetime, kickoff is 1pm, airing on CBS. What we're watching. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 12 Author Members Share Posted October 12 🎾 TENNIS LEGEND FAREWELL, RAFA (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) After beating nearly every opponent in his path over the past two decades, Rafael Nadal has finally admitted defeat to the only one who's never lost: Father Time. Farewell, Rafa: Nadal, 38, whose aging body is no longer able to keep up with his boundless spirit, announced on Thursday that he will retire after competing for Spain at the Davis Cup in November. "In this life, everything has a beginning and an end. And I think it's an appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined." — Nadal A legendary career: Nadal's 22 grand slam titles are the second-most ever (Novak Djokovic, 24), and he's one of just four men in the Open Era to capture a career grand slam by winning at least one of each major (Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andre Agassi). As good as he was on grass and hard courts, though, it's clay where he transformed into something else entirely. He went an astonishing 112-4 at the French Open, winning 14 titles on the red clay of Roland Garros. No other man has more than six. It's no wonder they built a statue of him outside the entrance. From Yahoo Sports' Liz Roscher: In a way, Nadal's retirement feels like the beating heart of the men's tour has been removed. His joy for tennis, and his gratitude for everything he had, could always be felt both on and off the court. Years of being in the spotlight as one of the most talented and competitive athletes on the planet can harden some people, but it didn't change Rafa. He never put on a character. He was always just himself. 🇺🇸 SNAPSHOTS PHOTOS ACROSS AMERICA (Elsa/Getty Images) Brooklyn — The Lynx beat the Liberty, 95-93 (OT), in an epic WNBA Finals opener that saw Minnesota become the first team in postseason history to win a game after trailing by 15+ points in the final five minutes of regulation. Teams were previously 0-183 in that scenario. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images) Kansas City — The Yankees beat the Royals, 3-1, to advance to their 11th ALCS this century. They'll now go home and get some rest before hosting either Detroit or Cleveland in Game 1 on Monday. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) Detroit — The Guardians staved off elimination with a 5-4 win over the Tigers. They'll play a winner-take-all Game 5 tomorrow in Cleveland. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images) Seattle — Brock Purdy (18/28, 255 yards, 3 TD) and the 49ers beat the Seahawks, 36-24, to win their sixth straight game against Seattle and tie them atop the NFC West at 3-3. ⚾️ MLB Playoffs: Padres (2-2) at Dodgers (Fri. 8pm, Fox); Tigers (2-2) at Guardians (Sat. 4:30pm, TBS) … Game 1 of the NLCS is on Sunday. 🏀 WNBA Finals: Lynx (1-0) at Liberty (Sun. 3pm, ABC) 🏈 NFL Sunday: Jaguars vs. Bears in London (9:30am, NFL); Commanders at Ravens* (1pm, CBS); Bengals at Giants (8:20pm, NBC) … Week 6. 🇺🇸 Friendly: USA vs. Panama (Sat. 9pm, TNT) ⚽️ NWSL: Portland vs. Orlando (Fri. 10pm, Prime); Utah vs. Seattle (Sun. 5pm, ESPN2) 🏁 NASCAR Playoffs: Charlotte (Sun. 2pm, NBC) … The final race in the Round of 12. 🏒 NHL: Penguins at Maple Leafs (Sat. 7pm, NHL); Flames at Oilers (Sun. 8pm, NHL) … First full weekend of games. 🥊 Boxing: Beterbiev vs. Bivol (Sat. 6pm, ESPN+ PPV) … In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to become the first undisputed light heavyweight champion in the four-belt era. *Jayden vs. Lamar: The first "Battle of the Beltway" since 2020 is one of the most hyped editions in recent memory, as the Commanders (4-1) and Ravens (3-2) are both in first place behind the electric play of early MVP contenders Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 13 Author Members Share Posted October 13 WNBA playoff ratings surge 142% over last year More people have tuned into the WNBA playoffs this year than at any time in the last 25 years. https://www.axios.com/2024/10/11/wnba-playoff-ratings-2024-record-high? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 15 Author Members Share Posted October 15 📸 Pic to go: New York no-no New York Mayor Eric Adams takes questions from reporters before taking part in the 80th annual Columbus Day Parade, in Manhattan yesterday. Photo: Anthony Behar/Sipa USA via Reuters Embattled NYC Mayor Eric Adams is facing another firestorm — for wearing a combo Mets-Yankees hat. Why it matters: "Adams' choice baffled baseball fans more than former Mayor Bill de Blasio's allegiance to the Boston Red Sox," the New York Post writes. Zoom in: New York sports teams — as a whole — are having one of their best moments in years. ⚾ The Yankees and Mets are making deep playoff runs, and could meet in the World Series for the first time since 2000. 🏀 The New York Liberty are in the WNBA Finals for the second straight year. 🏀 The Knicks are the best they've been since the '90s. 🏈 Reality check: The Giants and Jets are a combined 4-8 this season. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 15 Author Members Share Posted October 15 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES ⏱️ New world record: Kenya's Ruth Chepng'etich won her third Chicago Marathon on Sunday in a record time of 2:09:56, shattering the previous women's world record by almost two minutes. 🏀 Welcome to Springfield: Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups headlined the 2024 Basketball Hall of Fame Class, which was inducted on Sunday. ⚾️ Strong playoff viewership: MLB postseason viewership is up 18% over last year (3.33 million per game) and the Divisional Round was the most-watched since 2017 (3.56 million). 🏈 Sirianni apologizes: Eagles coach Nick Sirianni apologized for yelling at Eagles fans during Sunday's win over the Browns. ⚾️ Kershaw to return: Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw says he plans to return for his 18th MLB season. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is 32 strikeouts away from 3,000. 📸 SNAPSHOTS IN PHOTOS: NEW YORK TEAMS IN ACTION (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) The Empire State took center stage on Monday, with four teams playing in nationally-televised games. Los Angeles — After suffering a 9-0 beatdown in Game 1, the Mets responded with an emphatic 7-3 victory over the Dodgers to even the NLCS at a game apiece. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images) New York — Juan Soto hit a moonshot, Carlos Rodón got his first playoff victory, and the Yankees took advantage of Cleveland's wildness (seven walks, five wild pitches) en route to a 5-2 win in Game 1 of the ALCS. (Adam Hunger/AP Photo) East Rutherford, N.J. — The Bills brushed off Aaron Rodgers' Hail Mary and beat the Jets, 23-20, in a penalty-filled affair on "Monday Night Football." This is the ninth straight season that the Jets have had a losing streak of at least three games. 📺 ALCS WATCHLIST: GAME 2 IN THE BRONX (Sarah Stier/Getty Images) The Yankees host the Guardians tonight (7:30pm ET, TBS) as New York looks to go up 2-0 in the ALCS. By the numbers: When MLB teams take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series, they've won the series 76 out of 91 times (84%). More to watch: 🏒 NHL: Kraken at Predators (8pm, ABC); Flyers at Oilers (10pm, ESPN) ⚽️ Friendly: USA vs. Mexico* (10:30pm, TNT) … In Zapopan, Mexico. 🏈 NCAAF: Troy at South Alabama (7:30pm, ESPN2); Louisiana Tech at NMSU (9pm, ESPNU) 🏀 NBA Preseason: Warriors at Lakers (10pm, NBA) 🏀 NCAAM Preseason: UNC at Memphis (7:30pm, ESPNU) *Pregame reading: Mexico faces deepening crisis ahead of rivalry clash with USMNT Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 16 Author Members Share Posted October 16 Atlanta to host Super Bowl LXII in 2028 The NFL announced Tuesday that Super Bowl LXII will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2024/10/15/atlanta-super-bowl-2028? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 16 Author Members Share Posted October 16 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES 🏈 Trades galore: The Raiders traded WR Davante Adams to the Jets, the Browns traded WR Amari Cooper to the Bills and the Texans traded RB Cam Akers to the Vikings. 🏈 Brady's bid approved: Tom Brady has been on the minds of Raiders fans for more than two decades, ever since the "Tuck Rule" game. Now, he's a part owner of the team. ⚽️ BOS Nation: The NWSL's Boston expansion team unveiled its name (BOS Nation) and color scheme (green, black, pink) on Tuesday to mixed reviews. The club begins play in 2026. ⚾️ Gold Glove finalists: The nominations, voted on by MLB managers and coaches, contain three finalists at each position, including a utility position. ⚽️ England tabs Tuchel: Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel has been confirmed as the new England manager, replacing Gareth Southgate. 🏈 FIND YOUR TEAM NFL POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 7 (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports) With six weeks complete, we are officially one-third of the way through the NFL season. Where does your team fall in our latest power rankings? Top 5 teams: Chiefs (5-0): Next up for the Chiefs is perhaps the NFL's game of the year, a Super Bowl rematch at the 49ers. The Chiefs looked good in their first game without Rashee Rice, but this will be a much more telling challenge. Vikings (5-0): It's great fortune for Minnesota that it got the bye right before facing the Lions. The Vikings were resting up while Detroit lost its best defensive player, Aidan Hutchinson. Sunday's game is massive in the NFC North race. Ravens (4-2): Mark Andrews coming through with 66 yards and a touchdown might be the best news the Ravens had on Sunday. If they get him going after a very slow start, that's another dangerous piece to an offense that is looking unstoppable. Lions (4-1): Over Jared Goff's past two games he's 36-of-43 for 607 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. If he can solve the Vikings' defense on Sunday then you'll hear a lot more about how well he's playing. Texans (5-1): Maybe the Texans will miss Nico Collins (hamstring) at some point, but Houston has the depth to cover up for his absence in Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz. Not many teams can recover from being without the NFL's leading receiver. Keep reading: Teams 6-32 📸 SNAPSHOTS THE WORLD IN PHOTOS (Elsa/Getty Images) New York — Aaron Judge hit his first home run of the postseason and the Yankees beat the Guardians, 6-3, to take a 2-0 lead in the ALCS. Rest in peace, Johnny. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images) Columbus — The Blue Jackets paid tribute to Johnny Gaudreau during their first home game of the season, raising a banner in his honor and donning his No. 13 jersey during warm-ups. Mauricio Pochettino lost his first USA-Mexico rivalry match. (Eduardo Verdugo/AP Photo) Zapopan, Mexico — The USMNT sent a B-team to Mexico and lost its unbeaten streak vs. El Tri in pitiful fashion. Final score: 2-0. (Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images) Buenos Aires, Argentina — Lionel Messi went full Lionel Messi on Tuesday, scoring a hat trick and adding two assists in Argentina's 6-0 win over Bolivia in World Cup qualifying. But will he actually play in that World Cup? He declined to say. 📺 WNBA FINALS WATCHLIST: GAME 3 IN MINNEAPOLIS (Sarah Stier/Getty Images) The Lynx host the Liberty tonight (8pm ET, ESPN) in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. Who will take a 2-1 series lead? More to watch: ⚾️ NLCS: Dodgers (1-1) at Mets* (8pm, FS1) 🏒 NHL: Sabres at Penguins (7pm, TNT); Bruins at Avalanche (9:30pm, TNT) 🏀 NBA Preseason: Cavaliers at Pistons (7pm, NBA) 🏈 NCAAF: Western Kentucky at Sam Houston (7pm, ESPN2) *Pitching matchup: Walker Buehler (LAD) vs. Luis Severino (NYM) Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 18 Author Members Share Posted October 18 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES ⚾️ White Sox for sale? After the worst season in MLB history, Jerry Reinsdorf is reportedly seriously contemplating selling the White Sox. 🏀 Clark makes history: Caitlin Clark is the fifth rookie in league history to earn All-WNBA first team honors, joining Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Diana Taurasi and Candace Parker. 🏒 Penguins milestones: Evgeni Malkin became the 48th NHL player to score 500 goals, and Sidney Crosby became the 10th player to record 1,600 regular-season points. 🏈 NCAA closes loophole: The NCAA issued a rule change after Oregon's late 12-man penalty drained time against Ohio State. If a defense plays with 12 men in the final two minutes, the clock will now be reset. ⚽️ BOS Nation apologizes: The NWSL's newest expansion team released a public apology one day after unveiling the club's name and launching its "Too Many Balls" campaign, which didn't go over well with fans. 🏀 WNBA FINALS SABRINA FROM THE LOGO! Bang! (Adam Bettcher/NBAE via Getty Images) Sabrina Ionescu sank a deep three from just inside the halfcourt logo in the final seconds on Wednesday night to lift the Liberty past the Lynx, 80-77, in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. What she's saying: "I didn't really realize how far out I was," said Ionescu. "But it's a shot that I take often, a shot I take in practice, before the game. It's not like a 'Hail Mary, hope this goes in' … once I got it off, [I knew] it was in." The Lynx opened the game on a 21-7 tear in front of a franchise-record crowd of 19,521, but New York hung around and eventually battled back in the second half. The Liberty led for about two total minutes on the night, but that was enough for Breanna Stewart (30 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks) and her teammates to eke out a win. The comeback kids: After the Lynx fought back from 18 points down to take Game 1 (largest comeback in WNBA Finals history), the Liberty rallied from a 15-point deficit to win Game 3 (third-largest comeback). (David Berding/Getty Images) What's next: The Liberty are up 2-1 in the best-of-five series and can win their first WNBA championship tomorrow night in Minneapolis. 📺 ALCS/NLCS WATCHLIST: MLB DOUBLEHEADER (Elsa/Getty Images) The Yankees and Dodgers, led by the presumptive AL and NL MVPs, can move within a game of the World Series with victories tonight. ALCS: Yankees (2-0) at Guardians (5pm ET, TBS) NLCS: Dodgers (2-1) at Mets (8pm, FS1) More to watch: 🏈 NFL: Broncos at Saints* (8:15pm, Prime) 🏒 NHL: Flyers at Kraken (10pm, NBC) 🏈 NCAAF: Boston College at Virginia Tech (7:30pm, ESPN) 🏀 NBA Preseason: Bucks at Mavericks (7:30pm, TNT); Lakers at Suns (10pm, TNT) *Homecoming: Broncos head coach Sean Payton returns to New Orleans to take on his former team of 16 years. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 20 Author Members Share Posted October 20 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES ⚾️ Mets on the brink: Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts led the Dodgers to a 10-2 victory over the Mets, their fourth win by 8+ runs this postseason (tied for the most ever). New York trails 3-1 and must win at home tonight to save their season. 🏀 Why am I not shocked? Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is expected to be sidelined indefinitely to start the season with knee inflammation. Leonard hasn't played more than 60 games since the 2016-17 season. 🏈 Broncos 33, Saints 10: "It seems like they want to get their coach fired," said TNF's Richard Sherman during New Orleans' dismal performance in the Sean Payton Bowl. 🏎️ F1 ditches fastest lap: Starting next season, drivers will no longer get a bonus point for having the fastest lap. F1 introduced the bonus point in 2019 in an attempt to incentive drivers to push harder on fresh tires. 🏂 Wanted man: Ex-Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding is wanted by the FBI for allegedly running an international cocaine ring and orchestrating murders. They're offering $50,000 for information that leads to his capture. ⚾️ ALCS INSTANT CLASSIC: CLEVELAND 7, NEW YORK 5 What a night. (Jason Miller/Getty Images) The Guardians beat the Yankees, 7-5, on Thursday night in one of the most thrilling sporting events — baseball or otherwise — I've ever had the privilege of watching. What a finish: Cleveland had a 3-1 lead and all the momentum entering the eighth inning. Then the momentum swung about as far as it could in New York's direction... and then it swung back to Cleveland. Top 8: Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton hit back-to-back home runs off Emmanuel Clase, who had given up two homers (and five earned runs) all season. Judge's two-run shot tied the game at 3-3, and Stanton's blast gave New York the lead. Bottom 9: With Cleveland trailing 5-3 (New York added another run in the top of the ninth) and down to its final out, rookie Jhonkensy Noel hit the first game-tying, pinch-hit HR with two outs in the bottom of the ninth in MLB postseason history. Bottom 10: David Fry hit a walk-off blast that sent Progressive Field into a frenzy. What he's saying: "Everyone [on this team] generally loves each other. We come to the field excited to play," said Fry postgame. "We got punched in the mouth with the best pitcher in baseball, Emmanuel Clase, and it's like, he picked us up all year. It's time we pick him up." David Fry, you legend. (Jason Miller/Yahoo Sports) From Yahoo Sports' Jordan Shusterman… In the Guardians clubhouse postgame, the usual EDM beats thumped as a handful of players lingered about. Some scrolled on their phones. A quartet enjoyed a casual game of cards. Others chowed down on dinner. After a game that sent those in the seats into mass hysterics and left those in the press box in absolute shambles, seeing the players who produced such a classic fall into their traditional postgame routines was both difficult to comprehend and entirely understandable. These players, on both sides, have no choice but to turn the page. Unless your team has played its final game and been eliminated or won it all and raised the Commissioner's Trophy, there is simply no time to bathe in the beauty of any single enthralling victory or wallow in the despair of an especially devastating defeat. It’s on to the next one. The beauty — and absurdity — of this sport is that these teams will show up on Friday and play again, as if the events of Thursday night don't require far more time to process. As soon as the first pitch of Game 4 is thrown, the feelings of Game 3 will fade for the players on the field, as a new task of utmost importance emerges before them. For the Yankees, Game 4 represents an opportunity to take one more step toward the World Series appearance the franchise has been craving for 15 years. As brutal as the outcome of Game 3 was, New York remains in an enviable position, up 2-1 in this best-of-seven. The Guardians, meanwhile, have a chance to even the series and transform it into a best-of-three just 48 hours after the odds were firmly stacked against them. Game 3 will be reminisced about in living rooms and sports bars across Northeast Ohio for years to come, but its true magnitude within the story of the 2024 Guardians is far from determined. Perhaps it will be merely a fantastic footnote in another campaign that came up short; perhaps it will be something much, much more. 🍿 Bonus highlight: Guardians 2B Andrés Giménez and 1B Josh Naylor combined to make a spectacular play in the top of the 10th. 🏒 SALARY CAP DO SOME NHL TEAMS HAVE AN UNFAIR TAX ADVANTAGE? (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Four of the past five Stanley Cup champions play in states that don't collect income taxes, and seven of the last eight Stanley Cup Finals have featured at least one such team (in bold below): 2024: Panthers def. Oilers 2023: Golden Knights def. Panthers 2022: Avalanche def. Lightning 2021: Lightning def. Canadiens 2020: Lightning def. Stars 2019: Blues def. Bruins 2018: Capitals def. Golden Knights 2017: Penguins def. Predators Is that a problem? Obviously, the NHL is not the only league with varying tax codes. But this recent run of success by teams in Florida, Nevada, Texas and Tennessee has ignited a debate over whether thy have an unfair advantage in signing players at below-market rates, The Athletic reports ($). What they're saying: The NHL is monitoring the situation, but "there are no easy fixes," says deputy commissioner Bill Daly. "I just think there's so much that goes into the equation of where a player wants to play, what he's willing to take to play there. And a lot of that has to do with team chemistry and how teams are constructed and how the player sees himself fitting into the team in terms of their needs." "Having said that, obviously there's chatter out there, specifically in the Canadian media, that the Canadian franchises are disadvantaged. We'll continue to monitor it. … If we have the next 10 years similar to the last five, then maybe it’s something that needs to be addressed." To give an example: Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar would be making roughly $1 million more annually on his current $6.25 million a year contract if he played in Florida instead of Calgary. But he's not bothered by that, he told The Athletic. "The contracts are already big enough. You don't really notice the tax too, too much. You're still living pretty comfortably. So I'd say, start winning, you'll get your guys to come in, and your free agents that want to play there. ... Ultimately, Tampa, Florida, Nashville, the teams are winning." One potential solution? Calculate the salary cap by net pay, which would take income tax into account. (This is probably too complicated to actually happen). Worth noting: The three tax-advantaged champions that sparked this conversation are all in Florida this week. The Golden Knights played the Lightning last night (Tampa won 4-3), and they play the Panthers tomorrow. 📆 ON THIS DAY OCT. 18, 1974: THE FIRST QUADRUPLE-DOUBLE Nate the Great. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images) 50 years ago today, Nate Thurmond recorded the NBA's first quadruple-double in the Bulls' 120-115 win over the Hawks. The rarest of feats: There have been four quadruple-doubles in league history, and they all came within a 20-year span from 1974-94. Thurmond (1974): 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, 12 blocks Alvin Robertson (1986): 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals Hakeem Olajuwon (1990): 18 points, 16 rebounds, 11 blocks, 10 assists David Robinson (1994): 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 blocks One is not like the others… Thurmond, Olajuwon and Robinson were all 6-foot-11 or taller. Robertson was 6-foot-3, which would explain why he's the only one who stuffed his stat sheet with steals instead of blocks. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 21 Author Members Share Posted October 21 New York Liberty win their first WNBA title and celebrate the end of a long odyssey NEW YORK (AP) — As confetti fell and Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” blared through the arena, the New York Liberty celebrated the end of a long odyssey. https://apnews.com/article/wnba-finals-lynx-liberty-score-game-5-64d2a724bc33bbec219dee826b5376ca? WNBA Finals After 28 years, the New York Liberty clinched the franchise's first WNBA title on Sunday. The Liberty defeated a relentless Minnesota Lynx team 67-62 in overtime in a winner-take-all Game 5. Nyara Sabally was New York's unexpected star at the high-energy matchup in Brooklyn. Coming into Sunday, she averaged 2.8 points per game in the Finals but came alive to score 13 points in Game 5. With under six seconds remaining in regulation and down two, the Liberty's Breanna Stewart, a two-time WNBA Finals MVP, hit two clutch free throws to force the extra session. Sabally had a key block in OT too — stuffing Napheesa Collier's attempt to tie the game. New York was the only original WNBA franchise without a ring. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 22 Author Members Share Posted October 22 👋 Good morning! Who ya got in the World Series: The city of angels? Or the city that never sleeps? In today's edition: Liberty win first title, Yankees and Dodgers advance, college football's new No. 1 team, NFL Sunday recap, Fisk waves it fair, Baker's Dozen and more. 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES ⚽️ Messi, Miami make history: Lionel Messi scored a stunning 11-minute hat trick to help Inter Miami beat New England, 6-2, and break the MLS record for most points in a single season. Next up: The MLS Cup Playoffs. 🏎️ Ferrari dominates in Texas: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished 1-2 in Sunday's U.S. Grand Prix., while Red Bull's Max Verstappen held off McLaren's Lando Norris to finish third. ⛵️ Kiwis three-peat: New Zealand sailed past Great Britain to win its third consecutive America's Cup, the oldest international competition still operating in any sport (dates back to 1853). 👊 Ngannou KOs Ferreira: Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou needed a little over a minute to get Renan Ferreira to the ground. He needed just a few more minutes to put him to sleep. 🏁 Logano seizes the moment: Joey Logano, reinstated into the playoff field after Alex Bowman's car failed inspection, won in Las Vegas to clinch a spot in NASCAR's championship finale next month in Phoenix. 🏀 WNBA FINALS CHAMPIONS AT LAST: LIBERTY END 28-YEAR DROUGHT (Yahoo Sports) The Liberty beat the Lynx, 67-62 (OT), in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday night in Brooklyn to win the franchise's first championship. The sixth time's the charm: The Liberty are one of the original four WNBA franchises and have a long history of winning — just not in the Finals. They came up short in their first five trips (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003) before finally breaking through this year. Game recap: New York found a way to win despite unbelievably bad shooting nights from their two best players, Breanna Stewart (13 points, 4-15 FG) and Sabrina Ionescu (5 points, 1-19 FG). WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones stepped up with a team-leading 17 points and Nyara Sabally exploded for 13 points after scoring 11 in the first four games combined. Napheesa Collier (22 points) and Kayla McBride (21 points) paced Minnesota, which was making its record seventh WNBA Finals appearance (4-3 record). Controversial call: Stewart drew a shooting foul in the final seconds of regulation that allowed the Liberty to tie the game… but there wasn't much contact (and she traveled!). Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve didn't hold back in her postgame interview... "It's a shame that officiating had such a hand in a series like this. I thought today was incredibly disappointing. That decided the game. … I know all the headlines will be 'Reeve cries foul.' Bring it on. Bring it on. Because the sh*t was stolen from us." Breanna Stewart celebrates with her family. (Elsa/Getty Images) Best WNBA Finals ever? Four close games, two of which required overtime. A historic 18-point comeback (and a 15-point comeback). Sabrina's game-winner from the logo. Record-setting crowds for both teams. This series delivered. Game 1: Lynx 95, Liberty 93 (OT) Game 2: Liberty 80, Lynx 66 Game 3: Liberty 80, Lynx 77 Game 4: Lynx 82, Liberty 80 Game 5: Liberty 67, Lynx 62 (OT) Congrats, New Yorkers: This is the first pro basketball championship for New York City since 1976 (ABA's Nets) and the first sports title for Brooklyn since 1955 (Dodgers). ⚾️ WORLD SERIES CLASH OF THE TITANS: YANKEES VS. DODGERS (Yahoo Sports) The Yankees and Dodgers finished atop their respective leagues. Now, the two storied franchises — both rich in history and talent — will meet in what should be one of the most-watched World Series in recent memory. Head-to-head: This is New York's 44th World Series appearance (most) but only their first since 2009. This is Los Angeles' 22nd appearance (second-most) and their fourth in eight years. A rivalry, renewed: Yankees-Dodgers is the most common postseason pairing in MLB history, dating back to the 1940s when they were both in New York. This is their record 12th World Series matchup — though it's been 43 years since they last met in the Fall Classic. 1941: Yankees 4, Dodgers 1 1947: Yankees 4, Dodgers 3 1949: Yankees 4, Dodgers 1 1952: Yankees 4, Dodgers 3 1953: Yankees 4, Dodgers 2 1955: Dodgers 4, Yankees 3 1956: Yankees 4, Dodgers 3 1963: Dodgers 4, Yankees 0 1977: Yankees 4, Dodgers 2 1978: Yankees 4, Dodgers 2 1981: Dodgers 4, Yankees 2 Judge vs. Ohtani: This will be the first World Series with 50-HR hitters on both sides, and one of only a few to feature both the AL and NL MVP (Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are virtual locks to win). Juan Soto, Mookie Betts and stars aplenty will be there, too. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 23 Author Members Share Posted October 23 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES 🏀 WNBPA opts out: The WNBA players union has opted out of their current CBA in a push for a more lucrative deal. The contract was set to expire in 2027, but the players backing out bumps that up by a year. ⚾️ World Series tix ain't cheap: The cheapest tickets on StubHub for Friday's opener at Dodger Stadium are $1,216 (as of this morning). Game 2 is even more expensive ($1,254) and the prices keep climbing for Games 3 and 4 in New York (~$1,330). 🏈 MNF double feature: Lamar Jackson (5 TD) and the Ravens scored 34 straight points in a 41-31 victory over the Bucs; James Conner's big plays saved the Cardinals in an ugly 17-15 win over the Chargers. 🏀 Preseason All-Americans: Duke freshman Cooper Flagg joins five fifth-year seniors (UNC's RJ Davis, Alabama's Mark Sears, Kansas' Hunter Dickinson, Auburn's Johni Broome, Arizona's Caleb Love) on the men's preseason AP All-America team. 🏈 Have a day, ABC: Georgia-Texas was the most-watched college football game this season (12.9 million viewers) and Alabama-Tennessee ranked third (10.7 million). Both games were on ABC. Kia NBA Tip-Off begins tonight at 7:30pm ET on TNT with a thrilling doubleheader: the New York Knicks face off against the Boston Celtics, followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves taking on the Los Angeles Lakers. 30 TEAMS, 5 TIERS NBA HIERARCHY: RANKING TEAMS BY TIERS (Dillon Marshall/Yahoo Sports) The defending champion Celtics are widely considered the NBA's best team entering the 2024-25 season, but the Thunder — who still have the league's youngest roster — and the new-look Knicks aren't far behind. Tier rankings: Using BetMGM title odds as a guide, I grouped the NBA's 30 teams into five preseason tiers. I also included the "biggest question" facing each franchise, with links to our full team-by-team previews. TIER 1: FAVORITES Celtics (+325): Are the champs as motivated to repeat? Thunder (+500): Are they really ready to win it all? Knicks (+650): Will their offseason moves all be worth it? TIER 2: CONTENDERS 76ers (+1000): Can Joel Embiid dominate a whole season? Nuggets (+1100): Can they stem the tide of attrition? Mavericks (+1200): Can they return to the Finals… and win? Timberwolves (+1200): Will moving KAT keep them atop the West? Bucks (+1400): Does added depth solve team’s woes? Suns (+2000): Was a point guard all that was missing? TIER 3: THE MESSY MIDDLE Cavaliers (+3500): Can this core four hang with East elite? Grizzlies (+3500): Can they stay healthy and find right balance? Lakers (+4000): Can LeBron + AD still give you a chance? Magic (+4000): Can this young core keep rising? Warriors (+4000): What do the post-Klay Warriors look like? Heat (+5000): Is there a path to a contention-caliber offense? Pelicans (+5000): Can they make the roster make sense? Pacers (+6600): Is this the beginning of something real? Kings (+6600): Does DeMar make them talented enough? Rockets (+8000): Do they stay the course or make a big splash? TIER 4: NON-CONTENDERS Clippers (+12500): Which Kawhi Leonard will they get? Spurs (+15000): Is Wembanyama ready for primetime? Hawks (+50000): Can they build around Trae Young? Jazz (+50000): Who is the future of the franchise? Bulls (+100000): When will the Zach LaVine era end? Pistons (+100000): Is Cade Cunningham a foundational star? Raptors (+100000): Do they have a core worth building around? TIER 5: "WE APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE TO OUR FANS" Hornets (+100000): Is LaMelo Ball the player to lead them? Nets (+100000): Who is on the roster in two years? Trail Blazers (+100000): Is there really a cornerstone here? Wizards (+100000): How long will this rebuild take? NBA Survival Guide: Expert analysis, predictions, schedules, fantasy insights and power rankings EXPERT PICKS SEASON PREDICTIONS (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports) Postseason picks: Four of our experts believe the Celtics are destined to repeat. The other two are picking the Thunder to hoist their first trophy since moving to Oklahoma City — and the second in franchise history (Seattle won in 1979). (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports) Awards picks: Luka Dončić is the preseason MVP favorite (+380), but our experts are higher on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (second-best odds at +475), who finished runner-up to Nikola Jokić last season. GO DEEPER PREGAME READING (Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports) Ben Rohrbach: The Bill Russell Scale: How LeBron, KD and Steph can leap legends Welcome to the fourth annual edition of The Bill Russell Scale, "an unbiased ranking of unassailable players," where we assess everyone's legacies based on how close their careers come to perfection. (J'Kel Anderson/Yahoo Sports) Kevin O'Connor: 7 players who will tilt the 2025 title race Even the smallest changes — a new role for a key piece, the addition of a player, or the health of a veteran — could swing the pendulum between a season brimming with championship promise and a slow slide toward an inevitable early exit. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) Dan Titus: The Blueprint: Fantasy Basketball draft cheat sheet Welcome to the 2024-25 Fantasy Basketball Blueprint, where we channel the spirit of Jay-Z's iconic trilogy (and others from Jay-Z's deep catalog) to help you orchestrate a championship-winning team. Speaking of Yahoo Fantasy... I drafted my team last night (first pick: Anthony Edwards at No. 6). How's my roster look? NBA STAT: "DUNK SCORE" (Giphy) The NBA has a new metric this season called "Dunk Score," which will analyze every dunk in every game to find out which slams rise above the rest. How it works: The NBA will use new "pose tracking" data to capture over 25 elements of the dunk (think: vertical jump, takeoff distance, ball speed, defender proximity). That will generate a composite score, which will be broken into four sub-scores: Jump Power Style Defensive Contest Per the league: "Just like any debate over the best dunk, the sub-scores are a blend of objective measurements and subjective evaluation. The sub-scores are all given weights and put together into a model that produces the final quantified value of the dunk. It all happens in a matter of seconds and we hope it settles (or starts) years of debate around the best in-game dunks." Ant-Man forever. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) Dunk of the year: The best slam from last season based on the "Dunk Score" it would have received? Anthony Edwards baptizing John Collins. The NBA's 79th season begins tonight with a star-studded doubleheader on TNT.* Boston: Knicks at Celtics (7:30pm ET) Los Angeles: Timberwolves at Lakers (10:30pm) Like father, like son: LeBron and Bronny James could debut as teammates tonight, and another famous father-son duo will be there to see it. "I'm actually going to the game [with] my dad," Ken Griffey Jr. said Monday. "We made history, now we get to watch history." More to watch: ⚽️ MLS Playoffs: No. 8 Montréal vs. No. 9 Atlanta (7:30pm, Apple) … Eastern Conference Wild Card 🏒 NHL: Frozen Frenzy (6-9pm, ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN+) … 32 teams, 16 games, 1 night ⚽️ Champions League: Matchday 3 of 8 (12:45-3pm, Paramount+) *The Last Hurrah: Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal return tonight for the 35th season of "Inside the NBA." With TNT set to lose its NBA media rights in 2025, this will be the last year for the award-winning show, at least in its current format. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 25 Author Members Share Posted October 25 👋 Good morning! The NBA and NHL are back, the NFL is hitting its stride, the MLS Playoffs just started and the World Series begins in two days. What a time. In today's edition: The global game, LeBron and Bronny make history, Ohtani's 50-50 home run ball sells at auction, "Game 7" on Prime, and more. 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES 🏈 This just in: The Chiefs are reportedly finalizing a trade for Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins to help strengthen their injury-plagued receiving corps. 🏀 WNBA Finals ratings: Game 5 drew an average of 2.2 million viewers (and peaked at 3.3 million), the highest viewership for the championship series since the 1990s. 💔 RIP Fernando: Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela has died at age 63, the team announced. "Fernandomania" forever. 💵 UFC antitrust lawsuit: A 10-year legal battle appears to finally be over, as a judge approved a $375 million settlement between the UFC and its former athletes. 🏈 Kupp on the block: The Rams are reportedly looking to trade WR Cooper Kupp in exchange for a second-round pick. They've been in contact with multiple teams. 🏀 OPENING NIGHT THE NBA IS A GLOBAL GAME (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) The NBA's global growth remains on display this season: opening night rosters feature a record-tying 125 international players from a record-tying 43 countries, Jeff writes. Where are they from? Canada (21) leads the way for the 11th consecutive season, followed by France (14), Australia (13), Germany (8) and Serbia (6). Europe (61) has the most non-U.S. players of any continent, followed by North America (28), Africa (17), Australia (13), Asia (4) and South America (1). By the numbers: All 30 teams have at least one international player, led by the Thunder and Trail Blazers with seven each. The All-NBA teams have featured at least five international players for six straight seasons, and 15 active international players have been All-Stars. Three of them have won the last six MVP Awards: Serbia's Nikola Jokić (3x), Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo (2x) and Cameroon's Joel Embiid. The new normal: This is the fourth straight year with at least 120 international players on opening night NBA rosters, and the 11th straight year with at least 100. But it wasn't always like this… In 1992, the year the Dream Team went to Barcelona, there were 23 non-U.S. players in the NBA. At the turn of the century, there were 36. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 25 Author Members Share Posted October 25 Japan prepares to cheer on Ohtani and the Dodgers, and the country is dressing for the occasion TOKYO (AP) — Jiro Nishi wore a New York Mets cap as he browsed a Tokyo sporting goods store this week that boasts the largest array of MLB gear in Japan. https://apnews.com/article/shohei-ohtani-world-series-dodgers-yankees-1176ce6989deed97fbf0ab06a4c99e0c? 2024 World Series on pace to be highest-selling in history Tickets to the 2024 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are on track to being the highest-selling in years on Vivid Seats and StubHub. https://www.axios.com/2024/10/23/2024-world-series-highest-selling-ticket-prices? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 26 Author Members Share Posted October 26 🏈 FOUR WINNING TEAMS THE BEST DIVISION IN FOOTBALL (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) The 2024 NFC North is a juggernaut. The Lions (5-1), Vikings (5-1), Packers (5-2) and Bears (4-2) are all in the top 12 of our latest power rankings as we near the midway point of the season, and all four teams would make the playoffs if they started today. By the numbers: The NFC North is 17-4 (with a +213 scoring differential) against outside competition, and all four losses have come by six points or fewer against teams that had winning records last year. There's not really a "bad" loss in the lot. Record by division: NFC North: 19-6 AFC West: 15-10 NFC East: 14-12 AFC North: 13-14 AFC South: 12-15 NFC West: 11-15 NFC South: 11-16 AFC East: 10-17 Consider this: Detroit (+62), Minnesota (+61), Green Bay (+47) and Chicago (+43) are all +40 or better in point differential. Only four other teams in the entire NFL can say that: Washington (+66), Buffalo (+63), Pittsburgh (+60) and Kansas City (+43). Best division ever? The NFC North entered Sunday with the best winning percentage through six weeks (.773) of any division in the Super Bowl era. All they've done since then is take down two first-place teams, with Green Bay beating Houston and Detroit handing Minnesota its first loss.* *NFC North vs. NFC North: As you might expect from such a strong division, the internal competition has been fierce. Both divisional games have gone down to the wire and ended in the same 31-29 score (Lions over Vikings on Sunday, Vikings over Packers in Week 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 October 27 Author Members Share Posted October 27 ⚾ 1 fun thing: Historic rivalry Jackie Robinson steals home during the 1955 World Series at Yankee Stadium. Photo: Frank Hurley/N.Y. Daily News via Getty Images The World Series will bring back a historic rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees that hasn't been seen in the Fall Classic since 1981, Axios' Russell Contreras writes. Why it matters: This World Series contest — which starts tonight (8:08 p.m. ET, Fox) will feature the four hardest-hitting players in baseball: Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Giancarlo Stanton and Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers — originally from Brooklyn — moved to L.A. in 1958, but their World Series rivalry continued. The two most storied franchises in Major League Baseball have met 11 times in the World Series (Yankees have won 8, Dodgers 3). They've faced off amid a looming World War II, immigration transformations, racial desegregation and urban unrest. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 27 Author Members Share Posted October 27 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES 🏀 NBA investigates 76ers: The NBA has opened an investigation into the 76ers regarding Joel Embiid's participation. He's set to miss at least the first three games of the season due to "left knee management." ⚾️ Could Ohtani pitch? Some have speculated that Shohei Ohtani could come out of the bullpen in a tight spot during the World Series, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says there's "no possibility" of that happening. 🏀 Teams revealed: Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 women's basketball league tipping off in January, has announced the names and branding for its six teams: Laces, Mist, Rose, Lunar Owls, Phantom and Vinyl. ⚾️ Reds to honor Rose: The Reds and Pete Rose's family will hold a visitation for baseball's all-time hits leader at Great American Ball Park next month. The team will also honor him with "Pete Rose Day" on May 14. 💔 Gone too soon: USF men's basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, a rising star in the college coaching ranks, died Thursday after a battle with an aggressive illness. He was 43. ⚾️ WORLD SERIES INTERVIEW: MLB NETWORK'S MARK DEROSA (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports) The World Series begins tonight in Los Angeles. To preview the matchup, I spoke with former player and current MLB Network star Mark DeRosa, who will be covering the action. Some highlights from our conversation… MVP pick: "Over the course of 162, Juan Soto's focus and discipline within the strike zone is unmatched, and it showed itself big time in the ALCS. The confidence with which he played — he was so in control and in command for every big at-bat — was impressive. I'm gonna say he heads into free agency in 2026 with the World Series MVP." The Dodgers bullpen: "One of the big storylines for me is, you kind of know what the Dodgers are gonna do. They're limited starting pitching-wise due to all their injuries, so you're gonna see a steady diet of a nasty Dodgers bullpen. Dave Roberts has to play it that way. If Jack Flaherty's in trouble, he's gotta come out. Same with Yamamoto in Game 2." The Yankees starters: "The Yankees starters have a big advantage on paper, and they have to be the story. Their bullpen, regardless of statistics, isn't as talented as the Dodgers bullpen, and it can't be a race to get there. Gerrit Cole's gotta give them length tonight. Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, all these guys… their strength needs to be a massive strength for them." DeRosa (left) joined MLB Network in 2013 and has co-hosted the morning program “MLB Central" since 2015. (MLB Network) The X-Factor: "The Yankees have to play clean baseball. I think fundamentally, they've played undisciplined baseball for the majority of the season. They don't run the bases great, they don't do the little things great, but the stars kind of cover it up. I don't think you can do that against the Dodgers. For example, you can't send Gleyber Torres in the first inning tonight — like they did in Cleveland — and get him thrown out at home. That can't happen in this series." The best infield in baseball… Here's DeRosa on the infield at Dodger Stadium, which hosts Games 1 and 2 (and Games 6 and 7 if needed): Every day in spring training, my heaven was when we'd go 20 minutes of ground balls. I ate that up. That was like heaven on Earth for me. And when you get a chance to get to the big leagues and move around all these different parks, they're all beautiful. But you get out to Dodger Stadium and I swear to you… The infield grass is like Augusta National. The dirt is perfectly watered. The lip, there is no lip. If you die and go to heaven and there's a baseball infield, this is it. You don't need a glove here. There are no bad hops. I never feared a ball being hit to me in a big spot in this place. 📺 FALL CLASSIC WATCHLIST: THE 120TH WORLD SERIES Dodger Stadium during Game 6 of the NLCS. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) The 120th World Series begins tonight in Los Angeles as the Dodgers and Yankees face off in the postseason for a record 12th time. Game 1: Jack Flaherty vs. Gerrit Cole (Fri. 8:08pm ET, Fox) Game 2: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Carlos Rodón (Sat. 8:08pm, Fox) More to watch: ⚽️ MLS Cup Playoffs: Miami vs. Atlanta (Fri. 8:30pm, Apple); LA Galaxy vs. Colorado (Sat. 11pm, Apple); Orlando vs. Charlotte (Sun. 7:30pm, FS1); LAFC vs. Vancouver (Sun. 9:45pm, FS1) … Round One, Game 1. 🏈 NFL Sunday: Eagles at Bengals (1pm, CBS); Falcons at Buccaneers (1pm, Fox); Bills at Seahawks (4:05pm, Fox); Bears at Commanders (4:25pm, CBS); Cowboys at 49ers (8:20pm, NBC) … Week 8. 🏈 CFB: No. 17 Boise State at UNLV (Fri. 10:30pm, CBSSN); No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 24 Navy (Sat. 12pm, ABC); No. 20 Illinois at No. 1 Oregon (Sat. 3:30pm, CBS); No. 8 LSU at No. 14 Texas A&M (Sat. 7:30pm, ABC) … Week 9. 🏀 NBA: Pacers at Knicks (Fri. 7:30pm, ESPN); Suns at Lakers (Fri. 10pm, ESPN); Clippers at Nuggets (Sat. 5pm, NBA); Magic at Grizzlies (Sat. 8pm, NBA); Kings at Lakers (Sat. 10:30pm, NBA) ⚽️ LaLiga: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona (Sat. 3pm, ESPN+) … The 258th El Clásico. ⚽️ NWSL: KC Current vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC (Fri. 8pm, CBSSN) … Final of the NWSL x LigaMX Femenil Summer Cup. Plus… Arsenal vs. Liverpool (Sun. 12:30pm, Peacock); Inter vs. Juventus (Sun. 1pm, Paramount+); USWNT vs. Iceland (Sun. 5:30pm, TNT); F1's Mexican Grand Prix (Sun. 4pm, ABC); NASCAR Playoffs in Miami (Sun. 2:30pm, NBC); PGA Tour's Zozo Championship (Fri-Sat, Golf); UFC 308 (Sat. 2pm, ESPN+ PPV). Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 28 Author Members Share Posted October 28 📸 World Series palate cleanser Photo: Mark Holtzman of West Coast Aerial Photography. Used by kind permission This stunning photo — taken from a Cessna 206! — shows four Navy fighter jets flying over Dodger Stadium on Friday before Game 1 of the World Series. The Dodgers took a two-game lead over the Yankees with back-to-back wins in Los Angeles. ⚾ Stunning stat: The previous two times these teams squared off in the World Series, the team that lost the first two games away from home came back to win the next four and take home the title. (AP) Game 3 is tonight in the Bronx (8 p.m. ET, Fox). Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 29 Author Members Share Posted October 29 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES 🏀 Statue gone wrong: The Heat honored franchise legend Dwyane Wade with a statue outside their arena. Unfortunately, the statue looks nothing like him. ⚽️ United make a change: Erik ten Hag has been sacked as Manchester United manager, the club announced this morning. Ruud van Nistelrooy will take over as interim head coach. 🏀 Fever fire Sides: Caitlin Clark is getting a new head coach. The Fever parted ways with Christie Sides on Sunday, just weeks after she led Indiana to its first playoff appearance since 2016. She went 33-47 in two seasons. 🏒 San Jose stinks (again): The Sharks are the first team in NHL history to go winless through nine games in back-to-back seasons. They started 0-10-1 last year before notching their first win, and they're currently 0-7-2. 🏁 Racing roundup: Tyler Reddick won a playoff race to put Michael Jordan (his team's owner) in the NASCAR title race; Ferrari's Carlos Sainz won the Mexico City GP for his second victory of the season and fourth of his F1 career. Happy Sports Equinox! Today is the 31st time in history that the "Big Four" North American sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL) are all in action on the same day. ⚾️ MLB: The Yankees host the Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series (8:08pm ET, Fox) as New York looks to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole. 🏈 NFL: The Steelers host the Giants in Pittsburgh (8:15pm, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2), where they haven't lost a Monday night game since 1991, a streak of 21 straight wins. 🏀 NBA: 11 games, with two star-studded matchups on NBA TV: Bucks at Celtics (7:30pm) and Lakers at Suns (10pm). 🏒 NHL: 8 games, headlined by Maple Leafs at Jets (7:30pm, Prime) on "Monday Night Hockey." Winnipeg (8-0-0) is the only unbeaten team remaining. But wait, there's more… For the fourth straight year, MLS will also be in action during the Sports Equinox. Cincinnati hosts NYC FC (6:45pm, FS1) and Seattle hosts Houston (8:50pm, FS1) to open their best-of-three Round One series in the MLS Cup Playoffs. ⚾️ LAD 2, NYY 0 WORLD SERIES: BOTH TEAMS HAVE HISTORY ON THEIR SIDE Freeman drops his bat after hitting a walk-off grand slam on Friday. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) The Dodgers will take the field tonight at Yankee Stadium with all the momentum having won the first two games of the World Series. Surely, history is on their side, right? Yes and no. On one hand: MLB teams that take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven postseason series have gone on to win the series 77 of 92 times (84%). On the other hand: The last two times the Yankees and Dodgers met in the World Series (1978 and 1981), the home team won the first two games… then lost the next four. 3 storylines: 🚑 Ohtani injury watch: Shohei Ohtani left Game 2 with a partially dislocated left shoulder but is expected to be in the lineup tonight. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said initial tests on Saturday were positive and that Ohtani was "in a great spot" on Sunday. 🔥 Freddie's on fire: Freddie Freeman has one healthy ankle — and two home runs. The lefty slugger hit the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history on Friday and went yard again on Saturday. 🧊 Judge is ice cold: Among players with at least 200 postseason at-bats, only two have a sub-.200 batting average: Reggie Sanders (.195) and Aaron Judge (.199). The pending AL MVP is 1-for-9 in the World Series and 6-for-40 in these playoffs, with an alarming whiff rate.* Good read: Have the Dodgers broken Aaron Judge? (Jake Mintz, Yahoo Sports) *Swing and a miss: Judge has whiffed on 47 of his 109 swings this October (43.1%). For reference: The highest whiff rate by any player during the regular season was 36.4%. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 29 Author Members Share Posted October 29 👋 Good morning! The Sports Equinox wasn't kind to New York: the Yankees, Giants, Knicks and NYC FC all lost. In today's edition: Dodgers go up 3-0, Steelers extend Monday night winning streak, WNBA firing spree, the Tommy John World Series, Messi for MVP, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. To read in your browser, click here. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe for free. Let's sports… 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES ⚽️ Ballon d'Or drama: Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d'Or over Real Madrid forward and heavy favorite Vinícius Júnior, whose club boycotted the ceremony. Barcelona's Aitana Bonmatí won the women's award for the second straight year. 🏈 Chiefs make another trade: A week after acquiring WR DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans, the Chiefs acquired edge rusher Joshua Uche from the Patriots in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. ⚾️ "Best day of my life": The 10-year-old kid who caught Freddie Freeman's historic walk-off grand slam didn't know he was going to the game until he got to Dodger Stadium. His parents told him he was going to the dentist. 🏈 Tuttle retires: Michigan QB Jack Tuttle medically retired from football after suffering his fifth concussion. 🎉 SO MANY SPORTS SPORTS EQUINOX: HOW IT UNFOLDED The Dodgers are one win away from glory. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images) The "Big Four" sports leagues were all in action on Monday during the 31st Sports Equinox, which also featured two MLS playoff games. ⚾️ Yankees on the brink: Freddie Freeman homered for the fifth straight World Series game, Walker Buehler tossed yet another gem and the Dodgers beat Aaron Judge (.140 AVG this postseason) and the Yankees, 4-2, to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.* 🏈 Pittsburgh loves Mondays: The first-place Steelers beat the reeling Giants, 26-18, to improve to 6-2 and win their 22nd straight Monday night home game dating back to 1992. Daniel Jones fell to 1-15 in primetime. 🏀 Banchero drops 50: Paolo Banchero recorded the first 50-point game of the NBA season (and added 13 rebounds and 9 assists) in the Magic's 119-115 win over the Pacers. The former No. 1 overall pick had 37 points in the first half alone. 🏒 No more unbeatens: John Tavares notched his 12th career hat trick (T-7th most among active players) in the Maple Leafs' 6-4 win over the Jets, who entered the night as the NHL's only remaining undefeated team. *The Yankees need a miracle: MLB teams that take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series have gone on to win the series 39 of 40 times (98%), including 31 sweeps. The only team to come back from 3-0 down and win? The curse-breaking Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS (against the Yankees, of course). ⚾️ UNDER THE KNIFE THE TOMMY JOHN WORLD SERIES Buehler has undergone two Tommy John surgeries, in 2015 and 2022. (Al Bello/Getty Images) Walker Buehler and Clarke Schmidt, last night's World Series starters, have something in common with not only each other but nearly 40% of MLB pitchers: They both had Tommy John surgery to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in their elbow, Jeff writes. Wild stat: A staggering 38.8% of pitchers who took the mound this season (or spent the year on the Injured List) have had Tommy John surgery, according to data compiled by baseball writer Jon Roegele. That's up from 27.4% just eight years ago. The Tommy John World Series: The Dodgers (17) and Yankees (16) used the most pitchers during the regular season who've had Tommy John*, and they each have seven of those hurlers on their World Series rosters. Dodgers: Buehler, Daniel Hudson, Ryan Brasier, Brusdar Graterol, Brent Honeywell, Anthony Banda, Michael Kopech Yankees: Schmidt, Clay Holmes, Mark Leiter Jr, Carlos Rodón, Tim Mayza, Tommy Kahnle, Luis Gil (tonight's starter) The new normal: Most pitchers agree that velocity and spin rate, which have increased exponentially over the past decade, are the main culprits behind the rise in torn UCLs. Thankfully, the surgery invented in 1974 to repair them — and named after the first pitcher to undergo the procedure — has an incredibly high success rate. *12 teams used at least 12 "Tommy John" pitchers this season: Dodgers (17), Yankees (16), Rockies (15), Tigers (15), White Sox (14), Pirates (14), Rangers (14), Braves (12), Reds (12), Angels (12), Marlins (12), Mets (12). ⚽️ THE G.O.A.T. MESSI, WHO MISSED HALF THE YEAR, IS STILL CLEAR MVP Lionel Messi has been named one of five finalists for MLS MVP despite playing in just 19 of Inter Miami's 34 games (56%) this season. The MVP finalists: Messi (Inter Miami) Luis Suárez (Inter Miami) Christian Benteke (D.C. United) Evander (Portland Timbers) Cucho Hernández (Columbus Crew) By the numbers: Messi missed nearly half the year… and still led the league with 36 goal contributions (20 goals, 16 assists). His 1.81 non-penalty goals plus assists per 90 minutes were roughly a half-goal better than any other single-season mark in MLS history. Unprecedented candidacy: Here's Yahoo Sports' Henry Bushnell on an MVP-worthy season unlike any other… No player in the history of the major leagues has ever missed nearly half a season and still been named MVP. And yet, Messi isn't just a contender for the MLS award; he should be the runaway favorite. He's the favorite because he's packed an entire season of MVP production into his 15 starts and [four] substitute appearances; but also because his mere presence has completely transformed Inter Miami from MLS' worst team to perhaps its best ever. He is, literally, and obviously, by a wide margin, the league's "most valuable player." The big picture: Before Messi arrived midway through the 2023 season, Inter Miami was the the laughingstock of the league. 15 months later, the club set the MLS single-season record for points (74) and winning percentage (.765) and just won its first-ever playoff game. 📺 WORLD SERIES WATCHLIST: GAME 4 Yankee Stadium before Game 3. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) The Dodgers and Yankees meet in Game 4 tonight in the Bronx (8:08pm ET, Fox), where Los Angeles is 27 outs away from winning their second World Series in five years, Jeff writes. More to watch: ⚽️ MLS Playoffs: Columbus vs. Red Bulls (6:45pm, FS1); Salt Lake vs. Minnesota (8:50pm, FS1) … Round One, Game 1. 🏀 NBA: Mavericks at Timberwolves (7:30pm, TNT); Pelicans at Warriors (10pm, TNT) 🏒 NHL: Rangers at Capitals (7:30pm, ESPN); Kings at Sharks (10pm, ESPN) 🏈 NCAAF: Louisiana at Texas State (7:30pm, ESPN2) ⚽️ Serie A: AC Milan* vs. Napoli (3:45pm, Paramount+) *Captain America's on fire: Milan striker and USMNT star Christian Pulisic has had a goal or assist in seven straight Serie A matches, and his five goals and three assists this season are both fourth-most in the league. 🏈 SIX POINTS NFL TRIVIA Kelce spikes the ball after Sunday's score. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Travis Kelce caught his 75th career TD on Sunday, moving into fifth place all-time among tight ends (regular season only). Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 30 Author Members Share Posted October 30 At 7 feet, 9 inches, Olivier Rioux is the world’s tallest teen and an intriguing basketball project GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Walking from his apartment to classes and then to the University of Florida’s basketball facility, Olivier Rioux poses for dozens — sometimes hundreds — of pictures a day. https://apnews.com/article/worlds-tallest-teenager-d1c918fb54100a09a9c7db648c4ef71d? Yankee Stadium fans ejected after one pries ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove at World Series NEW YORK (AP) — Two fans at Yankee Stadium were ejected from Game 4 of the World Series after one pried a foul ball out of the glove of Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts on Tuesday night. https://apnews.com/article/world-series-fan-interference-cd45ba4968dbf6f68b0a6c375a286557? ⚾ 1 fun thing: World Series records Freddie Freeman broke a pair of World Series records last night when he homered yet again for the Los Angeles Dodgers: He became the first player to go deep in the first four games of a World Series. He became the lone player to homer in six straight World Series games — his streak dates back to the 2021 championship he won with Atlanta. The Yankees won Game 4 to avoid a sweep. They play again tonight (8 p.m. ET, Fox). Go deeper. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 30 Author Members Share Posted October 30 👋 Good morning! Happy Hump Day. In today's edition: Volpe's big night, every NFL starting QB this century, NBA power rankings, exploring the Tour de France route, and more. 🚨ICYMI HEADLINES ⚾️ New skipper: The White Sox are set to hire former MLB outfielder Will Venables, the associate manager of the Rangers, as their new skipper following their 121-loss season. 🏈 NFL roundup: The Colts are benching Anthony Richardson in favor of Joe Flacco, Texans WR Stefon Diggs (torn ACL) will miss the rest of the season, the Ravens acquired WR Diontae Johnson from the Panthers. 🏀 Flagg inks Gatorade deal: Duke freshman superstar Cooper Flagg has signed with Gatorade, joining Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins as the only college basketball players attached to the brand. 🏀 "Starting 5" cast: The second season of the Netflix docuseries will follow Kevin Durant, Jaylen Brown, James Harden, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton during the 2024-25 NBA season. ⚾️ WORLD SERIES VOLPE PLAYS THE HOMETOWN HERO Anthony Volpe had the swing of his life in Game 4. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images) The Yankees offense finally came alive on Tuesday night, bashing the Dodgers, 11-4, to avoid the sweep and earn the right to play at least one more game, Jeff writes. Quick recap: L.A. got off to an early lead after white-hot Freddie Freeman launched yet another homer — his MLB-record sixth consecutive World Series game with one — but it was a young Yankee who had the biggest swing of the night. Hometown hero: Anthony Volpe, the 23-year-old shortstop who grew up in Manhattan and crammed his childhood bedroom with all things Yankee, lived out his wildest dream when his third-inning grand slam gave New York its first lead since Game 1. "I think I pretty much blacked out as soon as I saw it go over the fence," Volpe, who 15 years ago attended the Yankees' 2009 World Series parade with his family, said after the game. And though the Dodgers would get to within a run a few innings later, the Yankees put up six more runs in the final three frames to put this game on ice. What's next: History says Tuesday's win merely delayed the inevitable. Just one of the previous 40 MLB teams to go down 3-0 in a best-of-seven series ultimately came back to win the series. But you've gotta start somewhere. "We started this year winning four games in a row," said first baseman Anthony Rizzo. "So hopefully we can end this year winning four games in a row. That's what we have to do to be champions." Game 5 is tonight at 8:08pm ET on Fox. 🏈 FIND YOUR TEAM CHARTED: STARTING QB'S THIS CENTURY (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) Jameis Winston made his first start for the Browns on Sunday, becoming the franchise's 38th different starting QB this century, by far the most of any team, Jeff and I write. How does the rest of the league stack up? We crunched the numbers. Revolving door (20+ QBs): Browns (38), Bears (30), Commanders (28), Dolphins (26), Rams (26), Cardinals (25), Broncos (25), Raiders (24), Vikings (24), Cowboys (23), Panthers (22), Jets (21), Texans (21), Titans (20) Middle of the pack (11-19 QBs): 49ers (19), Bills (19), Ravens (19), Colts (18), Jaguars (18), Chiefs (17), Buccaneers (17), Lions (16), Steelers (15), Falcons (14), Saints (14), Eagles (14), Bengals (13), Giants (12), Seahawks (11) Consistency under center (10 or fewer QBs): Patriots (10), Chargers (9), Packers (8) Dive deeper: We put together a full list of every starter, and it's filled with guys I'd completely forgotten about (Seneca Wallace! Craig Krenzel! Gus Frerotte! Marques Tuiasosopo! Spergon Wynn! Elvis Grbac! Brooks Bollinger!). Click here to find your team. 🏀 ONE WEEK DOWN NBA POWER RANKINGS: EARLY SEASON VIBE CHECK (Taylar Sievert/Yahoo Sports) The Celtics and Thunder, who are both in action tonight on ESPN, top our inaugural NBA Power Rankings, courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Ben Rohrbach. Top 10: Celtics (4-0): After Boston tied the NBA's single-game 3-point record on opening night, Nick Wright of Fox Sports asked for the league to change its rules, as if it was "terrible television." The reigning champions, it seems, are too good for the game. Thunder (3-0): Alerted to the fact that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is once again an early MVP candidate, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said, "We might have more than one." Chet Holmgren may not be there yet, but you get the point: OKC is already feeling itself. Cavaliers (4-0): Wins over the Raptors, Pistons and Wizards. A brutal seven-game stretch lies ahead. As Donovan Mitchell said, "That's where we really see what we're made of as a group and if our habits continue through with tougher opponents and tougher games." Magic (3-1): Paolo Banchero "put out a challenge to everyone to change the level" of the Magic, and he has met them on another stratosphere to start the season, including a 50-burger against Indiana. Banchero is here; Orlando has arrived. Lakers (3-1): LeBron James declared, "I plan on playing every game." This is good news, until it is bad news. How long can the Lakers lean so heavily on a 40-year-old? We are about to find out, which is, as coach JJ Redick conceded, "actually insane." In a good way? Suns (3-1): "Man, this motherf***er really is efficient." Kevin Durant told Mark Medina this is how we should classify his career in relation to other all-time greats. Imagine being so good that you could say that about yourself — and be right. Did you see him close out the Lakers? Mavericks (3-1): Klay Thompson on Luka Dončić: "It doesn't make any sense because what we're taught growing up is ... you gotta jump the highest, run the fastest, but Luka defies that. He plays at his own speed and manipulates the game as good as I've seen anyone do it." Timberwolves (2-2): Anthony Edwards and Co. told newcomer Julius Randle, "Don't fit around us, we'll fit around you." It worked in wins over the Kings and Raptors. Not so much against the Lakers. Be careful what you wish for; conforming around Randle is a dangerous game. Grizzlies (2-2): "They'll see," Ja Morant declared before the season, preparing us for his return to superstardom. He has, for the most part, delivered on that promise when he has been available. But a minutes limit and thigh soreness have kept him from being unleashed. Nuggets (2-2): "Going into the season, shooting was a concern of mine," Michael Malone admitted after his team's 0-2 start. Added Nikola Jokić: "We are not a very good shooting team." Coach and superstar are not exactly dispelling rumors of friction with the front office. Full rankings: Teams 11-30 📺 WORLD SERIES WATCHLIST: GAME 5 The Yankees outfield celebrates their Game 4 victory. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) The Yankees will try to stave off elimination again tonight in the Bronx (8:08pm ET, Fox), where Gerrit Cole and Jack Flaherty will start the season's final game at Yankee Stadium — and, if the Dodgers win, the season's final game period, Jeff writes. More to watch: 🏀 NBA: Celtics at Pacers (7pm, ESPN); Spurs at Thunder (9:30pm, ESPN) 🏒 NHL: Golden Knights at Kings (10pm, TNT) 🇺🇸 Friendly: USWNT vs. Argentina (7pm, TNT) … In Louisville. ⚽️ EFL Cup*: Tottenham vs. Manchester City (4:15pm, Paramount+) … Round of 16. 🏈 NCAAF: Jax State at Liberty (7pm, CBSSN) *What is the EFL Cup? It's like the FA Cup, but more exclusive. Instead of the entire English football system, only the top four levels participate. Preston North End, which plays Arsenal today, is the only non-Premier League team still alive. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted October 31 Author Members Share Posted October 31 ⚾ Dodgers win World Series, 4 games to 1 The Dodgers celebrate after winning the World Series last night in Yankee Stadium. Photo: Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP The Dodgers overcame a five-run deficit against the Yankees last night to clinch their eighth World Series title in franchise history with a 7-6 win, in Yankee Stadium in Game 5. Why it matters: The Dodgers were one of the most star-studded teams in recent memory, and had gone on an unprecedented $1.25 billion spending spree last offseason that included a deal with Shohei Ohtani, the sport's biggest star. New York Post Go deeper ... More photos. Dodgers win World Series in 5 games, overcome 5-run deficit with help of errors to beat Yankees 7-6 NEW YORK (AP) — You gotta hand it to Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers. https://apnews.com/article/world-series-dodgers-yankees-score-bd8e555b9bb5a321fff527e78e0ba637? World Series The Los Angeles Dodgers won their eighth World Series title in franchise history and first since 2020 on Wednesday night. Los Angeles rallied back from an early hole to beat the New York Yankees 7-6 in Game 5 at Yankee Stadium. Dodgers' first baseman Freddie Freeman was named the World Series MVP after stunning fans with a history-making performance in Game 1 and other standout plays. Superstar Shohei Ohtani, the man with the richest contract in baseball history, was not much of a factor in the series after suffering a shoulder injury in Game 2. Still, he sparked major excitement in Japan and emerged as a TV ratings phenomenon. More than a tenth of the country's population tuned in to the World Series, giving the Fall Classic better TV ratings in Japan than in the United States. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted November 2 Author Members Share Posted November 2 🎉 Yahoo! It's Friday! The baseball season may be over, but don't worry: college basketball returns on Monday. In today's edition: The Freddie Freeman legend grows, Wilson makes the catch of the year, top MLB free agents, the game that changed football, and more. 🚨 ICYMI heADLINES 🏀 Wemby's monster night: Victor Wembanyama put up 25 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks in the Spurs' 106-88 win over the Jazz, making him just the third NBA player with multiple 5x5 games. 🎙️ Costas retires from play-by-play: Bob Costas is retiring as an MLB play-by-play announcer after 44 years, though the Hall of Fame broadcaster will continue working as an analyst and commentator on MLB Network. 🏀 Banchero out indefinitely: Magic star Paolo Banchero is out indefinitely (torn oblique), putting a halt to what was looking like a breakout season for the young forward. ⚾️ World Series ratings: The 2024 Fall Classic averaged 15.8 million viewers per game on Fox, the best number since 2017. 🏀 $1 million offer: Caitlin Clark has reportedly been offered $1 million to play in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the new 3x3 women's league tipping off in January. The deal also includes an equity stake. ⚾️ THE LEGEND GROWS "DAD, I'M NEVER GOING TO STOP" (Harry How/Getty Images) We knew World Series MVP Freddie Freeman was nursing a sprained right ankle throughout the postseason. What we didn't know: A day before the playoffs began, Freeman was unable to pick himself up off the floor after taking swings in the batting cage. Turns out, he had broken the costal cartilage in his sixth rib, an injury that can sideline players for months. From ESPN's Jeff Passan: Devastation set in. Walking hurt. Breathing stung. Swinging a bat felt like an impossibility. Freeman's father, Fred, worried about his youngest son, whom he raised after Freeman's mother, Rosemary, died of melanoma when Freddie was 10. He saw the anguish in every minuscule movement. Considering the injuries to his rib and ankle and the lasting soreness from a middle finger he fractured in August, surely Freeman was too beaten up to keep playing. Surely there would be more postseasons, more opportunities. "I actually told him to stop," Fred said. "I said, 'Freddie, this is not worth it. I know you love baseball. I love baseball. But it's not worth what you're going through.' And he looked at me like I was crazy, and he said, 'Dad, I'm never going to stop.'" Legendary quote: "It only hurts when I miss," Freeman told his father during the NLDS. "So I'm just going to have to stop missing." ⚾️ AVAILABLE FOR HIRE MLB OFFSEASON: TOP FREE AGENTS (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) With the World Series behind us, it's time to turn our attention to another winter of transactional activity, Jeff writes. Our top 10 free agents, courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman: Juan Soto (RF, 26 years old): Yes, he's somehow still just 26. Coming off a career-high 41 HR and five straight seasons with more walks than strikeouts, his contract may start with the number 5, at least. Corbin Burnes (RHP, 30): The 2021 Cy Young has started at least 32 games in three consecutive seasons, and his 2.92 ERA with Baltimore this year was fourth-best in the AL. Alex Bregman (3B, 31): His 2019 extension with Houston was a relative bargain (6 years, $100M), and his elite bat-and-glove combo should net him much more this time around. Willy Adames (SS, 29): The Brewers star picked a great year to set career highs in games played (161), doubles (33), homers (32) and steals (21). Blake Snell (LHP, 32): The two-time Cy Young has another chance to land the mega-deal he missed out on last season after rattling off a 1.23 ERA in his last 14 starts with the Giants. Max Fried (LHP, 31): There's just one stat you need to know about the longtime Brave: Among the 55 pitchers with 100+ starts since 2020, his 2.81 ERA ranks first. Pete Alonso (1B, 30): Speaking of key stats: The Polar Bear's 226 home runs since his debut in 2019 rank second only to Aaron Judge (232). Teoscar Hernández (OF, 32): The veteran proved his worth on a one-year show-me deal with the Dodgers, mashing a career-high 33 HR and winning the World Series. Christian Walker (1B, 34): He may win his third straight Gold Glove this year, which was also his third straight season with at least 50 extra-base hits. Anthony Santander (RF, 30): The Orioles slugger erupted for a career-high 44 HR, making him just the eighth switch hitter ever to eclipse 40 (and first since 2006). What's next: Teams have until 5pm ET on Monday to make qualifying offers to pending free agents, then it's off to the races at next week's GM meetings in San Antonio. The stove should really start heating up at the Winter Meetings in Dallas (Dec. 8-11). Check out the entire top 50. More to watch: 🏈 NFL Sunday: Broncos at Ravens (1pm, CBS); Lions at Packers (4:25pm, Fox); Rams at Seahawks (4:25pm, Fox); Colts at Vikings (8:20pm, NBC) … Week 9. 🏀 NBA: Magic at Cavaliers (Fri. 7pm, ESPN); Nuggets at Timberwolves (Fri. 9:30pm, ESPN) 🏒 NHL: Stars vs. Panthers (Fri. 1pm; Sat. 11am, NHL) … In Tampere, Finland. ⚽️ MLS Playoffs: Vancouver (down 1-0) vs. LAFC (Sun. 8:45pm, FS1) … The other seven Round One games are on Apple. ⚽️ NWSL: Portland vs. Angel City (Fri. 10pm, Prime); Chicago vs. KC (Sun. 3pm, ESPN); San Diego vs. Louisville (Sun. 5:30pm, ESPN) … Regular-season finale. ⚽️ Premier League: Liverpool vs. Brighton (Sat. 11am, Peacock); Tottenham vs. Aston Villa (Sun. 9am, USA); Manchester United vs. Chelsea (Sun. 11:30am, USA) 👟 Marathon: 53rd New York City Marathon (Sun. 8am, ESPN2) 🏁 NASCAR Playoffs: Martinsville Speedway (Sun. 2pm, NBC) 🏁 F1: Brazilian GP (Sun. 12pm, ESPN2) 🐎 Horse racing: Breeders' Cup* (Fri-Sat, USA/NBC) *The richest race in North America: The two-day Breeders' Cup in Del Mar, California, features 14 races and a total purse of $30 million. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.