Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

Archives for October 2026

While We’re Young (Ideas) – Oct 31

by

By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – It was a quick trip back to NYC and the campus of Columbia University this week to speak at two back-to-back classes on the Morningside Heights grounds of the prestigious IVY League school. Over the many years of speaking at various classes at Columbia, the classroom settings have usually been at Hamilton Hall, but occasionally the assignments take us elsewhere.

This year, the School of Professional Studies sent us (yours truly along with Brian McIntyre) across Broadway to the Riverside Church complex at 91 Clairmont, immediately adjacent to the interdenominational, interracial, international, open, welcoming, and affirming church. While there was a short break between the two classes, we descended from the Sixth Floor down to the basement gym where many a New York City basketball legend tested their skills at the highest level of AAU ball. The Riverside Hawks team.

Some of the Riverside “alum” include Kenny Anderson, Chris Mullin, Kenny Smith, Rod Strickland and the late Malik Sealy, while one of the legendary teams included Ron Artest (now … Metta Sandiford-Artest), Lamar Odom, Elton Brand, and Erick Barkley, with future St. John’s reserves Chutney Gray, Reggie Jessie and Anthony Glover backing up the troops. That 1996 Riverside Church team went 69-1. The lone loss came at the hands of an LA-based AAU squard featuring Baron Davis, Jason Kopono Tayshaun Prince, Jason and Jarron Collins.

NBA ACTION … IT’S DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH: The 2026-27 National Basketball season has been marred by far too many injuries to far too many a star player. First, a partial list of those downed by injury, calculated to be some 15% of the league – (a partial listing in no particular order):

Tyrese Haliburton (IND) – left hamstring

Kawhi Leonard (TOR) – right knee

Anthony Edwards (MIN) – arthroscopic surgery, right knee)

Jalen Williams (OKC) – dislocated left ankle, broken fibula)

Paolo Banchero (ORL) – right high ankle sprain

Jaren Jackson Jr. (UTAH) – torn MCL

Jalen Suggs (ORL) – bone bruise, right knee)

Jalen Duran (DET) – right hamstring pull

Ben Simmons (SAC) – torn right Achilles

Brandon Ingram (LAC) – surgery, heel and partial tear of Achilles

Egor Demin (BRK) – bruised right leg

Ron Knueppel (CHA) – left hamstring

Coby White (CHA) – left calf strain

Nic Claxton (CHI) – hamstring

Kristaps Porzingis (GSW) – personal, health issues

Steven Adams (HOU) – right soleus strain

T.J. McConnell (IND) – right hamstring

Ivica Zubac (IND) – right ankle sprain

Max Strus (LAC) – partially torn plantar fascia, right foot

Bradley Beal (LAC) – knee injury

Dante DiVencenzo (MIN) – lingering Achilles injury

Jose Alvarado (NYK) – leg injury

Chet Holmgren (OKC) – small patellar tendon tear

Alex Caruso (OKC) – right ankle spain

Jonathan Issac (ORL) – ongoing left knee

Mark Williams (PHX) – torn labrum, left shoulder

Ja Morant (PORT) – Grade 2 left hamstring tear

Keegan Murray (SAC) – left ankle capsulitis

Tobias Harris (SA) – strained left calf

Justin Champagnie (DC) – fractured foot

The list continues to grow and it’s only November 1st.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The Pope (Bishop) of Roma will meet the Pope of Runyons on Sunday. Yes, Villanova alum, Pope Leo XIV will welcome his Wilcats and the University of Notre Dame to the Eternal City for the very first College Basketball game of the 2026-27 season.

Who is this Pope of Runyons?

For those not in the know? Runyon’s was the self-proclained “New York Saloon” and it morphed into a famous sports bar and media hangout in Manhattan. It opened on April 1, 1977, not coincidentally, Opening Day, and was co-owned by Joe Healey and Jimmy Costello. “Swa” Healey was certainly the frontman.

Of course, it was named after the celebrated writer and columnist Damon Runyon (1880-1946). While the namesake was gone for 31 years, you’d think there was a seat at the bar for him, like Norm of “Cheers.”

The original Runyon’s was located on a street-level, stepdown on 305 East 50th Street (NYC) but that saloon closed on May 3, 1996, due to an expired lease and landlord issues. A second Runyon’s was opened right around the corner from the original, but on Second Ave between 49th and 50th. Sadly, it never had the same vibe and had a short stint until 1996 when Healey folded the deck and moved to Florida.

The original joint was where the magic was performed, usually late night a day before or an hour after a college or pro basketball game. The summer and baseball season attracted a slightly different New York Yankees-esque crowd. Sometimes, it was a hybrid of sports media (think NFL on CBS studio maven Jimmy the Greek arguing with NY sports columnist Mike Lupica while the voice of NBC Sports and former Sprit of St. Louis basketball play-by-play man Bob Costas officiating the argument, then getting deeply involved himself.

Sports TV division types and their hefty expense accounts filled the joint, while sports leagues and college conference execs came season-by-season. Runyons hummed during the annual BIG EAST basketball tournament every March. It was at that time and place that the Pope of Runyons, Bill Raftery, held court.

Again, for uninitiated, Raftery was the former coach of the Seton Hall Pirates who quickly assumed various roles within the college (and pro/NJ Nets) television color commentary world. Raftery was – and still is – the very best at the role in college basketball. Yet, his favorite saying at Runyons and at saloons the world over was “Just one more,” as often shared by ESPN colleague Jay Bilas.

Raftery is being mentioned as he will call the ND vs ‘Nova game to start the season in Rome (Italy) at 9:30am on Sunday, Nov. 1 on FOX, along with Kevin Kugler and Kay Adams (sideline). It’ll be the first regular season NCAA Division I men’s basketball game to be played in Europe since Dec. 4, 2022.

Raftery is the undisputed prince of college hoops. He is beloved for his unique sayings, phrases or one-word exclamation points to underline a happening on the court. “With the kiss,” is probably his most utilized and popular quip. He uses it to describe an offensive player scoring a basket with his soft shot off the backboard, many a time after being fouled.

A personal favorite was the “Send it in…Jerome!” after Pitt’s Jerome Lane smashed a backboard with a forceful dunk way back in 1988. The call was perfection. Here’s the play:

YouTube player

Raftery has endeared himself to a couple generations of college basketball fans with his precise commentary and comraderie with his fellow broadcast partners at the table. He builds rapport and – almost always – socializes with his colleagues. National broadcast legend Ian Eagle and Raftery worked many a New Jersey Nets pro game, but have reunited as colleagues calling games for CBS. There is no better combo, but you must recognize Raftery’s ability to adjust to BIG EAST broadcasts with FOX’s Gus Johnson, or ESPN’s Jay Bilas.

Quite frankly, Raftery could’ve called games with Dennis Miller or Rush Limbaugh and Miller or Limbaugh would’ve won sports emmy awards instead of being ridiculed off the airwaves. Raft could make Al Gore sound interesting.

Come today (Sunday), Raftery will tipoff the season and he’s scheduled to conclude the college schedule as well, when he calls the NCAA national championship game on Monday night, April 5, 2027.

In other college sports news, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark will step down from the conference office and take a job outside of college athletics, according to a surprise announcement on Friday. Yormark is expected to remain with the conference through Jan. 31, 2027. … “Serving as the commissioner of the Big 12 Conference has been an extraordinary honor,” Yormark said. “I want to thank the Big 12 Board of Directors, Board Chair Douglas A. Girod, athletic directors, coaches, student-athletes, fans, fellow commissioners and trusted colleagues at the league office. I am looking forward to passing the baton to the next commissioner and continuing to cheer their league on as a lifelong fan of the Big 12.” … Yormark originally signed a five-year contract when he took the Big 12 job on August 1, 2022 (running through 2027), before receiving a three-year extension in May 2025 through 2030. According to the last public filings in 2025, Yormark earned $5.6 million for the year in a deal that began at a partial year contract of $1.12m, then $3.88m in 2023. By comparison, Greg Sankey, Commissioner of the powerful SEC, made $4.8m while Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti made $4.5m in similar recent filings (2025 season).

Susan Sant James as a celebrity captain of the now-defunct Whalers

SUSAN SAINT JAMES: Condolences to the Ebersol family as the wife of NBC Sports President and Chairman Dick Ebersol, Ms. Susan Saint James, passed away. While most knew her as an A-List actress from stints on McMillan and Wife or Kate & Alie, there were a few of us who knew her better as Dick’s wife and mother of the late Teddy Ebersol.

St. James and her (second) husband met in 1981 when St. James was hosting the hit television weekly “Saturday Night Live.” At the time, Ebersol was overseeing both the entertainment and news divisions of NBC.

Born Susan Jane Miller on Aug. 14, 1946, in Los Angeles, she was raised in the northern Illinois city of Rockford, where her father had transferred for work. She began modeling as a teenager in Paris.

She earned fame as Sally McMillan, the wife of Rock Hudson’s San Francisco police commissioner Stewart McMillan, in the hit series “McMillan & Wife” from 1971-76. She received three Emmy nominations for the role.

Saint James left the NBC show before its sixth and final season because of a contract dispute, with her character killed off in a plane crash. She then turned to feature films.

The plane crash, so sadly, was the foreshadowing of the darkest and most unimaginable day (November 28, 2004) of her life when a chartered jet carrying her husband, Dick,older son, Charlie, and youngest son, Teddy, crashed at Montrose Regional Airport in Colorado after dropping her off on a planned two-stop (Colorado and South Bend) Indiana) flight back to New York. The family had attended a Thanksgiving Weekend college football game pitting Notre Dame (Charlie’s school) against his older brother Willie’s University of Southern California (USC) football team, an annual college football rivalry.

In addition to young (14-year old) Teddy, the pilot and a flight attendant were killed in the crash. A first officer, along with Charlie and Dick, somehow survived.

Just weeks after the crash, with Dick and Charlie still recuperating, Saint James delivered a eulogy for Teddy that her friends and family interpreted as a monumental gesture of love and selflessness. Instead of traditional remarks, she shaped the eulogy as a personal note to her husband and each of her surviving children, giving them tailored words to process their grief and begin healing. Charlie recalled that she displayed such compassion on the very day the terrible incident happened, and weeks later, Saint James gave them all precise emotional guidance: “You can be sad. But you can’t be mad-sad. You can’t blame anybody,” she said, according to TV Insider. … In Boston, Teddy’s profound love for the Boston Red Sox and baseball was displayed when the family collaborated with the Sox Foundation and the Esplanade Association to fund a $1.8 million renovation of community athletic fields along the Charles River. Within a couple years, Teddy Ebersol’s Red Sox Fields at Lederman Park was dedicated along with a multi-sport complex for local youth soccer and baseball programs.

BEST LINESMAN, OUTSIDE OF WICHITA: National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman today released a statement regarding the passing of longtime NHL linesman, Matt Pavelich:

“No linesman in the history of the National Hockey League was more universally respected nor more widely admired than Matt Pavelich. A true icon of the profession, he worked a remarkable 19 straight Stanley Cup Finals from 1961 through 1979 — highlights of a prolific on-ice career that spanned 23 seasons, comprised 1,741 regular-season games and 245 Stanley Cup playoff games and was recognized in 1987 with his enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the first linesman (to gain the honor).

“Pavelich personified professionalism and integrity while possessing a warm personal touch that enabled him to develop working relationships with players and coaches. Upon his retirement, Pavelich shared his experience and wisdom with younger referees and linesmen during eight years as an NHL Supervisor of Officials. The National Hockey League mourns his passing and sends its deepest condolences to his family and many friends throughout hockey.”

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: As Qatar prepares to host the first FIBA Basketball World Cup in the (Middle Easat/North Africa) MENA region, an entire city has started counting down each day together, all in anticipation of what promises to be an incredible event next year. At an exclusive launch ceremony at the stunning Barahat Msheireb, a vibrant gathering place in the heart of Doha for residents and visitors alike, close to 100 guests gathered to celebrate the occasion and begin the 300 Day countdown to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 … As noted last week, the MLB and WNBA seasons wrapped up this week and college basketball will tipoff to start the season in “Grande” or even “Venti” fashion. That puts the summer sports in the rearview, pro and college football on the front burner and the winter sports simmering on the back burner. Tennis, NASCAR and golf never seem to end, but that’s fine. … Baseball’s Winter Meetings will be held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego this coming December 11-14th. … The NBA Cup (sponsored by Emirates) is underway and it seems to be fully accepted by fans in its fourth go ‘round. Prime will air the majority of the games. … Any early shopping for Christmas? Josh Kushner and Bob Iger have been offering Lakers minority stakes to investors starting at $250 million apiece. First come first serve. … But, if some North Korean investor comes in with a $6.3 billion offer, it might be time to call the FBI. … While the various franchise owners across all North American-based sports leagues combined to spend more than $100 million for the midterms, the majority of those contributions came from just one person. Dallas Mavericks team owner Miriam Adelson, a highly conservative donor and supporter of POTUS Donald Trump, leads all sports owners in midterm spending. She spent at least $67.6 million this election cycle, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Good luck Miriam. … In 15 games this season, the Boston Bruins are 10-4-1 and atop the Atlantic Division of the NHL.

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: This week’s column has been sprinkled with some basketball memories, so there’s one and only one music video that can be played to put the finishing touches on this week’s missive. … The very first “official” NBA music video was cut by the Father of the “NBA … It’s Fantastic” commercial campaign, Paul Gilbert, who was working at fledgling CNN Sports in Atlanta at the time.

Gilbert was perfect content at CNN, but somehow, NBA Executive VP, Business & Legal Affairs, David Stern, caught wind of the video. It was way back in 1982, and in Stern’s own “charming” way, he talked Gilbert into moving to his hometown of New York (NJ) and becoming the very first employee of NBA Entertainment.

YouTube player

As the story goes, Stern was frequently bombarded with various suggestions “the league should do.” Many of them came from team broadcasters (LA Lakers Director of Broadcasting Ed Desser) who thought the league should provide tons of production support to save the collective team effort (to shoot scenics, halftime features) with all to be shared. The same concept was born with Team Services, first manned by the great Bob King (RIP) who could sell tickets like none other. Bob had worked for the San Diego Conquistadors of the ABA, and then later the Denver Nuggets. King got Stern aside at a League Meetings and uncorked a ton of ideas for the NBA teams to share information with one another. Years later, it became a huge department within the League structure, called Team Business Operations, or to the insiders, TMBO.

Paul Gilbert became Stern’s first foray to emulate NFL Films with feature productions done by the League. Gilbert also took a static, “NBA, It’s Fan-Tastic campaign done by Dicky Rhoeder’s advertising company, and turned it from players standing and passing a basketball from one side of the screen to the other – because they could never get the players on one production set – and it became the highlight of the NBA’s best asset – incredible game action highlights of dunks, great assists, blocked shots – and most importantly – Crowd cut-a-ways.

The crowd cut-a-ways, carefully culled by Gilbert, directly connected the spots to the fans. And, the tagline… “NBA Action … It’s Fan-Tastic” could not have fit better.

As the years progressed, celebrities (actors/actresses, musicians, comedians – everyone) wanted to be in the NBA’s spots. Courtside at The Fabulous Forum was a goldmine. New York’s Madison Square Garden was Fort Knox for celebs. They lined up in order to be recognized. One day, through a contact at Radio City Music Hall, yours truly talked someone at Jim Henson’s production company into sending “Kermit the Frog” on a road trip to The Garden. Here’s that one (and NBAE let me do a cameo as a reward):

YouTube player

By the time Kermit hit the scene, we had decided to switch from “NBA Action… It’s Fan-Tastic” to the ever popular “I Love this Game” tagline. That went over with the celebs, too.

And, the rest became an amazing part of NBA – H-I-S-T-O-R-Y.

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly (every weekend) collection of Sports Notes and News written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 10:00pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a compilation of interesting sports notes, quotes and quips in a column that always sold a few newspapers. Wire Service reports are featured within the column.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – Brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.

TL

 

The Pack is Back in Green Bay

by

GREEN BAY – Packers QB Jordan Love passed for three touchdowns and the Green Bay turned back a fourth-quarter rally for a 27-19 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night.

Carolina, which trailed 27-10 in the third quarter, rallied within 27-19 with 5:37 remaining in the game when Bryce Young hit Jalen Coker with a 26-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-3. The two-point conversion pass was incomplete.

Embed from Getty Images

The Panthers (3-4) got the ball back at their own 45 after a punt with 4:35 left, but Young’s fourth-down pass was incomplete. Carolina got a final possession starting at its own 20 with 22 seconds left, but Young was sacked once and Green Bay picked off a lateral on the final play.

Love completed 30 of 41 passes for 288 yards with one interception. Packers receiver Christian Watson, who left the stadium in an ambulance for testing after sustaining a first-half chest injury, returned to action in the third quarter and finished with eight catches for 113 yards.

Green Bay (5-3), which entered last in the NFL in rushing at 59.9 yards per game, managed just 66 yards on the ground. Josh Jacobs, in his second game since coming off the commissioner exempt list following an offseason incident, had 39 yards on 21 attempts (1.9 yards per carry).

According to the Amazon Prime broadcast, the Packers are the first team in NFL history to own a winning record through eight games while having less than 500 rushing yards on the season.

Young connected on 23 of 41 passes for 209 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Chuba Hubbard ran for 81 yards and a score on 22 carries.

Love had two touchdown passes in the first half to offset a pair of lost fumbles by Green Bay, helping the Packers take a 20-10 lead into the break.

Hubbard was stopped short on fourth-and-2 at midfield on the first possession of the second half, and the Packers marched 50 yards, going in front 27-10 on Love’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Jacobs.

Ryan Fitzgerald countered with a 50-yard field goal to make it 27-13.

Carolina recovered the opening kickoff fumble at the Green Bay 29 but had to settle for Fitzgerald’s 39-yard field goal.

Later in the opening quarter, Green Bay produced an eight-play, 56-yard drive, capped by Love’s 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tucker Kraft. But Trey Smack, who missed two field-goal attempts last week in the Packers’ 20-17 loss at Detroit, missed the extra point.

Carolina regained the lead on the ensuing possession when Hubbard scored on a 1-yard run on the opening play of the second quarter to finish a 65-yard drive, putting the Panthers up 10-6.

Love hit Watson with a 53-yard pass to key a 90-yard scoring drive. Jacobs’ 1-yard touchdown run put the Packers back in front 13-10 with 6:33 remaining in the half.

Love connected with Matthew Golden on a 24-yard scoring toss late in the half to extend the gap to 20-10.

–Field Level Media

Milwaukee’s Wait is Over

by

ST. PETERSBURG – The Milwaukee Brewers’ 57-season wait is over.

The team from Major League Baseball’s smallest market made its biggest statement on Wednesday by capturing its first World Series title.

Embed from Getty Images

Rookie Cooper Pratt drove in two runs and Jacob Misiorowski tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings, helping the Brewers to a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Brewers, who dispatched the Rays in five games, won 11 of their 13 postseason games for their first championship since the franchise relocated from Seattle in 1970.

“I know the city has waited a long, long time for this, and we’re so happy to bring it back to them,” Brewers captain Christian Yelich said. “I can’t wait to get back there and celebrate.”

Pratt followed up his four-hit performance in Game 4 on Tuesday with an RBI single in the second inning and a base hit in the fifth. His six consecutive hits set a World Series record for a rookie, eclipsing the mark set by the New York Yankees’ Brian Doyle in 1978.

Pratt’s run of consecutive hits ended with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.

“This is one of the greatest moments of my life,” Pratt, 22, told Fox Sports. “Oh my gosh. It doesn’t even feel real.”

William Contreras was selected the World Series MVP after going 8-for-21 (.381) with four RBIs against the Rays. He ripped an RBI double, and David Hamilton added a run-scoring single to mark his fourth straight game with an RBI.

The offense was more than enough for Misiorowski (2-0), who notched his second win in the World Series. The fireballer scattered two hits and a walk before exiting in the sixth inning due to a cramp in his right calf. He struck out two.

“I don’t even have words,” Misiorowski told Fox Sports with a tear in his eye. “You know, it’s amazing, just watching my guys celebrate. In the city, I know they’re going crazy in Milwaukee. It’s awesome.”

Two relievers bridged the gap to Trevor Megill, who handled the last two innings. Megill allowed an RBI double to Chandler Simpson with two outs in the ninth before inducing Richie Palacios to ground to second base for the final out.

“I’m crushed right now (and) disappointed,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “But it’s easier to handle because of what we all meant to each other throughout the course of this season and certainly this last month in October.”

Pitching on three days’ rest, Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen (2-1) ran into trouble in the second inning.

Brice Turang ripped a one-out double and scored two batters later after Pratt deposited a first-pitch cutter from Rasmussen into center field.

The Rays attempted to respond in the fourth inning after Simpson took advantage of a slight bobble by right fielder Sal Frelick to reach second after a single. That put runners on second and third base, but Misiorowski induced Ben Williamson to ground out to end the inning.

Pratt notched his sixth consecutive hit over a two-game stretch with a one-out single off Kevin Kelly in the fifth inning. Garrett Mitchell and Hamilton each added a single, with the latter’s hit to right field plating Pratt to give Milwaukee a 2-0 lead.

The Brewers tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Contreras’ double off the left field wall scored Yelich from first base. Pratt followed three batters later with a fly ball into foul territory, but it was deep enough for Contreras to score from third base.

Rasmussen permitted one run on two hits in four innings. He fanned four without issuing a walk.

The Brewers were appearing in their second World Series, having lost in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982. The Rays are still seeking their first championship, having also lost in the World Series in 2008 and 2020.

–Field Level Media

Contreras is a World Champion and MVP

by

ST. PETERSBURG – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A year that began for William Contreras with a World Baseball Classic championship for his native Venezuela ended with a World Series Most Valuable Player honor.

The Brewers catcher was chosen out of a host of worthy Milwaukee contenders as the MVP of the franchise’s first championship, which the team clinched with a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday in Game 5.

Embed from Getty Images

He is the eighth catcher to be selected the World Series MVP, and just the second since 1992, along with Kansas City’s Salvador Perez in 2015. He batted .381 (8-for-21) with four RBIs, two runs, two walks, a stolen base, a .435 on-base percentage and an .863 OPS.

“Very blessed year. I think a year that we have to give God a lot of thanks for everything he’s been able to do for us,” Contreras said. “… To be able to achieve it, it’s special.”

Some may argue that the World Series MVP honor should be handed to the Milwaukee pitching staff as a whole after it allowed 12 runs in the Fall Classic and 33 total runs in 13 postseason games (2.5 per game).

Contreras, in some ways, is a conduit of that. He was the starting catcher for every game of the postseason and was successful on 10 of 13 automated ball-strike challenges during the World Series.

“He posts every day,” Milwaukee reliever Aaron Ashby said. “This team’s not what it is without this guy. He’s unbelievable.”

Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski added of Contreras being named MVP, “It just makes sense.”

Contreras said, “I think it’s a big job. I think in the offseason last year, I think once we traded Freddy (Peralta), I knew that we were going to have a young staff. I took that upon myself and I knew the responsibility I was going to have that year to make sure that I built that relationship with those guys and make sure that they knew that they had that vote of confidence in me and knew I was going to do whatever I could for them so that we could build that relationship together.”

The World Series was redemptive for Contreras, who did get to enjoy the fruits of the WBC title back in March but wasn’t nearly as helpful in that run, going 0-for-13 in the WBC.

William Contreras, 28, earned his second World Series ring, having been a reserve for the Atlanta Braves in 2021. Now he joins his 34-year-old brother Willson Contreras as the starting catcher of a World Series champion.

Willson Contreras, the backstop for the Chicago Cubs in 2016, was in attendance at Tropicana Field on Wednesday to see his younger brother reach the pinnacle of baseball.

“My brother is my role model. I don’t have a lot of friends. He’s my friend. I love him. I love all the support that he gives me. If I have something to ask somebody, I ask Willson,” William Contreras said. “I follow after him. I always knew that he was going to be here (for this game). He wasn’t able to be here for the first couple games, but he was here for this one. I’m always going to follow in his footsteps.”

–Brant James, Field Level Media

2026 World Series Notebook

by

ST. PETERSBURG – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jacob Misiorowski may not have started his trophy case with a World Series MVP award a few weeks before he is expected to be named the National League Cy Young Award winner, but it was still a Fall Classic to remember for the Milwaukee Brewers’ ace.

The 24-year-old started the first and last games of Milwaukee’s five-game World Series victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing one run on six hits over 10 2/3 innings to make the legend of the second-year big-leaguer grow even larger

Embed from Getty Images

ENOUGH SAID: On Wednesday in his Game 5 victory, Misiorowski was again the less-dominant version of himself that emerged in the 2026 playoffs, but that was good enough. He allowed no runs on two hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings before leaving with a right leg cramp.

Despite struggling with the footing at the landing spot of the pitcher’s mound at Tropicana Field, he induced 10 flyball outs, several of them deep.

The major league strikeout leader (252) worked around command problems high in the zone, but limited walks to mitigate the lack of strikeouts.

The mound ended his night, as he cramped after delivering a pitch and left after a long consultation with training staff.

“Obviously, I don’t want to go out that way, but I left everything on the table, so, so be it,” he said.

DREW IT UP: Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen was on his way home from Tropicana Field after the Rays’ season-preserving 4-3, 12-inning win in Game 4 early Wednesday morning when his phone rang.

With Tampa Bay needing six relievers to consume eight innings on Tuesday, he was needed to start Thursday, pitching on three days’ rest for the first time as a starter.

Rasmussen did well with it, allowing just one run on two hits with four strikeouts in four innings. He threw 36 of 48 pitches for strikes.

He took the loss in the series finale, ending the postseason with a 2-1 record and a 2.20 ERA in five starts.

“He’s a stud,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “His stuff was as sharp as it could have been. We had gone into the game saying it was 60 pitches or four innings. Stuck to that. That was the easiest call in the world to take him out of the ballgame. We’ve worked very hard with all of our pitchers and pride ourselves on doing right by them.

“We knew this was a big ask, but appreciate Drew Rasmussen so much for taking the ball, wanting the ball, and going out and doing what he did.”

ROOKIE RAKES: Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt collected hits in six consecutive at-bats, a record for a rookie in a World Series. He followed up a four-hit night in Game 4 with two hits and two RBIs in Game 5.

The 22-year-old rookie just over four months removed from his major league debut seemed overwhelmed with history as much as champagne afterward.

“I haven’t even had four hits in a game in a long time and I got that yesterday,” Pratt said between splashes of champagne from Brewers Hall of Fame shortstop Robin Yount. “Somebody said it’s some kind of record, so that’s cool.”

NO BAD STREAKS: The Brewers went 11-2 in the postseason and last lost consecutive games on Sept. 5-6 at Cincinnati.

Is that unbelievable?

“No. We’re that good. It’s expected,” second baseman Brice Turang said.

NOTES: Milwaukee became the fourth straight team to win the World Series on the road. … No team that has fallen behind 0-3 in the World Series has forced a Game 6.

–Field Level Media

Series: It’s Up to Rasmussen

by

ST. PETERSBURG – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – With their season on the line for a second consecutive night, the Tampa Bay Rays named right-hander Drew Rasmussen as their starter for Game 5 of the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Embed from Getty Images

Rasmussen, 31, returns to the mound after throwing 89 pitches over 3 2/3 innings while allowing three runs in a 5-4 loss in Game 2 at Milwaukee.

Right-hander Nick Martinez had been in line to start Game 5 but he was needed to pitch two innings in Tuesday’s 4-3 must-win victory over the Brewers. Tampa Bay used seven pitchers to keep its season alive in Game 4 and earned the victory by scoring two runs in the 12th inning.

The Rays now trail 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, with Games 6 and 7 at Milwaukee, if necessary.

The Brewers are set to send hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski to the mound in Game 5 with a chance to win the first World Series title in franchise history.

Rasmussen went 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA in 30 starts during the regular season when he was named to his second career American League All-Star team. He is also 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA over 24 2/3 innings over four starts during the current postseason.

A sixth-round draft pick by the Brewers in 2018, Rasmussen was traded to the Rays in 2021 in the deal that sent infielder Willy Adames to Milwaukee.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct 25

by

By TERRY LYONS, Executive Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – It’s the best time of year – the Sports Equinox – when the NFL is in full swing, baseball is enjoying its Fall Classic, and the NHL and NBA are just underway. Toss in the WNBA Finals and the MLS season and you have a six pack of sports offerings. Add College Football and (soon-to-be) College Basketball with exhibitions ongoing, NASCAR Cup, the Premiership from England, and next week’s Breeders’ Cup horse racing extravaganza, and you’ve got something for everyone. Now, add the PGA Tour which is puttering away in Bermuda or NASCAR rip-roaring away at Talladega, and you’ve got it all.

And, just think! In nine days, all of the political ads will be gone.

All of the action is enough to make a sports fan move to Las Vegas, just to see all the games at once in the incredible Circa Sports Book.

There’s a couple of the sports listed in our equinox that aren’t getting their proper due. The two being short-changed are Major League Baseball with the 2026 World Series and the WNBA Finals, featuring the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream.

First – Baseball:

Let’s remember. For the entire 2026 season, the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers were atop their respective league ladder and the best two teams come postseason time. Tampa went 98-64, good enough to be 4.5 games ahead of the second-ranked New York Yankees.

In the National League, the Brewers went 103-59, three full games better than the Los Angeles Dodgers (100-62). Both teams finished on an (8-2) run.

In the postseason, they proved their worth.

The Brewers’ pitching staff finished the regular season with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.18 whip. Jacob Misiorowski, the Brewers’ ace pitched to a league leading 1.73 ERA with 227 strikeouts. He’s regularly throwing 103 mph four seam fastballs. His whip registered at 0.80 and he forced his opponents to bat a filthy .157 over 174 innings pitched.

The Brewers’ rotation of Misiorowski, Kyle Henderson, Aaron Ashby and Logan Henderson form a very respectable rotation of semi-no-names (outside of the great place on the Great Lake).

Tampa sports the best overall pitching crew in baseball.

Drew Rasmussen, Ian Seymour, and Nick Martinez have carried the load after Shane McClanahan (left forearm tightness) was shut down for the season. That brought Freddy Peralta into the mix after his midseason trade.

On the offensive side, the teams are mirror images of themselves and they’ve shown they can hold on and win games. They each manufacture runs, take advantage of miscues of their opponent and can win games in the 3-2 fashion of Game 1 of the World Series.

When you put all of those basics together, you have a model match-up and one of the very best World Series that very few fans outside of Milwaukee and Tampa-St. Pete will see. And, that’s a crying shame.

At the WNBA Finals, it’s much the same.

Golden State (32-12) finished one game behind Western Conference leader in the Minnesota Linx (33-11). The Dream topped the East at (30-14). The clubs were mirror images in terms of home-road records during the season.

After the Valkyries took Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, the Dream reversed the trends and went up 2-games-to-1. On Saturday (Oct. 24), the Valkyries evened it up, 2-2.

One major issue facing the WNBA and its Finals is the fact the series is being played in mid-to-late October, head to head with the NFL, College Football, the World Series and everything else. Saturday’s game was held at 1:00pm in Atlanta in the heart of the south and its love of college football. While the Georgia Bulldogs had a bye week, the vast number of SEC and ACC teams were in action, including Georgia Tech hosting Boston College in an ACC match-up at Tech.

Out West, only Cal at SMU might’ve caused a distraction now that the PAC-10 (12) was blown to bits and Stanford beat NC State in that Friday night ACC tilt alongside Palo Alto.

Regardless of the competition, the WNBA Finals is providing fans with a high brand of basketball. But, it’s been done in relative obscurity. With the series tied 2-2, there will be added awareness and interest in the outcome.

Maybe the original WNBA game plan of a Memorial Day to Labor Day schedule might be re-examined?

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Back to MLB, the battle of the small market cities (Milwaukee and Tampa, as compared to New York, Los Angeles or Chicago), makes it difficult for the Major League Baseball team owners to claim they need to change the mechanism of delivering team salaries. If the Milwaukee Bucks and Tampa Bay Rays can put together a team at bargain basement prices, why should the MLB Players’ Association worry about what the Dodgers or Yankees pay their players? … The NBA season is off to a good start and some momentum following a tremendous ‘26 NBA Playoffs and a busy and interesting offseason. Tuesday’s 76ers-Knicks and Thunder-Spurs doubleheader was the NBA’s most-watched opening night ever, averaging 6.41 million viewers on NBC/Peacock. The 76ers’ victory over the Knicks was the league’s most-watched primetime opening night game ever, averaging 7.71 million viewers and peaking at 9.1 million viewers at 9:45pm (ET).

ESPN’s NBA Opening Wednesday doubleheader averaged 2.5M viewers, up 7% from last year, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel. The audience ranks as ESPN’s second most-viewed Opening Wednesday ever.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Don’t look now but the Edmonton Oilers are 8-1-1 going into Saturday’s home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Oilers are 5-0-0 on the road. … Sunday’s matchup of St. John’s hosting Texas will be the Storm’s third exhibition game of the preseason. The Johnnies downed Drexel, 81-52, on Oct. 14 at Carnesecca Arena before outlasting Rutgers, 104-99, in a four-overtime marathon this past Sunday at Madison Square Garden. … The Texas Legends selected 2026 NBA champion Jeremy Sochan (6-8, 230, Baylor) with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA G League Draft, which was held virtually on Saturday. During the 2025-26 season, Sochan played 28 games with the San Antonio Spurs and 16 games with the New York Knicks. In 228 career NBA games across four seasons, the 23-year-old averaged 9.9 points and 5.4 rebounds. The Motor City Cruise drafted Isaiah Carr (6-11, 235, Drake) with the second overall pick and the Osceola Magic selected Kasean Pryor (6-10, 228, Louisville) third overall. … Can’t say which is worse. MLB deciding regular season games by placing a ghost runner at 2B or the College Football overtime rules.

CUSP PODCAST with MIKE BREEN: Celebrating 20 years for Columbia University’s sports management program and 40 years of New York’s very own (via Fordham) Mike Breen, the voice of the NBA Finals and the NBA on ABC/ESPN.

THIS JEST IN: The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints will play their regular season game Sunday (today, October 25) in Paris. It’ll (hopefully) be the first NFL regular season game in France. While the people of Paris and Marseilles worry about their cities burning amidst protests, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers seem to be more concerned with jet lag. … The Saints headed for Paris last Sunday, deciding to get a full week of practice and adjusting to the time zone/jet lag. Pittsburgh opted to travel from the USA and land in Paris on Friday, a “cutting-it-tight” tactic employed by the LA Rams earlier this season when they opened up in Melbourne, Australia. Of course, the Rams were smoked 27-7 by the San Francisco 49ers who flew much earlier in the week.

The thought process of Rams coach Sean McVay was to stay on Pacific time, rather than attempt to make a big, week-long adjustment. That strategy backfired.

A basic concept to go by, after years and years of experience traveling to time zones all over the world, is to not make a “big deal” about it. The bigger deal the front office, coaches and advisors make of the travel, the more it gets into the players’ heads.

That works in both directions.

When the NBA first began its international regular season efforts with the NBA Japan Games 1990, the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz made the trip, with the teams splitting the two games. Both clubs did quite well in their travels to the games.

The issue was the return, when Utah complained about returning jet lag all the way to Christmas. After winning their first game after returning, the Jazz dropped four straight. Truth be told, the Jazz ran off five consecutive victories from November 21 to 30, then after a lone loss at Portland, they won another six straight from December 3 to 13. They finished 54-18.

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: Britt McHenry, the disgraced former ESPN sideline reporter, is in hot water again after being caught on video dousing a fan with her drink at the Milwaukee at Washington basketball game. The video went viral and she was soon-after asked to resign her post at the Trump-Rubio led State Department where she held a role as press advisor. The Mt Holly, NJ native and Stetson/Northwestern grad, did a stint with ESPN from 2014-17 but that ended abrubtly when she was, again, caught on a security video berating a parking lot attendant after McHenry had illegally parked her car and it ended up in the clink. In 2020, she battled a serious brain lesion and had it surgically removed at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. That escape sent her to the political realm and an ill-fated PR role that is no longer. With her credentials tainted, she might be the perfect fit for White House press spokesperson doing a daily brief now that Katie Zacharia has had her 14 minutes of fame.

Brewers Make the Most of 2nd Chances

by

MILWAUKEE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Milwaukee’s rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt made the most of his second opportunity.

Pratt singled in the go-ahead run to atone for a costly error and the Milwaukee Brewers overcame a four-run deficit behind six scoreless innings from their lockdown bullpen for a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night and a 2-0 lead in the World Series.

Embed from Getty Images

The Brewers, who trailed 4-0 in the first inning, took their first lead of Game 2 in the seventh when Brice Turang doubled to open off Tyler Wells (0-2) and advanced on a flyout. Pratt greeted Kevin Kelly with an RBI single to right to put Milwaukee up 5-4.

“I need to be better defensively, but it’s always awesome when you have an opportunity to kind of redeem yourself and make up for it,” said the 22-year-old Pratt, inserted into the starting lineup after being called up from Triple-A Nashville in mid-June. “Probably wasn’t the best swing, but it did the job and gave us the opportunity to score a run. I’m not going to complain.”

The Rays stranded the tying run at third in the ninth for the second consecutive game. Jonny DeLuca doubled to open the ninth off Aaron Ashby, who got the final two outs in the eighth. Victor Mesa Jr. struck out and DeLuca advanced to third on a groundout, but Yandy Diaz struck out swinging on a 3-2 count.

“It’s tough for teams to come in here and play. Our fans are so incredible. It’s a tough environment to play in,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Tampa Bay had us on the ropes every day. They had runners in scoring position when the game ended both days.”

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Monday in St. Petersburg, Fla. Only 10 teams have overcome a 2-0 deficit to win the World Series, the last being the New York Yankees in 1996.

“These Milwaukee fans have been really loud. I know our fans are going to be really loud and excited to see us come back and kind of reset ourselves a little bit,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We’ve got a really good pitcher going, as do they. A lot of confidence in this club to respond. They’ve done it all season long, and they’ll continue to do it.”

Brewers starter Logan Henderson allowed four runs (three earned) on three hits in three innings, but the bullpen picked up its eighth win in nine postseason victories. The eight wins match the 2015 Kansas City Royals for most wins by relievers in a single postseason.

JoJo Romero, Dustin May and DL Hall each followed Henderson with a scoreless inning. Abner Uribe (1-0) got four outs and Ashby finished for his third save. Ashby has not allowed a run in 15 2/3 innings over eight postseason appearances.

“Our bullpen doesn’t get enough credit,” Murphy said. “I guess it does get a lot of credit, but you can’t say enough great things about them. Six innings of shutout (work) again.”

“Our bullpen doesn’t get enough credit,” Murphy said. “I guess it does get a lot of credit, but you can’t say enough great things about them. Six innings of shutout (work) again.”

Sal Frelick tied it at 4-all with a leadoff homer in the sixth off Ian Seymour. Frelick, who had four homers in 339 at-bats during the regular season, lined a 3-2 fastball 408 feet to center for his second career postseason homer.

Milwaukee cut its 4-0 deficit in half with two runs in the bottom of the first, then capitalized on an error to pull within 4-3 in the fourth.

Milwaukee threatened in the eighth, but Jackson Chourio was retired home trying to score from third on an infield bouncer on a close play that was upheld upon review.

The Brewers, whose only other World Series appearance was as the American League representative in a seven-game loss to St. Louis in 1982, also overcame a 4-0 deficit in the NLCS, rallying for a 6-4 victory over the Dodgers in Game 4 to complete the sweep.

Pratt’s game-opening error contributed to the Rays’ four-run first. Diaz continued to second on Pratt’s errant throw from short, then scored on Chandler Simpson’s one-out single. Simpson stole second and scored on Junior Caminero’s RBI single. Liam Hicks followed with his first postseason homer to put the Rays up 4-0.

The Brewers bunched four singles for two runs in the bottom half, including RBI singles by William Contreras and Garrett Mitchell.

Milwaukee pulled within 4-3 in the fourth. Pratt battled back from an 0-2 count to draw a one-out walk, advanced to third on Frelick’s single and scored on first baseman Jonathan Aranda’s fielding error.

Chourio prevented a run when his perfect throw home from left field nailed Hicks trying to score from second to end the sixth. That play was also upheld after a review.

Rays starter Drew Rasmussen, who was 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three previous starts this postseason, allowed three runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings.

– Field Level Media

Intense Game 1 Goes to the Brewers

by

MILWAUKEE – (Wire Service and Staff Report) – Brewers closer Trevor Megill wasn’t perfect, but he was good enough to give Milwaukee a one-game advantage in the World Series.

Hard-throwing ace Jacob Misiorowski allowed one run over five gritty innings and Megill stranded the tying run at third base to preserve the Brewers’ 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night in the opening game of the World Series.

Embed from Getty Images

Milwaukee, whose only other World Series appearance was a seven-game loss in 1982, scored two runs in the first inning off Nick Martinez and added a run in the seventh on Jackson Chourio’s RBI single to go up 3-1.

The Rays scored one run in the ninth off Megill, who entered to start the inning and conceded consecutive one-out singles to Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson. Pinch runner Jorge Mateo and Simpson executed a double steal, and Junior Caminero walked to load the bases.

Liam Hicks appeared to bounce into a game-ending double play, but a video review showed that shortstop Cooper Pratt was pulled off the bag at second on the throw by second baseman Brice Turang.

Hicks was out on the fielder’s choice as Mateo scored to make it 3-2, leaving runners on second and third. Megill then struck out Jonny DeLuca for his fifth postseason save in five opportunities.

“A lot of times those plays stand during the year, but I’m sure now they have every angle, and they took their time and got it right.” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of the review. “Megill kept his composure. We talk about it all the time. When there’s a challenge, do not walk off the mound. Kept his composure, and that was the biggest at-bat of the game.”

Misiorowski (1-0), whose 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts each led the majors during the regular season, allowed one run on four hits in five innings. He fanned three and walked one in a 78-pitch outing.

Misiorowski set the tone by throwing a 103.5 mph fastball to open the game, the fastest pitch in World Series history.

“I thought Miz was great tonight,” Murphy said. “What we’re used to seeing in the regular season was Miz just mow through people and have two strikeouts an inning. That’s unrealistic. This is the best team in the American League. They proved that during the regular season and proved that in the postseason so far. One of the ways they do that is to make contact better than anybody in baseball.”

Afterward, the 24-year-old Milwaukee ace was trying to process his first World Series appearance.

“I still don’t know how I felt. I feel like I’m still trying to take everything in and understand what happened,” Misiorowski said. “Obviously went out and did my best and did enough for the team to get a win. That’s all I can ask for.”

After Misiorowski’s exit, Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby combined for three scoreless innings, striking out five.

“We came up a little bit short, but there’s some benefit maybe from a loss,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We saw Ashby. We saw Uribe. We saw Megill. I’d like to think that’s going to help us moving forward a little bit.”

The Brewers posted two quick runs against Martinez (1-1), who got the start when ace Drew Rasmussen was pushed back to Game 2 for an extra day’s rest.

Chourio singled on the first pitch and scored on Christian Yelich’s one-out triple off DeLuca’s glove on a diving catch attempt in right-center. William Contreras followed with an RBI single to left.

The Rays got a run back in the fourth. Aranda drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third when center fielder Garrett Mitchell misplayed Caminero’s 112.7 mph drive into a double. He scored on Hicks’ groundout.

The Brewers made it 3-1 in the seventh. Steven Matz walked Pratt, who advanced on a groundout and scored on Chourio’s two-out single down the right field line against Kevin Kelly.

Martinez allowed two runs on five hits in five innings, striking out five and walking none.

–Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media

Filed Under: MLB

World Series: Game 1 Pits Milwaukee v Tampa Bay

by

MILWAUKEE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) -Drew Rasmussen has been the epitome of an ace for the Tampa Bay Rays this postseason. In three playoff starts, the right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA, allowing three runs over 21 innings, striking out 23 and walking three.

After he last pitched in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, a 3-1 Rays win on Oct. 18, he could have started Game 1 of the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night on normal rest.

Tampa, though, is electing to get him an extra day of rest and throw off, instead giving the ball to veteran right-hander Nick Martinez for the opener of the best-of-seven series.

“We prioritized Drew getting an extra day. He’s had a pretty thick workload here,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said Thursday during media day in defense of the decision. “We’ve relied on him heavily. We know when he takes the ball, we’re trying to get the full pitch allotment out of him.

“When Nick pitches, we win. So excited to hand Nick the ball (for) Game 1, and we’ll go from there.”

There’s not much of a drop-off in terms of the quality Martinez provided this season relative to Rasmussen. He threw a team-high 180 innings this regular season with a 3.10 ERA, trailing only Rasmussen (2.67) among starters.

It’s quite a come-up for a pitcher who signed a one-year contract with the Rays back in February.

“I’m sure you guys can remember my Spring Training wasn’t a great one. Now we’re here,” Martinez said. “Again, I think that speaks a lot about the type of people I have around me to kind of navigate this season and help me out and help me be in this situation, and we’re having a lot of fun with it.”

Martinez is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts this postseason. Those starts, though, have lasted a combined nine innings, which may be another factor in starting him Friday when the bullpen is at its freshest.