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.

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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.

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Winning the franchise’s first title in 53 years created a lasting bond among the members of the 2025-26 New York Knicks.

But those bonds will take a back seat Friday night when the Knicks face former teammate Mitchell Robinson and the Boston Celtics in a clash of Eastern Conference powers.

Both teams have been off since losing their season openers Tuesday. The Knicks began their championship defense with a 106-100 loss to LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and the visiting Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics squandered a 22-point third-quarter lead in a 121-113 loss to the host Detroit Pistons.

For the Knicks, the loss was a disappointing coda to a memorable night. Returning players and coaches received their championship rings before the banner commemorating the long-awaited title was raised to the rafters at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks led by 10 points three times in the second quarter but fell behind for good when the 76ers ended the third quarter on an 11-0 run. Jalen Brunson, whose finishing skills last spring turned him into an all-time Big Apple sporting icon, was 1 of 5 from the field in the fourth quarter, including a missed turnaround jumper with 3:46 left that would have given New York the lead.

“I think it’s good for us to, you know, kind of get knocked down off the mountain, humble ourselves, put our egos in check and see what’s going to happen,” Brunson said.

The Knicks weren’t haunted Tuesday by their decision to bring back everyone from last year’s rotation except Robinson, who signed a three-year deal with the Celtics on July 6 after New York owner James Dolan made it clear he wouldn’t go into the second apron to keep the entire title team together.

Andre Drummond, Robinson’s replacement as the backup to center Karl-Anthony Towns, posted a double-double (12 points, 14 rebounds) in 24 minutes while Towns battled foul trouble.

Robinson, meanwhile, finished with four points, three rebounds and two blocked shots in 18 minutes in his Celtics debut. On Thursday, he said he was more focused on having a better game than facing his ex-teammates.

“It doesn’t really matter that I’m playing my former team,” Robinson said. “It’s more so just trying to bounce back from what happened two nights ago.”

But Knicks head coach Mike Brown expects to see an energized Robinson on Friday.

“At the end of the day, we want to kick his (butt) like he probably wants to kick ours,” Brown said.

Robinson was part of an offseason overhaul by the Celtics, who traded Brown, their top scorer last season, to the 76ers in exchange for Paul George on July 6.

George, the NBA’s ninth-leading active scorer, collected a game-high 38 points Tuesday, including 11 of the Celtics’ first 14 points in the second half as they extended their lead to 72-50 with 8:32 left in the third quarter.

But George hoisted just eight more shots after that. The Celtics went 15-for-40 from the field while being outscored 71-41 the rest of the way. The Pistons’ game-ending surge included a 23-0 run in the fourth quarter.

“We’ve got to try to find a play — big stop, big shot whatever it is — to kind of end those (runs) as quick as possible,” Celtics guard Derrick White said. “And we just weren’t able to find it (Tuesday).”

–Field Level Media

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CHICAGO – Bears QB Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns on Thursday night, leading the Chicago to a 30-24 victory over the visiting New England Patriots.

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release of the PBWA) – Jason Quick, Baxter Holmes, Stefan Bondy and Bill Oram have been named first-place winners in the 2026 PBWA Blumenthal Memorial Writing Contest, which honors the best work by members of the Professional Basketball Writers Association between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026.

Quick, a senior writer at The Athletic, took top honors in two of the five categories. He placed first in Magazine-Length Features with a vivid profile of Dick Motta – the winningest retired coach not to make the Hall of Fame – and, as Quick writes, “one of the game’s most colorful and controversial figures.” Quick also placed first in Game Coverage, for his story on Spencer Jones becoming the Denver Nuggets’ unlikely hero in a playoff victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the first round.

Holmes, a senior writer at ESPN, took top honors in News and Analysis for his in-depth investigation into how infighting among members of the Buss family ultimately led to the surprising sale of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bondy, who covers the Knicks for the New York Post, won first place in Moderate-Length Features for his colorful portrait of the relationship between Knicks star Jalen Brunson and his father, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson.

Oram, of The Oregonian, won the Columns category for a piece capturing the shock and disappointment of seeing Chauncey Billups, the Portland Trail Blazers’ head coach, arrested for his alleged participation in an illegal gambling ring.

Independent judges, all with extensive experience as writers or editors at major publications, evaluated the entries, one judge per category. The names of the authors and their outlets were redacted from all contest submissions before the judges received them for review.

Founded in 1973, the Professional Basketball Writers Association is a nonprofit membership organization for journalists who regularly cover the NBA and the WNBA for newspapers, magazines, wire services and online outlets. The PBWA has more than 200 members, representing 80-plus outlets.

The writing contest is named after Dan Blumenthal, who served as the PBWA’s secretary-treasurer from 1980 through 1983.

Results of the 2026 PBWA Blumenthal Memorial Writing Contest

MAGAZINE-LENGTH FEATURE

1^st place: Jason Quick, The Athletic, “For Dick Motta, the Hall of Fame ‘was never my goal.’ Only the work mattered”

Judge’s comment: Dick Motta lost more games than he won in his three decades as a vivid and combative NBA coach. He is also in his 90s, and a little bit ornery, even wondering out loud why he has agreed to be interviewed. Still, as the writer notes, “He won’t stop talking.” And what emerges is a skillful and poignant portrait of a man who grew up on a farm and who forever has had “dirt under his fingernails” and “basketball in his blood.”

2^nd place: Jared Weiss, The Athletic,“What is CLA, the revolutionary coaching method used by Victor Wembanyama and other top athletes?”

Judge’s comment: CLA stands for Constraints-Led Approach, a mouthful of a name that suggests the writer is going to have a tough time explaining what this new, and increasingly popular, coaching method is all about. But that is not what happens here. Instead, the piece convincingly lays out what’s behind an approach that trains players to deal with the unpredictable. In doing so, the author almost makes CLA sound as simple as ABC. Not quite, but almost.

3^rd place: Logan Murdock, The Ringer, “Who is the Real Chet Holmgren?”

Judge’s comment: This piece begins with a remarkably adept anecdote about Chet Holmgren extending his reach at the age of 4. It concludes with a strikingly perceptive quote from Holmgren, who is now 24, on just what his ceiling is supposed to be. They are the bookends to a very solid and smart look at one of the more unusual stars of the NBA – a player, the writer notes, who has armed himself with a “careful charisma.”

Honorable mention: Dan Woike, Sam Amick and Mike Vorkunov, The Athletic, “What we know about ‘Uncle Dennis’: A central figure in the Kawhi Leonard, Clippers investigation”

Judge’s comment: This is a tough-minded, illuminating piece that takes on a key figure in the Kawhi Leonard/Clippers saga, but also gives readers a glimpse of what goes on when a player’s representative meets with a team and all sorts of “asks” can fill the air. The figure in question is Dennis Robertson, who is Kawhi Leonard’s uncle and was his unofficial agent when all sorts of improprieties occurred. Robertson declined to be interviewed for this article, but in his absence, the (writers are) diligent in providing context for Robertson’s actions. “Uncle Dennis” may have been outrageous in what he asked teams to do for his nephew, but other agents, at times, can be almost as brazen.

Honorable Mention: Adam Himmelsbach, The Boston Globe, “‘Does he even have enough money?’ Bill Chisholm closed the deal of his life when he bought the Celtics”

Judge’s comment: Team owners are not necessarily endearing figures, but it’s hard not to find Bill Chisholm pretty likeable after reading this colorful account of his somewhat frantic, but ultimately successful, attempt to purchase the Boston Celtics, a team he had passionately rooted for since he was old enough to bounce a basketball. The writer smartly begins and ends this tale with Chisholm’s now-annual treks along the Appalachian Trail. He goes by himself, equipped with a tent and a portable stove. It’s hard to think of another NBA owner, or any team owner, doing something similar and it gives this piece a perfect extra touch.

GAME COVERAGE

1^st place: Jason Quick, The Athletic, “Spencer Jones saved the Nuggets’ season. Then he had to wait for a ride home”

Judge’s comment: The idea of a highly paid NBA player, even a fringe player, not owning a car is almost unfathomable. The writer does a great job of using that fun fact to weave through the ups and downs of Jones’ journeyman career, culminating in a rare star turn in a tense playoff setting. I smiled after reading the lede and kept smiling through the 40 grafs that followed. This was a delightful story and a great read.

2^nd place: Chris Herrington, the Daily Memphian, “These Grizzlies need patience. Does a ‘joy’-less Ja Morant have any to give?”

Judge’s comment: It might not be possible to dissect Ja Morant’s mercurial career in one game story, but this one comes close. Electrifying talent, offset by problematic personality, as reflected in his performance on this night. The game, and this account, also raises the question of whether the Grizzlies can ever build a winning team around him. Tough, smart, insightful story.

3^rd place: Ramona Shelburne, ESPN, “What to make of Victor Wembanyama’s unbelievable Game 1 performance”

Judge’s comment: He’s considered a generational talent, and it’s no exaggeration. Still, the playoffs are a different ballgame, and how Victor Wembanyama would respond to that challenge was a legitimate question. This account of his playoff debut answers it, with some nice historical perspective on the Robinson-Duncan legacy, the Popovich culture, where LeBron stood at a similar stage of his career, etc. Lots to digest here. Nicely done.

Honorable Mention: Joseph Casciaro, theScore, “A walk-off dime was the perfect way for LeBron’s streak to end”

Judge’s comment: For as long as there has been basketball, 10 points – double figures – has been recognized as a solid contribution. Though it’s not an official statistic, LeBron James’ streak of double-figures games is one of his more remarkable achievements. That it ended with him passing up a chance to extend it and instead setting up a teammate for a game-winning bucket speaks to who LeBron has always been as a player. This story makes that point with style, clarity and insight.

Honorable Mention: Gordie Jones, Liberty Ballers, “Sixers finally find themselves, but can they find a way to win Game 7?”

Judge’s comment: This is classic NBA writing: fast-paced, take-us-there descriptive, packed with insights you’d never get off TV, clever and colorful phrasing. Traditional “gamers” have sort of been devalued in today’s media ecosystem, and it’s a pleasure to come across one that’s done this well.

NEWS AND ANALYSIS

1^st place: Baxter Holmes, ESPN, “How Buss family infighting drove the $10B sale of the Lakers”

Judge’s comment: This story is a terrific achievement: original reporting, sharp insights, never-before-told anecdotes, and stunning detail that shows how tensions among Jerry Buss’s six children (by two different mothers) resulted in the soap-operatic twists that led to the abrupt sale of the team. Everything the Lakers have ever been, want to be, but no longer are, is present here, along with a bracing amount of info about the internecine bickering, hurt feelings, nasty double crosses, family secrets, and backstage machinations. Given the Lakers’ gold-plated image, readers might be surprised to know the franchise skimped on staff and scouting, analytics and player care. The profile that emerges of Jeanie Buss, especially, is not a flattering one. But never does this story rely on hearsay. Principles are quoted directly. The tale that emerges is a finely drawn look at a family and once-exemplary franchise that disintegrated in lockstep.

2^nd place: Dan Devine, Yahoo Sports, “The Luka Dončić trade was the ultimate mistake, but plenty went wrong for Nico Harrison since the Mavs made the Finals”

Judge’s comment: It was obvious that Nico Harrison’s time was probably short in Dallas the minute he traded away Luka Dončić, but this piece still stood out for its strong blend of reporting and analysis once Harrison was fired. The writer adeptly shows how the Dončić trade was the most glaring error Harrison made, but there were plenty others that left Harrison open to charges of “malpractice.” The writer points out Harrison lasted just nine months after the trade, and just 18 months or so after Dallas made the NBA Finals. The bottom line: The Mavs’ downward spiral was breathtakingly swift and feels like it could take years to recover from. Did it have to happen?

3^rd place: Bill Oram, The Oregonian, “Tom Dundon levels challenge to Trail Blazers as he takes over as franchise’s owner”

Judge’s comment: Texas billionaire Tom Dundon was a curiosity from the moment he joined the NBA’s ownership club. This story stands out for several reasons. It not only analyzes the news but breaks some: The writer got Dundon to commit to keeping the Trail Blazers (the city’s greatest “civic asset”) in Portland if the city and state come through with some promises. The writer also took the admirable approach of confronting the controversial new owner to his face about the things people say about him, the cheapskate moves he makes, and his belittling treatment of interim coach Tiago Splitter. Reporter: “Are you the hard-ass everybody says you are?” Dundon: “I think so.” Should people be scared of you? Dundon, chewing on a strawberry: “My expectations are consistently unrealistic. I want people like that. If that’s not the environment you thrive in, then it’s going to be hard…I am not flexible about my standards.”

Honorable mention: Nick Friedell, The Athletic, “Steve Kerr can leave the Warriors, but can he leave Steph Curry?”

Judge’s comment: The writer starts out stating a good premise that turned out to be accurate – neither Kerr nor Curry did leave each other – and the writer does a good job of showing some insights into the relationship between Kerr and Curry, them and the franchise. The idea that Kerr might want to leave because his social justice remarks cause internal frustration and he has felt “stifled” at times was an interesting aside. The best part of this piece was the anecdote that really showed us how the affection between Curry and Kerr is genuine: Asked if he’d lobby for Kerr to stay on, Curry demurred and instead said, “I want Coach to be happy.”

Honorable mention: Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, “Angel Reese Wants the Sky to do more in Free Agency: We can’t settle for what we have this year.”

Judge’s comment: Reese’s remarks in this piece are extraordinary critiques that pro athletes rarely voice out loud. The impression left by the wording in this story is Reese told these remarks to this author alone, which would deserve big points for original reporting. What holds this story back is the need for stronger analysis: Were Reese’s comments accurate, or the remarks of an egotistical crank who’s not below selling out teammates? We also need to hear what team insiders and other players thought of Reese’s candor, and the very long list of things she wanted regarding the front office, head coach, style of play, facilities, and construction of the roster. The answer came later: She’s now playing in Atlanta.

MODERATE-LENGTH FEATURE

1^st place: Stefan Bondy, New York Post, “Rick Brunson molded Jalen Brunson into a Knicks ‘killer’ – inside the roller-coaster journey that made an NBA star”

Judge’s comment: Above all else, prescient – writing about Jalen Brunson and his dad eight months before Brunson took over the spotlight in the NBA Finals; by then, everyone and his cousin was writing the story. Great background on Rick Brunson and his teaching “methods.” I assume Rick Brunson always is a straight shooter, but still some great in-depth stuff. (And if he’s NOT usually a straight-shooter, incredible job by the writer getting him to talk about it.) Nice job weaving in a lot of background info without pounding the reader over the head with it. One genuinely great line: “It emboldened the father to continue his strategy of torment.” Nice quote ending, too.

2^nd place: Joe Freeman, The Oregonian, “Blazers’ Deni Avdija ends unlikely journey with ‘long weekend’ at historic All-Star game”

Judge’s comment:Nicely written piece, with ending tying back into the lede. Rather in-depth for a story ostensibly about Avdija’s first All-Star Game appearance. Nice job talking to the journalist in Tel Aviv for some insight on Avdija’s popularity in Israel. Some great quotes from Avdija (I’m one of those who think a lot of great quotes come from the right questions being asked), including one that made me laugh out loud, when Avdija was talking about learning English from “classic” TV shows like “iCarly” and “Drake and Josh.” Story adroitly wove in key stats while not overwhelming the piece with number after number. One minor issue was that only two people were quoted – BUT didn’t bother me because the piece still covered a lot of ground.

3^rd place: James Edwards, The Athletic, “Inside NBA Sneaker Culture: Why some players burn through 60 pairs a season and Jarrett Allen won’t”

Judge’s comment: Great idea about one player and his sneakers. Enjoyable read, too, especially the idea that an NBA player is willing to buy used shoes online. Sort of unreal – and memorable, as well. And nice insights from players about their sneaker habits. Just a fun piece to read, with interesting information. Would think it appealed to those who truly care about what sneakers a player wears, as well as those who couldn’t care less about sneaker brands.

Honorable mention: Eric Koreen, The Athletic, “How Jamal Shead became the Raptors’ leader and life of the party”

Judge’s comment: A lot of great info, especially the quotes from Kelvin Sampson about his ex-player, and flows well.

Honorable mention: Chris Hine, The Minnesota Star-Tribune, “NBA veteran Mike Conley has a personal greeting for teammates, friends and staffers that requires a lot of muscle memory”

Judge’s comment: I have read A LOT on Conley in the past 15-plus years, but this was a new angle. Enjoyable stuff.

COLUMNS

1^st place: Bill Oram, The Oregonian, “If allegations prove true, we are all victims of Chauncey Billups’ fraud”

Judge’s comment: This was an extremely competitive year for the column category, but I selected this entry because it struck an emotional chord and had all the elements of a terrific column. It was unique, compelling, powerful, thoroughly researched and beautifully written. The tone was pitch-perfect and the detail was lethal. It offered a strong opinion. The author speaks as if sitting in the living rooms of stunned Portland Trail Blazers fans who woke up one morning to discover their respected head coach, Chauncey Billups – the man fondly known as Mr. Big Shot – shot a brick that fractured the façade of the Moda Center. Chauncey Billups? One of the good guys! Hall of Famer! Well, maybe not so much. Billups goes to trial in March 2027 on charges relating to his participation in a multi-agency gambling probe that involved rigged poker games and illegal sports betting, generating obvious questions about integrity, character and complicity. The author notes that Billups thus far is only guilty of bad judgment, but reminds readers that, almost three decades ago, the former Blazers head coach settled a civil suit filed by a woman who claimed she was raped by Billups, Ron Mercer and Antoine Walker. Perhaps a clue was badly missed by the Blazers organization, who hired him anyway? The author concludes with a clever, crushing, appropriate blow: “If the indictment is to be believed, he (Billups) is a cheat. He is a $100 million man with the world at his fingertips and, apparently, a card up his sleeve. That is how he will be remembered.”

2^nd place: Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, “The Jaden Ivey debacle is another embarrassing failure for Artūras Karnišovas and the Chicago Bulls”

Judge’s comment: This is another superb, intensely personal opinion column that left me wishing there was a 1-A and 1-B grading system. The writer introduces themself as “a queer person” covering the Chicago Bulls during the tumultuous past few years, then delves right into the controversy involving Jaden Ivey, the former Bulls guard who profanely eviscerated the league for scheduling annual LGBTQ+ pride nights (He was waived shortly thereafter). The author deftly chronicles Ivey’s increasing religious extremism and his negative impact on locker-room dynamics, and presents the bigoted rant as a reflection of all that ails the Bulls. The argument is convincing: the litany of failed draft picks and trade decisions; the front office with plenty of time to fix the problems but not enough basketball savvy to rescue the team; and amid the miscues, a lack of accountability by vice president Artūras Karnišovas and his front office. The suggestion that Karnišovas could have foreseen the incident is rudely dismissed. Rather, the columnist cites another ill-advised signing last season of Joshua Primo, the former San Antonio Spurs reserve who had been suspended for exposing himself to female staffers. Though Primo never suited up for the Bulls, his mere presence begs the question: Why would the Bulls a year later invest so heavily on a talented, but obviously troubled player who, as the writer says, “became increasingly insistent on pushing his faith into his professional life. He lost the ability to provide basic answers … without redirecting the topic to religion. He pressed staffers and teammates with uncomfortable questions. All this information was publicly accessible.” And to be clear: This is not an anti-religion column. The writer explicitly points out that NBA teams historically welcome religious leaders and provide chapel services before games. Tough balance, excellent column.

3^rd place: Sharon Brown, Memphis Flyer, “LeBron Said it Out Loud. Memphis Felt Every Word”

Judge’s comment: This is a truly memorable column about an NBA city – Memphis – that keeps hearing it shouldn’t be an NBA city. I went back and read this entry multiple times, impressed by the prose and impassioned defense of a place that LeBron James suggests should be expunged from the NBA map. Nashville, he said, is the place to be – a sentiment shared by many of his colleagues. Clearly, offense was taken. LeBron and his peers’ feelings notwithstanding, the writer slaps right back and makes a compelling case for leaving the Grizzlies right where they are. Memphis is portrayed as an entertainment mecca, the site of exquisite blues performances on Beale Street and the National Civil Rights Museum. Dr. Martin Luther King was murdered at the Lorraine Hotel, a mere mile from the Grizzlies’ FedExForum. The writer depicts the franchise as a slice of civic pride, a source of self esteem and essential to the region’s economy. Ushers. Servers. Valet staff. Cooks. Maintenance. Cleaning staff. “Memphis is not a city that reveals itself in passing,” the author writes. “It requires proximity and engagement, whether through the energy that fills FedExForum or the neighborhoods that surround it. Without that proximity, the understanding remains partial.” Beautifully done. Makes one want to give Memphis a closer look.

Honorable Mention: Marcus Thompson II, The Athletic, “Anthony Edwards delivers a Mother’s Day gem for mom, the Wolves and all of us who’ve lost”

Judge’s comment: This was a very sweet column that humanizes NBA stars – in this case, examining Anthony Edwards’ bond with his late mother and the annual holiday that reminds him of how much he loved and how much he lost.

Honorable mention: Madeline Kenney, New York Post, “Nneka Ogwumike is an indispensable WNBA leader – with landmark CBA and beyond”

Judge’s comment: Nneka Ogwumike retired a few months after this column was written; and with keen insight, lovely prose and a detailed, comprehensive account of her influence on the WNBA, the writer bids her adieu with a flourish.

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ST. PETERSBURGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Starting pitcher Nick Martinez passed the baton to Drew Rasmussen. Now, it’s up to Freddy Peralta to finish the job and take the Tampa Bay Rays to the World Series.

The Rays return home to St. Petersburg, Fla., on Monday to host Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, holding a 3-2 lead over the Cleveland Guardians after two straight victories on the road.

Trade-deadline acquisition Peralta (1-0, 0.79 ERA), a right-hander, has an opportunity to win the best-of-seven set and send Tampa Bay into a matchup with the National League champion Milwaukee Brewers in the Fall Classic.

“It’s funny because our first goal when we got to Cleveland was just to get back to The Trop,” Rays closer Bryan Baker said, referring to their ballpark. “Then, to be able to go back in this position is exactly what we wanted to do.

“It’s what we worked for. It was a huge couple of games here to get to this spot, and I’m super proud of the guys to come this far.”

The Guardians boarded their flight to Florida with more questions than answers, shell-shocked after their momentum disappeared with a rainout Friday. Cleveland managed just two runs in 12 1/3 combined innings against Martinez and Rasmussen.

Peralta, who came over from the New York Mets, will make his second start and third appearance in the ALCS. He won Game 2 and pitched in relief in Game 4, tossing 6 2/3 total scoreless innings with six strikeouts and a .167 opponent batting average.

“Kudos to Freddy, he’s been awesome to have around as a human being,” Rasmussen said. “It’s not necessarily the most comfortable thing to get traded and being told we’re going to make some mechanical adjustments. But I think he’s gotten back to being an athlete and not quite so robotic.”

In ALCS history, the team that takes a 3-2 lead has advanced to the World Series 69.6% of the time (16 of 23).

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SANTA CLARA – Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (groin) did not practice all week and was ruled out for Monday night’s away game against the San Francisco 49ers, coach Dan Quinn told reporters.

Along with Croskey-Merritt, Quinn said quarterback Marcus Mariota (knee), edge rusher Javontae Jean-Baptiste (pectoral) and defensive lineman Charles Omenihu (groin/ankle) will not travel with the team for the game to be played at Levi’s Stadium, just north of San Francisco, California.

Quinn said Croskey-Merritt reinjured the groin he hurt in August.

“That’s harder, on the same injury,” he said. “We’ll work really hard to get him back.”

Croskey-Merritt leads the Commanders with 239 rushing yards and has two rushing touchdowns. He missed the final two preseason games with a groin injury.

Rachaad White (shoulder) and Austin Ekeler (chest) are expected to share running back duties, though both have been limited in practice. Jeremy McNichols, who began the season on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury, will travel with the team and could be activated Monday.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who missed last Sunday’s 27-27 tie against the New York Giants, practiced Saturday, along with Terry McLaurin (hamstring). The pair have combined for 32 receptions, 373 yards and four scores this season.

Cornerback Trey Amos (ankle) and safety Nick Cross (illness) were full participants in practice and could return Monday. Amos has been on injured reserve, while Cross has been out since Week 2.

–Field Level Media

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By TERRY LYONS

NEW YORK – Sports seminars are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.

That might sound familiar to a longtime movie-goers who remember Robert Zemeckis’ “Forrest Gump” in about 1994, as dear Forrest was quoting his mother’s viewpoint on life during a crucial moment of the Academy Award winning film.

The same quote fits with the various sports marketing seminars staged by major media outlets, sports trade outlets (online and magazine form), pro sports leagues, thought-leadership think tanks or even the many colleges and universities of the world with majors or masters degrees in sports management. Those are staged by the some of the finest institutions in the land – from MIT Sloan Business School to Wharton (UPenn) to Columbia University, New York City’s IVY League entry.

In far too many cases, the seminars dance together with one or two day agendas all blending into a sports marketing blur.

Most make the attempt to cover the flavor of the month topics, such as legalized sports gambling in the USA, the NIL crush on collegiate sports, performance enhancing/monitoring wearables, advanced statistics and analysis, and the most recent – being A.I. (for artificial intelligence). They’re all interesting and worthwhile topics in an ever-changing landscape of sports business.

That is good.

Usually, the ‘grand-daddy of them all’ – the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference – blows away the competition with a two-day extravaganza that grew from a relatively small on-campus gathering to a massive and always sold-out monstrous multi-topic, multi-discipline extravaganza at one of Boston’s two large convention centers – usually the Mayor Tom Menino Center at The Seaport.

To a great extent, everyone else plays for the silver medal of sports business seminars, and that includes wonderful and informative efforts by The Sports Business Journal, its parent company (Leaders of London), and more recently Sportico. The SBJ stages the World Congress of Sports (usually in LA), Game-Changers (focusing on women in sports), Deal Makers (a one-day, rather intimate gathering of investment opportunists of sport, Sports Tech focused seminars, New Voices (U-30), the Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, Forty Under Forty, Brand Innovation and a year-ending Sports Business Awards – black tie event to celebrate the very best in sports for each calendar year.

Of course there are others – far too many to list or even try to rank as a top ten.

That said, there is now a solid No. 2 in the ranking and it is the Columbia University School of Professional Studies Sports Management Conference – a one-day event held at Lerner Hall and the Roone Arledge Auditorium on campus at 114th Street & Broadway on the Upper West Side of New York City, also known as Morningside Heights.

The 2026 rendition was held this past Thursday, October 15 from 9am to 5pm and Columbia celebrated its 20th year in the sports management eco system.

Its agenda was wide-ranging and magnificent, to say the least. Topics ranged from “Beyond the Game: Capturing the Cultural Connection” in sports to Deloitte’s Global Sports Industry Outlook to a home grown look at some of the Columbia grads who are shaping the current sports business landscape.

There was an interesting look at the NFL’s endeavor into Flag Football, told from league office to team to participant’s point-of-view. They passed the torch to the USOC & Paralympic committee CEO, Sarah Hirshland, who ran with it, then passed off to Nielsen’s global head of sports execs.

There was a one-on-one with former New York Rangers Stanley Cup champion goalkeepers, Mike Richter, who sat with Maryland and NBA star Len Elmore (now turned TV commentator and part-time sports lawyer Len Elmore.

The final presentation was a panel discussion that, quite frankly, blew us all away as they delved into the crazy and wonderful world of sports memorabilia (as a business). Even SBJ veteran Terry Lefton, the moderator was taken back by some of the valuations of everything from traditional memorabilia such as Trading Cards to authentic and autographed merchandise and game-worn uniforms to the far reaching world of first edition Harry Potter books. It was interesting, to say the least, especially when (Fanatics) Michael Rubin clone, Josh Luber, now the CEO of ghostwrite, reached into his bag of tricks and started tossing memorabilia into the sparse crowd that was smart enough to stick around for the final presentation of the long day.

In true sense of burying the lead, there were two other key sessions.

Columbia U professor and moderator Michael Neuman led a 45-minute panel discussion entitled, The Experience Effect: Turning Moments Into Meaning. Panelists included, Bettina Garibaldi, the recent Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for FIFA World Cup 2026 and their NY/NJ Host Committee, Ed Horne, an industry veteran (a la NFL, NHL), now the Chief Operating Officer of “On Location,” Jackie Riggleman, the impressive senior project manager for Canopy Team – an agency where she recently oversaw the strategy for Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB) efforts at PNC Park in Pitt, along with their Spring Training and Dominican-based facilities. In her spare time, before her time with the Pirates, Riggleman was an instrumental part of the team that opened Monongalia County Ballpark, home of the West Virginia University Mountaineers and West Virginia Black Bears. Batting clean-up was Danny Zausner, the COO of the United States Tennis Association and its National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadow, Queens, NY.

Neuman held the lofty title as the leader of “most interesting discussion” for all of 20 minutes, and then Columbia University’s head of the sports management program Scott Rosner took the stage to introduce a keynote speaker, Sheikha Asmaa bint Thani A M Al-Thani, ID’d as the Director of Marketing and International Cooperation Sector for the Qatar Olympic Committee.

Everyone stopped in their tracks. It was “you can hear a pin drop” territory as Rosner gradually drew-out the fact Ms. Al Thani is a Qatari mountaineer who is the first Qatari woman to summit Mount Everest, Lhotse, and Manaslu, K2 as well as the first Qatari female to climb Ama Dablam. She is also the first Qatari person to ski to the North Pole. On her ascent of Manaslu, she became the first Arab person to summit an eight-thousander (8,000 metres (26,247 ft) in elevation) without oxygen. She climbed Lhotse for the second time in May 2024, without using supplemental oxygen, becoming the first Arab to climb two 8000ers without supplemental oxygen.

All of the Earth’s eight-thousanders are located in the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges in Asia, and their summits lie in the altitude range known as the death zone, where atmospheric oxygen pressure is insufficient to sustain human life for extended periods of time.

Give me a break, right?

It’s not gonna end there.

In 2013, Al Thani found a bucket list she had written several years before, which included the resolution of climbing a mountain. She began training shortly afterwards and in 2014 she was part of a group of climbers who were the first Qatari women to summit Kilimanjaro. In 2018 she became the first Qatari person to ski to the North Pole and she raised her country’s flag there on April 21. She was part of an all-female Euro-Arabian Polar expedition, which was led by Felicity Aston who was the first woman to travel unaided across the Antarctic mainland. As a result she was recognised as “Woman of the Year” by Grazia magazine which is published in Qatar. In 2019, Al Thani became the first Qatari woman to summit Aconcagua.

On November 8, 2021 she became the Qatari first woman to reach the summit of Ama Dablam. Earlier that year, she summited Mount Elbrus in Russia, and Dhaulagiri and the eighth highest mountain, Manaslu in Nepal. As a result of her climb on Manaslu she became the first Arab to reach the summit of one of the highest mountains (an eight-thousander) without the use of oxygen. She became the first Qatari woman to summit Ama Dablam in Nepal, and then climbed Mount Vinson in January 2022.

On May 9, 2022, she became first Arab to climb Kangchenjunga.

Al Thani reached the summit of Everest on May 27, 2022. On that journey, she and her team carried a football created by adidas for the FIFA World Cup Qatar to the summit of Everest.

Named ‘Al Rihla’ which means ‘the journey’, the ball was the World Cup’s first Arabic match’s official ball. She went on to reach the summit of Lhotse on May 28, 2022 and K2 in July 2022. Al Thani climbed Denali, her sixth of the seven summits on 17 June 17, 2022.

Add it up, and it’s 11 of the highest 14 summits in the world.

And, oh, by the way, she is also a member of the ruling family of Qatar, and in meeting her after the panel, she is about as down-to-earth a person as anyone you’ve ever met. Down-to-earth seems a bit of a common phrase for people, because – please remember – for every eight-thousander climbed, she had to get down, as well. She had to come back down to earth.

On one trip, her team leader actually thanked her for her monumental decision to stop and turn back after a couple days or horrendous weather. The team leader would’ve pushed on if it was his client’s wish.

On another, she actually called it quits … as in, she had come to the realization she was so sick and tired that she would need to simply sit down, and by doing so, she would – most likely – end her own life.

She described one harrowing experience.

“After seven days in base camp, we pushed on,” she began. “I had a team with me, a very strong team. We had a rotation, as the weather was not favorable. The weather was providing two days, but my body was not ‘doing well.’ I was very sick, but I still wanted to push to get to that summit.

“As I was going up, our push was taking longer than expected. The rope team decided and turned around, so my team had to help fix the ropes. As we climbed, I was getting sicker and sicker, and the weather was beginning to turn.

“I told my guide, he should turn around, but he said, ‘We need to go,’ and you need to push. We continued to climb, but the sickness was causing (vomit) and stomach pain. About 100 metres from the summit, I sat down. My guide told me, if I sit down, I would begin to lose body function. I told my guide, he needed to go.”

I said, “No, I don’t think I’m going to go and, if you stay here with me, you’re going to die.

“For a moment there, it seemed easier to stay than to continue down that mountain. It was about 19 hours, non-stop. No food. In my head, I figured it was 14 hours down. I didn’t think I had it in me. I will just go here and it will be easier.

“My guide looked at me, and I said to him, ‘I’m tired,’ and he simply said, ‘I’m tired, too.’ At that moment, I realized he’s tired, I’m tired, so we must do this together. I got back up and we continued to go back down the mountain.

“After that time, I did not climb for a year. I asked myself, ‘Why should I push myself beyond my capabilities. Why should I push myself to the extent that I was ready to stay on that mountain?

“Once I realized that, I returned to the point and I was ready to climb again. And, that I needed to do it in the right way. I realized that I was not climbing to get to the summit. I was climbing to get to know who I am.

“I knew I had to get myself in the right physical condition and the right mental condition, but I will not push myself beyond that point.”

Amazing.

Come August 27 to September 12, 2027, Sheikha Asmaa bint Thani A M Al-Thani will be welcoming the USA Basketball senior national team and the other 31 men’s national teams who qualify for the 2027 FIBA World Cup basketball tournament in Qatar. It will be the first FIBA Basketball World Cup to be held in the Arab/Middle East world, and the third straight to be held in Asia as Qatar is under FIBA’s Asian region.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The Boston Celtics announced the signing of an extension for their 2024 NBA Champion and 2024-25 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the deal was widely reported as being a two-year extension for $44.2 million. His current, four-year deal was for $30m.

“Payton’s a very good player who has put in the time and added to his game each season that he’s been in Boston,” said President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “He’s just a flat-out winner, whose toughness, commitment to team, and work ethic are all elite. We’re thrilled that he’s chosen to extend with the C’s.”

Pritchard, the Celtics’ second-longest-tenured player, is entering his seventh NBA season after averaging career highs of 17.0 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 32.4 minutes per game across 79 appearances (50 starts) during the 2025-26 campaign. The 28-year-old tallied 27 20-point games last season, including six games with 30+ points, while shooting 46.4 percent from the field, 37.7 percent from 3-point range, and 89.0 percent from the free-throw line. Pritchard has appeared in 426 career games (67 starts) across six seasons with the Celtics.

In breaking news, Pope Leo has left the hospital (in Rome) and will be back in action to root on his Villanova Wildcats of the BIG EAST.

SPALKING HEADS: In sports-biz news, Spalk, a cloud-based commentary and technology platform scaling multilingual commentary for teams, leagues and broadcast partners, announced its largest North American sports expansion, adding more non-English global partnerships with the NFL and the NBA as the fall progresses. The NBA expansion will include the first-ever remote broadcasts in seven languages for NBA on Prime, while the NFL expansion now includes live commentary in five additional languages never offered before.

“We have come a long way from launching the business in a New Zealand dorm room in 2015, and there is no better proof of concept than what we are now doing with a growing number of North American leagues, particularly the NFL and the NBA,” said Ben Reynolds oo-founder and CEO at Spalk. “The best way to reach consumers and make them fans on a global level is to give them the excitement of the live event in their own language, and we have refined the technology so that delivery, consistency and professionalism of talent is at a premium. By employing the largest group of multilingual talent literally everywhere in the world, we can assure that the leagues, our growing list of broadcast partners and most importantly the fans, are literally being heard and enjoying real-time multilingual broadcasts every day, with more to come.”

This season, Spalk will provide NBA broadcasts in Greek, Portuguese, Turkish, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian and Korean using their qualifying list of talent. For NBA on Prime, coverage will cover Friday doubleheaders with 28 different commentators on one night across the two games. Twice this season there will be triple header broadcasts. That will require 42 commentators in one day across three games.

TID-BITS & NUGGETS: Attention all NBA prop people: The NBA will be restricting player props via sportsbook partners such as Draft Kings and Fan Duel. The league-mandated restrictions will include bets on players who will score the first basket of a game and parlays built around statistical unders for players expected to see limited playing time. The player prop prohibitions, which take effect this season, were outlined in a letter to sportsbook operators and a memo to all NBA teams. The restrictions will also apply to the WNBA next season. … The prop that’s more fun in gaming is the “last basket” (FG or 3-point FG – no FTs). … Same goes for “last touchdown,” with credit to receivers not QBs and no field goals or extra point action at all.

NEXT SUNDAY: The famed Spanish soccer matchup El Clásico, featuring Real Madrid vs. F.C. Barcelona will be on next Sunday, October 25th. To their credit, the MLS schedule-maker has home team LA Galaxy vs. LAFC on the very same date (25 October) at 9:00pm (ET/6:00pm (local) at BMO Stadium.. That matchup? El Trafico.

THE NBA POWER RANKINGS: Heading into the NBA regular season openers (this Tuesday, October 20) with (3pm Boston at Detroit), (7pm Philadelphia at New York complete with Ring Ceremony and banner raising pregame at Madison Square Garden), and (9:30pm OKC at San Antonio), there’s a consensus study of media predictions for the best teams in the league. VSiN compiled a bunch for its preseason NBA guide. Here are the results:

NBA Team, Power Ranking #

OKLAHOMA CITY 104.0

SAN ANTONIO 103.5

NEW YORK 103.0

PHILADELPHIA 101.5

BOSTON 101.0

DENVER 101.0

DETROIT 101.0

MINNESOTA 101.0

CLEVELAND 100.5

LA LAKERS 100.5

KEEP AN ON: The Atlanta Hawks, the return of the Indiana Pacers and the new and improved Utah Jazz.

ON THE COLLEGE FRONT: Longtime readers know, WWYI has gone to the length of picking a full NCAA men’s basketball tournament bracket in the preseason. That has become increasingly harder with the fact the vast amount of Top 25 college basketball teams turnover their rosters via the transfer portal, adding veteran international players and – now – rarely landing a great high school prospect. Most coaches prefer the veteran 22-year old over an 18-year old first year, right out of the State high school tournaments and AAU summer ball.

Rather than a full bracket, how about a basic college basketball preseason …

Top 10

1. Florida
2. Duke
3. UConn
4. Illinois
5. Texas
6. Michigan St.
7. Arizona
8. Miami
9. Louisville
10. Virginia

Worth watching: Kansas, Houston, St. John’s, Michigan, UCLA, Kentucky, Alabama, Gonzaga, Tennessee, Iowa St.

PEACE OUT: The Nobel Prizes are among the world’s most prestigious honors. There are honors for Laureates in the categories of medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, economics and peace. Why isn’t there a prize for sports? … It would not be a typical community relations or most valuable player type award, as the respective leagues take care of that with all kinds of different honors. … The very first Nobel Prize for Sports might go to:

• Dikembe Mutombo (posthumously)
• Roberto Clemente (posthumously)
• Serena Williams
• Neymar
• David Beckham
• Jordan Spieth
• Pat LaFontaine

The post TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct 18 appeared first on Digital Sports Desk.

Dallas Cowboys (2-3) at Green Bay Packers (3-2)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Packers -1.5. Total: 52.5.

Series Rewind: These non-divisional rivals played to a 40-40 tie in overtime last season in Texas, racking up a combined 925 yards of offense. Including the playoffs, the Cowboys have lost five of their last six games at Lambeau Field.

The Cowboys have alternated wins and losses through five games this season. They are 0-2 in prime time, losing on Sunday night in Week 1 to the Giants and on Thursday night in Week 5 to the Buccaneers. Dak Prescott is just 1-3-1 against Green Bay in the regular season despite racking up 16 total touchdowns (14 passing, two rushing). CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are facing a Packers defense that ranks No. 5 against the pass, allowing 181 yards per game with more interceptions (seven) than TD passes allowed (six). Running back Javonte Williams has scored 20 touchdowns in his first 21 games with Dallas. Green Bay has bogged down in the red zone with TDs on only nine of 18 trips inside the 20. Jordan Love threw for 337 yards and three scores last season at Dallas, while Christian Watson set a career high with three TD catches in his only prior meeting against the Cowboys back in 2022. Discipline has been an issue for coach Matt LaFleur’s club with 46 penalties for 369 yards.

–Field Level Media

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Arizona Cardinals (1-4) at Los Angeles Rams (2-3)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Rams -12.5. Total: 51.5.

Series Rewind: The Rams have won three consecutive games over Arizona. Matthew Stafford threw four TD passes in the 37-20 victory to end the 2025 regular season.

Another hard-luck defeat, 37-34 to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, sends the Rams into Week 6. They’ve played well in the second half of late — LA scored 14 fourth-quarter points to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20 in Week 4 and forced overtime against the Bills with 20 fourth-quarter points — but a complete game has been fleeting. Matthew Stafford has started to hit his stride after a slow start, completing 74.1% of his passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns against the Bills. He did not throw an interception for the first time this season. Puka Nacua had a career-high 17 receptions that went for 138 yards and a touchdown. Davante Adams had two TD receptions of his own. But the Rams’ kicking game proved costly. They signed Blake Grupe off the New York Jets’ practice squad. In 50 career NFL games over three seasons, mostly for the New Orleans Saints, Grupe has made 81.9% of his field goals. The Cardinals arrive on a four-game losing streak after a 45-21 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The next day, the Cardinals traded Marvin Harrison Jr. to Houston. Jacoby Brissett completed 61.7% of his passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns, but the Cardinals’ defense gave up 412 total yards, including 163 on the ground. The Lions put the game away with three second-half touchdowns. Arizona now heads back to the Los Angeles area, where they got their season off to what appeared to be a promising start with a 26-14 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Arizona gave up an average of 37 points over their last four games and former Rams assistant Mike LaFleur, in his first season coaching the Cardinals, might limit Jeremiyah Love this week because of an ankle injury. The Rams will be without left tackle Alaric Jackson, who was suspended for an altercation after Monday’s loss.

Los Angeles Chargers (0-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-0)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
FanDuel odds: Chiefs -7.5. Total 41.5.

Series Rewind: In their most recent meeting in Week 15 last season, the Chargers completed their first sweep of the Chiefs since 2013, eliminated Kansas City from playoff contention and left Patrick Mahomes with a torn left ACL.

Coming off a bye week, the Chiefs are looking for their fifth 5-0 start since head coach Andy Reid arrived in 2013. Including his 5-0 start with the Eagles in 2004, he can become the third coach in NFL history with six such starts (George Halas, Paul Brown). Mahomes is 10-4 against the Chargers with 28 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Running back Kenneth Walker is off to a sizzling start with 621 scrimmage yards and six TDs in his first four games with Kansas City, which is playing at home for the first time in nearly a month (Sept. 20 win over the Colts). Travis Kelce needs six catches to pass Cris Carter (1,101) for sixth place in NFL history. Off to their worst start since 2003, the Chargers rank 30th with just 16.8 points per game. Justin Herbert has thrown at least one touchdown — and at least one pick — in every contest this season. Outside linebacker Khalil Mack has 10 sacks in 17 career games against the Chiefs.Buy Game Tickets

Buffalo Bills (4-1) at Las Vegas Raiders (3-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET
Fan Duel odds: Bills -5.5. Total: 53.5.

Series Rewind: Buffalo has won the past three meetings and five of seven. The series dates back to 1960 when both teams were part of the American Football League. One forgettable meeting for the Raiders is when the Bills rolled to a 51-3 victory in the 1990 season AFC title game to reach the Super Bowl.

The Bills can move the ball at will and score often but they also can’t seem to slow down opposing offenses. That means a high-scoring affair could be on tap with Buffalo tied for the league lead in scoring at 32.8 points and Las Vegas checking in ninth at 26.4. The Bills stand 28th in scoring defense (28.2) and 30th in total defense (388.6). Monday’s 37-34 overtime road win over the Los Angeles Rams marked the third time this season Buffalo has scored more than 30 points and given up more than 30 in the same game. Running back James Cook III lost two fumbles – one in overtime with the Bills in field-goal range – and that takes the shine off him ranking third in the NFL with 532 rushing yards. Quarterback Josh Allen leads the NFL with eight rushing scores and he rushed for 121 yards against the Rams while passing the ball just 19 times. Receiver DJ Moore (shoulder) and defensive tackle Ed Oliver (knee) both look likely to miss their second consecutive games. The Raiders have dropped two straight contests and were whipped 45-17 by the host New England Patriots last week. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is playing well with 1,269 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions while tight end Brock Bowers had eight receptions for 110 yards and one score against New England. Running back Ashton Jeanty had just 27 yards on 10 carries and has a paltry 3.3 average with 291 rushing yards. The Raiders entered the week tied for the NFL lead in turnover margin (+10).

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