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Clemson Rocks BC, 31-3

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff Report with Official News Release) – The Boston College Eagles fell, 31-3, on Saturday night at home against No. 5 ranked Clemson in the annual Red Bandanna Game, a tribute to 9/11 victim Welles Crowher, a BC lacrosse player.

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Phil Jurkovec finished the game completing 19-of-40 passes for 188 yards. He completed passes to seven different receivers, led by Zay Flowers’ eight catches for 75 yards. Jaelen Gill and Pat Garwo each logged three catches on the night.

Clemson got the scoring going at the 11:28 mark of the opening quarter with a 35-yard field goal. The Eagles had a chance for the equalizer a little over six minutes later, but the 35-yarder by Connor Lytton sailed wide left.

Lytton began the second quarter with a 30-yarder between the uprights, tying it at 3-3. Clemson’s Will Shipley scored the game’s first touchdown, finding the end zone from a yard out with 45 seconds remaining in the first half, making it 10-3 at the break. Clemson extended its lead to 17-3 with 11:50 left in the third quarter and tacked on two more TD’s in the fourth quarter.

Kam Arnold led BC with eight tackles (six solo), including a sack. Jason Maitre made five tackles – four solo and two for a loss, including a sack. The loss dropped the Eagles to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. Clemson improves to 6-0 and 4-0 in ACC play.

After a bye week, Boston College returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 22 at Wake Forest at 3:30pm (ET) on the ACC Network.

Crosby, Hoyer, Zappe & Jones

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GREEN BAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report from Field Level Media) – Mason Crosby converted a 31-yard field goal as time expired in overtime Sunday, lifting the host Green Bay Packers to a 27-24 win over the New England Patriots.

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After both teams went three-and-out with their initial overtime possession, Green Bay (3-1) marched 77 yards in 12 plays, chewing up the final 6:47 of the game. The Packers converted a pair of third downs, including AJ Dillon’s 7-yard run inside the 2-minute warning that allowed them to run down the clock and tee up Crosby’s game-winner.

Green Bay forced overtime when Aaron Rodgers tossed his 500th career touchdown pass, a 13-yarder to Romeo Doubs with 6:14 left in regulation. But Doubs dropped a potential 40-yard game-winner in the end zone with 2:02 remaining.

Rodgers completed 21 of 35 passes for 251 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Aaron Jones rushed 16 times for 110 yards for the Packers and Allen Lazard caught six passes for 116 yards.

Brian Hoyer started at quarterback for New England (1-3), replacing the injured Mac Jones. But after leading the Patriots to a Nick Folk field goal on their opening drive, Hoyer sustained a head injury after being sacked by Rashan Gary.

Rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe was forced into action and played reasonably well in his debut. He completed 10 of 15 passes for 99 yards and his first NFL touchdown, a 25-yard strike to DeVante Parker at the 4:52 mark of the third quarter.

With Zappe on the field, New England’s already conservative game plan leaned even heavier towards the run in an attempt to keep Rodgers and Green Bay’s offense off the field.

The Patriots’ defense did its part to help. After giving up a 15-yard touchdown run to rookie wide receiver Christian Watson two minutes into the second quarter, New England took a 10-7 lead into halftime when Jack Jones picked off Rodgers and loped 40 yards down the left sideline with 13 seconds remaining.

–Field Level Media

Hoyer Preparing for GB Packers

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FOXBORO – (Staff Report with Field Level Media Wire Services) – Reserve quarterback Brian Hoyer lined up under center with New England’s starters at Wednesday’s practice, but coach Bill Belichick is not ready to eliminate his starter Mac Jones from the Patriots’ game plan Sunday at Green Bay.

Belichick said Wednesday that Jones was a longshot to practice the next two days due to an ankle sprain suffered in the Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Belichick said he saw Jones before meeting the media at Noon ET on Wednesday and said the quarterback is “getting better” with noteworthy progress the past two days.

“We’ll take it day by day,” Belichick said.

Hoyer, 36, might take every practice rep this week and still not start against the Packers, Belichick said.

Perturbed by pressing questions about the nature of Jones’ injury and hypotheticals for the week, Belichick asked the room, “What do I look like, a doctor? An orthopedic surgeon? Do you want me to read the MRI?”

Quarterbacks coach Joe Judge said Hoyer prepares diligently and wouldn’t be surprised to be on the field this week for his 40th career start.

“He’s always ready to take that next snap when he’s called on,” Judge said.

Fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe would likely serve as the No. 2 quarterback if Hoyer is called upon.

Hoyer has appeared in 75 career games and started one game with the Patriots (2020). He is 16-23 as a starter and has thrown for 10,631 yards and 53 touchdowns with seven teams.

–Field Level Media

Report Confirms Severe Sprain for Jones

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FOXBORO – The day-after game day tests confirmed that New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones suffered a “pretty severe” high ankle sprain, multiple media outlets reported Monday. Jones is getting a second opinion but the hope is that the injury won’t require surgery.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had no update when he met with the media earlier Monday.

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“Just quickly on Mac, really no update on him. We’ll go through the process and see where things are this morning, but nothing definitive at this point,” Belichick told reporters. He added that he would not “speculate wildly” about the status of Jones ahead of Week 4.

After tossing an interception on the final play of the Pats’ 37-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Jones was brought to the ground by Calais Campbell and his ankle got caught under Campbell’s leg. Jones hopped off the field on one foot and was seen grimacing in pain on the sideline.

Jones had to be carried into the locker room and was in visible pain in the Gillette Stadium tunnel. He had completed 22 of 32 passes for 321 yards and three interceptions against the Ravens. He also rushed for 31 yards and a touchdown.

Brian Hoyer is the Patriots’ backup quarterback and 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe is also on the 53-man roster. New England (1-2) plays at Green Bay (2-1) on Sunday.

Jones Hurts Ankle in Loss: X-Rays Neg

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Initial X-rays on New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones‘ left ankle were negative, the NFL Network reported.

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The team will continue to evaluate the injury sustained on the Patriots’ final offensive play of Sunday’s 37-26 loss to the visiting Baltimore Ravens.

After tossing an interception, Jones was brought to the ground by Calais Campbell and his ankle got caught under Campbell’s leg. Jones hopped off the field on one foot and was seen grimacing in pain on the sideline.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick would not comment on Jones’ status after the game.

Jones completed 22 of 32 passes for 321 yards and three interceptions against the Ravens. He also rushed for 31 yards and a touchdown.

Brian Hoyer is the Patriots’ backup quarterback. New England (1-2) plays at Green Bay next Sunday.

–Field Level Media

NFL DESK: Patriots Downed by Ravens

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Lamar Jackson threw for four touchdowns and rushed for another as the Baltimore Ravens held off a late comeback attempt to defeat the New England Patriots 37-26 on Sunday at Foxboro.

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Jackson completed 18 of 29 passes for 218 yards and had 107 yards on the ground on just 11 carries. Mark Andrews had eight receptions for 89 yards and two touchdowns for Baltimore (2-1).

New England cut its deficit to 31-26 after Rhamondre Stevenson’s 1-yard rushing touchdown with 12:39 left to play but the Patriots failed to convert a two-point conversion.

New England (1-2) then turned the ball over on its next three possessions. After throwing an interception on the last drive of the game, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones limped off the field with an apparent left leg injury.

Jones threw for 321 yards and three interceptions on 22-of-32 passing. He rushed for one touchdown. DeVante Parker led all receivers with five catches for 156 yards for New England, while Stevenson and Damien Harris each rushed for one score.

The Patriots burst out of halftime, driving 75 yards in seven plays in just under three minutes to go up 20-14. Harris finished off the march with a 2-yard rushing TD.

Baltimore’s Justice Hill rushed 34 yards to the New England 6 on the ensuing drive, setting up Jackson’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Josh Oliver for a 21-20 Ravens lead. It was Oliver’s first career touchdown.

In the first half, Jonathan Jones intercepted Jackson’s pass intended for Rashod Bateman with 8:12 left in the second quarter and returned it to the Baltimore 32. The Patriots took advantage of the short field as Jones walked untouched into the end zone from 3 yards out for a 10-7 lead.

However, Jackson’s 16-yard scoring strike to Andrews with 30 seconds left in the first half put the Ravens back on top. The Patriots pulled within 14-13 before the break, on Nick Folk’s 50-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter.

Jackson also connected with Andrews in the first quarter on a 5-yard shovel pass to get Baltimore on the board.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | Sept. 25

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The window for winning was wide open, the carpet plush with – not a playoff caliber team – but a club with true NBA championship aspirations and a real opportunity in 2022-23. The talent remains fully in place as this offseason, the Boston Celtics added true point guard Malcolm Brogdon and veteran internationally renowned shooter and three-point FG threat Danilo Galinari (suffered ACL injury) to a deep roster. Continuity would be in place as the first year coaching staff that managed to take the Celtics past Brooklyn, past the highly talented, defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks (sans NBA All-Star Khris Middleton) and then past the Miami Heat (53-29, and best record in the East) before being eliminated (4-2) by a better Golden State Warriors team.

Aside from talent and continuity, there’s not an NBA champion in the books that can claim they didn’t have some good luck along the way to their title. Maybe they avoided injury. Maybe they were able to pull-off a last minute trade deadline deal that filled a hole. Maybe a couple last second buzzer-beater helped claim home court advantage. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

But then, the hammer came down. Injuries and very poor judgement.

Luck is not on Boston’s team bus right now, even though their team mascot is a Leprechaun named “Lucky.” The first setback, noted above, was an ACL injury suffered by the newly acquired Galinari while he was playing for his native Italy in a European World Cup qualifying tournament this summer.

On Friday, Gallinari underwent left knee revision ACL repair. The surgery was performed by Celtics’ team physician Dr. Tony Schena at New England Baptist Hospital. Dr. Schena was assisted by Dr. Paul Weitzel, with Dr. Brian Cole consulting on the case. A timetable for Gallinari’s return was not mentioned, as he is expected to miss the entire 2022-23 NBA season.

“Yesterday I had successful ACL surgery. Now the focus is on my rehab and return to the game I love,” Gallinari wrote in a social media statement. “I want to thank the Celtics organization and the medical staff at the New England Baptist Hospital. I also want to thank Dr. Antonio Orgiani and Dr. Rodolfo Rocchi for the support they gave me in Italy before surgery. And of course thank you to all of my fans for their continued support and well wishes. See you soon on the court.”

The bad luck didn’t end with Gallinari, a reserve. Dr. Schena had to earn his keep operating on a starter, too.

Breakout starting center Robert Williams underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure to remove loose bodies and address swelling in his left knee,” said the Celtics in a Friday news release. “The surgery was performed by Celtics’ team physician Dr. Tony Schena at New England Baptist Hospital. Williams is expected to return to basketball activities in 8-12 weeks.”

The eight to 12 weeks is longer than the Celtics and their fans expected and it will set the club back as Training Camp opens this Monday, with a Noon broadcast on NBA TV (and nba.com) sure to be quite savage.

The key factor with the absence of Williams will be the added weight of playing time on 36-year old center-forward Al Horford. Horford will be required to hold down the frontcourt as Williams recuperates and rehabs and he will only be backed by 7-2 Luke Kornet, as departed centerman Daniel Theis was traded to Indiana in the deal for Brogdon. It might not take its toll in November and December, but can the veteran leader perform like he did in May and June, including a strong NBA Finals.

Horford possesses the ability to keep the team together, to bond the rank and file via his locker room presence and the respect he’s earned from the entire roster and coaching staff. Horford’s presence is surely a large part of former Cs head coach and now head of basketball operations Brad Stevens’ decision to promote Joe Mazzulla who will serve as the interim head coach for the Celtics until the team sorts things out during the season-long suspension to Ime Udoka. Mazzulla won three state titles as a player at Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, Rhode Island, then played four seasons at West Virginia University under head coaches John Beilein and recently inducted Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Huggins.

Mazzulla began his coaching career as an assistant for the Glenville State University men’s basketball team, a NCAA Division II program, and assisted for two seasons after graduating from WVU in 2011. He also spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Fairmont State. His first head coaching experience came in 2017 at Fairmont State University. In his two seasons as coach of the Fighting Falcons, he racked up a 43-17 record and took his team to the NCAA tournament once.

Mazzulla joined the Celtics’ coaching staff as an assistant in 2019 and was quickly named as the right man for the job by Stevens. Mazzula’s opportunity arose mainly because Judoka’s No. 2 man, Will Hardy, accepted the head coaching job from the Utah Jazz this past June. Mazzula and the remaining Celtics basketball staff will utilize the same system Udoka installed in his first season with the club, a system honed by the ultra-successful San Antonio Spurs where Udoka assisted under Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich.

In other words, it’s not as if the Celtics will need to start over again. They need to do it for Al.

ONE GIGANTIC MESS MAKES WAY FOR ANOTHER: “Robert Sarver, meet Ime Udoka.”

NBA Training camps are about to open and the talk of two towns in the league is anything but basketball. In Phoenix, a club with a 64-18 record which was great enough to lead the 2021-22 Western Conference standings, is now on the market after an independent investigation found Suns team governor and principle owner (35%) was alleged to foster a toxic and inappropriate atmosphere in the organization led by his own words and actions. The league doled out a significant fine of $10m and a one-year suspension. In the aftermath of that fine and suspension, public and NBA player opinion was not buying the punishment for the NBA Constitutional crimes and a tsunami of pushback, even from the NBA Players Association called for Sarver’s all-out dismissal from the league. That pressure forced him to decide to sell the two franchises (the Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury) as his limited stake in the franchise allows. Reports have the Suns’ value ranging $1.92b with a chance to fetch as much as $3 billion.

“In our current unforgiving climate, it has become painfully clear that that is no longer possible – that whatever good I have done, or could still do, is outweighed by things I have said in the past,” Sarver’s statement read. “For those reasons, I am beginning the process of seeking buyers for the Suns and Mercury.”

Seemingly, Sarver pointed his finger in every direction but inward as he plotted his exit statement, very obviously dismissing his past track record at the helm of the once model franchise.

The attention on Sarver’s decision to sell the Suns vanished a quick news cycle later as the Boston Celtics announced the one-year suspension of their coach, Ime Udoka. The (51-31) and 2022 NBA Finalists issued a terse statement on Thursday:

“The Boston Celtics announced (Sept 22) that the team has suspended Head Coach Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season for violations of team policies. A decision about his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date. The suspension takes effect immediately.”

The suspension was also reported as being accompanied by no pay for the season, and to conclude on June 30, 2023.

In a Friday press conference, conducted by Celtics’ managing partner and team governor Wyc Grousbeck and head of basketball operations and former team coach Brad Stevens, few details were provided – citing privacy issues – but the essence of the decision came after “months-long” third party and internal investigation. The investigation concluded Wednesday, the same day the fiasco was first reported by ESPN.

“I personally feel that this is well-warranted and appropriate, backed by substantial research and evidence and facts,” Grousbeck said at the press conference, “and so I’m standing by the decision, and Ime has accepted it.” The team’s statement as well as Grousbeck said the team will revisit Udoka’s future with the club at a later date.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals smacked home runs No. 699 and No. 700 on Friday night to join a very short list of MLBers to hit 700+ career homers. Only Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth have membership in that club.

While Bonds is frequently chastised for hitting the bulk of his home runs during the uncertainty of the so-called “Steroid Era,” the others have earned immortality which will include first-ballot Hall of Fame enshrinement honors for Pujols.

DIAMOND DUST-UPs and POWER RANKINGS: In 2018, the Boston Red Sox surprised Major League Baseball and even themselves by winning 108 games en route to winning the World Series. The season was astonishing, as the (108-54) regular season record was only enhanced by their (11-3) postseason mark. The incredible fact was that in every single postseason game at Fenway Park, when it came time for manager Alex Cora to bring in the closer, Craig Kimbrel, the general crowd reaction was, “No!” … It happens every September, it seems, as a usually reliable closer burns-out and becomes a liability for his club. Kimbrel earned 42 saves that year and has 22 saves for the LA Dodgers this season. Yet, as of this weekend, he’s lost his job as lead closer for the (104-47*) Dodgers. Kimbrel has a 4.14 ERA and a 1.34 whip, hardly mediocre, and rather poor for a 100+ win club.

* As of games heading into Saturday, September 24th

POWER: In past weeks, WWYI brought you power ranking for both college and pro football. They’ll be back next Sunday, but first there’s about nine games left in the MLB regular season so HERE NOW, are the MLB POWER 12 RANKINGS heading into Postseason, with six teams in each of the American and National League, then an MLB-wide listing:

AMERICAN LEAGUE:

  1. Houston Astros
  2. New York Yankees
  3. Toronto Blue Jays
  4. Cleveland Guardians
  5. Tampa Bay Rays
  6. Seattle Mariners

NATIONAL LEAGUE:

  1. Los Angeles Dodgers
  2. New York Mets
  3. Atlanta Braves
  4. St. Louis Cardinals
  5. Philadelphia Phillies
  6. San Diego Padres

MLB COMBINED:

  1. Los Angeles Dodgers
  2. Houston Astros
  3. New York Mets
  4. New York Yankees

Wild Card Sleeper: Toronto Blue Jays

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Sept. 18

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – This week’s column goes out to the many readers/subscribers who work in the sports industry. They often read this weekly missive seeking sports business news, tidbits from industry conferences and behind-the-scenes insights into newsworthy happenings ripped from the headlines.

Instead of providing 100% sports business news from this week, it’s important to take a step back and realize the real reason many of us dedicate our lives to working in sports and to enhance our love for the game(s). Here’s the real life example and my personal schedule for the weekend:

Friday:

7:10pm – Kansas City Royals at Boston Red Sox: Instead of a usual view of the game from the press box, Friday night was enjoyed with visiting friends from the center field bleachers at Fenway Park, the exact 180-degree turn-around. The Red Sox won, 2-1, despite registering just two hits through seven innings and trailing 1-0 heading into the 8th. In that situation, the Red Sox won for just the fourth time this year and are 4-57. J.D. Martinez hit a two-out, bases-loaded RBI single in the 8th to give the Red Sox their 2-1 lead, much to the delight of the 33,180 fans still standing with me for the come-from-behind Boston victory.

Saturday:

The full day of “Sports for the Fun of It” schedule is provided as this column is being written as the temperatures dip into the high 40s early Saturday morning to accommodate:

9am: Cambridge: Meet-up with the friends to prep for a 10am tailgate in Somerville, Massachusetts leading into the first of three events for the day.

Noon: Trinity College at Tufts in a New England Small College Athletic Conference Division III game, featuring senior TE, No. 85 Thomas Walsh, son of dear friends Nancy and Tom Walsh who made the short trek from New York to watch their son play college football. As a junior, No. 85 led Trinity in yards per reception and was fifth on his team in pass receptions and receiving yards. He opened the game with a 22-yard catch that set-up his teammate William Kirby’s 53-yard run to make it 7-0, Trinity. The Bantams took a 26-3 halftime lead before allowing 20 unanswered second half points to win 26-23. The game was the opener for both the Jumbos and the visiting Bantams.

4:10pm – Kansas City Royals at Boston Red Sox: The Royals and Sox played the second of their three-game set at Fenway. The (70-75) Sox lost to the (58-88) Royals, in a (9-0) ear-slapping, as Boston’s disappointing season creeps towards a close with Boston in the 5th place cellar of the American League East. Kansas City has been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention while Boston is 17 games back from the division-leading New York Yankees. The Sox are 10 games out of a wild card berth, a gap too far to mend.

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7:30pm – Maine Black Bears at Boston College: The (0-2) Bears – losses at New Mexico (41-0) and to visiting Colgate (21-18) – visit The Heights to play the (0-2) Eagles. BC’s suffered through a home loss to Rutgers, 22-21, and on the road at Blacksburg, Virginia where Virginia Tech won the Atlantic Coast Conference battle. Boston College can not afford a loss to Maine and we’ll be in the stands Saturday night as this column is sent to its loyal and fast-growing following. (BC won 38-17).

Sunday:

Early AM: After the temps dipped to the high 40s Saturday, seasonal last weekend of summer weather will return, sending temperature to the low 80s for a day of rest. That means:

Noon: The NFL Today will be on for a good hour or so as the NFL kicks-off its Week Two schedule.

1:00pm: The NFL RedZone will dominate the TV screen, an addictive, all-encompassing look at every NFL game. For those not in the know, the RedZone is the reason NFL game ratings have dipped a bit as fans can watch every single score by every team in the league, sometimes on split screen and sometimes in a ridiculous “OctoBox,” where eight games are on in near postage stamp-sized screens. It’s a fabulous way to keep an eye on every game, rather than the three or four OTA (over-the-air) games assigned to Boston which include New England at Pittsburgh.

8:20pm: Sunday Night Football, Dick Ebersol’s gift to American sports fans who can tune-in this week to the Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers game. There’s nothing like an NFL “Black & Blue” division game to finish my weekend of “Sports for the Fun of It,” shared here to underline the importance of – sometimes – stepping back to enjoy the games we cover,

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: As you return to our regularly scheduled programming, the subject of the Phoenix Suns and team governor Robert Sarver must be addressed. This week NBA Commissioner Adam Silver held a press conference to announce the findings of an independent investigation into workplace issues in the front office and arena operations for the Phoenix Suns. Formerly a model franchise of the NBA, the investigation by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz found that during his time with the Suns and the WNBA’s Mercury, Sarver used the N-word at least five times “when recounting the statements of others.” … The investigation also uncovered “instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees,” including “sex-related comments” and inappropriate comments on employees’ appearances, among other violations of proper workplace culture.

Silver announced a one-year ban and $10 million fine levied on Sarver. The ban requires the franchise owner to refrain from attending any games, practices, meetings and involvement in any basketball decisions for the Suns. Silver made the announcement as the NBA convened a Board of Governors meeting, a regular occurrence in the NBA’s yearly business calendar.

The NBA’s suspension and hefty fine were met with significant backlash by many of the rank and file players and the NBA players association, among others involved with the league. Saturday, the players’ union called for a lifetime ban and Suns sponsor – PayPal – which issued a statement that read: “PayPal is a values-driven company and has a strong record of combatting racism, sexism and all forms of discrimination,” PayPal CEO and president Dan Schulman. “We have reviewed the report of the NBA league’s independent investigation into Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver and have found his conduct unacceptable and in conflict with our values.”… “In light of the findings of the NBA’s investigation, we will not renew our sponsorship should Robert Sarver remain involved with the Suns organization, after serving his suspension.”

SportsBetting.ag set odds on whether or not Sarver will be the Suns team owner in 2024, and the outlook isn’t good for the disgraced businessman.

Will Robert Sarver be the Suns franchise owner in 2024?

Yes +200

No -300

This story is in the second quarter, heading downhill. The first quarter was a disaster.

FOLLOW THE BOUNCING BALL: Believe it or not, NBA training camps open this week for teams traveling overseas in the preseason. Here’s a list of key dates for the NBA for the rest of the year:

September 23: First allowable date for players participating in preseason games outside North America to report to their teams (no earlier than 11am local time).

September 24: Training camps open for all teams participating in preseason games outside North America.

September 26: First allowable date for all other veteran players to report to their teams (no earlier than 11am local time).

September 27: NBA training camps open.

September 30: NBA preseason games begin.

September 30 & Oct. 2: NBA Japan Games, Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards (Tokyo, Japan).

October 6 & 8: NBA Abu Dhabi Games, Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks (Abu Dhabi, UAE).

October 14: NBA preseason ends.

October 17: Rosters set for start of 2022-23 NBA regular season (5pm ET).

October 18: Start of 2022-23 NBA regular season.

October 22: NBA G League Draft.

October 24: NBA G League training camps open.

December 17: NBA Mexico City Game, Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs (Mexico City, Mexico).

December 27: NBA G League regular season begins (32 games per team).

DIAMOND DUST-UPs: First reported by Sportico, the business arm of Major League Baseball is dividing international markets for its franchises, giving baseball clubs new commercial rights in specific areas around the world, according to multiple people familiar with the plan. … Baseball and softball are played by an estimated 65 million people around the world, according to the sport’s international governing body. Large concentrations for baseball exist in parts of Asia, Australia, Europe and South/Central America.

BREAKING – as in REALLY BREAKING NEWS: One of baseball’s best – Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies – left Saturday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies with a fractured right pinky finger, the team announced.

Albies was injured as he slid into second base in the fourth inning and the most recent setback occurred one day after he was activated from the 60-day injured list. Albies was sidelined because of a broken left foot suffered in June after making an awkward swing.

BY THE WAY: The countdown clock is on its last two weeks for most Fantasy Baseball Leagues. The MLB regular season will come to a close Wednesday, October 5.

LIV SHADE: The LIV Golf circuit displayed quite a bit of cockiness as they gained traction after the PGA Tour Championship and a few more players jumped to the Saudi-funded rival to the PGA Tour. That said, this weekend’s LIV Tournament in Chicago showed one of two major flaws in the new golf entity.

  1. Lack of a Network television deal
  2. Low attendance at events

Those two factors equal a tainted business model for LIV in 2022, but the endless stack of bucks allow for years of “runway” for LIV to land a deal and gradually build an audience.

Phil Mickelson, longtime fan favorite and multi Major champion expressed his views in a Friday interview in Chicago:

“The PGA Tour, for the last 20 or 30 years have had all the best players in the world,” Mickelson said at a Chicago LIV event Friday, reported both Reuters and ESPN. “That will never be the case again. LIV Golf is here to stay.

“The best solution is for us to come together. I think that the world of professional golf has a need for the old historical ‘history of the game’ product that the PGA Tour provides. I think that LIV provides a really cool, updated feel that is attracting a lot of younger crowds,” Mickelson added.

“Both are good for the game of golf and the inclusion of LIV Golf in the ecosystem of the golf world is necessary. As soon as that happens, we all start working together. It’s going to be a really positive thing for everyone.”

Cameron Smith (-10) leads Dustin Johnson (-8) heading into Sunday’s final 18 holes. Johnson won the previous tournament in a sudden death playoff here in Boston. In Chicago, the purse is $20 mil.

This weekend, the PGA Tour was in Napa. So no whining.

NCAA FOOTBALL POWER 12: Now, three weeks into the NCAA college football season, the popular TL Power 12 is back. This list simulates what we’ll see by 2026 when the College Football Playoff system expands.

  1. Alabama
  2. Georgia
  3. Ohio State
  4. Michigan
  5. Clemson
  6. Oklahoma
  7. USC
  8. Oklahoma State
  9. Kentucky
  10. Tennessee
  11. Arkansas
  12. NC State

*Some results not final

NFL POWER 10: Here’s the WWYI power ten for the NFL heading into Week 2:

  1. Buffalo
  2. Kansas City
  3. Tampa Bay
  4. New Orleans
  5. Baltimore
  6. Green Bay
  7. Philadelphia
  8. Indianapolis
  9. LA Rams
  10. LA Chargers

THE SPORTS PROFESSOR: When Rick Horrow, known in sports business industry circles as “The Sports Professor,” first released The Sports Business Handbook at a joint Harvard Law/Harvard Business conference two years ago, it was heralded as the most unique collection of commentary and advice from industry leaders in the $1.3 trillion business of sports.

Digital Sports Desk was at HBS for the launch.

This October, the newly revised and expanded edition of Horrow’s book, The Sports Business Handbook: Insights from 100+ Leaders who Shaped 50 Years of the Industry will be on sale and available for order online. It will have more insights skimmed from many of the sports industry’s brightest minds and influential executives.  It will include guidance for the sports business in a post-pandemic world.

Horrow will co-host a special book launch event – “Sports Business @ 50 Lessons & Leadership from Legends of the Game” – in New York City on Thursday, September 22nd, with former Major League Baseball president and book contributor Bob DuPuy at the offices of Foley & Lardner LLP (90 Park Avenue, New York) from 5:30 to 8:30pm.

Dustin Johnson Loving LIV

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BOLTON – (Staff Report from LIV Recap) – Dustin Johnson was ready for a $4 million dollar weekend. He was in hot pursuit of his first victory on the LIV Golf circuit after leaving the PGA Tour behind. What he received was $4,750,000 for his 54-hole effort in the heat of the Boston suburbs and in addition to celebrating his team’s third consecutive victory, the 4 Aces GC captain raised LIV Golf’s individual trophy for the first time.

It all came down to his lengthy, 60-foot putt to win a three-player playoff at the LIV Golf Invitational Boston Sunday.

Johnson’s eagle putt on the first playoff hole gave him the victory over Anirban Lahiri and Joaquin Niemann, two of the six players making their LIV Golf debut this week at The International golf course. All three players finished regulation at 15 under par. The playoff was the first in either the individual or team competition in this inaugural LIV mini-season.

The former world No. 1 had chances to win previous LIV Golf events – he has finished inside the top 5 in the previous two events and was playing in the final group for the third straight tournament. He was happy to finally get the job done individually in Boston while also moving to the top of the individual season-long point standings.

“I wanted to finally get my first victory out here,” said Johnson, who earned $4 million for the individual win and an additional $750,000 for his quarter share of the $3 million team prize. “I feel like I’ve had a really good chance to win every single week, just haven’t played as well on Sunday as I’d like to. But played really nicely today.”

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Johnson’s winning putt had plenty of pace on it, and would’ve rolled several feet beyond the hole had it not bounced into the cup. Lahiri was in position to make a birdie, while Niemann had already made par.

“I felt like we had a really good read on it,” Johnson said. “I might have hit it a little harder than I wanted to, but as soon as I hit it, I’m like, whoa, and then it was on a good line, and I’m like, hit the hole, hit the hole, hit the hole, and it went in somehow. I think the hole is indented for sure.”

Johnson’s final-round 5-under 65 was one of three counting scores for 4 Aces GC to go along with Patrick Reed’s 66 and Talor Gooch’s 69.

After winning the previous two LIV Golf team competitions by a combined 15 strokes, Sunday’s team race was much tighter, with 4 Aces GC (32 under) winning by two shots over Crushers GC, while Majesticks GC claimed a tight battle for the third-place prize over Iron Heads GC and Torque GC.

At one point, 4 Aces GC were five strokes off the lead. But just like in their previous win in Bedminster, they closed fast. “I think that’s what’s so impressive about our team is it seems like every week, we seem to close,” said Reed. “… Even if it’s the wrong direction on us, we seem to close it off and get going towards the end. It just shows kind of how important it is for us to go out and play well.”

Lahiri, playing for Crushers GC, shot a 6-under 64. Lahiri had a chance to reach 16 under with a brilliant second shot into the par-5 18th hole, but his eagle putt lipped out.

“I knew I had to come in hot, both in terms of trying to contend and also for the team,” Lahiri said. “It was really nice to just buckle down on that back nine and play some golf. Really proud of the shots I hit. A little unlucky but sometimes it goes that way.”

Niemann, the 23-year-old from Chile who is ranked world No. 19, shot 66 while playing with Johnson and Gooch in the final group. He suffered his only bogey of the round at the par-4 14th, the most difficult hole this week. In the playoff, his errant drive forced him to lay up, and he was unable to convert a lengthy birdie putt.

“I did everything that I could,” Niemann said. “Hit a few good putts at the end but they didn’t go in. It’s the way it is. I think it’s going to pay me back one day.”

Two big names fell just short in making the playoff at 14 under.

Former world No. 1 Lee Westwood shot the lowest round in any of the first four events with an 8-under 62 but bogeyed two of his last three holes and finished at 14 under. “It’s a sickening way to finish, but I played good all day,” said the Majesticks GC captain, whose team finished in the top three for the third time this season.

New LIV Golf member Cameron Smith, the world No. 2 and reigning Open champion, shot 64 but also suffered a late bogey. “Really thought I was out of it after yesterday, but I played really solid today,” the Punch GC captain said. “Gave myself plenty of looks, which I needed to do.”

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | September 4

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By TERRY LYONS

BOLTON – What would a gentlemen’s game of golf be without some old-fashioned controversy, bribery, back-alley wheeling and dealing and some rightful protesting?

What would Uber be without the old-fashioned deplorable service of the regular taxi-cab offerings?

What would the automotive industry be without the disruptive, upstart electric-powered Tesla?

What would the NFL be without the 1969 Joe Namath-led New York Jets of the American Football Conference and his “guarantee” of victory over the favored Baltimore Colts?

What would pro basketball be without the stories and history of the renegade ABA, complete with the legendary Dr. J, The Iceman, David Thompson, and Marvin “Bad News” Barnes?

Ladies and Gentlemen, we give you the 2022 LIV Golf tour and its most recent stop, here in Bolton, Massachusetts and some 40 miles from Government Center in downtown Boston. LIV (that’s “54” for the roman numeral challenged) snuck-up on the PGA Tour although they knew it was coming.

In October, 2021 Greg Norman – “The Shark” was named Commissioner of LIV Golf and began to recruit players to shun the PGA Tour schedule and compete in a highly lucrative, eight-event men’s golf circuit where winner’s shares of a $20 million per event purse would be $4 million. LIV Golf also incorporated a team event side-hustle which would slip another $5 million into the kitty.

LIV Golf entered the market and led with its chin, as ill-advised PR and exclusionary media tactics were put in place to deflect from the main issue plaguing the new golf league. The LIV is funded by the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia with some $600 billion in the bank and about $225 million dedicated to the eight individual events, nevermind significant bonus signing money to individual players jumping from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf.

The PGA Tour cried foul and began to suspend players who teed-off in LIV’s first event, held in London, June 9-11.

Most importantly, the families of the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks on New York’s World Trade Center, The Pentagon in DC and a fourth hijacked airplane – United 93 – which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, have protested the golf events. The 9/11 families are reminding the world that 15 of the 19 terrorists were Saudi citizens and were responsible for carrying out the attack.

For LIV Golf, there is no denying the direct affiliation with the Saudi-based Public Investment Fund. Saudi Arabia, realizing the United States and the rest of the world is working diligently to reduce the need for oil and fossil fuel. In 20-years, many of the cars USA citizens drive will be battery powered. With portions of the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia is investing in other future resources, like tourism. The play in sports, such as hosting golf events, world sporting events (2034 Asian Games) and ultimately, a future Summer Olympics, will fulfill the kingdom’s Vision 2030 Project, a plan to embrace the world’s sporting events for positive imaging and goodwill.

Some call that effort “sports-washing” as a deflection and diplomatic tactic, a claim denied by the Saudi officials. Some point to the inevitable crossroads of sports and politics, certainly seen before. Truth be told, it is a very small but often effective step to bridge political gaps.

The more effective measure to bride those gaping holes is TIME.

With thoughts focused on the blood-bath of D-Day and the Normandy Beach landings by American and British troops to fight against Hitler’s Germany or Pearl Harbor and the December 7, 1941 Japanese bombings of Battleship Row and the deaths of 2,403 American sailors and injuries of some 1,143 others – what would American sports look like today if the USA were banning German or Japanese sportsmen?

Germany’s Dirk Nowitzki, recently retired from the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, is well known around the world as one of the best power forwards in basketball history and certainly one of the best shooters the game has ever seen. He is a 14-time NBA All-Star, the 2007 NBA Most Valuable Player, and a 2011 NBA champion when he was presented the Finals MVP Trophy. Nowitzki was born in 1978.

In Major League Baseball, thankfully, there are dozens of excellent Japanese players who’ve enriched the game and contributed mightily. From Hideki Matsui to Hideo Nomo to Ichiro Suzuki to Yu Darvish to Shohei Ohtani to Koji Uehara, the Red Sox star reliever who won the MVP of the 2013 ALCS and struck-out St. Louis’ Matt Carpenter to win the 2013 World Series.

Hideki Matsuyama, the popular Japanese pro golfer who plays on the PGA Tour was the first-ever Japanese golfer to win a men’s major golf championship – the 2021 Masters Tournament. He was born in 1992.

What would be the sense in protesting against or banning the German or Japanese players from competing in American sports because of political atrocities of the past?

PGA Tour champion Fred Couples has been tossing the most shade on LIV Golf, its structure (54-holes vs 72 holes) and its players. But, a look at Couples record and checking account shows he was quite happy to cash winner’s checks for the Shell Houston Open in 2003, the Dubai Desert Classic in 1995 and a decade or more earnings from the silly season games of Skins and “Shark” Shoot-outs.

The take-away is to be careful with who and what is criticized in the world of sports. The hypocrisy can be astounding. Sports has and does provide for an effective diplomatic meeting ground. It always should.

LIV Golf should be judged on its performance and entertainment merits, not who is playing or how it’s funded. Otherwise, that Wall, so often talked about in 2015-16, grows taller and taller and could stop athletes, born in 2002, from competing in the United States.

Can you imagine if that stopped Ichiro from playing for MLB’s Seattle Mariners, Dirk for the Mavericks, Yao Ming for the Houston Rockets or the great Boris Becker from playing at the U.S. Open tennis tournament?

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The Boston College football season both began and (probably) ended on Saturday when the Eagles were upset at home by the Rutgers Scarlett Knights. Entering the game, BC held an 11 consecutive game winning streak and a 20-7-1 edge in the all-time series against Rutgers along with a 7.5 point Las Vegas odds as favorites. … Boston College held a 21-12 advantage at the 8:33 mark of the third quarter but let up a 33-yard field goal with :11 remaining in the third quarter and then the game winning TD 22-yard run by sophomore RB Al-Shadee Salaam with 2:43 left in the game. … Rutgers QB Gavin Wimsatt (Top 300 recruit and No. 7 QB prospect) started but split quarterbacking duties with Evan Simon. … Rutgers faces Wagner and Temple in their next two games and is likely to bring a 3-0 record into their B1G Ten season where they’ll struggle. Boston College will travel to Virginia Tech who dropped their opener to Old Dominion.

 

NFL POWER: A frequent and popular feature of NFL Power rankings will begin this week – before a single regular season game is played. Here’s the WWYI Power 10:

  1. Buffalo Bills
  2. LA Rams
  3. Cincinnati Bengals
  4. KC Chiefs
  5. Green Bay Packers
  6. Tampa Bay Bucs
  7. LA Chargers
  8. Indianapolis Colts
  9. Philadelphia Eagles
  10. Dallas Cowboys

NCAA FOOTBALL POWER: There’s one Saturday in the record books for NCAA Div 1 football and here’s the best of the lot. Since the College Football Playoffs system will grow to 12 postseason playoff teams by 2026, the Top 12 power rankings will begin today:

  1. Alabama
  2. Georgia
  3. Ohio State
  4. Clemson
  5. Michigan
  6. Texas A&M
  7. Oklahoma
  8. Baylor
  9. NC State
  10. USC
  11. Miami
  12. LSU

OUT: Notre Dame with its loss to highly ranked Ohio State is out of their preseason Top 5 rating while Utah with its 29-26 upending by Florida is no longer Top 12 material.

DIAMOND DUST-UPs: The Boston Red Sox won their forth straight game on Saturday night, defeating the Texas Rangers 5-3. The Sox are 4-1-0 in their last five series at Fenway Park. … Meanwhile, the AL East-leading New York Yankees have lost three in a row and six of their last seven games. The Yankees are now only four games up on the Tampa Bay Rays and six games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East. … New York is 15-26 since the MLB All-Star break. On July 4th, the NYY were 58-22.

In August, Boston’s Rafael Devers struck out 22 times in his 104 At Bats which contributed to a slump of batting .163 during the month. … Four days into September, Devers is batting .545 with six hits in 11 At Bats, including four doubles and six RBI.

TID BITS: The National Lacrosse League will hold its 2022 NLL Entry Draft In Toronto on Saturday, September 10 beginning at 2pm (ET). The first round of the Draft will be broadcast for the first time on TSN.ca and the TSN app in Canada and ESPN+ in the United States. The entire draft will be covered in real time on NLL social channels. It marks the most extensive live coverage of the NLL Draft in the league’s history.

Speaking of firsts and a look back at our lead topic, LIV Golf is allowing its players to wear shorts during competition rounds. Of the 48 players in the field this weekend, 40% took advantage of the new rule and wore shorts. It’s believed to be the first time an elite professional golf league has allowed shorts to be worn during competition. … “The players asked about it,” said LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman. “We did a survey a couple of weeks ago. It was a pretty significant positive response about wearing shorts.” … Norman credited Phil Mickelson, for being “the most desirable to have it. … I followed his lead, listened to him a little bit.” … Mickelson was one of the 19 players who wore shorts Saturday.

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