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TL’s Sunday Sports Notes: June 11th

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – From the perspective of a present day columnist and former PR practitioner there’s a problem when a press release – dropped out of thin air – has been written by the lawyers.

Yes, this week, the good folks at the PGA Tour and LIV Golf decided to drop a little news on the sports world. They did so with an early morning news release that was grabbed by CNBC News, questioned as to its validity by The Dan Patrick Show a few minutes after 9:00am on the morning of June 6, 2023. It was verified by this publication when the third source was the homepage of PGATour.com itself.

You’d have thought they were trying to bury the story in quick sand.

From this columnists’ viewpoint, the news release had these qualities, of lack thereof:

  1. It was a major story but dropped on the global media as if it were a minor story, ready to be put out with the trash.
  2. It created more questions than it provided answers.
  3. After it was issued, instead of one solid spokesperson (a la PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan), it prompted conflicting commentary from a minimum of six people, including: PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, players such as Phil Mickelson (LIV), Rory McIlroy (PGA Tour), and PGA TOUR Policy Board member Jimmy Dunne.
  4. Every player hitting golf balls at the Pro-Am and practice rounds at the RBC Canadian Open was thrust into a barrage of questions – most Tour members left not knowing exactly what was going down.
  5. LIV Golf Commissioner Greg Norman was apparently “caught by surprise” and unavailable.
  6. The news release ended with a paragraph that said nothing and everything about the announcement. It read: “All parties will work in the months to come to finalize terms of the agreement, with details to be announced in due course.”

Ya think?

Here are just a few storylines created – including business reporters digging into the Tour’s longtime structure and Congress diving into the study as well – as the story advanced and more and more people felt the need to comment:

  1. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund which oversees LIV Golf and dozens of investments in sports and acquiring talent to play in Saudi-based sports interests will potentially invest in the PGA Tour as an exclusive investor. The PGA Tour is currently registered as a charity with separate business arms. The Tour has four related 501(c)(3) organizations—PGA Tour Charitable & Education Fund, PGA Tour Charities Inc, PGA Tour Employees Emergency Relief Fund and Pro Caddies Assistance Foundation—whose assets cannot be transferred to any for-profit entity.
  2. According to Laura Neal, Senior Vice President of the PGA Tour, as told to “InsideSources” that the PGA Tour organization “is a membership-based nonprofit” that complies with IRS rules, including making large charitable donations. A securities industry executive called the Tour a walking contradiction as its core business is registered with the IRS as a ‘business league’ but operates under nonprofit status. As has been reported over the years, that status allows the PGA to avoid hundreds of millions in taxes over the last few decades as its stages tournaments in locales where volunteers help stage the tournament and a significant dollar amount is targeted towards local charities in the city of each tournament. That has resulted in the PGA Tour donating some $3.64 billion to charity. (Way back in 2013, Forbes examined the PGA Tour structure – (link)
  3. It was said – prominently in the “news” release that “separately, PGA TOUR Inc. will remain in place as a 501(c)(6) tax exempt organization and retains administrative oversight of events for those assets contributed by the PGA TOUR, including the sanctioning of events, the administration of the competition and rules, as well as all other “inside the ropes” responsibilities, with Jay Monahan as Commissioner and Ed Herlihy as PGA TOUR Policy Board Chairman. PIF’s Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan will join the PGA TOUR Policy Board. The DP World Tour and LIV Golf will retain similar administrative oversight of events on their respective Tours.”
  4. It was said a few days after the “news” broke that “the loyal” PGA Tour players would “get equity” in the new structure. Seemingly, that would be a “make-good” for the loyal players who turned down the tens of millions and multi-million offers to jump ship and play a year of 54 (LIV) golf.
  5. The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets, it was said that the PGA Tour claimed “it could not afford to keep battling the billions of dollars PIF could place behind LIV Golf and its continuing efforts to lure more players to the renegade tour.
  6. Commissioner Monahan reportedly told employees of the Tour that they “were outmatched” by the Saudi investments.
  7. On Friday, PGA Tour honcho Jimmy Dunne felt it necessary to explain some of the intricacies of the new deal to ESPN.com, stating, “The new [company] would grow, and the [current PGA Tour] players would get a piece of equity that would enhance and increase in value as time went on,” Dunne said. “There would have to be some kind of formulaic decision on how to do that. It would be a process to determine what would be a fair mechanism that would be really beneficial to our players.”
  8. Other players started getting into the act, most notably Bryson DeChambeau said, “I do feel bad for the PGA Tour players because they were told one thing and something else happened. On our side, we were told one thing and it’s come to fruition.” DeChambeau went on to address the deepest of issues in the relationship of the sport of golf to the 9/11 Families United, stating to CNN’s Caitlin Collins in a live, two-way interview, “I think we’ll never be able to repay the families back for what exactly happened just over 20 years ago and what happened is definitely horrible,” said DeChambeau. “I think as time has gone on, 20 years has (sic) passed, we’re in a place now where it’s time to start trying to work together to make things better together as a whole. I don’t know exactly what they’re feeling. I can’t ever know what they feel, but I have a huge amount of respect for their position and what they believe. Nor do I ever want anything like that to ever occur again. I think as we move forward from that, we have to look toward the pathway to peace and forgiveness, especially if we’re trying to mend the world and make it a better place. I think this is what they’re trying to accomplish, LIV is trying to accomplish, PIF is trying to accomplish. We’re all trying to accomplish a better world for everybody with entertainment for everybody around the world.
  9. DeChambeau was asked by Collins about human rights violations and the CIA verified killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, an act that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered for assassination of the provocative and critical journalist. “It’s unfortunate what has happened and something I can’t necessarily speak on. I’m a golfer,” DeChambeau added. “But what I can say is that what they’re trying to do, what they’re trying to work on is to be better allies because we are allies with them. I’m not going to get into politics, I’m not specialized in that. What I can say is they’re trying to do good for the world and showcase themselves in a light that hasn’t been seen in a while. Nobody’s perfect, but we’re all trying to improve in life,” said the man who pocketed $150 million in a signing bonus to play LIV Golf.
  10. Said Vox’ Jonathan Guyer on the overall impact and resulting aspect of the (PGA Tour claims not to call it a) merger: “The golf course is perhaps not the arena that immediately comes to mind when you’re thinking about geopolitics. But with one proposed golf business deal, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, just hit the geopolitical equivalent of a hole-in-one.”

And, so, the story goes.

See you at next week’s U.S. Open in Los Angeles where there will be more than 100 new spokespeople for the continuing saga of “How the PGA Tour & LIV Worlds Turn.” Surely, the USGA is thrilled with the consequences of staging a major 10 days after the world of professional golf was turned inside out, upside down and sideways without any clear path made public.

After all, nobody’s perfect, right?

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: How about a few Red Sox notes to begin? … Since the start of 2022, 11 of 20 games between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have been decided by one run, including six of 11 at Yankee Stadium. … Boston 3B Rafael Devers hit his 11th career Home Run at Yankee Stadium Saturday night. The only other Red Sox players to hit as many as nine homers against the Yankees in New York prior to the age of 27 are Babe Ruth (10) and Ted Williams (9). … The Sox are in a stretch of playing 13 games in 12 days from June 3 to June 14, including the scheduled day-night doubleheader against Tampa on June 3. … They are scheduled to play 23 games in 23 days from June 3-to-25.

NEGRO LEAGUE MOTION PICTURE: (Report from Official News Release) – Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sam Pollard, working with executive producer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the Oscar-winner of “Summer of Soul,” Tariq Trotter of Descendant, and produced by RadicalMedia, THE LEAGUE celebrates the dynamic journey of Negro League baseball’s triumphs and challenges through the first half of the twentieth century.

The story is told through previously unseen archival footage and interviews with legendary players like Satchel Paige and Buck O’Neil – whose early careers paved the way for the Jackie Robinson era in Major League Baseball. They all created a platform for celebrated Baseball Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Hank Aaron who started their baseball careers in the Negro Leagues.

From entrepreneurial titans Cumberland Posey and Gus Greenlee, whose intense rivalry fueled the rise of two of the best baseball teams ever to play the game, to Effa Manley, the activist owner of the Newark Eagles and the only woman ever admitted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, THE LEAGUE explores Black baseball as an economic and social pillar of their local communities and a stage for some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game.

MOST BELOVED USA ATHLETES: The mention of both Hank Aaron and Willie Mays calls for a listing of many of the Most Beloved Athletes to Ever Play Sports:

  • Jack Nicklaus
  • Jackie Robinson
  • Willie Mays
  • Michael Jordan
  • Arthur Ashe
  • Babe Ruth
  • Bobby Orr
  • Hank Aaron
  • Roberto Clemente
  • Arnold Palmer
  • Jesse Owens
  • Julius Erving
  • Lou Gehrig
  • Joe DiMaggio
  • Wilma Rudolph
  • John Havlicek
  • Muhammad Ali
  • Ernie Banks
  • Wayne Gretzky *Canada
  • Mark Spitz
  • Althea Gibson
  • Richard Petty
  • Eric Heiden
  • Chris Evert
  • Tiger Woods
  • Michael Phelps
  • Roger Federer
  • “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias
  • Reggie White
  • Walter Payton
  • Jerry Rice
  • Cal Ripken, Jr.
  • Barry Sanders
  • Pele *Brazil
  • Serena Williams
  • Cathy Rigby
  • Guy LaFleur *Canada
  • Dorothy Hamill
  • Sugar Ray Leonard
  • Simone Biles
  • Rod Laver *Australia
  • Annika Sörenstam
  • Kerry Strug
  • Olga Korbut *Russia
  • Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
  • Charles Barkley
  • Mickey Mantle
  • Kathy Whitworth
  • Lee Trevino

TID-BITS: With the recent news of Angel Salcedo being hired by Channel 5 (Boston) as the newest sports reporter in this city, there’s cause to reminisce as we witness the changing of the guard for many of Boston’s local sports anchors. Salcedo fills a slot vacated by longtime anchor/reporter Bob Halloran’s retirement. The WCVB mainstay who recovered from a scary brain aneurysm seven years ago is the latest to retire from the local nightly newscasts. … Joe Amorosino, a sports reporter and anchor with WHDH Channel 7 for 25 years, is leaving the station after his contract expires at the end of June. In a decision entirely made by the 53-year old, Amorosino will focus on his family’s business and real estate interests. … Back in 2014, WCVB-TV’s Mike Dowling moved on after 28 years of sports reporting, many of those riding shotgun with the great Mike Lynch who decided to step-away from the nightly broadcasts in 2019. Lynch, too, suffered a stroke in 2022. He fully recovered from the episode but decided to step aside from the nightly grind after 38 years on the job.

On Friday, Lynch was inducted to the Massachusetts Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

CH-CH-CHANGES: Duke Castiglioni now heads up the sports desk at WCVB-5. The Marshfield High School and Stonehill College grad started at the station in 2018, working weekends. Duke’s father is the long-time voice of the Boston Red Sox, Joe Castiglione. … In January of this year, WBZ-TVwent so far as to run their weekday 6pm newscast without a sports segment. Sports director and anchor Steve Burton had his report nixed for some additional news and weather. Add to the mix the changing of the guard at WEEI-Radio where Glenn Ordway worked afternoon drive-time. Now, FM 98.5 dominates the morning and afternoon radio in Boston.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | June 4th

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The 2015 NHL Draft had two gems right at the top. With the No. 1 pick, Connor McDavid was selected by the Edmonton Oilers. The No. 2 pick – Jack Eichel – was a no brainer and fell right into the lap of the Buffalo Sabres.

McDavid, out of Richmond Hill, Ontario, is often referred to as the best player in the NHL. There are rarely arguments, but McDavid has only advanced his team to the Conference Finals.

Eichel has taken a different path, call it the Scenic Route, to the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final.

A native of North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, the Boston University product took home the prestigious Hobey Baker Award as a freshman. The award recognizes the best player in all of NCAA men’s ice hockey and Eichel was the second freshman to ever receive the award, following NHL legend Paul Kariya.

For BU, Eichel was the Most Valuable Player in Hockey East. He led the Conference in scoring, was voted Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, First Team All Conference, First Team All-Rookie. Eichel scored 26 goals and had 45 assists for 71 points for BU, all while playing for the USA Hockey Developmental team. In 2015, he turned pro and signed a three-year entry contract with the Sabres.

All was not sunny in Buffalo.

Eichel was the top goal scorer for the Sabres and No. 2 on the team in points, quickly rising to accept the team’s captaincy, an honor usually reserved for the most NHL-tested veterans.

Despite an NHL All-Star appearance and an eight-year $80 million contract extension, Eichel fought through two severe ankle sprains and played 67 of 82 games in 2018. He hit the 100-goal mark and 300 points mark as the NHL plowed its way through a COVID-19 season. By late April 2021, Eichel required surgery for a spinal disc herniation.

The scenic route was getting pretty ugly and he sparred with the front office and direction of the Sabres. By September of 2021, Eichel had failed his team physical, was stripped of the team captaincy and placed on the Sabres’ long-term injury list. The division was enough to force the Sabres to trade him and his $10m a year contract to the Vegas Golden Knights.

After the six-year sojourn in Buffalo, Eichel turned the page and started anew in 2022-23 as the Golden Knights were doing the same with their new coach, former Boston Bruins man, Bruce Cassidy. The stars began to align and Vegas qualified for the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, defeating Winnipeg, Edmonton (bye-bye Connor McDavid) and the Dallas Stars to earn their place in the Stanley Cup Final. (Game 1: Saturday, June 3).

While Vegas played its Jack, the Denver Nuggets played a Joker, as in center and former NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

Born in the north of Serbia, Jokic played 2012-2014 out of Belgrade with Mega Basket, the Clip Show of Belgrade to the more Lake Show Partizan club. Jokic played in Serbian League games and Adriatic League games and caught the eye of Denver Nuggets Assistant GM/scout Arturas Karnisovas, a former Seton Hall star and Lithuanian national team player, now the president of basketball operations for the Chicago Bulls.

Denver spent its first-round pick (No. 11 overall) on guard/forward Doug McDermott, the sharpshooter out of Creighton. As the draft progressed, Chicago took Bosnian center Jusuf Nurkic with the 16th pick and Michigan State guard Gary Harris at No. 19. Both players were shipped to Denver as part of the deal.

Karnisovas pressed the brass at his post in Denver to select Jokic with the club’s second-round pick which came along at No. 41. They grabbed him after Spencer Dinwiddie, Jerami Grant and Glenn Robinson III went ahead of Jokic with picks No. 38-40. No. 41 should’ve come gift-wrapped.

Interestingly, Dario Šarić (Orlando at No. 12), Jusuf Nurkić (Chicago at No. 16) and Bogdan Bogdanović (Phoenix at No. 17) were all drafted ahead of their European counterpart, much to Denver’s delight.

After being voted to the All-Rookie team in 2016, Jokic has five All-NBA selections, three on the first team, five NBA All-Star appearances, and two NBA Most Valuable Player awards. He fell to second in the MVP voting this season behind Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid.

Eichel took the scenic route to the NHL Stanley Cup Final from his No. 2 selection while Jokic took a non-stop, direct flight to stardom with the Denver Nuggets and is playing in the 2023 NBA Finals. Jokic started his Finals experience, becoming only the second player in NBA history to record a triple-double (27, 10 and 14 assists) in his first Finals game. The other was guard Jason Kidd with the NJ Nets.

Anyone in the NBA care to re-draft?

BY THE WAY: Why is it the NHL Stanley Cup Final but the 2023 NBA Finals?

YouTube player

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: USA Basketball will have two teams in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup semifinals for the second time in event history (2016). In their quarterfinal matchups Saturday evening in Vienna, Austria, the men defeated France 21-19 followed an hour later by the women overtaking Austria 21-17.

Kareem Maddox, Dylan Travis, Jimmer Fredette and Canyon Barry make up the USA Basketball men’s team.

On Sunday, the women will take on China, who defeated Germany in the quarterfinals, at 8:30am (ET). The men will face Brazil, who stunned Poland on a last-second two-pointer in the quarterfinals at 10:05am (ET).

The 3×3 World Cup is streaming live on FIBA’s 3×3 YouTube. Game times are subject to change.

FIBA HALL of FAME: This week, USA Basketball legend Katrina McClain was been selected to the FIBA Hall of Fame Class of 2023. McClain is one of 12 members of a class that also includes NBA great Yao Ming (CHN), and former WNBA’s star Penny Taylor (AUS).

SALE OUT: The Boston Red Sox placed oft-injured, left-handed pitcher Chris Sale on the 15-Day Injured List due to left shoulder inflammation. Sale, 34, has made 11 starts for the Red Sox this season, going 5-2 with a 4.58 ERA (30 ER/59.0 IP). In Friday’s start against the Cincinnati Reds, he allowed one run on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts in 3.2 innings, before exiting the game in the fourth inning due to left shoulder soreness.

The left-hander is 45-27 with a 3.23 ERA (225 ER/627.0 IP) in 106 career games with the Red Sox, and is 119-77 with a 3.08 ERA (370 ER/1,737.0 IP) in 334 career games (254 starts) with the Chicago White Sox (2010-16) and Boston (2017-23).

TIDBITS: Former Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and Kansas City Kings Public relations Director Julie Fie will receive the 2023 Bell Tower of Fame at opening ceremonies of the annual Bell Tower Festival, Friday, June 9.

Tower of Fame recipients are chosen for their international, national or statewide personal or professional efforts that bring awareness and pride to Greene County. Awardees must have lived in Greene County sometime in their lives. Julie is being recognized for her outstanding NBA public relations career.

STADIUM SERIES: Just prior to the face-off of Game 1 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, the National Hockey League said the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series™ will take place Feb. 17-18 at MetLife Stadium, the home of the NFL’s New York Jets and New York Football Giants. The event will feature four teams – the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers and New York Islanders – in two NHL regular-season outdoor games. On Saturday, Feb. 17, the Devils will play host to the Flyers, and on Sunday, Feb. 18 the Rangers will face off against the Islanders.

ROCKPORT = ROCK BOTTOM: The Rockport Company LLC has submitted a state notice that it is shutting down its Newton, Massachusetts headquarters and could layoff nearly 150 employees.

In a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act (WARN) notice filed on May 9, the shoe company indicated it plans on laying off 148 employees sometime between July 8 and July 22.

Rockport was founded in Marlborough, Massachusetts in 1971 by Saul L. Katz and his son, Bruce R. Katz. The business was acquired by Reebok in 1986 and then sold thirty years later in 2015. The Rockport Company moved to its Newton home in 2017, before filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018.

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: It’s Game 2 of The 2023 NBA Finals and tonight, it’s all about the Joker – Nikola Jokić – He’s a Joker, a picker, a grinner, a roller. He gets his love in on the run. No one calls him Maurice.

 

TL

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | May 28th

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Thank-You to TNT, Tara and T.K

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The Eastern Conference Finals will come to a close on Monday with what could be a history-making series for the Boston Celtics or an epic march to the NBA Finals for the Miami Heat. One thing is for sure, with the final game of the Eastern finals, the crew at TNT will turnover the reigns of the NBA Playoffs to ABC/ESPN, the broadcast rights holders for the 2023 NBA Finals.

It doesn’t seem that long ago when NBA Commissioner David Stern informed us that the NBA on TBS (Turner Sports’ “Superstation,” would be passing the torch for the NBA and many sports to its new sister station, a station nobody had heard of and no cable system carried at the time.

Memories of giving the late NBA Commish a hard time upon checking into an Orlando Omni hotel and – No TNT. “Don’t worry, said Stern, “it’ll come,” as he added “Go complain to the front desk and ask them to get TNT.”

Wouldn’t you know? One of the latest reports shows TNT in some 89.573 million U.S. households and it is the jewel of Turner Sports. (See more thoughts on TNT and the Inside the NBA crew below). Stern was very rarely wrong when it came to predicting where Cable TV and the media industry, in general, were going and he knew it long before anyone else.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: A couple weeks ago, the spotlight was on Michael Jordan’s ‘92 Olympic Gold Medal Ceremony jacket, now it’s a multi-million dollar bid for MJ’s game-worn Olympic uniform.

One of Michael Jordan’s autographed jersey from the Barcelona Olympic Games, featuring the famed “Dream Team,” sold for $3.030,000. The jersey was part of a collection consigned by Dream Team member Karl Malone, with Jordan writing on the jersey, ‘To Karl, Good Luck, Michael Jordan #9.”

Goldin Auctions, orchestrating the deals, said other Dream Teamers’ jerseys sold from the collection included Larry Bird ($360,000), Magic Johnson ($336,000) Charles , Barkley ($230,400), David Robinson ($116,400), Clyde Drexler ($91,200), Scottie Pippen ($80,400), Malone ($58,800), John Stockton ($55,200), Patrick Ewing ($39,600), then-collegian Christian Laettner ($39,600) and Chris Mullin ($37,200).

Jordan’s Olympic medal ceremony jacket is part of a Sotheby’s auction and is on display and online this month until the auction takes place in late June.

KOEPKA’s COACH STRIKES BACK: Claude Harmon III, the golf coach of recently crowned PGA Champion Brooks Koepka got into quite a pissing match with former PGA Tour player and current Golf Channel anchor Brandel Chamblee in the last two weeks.

When discussing the upcoming Ryder Cup, Chamblee had made it clear that he doesn’t believe that Koepka or other players on the Saudi-backed LIV Tour should be on the team.

“Brandel is a paid actor by NBC and Golf Channel. All he’s trying to do is get his lines and shows for the Golf Channel,” Harmon III said. “He’s just trying to get lines for Brandel … And I mean, I love him, I think Eamon is a fantastic writer, but for Eamon Lynch and Brandel Chamblee, who worked for NBC to utter the words ‘sports washing’ when the company they work for televised the last two Winter Olympics in Russia and China with the same leaders that they’ve had. It’s not like they were good leaders back then. It’s not like Putin was a good guy, right?”

Chamblee countered with a very lengthy post on Twitter that read:

“The farrago of what-about-isms that inevitably accompanies any discussion on sports washing, attempts, in answering a condemnation with an accusation, to impugn the credibility of the accuser and to distract from having to deal with the complexities of the question. Much like sports washing, its sole goal is to obfuscate. Of course it is usually accompanied by an ad hominem attack most notably by calling someone a hypocrite or most recently as directed at me, a paid actor to recite my lines.

The accusation that I am just a proxy for the opinion of my employer is a curious one to me, and while the natural back and forth with colleagues certainly informs my opinion, no one for whom I work with or for has ever tried to influence what I am going to say. I’d like to think that they trust whatever opinion I have, whether it agrees with their’s or not, I’ve done the research to back it up. Which is more than I can say for those who suggest that because there is evil everywhere, all evil is relativized and unless all of it can be addressed at the same time and in the same way, it should all be ignored.

Especially, as in the case of the person who called me a paid actor, if they can somehow profit from the evil. This is where the debate crashes headfirst into the nexus of politics, sports and narcissistic greed. Where those who want to escape it most often cloy at what-about-isms, to stop the discussion with a pejorative accusation because they don’t want their motives to be discovered.

And we must impute motives to see the evils clearly.

To raise the question whether LIV has been good for the PGA Tour is to miss the very human and most important point of the whole issue of sports washing. It is bad for the people who continue to be oppressed by the man who funds LIV Golf. And as I have said many times, like the pollution that hangs over our biggest cities, its darkness is better seen from a distance and its stench is too easily dismissed as the smell of commerce. It poisons and dulls our sensibilities making it easy to forget that many a bad movement owes its greater success to the apathy of conformism.

So while Brooks Koepka’s win at the PGA Championship was impressive, it should not distract us from the simple fact that LIV players are being used for the benefit of some very bad people and to the detriment of a great many more good people. That LIV Golf, with its inability to develop stars and seeking to buy them like high performance cars, is undermining the dignity intrinsic in golf.

Dignity that was most profound in watching the play of Michael Block, the club professional who stole the show at the PGA Championship with his gratitude and joy and of course with his incredibly sharp game. He was a stark reminder of what is missing in LIV Golf and even what will be missing in the PGA Tour’s no cut, small field, designated events next year.

Because golf has always been and hopefully will always be, more about hope than heroes.”

WHAT’s AHEAD: As a competitor, it’s always a good idea to “stay in the moment,” and not look nor regret the past while never worrying about an uncertain future. That’s also sage advice for every coach on the planet. “The Next Play” is of concern, not the previous two or three when the team didn’t execute, took terrible shots, remained scoreless or turned the ball over.

For fans in the sports world, it’s smart to look ahead and circle some important dates on your calendar from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Let’s call it:

The Sports Highlights of the Summer of ‘23.

May 28: Indianapolis 500
May 28: At Noon, Boston College will take on No. 1 seeded Northwestern in the women’s NCAA lacrosse National Championship game in Cary, NC.
May 28 – June 11: French Open
May 29: At 1pm (ET), No. 1 Duke will face-off against No. 3 Notre Dame in the men’s lacrosse National Championship game at The Linc in Philly.
June 1: Start of NBA Finals
June 8: Start of Stanley Cup Finals
June 10: The Belmont Stakes
June 10: UEFA Championship (Final) – (Greece)
June 15-18: U.S. Open (Golf) – (Winged Foot, Westchester, NY)
June 18: Last possible date (Game 7) of NBA Finals and NHL Stanley Cup Finals
June 22: NBA Draft (Brooklyn)
June 24-25: MLB London Series – Cubs vs. Cardinals
July 1-23: Tour de France
July 3-18: Wimbledon
July 9-11: MLB Draft (Seattle)
July 10 – August 20: Women’s World Cup (Australia/New Zealand)
July 10: MLB Home Run Derby (Seattle)
July 11: MLB All-Star Game (Seattle)
July 16-23: The Open (Royal Liverpool)
July 23: Baseball Hall of Fame Induction (Cooperstown, NY)
August 1: MLB Trading Deadline
August 3-6: Enshrinement Week at Pro Football Hall of Fame (Canton, OH)
August 11-14: FedEx St. Jude Championship (1st Round FedEx Cup Playoffs)
August 12: Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Inductions (Springfield, MA)
August 18-21: BMW Championship (Wilmington, DE) – 2nd Round FedEx Cup
August 19-27: IAAF World Championships (Budapest, Hungary)
August 25-28: Tour Championship (Atlanta) – FedEx Cup Championship
August 25 – September 10: FIBA World Cup (Asia)
August 28 – September 10: U.S. Open (tennis) – (Flushing Meadow, NY)

Notes: The last day of the regular season for MLB Baseball is October 1 and the 2023 Ryder Cup for golf is September 29-October 1st.

TID-BITS: Isn’t it (Curtis) strange that the (Charles Schwab Challenge) at Colonial is staged over Memorial Day weekend, but The Memorial is staged the weekend afterward? … The Memorial, founded and hosted each year by Jack Nicklaus at his Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, could take a page from the PGA Tour/FedEx Cup Playoffs days of yesteryear and start The Memorial on the Friday before the national holiday and finish on Memorial Day. … That worked great when the Deutsche Bank Championship held down the Labor Day weekend here in Boston. … Just sayin’ …

SBJ AWARDS: Ready for even more awards? The great team at the Sports Business Journal held their annual awards dinner and presented the “ABE-Ys” (pronounced ABE-EEZE), a fictional tribute to the highly competent leader of SBJ, Abe Madkour. Here are the results:

  • Deal of the Year — Michele Kang’s acquisition of the Washington Spirit
  • Best in Sports Betting — FanDuel
  • Best in Sports Social Media — Bleacher Report: Hero Ball
  • Best Talent Representation — Wasserman
  • Sports Event of the Year — U.S. Open Tennis Championship
  • Athletic Director of the Year — J.D. Wicker, San Diego State
  • Best in Sports Media — Fox Sports
  • Best in Property Consulting, Sales and Client Services — Elevate
  • Sports Sponsor of the Year — T-Mobile U.S.
  • Sports Facility of the Year — Fenway Park
  • Sports Breakthrough of the Year — NHL Digitally Enhanced Dasherboards
  • Best in Agency Creativity and Innovation — MKTG Sports + Entertainment
  • Sports Team of the Year — Angel City FC
  • Sports Executive of the Year — Eric Shanks, Fox Sports
  • Sports League of the Year — NFL
  • NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman received SBJ’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Actor Jon Hamm, a St. Louis native and lifelong hockey fan, presented the award

Notables include the honor of Facility of the Year in Boston’s own Fenway Park, America’s Most Beloved Ballpark. While not the jewel of MLB in terms of State of the Art tech and a brand new look, Fenway Park never fails to amaze fans. It’s a treasure to be savored like a fine red wine. … A surprising result was Fan Duel’s win over Boston-based Draft Kings. … Let the competition begin for the 2024 version of that award. May the most lucrative bookie win.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | May 21st

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While We’re Young (Ideas) on PGA/LIV; NCAA Crisis

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – With apologies to the late Ian Fleming, the famed British writer who created the wonderful and exciting series of James Bond (books and subsequent movies) and the great Sir Paul McCartney of The Beatles, this column will start with take-off of Fleming’s second novel but will be slightly edited to state: LIV and Let Die.

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This weekend, the best of the best golfers in the world traveled to Rochester, NY to play the 105th PGA Championship. When it was time to tee-off Thursday morning at the Oak Hill Country Club, there was the welcome site of Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson who – among others – were eligible for the PGA Championship alongside the best-of-the-best from the PGA Tour.

The players as a whole voiced their tidings of joy and happiness as they renewed old friendships with those who chose to leave the PGA Tour grab gobs of LIV money. For two LIV golfers, the Saudi-based payoff placed them on Forbes’ List of the Top 10 moneymakers in the sports world.

Forbes Magazine The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in 2023

$136m – Cristiano Ronaldo
$130m – Lionel Messi
$120m – Kylian Mbappe
$119.5 – LeBron James
$110m – Camillo Alvarez
$107m – Dustin Johnson ($102m of $107m bonus plus on golf course)
$106m – Phil Mickelson ($104m of $106m bonus plus on golf course)
$100.4 – Steph Curry
$95.1m – Roger Federer ($95m off the court)
$89.1m – Kevin Durant

When LIV golf began play in June 2022, the organization attempted to tossed aside initial criticism – much from the families of 9/11 victims bridging the Saudi Public Investment Fund money with 15 of the 19 September 11th terrorist attackers hailing from Saudi Arabia. LIV Golf failed to secure a big-time TV network right fee and played in obscurity much of the season. LIV settled for streaming tournaments on Facebook and YouTube, along with their own site.

While the tournaments were well organized and competitive, crowds were sparse and patrons seemed more interested in post golf concerts than the names on the leaderboard. Meanwhile LIV Golf communications, public and media relations were double-bogeying every hole at every tournament. They triple-bogeyed the lead up to their first-ever event in London, England.

This week, there was more of the same as the organization stopped making public its TV ratings on the CW Network, a desperate time buy on the little-known USA-based TV network. According to multiple reports, including the highly respected Sports Business Journal, LIV “quietly stopped publicly reporting its TV ratings, reversing course on an early-season strategy,” and a “sign that the league could be struggling to generate sufficient viewer interest,” according to James Colgan of GOLF.

PR 101 teaches “if you want them to cover the ‘good news and positive stuff,’ you’d better be transparent and accessible when facing the bad news.”

The people who run LIV Golf, including Greg Norman, its Commissioner, consistently fail by turning a blind-eye to their dilemmas as they fumble one PR crisis after another.

The CW broadcasts suffered mightily when the LIV Tour made its way to Australia and Singapore, and will suffer again in June and July when the LIV golfers play in Spain and England. But, consistency and ‘“facing the music” is as much about professional sports as the X’s and O’s of each game played.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is “in the news” once again. Here’s The Atlantic’s Jemele Hill to explain:

“In an apology statement on Tuesday after his latest suspension for apparently brandishing a gun on social media, the NBA star Ja Morant declared, “My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself.”

The Memphis Grizzlies point guard is right: His promises can’t be trusted. On Saturday, an Instagram Live video appeared to show Morant recklessly waving a firearm while riding in a vehicle’s passenger seat. In response, the Grizzlies indefinitely suspended him on Sunday from all team activities. In March, after another Instagram Live video showed Morant holding up a gun inside a Denver-area nightclub, the NBA suspended Morant for eight games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league.”

Said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to ESPN’s Malika Andrews during the league’s annual Draft Lottery broadcast:

“The consequences there, an eight-game suspension, was pretty serious and something that he — at least to me — seemed to take incredibly seriously in that time. I mean, we spoke for a long time about not just the consequences that could have on his career but the safety issues around it. [He] could have injured, maimed, killed himself, someone else with an act like that. And also the acknowledgment that … he’s a star, he has an incredibly huge following, and my concern — and I thought he shared with me — that millions, if not tens of millions, of kids globally would see him as having done something that was celebrating in a way that act of sort of using a firearm in that fashion. And so I at least was left with the sense that he was taking this incredibly seriously.

“Honestly, I was shocked when I saw this weekend that video,” Silver added. “Now, we’re in the process of investigating it, and we’ll figure out exactly what happened to the best we can. Again, the video’s a bit grainy and all that, but I’m assuming the worst. But we’ll figure out exactly what happened there.”

A number of media reports defended Morant’s rights to own a gun and brandish it any way he chooses, citing Constitutional rights. However, the Second Amendment addresses a USA citizen’s rights to bear arms with no Government interference so that defense does not apply to Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies franchise not the NBA, which is a joint venture partnership – certainly not the Government.

“Those guys are just, they’re just freaking idiots,” Charles Barkley said Wednesday on TNT of the Morant defenders in the media. “I only say ‘freaking’ because y’all won’t let me say what I want to say.

“Man, when you’re making $100 million a year to play sports, your life changes,” Barkley noted. “There are certain rules and regulations you have to live by, plain and simple. You can’t do stupid stuff. That’s the trade-off. Now, if you want to do all that stuff and give the money back, more power to you.”

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It IS important to note, Morant did not break any laws, according to Tennessee and Colorado local state law as reported by several media outlets. But, his employment as a player in the NBA and the uniform player contract he signed (as Kenny Smith pointed out on TNT’s award-winning Inside the NBA this past Wednesday night) holds him to higher standards which were Collectively Bargained by the National Basketball Player’s Association.

And, that is the question once again. Where is the NBA Player’s Association on this?

There’s been little or no word spoken publicly on the issue from NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio. No word from the head of the NBPA licensing arm – THINK450 – Que Gaskins.

Morant has done just as much damage to the NBA Player’s version of Name, Image and Likeness marketing as he has to the league as a whole. The NBPA and THINK450 should be taking more action – not punitive – but in publicly calling out the action(s) of Morant and offering counseling and safety advice.

That advice might come from a former NBA player, Jayson Williams, who, in 2002, was fooling around with a shotgun at his posh New Jersey home when it discharged a round and killed Williams’ limo driver, Gus Christofi. Williams served time for attempting to cover-up the shooting and he also pled guilty to aggravated assault when the case went to court in February 2010 and was sentenced to an 18-month prison term he served until April 2012.

“I know I’ve disappointed a lot of people who have supported me,” Morantsaid in a statement. “This is a journey and I recognize there is more work to do. My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself.”

TIDBITS: This week, the NLRB issued a complaint against the NCAA, Pac-12 and USC, alleging they have unlawfully misclassified college athletes as student-athletes rather than employees in football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball, according to USA Today. … What does that mean? The NCAA, Pac-12 Conference and the University of Southern California will go before an administrative law judge on November 7. At that hearing, according to USAT, the “NLRB’s general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo will be seeking an order requiring those three entities to ‘reclassify the Players as employees rather than as ‘student-athletes’ in their files, including, but not limited to, their handbooks and rules, and notify all current Players that they have done so,’” according to the complaint.

Concludes USAT, this formal complaint was inevitable once the Regional NLRB Director found merit to the unfair labor practice charge back in December. Unless USC had settled the case (which was highly unlikely), this complaint was coming.

WWYI questions, why draw the line at football, men’s and women’s basketball?

On 3 – the self proclaimed “Bloomberg” of College Sports noted ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips on the need for a Federal Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) standard: “As it relates to name, image and likeness, there has to be agent registration. There has to be a standardized contract. There has to be a registry. And then four there has to be education on campus. And that should just be open, that should be — that should be available for schools to see. Each other, etc. And I think it allows at least a little bit of disclosure that we’re not seeing in that space. The standardized contract, again, just everybody fills out the same thing whether it’s a $500 name, image and likeness opportunity or a $500K name, image and likeness opportunity. So, that’s part of it.” Phillips added, “Student athletes should absolutely be able to monetize their [NIL]. But at the end of the day, if you’re going to have intra and interstate competition, there has to be some level playing fields on that.” On the tampering that has reportedly pervaded the space, Phillips remarks: “We all know that [NIL] was never meant to be an inducement. It was really meant to be a serious and an honest way for young people that have great talents and a likeness and an image, that they could monetize it. That they’d be able to do that. But the two have been connected like a magnet, which is disappointing. And so that’s going on all across the country.”

Newly employed NCAA President and former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has his hands full on these issues and more. The influence of major college football still rules, limiting the influence of the NCAA office. … On another financial front, multiple college/athletic department marketing partner LEARFIELD was forced to renegotiate terms of marketing deals with six of its multimedia rights partners as the company deals with $1.1B in debt maturing this year, according to Sportico. … Adding it all up, college athletics are under siege and there doesn’t seem to be a simple solution to solve the major issues. Why? The very make-up of college athletics doesn’t allow for any one entity (or person) to take charge and do what’s best for everyone. The schools – all different sizes, in different Divisions (Div I, II… and so on), in different locales (States), in different Conferences – some with their own lucrative Network deals, others with nothing – have no interest nor desire to do what’s good for the others. Each sport provides the NCAA with different opportunities and challenges with the revenue-producing sports at the top of the pecking order because of the multi-million – make that multi-billion dollar rights fees being tossed about by ESPN, CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX and so on.

Here’s the latest: Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, drafted new legislation titled the “College Sports NIL Clearinghouse Act of 2023.” The draft has been circulated to the various stakeholders of collegiate athletics and, of course, it was leaked. The draft calls for another version of the NCAA to oversee the name, image and likeness activity in all of collegiate athletics, further limiting the powers college athletics’ governing body. … The clearing house would act more like an enforcement agency (see NCAA compliance department). The essence of the bill is to return some power to the college conferences, and to a lesser extent the schools with the purpose to undercut the business agencies and the NIL collectives popping-up all over the country.

It’s not pretty and the legal battles to be fought, beginning this winter, might further complicate the issues and set the NCAA back 50 years.

LAX is LIFE: If NCAA Women’s Lacrosse were to be compared to NCAA Men’s Basketball in consecutive Final Four appearances, only John Wooden’s legendary UCLA teams (1967-1976) would rank ahead of the Boston College Eagles. This week, in Newton, Mass., BC clinched its SIXTHconsecutive trip to the NCAA Women’s Final Four after their 20-6 shellacking of Notre Dame. BC will advance to beautiful Cary, North Carolina (25 minutes from Duke (Durham) and 40 minutes from Wake Forest, NC. No. 3 ranked Boston College will play No. 2 Syracuse in a national semifinal and be joined by No. 1 ranked Northwestern vs. No. 5 Denver, in the other semi.

Among the many storylines is Boston College grad student Melanie Welchwho is the captain of the BC lacrosse team and winner of the Welles Crowther award. Welch was a walk-on at BC but suffered and rehabbed through two ACL injuries and stuck it out to play lacrosse while enduring the setbacks of the global pandemic but also earning two graduate degrees and while honored as an Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic team member.

Before her days at The Heights, Welch played midfield for Academy of the Holy Angels (Demarest, NJ) not far from her hometown of Pearl River, NY. Welch returned to Chestnut Hill this year as a second year Grad student to play defense in all 21 games of the (18-3) Eagles’ 2023 season.

At the Final Four, there’s a curve in the story as Melanie’s sister Kathryn is a freshman at top-rated Northwestern. Kathryn was recruited to play lacrosse at Northwestern after never playing the sport in high school and prep school. Kathryn was a standout ice hockey player but the NW coaches saw her play, knew her background and offered her a scholarship believing she would transition into a solid lacrosse player. As a first year, Kathryn has played in only seven of Northwestern’s 20 games (19-1) with their only loss coming in their opening game against Syracuse on February 11th.

Parents, Len and Kelly Welch, who follow both their daughters all season long, can enjoy their Saturday rooting for each of their favorite teams. Should both BC and Northwestern advance to the National Final, there’s potentially a choice to made on Monday night.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | May 14

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Wishes Happy Mother’s Day to All the Wonderful Mothers and Families Honoring Mom Today

By TERRY LYONS

NEW YORK – “Here, I never want to see this again,” said USA guard Michael Jordan, adorned with a Gold Medal at the USA Basketball locker room door at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Jordan uttered the words as he handed his “Reebok” branded Olympic Medal Ceremony jacket to the head of the NBA’s Communications Group, Brian McIntyre, who had “drafted” Jordan in a pre-Olympic selection of the entire Dream Team players and coaches just before the Games began.

Actually, with McIntyre hailing from Chicago, Jordan was a territorial pick amongst the “Dream Team PR Team” for the Games by a man who would eventually be recognized with the John Bunn Award at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the highest honor a non-player can receive in the world of basketball.

Said the Associated Press’ Tim Reynolds this week: “The jacket that Michael Jordan famously and grudgingly wore while receiving an Olympic Gold Medal has been in (former NBA PR man) Brian McIntyre’s possession for more than three decades now.

He figures the time is right to let someone else enjoy it.

The red, white and blue Reebok jacket that Jordan — a Nike athlete — was forced to wear on the medal stand alongside the other members of USA Basketball’s (first) “Dream Team” at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics is headed to auction.

Sotheby’s, which has the offering that will run through June 28, estimates that the jacket could fetch anywhere from $1 million to $3 million. Other experts in the world of basketball and collective memorabilia think the bidding could go as high as $5 million, citing the fact game-worn Jordan uniforms have been valued north of $10 million and their are dozens of those available. There is only one Jordan-worn Olympic Medal Ceremony jacket and it has a history all of its own.

Many years later, Jordan signed it: “To Brian, Thanks for Everything, Michael Jordan.”

McIntyre kept it the last 29 years, wearing it occasionally. The jacket and Jordan’s reluctance to wear it was a big story in Barcelona and became a talking point again when “The Last Dance” documentary re-told part of the story with sound from Jordan in 1992 revealing his frustration with the situation.”

That said, anything involving that team, and those Olympics, has obvious historical value. It was the first time the NBA sent its players to an Olympics, and the game was forever changed.

“We watched the ‘Dream Team’ in the ’92 Olympics fast-forward the growth of basketball, by a lot,” McIntyre said. “I mean, it really helped develop the game worldwide — not just for the NBA, but in basketball in general.”

Sotheby’s is offering the auction online and will display the jacket in New York from June 24-28.

Sotheby’s went to great lengths to authenticate the Jacket, but they could’ve saved a lot of time and money. All they had to do was ask, because this reporter was posted-up right inside the locker room door – a few feet away from the historic “give and go.”

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror and the league schedule issued earlier this week, the odds-makers have placed the Kansas City Chiefs as favorites to win the 2024 Super Bowl. Here are the favorites, including the Chiefs and overall Top 5:

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (+600)
  2. Philadelphia Eagles (+700)
  3. Buffalo Bills (+800)
  4. San Francisco 59ers (+825)
  5. Cincinnati Bengals (+850)

TIDBITS: With all this talk about Debt Limits, don’t we all face a rather daunting debt limit every month of the year? For years? Surely any family that’s been fortunate enough to have children attend some of the best Higher Educational Institutes in the country know a little about Debt Limits. … In 2023, surely there are Debt Limits that come into play when any fan tries to purchase game tickets to any sporting event, especially playoffs, Super Bowls, or major rock shows. So many times, these days, you simply have to take a pass, maybe watch on TV or read about the rock show in a critics’ review. … CNN’s Kaitlan Collins had her hands filled this week, hosting a CNN Town Hall meeting in New Hampshire with convicted sexual abuser and deviant Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. Collins is used to tough assignments as she’s witnessed The University of Alabama face formidable opponents from the Southeastern Conference when the Crimson Tide play college football every Saturday in the Fall. … Collins needed an Air Horn to nip any and all blatant lies that flowed like active Hawaiian volcano lava during the Town Hall, which devolved into a Trump rally of sorts this past Wednesday evening. … It has been determined that the presumptive GOP presidential candidate is the Navage residue of Politicians.

BUZZWORD BINGO: We’re taking our sports commentary and studio analysis to a new level to create “NBA Bingo,” a new game that can be played in any single night, throughout a seven-game series or a single game of the 2023 NBA Finals. Here’s your very own game board.

NBA Buzzword Bingo

FENWAY IS A TREASURE: It’s so wonderful to live in Boston and be a regular media member, covering the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Although it’s pushing 111 years, the improvements to the ballpark have come year-by-year to make it a joy to attend.

Major League Baseball’s Oldest Ballparks

Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox): 111 years old

Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs): 109 years old

Dodger Stadium (LA Dodgers): 61 years old

Oakland Coliseum (Athletics): 57 years old

Angel Stadium (LA Angels): 57 years old

Kauffman Stadium (KC Royals): 50 years old

Rogers Centre (Toronto Blue Jays): 34 years old

Tropicana Field (Tampa Bay Rays): 33 years old

Guaranteed Rate Field (Chicago White Sox): 32 years old

Camden Yards (Baltimore Orioles): 31 years old

Note: It seems “like yesterday” when MLB hosted its annual Mid-Summer Classic at the brand new Camden Yards. This July 13th, it will be 30 years ago. On a deep bucket list of “Being There” and “Looking Live,” that 1993 MLB All-Star Game ranks high. It was also quite a pleasure to be in Baltimore frequently from 2015-2019 with the ability to tuck-in an Orioles game on many of the trips to Johns Hopkins to visit my daughter at school. Each trip brought back memories of that hot summer night in 1993, four years before my daughter was born. Oh, how the time passes. Treasure every minute, every day.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | May 7th

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While We’re Young Ideas Provides Some Key Advice to Saudi Hoops

BOSTON – Earlier this week Yahoo’s Jay Hart wrote an interesting but fictional premonition of the near future. It read:

“The year is 2030, and the Saudi Basketball League is experiencing a boom. Thanks to the cash poured in from the Saudi Investment Fund to lure Kevin Durant and Steph Curry, the league is as popular as it’s ever been since its founding in 1976.‌

But throwing ridiculous money at aging superstars who’ve postponed retirement for nine-figure per-year paychecks can only earn the league so much credibility. To gain real cred, they need the best players now, not the best players of a decade ago. So they set their sights on Victor Wembanyama, who since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2023 has won three NBA MVPs, two titles and emerged as the most popular player in the world.

‌Their pitch: 5 years, $2 billion, or about $1.5 billion more than the NBA’s supermax contract allows… All of this is a massive hypothetical, of course, but it’s not unrealistic,” said Hart in an interesting column.

BACK to REALITY: As we know and have seen from the inner workings and past history of LIV Golf Tour, that’s NOT the way to get it done.

What is the way for Saudi Arabia to make a mark on the basketball world?

Here’s some free advice, as the end game is building awareness and participation in the sport by men, women, boys and girls:

  1. Begin working with Euroleague Basketball to form both coaching clinics and player clinics, much like the way the NBA proved highly effective with the NBA Coaches World Tour in the early ‘90s and then with Basketball without Borders, beginning in 2001. (To refresh memories, the Nba sent the likes of the late, great Dr. Jack Ramsay, and former players like Bill Walton, Calvin Murphy and dozens of others to events which coincided with a local basketball championship or tournament which attracted hundreds of youth and pro coaches).
  2. Sponsor global basketball events much like the way Turkish Airlines sponsors the EuroLeague and sponsored and advertised at the 2002 FIBA Worlds in Indianapolis.
  3. Participate in existing regional (Middle East and Asia Region) tournaments at youth and senior levels. Potentially host a regional tournament or eventually a qualification tournament
  4. Invest in and build a state of the art facility – designed with perfection to play in and host major basketball tournaments and other sporting events. As we know, an Arena can act like a giant Town Hall to modernize an entire segment of a city.
  5. Potentially include the Sports Facility in Neom, a futuristic international economic center – already visualized – and being constructed in the temperate Northwest of Saudi Arabia.
  6. Host the NBA/FIBA “Basketball without Borders” event to make a statement about Saudi Arabia-Europe-Middle-East-Israel-Asia-Africa investments and better diplomatic and business relations.
  7. Eventually bid for and host EuroLeague regular season games, NBA preseason and a Euro Final Four or Regional Olympic or Worlds qualifying tournament.
  8. Continue to train local players and pro teams to improve towards world class level of play, seeking the “next” version of Yao Ming, Hakeem Olajuwon, Dirk Nowitzki, Manu Ginobili or Tony Parker.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: In case you didn’t notice, the Boston Red Sox have won a season-high eight consecutive games, MLB’s longest active winning streak. The Sox are on their longest winning streak since 6/25-7/2/21 (8 games). … The Red Sox (20-14, .588) own the 5th-best record in MLB. … The Red Sox are 16-6 in their last 22 games, dating back to April 14. Only the AL East’s Baltimore Orioles are better in that span. … After concluding their set with the Philadelphia Phillies (which coincides with Boston vs Philly in the NBA Eastern Semis), the Sox will be 8-3 in series play and 6-1 in their last seven series. … Reliever/closer Kenley Jansen last night recorded his 399th career save, recently surpassing Craig Kimbrel for most among active pitchers and 7th most in MLB history. … The Red Sox have two rookies with active on-base streaks of 15+ games (Triston Casas and Yoshida) … It’s just the 2nd time in club history the Red Sox have concurrent on-base streaks of 15+ games by rookies with the other being Jacoby Ellsbury (26 games) and Dustin Pedroia (19) in 2007 (source: Elias). … Triston Casas’ 17 game on-base streak is the 2nd longest in the AL, trailing only Houston’s Yordan Alvarez (26). … Both Casas and Yoshida earned a day off yesterday when the Sox defeated the Phils, 7-4.

Speaking of Phils or maybe Two Phil’s – Mage, a 15-1 mid-to-long shot, crossed the finish line to win the 149th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday. Mage overtook Two Phil’s down the stretch to win the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. For the effort, Mage was able to dip the aching hooves in Palmolive. … Humans were rewarded, too, as those with winning betting slips earned some hefty returns. … Mage paid $32.42, $14.58 and $9.08. Two Phil’s returned $10.44 and $6.52 at 9-1 odds. Angel of Empire paid $4.70 to show. … A $2 exacta paid $330.44 and a Superfecta paid $15,643.65 for a $1 bet.

TIDBITS: Our friends at Sportico recently posted the 20 most valuable soccer clubs. Here’s the Top 5 – (you’ll have to subscribe to Sportico for the other 15).

Top 5 Most Valuable Soccer Clubs (according to Sportico) (in billions)

  1. Manchester United – $5.95b
  2. Real Madrid – $5.23b
  3. FC Barcelona – $4.95b
  4. Liverpool – $4.71b
  5. Bayern Munich – $4.46b

In terms of the USA-based Major League Soccer (MLS), the Los Angeles FC rated as No. 16 with a value of $900m. The LA Galaxy weren’t far behind with a value of $865.

On the latest Sports Business Journal’s SBJ Live, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told SBJ’s Austin Karp that expansion is a high priority and the league has narrowed a list of a hundred potential cities “down to 20 or so.” … That’s 100 cities – as in one hundred – vying for a WNBA franchise! … By comparison, as my mind recalls, the most the NBA saw was about a dozen legitimate requests in 1986 when the league began expansion planning to what would become four additional franchises: Charlotte, Miami, Minnesota and Orlando.

TO RICK PITINO: “Bronny James ain’t coming through that door!” … LeBron James’ heralded son, Bronny, made public his plans to attend USC and wrote a letter of intent. … Aunt Becky (Lori Loughlin) was not involved in the decision nor transaction. … A Rick Pitino signing of Bronny to headline St. John’s at Madison Square Garden would’ve earned the troubled coach his stripes on his new and latest gig.

TL

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | April 30

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In Memory of Heather Walker

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Sports gambling has engulfed the Commonwealth and 36 other States in the Union lighting a fire of competition amongst licensed gambling houses (errr, call ‘em Bookies). Upon sports gambling Zero Hour (January 31), advertising rose to a fever pitch and then they upped the ante on March 10 as March Madness was upon us. That maneuvering will only be topped come August when preseason NFL football and the kickoff to college football dominate the sports calendar.

You think there’s a ton of commercials, billboards and ads now? Wait until Bill Belichick and the Patriots break-out the footballs. The States, the leagues/conferences/NCAA and the gaming outlets will battle it out, after all, it’s been a LONG time coming.

The Supreme Court struck down the Federal law prohibiting gambling on sports. After all, why should one State (Nevada) have a set of rules while the others operate under different law?

As Sportico explained in a guest column by Jed Corenthal, chief marketing officer at Phenix Real Time Solutions, who wrote, “On May 14, 2018, the world of sports betting changed forever. The U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, also known as PASPA or the Bradley Act, arguing that the law violated the anti-commandeering principal. The Supreme Court clarified: “Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each State is free to act on its own.”

Congress did not, so it has been left up to each individual State to decide how to regulate sports betting.

As of now, 37 states in the U.S. (plus Washington, D.C.) have some form of legalized sports betting, and another nine states are in various stages of legalization from proposed bills to legislative votes coming later this year (Maine and Minnesota have “Got Next”), proving there is undeniable interest in legalized sports betting. And it’s showing no signs of stopping or slowing down,” stated Corenthal.

The latest reports from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission show the Commonwealth collected over $9 million in taxes from sports betting just in the month of March. April reports will show the strength of mobile wagering, the start of Baseball and the NBA and NHL Playoffs.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: People! Set your DVRs for CBS’ 60 Minutes! We have earlier start times for the NBA Finals. … For years, we jousted with the powers that be (various TV networks, network executives and NBA executives and even a Commissioner) to start NBA Finals games 30 minutes earlier and anywhere from 7:00pm (ET) to 8:00pm (ET) on Sundays, when viewers are usually home and enjoying some down time after dinner. … Recognizing it’s challenging for West Coast fans to be in their seats at their arena or in front of their home TVs at 5:30pm (PT) for week-day games, the fact of the matter is that much more of the sports-loving country would benefit from the extra 30 minutes.

NEW NBA FINALS START TIMES: (* = If necessary)

Game 1 — Thursday, June 1 at 8:30pm (ET)

Game 2 — Sunday, June 4 at 8pm (ET)

Game 3 — Wednesday, June 7 at 8:30pm (ET)

Game 4 — Friday, June 9 at 8:30pm (ET)

Game 5* — Monday, June 12 at 8:30pm (ET)

Game 6* — Thursday, June 15 at 8:30pm (ET)

Game 7* — Sunday, June 18 at 8pm (ET)

AARON RODGERS TO J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS: The New York/New Jersey Jets have long been rumored to have a Super Bowl champion and four-time NFL MVP join the club as its starting quarterback for the Fall of 2023. The deal went down on Monday as the Jets acquired QB Aaron Rodgers, along with the 15th pick in the NFL Draft and a fifth-rounder (No. 170). In return, the Green Bay Packers received the 13th and 42nd picks of the 2023 NFL Draft, a sixth-rounder (No. 207) for this year and a conditional second-round selection in 2024 that can become a first-rounder if Rodgers plays at least 65 percent of the NYJ snaps this coming season. … Former Utah State QB Jordan Love, 24 and the 26th overall pick of the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, will be given the keys to the famed Packers franchise. … The acquisition of Rodgers by the NYJ might remind Jets’ followers of another Green Bay Hall of Fame QB in Brett Favre landing with New York after 16 seasons with the Packers. Favre won the 1997 Super Bowl and was chosen as the NFL’s Most Valuable Player three times (1995-97) with Green Bay. Favre’s No 4 was retired by Green Bay in 2015. Surely, Rodgers’ No. 12 will soon be retired by the Packers but until then, No. 12 will wear No. 8 – his college uniform number – as No. 12 with the Jets has been retired in honor of Joe Namath.

Aside from his play on the field, Page 6 in New York will have a challenging time keeping track of Rodgers’ off-the-field endeavors. The flirting footballer’s relationships are as far-flinging as Charlotte Brereton, a podcaster and social media influencer, known as Blu of Earth to race car driver Danica Patrick to actress Shailene Woodley to actress Olivia Munn and, most recently, to model Mallory Edens, daughter of Wes Edens who is one of the primary owners of the Milwaukee Bucks.

NFL DRAFT: Years before meeting the challenge of staging the NFL Draft in Commissioner Roger Goodell’s home basement because of the pandemic, the NFL took a bold move and took the show on the road. Looking back over the many years, the NFL Draft was held in New York City from 1965-2014, including runs at the Theater at Madison Square Garden (1995-2004) and Radio City Music Hall (2006-14). In 2015, the site moved to Chicago for a two-year run, and since then, the NFL has staged its event in Philadelphia (2017), Dallas (2018), Nashville (2019), Cleveland (2021), Las Vegas (2022), and then to Goodell’s lounge. … This week, the NFL took a bold move and held its annual player draft outdoors at Union Station and the adjacent National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. … The league estimated a capacity of 60,000 fans at the site.

TIDBITS: The National Basketball Association and National Basketball Players Association finalized their new Collective Bargaining Agreement after formal ratification by the NBA Board of Governors and the rank and file of NBA players. The seven-year agreement will take effect on July 1, 2023 and run through the 2029-30 season. … Meanwhile, former chief legal officer for the NBA Jeffrey Mishkin will serve as arbitrator in the dispute between Arizona Cardinals team owner Michael Bidwill and the team’s former vice president of player personnel, Terry McDonough. Mishkin will decide if McDonough’s claim accusing Bidwill of gross misconduct, cheating, discrimination and harassment, in an arbitration claim sent to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on April 4. You can search the whole wide world and will never find a better man than Jeff Mishkin.

CHECK THE NCAA MANUAL, FORM A COMMITTEE: I dare the consumers and contributors to While We’re Young (Ideas) to read this twice: According to the incredible D-1 Ticker, “The NCAA Board of Governors encouraged the DI Board of Directors to move forward with the division’s holistic student-athlete model and recommended that President (Charlie) Baker – (we still call him Guv’nah) continue exploring how best to include DII and DIII in a post-eligibility health care model. The board also discussed a newly established executive committee to promote more effective and efficient governance and establish a competitive compensation program for NCAA executive staff. The committee can also conduct business in between regularly scheduled meetings of the full board and is authorized to initiate and settle litigation. Also, CMO Hainline provided an update on the work of the Mental Health Advisory Group, which is reviewing and recommending updates to the NCAA’s best practices documents and other relevant mental health materials. It is on track to submit recommendations to the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports for review in June with a final document ready for board approval at its meeting during the 2024 Convention. … Reminds us of a time when the late David Stern was asked about the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and the ruling of the 1968 Haywood Case and subsequent settling of Robertson v. NBA. The implication of the question was that Stern could wave a magic wand and change the legal history that was settled to allow players to enter the draft after their “high school class had graduated” or roughly 18 years of age. Stern and the NBA had bargain with the NBA Players Union to go to the ill-fated “one and done” system. The former Commissioner gave one of his patented, sarcastic answers when the innocent inquirer asked if the “NBA had sought insight from the NCAA” to help solve the problems. “Yes, said Stern, setting the reporter up with his timing, “but they sent it to a committee who sent it to a committee who sent it to a sub-committee and we’ve yet to hear back.”

The Boston Celtics issued the following statement: There is no better way to say it.

“Heather Walker was a boundlessly charismatic, giving, and selfless soul. Every room she entered was brighter for her presence. As anyone who knew her could attest, her abundant positive energy and kindness should not be mistaken for any lack of fortitude or determination when such qualities were required. She thrived in chaos, always able to recognize the humor that the adventures of her life brought her. Each of these attributes were on display through the best days of her life, and remained intact, sharpened even, when she encountered her cruel diagnosis.

Displaying exceptional courage, she made a point of raising awareness for glioblastoma through the Move4Heather movement, wanting to use her situation to help the lives of others, which was entirely consistent with her character. Through her illness, she was resolute and extraordinary in boosting the spirits of those around her, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and essential awareness in hopes of easing the suffering and saving the lives of others.

We will miss her for her energy, the joy and laughter that followed her everywhere she went, and we are grateful for everything she provided her Celtics family and the countless people that she positively impacted along the way. Our hearts and sympathy are with Heather’s loving family and friends, whom she cherished. She will remain part of our fabric for as long as the Celtics go on.”

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | April 23

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Is there The Curse of John Zeigler and the NHL President’s Trophy?

If so where did it originate and what the deal? Can the Boston Bruins endure such a curse and outlast the Florida Panthers?

Ziegler was the last President of the National Hockey League. Upon Gary B. Bettman’s hiring to the top spot in the league, aka the CEO/CMO/CFO/and/Chief Legal Officer gig, Bettman accepted the job with the condition he be named Commissioner just as the other three major North American Sports Leagues employed.

For Zeigler, there was a bit of a trap door effect and he vanished – no, not a shower curtain or table cloth was needed – Goodfellas or Sopranos style. He was simply gone.

But to its credit, the NHL has advanced mightily since Bettman’s 1992 hiring and the league has more history and more glorious hardware than the guys at True Value, and those clunky old awards – Conn Smythe or Vezina and right on down the line – are the best sports have to offer, especially the crown jewel, the Stanley Cup itself.

The President’s Trophy goes to the team with the most points in the regular season. This season, the Boston Bruins set an all-time high mark of 135 points which equated to a 65-12-5 (OTL) record over 82 games. The Bruins went 34-4-3 at TD Garden in Boston and 31-8-2 on the road. They finished the season with an eight-game winning streak and were 9-1-0 over their final 10 games.

Those numbers placed the President’s Trophy in the hands of the Bruins and no one was sure they wanted to touch it.

Since the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2013 as the President’s Trophy winner, no team has advanced to the Finals. One regular season champ lost in the 2015 Conference Finals and one team – the 2019 Tampa Bay Lightning went so low as to lose in the very first round, ousted in four-straight by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Seven President’s Trophy winner’s went “bye-bye” in the second round of Lord Stanley’s springtime grinder. Some were eliminated by a hot team with a very hot goalkeeper, others were felled by a slew of late season injuries. Maybe some due to the Curse?

Damn the curse, as three out of four President’s Trophy winners – the ‘99 Dallas Stars, the ‘01 Colorado Avalanche and the ‘02 Detroit Red Wings – went on to the win the Cup. But, for some reason right around the 2013-14 NHL season, the curse rose to ice level. John Ziegler passed away on October 25, 2018 at the age of 84, so there’s no direct connection.

This season, the President Trophy winners in the NHL Bruins drew a tough first round opponent in their current match-up vs the Florida Panthers (Bruins currently lead the best-of-seven series (2-games-to-1) with today’s TNT nationally televised Game 4 a real series-swaying game at 3:30pm (ET).

BOSTON BREWIN’ – Although the Bruins regain home-ice advantage with their Friday victory, they’re still playing with out frontline stars Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Bergeron didn’t travel to Florida for Games 3-4 and Krejci was a late scratch in Game 3 and is “50-50” for Game 4, sidelined by the know-all, tell-all NHL accepted injury report of an “upper body” injury.

Without a doubt, the never-stated key to success in the Playoffs – any sport – is to avoid injuries and illness. In addition to injuries to the two key Boston players, the flu-bug or call it the “really bad, achy cold” bug was making its way around the B’s locker.

VALUATIONS vs the RESULTS: Before the 2022-23 National Hockey League season began, Sportico listed the valuations of the current NHL franchises. They were as follows:

Here’s the Top Five:

1. Toronto Maple Leafs: $2B

2. New York Rangers: $1.87B

3. Montreal Canadiens: $1.58B

4. Chicago Blackhawks: $1.36B

5. Boston Bruins: $1.31B

While the leaders are in the billions, if you are seeking a bargain via the clubs at bottom of the NHL barrel with valuations under $525 million, you’ll find:

30. Columbus Blue Jackets: $525M

31. Florida Panthers: $520M

32. Arizona Coyotes: $410M

The RESULTS: The NHL’s final regular season standings saw these clubs as top and bottom of the ladder:

Team, Points

Boston Bruins – 135
Carolina Hurricanes – 113
New Jersey Devils – 112
Toronto Maple Leafs – 111
Vegas Golden Knights – 111
At the bottom were:

Anaheim Ducks – 58
Columbus Blue Jackets – 59
Chicago Blackhawks – 59
San Jose Sharks – 60

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Speaking of, but not dwelling on injuries, the 2023 NBA Playoffs are suffering from multiple stars being injured (and out) in the first round. In no particular order: Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for the second straight game after playing only 11 minutes in Game 1 in the Bucks first round series against the Miami Heat. … On Friday night, Joel Embiid suffered a right knee sprain in Thursday night’s victory over Brooklyn and is listed with a 50% chance of playing Game 1 in Philly’s next series, assuming they advance. Memphis superstar Ja Morant went down to a wrist/hand injury on April 16th, a date that also saw Miami’s sharpshooting guard Tyler Herro go down with a broken hand. Herro is out for the season but Morant returned to play hurt on Saturday night and plunked down 45 points on the LAL … The LA Clippers were hit with injuries to their two top players. Paul George (knee) was declared out before Game 1 of the series and then Kawhi Leonard was sidelined for Thursday’s Clippers loss to the Phoenix Suns. Leonard also had to bear the pain of his sister being sentenced to life in prison without parole for murder. … Both Anthony Davis (right foot stress injury) and LeBron James (right foot soreness) are listed as probable for their game which tipped at 10pm ET Saturday. They answered the bell and scored 31 and 25 points, respectively. … Add these injuries to a slew of others, many limiting or completely stopping players – cold – in the regular season and leading into these Playoffs and you’ve got a major issue.

The team that stays 100% healthy has a MUCH better chance of surviving and advancing in the NBA Playoffs.

TIDBITS: Rafael Devers and Mr. Jordan Furniture man are hawking a promo that calls for all purchases to be deemed free of charge if (any) Red Sox player hits for the cycle between July 31 and the end of the regular season. Purchases have to be made between March 27-April 30th.

WORLD TEAM GOLF: No one from LIV Golf asked WWYI for the perfect solution to their desire to differentiate from the PGA Tour but, if they did, the suggestion would’ve been to form “LIV World Team Golf,” and have teams of two compete together in Foursomes and Fourball each week of the season, just like the PGA Tour is doing this weekend at NOLA’s Zurich Classic. … LIV Golf attempted to name and form teams and they’ve even thought about franchising the team out, but the confusing scoring system and the individual vs team aspects of the scorecards toss viewers for a spin. … A simple two-man team, representing any nation, would’ve done the trick and created continuity in a game that’s easy to follow.

NETWORK: On April 12, NYVC Sports held its first business get-together in three years. Boston VC Sports hopes to be back-in-action in late Spring as the weather warms in New England. Since its last meeting, when start-up WHOOP was introduced by CEO Will Ahmed, the WHOOP valuation rose to $3.6b after a raise of $200,000. The latest valuation included participating investors VP, Cavu Ventures, Thursday Ventures, GP Bullhound, Accomplice, NextView Ventures, and Animal Capital.

BASEBALL BITS: As of Saturday night, 16 of the Sox’ first 22 games have been decided by three runs or fewer, including Boston’s 5-4 loss to Milwaukee. The only team in the Majors with more is Cleveland (17).

OTHER: Banished former Celtics coach, Ime Udoka, has emerged as a 2-1 favorite to be the new coach of the Toronto Raptors after dismissed coach Nick Nurse was relieved of his duties on Friday (April 21). Nurse took the Raptors to the promised land and the 2019 NBA title. Nurse is the frontrunner for the open Houston job.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | April 16

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Looks at The Week That Was, the 127th Boston Marathon, and Trying to Move On; Recognizing and Respecting our Mortality | And, The Boss!

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – It’s the pipes. Much like the playing of Taps at a military funeral honor ceremony, the bagpipers tear your heart and soul out as they led the procession down Boylston Street in the Back Bay to honor the victims of the senseless 2013 Boston Marathon bombing – now a full decade in the past.

The Finish Line

On Saturday morning, the pipes played and time stood still. The memorial services hurt more than they ever can help. We try to move on, but with every running of the Marathon, from here to eternity, we’ll close our eyes and see eight-year old Martin Richard’s face. Then, we see his family photo with his surviving siblings at his side. One is Martin’s sister, Jane, who lost a leg standing alongside her little brother – both innocently watching the 2013 race and the mid-range runners all crossing the finish line on a beautiful afternoon in Boston.

It all ended in 14 seconds and 200+ yards apart. It was sheer terror, smoke and carnage.

There were others who perished nearby. Lingzi Lu of China was here in Boston studying. She went home in a body bag after being torn to bits, dying from blood loss because of massive injuries from shrapnel, plastic bits and pellets, nails and other deadly propellents stuffed into a pressure cooker and concealed in a backpack. Lu will forever be a 23-year old in our mind’s eye.

Bostonian Krystle Campbell was killed by one of the two explosions purposely set-off in the areas where innocent people were enjoying one of America’s finest and longest standing sporting events. Campbell will forever be 29 years old, smiling that wonderful, endearing smile. She was the best of friends to those lucky enough to be within her inner circle.

Sean Collier, an MIT police officer and Boston Police Sergeant Dennis “DJ” Simmonds died in the aftermath of the terrorist bombing. Collier was assassinated by the two morons, shot at point blank range as he sat in his squad car on patrol on university grounds in Cambridge. He had no chance. They wanted his gun. They didn’t get it and the manhunt was on.

The final victim, Simmonds, was injured during a firestorm shootout in nearby Watertown after police identified the bombers and began the manhunt, the largest and most organized police detail every undertaken in one of America’s oldest, most beautiful and symbolic cities. Simmonds died of his wounds a year after that terrible day when the entire city of Boston was shut down as its citizens were instructed to shelter in place.

One of the terrorists was killed in the shootout in Watertown. He was then run over by the very S.U.V. being driven by his younger brother who was trying to escape but was later found bleeding and cowering in a winterized pleasure boat parked right in our backyards. The younger of the two domestic terrorist, the guy who chose to lay his backpack right next to the Richards family, was tried by his peers, convicted and sentenced to death by lethal injection. He awaits, sleeping on the USA’s dime on death row in a SuperMax prison in Colorado. I am very much against the Death Penalty. I do not think it acts as a deterrent to the criminal mind. However, there are exceptions. Regardless, I never want to see or hear about this guy ever again.

This Saturday afternoon, the bells tolled at the Old South Church in Copley Square at precisely at 2:49 p.m. to mark the time of the first explosion ten years ago. The cold, cruel facts of the domestic terrorist event and names of the victims are spoken and written today, over-and-over again to be sure we never forget. We have to remember their faces, those family smiles from the images. We have to recognize the overall importance of the victims to us all. Their diversity in age, occupation and nationality, symbolize what all that is great about Boston, a small college town with a huge heart and an extraordinary love of sports – from the Marathon to the Head of the Charles. The citizens of New England and all who come to run, visit and study here, will be out in force on Monday. After all – paraphrasing what David “Big Papi” Ortiz once said, “This is our F’ing city,” and we’ll all agree, “It’s our F’ing Marathon, too.”

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: While the lead-up to the 2023 Boston Marathon has taken on a somber note as the 10-year anniversary is marked this weekend, there was a certain complexity to the entire week just concluding.

This week began on Easter Sunday – and for those who believe – it was a day to reflect on death, resurrection and eternal life. The week continued – for this writer – with attendance at one of the most moving rock shows ever staged. It was a week when abortion rights were turned upside down by courts throughout the land, only to have the Supreme Court call a temporary “time out” for the very issue they tossed into the air last June 24th after 50 years of law settled the issue.

It was a week of extreme weather, deadly tornadoes in the Midwest and South and floods in Ft. Lauderdale while thousands of acres remained underwater from equally terrible flooding in California. It was a week when one of our own national air guardsman leaked classified documents and put the United States’ national security at risk, once again.

But, with all the upheaval and all the trouble lurking, we must endure and move forward as that is the only solution. “Survive and advance,” we said so confidently during March Madness. Now, we have to live by that saying. Yes, we will.

This week, the entire City of Boston will rally and move forward, as it must do to make any sense of the mental anguish of a monumental event in the city’s history now a full decade ago.

What might be a personal salve for the challenge as the anniversary comes along? Boston’s Sports will get the job done. The Celticws, the Bruins and the Red Sox will remember the best of times as they pay respect to the worst of times with ONE Boston Day celebration and day of service. After all, the Boston Bruins just completed the most successful regular season in National Hockey League history and one of its stars, David Pastrnak, netted 61 goals in his 82 games played. Things are looking good in 2023.

The Bruins and the NBA’s Boston Celtics (57-25) will embark on an every-other-day playoff march and it will be coupled with the Boston Red Sox attempt to compete in the ultra-tough AL East. Just 14-games into the 2023 season, the Sox (7-8) find themselves in last place in their division and trailing the first place Tampa Bay Rays by 6.0 games. Nevertheless, Fenway Park will be filled with hopefuls, especially Monday with the traditional 11:10am first pitch.

Here’s a sampling of what we’re up to, if the beer-guzzling, Sam Adams-loving, 26.2 chugging crowds can endure and the word “upset” isn’t uttered in this town until June:

Saturday April 15th:

  • 2:30pm – Boston Marathon Opening Ceremony
  • 3:30pm – NBA Playoffs, first round, Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics (112-99)
  • 4:10pm – MLB, LA Angels and Shoehei Ohtani at Boston Red Sox (9-7)

Sunday, April 16th:

  • 1:35pm – LA Angels at Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park
  • Eve of Pasta and Pastrnak!

Monday, April 17th:

  • 8:30am – The running of the 127th Boston Marathon
  • 11:10am – LA Angeles at Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park
  • 7:30pm – NHL Playoffs, Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins

Tuesday, April 18th:

  • 7:00pm – Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics, Game 2
  • 7:10pm – Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park

Wednesday, April 19th:

  • 7:10pm – Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park
  • 7:30pm – Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins at TD Garden

And, on we’ll go.

OHTANI’S IN TOWN: As noted, Major League Baseball’s two-way (pitcher and batter) sensation and most talented player, Shohei Ohtani, is in town this weekend and is scheduled to be the starting pitcher when the Angeles face the Sox on Patriots’ Day and that 11:10am (ET) start. (That’s eight in the morning for the Southern California crew).

The Sho is a fantasy baseball player’s dream and nightmare, especially in weekly leagues. Do you start him as a batter or a pitcher? Will he get two starts this week, with the first coming Monday morning?

A lefty batter, can he wrap a shot around the Pesky Pole or will he go with his picture-perfect stroke and line one out into left center field for a single? Will he steal a base or two? Will MLB superstar, but oft-injured OF Mike Trout be on base for Ohtani to knock-in, like a pinball wizard?

Friday night saw the Angels draw the devilish imprint of the game of baseball. They committed three costly errors, tossed wild pitches and allowed passed balls, all resulting in a 5-3 Boston victory. The Angels left 11 runners on base. The great Ohtani went 1-for-4 with two strike-outs. Boston only had five hits to produce the five runs needed to win. Saturday, the Angels were felled by consecutive catcher interference botch-ups. LA was winning 7-6 in the 8th and lost, 9-7. The Angeles are 2-for-2 in handing away wins.

LAST MAN STANDING:

“Faded pictures in an old scrapbook

Faded pictures that somebody took

When you were hard and young and proud

Backed against the wall running raw and loud”

BRUCE AND THE E STREET BAND: “It was 1965 and I was 15 years old,” began Bruce Springsteen this past Tuesday at the New York Islanders brand-new UBS Arena situated alongside the greatness of Belmont Park Race Track. Springsteen was doing an intro to the key song of his latest LP, the most important and telling song on the album. “I’d been playing guitar for about six months when one summer afternoon I heard a knock on my front door. It was George Theiss (The Castiles). “He was an old friend of mine and he was dating my sister at the time. She told him I was playing some guitar and he asked me to audition for his band. So that weekend, I followed him to a small shotgun shack of a house, just one block from the town’s road mill. It was there at that little house that I embarked on the greatest adventure of my life. I joined my first real rock ‘n roll band. And, we lasted for three years! That’s a lifetime for teenagers. We lasted from 1965-66-67, an explosive time in American history and an incredible moment to be in a rock band.

“Now, if you cut forward – cut forward 50 years from that summer afternoon – on another summer day, I found myself standing at the side of George’s deathbed. George had been in a terrible battle with lung cancer in the last years of his life and he only had a few days left to live.

“I realized with his passing, it would leave me as the last surviving member of that small group of guys that got together in that little corner house that afternoon. It will give you pause to think. It’s like you are standing on the tracks with the white, hot light of an oncoming train, bearing down upon you. It just brings a certain clarity of thought. Death’s final and lasting gift to the living is an expanded vision of life itself.

“It gives you another chance to look at life – to look at your life – to look at the lives you and your friends are leading.

“It was shortly after that afternoon when George passed away, just a little while later, I wrote this song. It’s just about the passions you follow as children, not knowing where they’re going to lead you. And, how at 15, it’s all tomorrow and tomorrow and hello and hello. And, later on, there’s a lot more yesterdays and good-byes.

“It made me realize how important living every moment is. So, be good to yourself. Be good to those you love and to this world we live in.

“This is Last Man Standing”

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During the many years (48 for yours truly), watching Springsteen evolve into the man he is today, he told many a short story as he introduced new songs and gave listeners deep insight into his song-writing processes. But, never have I witnessed a very deep introspective viewpoint such as what he chose to share this past Tuesday night in Elmont, New York. While he reached into his soul every night as he performed Springsteen on Broadway, this week, he paused in the middle of his two hour, fifty minute rock show to lay his mortal soul on the line, warning us all of the fact death is inevitable.

Put simply and very clearly: “It kicked my ass.”

To the many aging, gray haired, gray bearded faithful in the audience, it was as much an awakening as it was a death knell. After all, that train is coming – for some of us sooner than later – for some – unexpected and quick – while others might suffer the fate that George Theiss suffered, fighting dreaded lung cancer for years to the end.

“Rock of ages lift me somehow

Somewhere high and hard and loud

Somewhere deep into the heart of the crowd

I’m the last man standing now”

SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND’S SET LIST: The April 11, 2023 concert’s set list for the Boss & his E Street Band reflected his journey since that summer day in ‘65 and guided him through a lifetime of great success coupled with personal challenges which included immediate family issues and a very public break-up and divorce.

Unlike most concert trails, Springsteen has stuck with a core of meaningful songs which all tell of the journey he’s been on with his Band. The dedication of his passion and belief in his music via “No Surrender,” to the pursuits of the “Promised Land.” The April 11th show was not a “Farewell Tour” of all the greats in chronological order. No, it was a life lesson.

He remembered some of our darkest days of “The Rising,” and performed a version – like always – that provided inspiration if not relief. A first time in a LONG time was the insertion of “Born in the USA,” which reminded us of the tough times in these United States when a country was divided and George Theiss’ Castiles were performing during the heat of the Viet Nam war.

In a Michael Jordan “Last Dance” timeline kind of way, the concert waves (or was it sways) back and forth, to insert the glorious rock anthem of “Because the Night” intertwined with memories of New Jersey days gone by “Wrecking Ball” or additional Springsteen anthems like “Badlands,” “Thunder Road” and “Born to Run.”

Just when you’d think he had performed the greatest song of all-time in “Because the Night,” you were reminded of the iconic lyrics and ass-kicking rock of “the night bustin’ open and two lanes will take us anyplace.” When Springsteen was ready, he brought forth the greatest of ‘em all.

“Born to Run” reminded us of that fact, “The amusement park rises bold and stark, Kids are huddled on the beach in the mist, I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the street tonight, In an everlasting kiss.”

But, there was still time for a little “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” a purposeful look back again via “Glory Days,” a vision of Courtney Cox “Dancin’ in the Dark,” and a tribute to The Big Man himself, Clarence Clemons via his nephew, Jake, playing “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” as a contemporary and equal of Springsteen, not a fill-in any more.

When it was time to close it down, Springsteen did so with an acoustic guitar and a good-bye (for now, as he heads to Europe from April 28 to June 28 for a 20 concert, 13 city, 11 country tour segment) with a message of “I’ll See You in My Dreams.”

Here’s hoping it’s not a dream with a locomotive and a single bright light bearing down upon him.

To end this column of deep thinking … How about some SUN.

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: From the morning weather reports not more than 10-days ago, we awoke to hear it was 19-degrees on The Vineyard. Twenty-five degrees in Boston with the wind blowing. It was not pretty, as March came in like a lion and went out like old T-Rex.

Now, the 10-day forecast had smiley sun faces after smiley sun faces, temperatures in the 60s, 70s and maybe 80s. Sadly for tomorrow, Marathon Monday – more commonly known as Patriots’ Day in these parts – we’re looking at 45-to-67-degree temps and a 51% chance of rain in the morning but 14 mph SxSW winds which can provide a tailwind for the runners.

Generally, it’s Springtime in Boston and the Sun is King. It’s a great time of year. We’ll leave this column with an upside of inspiration, written by the great George Harrison and performed here by bass player extraordinaire Will Lee and The Fab Faux.

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While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly Sunday Sports Notebook & Column, written by Terry Lyons. Each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city newsstand on Saturday night around 10pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a sports-filled compilation of interesting notes, quotes and quips. TL’s Sunday Sports Notes is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | April 9

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By TERRY LYONS

Can you imagine plotting and planning, scheming and teaming-up with some buddies to score tickets and attend The Masters at Augusta National only to have it rain? Worse that rain, it’s raw, damp and unpleasant … a.k.a “inclement weather,” which has suspended play in the mid-afternoon or both Friday and Saturday’s rounds.

The Masters is the jewel of professional golf’s Major tournaments, outclassing the PGA Championship, The Open and The U.S. Open. It is to golf what Wimbledon is to tennis or what the Boston Marathon is to long distance racing. It is the best.

With that tag, it is a very tough ticket.

That’s the way current Augusta National head honcho Fred Ridley and his predecessors – all good olde boys from the South – in Clifford Roberts (1931-76), Bill Lane (1977-80), Hord Hardin (1980-1991) – it was under Hardin’s era when the first black member of Augusta was approved – Jack Stephens (1991-98). Hootie Johnson (1998-2006) and Billy Payne(2006)-2017) – all wanted it.

The Masters evolved and improved with age. It awkwardly navigated the prejudicial ways of the past regarding African-American members and membership for women, as it wasn’t until Billy Payne’s watch when the first female members were introduced.

Despite it’s flaws, and its old-school policies all fighting modern technology and 24/7 sports coverage, the Masters remains pure and has proven-out the “less is more” theory of sports broadcasting.

Nowadays, there’s streaming coverage of the Amen Corner and Featured Groups, but the TV right are only in the pocket of CBS Sports. They’ll be on at 8:30am this morning and 2:00pm this afternoon to cover a rain-soaked tournament and hopefully tuck it in before “60 Minutes” starts at 7:00pm in the east.

Thankfully, unlike college basketball, CBS sports anchor Jim Nantz will stay on with his coverage of The Masters.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The Masters – as stated above – is truly one of the “Bucket List” events for any sports fan. What are the others? Here’s a list facing this reporter and a list of Bucket List items already checked-off.

BUCKET LIST EVENTS to COME (Hopefully):

  1. The Masters
  2. Winter Olympic Games
  3. Super Bowl
  4. Pebble Beach golf
  5. Kentucky Derby
  6. French Open and Australian Open

FIVE BUCKET LIST EVENTS CHECKED OFF:

  1. Summer Olympic Games (Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens)
  2. NCAA Final Four
  3. World Series and Stanley Cup Final
  4. U.S. Open (golf and tennis)
  5. NHL Winter Classic

(Note: The BIG EAST Tournament in New York and the ACC Tournament (1990 in Charlotte) are high on the list, as was a UCLA vs USC game at The Rose Bowl). There are far too many NBA events to list, but I might place the 1992 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando with Earvin Magic Johnson’s return to play as No. 1 and the 2004 NBA China Games in Shanghai and Beijing with Yao Ming as No. 2).

LIV vs PGA TOUR: The playing of the 2023 Masters re-united the best golfers in the world as members of the upstart LIV Golf tour were permitted to compete alongside their former colleagues on the PGA Tour. “It’s good to be back,” said Phil Mickelson on his return as he’s currently T-8 with 71-69 in the books and EVEN par.

Off the course, LIV and the PGA Tour will still do battle in the court of law, as this past Friday, Judge Beth Labson Freeman of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California vacated a Jan. 11, 2024, trial date and pushed back the start of the trial at least four months, citing reasons of the need for more time for discovery stemming from the coffers of the Saudi Public Investment Fund which has bankrolled LIV golf to absurd lengths of signing bonuses and payoffs for 54-hole tournaments.

The disputes involve eleven LIV Golf players who filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour on Aug. 3, 2022, accusing the tour of using its monopoly powers to squash competition.

On Sept. 29, the PGA Tour filed a countersuit against LIV Golf, accusing it of interfering with its contracts with players. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan suspended more than 30 players for competing in LIV Golf tournaments without conflicting-event releases.

Meanwhile with LIV golfer Brooks Koepka at the top of the Masters leaderboard, it bodes well for the rival tour and its competitive business model.