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While We're Young Ideas

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Nov 19

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

BOSTON – Charissa Thompson, NFL sideline reporter for FOX Sports and NFL Prime on Amazon (Thursday Night Football), walked herself into a hailstorm of negativity this week when she participated on an industry podcast and explained to listeners that she periodically “made up” comments and attributed them to head coaches who blew-off a halftime or pregame interview.

While speaking on an episode of the “Pardon My Take” podcast, Thompson said, “I’ve said this before, so I haven’t been fired for saying it, but I’ll say it again: I would make up the report sometimes, because … the coach wouldn’t come out at halftime, or it was too late and I didn’t want to screw up the report.

“So I was like, ‘I’m just gonna make this up.’ Because first of all, no coach is gonna get mad if I say, ‘Hey, we need to stop hurting ourselves, we need to be better on third down, we need to stop turning the ball over … and do a better job of getting off the field.’ They’re not gonna correct me on that,” she continued. “So I’m like, ‘It’s fine, I’ll just make up the report.’”

OUCH!

In the name of a long history of sideline reporters from Lesley Visser to Pat O’Brien to Hannah Storm to Ahmad Rashad to the late Tony Siragusa, Ms. Thompson set NFL game coverage back 25 years or more.

Why?

Explained David Aldridge, an editor for The Athletic but widely known as an NBA beat reporter and then sideline reporter for the NBA on TNT, “Writing about sideline reporting, much less doing it, is fraught with peril.

“Amend that. “Peril” is not precise here. More accurately, those who think the job is superfluous will never believe there is any value to the reporting gleaned from those who do it best, or to the real-time reporting on injuries and strategy.

“But that doesn’t mean Charissa Thompson’s admission that she, apparently more than once, simply made up halftime reports when she couldn’t speak to coaches coming off or back onto the field during her time as a Fox Sports sideline reporter for football games isn’t immensely corrosive to my business. Thompson, a host for Fox Sports and for NFL games on Amazon Prime, apologized Friday and said she “chose the wrong words” during an interview but added she “never lied” during her halftime reports.

“Too late,” wrote Aldridge, feeling the pain of 1,000+ cuts by social media critics.

“There is an assault on journalism,” D.A. continued. “It is ongoing and unceasing. It is an extension of the assault on truth by powerful people — in autocratic governments, in multinational corporations, garden-variety jerks — who don’t want to be regulated or challenged or criticized. It is a sign of journalism’s ongoing power that it is under such relentless attack by so many.

“It is working: Journalism is now regularly among the least trusted professions, and misinformation thrives. A lie on X/Twitter or IG or TikTokmetastasizes in the collective social bloodstream, swallowed whole by many who don’t know better — and, sadly, promoted by many who do.

“The best journalism provides a necessary counterweight to that fiction. It is the seeking of truth, and the conveying of actual events – how they happened, and why they matter,” noted Aldridge in a column posted under The Athletic’s banner.

It’s not that difficult, says this columnist, and this incident should not be blown out of proportion as we all volley-in our claims to journalistic integrity. Couldn’t Thompson simply state, “Coach “X” wasn’t able to stop for our sideline interview but earlier in the week, he stressed x, y and z for his team to succeed today.

 

Would a viewer think less of her? Would the game producer wonder why she missed the interview although their two-way communication set-up would’ve tipped-off the TV truck in real time? Would a network executive think less of her, and might it reflect negatively on future assignments?

Maybe so, maybe not. It would’ve been a non-issue if she simply told the truth – to her colleagues and the viewers (the fans). Without a doubt, Thompson needed to tell the truth.

Ahh, the truth. It sets you free in every profession except journalism and nightly cable TV entertainment shows, camouflaged as news coverage.

“Newspapers don’t tell the truth under many different, and occasionally innocent, scenarios,” wrote Aldridge’s old boss, the late, great Ben Bradlee(editor of the Washington Post from 1968 to 1991). “Mostly when they don’t know the truth. Or when they quote someone who does not know the truth.

“And more and more, when they quote someone who is spinning the truth, shaping it to some preconceived version of a story that is supposed to be somehow better than the truth, omitting details that could be embarrassing.

“And finally, when they quote someone who is flat-out lying. There is a lot of spinning and a lot of lying in our times — in politics, in government, in sports and everywhere. It’s gotten to a point where, if you are like me, you no longer believe the first version of anything. It wasn’t always that way,” said Bradlee in an October 22, 2014 opinion piece that quoted his own essay, excerpted from the Press-Enterprise Lecture he delivered at the University of California, Riverside, on Jan. 7, 1997.

Bradlee’s words are often paraphrased: “We don’t always print the truth. We print what people tell us is the truth.”

That’s an illuminating statement – whether in 1973 or 2023 – when the truth is batted around into self-admitted “alternate facts.” A scary situation for sure.

Back to Thompson: The reporter apologized and will try to move on.

“Working in media I understand how important my words are and I chose the wrong words to describe the situation. I’m sorry,” Thompson wrote.

But the fallout has begun, and many journalists are carrying the weight of Thompson’s unbelievable and unforgivable action(s), captured on live tape to be played forever and ever. Ideally, it will be discussed at journalism schools to teach an important lesson.

There’s a sub-plot underneath all of the discussion on truth, made-up coaches’ comments and everything being written in the wake of Thompson’s failures. The sideline reporters, as well as the pre-game hosts and studio talking heads, are all seeking on air time. Like playing time for a player, airtime is controlled by the game producers at the live remote broadcasts, and it is as valuable as gold.

No airtime, no recognition.

No recognition, no chance to advance one’s career.

We’ve heard it all before.

It’s all about money, exposure, self-promotion, ego, and perceived upward mobility for a coveted network assignment. It’s a cut-throat world in sports television, and making up quotes and strategies for a football coach is not the way to advance.

Embed from Getty Images

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Boston Bruins veteran and fan favorite Milan Lucic is stepping away from the team, effective immediately. “The Boston Bruins are aware of an incident involving Milan Lucic Friday evening,” the team said in a statement. “Milan is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team. The organization takes these matters very seriously and will work with the Lucic family to provide any support and assistance they may need. We will have no further comment at this time.”

Boston Police said the department could neither confirm nor deny any investigation into an incident involving Lucic.

The veteran forward has been sidelined with a foot injury after taking a puck off his skate. He was eligible for return but Bruins coach Jim Montgomerysaid Lucic had fallen behind on his rehabilitation program.

STORMING: St. John’s is 2-2 over their first four games and will play Utah on Sunday for third place honors in the Shriner’s Charleston Classic in South Carolina. Coach Rick Pitino has seen the fatigue and lack of familiarity before as he blends an entirely new team together.

“We played a really good first half,” said Pitino after the Johnnie’s loss to Dayton. “We had one defensive breakdown [in the first half]. When you’re playing a team and the game is see-sawing back-and-forth with [eight] lead changes, you can’t blow coverage.

“We had 11 blown coverages in that game after having one in the first half. So, why is that?

“Because you have 14 guys that have not played together and are not used to this type of defense. Defense hasn’t been their personality. It’s like the best player on a high school team where the coach says stay out of foul trouble and let the other guys play defense. That’s what happening right now.

“We have a bunch of guys that were the best offensive player on their team and now in order to win the BIG EAST, they have to play defense and it’s going to take some time.”

TROUBLES: It was a bad week for two rising entities in the sports world. Out in Las Vegas, this weekend’s Formula 1 race was besieged by logistical problems. Wrote Autoweek: “The first day of track activity at the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix proved to be quite the embarrassment for the FIA and Formula 1 after a loose drain cover caused significant delays and amended sessions.

“It was a lesson in humility for Formula 1—which is the promoter of a Grand Prix for the first time—after relentlessly and arrogantly hyping its event as one of the biggest sporting spectacles of the year,” continued Autoweek.

The second practice session, due to begin at midnight in Vegas, was delayed, as officials continued to work on the 30 man-hole covers along the famed Las Vegas Strip.

Race officials are being proactive when discussing the new talk of the town, the $2.3 billion “Sphere” which can illuminate the sky. F1 and the FIA, motorsports global governing body, have barred the Sphere from displaying blue, red or yellow when cars are on the track, so as to not to disorient drivers who look for those colors on trackside LED panels to convey key information, such as danger near the track.
The damaged So-Fi Center in Florida (Photo: Twitter/X)

In the TGL indoor golf world – featured prominently here last week with the announcement of the Boston Common Golf team – the roof caved in on Tuesday night.

Literally.

Thankfully, no one was injured during or after the incident, but the air-supported dome appeared to be significantly damaged as of Wednesday morning. As of publication, there is no clear cut prognosis for the new building (TGL’s studio, so to say), nor its effect on scheduling.

Lastly, we had a “Delay of Drone” at this week’s NFL Thursday Night Football game. The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday confirmed it is investigating a rogue drone that was spotted hovering above M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The sighting led game officials to temporarily halt the Ravens-Bengals game in the second quarter. Another delay came later during the fourth quarter, but Ravens representatives said at the time it was unrelated to the drone.

In a statement Friday, representatives for the Maryland Stadium Authority said security and Maryland State Police were able to locate the drone pilot and directed him to immediately land the drone. The individual was unaware of the restrictions but did not have a waiver to operate the drone in the vicinity of the stadium during the game. Authorities have since forwarded details of the incident to the FAA’s law enforcement assistance program.

TIDBITS: The annual Tradition at TD Boston Garden is on the horizon. The Tradition is the annual celebration of sports in Boston and a fundraising gala for the Sports Museum on the Garden’s two Suite Levels. Since 2002, the Sports Museum has been privileged to honor a host of sports legends at the event, including Bill Russell, Ted Williams, David Ortiz, Martina Navratilova, Jack Nicklaus, Lawyer Milloy, Pedro Martinez, Red Auerbach, Larry Bird, Ray Bourque, Doug Flutie, Cam Neely, Aly Raisman, John Hannah, Nancy Kerrigan, Chante Bonds, Shaquille O’Neal, and many more. The Class of 2023 is a fitting continuation of that line-up of superstars and it will take place on the floor of the Garden on November 29.

The honorees for 2023 are Dennis Eckersley (Baseball), Kevin Faulk(Football), Glenn “Doc” Rivers (Basketball), Brianna Scurry (Soccer), Bob Sweeney (Ice Hockey), and Dana White (Special Legacy Award for his creation of Mixed Martial Arts entity, The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

SPECIAL OFFER: Feel free to forward this e-newsletter to your friends, family, neighbors, strangers, plumbers, fire fighters, astronauts and other sports fans with hopes they subscribe with this new Thanksgiving to Christmas holiday special discount offer. It is as inexpensive as Substack can make it (except for the many freebies which – at the least – boost my circulation numbers).

Special Holiday Discount

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: To say that I’m a big fan of bass guitarist Will Lee (not Will Leitch) is a bit like saying I’ve been rooting for the Johnnies all these years (saw my first game at Alumni Hall when Calvin Murphy and his Niagara University Purple Eagles visited Queens on February 13, 1969 – St. John’s 97, Niagara 60). Aside from an occasional charity concert, most of my Will Lee fandom revolves around his lead-bass role with the Fab Faux (Best Beatles cover band of all time) and his work as a long-time member of the CBS Orchestra and Paul Shaffer’s band for David Letterman. … Somehow or another, I stumbled upon a Letterman Show posted to YouTube. Although I’ve seen him sing dozens of Beatles/Paul McCartney ballads, I can say, I did NOT know Will Lee had this performance within him:

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly Sunday Sports Notebook and news column written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 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 Notes | Nov. 12

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Looks at Boston Common Golf

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Nov. 5

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“Good Night, Bad Knight”

By TERRY LYONS

NEW YORK – We’re here on earth for such a short time, it’s hard and it’s wrong to write someone off for eternity just for their shortcomings on earth. But, in the situation of Coach Bobby Knight’s death, I’ll make an exception.

Forever the optimist, this columnist always tries to seek-out the best in any one person, and maybe – in the case of Bobby Knight – it was to seek-out the guy who loved to fish in Montana or hunt in his native Ohio. I hoped to uncover some speck of good in Knight but the only universe of judgement in my playbook was the guy who coached basketball at West Point, Indiana and, after finally being fired at IU, Texas Tech in Lubbock.

Let’s be clear: My opinion on Knight is culled from experience, some firsthand but mostly from live television or well-reported stories from his own players or those who covered him. Knight had an amazing friendship with Indiana sportswriter Bob Hammel, a man who had the Inside Stuff on Knight’s controversial career at IU. His friendship was a rare hit amongst the many media members he berated, often crossing the line of decency of one human being to another.

For a man who was a bully or tried to act like one, often intimidating an unsuspecting questioner, Knight had very thin skin in terms of accepting criticism. Of the media he once said, “All of us learn to write in the second grade … most of us go on to greater things.” That was in response to the late curmudgeon Andy Rooney’s column criticizing IU for not firing Knight after one of his major transgressions, of which he had many. Most were born of his “my way or else” attitude towards anyone who wasn’t within his inner circle.

Interestingly, there was a memorable time when Knight tried to intimidate a former IU coaching colleague who was jogging in the gymnasium during basketball practice. That fellow coach was Doug Blubaugh, a gold medalist as a welterweight wrestler at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. Upon being cursed out and told to leave the gym, Blubaugh pinned Knight up against a wall. Legend has it from firsthand accounts, “In seconds, Blubaugh had wrenched “The General” by the collar and slammed him, sputtering and squirming, against the far wall of Assembly Hall. Calmly, Blubaugh explained he was IU’s wrestling coach and that Knight would never address him that way again.

Knight never challenged him again.

It gets much worse: “I think if rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it,” said Knight to Connie Chung of NBC News in an awkward 1988 interview. According to Associated Press, Knight contended the quote was taken out of context, later saying: “The word rape can be used in several ways. One is in something that has gone out of control or over which you have no control. It obviously was in that context that I was using the word.”

I believe, at that point in time, Knight should’ve been fired from IU, never to be within 100 miles of educating the youth of America ever again – at any school …anywhere.

Aside from the boorish behavior, childish rants, one other incident crossed the line and that was Knight’s treatment of Rance Pugmire, a volunteer SID who worked an NCAA tourney as the moderator of press conferences. Let the video tape tell the story for itself, but I must say, as a fellow PR guy, this just burned me up.

Yet, the enablers – enabled. His peers spoke glowingly of him and stepped up to support him back then. All of the same stories of Knight’s “greatness” resurfaced this week on talk radio.

They spoke of Knight with reverence and his place amongst basketball victories, some 902 career victories to go along with three NCAA titles and five trips to the NCAA Final Four. They spoke of his many charitable efforts and contributions. They spoke of his induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame and coaching the 1984 USA men’s basketball team to the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

To be fair, his accomplishments, his X’s and O’s (replicated by coaches around the world and even in playgrounds by astute players with high basketball IQs, and his contributions to and love of the game are second to none. My friend, Andy Jasner, son of the great Philly basketball writer, Phil Jasner, shared this story:

“Bobby Knight was a polarizing figure,” wrote Andy on Thursday. “You never knew what you were going to get. When I was assigned to write a feature on him as a young reporter, I did what I was taught to do. I did my homework and then tried to set up an interview. Never received a phone call back despite numerous attempts. Then I went after it again using knowledge taught by Phil Jasner. I left a message with a bit of my background about Dad and Coach Chaney. About a week later the phone rings. It’s Coach Knight. He said and I’m paraphrasing — “you got me with Coach Chaney.” “Coach Knight and I talked for about 45 minutes. The interview was maybe 15 minutes. Everyone has their story. This is mine. Before we hung up, he told me to call him anytime. I ran into him years later and he called me by name. Asked if I needed anything. I know he was polarizing. This is my personal memory. RIP,” concluded Andy, finishing up his tribute.

Stories like Andy’s abound and I was so glad he shared his experience.

Then, why do I fall on the critical side of Knight’s fence?

It was his modus operandi that set the coach back and that is the focus of my criticism. Simply put: An examination of Knight’s full body of work makes him a person who should NOT have been anywhere NEAR an institution educating our youth.

My personal interaction with Knight came only once and was in preparation of the ‘84 Olympics, back when the NBA helped ABA/USA by gathering some players to scrimmage against the Olympic team.

With only three years of NBA experience under my belt, I flew from LaGuardia Airport in Queens to Providence for the first of those scrimmages. It was an early Sunday morning when I arrived at the (then) Providence Civic Center to find an empty building with the exception of the late Bill Wall – the executive director of ABA/USA – who was struggling to hang a wrinkled ABA/USA banner on the center court scorer’s table. ABC Sports had the TV rights to game and their tech crew and talent were nowhere to be found.

Within 30 minutes, there were a few more building workers, a few more TV techs – laying wires to their cameras and then a buzz of activity when the men’s Olympic team rolled in. NBA players strolled in as well, all coming from different locations and most driving themselves to the arena. The NBA “All-Stars” all had a New England connection. I can remember Boston College’s Michael Adams and a few others dressing for the game. Most hadn’t touched a basketball since April and Adams’ BC classmate, John Bagley, asked me if I had some sneakers in my bag and what size I wore.

“Eleven and 1/2,” was the reply.

“Oh, I need some 15s,” said Bagley sadly. “But, let me try your shoes on.”

Next thing I knew, Bagley was in the NBA lay-up line with his 15s jammed into my red and white, size 11 1/2 PONY low-cuts.

I threw together our roster and the players grabbed jerseys and we recorded each player’s uniform number as things settled down with some 59:00 on the countdown clock.

All good.

With a few minutes to myself, I strolled down the Civic Center corridor to pay a visit to my St. John’s University bud, Chris Mullin, who had earned a spot on the ‘84 Olympic team. Mo was getting dressed and he perked up with that great Brooklyn accent upon seeing a friendly face. I wished him well, made note we’d see each other another time or three on the road to Los Angeles.

It was time to leave the locker, giving some respect to our “opponents,” but upon exit, I bumped into the head coach of the United States’ team – yes, Bobby Knight. I extended a hand, which he shook as I introduced myself, stating, “I’m here from the NBA league office and will be helping out with our players.” Straight, short and to the point. “If I can do anything to help you guys, please let me know.”

Knight nodded and said rather politely, “Well, if we need any help from you, we’re in big trouble.”

I laughed out loud, didn’t say another word but did the best pivot move he’d ever seen – the kind ARMY cadets do in drills – as I walked out of the locker – never to utter another word nor be in the same room with the great Bobby Knight ever again. That said, I never held a grudge but DID thoroughly enjoy a 1999 NCAA second round tournament game when my Johnnies drilled Knight’s No. 19 Hoosiers by 25 points – (St. John’s 86, Indiana 61).

Payback’s a bitch.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: One minute Boston College football fans were calling for the firing of head coach Jeff Hafley, the next they’re making plans for a Bowl Game or even a longshot at the ACC Conference Championship game … The various investment funds originating in Saudi Arabia have, to date, invested in LIV Golf, Formula 1, Premier League club Newcastle United, and Mixed Martial Arts. … According to Front Office Sports, “Saudi Arabia just secured the 2034 FIFA World Cup — but its aggressive ambition to be involved in as much of professional sports as possible shows no sign of slowing.” … That includes the sports of cricket and involvement with the ATP and WTA along with ownership of at least two major tennis tournaments. … Boston-based DraftKings (NYSE: DKNG) banked $790 million in revenue for the quarter, a 57% jump compared to third-quarter 2022. The increase due to strong customer retention and growth, the company said. … Boston Common Golf players Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott, and Tyrrell Hatton will join Boston Common Golf President & CEO Mark Lev (a former Celtics front office man) for a press conference this Monday to share details of their new venture. … ESPN will televise the 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards Show on Baseball Tonight Sunday, November 5, from 7:30-8:30pm EST. The show will emanate from ESPN’s Bristol studios. Karl Ravech will host the telecast with analyst Doug Glanville. … There’s been no reputable confirmation on the rumor the NBA’s new In-Season Tournament home basketball courts were built in Chernobyl.

NBA ZONE: As promised as the NBA’s In-Season Tournament began Friday, here’s one viewpoint of how the 2023-24 NBA Regular Season will shape-up. (Look for my In-Season tourney predictions but the 2024 NBA Playoff Predictions will await another week or two).

EASTERN Conference: It’s a 1 and 1-A race between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, and Celtics backers are simply thrilled Nick Nurse (former Toronto head coach) is with Philadelphia and newbie Adrian Griffin (sans asst. Terry Stotts) is heading-up the Buckaroos.

The race for the Cs and Bucks will be determined on which team indoctrinates its new star acquisition the best, the quickest and stays the healthiest.

As of November 1, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and his merry band of assistants (including the surprising but brilliant employment of Jeff Van Gundy to the staff, has newcomers Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis indoctrinated to the Celtics’ offense and the shares of the Celtics’ way have been fully purchased and deposited for safety. Meanwhile, Milwaukee is maxed-out on potential league MVP and man for all seasons Giannis Antetokounmpo and former Portland Trail Blazer great Damian Lillard, both banking 45.6m for their efforts.

That leads us to insert the 2023-24 list of highest team salaries in the NBA, according to HoopsHype (USA Today), before we survey other grounds in the league – East and West:

TOP TEN NBA TEAM SALARIES for 2023-24:

  1. Golden State Warriors = $208,923,886
  2. Los Angeles Clippers = $198,182,527
  3. Phoenix Suns = $187,933,275
  4. Milwaukee Bucks = $185,264,014
  5. Boston Celtics = $185,232,476
  6. Miami Heat = $181,726,509
  7. Denver Nuggets = $179,569,508
  8. Philadelphia 76ers = $171,559,536
  9. New Orleans Pelicans = $169,909,579
  10. Los Angeles Lakers = $168,238,712

Quick Notes: Please take note that the “large market” New York Knicks (14), Brooklyn Nets (18) and Chicago Bulls (13) are not amongst the Top Ten. Also note, the acquisition of James Harden took the LA Clippers to No. 2, behind only the Golden State Warriors who are paying Steph Curry a cool $51,915,615, Klay Thompson $43,219,440 and newly acquired guard Chris Paul $30,800,000. … And, I still can’t believe there’s a team in the NBA named the Pelicans.

Back to the League-wide look: The Philadelphia 76ers remain the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 pick by consensus. Joel Embiid is the reigning league MVP and a force to be reckoned with, but the 76ers’ depth remains iffy. Oft-injured and divisive guard James Harden was banished to the LA Clippers, stating 76ers coach Doc Rivers had him “on a leash” but the fact he doesn’t need to play or run a system, because “he is a system,” were parting shots and spoke volumes of Harden’s new place in the NBA.

The East’s next-best team is either the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat or the New York Knicks. Only the Heat can be considered dangerous and contenders. ‘Nuff said?

WESTERN Conference: The NBA’s West is a party of one – the Denver Nuggets, the defending champions who are quite likely to repeat as long as center Nikola Jokic remains healthy.

After the Nuggets, there’s a significant drop to the No. 2 club, probably the Phoenix Suns but possibly the LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors or LA Lakers. Everyone outside of the Rockies has flaws the size of boulders, not diamonds.

The Sacramento Kings could improve (again) and would be a nice surprise for the Western Conference finals.

TIDBITS: Let’s take a quick look at the new NBA “In-Season” Tournament and predictions for the right to play for the first NBA Cup.

West: Group A:

  • Phoenix Suns*
  • L.A. Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Utah Jazz
  • Portland Trail Blazers

West: Group B

  • Denver Nuggets*
  • LA Clippers**
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • Houston Rockets

West: Group C

  • Sacramento Kings*
  • Golden State Warriors
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • MinnesotaTimberwolves
  • Oklahoma City Thunder

East: Group A

  • Philadelphia 76ers*
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Detroit Pistons

East: Group B

  • Milwaukee Bucks*
  • Miami Heat**
  • New York Knicks
  • Washington Wizards
  • Charlotte Hornets

East: Group C

  • Boston Celtics*
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Orlando Magic
  • Chicago Bulls

West Quarterfinals: Denver v. LA Clippers and Phoenix Suns v. Sacramento Kings

East Quarterfinals: Boston Celtics v. Miami Heat and Milwaukee v. Philadelphia

On to Las Vegas:

Semis: Denver v. Sacramento and Boston v. Milwaukee

Finals: Denver over Boston

MVP: Nikola Jokic

QUARTERLY REPORT: MORE REALLY BAD INVESTMENTS: A look at some bad investments made in the past few months. This follows a previous list of doozies.

  • Platelet-Poor Plasma Co.
  • The Whole Seven and a Half Yards Co.
  • Mike Pence University
  • Theranos II
  • Chernobyl Mike’s Sub Shop
  • Cryptocurrency Exchange FIX
  • You Can NOT Be Sirius XM Radio (Investors should’ve known when every channel was DJ’d by John McEnroe)
  • Actual Intelligence

*All of the companies above seem to be solid investments as time goes by, as WWYI explores all and lists its batch of sure-fire hits at the market. Please note: “The investments and services offered by us may not be suitable for all investors. If you have any doubts as to the merits of an investment, you should seek advice from an independent financial advisor.”

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct 29

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While We’re Young (Ideas) on the Sports Equinox

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – When the NBA tipped-off the 2023-24 regular season earlier this week while MLB’s Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks became unlikely World Series foes and the Boston Bruins began their NHL season at 6-0 before falling to the Anaheim Ducks, 4-3 in overtime, and the NFL hit “Week 8” of a promising season to come, we all looked forward to Sunday, October 29th when all four major sports will be in action of the same day. It’s come to be known as “Sports Equinox.”

If you’d like, you can toss-in the English Premier League and the MLS for a five sport equinox with a tip of the cap to the PGA Tour which is smartly taking a weekend off before returning with the World Wide Technology championship in Los Cabos, Mexico from November 2-5.

Add-in some weekly college football and you have what many believe is the best week of the year for sports fans.

Great? Only great if you prefer a World Series between such unlikely participants Arizona and Texas instead of a Fall Classic with 100-win teams like Atlanta Braves and LA Dodgers vs upstart and extremely likable Baltimore Orioles.

The NFL and NHL are knee-deep in highly competitive and unpredictable seasons ahead. Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francesco 49ers look good in the NFC while the Kansas City Chiefs look like the team to beat in the AFC. But, don’t be surprised if you’re watching the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jags or Baltimore Ravens rep the AFC this February.

Similarly, the NBA of 2023-24 will be rush to the finish for talented teams that can stay healthy and peak on the 1st of May. In the East, the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics are getting the most favorable look by Las Vegas oddsmakers while the West is still in the hands of the Denver Nuggets for most observers.

And, they’ll run the first ever “In-Season” tournament to get the ball rolling. It should be interesting as it makes early season game count even more than usual. This columnist likes the idea a lot and loves the NBA promo just as much. If you haven’t seen the spot, it’s entitled, “The Heist” and it’s a take-off of a Sopranos episode meeting Ocean’s 11. I only wish they’d have put some of the players in team uniform and had a cameo by team mascots Rocky or The Coyote. The theme will repeat in additional spots as the In-Season Tournament progresses. Give it a look, knowing the tournament’s finale will be in Sin City:

The full cast of “The Heist” includes:

  • The Mastermind: Michael Imperioli (“Goodfellas,” “The Sopranos”)
  • The Heavy: Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
  • The Sly Guy: DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls)
  • The Ice Man: Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
  • The Lookouts: Julius Randle (New York Knicks) and Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers)
  • The Vet: Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
  • The Inside Man: Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)

WWYI will do a more in-depth look at the NBA in the next week or two. Preseason predictions are often quite inaccurate, so this columnist will await the 10-game mark of the regular season to make some enlightened observations and predictions.

For the others?

  • MLB World Series: Texas is up 1-0 as of column creation, so Texas 4-games-to-1
  • NFL: KC Chiefs over the San Francisco 49ers – 27-21.
  • NHL: Las Vegas Knights over the Boston Bruins – 4-games-to-2

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: With the start of each pro season, WWYI usually runs Team Valuations calculated by our friends at Sportico, but since my company subscription ran-out a few weeks back, we’ll look to the old standard of Forbes for NBA Team Valuations of 2023-24.

Team, State, Current Value, 1-year change in value (%), debt/value (%), revenue, income

1. Golden State Warriors CA $7.7b 10 14 $765 M $79 M

2. New York Knicks, NY $6.6b 8 4 $504 M $169 M

3. Los Angeles Lakers, CA $6.4b 8 1 $516 M $159 M

4. Boston Celtics, MA $4.7b 18 4 $443 M $88 M

5. Los Angeles Clippers, CA $4.65b 19 2 $425 M $-12 M

6. Chicago Bulls, IL $4.6b 12 4 $372 M $115 M

7. Dallas Mavericks, TX $4.5b 36 3 $429 M $83 M

8. Houston Rockets, TX $4.4b 38 5 $381 M $125 M

9. Philadelphia 76ers, PA $4.3b 37 3 $371 M $120 M

10. Toronto Raptors, 🇨🇦 $4.1b 32 5 $305 M $75 M

NFL FUTURE FANS: A new kids’ game, Future Fans, was born when one of those iconic sports moments happened but for a young Dad watching the game with his young child, there was no one there to really share it with. The specific game was the 2022 AFC Championship game and the Cincinnati Bengals were about to earn their first trip to the Super Bowl in 33 years. Mike Schroder, a lifelong Bengals fan, watched nervously alone, wishing his then five-year-old daughter would watch with him.

Mike had spent countless hours trying to teach her about football and she knew the players and the fight song, but he couldn’t get her to watch the game. In that moment, he wondered whether there was a better way to get her engaged as a fan, and what that might mean for their future relationship together.

Mike (Schroder) sought out his friend Michael (Gold) and a small business was built on the belief that shared experiences in sports creates and sustains lifelong bonds. Michael (Gold) saw the power of his friend’s idea, reflecting on the central role of sports in the relationships in his life – going to Cincinnati Reds games as a kid with his grandmother, Ohio State college football games with his dad, and now Columbus Crew soccer games with his own kids.

Together, Michael and Mike set out to teach kids the rules of sports in ways they could understand – through stories, games and toys. They built Future Fans with the knowledge that life for parents of youngsters is quite busy – but win or lose, participation as a player or viewer in sports provides an opportunity to spend time together, and maybe, all week long talk about the next big game. Sports adds a bond between people over a shared passion – the experience of life as a true fan. Future Fans exists so everyone can experience a lifetime of great moments with their favorite teams, and enjoy the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat – together.

To get a Future Fans game for yourself or a friend or family member, visit: AMAZON

TIDBITS: The NBA on TNT and its emmy award winning wrap-around show enjoyed its debut this week, and was certainly beyond “mid-season form.” … Amongst the revelry and chaos, Charles Barkley made his viewpoint known when he commented, “Golden State is the fourth-best team in California,” placing the Warriors behind an unnamed order of the Los Angeles Clippers, LA Lakers and Sacramento Kings.

Later on as the “Inside the NBA” stars were enjoying local cuisine, the producers had a little surprise – especially for Shaquille O’Neal and Barkley.

Shaq: “Chuck, if you put him around your neck, I’ll give you 100,000 dollars.”

The BIG NOON (Big 12) game on FOX on Saturday ended at 4:30 (ET). Good game, but a rain (and some lightning) delay from 1:08pm (ET) to 2:02pm (ET). Kansas upset OK, 38-33, to snap an 18-game losing streak. … Saturday, in the FOX studio show before the Clemson vs N.C. State, Steve Smith Jr. said that “N.C. State was a basketball school.” After N.C. State upset Clemson, 24-17, Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren told the game announcers of CW Network, to tell Steve Smith “he can kiss my ass.” … On Friday night, with the Miami Heat in town to take on the Celtics in Boston’s home opener Celtics all-stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown told guard Derrick White that he had to be more aggressive this season. White responded and was trending on “X,” the artist formerly known as Twitter, all day Saturday after posting a 28 points, six rebounds, three blocked shots and five 3-pointers made line vs the Heat. Celtics opponents can expect – at least – four players to score in double figures, maybe six players. Tatum, Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and toss in Jrue Holiday and Al Horford for the six-some.

WEMBY & WILT: Much was said this week over San Antonio Spurs rookie first overall selection Victor Wembanyama’s NBA debut when he finished with 21 points on 7-of-19 shooting (0-for-6 from deep), 12 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in the Spurs’ 126-122 overtime victory. … Without any doubt, he’ll be fabulous. … But consider this, Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA rookie debut on October 29, 1959 showed a final (hand-written) boxscore of 43 points, 28 rebounds. … Keep in mind, the NBA didn’t track blocked shot until the 1973-74 season. Can you imagine?

While We’re Young (Ideas) continues to grow and is enjoying a whopping, grand, incredible 73% “open rate,” as of last Sunday. FYI (for those not in the business of PR or e-Newsletters, the norm of 27.9% is considered quite good.

LPGA – BOSTON: While the PGA Tour has taken a pass on the Boston market the last few years, the LPGA and Fenway Sports Group are planning a tournament at TPC Boston for 2024.

In a formal announcement this week, which included Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy on the dais, the LPGA Tour and FM Global named TPC Boston in Norton, Mass., as host golf course for the 2024 FM Global Championship. From Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, the newly created tournament will feature a field of 144 players competing for a $3.5 million purse, the largest prize fund on the LPGA Tour outside of the majors and Tour Championship.

The last time the LPGA played in Greater Boston/Mass was 20 years ago and the 2004 U.S. Women’s Open, held at Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass. It was won by Meg Mallon.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct 22nd

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Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass

 

By TERRY LYONS, Editor in Chief of Digital Sports Desk

FOXBORO – The Dog Day Afternoons of the NFL season are fast upon us. The anticipation of early September pro football and the heat of the Summer of 2023 are long gone. They’re in the rearview, optimism be damned, as 38% of the 2023 NFL regular season is in the books. In their place, reality has set in for the New England Patriots’ and the cruel dose of reality is accompanied by a 1-5 record, a last place position in the AFC East, a three-game losing streak and a (-80) score differential in the six games gone by.

In Week Seven, the Buffalo Bills travel to New England while the NFL schedule-makers provide the Patriots with a road trip to play the Miami Dolphins in Week Eight. New England’s one-and-five record of the morning of October 22 can easily be one-and-seven by the time All Saints Day rolls around and the only Saint you’ll need to know is St. Jude – the patron saint of lost causes as it’s ugly and it could get really ugly.

New England Coach Bill Belichick, waxing reminiscent like his famous, “On to Cincinnati” monotone retort of late September, 2014, had only a “We’re getting ready for Buffalo” message for the media and fans of the Patriots.

Belichick delivered his plan this week in much the same manner as he did when his 2-2 Patriots team of 2014 went on to Cincinnati and won seven straight and 10 of 11 games en route to a Super Bowl win over Seattle that February, his fourth of six Super Bowl titles in the 21st Century.

Except, this season, the “We’re getting ready for Buffalo” isn’t flying with the fans in Foxboro, nor Fitchburg, nor Fall River. It’s not flying in Falmouth (Mass. or Maine) and it’s not flying with fans or players anywhere near the six States encompassing New England. Rumors of Belichick’s future are flying in every direction – mostly South – and they include a report from Monday Morning QB’s Albert Breer that stated Patriots team owner Robert Kraft has been in discussion of what a “post Belichick” world would look like “for a while,” (as in weeks/months or years) he wrote.

The Dog Days will do that to coaches in the NFL, but never before to Belichick, certainly since he took over the Patriots in late January of 2000.

The Dog Days also wreak havoc on NFL players from coast-to-coast. Let us count the ways as we peruse NFL Injury Reports leading up to Sunday, Oct. 22nd.

The Buffalo Bills have been decimated by injuries decimating their defense, including defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (torn pectoral muscle), cornerback Tre’Davious White (Achilles’)-out for season, and defensive tackle Ed Oliverruled out of the game this weekend because of a toe injury. The Buffalo Bills are also missing RB Damien Harris – neck, on the injured reserve list, and leaving the rushing duties to RB James Cook.

ALSO OUT – are QB Jimmy Garoppolo – back injury (LV Raiders), QB DeShawn Watson – strained right rotor cuff (Cleveland Browns), QB Justin Fields – thumb injury (Chicago Bears).

Injured with game-time decisions to play or not to play are the SF 49ers duo of RB Christian McCaffrey – oblique and WR Deebo Samuels – shoulder. Listed as questionable is NY Giants QB Daniel Jones – neck; New England RB Rhamondre Stevenson – ankle remains questionable on a lengthy Patriots injury listing; GB Packers RB Aaron Jones – hamstring; and Seattle Seahawks WR DK Metcalf – hip.

Meanwhile, injured RB David Montgomery -ribs (Detroit Lions); RB Kyren Williams – ankle, (LA Rams); TE Pat Freiermuth – hamstring (Pittsburgh Steelers) are doubtful.

Let’s not overlook the big-name injuries earlier this season, including NY Jets QB Aaron Rodgers (Achilles’ – out for season), Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb (severe knee – out for season), NY Giants RB Saquon Barkley (knee – questionable after missing a month), LA Rams WR Cooper Kupp – (returned last week after missing six weeks with hamstring injury), and Cincy Bengals QB Joe Burrow (calf) has been nursing his injury all season and just getting into form in mid-October.

What does it all mean?

Injuries are a huge part of the NFL season and each club has the “next man up” mentality to replace its fallen soldiers. Often, the opportunity supplied to a reserve or practice player is enough motivation to fill the hole admirably, but more frequently on offense rather than defense. The injuries to the defensive unit of the Buffalo Bills might’ve side-tracked a Super Bowl season. In the Bills’ AFC, Kansas City remains the favorite while the Miami Dolphins continue to impress. In the NFC, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Detroit all stand at 5-1 and will all will fight-it-out for the right to represent their conference come February. May the healthiest team advance.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The World Golf Hall of Fame recently announced that NBA All-Star and champion Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors will receive The Charlie Sifford Award presented by Southern Company, which honors recipients for their spirit in advancing diversity in golf. Curry receive the award on June 10, 2024, at the World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony presented by CME Group held during the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in the Village of Pinehurst – not far from Curry’s alma mater – Davidson College in North Carolina. The Charlie Sifford Award was created in 2021 to honor an individual who personifies Sifford’s groundbreaking achievements through perseverance, confidence, respect, and adaptability.

MOST MARKETABLE ATHLETES: SportsPro, a sports marketing e-News and event company with a decidedly European tone, named its 50 most marketable athletes of 2023. Not surprisingly, Lionel Messi – the great Argentine striker who “wowed” the MLS crowds backing the Inter Miami CF club this year.

Here’s the Top 20:

  1. Lionel Messi, soccer, MLS Miami
  2. Lebron James, NBA, LA Lakers
  3. Alex Morgan, USWNT
  4. Giannis Antetokounpo, NBA, Milwaukee Bucks
  5. Megan Rapinoe, USWNT (recently retired)
  6. Mikaela Shiffren, USA Alpine Ski Team
  7. Lewis Hamilton, F-1 motorsports, British/Mercedes
  8. Simone Biles, USA Gymnastics
  9. Kylian Mbappe, soccer, PSG France
  10. Max Verstrappen, F-1, Belgium/Dutch, Red Bull
  11. Novak Djokovic, tennis, Serbia
  12. Coco Gauff, tennis, USA
  13. Stephen Curry, NBA, Golden State Warriors
  14. Naomi Osaka, tennis, Japan
  15. Lucy Bronze, soccer, Britain, FC Barcelona
  16. Robert Lewandowski, soccer, Poland, FC Barcelona
  17. Leah Williamson, soccer, Britain, Arsenal
  18. Aryna Sabalenka, tennis Belarussia
  19. Angel Reese, USA, college basketball, LSU
  20. Alphonso Davies, soccer, Ghana/Canada, Bayern Munich

Some Notes Worth Considering: Eight of the Top 20 were soccer players, marketable worldwide but limited in a great degree in the USA; Three of the Top 13 were NBA players; Angel Reese is the lone American basketball player; A total of “Zero” NFL, MLB, NHL nor PGA Tour players are in Top 20 and you had to dig to No. 29 for golfer Rory McIlroy and to No. 35 to come up with KC Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (and, no, he was not pictured with pop star Taylor Swift) and the Top 50 revealed no MLB nor NHL players.

SILVER SCREEN: Two motion pictures featuring endurance sports will entertain us from now through the Christmas holidays. Starring Annette Bening and Jodi Foster, NYAD dives into the story of Diana Nyad and her triumphs, friendships, and her will to dig deep into the human spirit. The movie is available via Netflix. … With a promotional lift in Boston via The Head of the Charles Regatta, another spectacular endurance story, entitled, “The Boys in the Boat” is an inspirational drama based on The New York Times’ No. 1 best selling non-fiction novel written by Daniel James Brown in 2013. The film, directed by George Clooney, is about the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the ‘36 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The movie reflects the true story of a group of underdogs at the height of the Great Depression as they are thrust into the spotlight and take on elite rivals from around the world as Nazi Germany surfaces beneath the Olympic flame. The movie rights were once owned by the Weinstein Group, but with Harvey Weinstein serving a life sentence behind bars, the rights were eventually acquired by Lantern Entertainment of Dallas who chose Clooney to direct. You heard it here first, watch NYAD on Netflix and find time to head to a movie theatre near you to see “The Boys in the Boat.” … Get the “Inside Look.”

Then, maybe, head out to Las Vegas and catch U2 performing at The Sphere where Van den Berg is filling-in for Larry Mullen, Jr. while the longtime U2 drummer, 61, recovers from undisclosed surgery with plans to return to the band. The price of a floor ticket for U2 is averaging $956.

TIDBITS: Former Celtics champion and basketball HOFer Kevin Garnett’s Big Ticket Sports is planning a joint-venture with Pro League Network to create str33t, a new 3×3 pro streetball-style basketball league. Str33t’s first series is expected to launch in early 2024, ahead of the Paris Games, which marks the second Olympics 3×3 basketball will be contested as an Olympic sport. … The league and USA Basketball’s efforts toward the Paris Olympics are not connected.

BREAKING GOOD? – Breaking is the only sport making its debut at Paris 2024. At the Paris 2024 Games, the breaking competition will comprise two events – one for men and one for women – where 16 B-Boys and 16 B-Girls will go face to face in solo battles. Athletes will use a combination of moves and improvise to the beat of the DJ’s tracks. Breaking made its Youth Olympic debut at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018. … Sport climbing, surfing, and skateboarding were also selected by the IOC as demonstration sports for the 2024 Olympic Games.

PITINO EXHIBITION “W”in DOUBLE OT: St. John’s defeated Rutgers, 89-78, in double-overtime of the charity exhibition game, the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund at the V Foundation. … St. John’s Nahiem Alleyne buried a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer to force double-overtime. He led all scorers with 19 points on Saturday at Carnesecca Arena. It was new coach Rick Pitino’s first game as St John’s head coach, but the “W” won’t count in the record books.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | October 15

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While We’re Young (Ideas) – Basket-Fy Yourself

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

BOSTON – There’s a saying, maybe call it words of advice: “Stick with what you know best.” Or, in the immortal words of Ignaz Bernstwin (1836-1909), “Do what you know best, if you’re a runner – run. If you’re a bell – ring.

That’s what we’ll do today as this reporter knows the sport of basketball the best and we’ll look at it in three segments.

First, the WNBA: The league has enjoyed, perhaps, its best season since former WNBA President Val Ackerman tossed-up a ceremonial tip-off between Lisa Leslie of the LA Sparks and Kim Hampton of the NY Liberty to start in the inaugural season in the Summer of 1997.

Embed from Getty Images

How quickly those 26 years flew past sports fans, proving the league is here to stay.

The season began with the return of All-Star Brittney Griner who was unlawfully detained in Russia and eventually released in a prisoner exchanged in a State Department led effort to bring Griner home after an airport search uncovered vaping cartridges with less than a gram of hash oil, purchased legally in Arizona but illegal in Russia where she was traveling from playing overseas at her UMMC Ekaterinburg club located in Russia’s fourth largest city situated in Perm Provence. Griner was exchanged for an arms dealer, Viktor Bout, who had served 10 years of a 25-year Federal sentence in the USA.

Jewell Loyd of the Seattle Storm won the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game MVP after an impressive 31-point performance.

Game 3 of the WNBA Finals will tiup-off at 3pm (ET) today in New York with the Las Vegas Aces leading the New York Liberty 2-games-to-0 in their best-of-five series. The WNBA Finals feature a match-up of two super teams in league history. Jackie Young, A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum have proven too much for the Liberty during their stay in Vegas as Hall of Famer Becky Hammon guides her Aces. No team has ever come back to win a series from an 0-2 deficit.

While overall WNBA viewership is up 27% over last season, the Sunday games in this series are going up against NFL regular season and MLB Postseason telecasts. An uphill climb for a league that concluded its season on Labor Day weekend back when Val Ackerman tossed the ball.

Next Up, the Collegians: Yes, it’s been written in these pages before, but each year, a favorite day for all College Basketball fans is the day their Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook arrives in the mailbox. It happened just last week, and this column was teased with a quick look at the great Chris Dortch’s predictions for the 2023-24 BIG EAST Conference.

This week, we’ll take a good look at the Blue Ribbon predictions for the Top 25 in College ball and maybe – just maybe – the patented preseason NCAA bracket will be back for the most ridiculous attempt at a preview.

The College Basketball Blue Ribbon Preseason Top 25:

  1. Kansas
  2. Purdue’
  3. UConn
  4. Marquette
  5. Michigan State
  6. Tennessee
  7. Duke
  8. Arkansas
  9. Creighton
  10. Baylor
  11. Kentucky
  12. Houston
  13. Gonzaga
  14. Florida Atlantic
  15. Arizona
  16. North Carolina
  17. Texas A&M
  18. Texas
  19. Alabama
  20. Mississippi State
  21. USC
  22. Miami
  23. Colorado
  24. Villanova
  25. San Diego State

No major surprises were installed in those selections, except for the fact of an ever-increasing shift of dominance from the former East Coast powerhouses, like Syracuse, Georgetown, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Providence, and St. John’s, to the Midwest and South.

Blue Ribbon named Purdue’s 7-4 Senior center Zach Edey the preseason Player of the Year and Kansas senior center – 7-1 Hunter Dickinson Newcomer of the Year. Dickinson is not exactly a “newcomer,” as he played three years at Michigan but entered the college basketball transfer portal for his senior season and chose Kansas over Villanova, Kentucky, Maryland and Georgetown.

Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard (r) and The Freak

Saving the best for last, here’s a little look at the pros:

NBA SEASON OF 2023-24: Training camps for the NBA began on September 27 (for teams traveling outside of North America) and October 3 (for the entire league) and the NBA Preseason began October 5 in Abu Dhabi with a pair of Minnesota Timberwolves’ wins over the Dallas Mavericks. (BTW, Dallas went on to lose another game as they stayed in Europe and fell victim to Real Madrid, 127-123 on October 10).

The big change in the NBA schedule of 2023-24 is the incorporation of an “In-Season” tournament which tips-off November 3 and concludes with a December 7 & 9 semis and championship in Las Vegas.

Looking towards the regular season, the talk of the league is Damian Lillard’s summertime trade from Portland to the Milwaukee Bucks and how he’ll fit in with All-Star bigman Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the talented Bucks roster. Keep in mind, Bucks NBA Finals champion coach Mike Budenholzer was fired May 4 of this year and replaced by Toronto assistant Adrian Griffin.

Milwaukee is the team to beat in the East while Denver remains the front runner out West. Next week, we’ll look at the individual divisional ladders and make some predictions for the 2024 NBA Playoffs. While contemplating the NBA, this columnist will take a crack at the impossible —> predicting the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff contenders and winners.

TID-BIT: Keeping up with the Basketball Jones theme, please examine the ESPN list of Top 100 players in the NBA. For a limitation of space on this missive, here’s the ESPN Top 10, in descending order:

No. 10: Anthony Davis, LA Lakers

No. 9: LeBron James, LA Lakers

No. 8: Shea Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder

No. 7: Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns

No. 6: Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

No. 5: Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

No. 4: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

No. 3: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers (last year’s MVP)

No. 2: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

No. 1: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Thoughts: Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns is missing from the Top 10, although to ESPN’s credit, he clocks in at No. 11. Personally, with Kevin Durant’s lack of lateral defensive ability (and lack of desire to play any D), the obvious move is to switch Booker with Durant. … At the top of heap, there’s no reason not to list Denver’s Nikola Jokic at No. 1 and The Greek Freak at No. 2. Jokic and the Nuggets are defending champions and he was the MVP of The NBA Finals. That deserves a No. 1 position. … NBA fans and fans of the 76ers might be wary of Joel Embiid’s progress and conditioning for the 2023-24 NBA season. Just sayin’ … New 76ers coach Nick Nursestressed running and conditioning in his first training camp with his club. Undoubtedly Embiid will be a focal point to examine as Nurse plays an up tempo, move-the-ball, FAST game. … Meanwhile, Sixers 10-time all-star guard James Hardenremains at odds with Philadelphia GM Daryl Morey. Harden is on the Sixers’ books for a cool $35.6m this year and – although he is trying to force a trade – there aren’t any takers at that inflated number. The 76ers are also paying Embiid ($47.6m) and Tobias Harris a cool $39.2m per year. There’s a have and have not on the team payroll in Philly.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct 8

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While We’re Young (Ideas) – On Baseball

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – No New York Yankees. No New York Mets. No Boston Red Sox. No San Diego Padres.

But, yes, the Mets, Yankees and Padres, with a combined $876.4 million tab for player salaries this season, all missed the postseason.

The Mets fired GM Billy Eppler and their skipper Buck Showalter while the Red Sox gave the trap-door approach to their head of Baseball Ops and defacto team GM Chaim Bloom. If you add expectations of the LA Angeles to the mix, add to the carnage with Angels Manager Phil Nevin hitting the unemployment line. The SF Giants fired manager Gabe Kapler and the Winter Meetings are two months away.

The 2023 Postseason started slowly with less-than-compelling Wild Card match-ups all ending in a short series (2-0).

The MLB Divisional Playoffs are expected to bring increased interest and batter baseball. In the National League, the Atlanta Braves – baseball’s best – are facing a tough, playoff-tested Philadelphia Phillies team while the winner of the LA Dodgers vs AZ Diamondbacks awaits (think Dodgers).

In the American League, the State of Texas planted two franchises in the divisional playoff bracket – the defending World Series champion Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. They can meet if the Astros dispose of the Minnesota Twins and the Rangers can defeat upstart and entertaining Baltimore.

Regardless of the results this year, the Baltimore Orioles will be “here to stay” in MLB Postseasons to come.

As postseason progresses, an examination of Baseball’s vital signs shows a very healthy patient. Major League Baseball attendance experienced its largest growth in 30 years in 2023, said the league in a regular season-end statement. Total attendance of 70,747,365 was up 9.6 percent over 2022 (64,556,636) and the average attendance of 29,295 was up 9.1 percent.

Seventeen of the 30 MLB teams drew more than 2.5 million fans, matching the most in MLB history, and eight attracted more than 3 million. Eleven weekends drew more than 1.5 million fans, compared to a total of five such weekends over the previous four full seasons (2018-19, 2021-22) combined.

Factoring into the sport’s increased “watchability” waas a decrease in the average length of the games, thanks in large part to pitch clocks. The regular season games of 2023 averaged 2 hours, 39 minutes and 49 seconds, the shortest since 1985 and a decrease of 24 minutes from last season.

Only nine games lasted 3 1/2 hours or longer, down from 390 such games back in 2021.

3×3 champion Vienna (Photo by FIBA)

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The USA Basketball Men’s World Cup team settled for a 4th Place finish this summer in Manila with Germany, Serbia and Canada gaining the top three spots. The groomsmen instead of the groom approach continued this weekend in Amsterdam where the USA Basketball 3×3 entry from Miami took 2nd Place behind a squad from Vienna, Austria. … The second-place finish marks Team Miami’s sixth straight Top 4 finish on the World Tour, including their second runner-up finish of the campaign.

In a rematch of their Saturday “pool play” game, Vienna sought revenge vs. Miami in the Tournament Finals, winning the tightly contested battle, 21-19. Jimmer Fredetteput Miami into the lead, 8-7, with a two-pointer with just under seven minutes remaining. Vienna tried to pull away multiple times, but Miami hung-on and grabbed a 19-18 lead with 3:28 remaining after the Americans went on a 6-1 run. Both teams had empty possessions before Vienna scored the game’s final three points. Fredette led Miami with 10 points. Dylan Travis pulled down a team-high five boards. … The Miami 3×3 entry will next compete at the Doha Challenger on Oct 10-11.

NWSL VALUATIONS: Fresh off a newly reported four-year deal for game rights, divvying up coverage between ESPN, CBS, Amazon and Scripps, the sports business publications – Sportico – released valuations for the National Women’s Soccer League. Here are the Top 10:

  1. Angel City FC – – $180 million
  2. San Diego Wave – – $90m
  3. Kansas City Courant – – $75m
  4. Portland Thorns – – $65m
  5. Washington Spirit – – $54
  6. North Carolina Courage $52m
  7. Houston Dash – – $50m
  8. OL Reign – – $49m (Olympique Lyonnais)
  9. NJ/NY Gotham FC – – $48m
  10. Racing Louisville FC – – $47m

Two other clubs, Orlando and Chicago rated at $47 million or less.

The WNBA just awarded a franchise the the Golden State Warriors’ organization at the value of $50 million.

TIDBITS: The Minnesota Twins snapped an 18-game postseason losing streak with a win in their best-of-three Wild Card series vs. Toronto. It marked the longest losing streak in any major North American sports league. Minny’s 3-1 Game 1 win over the Blue Jays, was dominated by a player who was five years old the last time the Twins won a playoff game. Twins DH Royce Lewis drove in all three runs with a two-run home run in the first inning and a solo shot in the third. …

RIVALRY WEEK: Dare you to say that three times and fast! With No. 12 Oklahoma’s 34-30 upset over No. 3 Texas in Saturday’s Red River Rivalry, it’s time to wax philosophic on the greatness of college football, something city-folk in New York don’t understand.

Here’s my non-comprehensive list of the best rivalries in college football:

  1. Army vs. Navy This year to be played in Foxboro, Mass
  2. The Game – Harvard vs. Yale
  3. The Iron Bowl – Auburn vs. Alabama
  4. Michigan vs Ohio State – Usually, it settles the Big 10 championship)
  5. USC vs. Notre Dame – a rivalry based in great games, every year)
  6. Georgia vs. Florida – aka “the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party”
  7. Miami vs. Florida State – ‘Canes vs. ‘Noles
  8. California vs. Stanford – Public vs. Private
  9. UCLA vs. USC – West Coast elite, in the Rose Bowl
  10. Lafayette vs. Lehigh – The Rivalry which dates back to 1897

And, don’t forget the Catholics vs the Convicts (ND vs. Miami) of yesteryear.

THINGS TO PONDER ON A SLOW DAY: Back by popular demand are a listing of a few things I think about.

Ready?

  • For years and years we’ve all been shaken by the sound of the Emergency Broadcast System … Repeat after me: “Station XYZ is conducting a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test. If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message.” … “This concludes the test of the Emergency Broadcast System.” … Okay, I get it. … It’s an important function and it grew from a directive from President John F. Kennedy in the very early ‘60s during the Cold War. … Now! Tell me this? During the damn GLOBAL PANDEMIC of 2019-2020 did you hear one peep from the Emergency Broadcast System? … That said, they tested an upgraded version this week.
  • Why are there three different ways to describe the exact same thing?
  1. In New York, it’s a car ACCIDENT
  2. In Boston, it’s a CRASH
  3. In Texas, it’s a WRECK

There’s “Fender-Benders,” “Pile-Ups,” “Collisions,” and “Smash-Ups.” Can anyone explain the origin of all of these descriptions and tell is why we need so many different ways to tag the same disasterous thing? Maybe we should slow down and drive safely, especially in the local neighborhood where the speed limit states “20 mph,” and not double nickels.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct 1st

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The marketers behind the 2023 Ryder Cup are not afraid to borrow a phrase or two to promote their wonderful USA vs Europe matches. It was a bit of a surprise to learn the Ryder Cup was “an event unlike any other,” not too far from CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz and his description of The Masters as “A Tradition Unlike Any Other.”

On the PGA of America side of the coin, we learned that the PGA Tour pros gather together to exclaim, “We Love This Game,” a phrase made famous by the NBA’s popular “I Love This Game” campaign of the 1990s.

To steer clear of any copyright and trademark issues, and after watching the first two days of the 2023 Ryder Cup matches from Rome, the suggestion is to edit the tagline ever-so-slightly and etch into stone, “We’re Getting Our Asses Kicked in this Game.’

On Friday, Team Europe was out to an all-important and momentum-building 4-0 start in Foursomes, which was followed by Saturday morning’s 3-1 shellacking. As of this writing and a post on Saturday night about 10pm (ET), the singles matches of the Ryder Cup will be seven and a half hours away (11:35am (local)/5:35am (ET).

If you’re an American fan and haven’t seen the pairings for Sunday’s singles, cover your eyes now. Team Europe captain Luke Donald, needing four points to win the Ryder Cup, is not fooling around, as he placed four of his big-name gems as his first four players out (Rahm, Hovland, Rose and McIlroy).

Should he need back-up, his No. 5 is Matt Fitzpatrick (played 2, won 1, lost 1), and his No. 6 is Tyrrell Hatton (played 3, won 2, lost 0, halved 1).

(Europe listed first)

Match 1

Jon Rahm

5:35 a.m.

Scottie Scheffler

Match 2

Viktor Hovland

5:47 a.m.

Collin Morikawa

Match 3

Justin Rose

5:59 a.m.

Patrick Cantlay

Match 4

Rory McIlroy

6:11 a.m.

Sam Burns

Match 5

Matt Fitzpatrick

6:23 a.m.

Max Homa

Match 6

Tyrrell Hatton

6:35 a.m.

Brian Harman

Match 7

Ludvig Aberg

6:47 a.m.

Brooks Koepka

Match 8

Sepp Straka

6:59 a.m.

Justin Thomas

Match 9

Nicolai Hojgaard

7:11 a.m.

Xander Schauffele

Match 10

Shane Lowry

7:23 a.m.

Jordan Spieth

Match 11

Tommy Fleetwood

7:35 a.m.

Rickie Fowler

Match 12

Robert MacIntyre

7:47 a.m.

Wyndham Clark

The unavoidable questions of “what’s wrong” with Team USA will surface, but the truth of the matter is that Team Europe simply played better golf over the first two days (and possibly the Singles Sunday to come).

USA Team Captain Zach Johnson had the USA well prepared and he had the right 12 players. Maybe, just maybe he could’ve picked Dustin Johnsonover Justin Thomas, but he went with Thomas for the historical strong team combo of JT with his longtime friend and cohort Jordan Spieth.

On the logistical side, a few members of the USA team came up with common cold symptoms, but the tea,m refused to use that as an excuse. Issues such as colds, flu-like symptoms or God-forbid COVID+ are a constant threat to constant trans-Atlantic travelers under stress, the same as it is for business travelers.

Possible solutions:

  1. Travel in smaller groups (4) on commercial flights or charters, utilizing N-95 masks during travel
  2. House the players in small groups (2) or (4) max to luxury house rental or spread-out on one floor of a luxury hotel.
  3. Get on the same time zone 2+ weeks early, and play more practice rounds on European soil. Team USA practiced at Marco Simone Golf Club two weeks prior to the Ryder Cup competition but some players flew back and forth across the Atlantic, adding wear and tear and jet-lag stress to their bodies. They need to minimize travel and potential exposure to germ-incubators that can effect the entire team.
  4. Maybe a “Team Room” is a traditional setting that can be left behind.
  5. Cut out the “hat waving” and “Hat-gate” B.S. and act like you’ve been there before.
  6. While Team USA is at it, they might become more media friendly and allow access to Netflix documentaries and attend media sessions after Opening Ceremonies. All the “no” answers create more negativity within and around the team. It’s the little things that begin to add up.
  7. Once the Team USA Roster is determined, designate one player spokesman and a back-up from the most seasoned and affable players on the golf team. USA Vet Rickie Fowler could have been very helpful with media obligations during the week if Captain Johnson knew in advance of his line-ups.
  8. Included in the extra stay in the European time zone, build in one or two “media days” and give media advanced access, and designate a day/time for media to get still head shots, set aside time and complete any network TV obligations. Advance plan and stage a newsworthy photo op and short media availability twice a week while on European soil. Once the photo obligation is complete, Team USA can be treated to a great meal or a stop to surprise and create extra bonds between the players.
  9. The more an atmosphere of normal interaction is created, the less stress, pressure and tension will be on the players come competition time.
  10. Embrace the local culture, language and customs to show respect to the host venue, the European players and the fans will appreciate it.

If all that fails … hit some putts and stay an extra hour on the practice greens.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: As soon as the Ryder Cup golf tournament is settled on Sunday morning, you can turn your TV dial/remote/satellite to watch the NFL in London. The Jacksonville Jaguars are crossing the pond, once again, this week facing the Atlanta Falcons. See all NFL odds and betting options: Jags (-3) over Falcons

This is the 10th year the Jags have played in London, but this trip is different as Jacksonville will play back-to-back games in England, as the home team at Wembley Stadium against the Falcons, but as the away team at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against the Buffalo Bills. It’ll mark the first time an NFL team will have an extended stay in the regular season since the league launched its International Bowls in 2007.

The Jags’ front office staff hopes to add business partners and future sponsorship opportunities for the franchise both in the U.K. and in Jacksonville.

One factoid, not to be overlooked, the loyal fans of the Buffalo Bills will lose a home date.

TID-BITS: Here’s a glimpse into some of the stuff I think about: (Special attention to sponsor USAA) – Why isn’t the Army v Navy college basketball game a big thing? All regular season college hoops games could be scheduled to end on Saturday, March 9, 2024 (and the equivalent each season) and then the Army vs Navy Game could be played each year as the final regular season game of the college season (Sunday, March 10, 2024). … Surely, this columnist is not the first to suggest something like this, correct? … Ponder this: Do DOGS know when it’s their birthday? … Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora named Chris Sale his Opening Day when the Sox play the Mariners in Seattle on March 28th, 2024. Oh Good, but talk to me on March 21st.

Why, on earth, would Curt Schilling make a brain cancer diagnosis of his former teammate Tim Wakefield public against the wishes of Wakefield and his family. Wakefield’s wife, Stacy, is also battling cancer. The couple has two children, Trevor (born in 2004) and Brianna (born in 2005).

Schilling – the bird brain that he is – made the private diagnosis of Wakefield public on a podcast. Wakefield and the Red Sox organization were forced to issue a statement after the podcast aired.

“We are aware of the statements and inquiries about the health of Tim and Stacy Wakefield,” the statement read. “Unfortunately, this information has been shared publicly without their permission. Their health is a deeply personal matter they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to tackle this disease. Tim and Stacy are appreciative of the support and love that has always been extended to them and respectfully ask for privacy at this time.”

WNBA FINALS: The Las Vegas Aces have advanced to the WNBA Finals and they await the other semifinal winner – either the New York Liberty or the Connecticut Sun. NY’s Breanna Stewart scored 25 points as the Liberty beat Sun, 92-81, to take 2-1 lead in WNBA semifinal series. … The WNBA Finals will begin October 8 in Las Vegas. … The league might take a page of its own history and revert to a Memorial Day to Labor Day schedule. October 8 brings stiff comp from the NFL and the MLB Postseason.

THE NHL: Opening night for the NHL 2023-24 season is Tuesday, October 10th – adding to the crush on the WNBA Finals. On October 10th, the Vegas Knights will hoist their Stanley Cup banner to the rafters, the night before WNBA Finals Game 2.

THE NBA: League staff has already departed to prep for preseason games in the Middle East. The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 will feature the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves playing two preseason games at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The Games are scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 5 and Saturday, Oct. 7.

TRICK OR TREAT: The next thing you know, Halloween candy will be on sale. Oh? That happened two months ago.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | Sept 24

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While We’re Young (Ideas) on Ryder Cup, Best/Worst of NFL

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The Opening Ceremony of the 2023 Ryder Cup will take place this Thursday at 10:00am ET. The foursomes and four-ball competition starts this Friday, September 29th with first tee time at 1:35 AM (ET) and the Ryder Cup will be presented to the winning team on Sunday, Oct 1, 2023 – a week from today.

Embed from Getty Images

TV coverage of the biennial match play golf tournament will be provided by a combination of USA Network and its parent company, NBC Sports. Streaming is available via NBC’s Peacock Network and the Ryder Cup (www.rydercup.com) and the Ryder Cup app.

The TEAMS:

🇺🇸 The visiting USA Team will feature:

  • Scottie Scheffler
  • Wyndham Clark
  • Patrick Cantlay
  • Brian Harman
  • Max Homa
  • Xander Schaufele
  • Sam Burns
  • Rickie Fowler
  • Brooks Koepka
  • Collin Morakawa
  • Jordan Spieth
  • Justin Thomas
  • Captain: Zach Johnson

🇪🇺 The European host team will feature:

  • Rory McIlroy
  • Jon Rahm
  • Viktor Hovland
  • Tyrrell Hatton
  • Matt Fitzpatrick
  • Robert MacIntyre
  • Justin Rose
  • Tommy Fleetwood
  • Shane Lowry
  • Ludvig Aberg
  • Sepp Straka
  • Nicolai Hojgaard
  • Captain: Luke Donald

FUN FACTS: The USA has NOT won on European soil since 1993 at The Belfry. … In 2021, the USA won the Ryder Cup at Wisconsin’s Whistling Straits, marking a record of a 10-point victory, the largest since the USA and Europe (not the UK) squared off in 1979. … The USA has No. 1 rankedScottie Scheffler but Europe can claim No. 2-5 with N. Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, Spain’s Jon Rahm and Norway’s Viktor Hovland. … If you place Hovland at the No. 1 slot because of his 2023 FedEx Cup victory and Erling Haaland as the No. 1 footballer in the world, playing for Man City, you’ll note Norway has the top two athloetes in teh world. Add Germany as the FIBA World Cup champion, and Serbia’s Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets as the MVP of the NBA Finals, you get the picture on the marvelous results being registered by European athletes.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: After this weekend’s three game set with the Chicago White Sox, the Boston Red Sox will have only two more games at Fenway Park before the turf plays host to some Thanksgiving high school football games. The Red Sox face the Tampa Bay Rays (2 games) and the Baltimore Orioles (4-games at Camden Yards) to close out the year against two of the American League’s very best.

Saturday, September 23rd, also known as Week 4 of the College Football season, is really Game 1 for a lot of teams as they face conference competition across the nation. There’s some great non-Conference battles, too, as in Ohio State playing Notre Dame in South Bend.

The “Instant Classic” of the weekend was the Florida State at Clemsongame, won by Florida St., 31-24 in overtime.

There were so many great college football games on TV that my remote threatened to join the United Auto Workers’ picket lines. … The remote was so worn out that it asked for seven days off and an all expenses paid vacation trip to Aruba. … There were so many great games going on at the same time that a friend in New York City walked 8,700 steps as he went from screen-to-screen inside a Sports Bar.

The losers in the deal? How about LIV Golf, being televised by the CW Network facing big-time college football comp on ABC, CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 and everything on ESPN+, FOX, the ACC Network, the Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Net, and so on.

Wouldn’t LIV Golf be better off basing its September tournaments in Europe where they could play to an early morning audience in the USA, say 7:00am to 11:00am ET?

THE BEST AND WORST OF THE NFL: Frequently, there are despicable acts of violence by NFL fans at stadiums across the country. This week? It was too much as a fan in Buffalo was apprehended as the USA Todayheadline read: An unidentified football fan who was naked and “covered in human excrement” was discovered in a construction site hole near the Buffalo Bills home opener on Sunday. The extent of his injuries was a cut on his forehead.

Believe it or not, it got worse. Much worse.

Dale Mooney, a 53-year-old New England Patriots’ fan and New Hampshire resident, fell unconscious in the fourth quarter of New England’s Sunday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins, falling unconscious in the upper deck of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough and could not be revived.

He was punched by a Miami Dolphins fan and fell down, witnesses said, but the blow might not have been the cause of Mooney’s death.

“Preliminary autopsy results did not suggest traumatic injury, but did identify a medical issue,” according to a statement Wednesday from the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office. “Cause and manner of death remain undetermined pending further testing.”

The fact of the matter is that a drunken Patriots fan jawed throughout the game and then confronted a rival Miami supporter. There’s been no formal or final determination by the authorities and the incident remains under investigation.

The incidents this week prompt a listing of the worst fans (and best fans) in the NFL:

WORST FANS:

Worst – J.E.T.S. – Jets, Jets, Jets ✈️

2nd – J.E.T.S. – Jets, Jets, Jets ✈️

3rd – J.E.T.S. – Jets, Jets, Jets ✈️

That’s no typo!

4. Eagles 🦅

5. Raiders 🍂

6. Dolphins 🐬

7. Cowboys 🤠

8. Patriots 🇬🇧 —> 🇺🇸

9. Bengals 🐅 (lethargic/front runners)

10. Steelers ⚒️

BEST and MOST LOYAL NFL FANS:

1. Packers

2. Giants

3. Bills

4. Da Bears

5. Broncos

6. Cowboys

7. Seahawks

8. Chiefs

9. DC Commanders

10. Lions

TIDBITS: While We’re Young (Ideas) is NOT a gossip column. It’s not Page 6. It’s not even TMZ. But, the Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce dating “thing” is just too much to let pass by without mention. Rumors began circulating that Kelce and Swift were dating weeks ago, about the time Kelce suffered a bone bruise in practice two days before the Chiefs’ 21-20 season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions.

Kelce missed that game – his first DNP since 2013 – but returned for NFL Week 2 when he scored a touchdown in a 17-9 road win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

While Kelce and Swift have remained silent, friends of Swift and the brother of Kelce have been feeding the frenzy.

“It’s hilarious how much traction this has gotten,” said Jason Kelce, the KC tight end’s brother. “Right now, it’s like that old game in school called ‘telephone’ where everyone is whispering in everyone’s ear and hearing random stuff. No one actually knows what’s going on, especially when you’ve got Jason Kelce on live television telling people both sides … The guy can’t stay out of the frickin’ headlines.”

“I try to keep his business kind of his business, stay out of that world. But having said that, I think he’s doing great, and I think it’s all 100% true,” J. Kelce added.

Sources with a Swift insider resume also broke silence and commented on her behalf.

“She and Travis have hung out twice, and it’s nothing serious. She thinks he is very charming, and they have been texting this last week,” said the Swifty exclusively to The Messenger. “He is a little embarrassed at how much attention they are getting, but he has told her he would love to continue seeing her.”

“They are seeing where things go.” However, the football star has some stiff competition for the singer’s attention. “Her friends are always playfully suggesting people to set her up with,” the source continues.

Calling Tom Brady?

Nah.

SOCCER HUB: The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced that Boston was awarded expansion rights for the league’s 15th team. Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSC), an all-female core ownership group led by a diverse and dynamic leadership team, will head-up the venture. The new club is set to kick-off in the 2026 season, bringing world-class women’s soccer back to the country’s No. 9 media market to play in a region with a championship legacy for a fan base that has earned a reputation as one of the most passionate in all of sports.

The announcement follows the addition of two other NWSL expansion teams earlier this year, Utah Royals FC and Bay Area FC, which are both slated to begin play in 2024.

RIP DENNIS D’AGOSTINO: A week after writing a memorial tribute to the NBA’s Bruni Gill, it’s another sad day to recognize the sudden passing of New York Mets, New York Knicks and our NBA Finals/All-Star Game media relations cohort Dennis D’Agostino. … Dennis’ upbeat attitude, a hard work ethic to always get the job done right and a unique personality and sense of humor that was loved and appreciated by everyone he came in contact with over his many years in sports. D’Agostino most recently re-located from his native New York (Whitestone) by way of Fordham University in the Bronx to Los Angeles where he and his bride, Helene Elliott of the LA Times, enjoyed their lives together in a grand way. … This columnist has fond memories of D’Agostino at the Mets, Knicks and at LA Dodgers games but also from the many New York Knicks media trips to Saratoga Race Course. Etched in my mind is the day he inserted a VHS tape of “Day at the Races” – the Marx Brothers’ classic – into a player for a long bus ride from The Garden to Saratoga Race Course for a summertime Knicks’ media outing! … We laughed and laughed and -zip – we were in Saratoga! D’Agostino’s memorial service will be held in New Jersey on September 30.

PARTING WORDS AND MUSIC: While considering a post highlighting the recent stadium concerts performed by Taylor Swift, there’s absolutely no chance this week’s column isn’t going to plug the “Garden-to-Garden” pair of concerts by the Tedeschi Trucks Band to be played this week.

We’ll start off at TD Boston Garden on Wednesday, September 27 and conclude Friday, September 29 at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the World’s Most Famous Arena.

Derek Trucks’ cohort as lead guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band, Warren Haynes, will sit-in at the Boston show, while Phish phenom Trey Anastasioand Norah Jones will each make appearances with TTB at NYC’s Garden.

It’ll be great.

Here’s a sampling of the Tedeschi Trucks Band doing “Anyhow” and Blind Willie McTell’s “Statesboro Blues,” performed at the most beautiful, striking and astonishing concert venues in the world, at Red Rocks outside of Denver, Colorado.

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly Sunday Sports Notebook and news column written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 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 Notes | Sept 17th

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The NBA Board of Governors did it. They voted in a new policy (set of rules) to curb the “load management” issue the league has been wrestling with since the ‘80s.

Here is the league statement issued earlier this week:

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

NEW YORK – (Official NBA News Release) – The NBA Board of Governors approved a new Player Participation Policy, which is intended to promote player participation in the NBA’s regular season. The new policy will take effect with the start of the 2023-24 regular season and enhance and replace the Player Resting Policy, which was implemented prior to the 2017-18 season.

The Player Participation Policy primarily will focus on star players. A star player for purposes of the policy is any player who, in any of the prior three seasons, was selected to an All-NBA Team or an NBA All-Star team. This definition also applies, following a given season’s All-Star Game, to any player who is named an All-Star during that season.

Under the policy, unless a team demonstrates an approved reason for a star player not to participate in a game, then, among other things, the team must:

  • Manage its roster to ensure that no more than one star player is unavailable for the same game.
  • Ensure that star players are available for all national television and NBA In-Season Tournament games.
  • Maintain a balance between the number of one-game absences for a star player in home and road games.
  • Refrain from any long-term “shutdowns” in which a star player stops playing games.
  • If resting a healthy player, ensure that the player is present at the games and visible to fans.

The policy includes exceptions for injuries, personal reasons and pre-approved back-to-back restrictions based on a player’s age, career workload or serious injury history.

If you recall, I pontificated on load management in a prior column.

That said, I’m still awaiting load management guidelines from the NHL, as their players play one line and sit and rest for two or three others while the goal-keepers often alternate games.

I’m awaiting the PGA Tour’s load management to address the fact most players can take weeks or consecutive weeks off, or play only at course that suits their game.

I’m awaiting MLB’s system for regulating star catchers who rarely catch consecutive games, never a doubleheader as rare as they are these days. Or, how about a few more Shohei Ohtani’s to play a position and pitch at least a game a week?

How about 11 NFL football players per team who only play on one side of the ball? Pansies!

It seems to me, only the NBA players are criticized for sitting out now and then after having the living daylights beaten out of them by strong defensive players, then traveling for a game the next night or the night after.

Embed from Getty Images

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Hope is an amazing and powerful human element. It is one of the two most powerful and lasting human conditions – hope and love. … There are thousands of “love songs” but fewer about “hope.”

“Don’t Stop Believing,” by Journey comes to mind. As does, “Land of Hope and Dreams,” by Bruce Springsteen. “I Will Survive” was a song empowering women in the late 1970s and Gloria Gaynor nailed it.

This week, as the 8,040th day passed from September 11, 2001 to September 11, 2023, we mouned once again. That’s 22 years of mourning, of time passing by from the day terror hit New York City, Wash DC, and the sticks of Pennsylvania with the attacks that resonating around the world.

Each year, we learn about another story, another family, another Ground Zero responder falling to cancer from that steaming pit of terror in downtown Manhattan. Each year, the surviving family members pay tribute to their loved ones, telling stories of their lives without their hero. It’s hard and it gets harder every year as some of the newborns or yet-to-be-borns turn 21 or 22 years of age. It’s gut-wrenching.

Every year since moving to Boston and learning of “the man in the red bandana,” known to all as Welles Crowther, a Nyack, NY bred lacrosse player who attended Boston College and accepted a job at Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P., which was a full-service investment banking firm and broker specializing in the financial services sector. Crowther always wanted to work on Wall Street, said his mother, Allison, to Tom Rinaldi of ESPN. But, Welles confided in his late father, Jefferson, that he’d go crazy looking at a computer screen for the rest of his life, noting his true calling was as a firefighter, a vocation or a calling he wanted to pursue in the City of New York. He’d already been training as a junior fire fighter in his hometown of Nyack, just north of the city in Rockland County.

Most know Welles’ story. If you don’t, please visit HERE.

In viewing and re-viewing the various features and September 11, 2001 accounts, I learned this year of the fact a few of the injured workers from offices high in the World Trade Center were sitting on the floor, as low as possible, avoiding smoke and intense heat from flames all around them.

They had given up hope. Some chose to jump, as told by my Holy Trinity HS classmate, Tom Junod in Esquire.

How could you ever blame them as they were experiencing unimaginable horror and were also physically injured, some in wheel chairs and unable to walk. They’d given up hope until they encountered Welles Crowther – who spoke to them in calm, confident and definitive terms.

At least a dozen people were motivated enough to follow Crowther to the ONLY open staircase and the only path to a life-saving descent to the lower floors where fire fighters met them and escorted most to safety.

I thought about it again today, as the Boston College football Eagles took to their Chestnut Hill field to play No. 3 ranked Florida State, an expected, one-sided outcome of an Atlantic Coast Conference match-up that was tagged by BC as “The Red Bandana Game.”

On September 14, 2014, this columnist was fortunate enough to experience the inaugural “Red Bandana” game, a first for Alumni Stadium at BC. The opponent? The No. 9th ranked PAC-12 powerhouse, USC. The score? Boston College 37, USC 31. The contest was among the most exciting sporting events I’ve ever witnessed in person. How could it not be?

I remember, being new to Newton/Chestnut Hill back at that time, and watching this Boston College video. It sent shivers up my spine. Please notice the written script, rather than spoken words. I would place this on my MUST WATCH list.

Saturday marked the 2023 version of “The Red Bandana Game” and the BC Eagles came out fighting, taking a 7-0 first quarter lead and trailed by only seven, 17-10, at the half. Hope dwindled at the 11:20 mark of the third quarter with No. 3 Florida State leading 31-10.

That’s just not the way it goes at Boston College on “Red Bandana Game” day. Look up and 31-10 became 31-16, then 31-22 and 31-29 by the 5:19 mark of the fourth quarter.

“This is winnable,” wrote a friend of BC whose daughter graduated two or three years ago.

It was not.

Boston College fell short, but they did what Welles Crowther did for at least a dozen people. They had hope, showed hope. Hope was on display today. Certainly nowhere near the length Crowther was to endure, as it says in John:15 – “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his fellow man” which was later edited to say “friends” instead of fellow ma. That is a passage not lost by the late Jefferson Crowther’s telling of his son’s story.

It wasn’t lost on September 11, 2023.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND —> TIDBITS: The ever-helpful D1-Ticker noted former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Robert Orr argued the NCAA’s current transfer restrictions violate antitrust law, writing: “After all, it’s the collective power of the NCAA and those 1200 institutions who have imposed punitive limitations on these student-athletes by limiting their ability to transfer. Of course, these limitations apply to absolutely no one else who walks the campus halls or treads on the sports fields of the universities. Administrators, coaches, professors, other students, literally everybody, can jump to a new school with no punitive limitation – except students wanting to play college sports governed by the NCAA. As much as athletes transferring may irritate the schools and fans, there is a fundamental right to do so without any sort of punishment or limitation.” Orr has a point, wouldn’t you say? …

BOSTON BRUINS @ 100: The Boston Bruins unveiled three commemorative Centennial jerseys to be worn during the club’s 100th year, to be celebrated this season of 2023-24. The new jerseys – which were unveiled live during the Centennial Takeoff fashion show event at Logan Airport’s JetBlue hangar – include a new primary home and away look, as well as a vintage alternate expected to be worn for select Original Six® matchups during the coming season.

Developed in conjunction with adidas and the National Hockey League, the Bruins’ Centennial uniform collection pays homage to the club’s 100-year history with both unique and nostalgic highlights. The home and away jerseys carry elements of recent black-and-gold sweaters, but with a festive twist, featuring sparkling “Centennial gold” in place of the traditional Bruins gold. Meanwhile, the alternate jersey, which features brown and gold, is inspired by vintage sweater designs from the club’s origins. All three styles will include a commemorative Centennial patch worn on the right shoulder to mark the historic milestone.

“For reaching such a monumental milestone – our 100th year – we really wanted to do something special with the sweater,” said Bruins President Cam Neely, in a club news release. “(We’re introducing) three bespoke jerseys, each featuring an original crest design as well as unique elements meant to honor a century of Bruins hockey.”

A spin-off of the recent black and white home and away jerseys worn by the Bruins, the Centennial primary uniforms feature new crests, coloring and striping. For the first time since the early 1990s, the club’s primary uniforms are adorned with complementary team crests – a gold-trimmed Spoked-B on the home uniform and a black-trimmed Spoked-B on the road uniform.

Whooo!

NLL DRAFT: One of the great, un-sung events of the sporting calendar, the National Lacrosse League Draft took place this weekend, near Hamilton, Ontario (Canada).

The top lacrosse prospects from North America took the next step in their careers today as the National Lacrosse League conducted its annual Entry Draft, this year held at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre (TRAC).

Hearing their names called first were Dyson Williams (Oshawa, Ontario) by the Albany FireWolves, Adam Poitras (Whitby, Ontario) by the Las Vegas Desert Dogs and Callum Jones (Burlington, Ontario) by the New York Riptide.

The rest of the first round of the 2023 NLL Draft:

(4) Vancouver (from Las Vegas), Payton Cormier (Oakville, Ontario)

(5) Panther City (from Saskatchewan), Ryan Sheridan (Victoria, B.C.)

(6) Georgia, Toron Eccleston (Calgary, Alberta)

(7) Vancouver (from Philadelphia), Brock Haley (Brooklin, Ontario)

(8) Georgia (from Panther City), Jacob Hickey (Toronto)

(9) Vancouver (from Rochester via Las Vegas), Brayden Laity (Maple Ridge, B.C.)

(10) New York (from Halifax), Jake Stevens (Puslinch, Ontario)

(11) Calgary, Bennett Smith (Edmonton, Alberta)

(12) Saskatchewan (from Toronto), Levi Anderson (Calgary, Alberta)

(13) San Diego, Matthew Wright (Oakville, Ontario)

(14) Albany (from Colorado), Nicholas Volkov (Milton, Ontario)

(15) Rochester (from Buffalo), Graydon Hogg (Oshawa, Ontario)

(16) *Rochester (from Calgary), Ben MacDonnell (Oshawa, Ontario)

(17) *Albany, Zachary Young (Oshawa, Ontario)

(18) *Vancouver (from Saskatchewan via San Diego and Philadelphia), Connor O’Toole (Brampton, Ontario)

(19) *Georgia (compensatory selection), Kaleb Benedict (Onondaga, Ontario)

“We recognize the importance of this day to the players selected in the NLL Entry Draft,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “For our franchises, it is a chance to build and reinforce their rosters, and for fans it’s a peek at the next generation of NLL stars.”

If you haven’t noticed, take a look at the hometowns, cities, provinces and native country of ALL of the players.

Bruni

BRUNI: Speaking as a former NBA spokesperson, we recently learned of the death of one of our own, Ms. Brunilda B. Gill-Nelson, known to many of us as the beloved, “Bruni Gill.” Ms. Nelson passed away September 4, 2023, most likely from complications from a stroke suffered in 2021. These notices are coming far too often. Friends and family will gather on September 30, 2023 and the family requested, “that everyone please come in color as the family will be dressed in blue. The celebration of life will begin at 10am (ET) and a memorial service starts a 11am at Elmwood United Presbyterian Church, 35 Elmwood Avenue, in East Orange, NJ 07018. … If you didn’t know Bruni, you never entered the NBA office at 645 Fifth Avenue. Hired as a receptionist, Bruni was a beacon for everyone who entered the office. Whether an employee – she knew every single employee’s name and what they did for a living – or a league sponsor, or vendor, or Olympic Tower worker, or player or team GM, or team/franchise owner – Bruni greeted you with a positive vibe, a sincere hello, accompanied by a smile that only Earvin “Magic” Johnson could match. Bruni was later promoted to the NBA Events Department where she performed miracles of event management with her colleagues, proven time-after-time-after-time again. No matter what the issue, Bruni was there and ready to solve it or help solve it. … Without a doubt, she is a Top 5 hire in NBA history – any office, any department, or at any team. There is no one who would dispute that fact. God Bless Bruni, Rest-in-Peace-and-Love with an entire organization and league’s support and condolences to the family. (Note: If you’d like further information or to contribute to the fund to support the memorial service, visit: HERE).

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: Sometimes I wonder. When someone with the lifetime credentials of a Bruni Gill heads to the Pearly Gates, just what does St. Peter think and do?

A song by Elton John contemplates that situation. It hails from his glorious “Tumbleweed Connection,” and was written about a soldier of war passing to the other side.

This one is dedicated to our Bruni with the thought that if St. Peter needs a new receptionist, I’ve got just the beautiful soul to help out.

Here are buds Rich Pagano (Drums and Vocals), Jeff Kazee (Keyboard) and John Conte (Bass) doing their interpretation of the great “Early Elton” epic: