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By TERRY LYONS BOSTON – “Good trouble” is a phrase popularized by the late Congressman John Lewis of Georgia’s 5th Congressional District, referring to necessary, nonviolent actions taken to challenge injustice and create meaningful change. Lewis encouraged people to engage in “good trouble” to fight for civil rights and social justice throughout his life. On a far less important scale, I see some “very good trouble” arising for the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend. The NBA All-Star Game and its accompanying annual rookie – or Rising Stars – game have been under fire from the critics of late, and rightfully so. After a “catch lightening” moment at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago when the quirky “Elam Ending” gimmick created quite a finish when Team LeBron came back to win the game, 157-155, against Team Giannis in a contest where East and West were thrown to the wind, the annual Mid-Season classic has been a yawn-fest. The players – exhausted from a weekend of non-stop promotions, sponsor commitments, interviews, photo and video shoots, practices, parties and after-parties – limp to the starting gate on Sunday evening drained of energy and any desire to win, place or snore.
Last year, the league went so far as to have joint meetings with the NBA Players Association and then orchestrate pep talks from some of the true legends of the game in order to create some rivalry and incentive to play hard and win. The players bought-in, but their games took the night off despite a major change in the format. About two months before the All-Star Weekend, the NBA announced that the All-Star Game would use a four-team tournament format with a championship, similar to the format used by the Rising Stars Challenge since 2022. Each of the teams will consist of eight players, with the traditional pool of selected all-stars drafted for the first three teams by NBA on TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith (who will be honorary general managers of each team, to be known as Team Chuck, Team Shaq, and Team Kenny, respectively). The fourth team in the tournament will be the winner of the Rising Stars Challenge, with their honorary general manager being Candace Parker (and therefore known as Team Candace). Two major problems arose:
Fast forward to the upcoming 2026 NBA All-Star Game and the NBA (and their new (but old) television partner NBC Sports) have vowed to try it again, this time with a format announced/confirmed just this week. On November 11, the NBA announced that the All-Star Game format for 2026 will feature a round-robin tournament with three teams:
Each mini-team will consist of at least eight players – all chosen regardless of position – Thank God. The games will last 12 minutes each, and the top two teams will advance to a championship game based on their records. The “good trouble” and the words “at least” used just above are the focus of this column. The NBA international team will be stacked, including the fact the consensus top five players in the league will all suit-up for the visitors. Take a quick look:
Now, the “good trouble” with the fact the following players are amongst the league’s Top 35 all-around players: Alperen Sengun (Hou/Turkey) Pascal Siakam (Ind/Cameroon) Josh Giddey (Chi/Australia) Domantas Sabonis (Sac/Lithuania) Nikola Vucevic (chi/Montenegro via Switzerland) Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK/Dominican Republic) Jamal Murray (Den/Canada) Deni Avdija (Port/Israel) Franz Wagner (Orl/Germany) Lauri Markkanen (Utah/Finland) Other NBA international players who are all pretty good and worthy of consideration: Daniels (ATL/Aussie); Ayton (LA/Bahamas); Edgecombe/Bahamas); (former NBA MVP) Joel Embiid (76ers/Cameroon; Nembhard/Mathurin (IND/Canada); Wiggins (MIA/Canada) RJ Barrett (TOR/Canada); Gobert (Minn/France); Sarr (Wash/France); Hartenstein (OKC/Germany); Schroder (Sac/Germany)-MVP of the FIBA World Cup); Porzingis (ATL/Latvia); Zaccharie Risacher (ATL/France) and OG Anunoby (NYK/UK/Nigeria). There are dozens of others. There are enough international players to change the format and easily field two international teams and go to a four-team tournament format with the winners of the opening round facing each other for the NBA All-Star title. The “good trouble” might just become “bad trouble” if the lone International team blows the USA club off the floor in the NBA All-Star finale. That said, as the early season games have proved-out, NBC Sports (and Peacock Network) have done a marvelous job of returning to NBA coverage with the focus squarely on the game. There are no gimmicks, no shouting halftime shows, no selling other shows or SportsCenter, no … nothing but Net. So, a one-sided all-star telecast is likely to get the same treatment, covering the best in basketball – no matter where the players come from. Here’s an example of a very recent stand-out moment from NBC’s coverage of the NBA: That was Marvelous! HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The National Basketball Retired Players Association struck a new partnership with the Harlem Globetrotters just as the Globies celebrate 100 years of basketball and entertainment excellence. The collaboration marks a new period of supporting former players and uplifting future generations.
This milestone partnership — led by Charles “Choo” Smith, Chairman of the NBRPA, Keith Dawkins, President of the Harlem Globetrotters and Herschend Entertainment Studios, and Antonio Davis, President & CEO of the NBRPA — embodies the enduring spirit of teamwork, joy, and service that has defined the Globetrotters for a century. “Being part of the Harlem Globetrotter family taught me the power of connection,” said Charles “Choo” Smith, NBRPA Chairman. “This partnership continues that legacy — bringing together generations of players to serve and inspire. It’s about unity, honoring where basketball has taken us, and using our collective platform to impact the next generation.” Antonio Davis, President & CEO of the NBRPA, added: “The Harlem Globetrotters have been cultural ambassadors and pioneers for basketball around the world. Partnering with them during their 100th anniversary is both an honor and a responsibility — one that reflects our shared mission to uplift, empower, and unite former players across every league.” Keith Dawkins, President of the Harlem Globetrotters and Herschend Entertainment Studios, echoed this sentiment: “Our Centennial season brings about the opportunity to expand our relationships across the global sport of basketball. With the NBRPA, there’s not only a shared history and commitment to our athletes but also for about where we are going in the future. From community events to special projects to our massive global tour, we are looking forward to expanding the reach, and power, of our collective efforts to garner larger audiences around the world.” As part of the new pact, the NBRPA and Harlem Globetrotters will launch a yearlong celebration highlighting the Globetrotters’ 100-year legacy, including:
The Globetrotters’ Centennial season will begin with a special event at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday, December 14. TIDBITS & NUGGETS: The MLS approved a calendar change that will align the league with popular European and other global soccer league competition. The change calls for one more season under the current format, then a switch to the new format of a Summer of ‘27 to Spring of ‘28 schedule, moving away from the current February to November calendar. To help the transition, the MLS will play a compact 14-match season in the winter and spring of 2027 before adapting to the new gig. Overall, the shift aims to align with international soccer schedules, improve player transfers, and enhance the overall quality of play. THIS JUST IN: This week Massachusetts legislators discussed several proposals that could dramatically reshape the gambling landscape in the Commonwealth. According to the Boston Globe, one such bill, state Senator John Keenan’s “Bettor Health Act,” would ban all in-game prop bets and limit sports betting advertisements during sports broadcasts. Prop bets – wagers involving the outcome of a specific play or a single player’s in-game or final-game statistics – have come under fire as NBA and Major League Baseball players currently face federal charges that they allegedly conspired with organized crime gamblers and fixed their performances. The scandals have questioned the integrity of all sports and they’ve raised questions about whether prop bets should be restricted or banned. The leagues do not control the type of wagers gambling companies offer, but they do control the flow of live statistics from the various sports’ venues to the sports books. The leagues are spending significant resources on monitoring wagering trends and spotting potential fraud and even minor idiosyncrasies. CAN’T MAKE IT UP: The Texas A&M Aggies staged their biggest comeback in school football history, but one member of their law and order team wasn’t around to witness it. Instead he might find himself on the witness stand. No. 3 ranked Texas A&M trailed unranked South Carolina 30-3 at the half, but managed a miraculous comeback to win Saturday afternoon’s game at College Station, Texas, 31-30. … A Texas trooper who had an altercation with South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor after a Gamecocks touchdown and the un-named trooper was sent home from the game, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Harbor scored on an 80-yard reception in the second quarter and ran into the end zone tunnel, limping following the score. As he and three other players were walking back to the field, the trooper walked in between Harbor and another player and bumped into them as they passed each other. The trooper and Harbor turned around and the trooper pointed at Harbor with both hands and said something to him. Harbor was quickly pushed away by his teammate and they continued to the field. The public safety department issued a statement saying the trooper was sent home. “Our Office of Inspector General is also aware of the incident and will be further looking into the matter. No additional information will be released at this time,” the statement reads. REMOTE CONTROL KRYPTONITE: At this time of year, with dozens upon dozens of college football games scattered all over the cable/streaming tv guide, there comes a time when you stumble across a listing for a vintage motion picture and the remote control seems to malfunction. It just won’t go. Not a chance in hell you can get past the listing without pressing “OK” and watching a bit. Here are a few of the all-time classics, some with great scenes, others simply guy movies or great comedies: (Listed in no order)
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TL's Sunday Sports Notes
TL’s Sport Notebook | Nov. 9th
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
CHESTNUT HILL – Here’s the text of a letter to be sent to Major League Baseball this week. It addresses the 2025 MLB season:
Commissioner Rob Manfred
The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Dear Commissioner Manfred:
I trust you’ve had a modicum of rest since the grand finale of the 2025 World Series and I hope this letter finds you, your family and your talented staff in the best of health and spirits.
Each season, you probably receive thousands of letters, e-mails and other forms of communication broaching every known topic regarding Major League Baseball and I imagine most of them are filed under the vertical of complaints. Surely, team executives, club managers and fans write to you to address perceived problems in the game, poor umpiring, rising ticket prices or to address specific issues of poor fan behavior, suggestions or disagreements regarding rule changes or to share their opinions on everything from Baseball Hall of Fame inductions to Minor League (MiLB) baseball policies.
This letter comes under an area not related to any of the previously mentioned topics. It comes to you as a message of sincere thanks and congratulations on a job well done for the recently concluded season. I honestly wonder just how few letters you receive that simply say, “Thank You,” and point out a few of the things that made this season your best, your crowning jewel of accomplishment in your tenure as the Commissioner of Baseball.
The 2025 Baseball season can be compared to the finest things life has to offer. It might equate to the very best vintage of Opus One. The season enjoyed the best finishing stanza since Eric Clapton wrote the closing instrumental for “Layla.” This season was everything a professional sport strives for in its entire existence.
Surely, there were problems. There were some bench (and bullpen) clearing brawls, some bad calls, some rained-out games, and some untimely player injuries. There were unfortunate job losses to Managers and a few players waived into the abyss of eternal free agency. There were broken bats and Baltimore chops. There were some games played in freezing cold and unbearable heat, but that’s what Mother Nature had in store for some games that began way back on March 26 and concluded on November 2.
In 2025, we lost Hall of Famers like Dave Parker and Ryne Sandberg and even the great Bob Uecker who must be in the “front row” up in heaven’s Field of Dreams. Speaking of which, I understand that the Philadelphia Phillies and the Minnesota Twins will play in Iowa next summer. Nice move, sir.
But, all of the ups and downs are somewhat out of your control as the supreme leader for professional baseball played in the United States and in Canada. You must focus on the bigger picture and sometimes look five, ten or twenty years down the baseline. With that in mind, this letter is to underline and congratulate you for the finer things in Baseball.
First, was last. Yes, the last game of the 2025 World Series was an instant classic, as were the vast majority games of the Series and the MLB postseason. Together, we witnessed the very best in Baseball, some performances of the Century, to be sure.
World Series Most Valuable Player in Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto put forth a performance in Los Angeles’ 5-4 victory in Game 7 of the World Series which surely will go down as one of the greatest pitching performances in the annals of baseball history. Not to be overlooked was his complete game, one run outing in Game 2.
Yamamoto-san’s fellow Japanese teammate, Shohei Ohtani, had an equally impressive World Series and an MLB postseason for the ages. His .333 batting average included nine hits, three homers, five RBIs and six runs scored in the seven games of the 2025 World Series. Of course, he pitched quite well and started Game 7 with the weight of Los Angeles and an entire nation on his shoulders.
While the players from Japan have been recognized, how about an all-out salute to our neighbors to the north in the Toronto Blue Jays, American League pennant winners and another team for the ages. The Blue Jays had most of Canada rooting for them and rightfully so as Montreal-born and Dominican-bred Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. was magnificent. Historians of the game could close their eyes and see tiny, four-year old Vlad, Jr. tipping his little batting helmet as his father was given a standing ovation as he stood in his No. 27 Montreal Expos uniform – a picture worth ten thousand words.. Now, it’s Vlad, Jr’s turn to soak in the applause, and he was just a few outs shy of a World Series win at home.
There were others – far too many to mention in this missive to you, dearest Commissioner – but those others aren’t just from the two World Series teams. The MLB All-Star Game had two impressive rookies in pitcher Shane Smith and shortstop Jacob Wilson. And, that James Wood of Washington is something else, isn’t he?
The rule changes adopted a season or two ago have paid off with ten times their basic value, a gamble – yes- but one that made sense and reduced overall games times to make a night out at the ballpark quite enjoyable, especially in the shrines that are Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago.
As to those locales, Pete Crow-Armstrong is entertaining the fans at Wrigley while Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony have rejuvenated the mighty Red Sox for sellout crowds at tiny Fenway. Paul Skenes looks great in Pittsburgh and Tarik Skubal is among the best pitchers the game has ever seen.
You might have some work to do out in Colorado with those Rockies, but that worry is for another day.
This is all about celebrating the present and your work during the 2025 big league season. It was magnificent.
So, on behalf of Baseball fans everywhere, from Sea (of Japan) to shining (Caribbean) Sea, and all those in between, it’s been a great 2025, crowned by a World Series that earned the tag, “Fall Classic.”. Congratulations go out to you, Commissioner, and to all your hard-working colleagues at the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball, along with the MLB Network, MLB Advanced Media, MLB.com, the MiLB and the umpires, too. Thanks for a great year.
Fully knowing you have club owners’ and GMs’ meetings, the annual Winter Meetings and plenty of other things to attend to before Pitchers and Catchers report on or about February 11, 2026 and the World Baseball Classic will be staged once again next spring, I hope you can take a short break and relax. But, your planned retirement, circled for January 2029, will come around faster than you think, so enjoy – maybe treasure – the remaining days of your service to the game of baseball. Ride the high wave of 2025 to even greater heights in 2026 with the winds of appreciative fans breezing behind you until you choose to sail toward the sunset.
Sincerely,
A Fan
cc: Gary B. Bettman (NHL); Roger Goodell (NFL) and Adam Silver (NBA)
bcc: Mark Walter, Chairman of MLB club owners
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: After a total debacle with their partnership with Barstool Sports, PENN Gaming now has folded the deck in the midst of a $2 billion deal with ESPN. Earlier this week, PENN made two timed announcements before the markets opened Thursday morning.
First: PENN Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) (“PENN”) and ESPN announced that they have mutually agreed upon the early termination of their exclusive U.S. online sports betting (“OSB”) agreement, effective December 1, 2025.
Under the terms of the original commercial agreement, announced in August 2023, ESPN agreed to provide PENN with media, marketing services and the exclusive right to the ESPN BET trademark for OSB in the United States in exchange for $150 million per year in cash payments to ESPN and warrants to purchase common stock of PENN. The agreement had an initial term of 10 years, with the right for either party to terminate the agreement after the third year if specific market share performance thresholds were not met.
“When we first announced our partnership with ESPN, both sides made it clear that we expected to compete for a podium position in the space,” said Jay Snowden, CEO and President of PENN Entertainment. “Although we made significant progress in improving our product offering and building a cohesive ecosystem with ESPN, we have mutually and amicably agreed to wind down our collaboration. We plan to refocus our digital strategy on our growing iCasino business, while continuing to capitalize on our omnichannel advantage as the nation’s leading regional retail casino operator.”
Snowden continued, “Looking ahead, we plan to rebrand our OSB offering in the U.S. to theScore Bet®, with a target date of December 1, 2025 to coincide with the expected launch of sports betting in Missouri, subject to regulatory approvals. We currently operate theScore Bet brand in Ontario, Canada.
The termination cut the losses to $450 million, according to reported terms of the deal.
Upon completion of PENN’s deal with Barstool, Snowden oversaw the sale of the Barstool deal back to Barstool head honcho Dave Portnoy for a grand total of $1.00 a few years after the $380 million PENN acquisition of Barstool in 2020. That’s $387,999,999 down the drain.
Secondly: ESPN PR issued this news release, stating: ESPN and Draft Kings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) (“Draft Kings”) announced an agreement, naming Draft Kings the exclusive Official Sportsbook and odds provider of ESPN, effective December 1, 2025. This agreement, which unites two of the most iconic brands in sports, will deliver fans premium sports betting content and experiences.
Beginning in December 2025, Draft Kings entertainment products will be exclusively integrated across ESPN’s ecosystem with a full rollout expected in 2026. Fans will be able to enjoy betting features and access to offerings including DraftKings’ sportsbook, daily fantasy, and Draft Kings Pick 6 at launch.
Together, Draft Kings and ESPN will collaborate to advance their shared commitment to responsible gaming, by dedicating prominent assets to educate, raise customer awareness and promote responsible play through campaigns and integrations.
“Our betting approach has focused on offering an integrated experience within our products,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN. “Working with Draft Kings, a leader in the space, will allow us to build upon that foundation, continue to super-serve passionate sports fans and grow our ESPN direct-to-consumer business. We are excited about this new collaboration with Draft Kings.”
Draft Kings will also play a major role across ESPN’s digital platforms. Draft Kings will power the betting tab within the ESPN app and their customers will receive special promotions for ESPN Unlimited, ESPN’s newly launched direct-to-consumer product.
“ESPN’s unmatched visibility across the world of sports make this collaboration a natural fit,” said Jason Robins, CEO and Co-Founder of DraftKings. “As an innovative leader in digital sports entertainment, DraftKings is uniquely positioned to integrate our technology and products with ESPN’s iconic brand and storytelling power. Together, we’re delivering a seamless, engaging, and responsible experience that elevates how fans connect with live sports.”
Put together, ESPN will not skip a beat, or even a Bad Beat.
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: A few random thoughts and items from the notebook … A strong opinion – besides the headline grabbing gambling scandal that rocked the start of the NBA regular season – the NBC Sports/Peacock broadcasts (and studio shows) have been terrific. What a novel idea: Focusing on the game at hand and the league/basketball news. Amazing how that works so well. It’s certainly better than Stephen A. Smith and Ben Stiller’s blabber/non-X and O/fan/rah, rah approach witnessed last year from Madison Square Garden. … I’d love to see Stephen A. come back down to eaarth and play it straight alongside an accomplished coach. … Amazon Prime doing quite well, but admittedly, I find my viewing habits much more on the FIOS cable side, rather than switching over to the streaming side of the screen. … It was great to see Ernie, Chuck, Kenny and Shaq back in action. … Underdog, too. … On the music side, circle December 12-13 in Providence, Rhode Island for Goosemas 2025.
On Friday, the NCAA announced xix former men’s college basketball players at three schools — New Orleans, Mississippi Valley State and Arizona State — participated in gambling schemes that included game manipulation or sharing information with known bettors, according to informed sources. … Two cents? Beware of the Mid-Majors with this issue.
Aryna Sabalenka, the top-ranked women’s tennis player in the world will play and exhibition against former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios in a “Battle of the Sexes” match in Dubai on December 28th. It’s not exactly Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs, but it should be fun. The match will be staged at the 17,000-seat Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai (UAE). Both Sabalenka and Kyrgios will be featured in an exhibition at New York’s Madison Square Garden on December 8 but not against each other: Sabalenka will play Naomi Osaka and Kyrgios will face Tommy Paul.
WHEELS UP: The Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators will depart their respective cities for a pair of regular-season games at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, scheduled on November 14 and November 16. The clubs will begin practices on Tuesday, November 11th. The 2025 NHL Global Series will mark the 15th NHL season to include regular-season games outside North America. The event marks the league’s return to Sweden and is a pillar of the NHL’s continued international focus, following the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off. The two games featuring the Penguins and Predators will mark the 17th and 18th games played in Stockholm, which has hosted more NHL regular-season games than any other city outside of North America. The games will be covered for TV locally and via the NHL Network.
TIDBITS & NUGGETS: In preparation for a special THANKSGIVING column, I encourage our legions of readers to post a comment/note or to Direct Message your roving reporter with a “Favorite Thing” or something you are especially Thankful for this year. Indicate if you’d like your name used or not. The Sunday Notes of November 23rd will be dedicated to Thanksgiving while the November 30th column will be a hodgepodge of notes and observations from my personal Thanksgiving Week (Nov. 24-29th). We’ll see if it is just a few notes or if it merits timeline. One note on that: The apple wood chips have already been purchased for the all day smoking of two birds.
More to come on Thanksgiving, so send in your faves.
THE BEATLES: Did you know that on this date (November 9) in 1961 Brian Epstein travelled to The Cavern Club in Hamburg, Germany to see The Beatles play for the very first time. It would take several more trips before Epstein and the lads would agree to have Epstein manage the band which he did until his death in 1967. Coincidentally, on November 9, 1966, Beatles great guitarist and song writer, the late John Lennon, met Yoko Ono for the first time. Lennon’s future wife was showing of her work at the Indica Art Gallery in London and she supposedly didn’t know who Lennon was at the time. The two wouldn’t “come together” until 1968.
THIS JUST IN a.k.a. the BUTT FUMBLE? Former New York J-E-T-S quarterback Mark Sanchez will not return to the Fox Sports analyst both as the former NFLer faces a trial stemming from his alleged attack on a truck driver last month. “We can confirm that Mark Sanchez is no longer with the network. There will be no further comment at this time,” a Fox Sports spokesperson said Friday.
Sanchez had been off the air since the October 4 dust-up at the Westin Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Sanchez was in Indy for the NFL game between the Colts and Las Vegas Raiders when he confronted a truck delivery man before allegedly attacking and injuring him.
Sanchez was stabbed in the chest in the incident and he spent a week in an Indiana hospital. The trucker, who claimed self-defense and has not been charged, is suing Sanchez and Fox Sports for unspecified damages.
To replace Sanchez, Fox hired Super Bowl-winning quarterback Drew Brees.
TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct 12
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
BOSTON – This weekend, “Dateline Boston” is a short 6,680 miles away from last week’s “Dateline Abu Dhabi” attention grabber across the top of WWYI, and the adventure flew by in five fun-filled, exhilarating, inspirational days. Five days of the way life is supposed to be lived when you’ve been chasing a ball around the world since 1980 (and before, as a young player, rather than an NBA executive). I must admit, your columnist was a bit rusty in the category of worldwide travel for basketball events.
From the Fall of 1985 until the Beijing Summer Olympics, there were trips to NBA events like Basketball w/o Borders, McDonald’s Opens/Championships, NBA China Games, NBA Japan Games, NBA London Games, NBA Live events, EuroLeague Final Fours, USA Basketball qualifiers, FIBA World Cups, initially known to us asWorld Championships of Basketball (WCOB), and the Olympic Games, of course. You name it, we did it. Occasionally, we even tucked-in a vacation to a cool place.
As they say in TV buzzword land, “there was a lot to unpack from the trip to Abu Dhabi (UAE),” and it wasn’t just the gold medals, international gifts, and take-home merch from friends of U-17 tournament winner Turkey.
After seeing the NBA international preseason games, featuring the New York Knickerbockers and Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi, the main take away was a simple thought – one born decades ago when the advertising firm of Goodby-Berlin visited the NBA headquarters at Olympic Tower in New York’s Rockefeller Center.
My thought? “Man, do I love this game, as in “I Love This Game.”
It’s been mentioned here once before, but the NBA tagline of “I Love This Game” was replacing the all-time favorite of “NBA Action, It’s Fan-tastic!” Both were two of the greatest promotional campaigns in sports – maybe even advertising history. An entire generation of fans grew up running to their TVs to see the highlight-driven campaign with a new celebrity endorsement concluding each spot.
“I Love This Game” came up after about eight ad agencies presented everything they could possibly conjure up in terms of research and creative to for the maturing NBA brand. From Saatchi & Saatchi to the top ad firms of Britain to Donny Deutsch, with all the principals in the room along with their top lieutenants, they all struck out, presenting absolutely nothing that resonated with a chosen few to take-in the eight presentations over two days.
Upon conclusion of the final presentation by Goodby-Berlin of San Francisco’s (then Goodby-Berlin-Silverstein), Andy Berlin – in total frustration and fully knowing his presentation went up in flames – pivoted and simply exclaimed, “I JUST wish I knew why you guys LOVE the GAME so much?”
Bingo!
Rick Welts, then the President of NBA Properties, stopped in his tracks and shouted across the room – in glee – “That’s It! – I Love This Game.”
For the record, there were a good handful of women in the room where it happened, including Judy Shoemaker, a marketer who had cut her teeth with McDonald’s out in Oakbrook, Illinois and Paula Hanson, the head of NBA Team Services who had become a world class info machine and secret sauce concoctor for the selling of tickets to a sold-out McNichols Arena for Denver Nuggets games in the ABA and NBA.
That was it.
Never have so few words described exactly what we were selling to sports fans and casual non-sports fans. People all around the world loved the game of basketball. Both men and women, boys and girls all played the game, and, pretty much, knew the rules. Put the ball in the hoop on one end, and do your best to stop your opponent from scoring on the other end. Welts knew in an instant that we had the phrase we were looking for, one that would tag each commercial spot for TV, but would also stand-up as artwork for print ads, pop-up boards at the NBA Store or at events. It also was wide-open territory for the NBA teams to use as they pleased, along with the wide-ranging “NBA Cares” moniker which would tag every single community relations department event, of which there were plenty, and they were growing exponentially as the NBA league office staffed up.
The simple description of “I Love This Game” also worked internationally. Yes, it could easily be translated, but the word “Love” was known and used globally, maybe thanks to The Beatles and “All You Need is Love,” many decades earlier.”
The catch phrase brought out the basic truth, too.
Players, coaches, referees, front office workers, and the fans just loved the game. And, there were a growing number of USA and global media who felt the same way. They had earned their way to the NBA Beat, sometimes by default as more senior media members hadn’t caught the bullet train the NBA was about to become.
Plus, “it was just cool” to cover the league. We were young and hip (that used to be a cool word for “with it”). The players were internationally known, world class athletes but they also played cool and were dressed even cooler off the court – whether it was New York Knicks legend Walt “Clyde” Frazier calling games in a leopard suit and tie, Michael Jordan dressed impeccably in a perfectly tailored suit at his post-game interview, or even Allen Iverson pushing the latest sports memorabilia with a NY Yankees cap and baggy jeans, the latest of styles in decades of the NBA players being, playing, and dressing in an authentic way.
Yes, when it went to the extremes (picture Dennis Rodman in a wedding dress on 5th Avenue in New York, autographing his latest book), the NBA had to rein it in a bit, but the players adjusted quite quickly and nicely – becoming walking fashion campaigns for Nike, Adidas, etc., while making the “arena arrival” shots among the most interesting television moments.
One personal anecdote happened one day when a one-hour interview was set up for British media legend Ian Whittell, who had met then-Commissioner David Stern many times, but this would be their first formal sit-down for The Times (UK). Upon Whittell’s arrival, which was the first time he ever visited the Olympic Tower, I just happened to be listening to Nirvana’s new “Unplugged” album, an all-timer.
Suffice it to say, Whittell hadn’t visited a stodgy British or FIFA futball executive with the PR guys pushing a Nirvana CD to the limits of acceptable volume in a business office. Little did I know at the time, but it made an impression.
As the galaxy and its stars combined in ’92 and thereafter, the talent grew in unimaginable ways, and from Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria to USA), to dozens of other MVP-level players (Steve Nash-Canada), Dirk Nowitzki-Germany, Tony Parker-France, Tim Duncan-USVI), to Yao Ming of Shanghai, China – the ball kept bouncing to new heights.
Enter Victor Wembanyama (France), Zaccharie Risacher (France), Deandre Ayton (Bahamas), Ben Simmons (Australia) and a handful of other non-Number One picks, like league MVPs, Nikola Jokić of Serbia and “Shai” (Shaivonte Aician) Gilgeous-Alexander of Canada, and you’re fielding an All-Star team.
Just this Saturday morning, upon turning on the TV to CNN World News, up popped Shawn Marion, former All-Star and triple-double machine of the Phoenix, dressed sharply and doing an interview about his experiences in Macau (China) where the Brooklyn Nets are facing Marion’s Phoenix Suns in a pair of sold-out exhibition games. (Suns 132-127 in OT in Game 1; while Game 2 is 7:00am ET Oct. 12 – see NBA.com for info).
When you tie it all together with a big bow, one that circles the circumference of the Earth, the sport of basketball travels quite nicely, and it’s enjoyed all over the globe by like-minded people.
All you need is an open mind, a competitive spirit, and the love of the game.
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: It’s 10 days until Opening Night for the hometown Boston Celtics. In recent days, there’s been talk of miraculous progress on All-Star wing Jayson Tatum’s recovery from the Achilles’ injury he suffered last spring during the NBA Playoffs. Tatum encouraged a lot of this fever when he posted a social media video of his workout, complete with a dunk.
A torn Achilles’ tendon is one of the most devastating injuries a basketball player can suffer, and for an NBA player to recover to play again at such a high level, the rehabilitation process is a long and strenuous process which usually takes a full year before players can run and jump.
Tatum is only 27 years old and in tip-top condition, so his body could be healing at warp speed. His medical care, having immediate surgery and subsequent world class medical advice and therapy sessions, has obviously provided a substantial effort towards his ultimate return to NBA play. It could still take many months, but there’s hope in Boston that Tatum might return to playoff action, if the Celtics can hold on and qualify.
Early returns show the NBA’s Eastern Conference to be a showdown between the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and the Orlando Magic as frontrunners. Detroit and Atlanta could surprise.
In the West, it’s tough to pick anyone other than the defending NBA champion OKC Thunder. If forced to pick ‘possibles,’ it would fall to the Denver Nuggets. The rest of the West remains a very tough “out” as they say, with the Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets all very good basketball teams. The rest will fight it out for playoff qualification.
By the way, in the NHL, it looks like the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are still the team to beat, despite a couple injuries to key players like center Aleksander Barkov (knee) and forward Matthew Tkachuk expected to be sidelined until December while he recovers from offseason surgery to correct a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.
After that, you can never count out the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes.
In the West, look for Edmonton Oilers to make their way back to the Final, while the Vegas Knights, Dallas Stars, and Colorado Avalanche all deserve mention.
TID-BITS AND NUGGETS: The Boston Bruins opened 2-0, a bit of a surprise considering full speculation the ice hockey club would be in rebuilding year or two after failing to make the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2014-15 and 2015-16. Top notch goalkeeping by 26-year old Jeremy Swayman and 31-year old backup, Joonas Korpisalo of Finland, will be the difference maker (or not). … NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said there’s a good chance the league might celebrate the 20th anniversary of its annual Winter Classic in the place where the outdoor event first launched – Orchard Park, New York. That was a jaw-dropper as snow flakes fell, and all of a sudden every TV viewer from Buffalo to Montreal to Detroit and Boston nostalgically recalled their days skating on iced-over ponds, shoveled for hockey games.
“I’m not making an announcement or committing to it, but we’re kind of focused on whether or not we can do it around the 20th anniversary of the original Winter Classic,” Bettman said while meeting the press at the Sabres’ season opener in Buffalo. A 2028 game could be played at the new Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, a major step forward for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills franchise but ample reason to mark the January 1, 2008 (20-year) anniversary come 2028. A new venue would mark significant improvement over the old relic, Ralph Wilson Stadium in the Buff.
THIS JEST IN: Banana Ball continues to grow. The famed Savannah Bananas remain the benchmark for the barnstorming style of rollicking entertainment (see Harlem Globetrotters for hoops), but earlier this week, founder Jessie Cole announced more growth for his brand of fan-friendly, whacky baseball.
Cole said the Savannah Bananas will be joined by five teams in a new league in 2026, and the club scheduled appearances in 75 stadiums in 45 states. Cole said Banana Ball drew 2.2 million fans in 2025 and he hopes that number grows to 3.3 million in 2026. That’s 3.3 million inflatable yellow bananas sold to adoring fans everywhere.
YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: Professional tennis player Goncalo Oliveira claimed a kiss caused a positive methamphetamine drug test, which resulted in his being suspended for four years by the International Tennis Integrity Agency this week.
Oliveira, who represents Venezuela, was provisionally suspended in January following a positive test in November 2024 while competing at the ATP Challenger event in Manzanillo, Mexico. Both his A and B samples contained the banned substance.
The Portuguese-born player denied taking the drug and made his kiss-and-tell argument at a hearing with an independent tribunal, which decided Oliveira couldn’t prove the drug’s presence was unintentional. Oliveria received credit for time served from his provisional suspension, meaning he will be eligible to compete professionally again on Jan. 16, 2029
SPORTS BIZ: J-E-T-S … Ireland, Ireland, Ireland: (Staff note from Official News Release) – Prior to the New York Jets’ NFL international game against the Broncos in London this weekend, the New Yorkers announced new United Kingdom-based partnerships with Helix Wireless, Hershey’s, and Topman. The team’s newest international sponsors will be joined in Britain by existing partners: Avery Dennison, Choose NJ, Nike, and Visa, bringing an extensive lineup of activations and programming that can be enjoyed by fans this week for the regular season NFL game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Oct. 12.
“We’re proud to expand our partnership with Helix Wireless as they join us in London, building on their impactful presence in the U.S.,” said Jeff Fernandez, Senior Vice President of Business Development + Ventures for the New York Jets. “Alongside Hershey’s and Topman, and in collaboration with our existing global partners, this dynamic lineup will deliver an unforgettable week of fan engagement and celebration leading into our game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.”
Helix Wireless will join the Jets across the pond as the presenting partner of Touchdown Tailgate, an all-encompassing fan experience full of activations, giveaways, games, food, music, and merchandise at Vinegar Yard on Saturday, Oct. 11.
- Helix Wireless will be visible on player uniforms with a Practice Jersey Patch, which will be worn throughout the week at the team’s training grounds to be showcased at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with exclusive video board features.Helix Wireless is also a US market partner.
- Hershey’s and Topman will also be a part of the Jets UK sponsorship lineup as supporting partners of Touchdown Tailgate. Hershey’s will host an activation consisting of Reese’s-themed games, prizes, and product giveaways.
- Topman will be rolling out a Green Carpet and double-decker bus at Touchdown Tailgate, where fans can take part in a one-of-a-kind photo opportunity.
- Both partners will be highlighted on the team’s social media channels.
As a part of its continuing partnership with the New York Jets, Nike will join Hershey’s and Topman as supporting partners of Touchdown Tailgate.
- Nike will host a live customization activation where a local artist will paint one-of-a-kind Jets pieces on Nike Air Force 1s, which will be raffled off to lucky winners during NYJ events.
- Nike will provide championship rings to three-time Jets NFL Girls Flag League champions Ealing Fields. The rings will be presented to the team by Jets Legends at Touchdown Tailgate, before they are honored on-field at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the Jets game against the Broncos the next day.
SISTER JEAN, 106: October 9 (the birthday of The Beatles’ John Lennon) was a sad day in the world of American sports. The announcement by Loyola-Chicago said it all:
“A life of faith, service, and basketball. Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM, a beloved icon of Loyola University Chicago for more than six decades and a member of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary since 1937, passed away on October 9, 2025 at the age of 106. Celebrated worldwide for her infectious smile, quick wit, and basketball acumen, Sister Jean — as she was affectionately known to friends far and wide — was universally adored and touched the lives of countless people throughout her lengthy tenure at Loyola and her incredible life.”
Dateline | Abu Dhabi
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
ABU DHABI – Greetings from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The city is hosting a pair of NBA Preeason games between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers. Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the UAE, and the largest and most populated of the seven emirates. It is quite an amazing place.
Is it hot? Yes, like Las Vegas during the prime heat of the NBA Summer League (July) or USA Basketball training (August), but it doesn’t have the “strip.” It does have the Grand Mosque, one of the most spectacular sights ever seen. Photos do not do it justice.
Here’s an attempt to help set the scene:
While the Knicks vs. 76ers game was certainly the marquee event of the trip, as with most NBA international preseason games, there is a whole other ancillary program working all around the games. Here in Abu Dhabi, there’s:
- The NBA Experience – It used to be called “Jam Session”
- NBA House – The highlight of the NBA Experience
- NBA Store – Great, 5th Avenue-like NBA Store in nicest Mall ever
- NBA Basketball School – Tournament
The NBA Basketball School tournament is HUGE. It’s run at three venues, all world class level training facilities with multiple courts, one of which is on site at New York University (NYU)’s Abu Dhabi campus. There are competitors at the U-15 and U-17 levels for both boys/young men and girls/young women. There are teams from all over the world: Australia, Dubai, India, Poland, Italy, Lebanon and a “combo” Europe team. There’s also start-up NBA Basketball Schools here – without team – all learning from the experience for future beginnings, and that includes a great program that just began last week in Tiblisi, Georgia (former USSR). Tbilisi is near and dear to this writer’s heart as it was one of three cities (Moscow, Tbilisi and Vilnius (Lithuania) the Atlanta Hawks toured in 1988, but that is a column for another day (the stories are endless).
The reason your roving reporter/columnist is here this week is to assist/advise NBA Basketball School – Türkiye, via a very longterm relationship born on the basketball court at the 2002 FIBA Worlds in Indianapolis (Türkiye played quite well, the USA did not). That tournament was sponsored by Turkish Airlines and that airline later became the title sponsor for EuroLeague Basketball.
My friend and contact is Devrim KIVANÇ who coaches basketball for many, many years and then started his own “MVP” camps for youth. It is quite a successul program, based mostly in Istanbul – a city that is even more amazing that Abu Dhabi, and that’s a pretty serious statement.
Coach Devrim also ran some great camps in conjunction with the Philadelphia 76ers going back a decade but it came to an end because of COVID-19 and trouble getting USA visas for students/campers. Coach Devrim and I have been working with the NBA to plan for an NBA Basketball School to begin in Istanbul very soon. More to come on that.
Team Boxscores: (surf around on “other games, too) —> HERE
This column is being written anout 60 … countdown to 45 minutes before a scheduled Team Türkiye meeting (5:00pm Saturday) in advance of a 5:30pm team bus to compete in the championship/Finals of the event.
To that end, the U-17 team (4-0) – the players are playing together for the very first time. They’ve run a fluid offense, played hard with a tough defense and have the results to prove it. The good news was winning games – the bad new, the event schedule called for the U-17 Finals to be held at 7:00pm tonight, the same time of Game 2 of the Knicks vs 76ers gme at Etihad Arena – a great facility in which the NBA has played multiple years and USA Basketball played leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics. It’s great, and thankfully VERY well air conditioned.
Time zone differences, time constraints pre-game and post game will not allow for While We’re Young (Ideas) to report the results of the tournament, but this is the important part:
Every team of the NBA Basketball School program has already won. In fact, they’ve all won – Gold, Silver and Bronze in the most important aspects of such an experience. I’ll rattle off just a few of an endless list, and I’ll do it via stream of consciousness.
Here we go:
- The experience of playing ball, working within a team structure and learning the key life lessons that basketball can bring to the youth of the world has been accomplished in ways I couldn’t even dream of in 1980 when I started at the NBA in New York. I couldn’t even dream of it post-1992 when the Dream Team captured the world’s imagination and allowed athletes from all over the world to experience the very best the NBA had to offer. Post 1992, the NBA hit a springboard for global growth, and I was asked to switch from NBA Media Relations to International Communications, beginning in February of 1993.
- The players from each country were given ample time to interact with each other and learn even more about different nations and cultures. That was the best take-away from this event.
- The NBA has created an unbelievable program and its “back of the house” is so well planned, produced and offered to potential new schools (and the existing ones, of course) and it includes handbooks and software programs to allow for cohesive sign-ups, communications and sharing of information primarily for the individual camp, but also to share with the league and the other schools. In the biz world, they call it “Best Practices.”
- The teams/players getting to see the NBA game was probably a “once in a lifetime” experience for the players. Although preseason games can be a bit rough around the edges on the front end of October (they’re quite better when we used to take Texas teams to Mexico City on – say – October 30/31), the spectacle of an NBA game, music/game operations, dance teams, mascots and all the ancillary programming is quite amazing for the kids – and the adults.
- (Side note) – It wasn’t until I sat down in the arena with a “premo” center court seat that I realized it was the first NBA international preseason game I ever attended when I could sit in the stands and have fun (rather than be working and worried about every second and every activity – including my No. 1 concern back then – NO INJURIES, please). PS: The cold Amstel Light wasn;t bad, either.
- The competition was very good, pretty high level and well coached. The traveling parties from all the different countries operated like pro-level event companies. The players were polite and respected each other and their chaperones.
- A good handful- especially from Australia – travlled with parents of the players who all shared the unbelievable experience. We had a small handful of parents for Türkiye, but actually are doing a conference call with the parents as a surprise “pre-game motivational talk” for the guys at the meeting – now only 20 minutes away.
- I could list another 100 things, but will stop now because of the fact, it’s time to freshen up, get the game face on, grab my pass (I always hung my credentials on my hotel room door knob or door lock during my days with USA Basketball at the Olympics so I’d never forget the pass), and I’ve been doing it here – a HUGE throwback in my mind’s eyes to the Olympics and 120+ international preseason games I worked between 1985 and 2008.
- It’s GAME TIME!
HERE NOW … No MORE NOTES!
We’ll be back next week wit your regularly scheduled programming.
Go Türkiye. 🇹🇷
This event has been one of those “pinch me!” Is this actually happening – moments of my life and I hope I’ve shared just a small glimpse of that experience with you.
TL’s Sunday Sports Column | Sept 29
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
OLD BETHPAGE – The datelines read “FARMINGDALE” but the Bethpage State Park I grew up alongside was in Old Bethpage, New York – one of Long Island’s smaller towns. Old Bethpage was so old …
How old was it?
It was so old that Old Bethpage had a Village Restoration Museum and its records show that the USA Ryder Cup team of 1636 lost to England, 18 1/2 to 9 1/2. We kid, we kid – it was actually England, 11-1 as it wasn’t until 1961 when the number of points available doubled from 12 to 24.
Back in Revolutionary War times, the biggest battle of ‘em all was “The Battle of Long Island” which was fought August 27, 1776, just a little bit more than a month after the USA declared its independence day of July 4, 1776.
Yes, you have to go pretty far back to find a US victory.
Now, why all the gloom and doom. This column is being written after Europe shredded Team USA on Day 1, 5 1/2 to 2 1/2, and then concluded the Saturday morning matches much to the same tune. At publication time, the USA trailed Europe, 8 1/2 to 3 1/2 with the afternoon matches teeing off just as Notre Dame was playing Arkansas (ND 56-13 winners) and a few hours before Cal took on the local Boston College team (Cal won, 28-24).
*Upon further review in the 8 o’clock hour, the European lead over the USA was of record proportions, a la the largest lead going into Sunday singles under the current format that dates to 1979.
ABC sports television commentator Al Michaels once exclaimed, “Do you believe in MIRACLES?” Well, yes we do, but the trouncing Europe has given the USA over the first sets of matches in the 2025 Ryder Cup makes it very difficult to think our man and team captain, Keegan Bradley, can orchestrate a comeback.
It’s not unprecedented, as the 1999 “Battle of Brookline” at The Country Country Club in Massachusetts proved. The USA trailed Europe, 10-6, heading into the Sunday final round of singles. The United States battled back and won the first six matches of the day, then went on to win 14 1/2 to 13 1/2 when American Justin Leonard holed a 45-footer which was followed by Spain’s José María Olazábal miss from 22 feet which halved the hole and gave the USA it’s remarkable win. However, there’s a considerable difference between 10-6 and 11 1/2 to 4 1/2.
If there’s a miracle to be had, think of the day the New England Patriots trailed the Atlanta Falcons by the score of 28-3 in Super Bowl LI (SB-51 in 2017), only to come back and win, 34-28, in overtime, and cement the legacy of QB Tom Brady as the Greatest NFL QB of All-Time.
Although the NBA’s Michael Jordan is roaming the fairways at Bethpage Black, Tom Brady will not, so the USA might need Brady, Bill Belichick and even James White to comeback on Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm.
Some of you will be reading this late Saturday night and others early on Sunday morning. The Ryder Cup singles matches begin at 12:01pm (ET), so we’ll all see if there’s a new “Miracle Mile” to be constructed on Long Island and that is highly unlikely given the 11 1/2 to 4 1/2 whooping the Europeans handed the Amerks over the Friday-Saturday span.
Column contributor, the Marvelous T, looked out his backyard window with Bethpage State Park in sight, and came up with this:
“The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the American Twelve today
The score stood 11.5 to almost nothing with but one more day to play
And when Henley slumped at the First, then Cantlay did the same
A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons at Bethpage
Then from eighty thousand throats and more there rose a raucous yell;
It rumbled through the Island breeze, it rattled in Farmingdale;
It knocked upon Garden City, and recoiled upon Cliffs of Sea,
For Scottie, mighty Scottie, was advancing to Bethpage’s tee
“Fore” cried the maddened thousands, and Echo answered Rough;
But one scornful look from Scottie and the audience was Fluff,
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Mighty Scottie couldn’t let a match go down again.
Oh, somewhere in this favored island, the sun is shining bright;
The Band is playing somewhere, and in Montauk hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there’s no joy in thee Island Trees, as Mighty Rory just holed out.”
– Apologies to Ernest Thayer
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: All of the scuttlebutt about Bethpage Black and Bethpage State Park, in general, brings back a lot of memories, mostly from the 1960s and ‘70s when we were growing up on Long Island.
The State Park was a bicycle ride away, even with a set of golf clubs draped over your shoulders. Bethpage Black was – pretty much – forbidden territory. It was just too difficult and would cost an amateur golfer about 36 lost golf balls, at the least. But the great thing about Bethpage was the fact the public golf courses numbered – FIVE! Yes, five golf courses, all color coded, almost like the seats at Madison Square Garden. Without looking it up, I’ll review:
- Yellow – The Yellow Course was the easiest of the five and one we played often.
- Green – I enjoyed playing the “Green” the most as it was medium-easy but played to a lefty’s slice. The greens and aprons were well kept and a short chip-in with a 7-iron was my specialty.
- Blue – The “Blue” was a bit longer and more difficult as it include a ton of trees and some hills. The course could east up lost balls, many under pine cones and needles.
- Red – The “Red” was long and pretty tough. Hit a chipmunk and you won! There were chipmunks and squirrels everywhere you looked.
- “The Black” – It was only with neighbor, we’ll call him, Ernie, when we were allowed to accompany the scratch golfer and friend of the starter for a late afternoon round, often just nine holes. It was Ernie who taught us, “The Ernie Explosive,” a technique to easily remove a golf ball from one of the zillions of sand traps (bunkers) protecting every green in Bethpage like a Doberman would protect his family.
The “Ernie Explosive” combined with the “best golf tip I’ve ever heard,” made escaping from sand traps as easy as baking a cake in an “Easy Bake Oven.” Ernie’s advice was to choke up a bit on your sand wedge, with a very firm grip. Then to take some sand and follow through completely. Pretty simple.
Part two – the best tip ever (from Golf Magazine) – was to use Ernie’s exact philosophy but to picture taking a slice out of the sand – the width and shape of a $1 bill – slicing it out directly under the ball in the sand. That vision along with “Ernie’s Explosive” made for the perfect mental and physical combination to hit highly successful and very accurate wedge shots from the sand – worry free – not matter how big or deep the trap might be.
Good old Ernie.
TIDBITS & NUGGETS: An hour or so after watching Cal defeat BC in person at a highly entertaining, yet disappointing game for hometown BC fans, the television was turned on to the Alabama at Georgia SEC game. … The reaction? … It’s two different sports. The same goes for Ohio State, Penn State and “The “U” of Miami, Florida, amongst a handful of others. … The size of the players alone put the SEC, the BIG TEN and the upper echelon of the ACC in another category.
THE GREATEST RUSHING OF THE FIELD: “Without regard to human life!”
Says NBA broadcaster Kevin Harlan, quoting his Dad, “If you wake up every morning and your feet hit the ground and you’re excited about your day, that’s what – I found out what it was!”
September 28: Today marks 25 years since the Quarterfinals of the men’s basketball tournament at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The USA defeated Russia 85-70 in that round. Lithuania knocked off the former Yugoslavian Republic, 76-63, to set up the epic Semifinal match of September 29th. Click for the complete bracket: HERE
Reminder: Your NFL Sunday kicks-off early (9:30am ET) as Minnesota will face Pittsburgh at Croke Field in Dublin, Ireland.
THIS JEST IN: The WNBA suspended Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve for Game 4 of the semifinal series against the Phoenix Mercury. Reeve was ejected during the final minute of Minny’s 84-76 loss to the Mercury in Game 3 on Friday night and she then unloaded on the game officials in a post game press conference.
“Her conduct and comments included aggressively pursuing and verbally abusing a game official on the court, failure to leave the court in a timely manner upon her ejection with 21.8 seconds to play in the fourth quarter, inappropriate comments made to fans when exiting the court and remarks made in a post-game press conference,” said the WNBA’s statement.
TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Sept 21
While We’re Young (Ideas) | The 25th Anniversary of the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympic Games and Vince Carter’s Dunk
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
BOSTON – This Thursday, it will be a solid 13,148,730 minutes since the baddest dunk of ‘em all. The date was September 25, 2000 and the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics were scheduled rather late to catch the very beginning of the warm weather Down Under.
That’s 9,131 days or 1,304 weeks and three days, but it seems like yesterday.
Let me tell you, those 13,148,730 moments have been so dear, but how do you measure – measure 25 years?
In Summer Olympics, it’s been Sydney-to-Athens-to-Beijing-to-London-to Rio-to take a little break-to Tokyo, and then it was on to Paris.
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee?
How about men’s Olympic team coaches?
From Rudy Tomjanovich-to-Larry Brown-to-Mike Krzyzewski-to-Mike Krzyzewski-to-Mike Krzyzewski-to-Gregg Popovich-to-Steve Kerr.
That’s a lot of miles and a lot of basketball, especially when you add in the friendlies and the qualifiers. This columnists worked 1984 and ‘88 on USA soil, helping prep the “college guys” with short summer tours within the US vs. a hodge hodge group of NBA players in the various locales. It was fun.
From 1992 in Barcelona to ‘96 in Atlanta to 2000 in Sydney to 2004 in Athens I was on the team bus for the whole ride. (If you want, add the ‘94 Worlds in Toronto, a skip of the ‘98 Worlds in Greece as Patrick Ewing, super-agent David Falk and a group of other high-ranking player agents held the USA men’s senior team hostage for unrelated NBA labor stoppage reasons, then the continuation in 2002 in Indianapolis and even 2006 in Sapporo and Saitama, Japan.
Back on Olympic time, I waved good-bye to the USA Basketball contingent when they departed Las Vegas for Beijing in ‘08 but re-joined the group on USA soil when we announced the team and prepped for Rio in ‘16. I remember that summer well. I welcomed and enjoyed the reunion with the team, but my MacBook Pro did not, but that’s another story.
Let’s get back to Sydney and the current 25-year anniversary of the Summer Olympic Games that I believe were the best. That means the best in my opinion of my personal experience.
Sydney was fan-tastic. The weather, the organizing committee, the venues, the transportation, the crowds, and the vibe. The USA results weren’t bad either, as we brought home the gold in both men’s and women’s basketball against tough competition on the other side of the world.
We stayed out in the ‘burbs – in Parramatta – a town 24 kilometers (about 15 miles) outside of Sydney. Let’s call it the “Astoria, Queens” of Sydney. Great little town and a nice, secure commuter-type hotel we called home. Reserve forward Vin Baker BBQ’d for us, the Canadian TV crews welcomed us at their Outback Steakhouse looking watering hole. The VB and Crown beers were cold and there was not a sight of a Foster’s (Australian for Beer) anywhere to be seen.
My bus-mates were a combination of Kevin Garnett (directly behind me), Ray Allen(directly across the aisle) and Allen Houston (directly behind Ray). What a group! KG kept us entertained, Allen Houston kept us updated on all things of historical significance and all of his day trips while Ray and his A+ personality kept us in line, and he looked out for everyone with his uncanny ability to see all and everything. That was our little crew – for about 40 days.
Most importantly, there were a bunch of great players and great people on the bus. Just focusing on the players, we had Alonzo Mourning and Antonio McDyess amongst the bigs, we had Jason Kidd (thank God) at the point, we had “The Glove,” Gary Payton to shut down any hot-shooting opponents and we had all-around ‘glue’ in Steve Smith who set the best screens (we called ‘em picks) of all-time.
At practices, we’d be sitting at the make-shift scorer’s table, doing some work and maybe charting some stats that Rudy T wanted to look at after each session, and he’d turn around – all excited – and say to us, “Watch this, watch this!” The play would run and Steve Smith would just take out the defender while standing still with a screen. It was amazing. And, if you took out a defender trying to guard Ray Allen or AllenHouston, it was an 18-20 foot lay-up for those sharp-shooters.
Over the years, I came to realize that judging by all-around skills in the international game, Jason Kidd, Ray Allen and David Robinson were the USA’s best players. Yes, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant were not of this earth in the focus and mental toughness they brought to every game they played. Steph Curry was someplace far above that at the Paris Games.
But, for this column, at this time – leading into this coming Thursday – let’s take a look at Vince Carter.
On the way to Sydney, I spent quite a bit of time with Vince – mainly in Japan where he was in serious demand for appearances and – generally, was the most popular player on the USA team. The crowds followed him and idolized him. A bit of the sensation came from Carter’s “Half Man, Half Amazing” performance at the 2000 NBA Slam-Dunk Contest in Oakland, held just a few months beforehand.
Carter was left off the nine-man roster for the 2000 Olympics and then was disappointed when USA Basketball settled on Alonzo Mourning, Grant Hill and RayAllen to fill the 10th-11th and 12th roster spots. But an ankle injury to Hill opened up a roster spot and Coach Tomjanovich lobbied heavily for the scoring Carter would bring to the team.
Rudy T was right as Carter led the 2000 USA Olympic team in scoring with a 14.8 ppg average, and he scored every tough, important basket needed during the tournament (with the exception of an amazing, medal-saving offensive rebound and put-back by Antonio McDyess in the exciting USA semifinal win over Lithuania (85-83, September 29, 2000).
But, it was one moment in time during the final preliminary game that is remembered the most.
On September 25, 2000, the USA faced eventual silver medalist France in a Group A matchup. The final score was USA 106, France 94, but in the thick of the closely fought game, Vince Carter made a steal in the front court and there was only one defender – France center Frederic Weis – in between Carter and the basket. It was time for Vin-sanity.
In the aftermath of that dunk, a couple things struck me:
- It is, indeed, the greatest ‘in-game’ dunk of all-time.
- Carter almost struck teammate Kevin Garnett right in the face in his celebration after the play.
- After just a few seconds, Carter totally regained his composure and “dee’d up.”
- And a memory, when we got the locker room, Carter damn near broke me in half with a hug, still psyched out of his mind and he’d yet to see a replay.
The epilogue on Vince Carter – from direct, first-hand observation: He was a go-to guy who loved the pressure and thrill of competition. He was a pleasure to work with while we had our run with the Olympics team, a tremendous experience. He was a good teammate to the other 11 players and he was highly coachable via Rudy T as they developed a very nice rapport.
Carter’s mega-dunk at the 2000 Sydney Summer Games will live on forever and it’s “only” 25 years and counting.
The USA defeated France, 85-75, in the gold medal game on October 1. Lithuania took the bronze with an 89-71 victory over the hometown Australian Boomers.
It was an enjoyable flight home.
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Next Sunday, the column will revisit the 2000 Sydney Olympics in “stream of consciousness” mode, truly testing the old memory bank.
The Government of the United Kingdom and the NBA announced a landmark £10 million investment to grow popularity in the sport of basketball in England, marking the first time the UK Government has committed dedicated funding for the sport under its Community Sport Facilities Programme.
The deal, unveiled during the recent State visit of the US President and First Lady, will see £5 million allocated by the Government in 2026-27, with the NBA matching that investment with £5 million through 2028.
As part of the UK Government’s £400 million Community Sport Facilities Programme, £5 million will be committed to basketball facilities in 2026-27. The funded sites will include a multi-sport offering “so they are accessible and appealing to get as many people active as possible.”
This represents a new approach for the Government, which has previously focused the program on football-led facilities. The NBA will match the investment with £5 million into expanding its grassroots programs, which currently reach more than 50,000 young people across the UK each year.
On the professional level, basketball continues to struggle in Britain amongst in-fighting and – to date – no team has emerged to play in the EuroLeague. There has been rumors of a London-based pro team being part of the plans in the NBA (and FIBA) choose to launch their own league in Europe.
TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Did you know? The A’s major league baseball team, temporarily relocated to Sacramento after leaving Oakland, lost 20 of 21 games between May 14 and June 4 but were the third best team in the Majors from July 24 to the present day, with only Philadelphia and Milwaukee having better records. The A’s took two-of-three from the Red Sox at Fenway this past week, severely damaging the Sox chances of catching the AL East leading Toronto Blue Jays and Wild Card leading NY Yankees. … The Cleveland Guardians have won 14 of their past 15 games, including a make-up game against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday afternoon. They have the second of a same day twin bill Saturday night.
EIGHT DAYS A WEEK: The 2025 Major League Baseball regular season will conclude in eight days. Many of the Division titles and Wild Card berths will probably be decided on the final weekend of the season. A good look at The standings (they call it a “ladder” in Europe), shows who is in and who’s been eliminated. Click HERE. The final statistics will reveal a number of significant accomplishments. Heading into Saturday’s full schedule, consider these, among many other feats:
- Aaron Judge (New York Yankees) – 48 Home Runs with 104 RBI and a league-leading .327 batting average.
- Cal Raleigh (Seattle) – MLB-leading 56 Home Runs, crushing the single season HR record for catchers.
- Other leaders include:
- 48 Sal Perez (KC Royals
- 45 Johnny Bench (Cincinnati Reds)
- 43 Javy Lopez (Atlanta Braves)
- Other leaders include:
- Max Fried (NY Yankees) – MLB leader in Wins – 18
- Other leaders include:
- Garrett Crochet (Boston) – 17 – (Also leads MLB in Ks (249)
- Freddie Peralta (Milwaukee) -17
- Other leaders include:
Going into Saturday games, the Boston Red Sox are:
- Are 60-49 vs. right handed starting pitchers
- Are 24-21 vs. left handed starting pitchers
THIS JEST IN: In case you weren’t paying attention, it’s only Week 3 of the NFL regular season schedule and the following QBs are currently injured or have missed time:
- Joe Burrow (Cincinnati) – toe surgery
- J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota) – ankle
- Justin Fields (NY Jets) – concussion
- Brock Purdy (San Francisco) – shoulder/toe – questionable
- Jayden Daniels (Washington DC) – knee
All, except Purdy, are listed as OUT for games of September 21.
CAN’T MAKE IT UP: You can’t fire the team and you shouldn’t fire the coach, so just who is left? The Bison! Colorado’s new live buffalo mascot made her debut at Folsom Field last night when Colorado played against Wyoming.
She’s officially named Ralphie VII, although a unique nickname is soon to come after her first run. Ralphie VII is the latest in a string of field-storming live mascot buffaloes, a storied tradition and one of college football’s most iconic. The running of the buffalo has been a must-glimpse event at the school for the past 58 years. The one-year-old bison steps in for Ralphie VI, who went into retirement before the start of season after showing little enthusiasm toward making the gallop around the field.
TL’s Sunday Notes | Sept. 14, 2025
By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk
BOSTON – “What’s Goin’ On?”
Last weekend before the U.S. Open men’s singles final, the United States Tennis Association issued a statement to request media outlets refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity.
The USTA Statement read in part:
“With respect to Broadcast Coverage, the President will be shown on the World Feed and the Ashe Court Feed during the opening anthem ceremony,” the USTA said in the memo, which has been viewed by multiple publications.
“We ask all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity, including ENG coverage.”
Quoting U.S. Open champion John McEnroe years ago when he stormed the courts and argued with chair umpires, “You’ve got to be kidding me?”
While I understand the USTA back pedaled and pretended the request was akin to asking cameras at all sporting events not broadcast a drunken fan running out on the field of play, being chased by the Keystone Cops, I could read the lines themselves and see in between the lines that they were sending the media in attendance a preemptive strike – surely requested by The White House – to not show the chorus of boos which accompany the current President of the United States (POTUS) nearly everywhere he travels.
The ridiculous act of censorship, thankfully, was not adhered to by ESPN and other media on site, covering the event as the news it is. But, the USTA’s reprehensible action immediately leads to the question, “Just what is next?”
Let’s ask Grok?
“Censorship has indeed escalated in recent years, manifesting in various forms across governments, corporations, and institutions. This includes direct bans on platforms and content, algorithmic suppression, legal pressures on social media companies, and self-censorship driven by fear of repercussions,” wrote the AI guru.
As so many media members state on the airwaves these days, “there’s a lot to unpack,” so let’s dice it up for a second.
Governments, Corporations and Institutions – directly placing a ban on content. The verdict here, in these United States – GUILTY!
Bans on platforms and content – GUILTY!
Legal pressures on Social Media companies – GUILTY!
Self-Censorship (by media) driven by fear of repercussions – GUILTY!
What happened to “telling it like it is with he thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. News crews covering … the human drama of athletic competition? Maybe Wide World of Sports should’ve added, “unless the fans boo one of the competitors or boo a newsworthy happening in the stands which reflects negatively on a corrupt politician.”
USA Today’s Nancy Armour wrote of the boo-birds, “Resistance takes many forms.
“Sometimes it’s people taking to the streets in protest, as they did this weekend in Chicago and its suburbs. Sometimes it’s governors banding together to ensure their citizens have access to vaccines that have been thoroughly vetted, as the governors of California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii have.
“And sometimes it’s ABC and ESPN not muting the full-throated chorus of boos that occurred when the president of the United States was shown at the U.S. Open on Sunday.
“The U.S. Tennis Association’s request that broadcasters “refrain from showcasing any disruptions to the President’s attendance in any capacity” was an embarrassment. This is not North Korea or Russia, and it is not ABC’s, ESPN’s or any other broadcaster’s job to stroke President Donald Trump’s ego.
“To suggest otherwise was wholly inappropriate by the USTA and, worse, served to overshadow the anticipation for the latest meeting in what has become tennis’ next great rivalry. Instead of talking about Sinner and Alcaraz, the focus before the match was on the USTA’s clumsy attempt at censorship,” she wrote Monday morning.
Let’s take look at what the records show:
- Nearly 4.8 billion people (60% of the global population) faced some form of restriction in 2024.
- Social media saw 360 censorship instances across 76 countries from 2006-2023, accelerating mostly after 2018.
- U.S. Federal agencies, such as The White House and FBI coerced Meta (Facebook, etc), Twitter (pre-Elon Musk era), and others to censor what they believed to be “misinformation.”
- In 2024, U.S. libraries faced 821 challenges targeting 4,190 titles on race, gender, and sexuality.
- The general censorship moved to the State Houses as 56 bills were filed in U.S. State legislatures in 2024, all restricting discussions on race, gender and American history. Of those, 22 were enacted in 16 U.S. States by mid-2025, citing “divisive concepts” in higher education and the classrooms.
If you think the Colorado Rockies have had a bad year, consider the American Civil Liberties Union. Founded 105 years ago, the ACLU has been set back the full century, maybe more. Then again, the ACLU hasn’t had a big win since Miranda v. Arizona in 1966.
Going forward, the media companies and their leaders need to grow a spine. News divisions must stand up for the rights of the people they serve. Sports media needs to cover the news of the event, not the news that event organizers prefer you cover.
When you hear the sentence, “Instead of that, you should be covering,” media need to run to their laptops, cameras, tape recorders and editing machines to report the very news they’ve witnessed, live and in color. Report the truth and nothing but the truth.
The truth should never be censored. Observations and opinions should not be censored and crowd reactions, peaceful assemblies and protests should never be censored.
Of course, later in the week leading into this weekend missive, the United States saw another murder by long gun in the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. This columnist must admit to having never even heard of Kirk before the news of his death. Regardless of political ideals, the “must relate” was as a father of two – his kids just toddlers. What, possibly, can Kirk’s young wife tell those two little kids?
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: As a follow-up to a previous column on the WNBA and a potential move of the Connecticut Sun to Boston after former Celtics team owner Steve Pagliuca made an offer to purchase the franchise for $350 million. when the news broke, many a Boston-area politician and pundit was considering it a done deal. “Not so fast,” said the WNBA league office. Then, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey really jumped on the bandwagon, claiming, “we’re ready for the WNBA. Well, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) thinks otherwise. The Senator sent a letter to the WNBA this week “officially warning the league” to stay out of negotiations, and that “any attempts by the WNBA to block efforts to keep the Sun in Connecticut could violate federal antitrust laws,” he wrote.
TELEPHONE LINE: Here’s another very bad example of the misinformation circulating regularly on “X,” the once called Twitterverse. The story starts with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver conducting a short press conference to update NBA media (and thus the fans) on the news stemming from the NBA Board of Governors meeting held this week. Topics of discussion included: The Board ratifying slight changes to the replay rule (in regard to last second heaves (now to count as a Team FG attempt, rather than an individual attempt).
In the misinformation world, a snippet of Silver’s full press conference made its way around social media and – guess what? No one bothered to read the full, well thought out and thorough answer to the question. Instead, Silver was tattooed for the snip where he said “the NBA is very much a highlights driven league.
What he really said, was a full 180-degree opposite of the words he is being criticized for saying in the midst of a much broader point – focusing mainly on the fact that in 2025-26, the NBA will have more free-to-air broadcasts (off full games) than anytime in recent history. Here’s the full transcript:
Q. It’s become very expensive to watch the NBA as a fan, not just going to games but also in order to — there’s different streaming services you have to subscribe to, some of the RSNs are expensive. I know that there are other points of entry for fans to interact with the NBA. There’s social media, and a lot of younger fans, that is how they’re experiencing the sport. But I wonder how much you think about that and how that will shape the next generation of fans?
ADAM SILVER: “I think about it a lot. I will say, I saw the story your publication ran. You took all the different streaming services and added them up and what those costs would be. I look at it a little bit differently, because most people can only consume so many games. By way of one example, in these new media deals, we’re going from essentially 15 exposures on broadcast television to 75. So to the extent someone wants to put little rabbit ears on their television, you can still get 75 marquee games in essence for free in the marketplace.
“I’d say in addition to that, and this is an ongoing issue for the league, there’s a huge amount of our content that people essentially consume for free. This is very much a highlights-based sport, so Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, you name it, any service, the New York Times for that matter, to the extent that your content is not behind a paid firewall, there’s an enormous amount of content out there. YouTube, another example that is advertising based that consumers can consume.
“I think this is a new world now of streaming media. I think we’re paying a lot of attention to that. It was one of the discussions we had with our media partners, not just the cost of the games — and I think most people are conditioned to paying a certain amount for high-value content — but also the discovery of those games.
“Again, I’m a fan of many different sports. I think we’ve all had that experience where you’re going to Google to find the game you want to watch because the world has changed it’s not just automatically in the place you thought it would be.
“But ultimately, I’ll talk about it in terms of reach and how you reach your consumers. It’s interesting — because of the disruption in the regional sports network business, I never would have predicted this was coming 10 years ago, but a lot of our local games are moving back to broadcast television. In fact, we have more games on broadcast television locally than we’ve had anytime in recent history.
“We’re continuing to look at it. But the ultimate answer is we think a lot about it. We know where we have mass appeal. On a global basis, we’re literally reaching billions of people. We don’t want to disenfranchise people by working with partners that are creating price points that make it inaccessible to them.”
So, those who clipped and pontificated on the “highlights” failed to underline the main point of making more full games (what was 15 will now be 75 free-to-air broadcasts).
Shame on those who regurgitated the snippet as though it was Silver’s only comment.
UNDER FURTHER REVIEW: The accusatory line of questioning directed at Adam Silver for the NBA’s new TV deal seemed to lean towards a money-grab without regard to the best interests of the fans. Yet, many of the same people accusing Silver and his NBA Board of being greedy think that the sun rises and sets on College Football, the bands, the pageantry and the, ahem, wagering. But, to watch a full day of NCAA college football on Saturday, September 13th, a fan would need to have his remote wired and his subscriptions paid up to watch a rather weak schedule of college football games televised by (hold your breath):
- ABC
- CBS
- FOX
- CBSSN
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN+
- SECN+
- ESPNU
- FS-1
- Paramount+
- Peacock Net
- HBO Max
- YouTube TV
- truTV
- TNT
- Spectrum Sports
- Big Ten Network
- SEC Network
- SECN+
- ACC Network
- Mountain West Network
- The CW Network
- NEC Front Row
TIDBITS & NUGGETS: From the sports business file, SBJ on Friday reported a reorganization within the NBA league office structure. Such events occur yearly in the September 15 to Oct 1 zone. This year, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver focused his office on increasing viewership and global appeal. Key changes include integrating direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing teams with digital consumer products under Chris Benyarko, Head of Direct to Consumer Products, Technology & Operations. Additionally, media and brand teams, led by Janine Dugre and Andy Heatley respectively, will now report to Gregg Winik, President, Content & Executive Producer, to align with content and media partners. These adjustments are designed to enhance operations and strengthen the NBA’s strategy for a broader global audience and greater engagement with digital offerings.
CFP TOP 12, ACCORDING TO THE AFCA COACHES: As of week two of the college football season, here are the top 12 teams.
Rank, School/Team, (First place votes), Points from Voters, W/L Record
1 Ohio State (62) 1,668 2-0
2 Penn State (4) 1,576 2-0
3 Georgia 1,488 2-0
4 LSU (1) 1,472 2-0
5 Oregon 1,423 2-0
6 Miami (Fla.) 1,330 2-0
7 Texas 1,288 1-1
8 Notre Dame 1,041 0-1
9 Illinois 1,019 2-0
10 South Carolina 1,007 2-0
11 Clemson 995 1-1
12 Florida State 843 2-0
THIS JEST IN: After visiting the Gulf of America, then playing a few rounds of golf near Mar-a-Lago, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced in a press conference that the office building where he calls home base will now be called the Octagon. “We’re planning to add a few sides,” said Hegseth when informed the word Octagon would indicate eight sides as opposed to the five-sided building now standing. … There’s no word on whether the United States Military Academy will change its name from ARMY to ICEY.
TURTLES: Mark Volman, the singer who co-founded the popular 60s rock band, The Turtles, died at the age of 78. Reps for Volman confirmed the death to Rolling Stone, citing a “a brief and unexpected illness.” In 2020, Volman was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, but continued touring and only announced his diagnosis in 2023. In fact, when promoting his memoir “Happy Forever: My Musical Adventures with the Turtles, Frank Zappa, T. Rex, Flo & Eddie, and More” in 2023, Volman went public with his 2020 diagnosis of Lewy body dementia, a disease that results in a decline in cognitive ability, affecting reasoning, memory and movement. Here’s a tune.
YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: For decades, the European Basketball championship final would feature the likes of Spain, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Italy and Lithuania. This year? It’s reigning FIBA world champion Germany against an upstart national team from Türkiye. … Dating back to 1935, Türkiye has medaled only one time. That silver medal came in 2001 when the tournament was played on their home court.
In what looked to be a much closer matchup (on paper) turned into a one-sided affair, with Turkey winning 94-68. Greece had trouble scoring all around, finishing with three players in double figures, but none with more than 15 points, including NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks) who was held to 12 points, on 6-for-13 shooting.
Türkiye’s Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets) had 15 points in the victory but Ercan Osmani (Efes Pilsen-EuroLeague) was the star, tallying 28 points and playing a stellar defensive game against Antetokounmpo.
Head coach Ergin Ataman (Panathinaikos-EuroLeague) had some choice words: “As I said, this isn’t the NBA. In European basketball, if you prepare well, protect the paint, and your players stay aggressive, you can be successful, it’s not that hard to stop him (Antetokounmpo). I think Osmani played excellent defense against Giannis. I don’t know if my friend, the GM of Anadolu Efes, will be in trouble because many NBA teams might come after Osmani to stop Giannis. But I believe he’s happy at Efes. He stopped him really well, with both intelligence and aggression”
Türkiye will face Germany in the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket Final at 2:00pm (ET) today (Sunday, September 14).
TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Aug 17
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
BOSTON – HBO’s “HARD KNOCKS” is the best sports television show in history. It’s not even close. While Ernie (Johnson, Jr.), Charles (Barkley), Kenny (Smith) and Shaq (O’Neal) of Turner Sports fame can make you laugh out loud every time, not one of the “Inside the NBA” shows has ever made me feel like running through a wall after watching the show. Hard Knocks does that. Every episode.
Just hearing the Hard Knocks theme song gets me revved-up and there’s been no highlight show or team documentary that has ever come close to unearthing such emotion. Hard Knocks often features a team I couldn’t care less about in the fixtures of the NFL, yet each summer I, along with legions of sports fans, come away from a few episodes of a weekly TV show rooting like hell for the team that’s been featured.
That is happening this year as the Buffalo Bills are featured and Tuesday night marked just the second episode of the 2025 version of the show which debuted in the “Way Back Machine” with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001.
The NFL and HBO have called Hard Knocks “the first sports-based reality series” in television history. That’s B.S. because long before 2001, anyone and everyone in the sports industry realized we had the best reality programming in history, and it was our games themselves.
CBS reality series – Survivor – premiered on May 31, 2000. Executive Producer Mark Burnett hatched an idea that – somehow – has lasted 25 years, with the property gaining and keeping its loyal audience while also spinning out other reality shows on everything from cooking/chefs to swamp people.
Facing facts, reality shows can easily be taped and watched at a later date, although office water cooler talk might spoil a surprise ending. Sports, on the other hand, has to be watched live. Every sports fan knows it and it’s impossible to steer clear of the score of a game unless you’re asleep and watch the game before leaving your bed or touching your phone device.
Hard Knocks married the two and has become must see TV, especially as avid NFL fans countdown the days to the opening weekend of football. The Hard Knocks theme song prompts the visceral reaction of the human mind and body.
The theme was written for NFL Films by David Robidoux, a music composer who hails from the tough town of Reading, Pennsylvania. Robidoux is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with degrees in audio engineering and film scoring. He began working for NFL Films in 1991 and is a 40-time EMMY nominee and 15-time EMMY Award winner. He’s created nearly 3,000 compositions for the NFL alone but has done everything from a Dressage routine for US Olympian Laura Graves in the Rio 2016 Olympics, featuring “Man Of War” to a “40 Years of NFL Films Music” 10 CD Box Set.
If the theme doesn’t cement you in your armchair for an hour, then the voice of narrator Liev Schreiber will provide you with chills throughout every episode. Schreiber, best known for his acting role as Marty Baron – editor-in-chief of the Boston Globe in the Academy Award winning movie, Spotlight, was so perfectly cast to be the voice of Hard Knocks. Back in 2023, when Hard Knocks was featuring the New York Jets, then-Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers referred to Schreiber as “the voice of God” for his efforts in the series, and rightfully so, as the actor has been with the docuseries each and every episode – all but one season. In 2007, he didn’t narrate and turned the duties to Kansas City Chiefs fan Paul Rudd.
Schreiber’s only on screen performance came in that J-E-T-S season when he choppered over to NYJ training camp for a look-see and meet & greet with the Jets players and coaches. This year, with the Bills, Schreiber is back in the familiar place of narration – Thank God.
That brings us to the content (and buzzword 🚨 alert) storytelling. Hard Knocks covers training camp of NFL teams, but its secret sauce is the character development created on each and every episode. Sure, a fixed camera in the GM’s office secretly filming a player being cut from the team has been the type of behind the scenes access NFL fans dreamt they watch, but the more compelling storylines are the deep dives into the off field lives of the players. Often depicted with their families or pictured in everyday life, shopping or mixing up a breakfast smoothie for a roommate/teammate, the bond created by Hard Knocks with the rank and file players of each team, create that magical fan to player love affair that is the very root of all sports.
Yes, sometimes, that player/character who became the unexpected star of an episode is later cut from the team and it draws on a fans raw emotions, fully understanding what a player and his wife/family have gone through during camp.
One such player was John Connor, aka “The Terminator.” Then-New York Jets coach Rex Ryan tagged the nickname on Connor (not to be confused with Arizona Cardinals running back, James Conner). Fans of the J-E-T-S fell head over heels for Connor when, as a fullback, he was assigned to be a lead blocker and clear a hole for his running backs. Connor didn’t make a block, he often hit defenders so hard, they’d drop to their knees and be carted off the field, dazed and confused by the alien that just ran them over – thus, the nickname, “The Terminator.”
Of course, the reality of NFL camp took over when Connor was sidelined with an MCL sprain and hamstring injury and was released by the Jets a month into the 2012 season. He bounced from New York to Cincinnati, back to New York for a short stint with the Giants and Jets (again), before playing his final NFL camp with the Buffalo Bills where he was among the final cuts on September 4, 2015.
Connor’s career stat line in the NFL consists of 108 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, along with 12 receptions and a pass receiving TD. His game did not stand out for NFL teams, but, through Hard Knocks, his name will live on forever.
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Boston University is facing a lawsuit from Baylor University over a logo battle. The complaint was filed this week in Waco, Texas – where Baylor is located – and it seeks to prevent Boston University from using an “a specific interlocking BU design that is identical or strikingly similar to Baylor’s federally registered marks.” Baylor University noted it’s been using the interlocking BU letters since, at least, 1912 and the school registered for a trademark in 1987. The lawsuit says Boston University initially opposed the application, but the schools reached an agreement and Boston University has been using the letters side-by-side in its logo.
But the settlement went South, the lawsuit alleges, as Baylor found out – back in 2018 – that Boston University was using the interlocking BU on different hat styles in its campus store. Baylor asked Boston University to cease and desist in 2021, but the request was ignored. “Rather, its use has continued to expand, and a very large number of such goods now appears on the Defendant’s website,” Baylor said in the complaint.
A spokesperson for Boston University told WBZ-TV in Boston that the school does not comment on pending litigation. Meanwhile, Baylor is asking a judge to permanently stop Boston University from using the interlocking BU, and to destroy any products or signs with that specific logo.
WWYI wonders if Baylor would settle the case by playing an ice hockey game, with the winner getting rights to the BU. Surely, Baylor would rather play football.
TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Close to the old homestead, and alma mater is fact St. John’s President, Reverend Brian J. Shanley, OP, has been named Chair of the Big East Conference Board of Directors. This prestigious role is a testament to his leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment to both academics and athletics. … In other words, St. John’s better get all the close calls on the court this coming season. … Former PGA Tour TV guru and WNBA Commissioner (2005-11) Donna Orender is trying hoops again. Orender is Commissioner of The UpShot League, a development league for women’s basketball (a la WNBA). The league is scheduled to play in May 2026. The UPSHOT League’s regular-season schedule will consist of 40 games, including 20 at home and 20 on the road for only four teams. Currently, the clubs are:
- UpShot Charlotte
- UpShot Greensboro
- UpShot Jacksonville
- UpShot Savannah – (Might they be named the Savannah Roseannadannas)?
The new league is being organized by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, a firm that owns, manages, and operates the Jacksonville Icemen, Savannah Ghost Pirates, Greensboro Gargoyles, 32 Degrees Marketing, Community First Igloo, Charlotte Checkers, and Gastonia Ghost Peppers. Zawyer Sports is in the business of hosting family based entertainment. Investors include, Cheryl Miller and Anne Meyers Drysdale, among others.
SOX STUFF: Aside from the hot, hot, hot Milwaukee Brewers (NL), the Boston Red Sox are second-best in the majors and an AL-best 26-12 since July 1. … At Fenway Park, the Sox are a scorching 16-2 in their last 18 games, 18-3 in their last 21 home games, and 25-6 in their last 31. … Not surprisingly, the Red Sox have sold out for their last 13 games, with Saturday’s crowd of 36,192 the most recent crowd. … The Red Sox starting pitchers lead the American League with 57 quality starts. … Boston ace Garrett Crochet will take to the mound vs the Marlins on Sunday (1:35pm).
JIMMY FUND: Monday, Aug 18 and Tuesday, Aug 19, 2025 mark the annual WEEI-Radio/NESN Radio Telethon to benefit The Jimmy Fund (Dana Farber Cancer Institute). Since 2002, the generous support of Sox fans and WEEI listeners/NESN viewers has raised more than $74 million to support pediatric and adult cancer care and research at Dana Farber. Tune-in and contribute, if you can: Visit HERE
TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 27
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
BOSTON – There’s a load of confusion and a ton of mixed messages being strown about the streets of Washington DC in regard to the future of college athletics, name, image and likeness (NIL) parameters, outside (Private Equity) investments into the Athletics Departments of colleges and universities throughout the land.
The House v. NCAA settlement, which took effect on July 1, 2025, allows for direct payments to college athletes by their schools. This landmark agreement, approved by Judge Claudia Wilken, also includes revenue sharing and roster limits. A key aspect is the $2.8 billion in back damages to be paid to athletes over the next decade (2025-2035). Power 5 NCAA conferences (plus Notre Dame) must follow the new rules, while other Division I schools can choose to opt-in
The settlement also addresses potential future issues with revenue sharing, roster sizes, and NIL regulations. It’s expected to reshape the landscape of college athletics and how athletes are compensated.
This week, between a dump of thousands of previously classified documents on the life and assassination of the legendary Martin Luther King Jr., blatant lies in front of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and the suggestion of a new recipe for Coca-Cola – the (NSFW descriptive term deleted) administration decided to issue an executive order to “prop up” college sports by limiting collegiate athletic programs’ ability to steer money toward specific sports like football and basketball at the expense of other sports. The order, which came amid lawmakers’ heightened interest in having Washington play a role in regulating sports and student athletes, “cast the current state of college sports in apocalyptic terms,” according to Politico.
“Absent guardrails to stop the madness and ensure a reasonable, balanced use of resources across collegiate athletic programs that preserves their educational and developmental benefits, many college sports will soon cease to exist,” the executive order stated.
The order requires athletic departments with more than $125 million in revenue during the 2024-2025 season to offer more scholarships in “non-revenue sports” this year than they did the prior year. Programs with less revenue are instructed to maintain or avoid disproportionately reducing such scholarships, or eliminate roster spots. (Sort of a DOGE for scholarships).
Instead of fewer regulations, the United States’ government seems to be “reversing fields” and positioning itself for more regulations to police the business of college sports which – with recent and self-inflicted rule changes – has entered into an era of pay for play and other professional sports-like day-to-day/season-to-season financial operations.
The new executive order calls for the prohibition of the “third-party market of pay-for-play inducements,” but allows athletes to get paid “fair market value” for endorsements or other services. That largely duplicates part of the NCAA/House legal settlement which governs most college sports programs.
Playing it out – instead of the old way of slipping some cash in an envelope for a FedEx delivery or the new way of having billionaire alums directly paying players for their commitment (read transfer via the portal) and at least one year of service – now the billionaire alums must – instead – pay the players to endorse their business, or consumer products.
Surely, the House nor the administration consulted with the various Compliance Officers at each school or the principal’s office (Charlie Baker’s joint) in Indianapolis. Clearly, the early outlines of the proposals seem to be impossible to enforce and quite easy for school boosters to circumvent, especially in the worlds of collegiate football and basketball. And, regardless, those freight trains have already left the station and are chugging their crafty ways toward title contention in the 2025 College Football Playoffs or 2026 NCAA national basketball championship(s) … aka … March Madness.
For Congress, the West Wing and the colleges, Madness is the perfect term.
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Long thought of as a nice game for retirement communities or, maybe, Asian and Jewish grandparents, “Mah-jongg” is making a comeback. That trend is being reported via an in-depth story in this weekend’s edition of The Washington Post. It’s gone so far that one group of young mothers in their 30s – looking for a nighttime activity complete with take-out and cocktails – created a make-shift play group they call “Momjong.” DC has its start-up groups while New York hotels including the Ace and the Standard have hosted mah-jongg nights. While the game was played regularly in China in the 1800s, the resurgence in the USA decades ago weent so far that a group of Jewish-American women who were fans of the game, created the National Mah Jongg League in 1937, developing an American style of the game. How long will it take for some investment group to fund the World Pro Mah Jongg League? The line starts to the left.
CALLING COMMISSIONER GORDON: Sports teams in the Big Apple are increasingly fighting over the nickname “Gotham City,” made famous by the popular Batman comic book, 1960s television series and highly successful motion pictures. Most recently, the J-E-T-S of the National Football League placed a claim by revamping their team locker and the phrase “Gotham City Football” was hung over player nameplates in the home team room. In legal action taken on June 12, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denied the team’s request to trademark “Gotham City Football” for apparel such as T-shirts, hoodies and caps, according to Sportico. … The dismissal by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office noted that “Gotham City” is geographically descriptive of a physical location that the wider public already knows—in this case, New York City—and physical locations cannot be trademarked. Keep in mind, the Jets represent New York but the team is headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, some 38 miles west of the city, and the Jets play their home games 12 miles from NYC in East Rutherford, New Jersey where the club shares the MetLife Stadium facility with the “New York” football Giants. The Jets’ legal team argued that “Gotham City” is not geographically descriptive, but it originated from the iconic DC Comics franchise Batman. However, the USPTO refuted that claim, saying that the “Gotham City” connection to New York City predates the Dark Knight, when writer Washington Irving first coined the nickname of the city in 1807 in a literary magazine. The Jets franchise was founded in 1959 as the New York Titans and became the J-E-T-S in 1963 when they joined the New York Metropolitans (Mets) at the then-brand spanking new Shea Stadium. Sportico noted, “Gotham has become an increasingly crowded territory for sports IP. Sky Blue FC of the National Women’s Soccer League’s rebranded as NJ/NY Gotham FC—nickname: the Bats—in 2021. The club’s governor, Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, is from the family that co-owns the Giants.” And, adding to the confusion, last year, the YES Network and MSG Networks announced a new streaming team-up, Gotham Advanced Media and Entertainment (GAME). Tri-State dwellers can now watch the Knicks and Yankees via the Gotham Sports App on their mobile devices where they can also watch Batman, Robin and Commissioner Jim Gordon fight crime in Gotham City. To resolve the confusion, maybe it’s time to grab an Alfred App, unless someone wants to resurrect the Cape Crusaders, a soccer team that played in the USL Premier Development League, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid from 1994 to 2008 before the franchise folded.
TIDBITS & NUGGETS: The next time you question the call of a Major League Baseball umpire, you might want to look up his full record. To do so, visit Umpire Scorecards online where the site checks the calls – accurate and not – for every MLB umpire, including balls and strikes. …
THIS JEST IN: Nick Kurtz, a rookie for MLB’s Athletics, hit four home runs on Friday night, an all-time record for major league rookies. Going a perfect 6-for-6 with the four HRs, Kurtz became the first A’s player in franchise history with a four-homer game, the first rookie in MLB history with a four-homer game, and the 20th major league player, overall, to accomplish the feat.
YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: Ripped from the pages of Variety, or maybe an episode of Law & Order, here’s this week’s edition of YCMIU:
On July 19th, Rapper GloRilla was arrested on felony drug charges after a burglary occurred at her home near Atlanta, Georgia, according to Atlanta’s WSB-TV and TMZ. She then performed at the WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis that night. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to the Atlanta-based media outlet that authorities were called to a home owned by GloRilla, whose real name is Gloria Hallelujah Woods, at 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning. The rapper then performed at the WNBA All-Star game in Indianapolis that evening, playing a medley of her songs “Let Her Cook,” “Typa” and “TGIF” at the Gainsbridge Fieldhouse. She surrendered to authorities at the Forsyth County Jail on Tuesday and was released shortly afterward, posting a $22,260 bond.
Investigators said three suspects went into the home when Woods was not present and were robbing the residence when an unidentified individual inside the building fired a gun at them. The burglars escaped and investigators do not believe they were injured. During the investigation, officers smelled drugs and found a “significant amount of marijuana” in a bedroom closet. Woods was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. “The homeowner is a victim of a serious crime, and we are committed to bringing the suspects to justice,” Sheriff Ron Freeman told WSB-TV. “At the same time, we must continue to uphold and enforce the law in all aspects of this case.”
TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 6
While We’re Young (Ideas) on the Caitlin Clark Effect
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
BOSTON – Aside from Olga Korbut’s phenomenal acrobatics in women’s gymnastics when the Belarusian pixie did a back flip off the uneven parallel bars at the 1972 Olympic Games, basketball’s Caitlin Clark has made more impact on a sport than any women’s athlete in history.
Korbut’s three gold medals and a silver in ‘72 encouraged a generation of young female athletes to join gymnastics teams and clubs all around the world. Her impact, however, was limited to participation – which is not bad. Clark’s impact has a much wider ranging global effect on the sport of basketball, as it crosses previously perceived notions in place for casual vs core fans, gender, technology and ticket sales. Clark brings people to her games – in person or via television/streaming – and she does so in bigger numbers than any performer on earth.
“In my lifetime, we had Muhammad Ali, we had Michael Jordan, we had Tiger Woods, and to me, it’s early, but we have Caitlin Clark,” said John Kosner, a former ESPN, NBA and CBS Sports executive turned industry consultant, to The Athletic. “People who don’t care and don’t follow the sport that she plays (in) have been driven not just to watch, but to watch avidly.”
Since her collegiate basketball days at Iowa, Clark has drawn both male and female viewers to the screen like only Jordan did. But, consider the fact Jordan was “just another guy” on Dean Smith’s great North Carolina teams but was the fourth freshman to start his first college game for head coach Smith, following Phil Ford, Mike O’Koren and James Worthy. Jordan scored 12 points against Kansas in Charlotte on Nov. 28, 1981, in his first game as a Tar Heel and it was often joked that Coach Smith was the only guy to hold MJ under 20 points a game.
Jordan’s fame grew upon hitting the winning shot in the 1982 NCAA national championship game against Georgetown and blossomed when he led Team USA to a gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics after his junior season at Carolina. He led the USA in scoring with 137 points in eight games (17.1 ppg), including a game-high 20 points in the gold medal game against Spain.
He entered the pros as the No. 3 pick in the 1984 NBA Draft and gradually built his following and his game to now legendary status. It did take Jordan seven years to win his first NBA title.
Clark entered the WNBA on another stratosphere. She mirrored the career of the great Hall of Famer, shooter, scorer and showman Pete Maravich, and broke his record to become the all-time leading scorer in NCAA basketball history (men’s or women’s game). Although her Iowa team won three consecutive Big Ten championships, an NCAA title eluded her as her Iowa teams lost two consecutive national championship games, first to LSU (2022-23), then to South Carolina (2023-24).
Not only did Clark put up record-breaking numbers in points, three-pointers and assists, she also was directly responsible for the 2023 national championship game becoming the most-viewed women’s college basketball game in history (9.9 million). In 2024, the number grew to 18.9 million viewers, more than the men’s Final Four.
Although she had a fifth year of eligibility remaining (because of the COVID-19 pandemic), Clark chose to enter the 2024 WNBA Draft and was the No. 1 overall pick by the Indiana Fever. The record-breaking numbers continued. The Fever set a franchise single-season attendance record, and their regular season finale set the league’s all-time attendance record (20,711), that coming after she drew 55,646 to a game against DePaul in college.
With that incredible but partial career in the history books, the more current narrative seems to be growing in scope and that is the fact Clark is playing under her collectively bargained WNBA rookie contract salary of $78,066 (part of a four-year contract worth $338,056). As recently as June 30th, The Athletic asked if Clark was worth $1 billion to the WNBA, and they made comparisons to a 1997 economic study of Jordan’s value to the NBA by MIT and Cambridge academics.
Sports business publications, such as Sportico, estimate that Clark earns as much as $11 million a year in off-court sponsorships. She awaits a signature shoe (2026) to be made and marketed by Nike and, until then, wears a Kobe Bryant Nike shoe. In addition, the WNBA and its players are working on a new collective bargaining agreement which will surely increase player salaries overall, but until the new deal is struck, Clark can only dream of the $249,244 supermax salary earned by only a handful of WNBA stars.
The WNBA comparisons to the more established NBA league/player salaries become shockingly inadequate, but consider this fact: The WNBA is in its 28th season, starting in 1997. The NBA’s 28th season of 1974 produced salaries that were well under the WNBA numbers of today. Even if you spin the clock to 1983 when the NBA first introduced the maximum team salary concept, the league set the 1984-85 team limit at $3.6 million and had to grandfather five teams already over that cap. In the 1972-74 range, the average NBA salary was about $90,000 and the superstars, like Wilt Chamberlain or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made $250,000. Of course, the average household income back then might’ve been about $6,500 and a gallon of gasoline was .36 cents, but I digress.
The larger point, which I made in this space once before when Clark was drafted, is that it’s not fair to draw comparisons in salaries, expansion, nor league health between the WNBA of 2025 with the NBA of 2025. In those comparison, pundits seem to forget about the growing pains the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL) plunged through in the ‘40s and ‘50s, never mind the 1960s when the likes of Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinsohn fought for unionization of the players.
In 1974, there were three broadcast networks which aired sports programming primarily on weekend afternoons. Cable TV and regional sports networks were in their infancy. North American based sports leagues barely televised a minute of their programming internationally. The WNBA of 1997 entered the marketplace with a globally polished big brother quite advanced in the worldwide marketing of its stars.
The NBA of 1976 watched collegiate players compete for the USA in the Olympic Games of Montreal. The WNBA rode into existence on the cusp of the USA Basketball women’s national team winning the gold medal at the Atlanta Olympic Games while drawing sellout crowds of 32,997 at the Georgia Dome. The final game was the culmination of a 100,000 mile, 6-game world tour where the US went undefeated. In ‘96, the total attendance for men’s and women’s basketball games, 1,093,388, established an Olympic record. The 16 sessions of women’s basketball games attracted 478,061, an average of 29,879 – that’s with or without the United States playing.
The 1992 Olympics were all about the Dream Team. The ‘96 Olympics were all women’s sports, including athletics (track & field), basketball, gymnastics, softball, swimming, synchronized swimming, tennis and soccer.
Caitlin Clark, born January 22, 2002, might not’ve picked up a basketball if it weren’t for Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swooper, Theresa Edwards and the ‘96 USA Basketball women, in the same manner as Michael Jordan would never have been Michael Jordan if it weren’t for Julius Erving, Connie Hawkins and Elgin Baylor coming before his day.
The message?
- Ease up – Let Caitlin be Caitlin and give her some time and space.
- Lay off – Stop with the salary comparisons and the unfair weight being placed on Clark’s shoulders.
- Understand the fact – The foundation for women’s sports is rock solid, established firmly by Title IX in 1972 but gradually built upon.
- The future is bright – Clark will do her part, yes, but others will come along. Relish in the moment and look forward to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles where women’s basketball might be the toughest ticket in town.
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The world-famous Harlem Globetrotters will be hosting the club’s first-ever open tryouts to help select athletes for their Centennial season in 2026. The Globetrotters’ tryouts will take place in the early fall with the final team being assembled and announced in November. The organization’s goal is to expand and elevate the talent within its ranks and to act as competitive offering for men and women hoopers around the globe for 2026
The Globies continue to add athletic team members, which has been reflected in recent years in the signing of former LSU captain Alexis Morris and this past year with the addition of 6-5 rookie forward Asanti “Cash” Price (Columbia, SC), who signed a contract with the NBA G League’s Texas Legends, the affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks. Price was one of six rookies signed to the Globetrotters this past November and had the option to return to the club when his G League time ended, which he did.
“We are creating one of the most unique, once in a lifetime opportunities for talented athletes and entertainers,” said Keith Dawkins, President, Harlem Globetrotters & Herschend Entertainment Studios. “The (opportunity is) to be part of the Centennial of the most iconic global sports and entertainment property. The right athletes will have that special element of ‘showpersonship’ that the Globetrotters have been known for. It should make for a fun and exciting way to uncover our next group of stars.”
This past year, Globetrotter athletes set a high bar for excellence on and off the court, bringing their talents to 50 locations around the world and an additional 46 cities in North America. The Globetrotters anticipate bringing in approximately 30 athletes to the tryout. It will be the first step of a months-long process in selecting the athletes for the Centennial team. Over the many years, the Globetrotters legacy has seen athletes ranging from Wilt Chamberlain to Connie Hawkins to to Lynette Woodward create lasting memories in the basketball world.
TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Nothing says PAC-12 like Texas State … Novak Djokovic, who has won seven of his 24 Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon, added another incredible milestone Saturday as he became just the third player in the history of the grass-court tournament to reach 100 victories, joining nine-time winner Martina Navratilova and eight-time champion Roger Federer as the only players to have reached the century mark in victories at Wimbledon.
AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE: As teased back in March, the NBA Melbourne Games 2025 will mark the first time an NBA team will play official exhibition games in Australia. The New Orleans Pelicans will open the 2025 preseason with two friendly games against the National Basketball League’s (NBL) Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix. The games will be played Friday, Oct. 3 and Saturday, Oct. 4 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park, with the NBL serving as the official promoter and organizer of the NBA x NBL Melbourne Series. … In 2000, USA Basketball faced the Australian national team in a friendly at the Laver Arena before the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games.
RED SOX STARTER: Lucas Giolito recorded his fifth consecutive outing of at least 6.0 innings pitched (IP) with two or fewer earned runs allowed. It’s the longest such streak of his career, and longest by a Red Sox pitcher since Brayan Bello also tossed five straight from 6/11-7/5/23 … Since June 10, Giolito’s gone 4-0 while posting a 0.83 ERA (3 ER/32.2 IP) with 31 strikeouts. The last Red Sox pitcher to throw 30.0+ IP with an ERA that low over a five game span was Chris Sale in 2018.
USA! USA! Care to spend your 4th of July in Switzerland? That’s what the USA Basketball Men’s U19 National Team did and they’ll have one more game for the gold medal. The US advanced to the 2025 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup Final after a 120-64 semifinals drubbing of New Zealand in Lausanne. The Americans will face Germany, winners over Slovenia, 84-72, in the other semifinal. The game for the Gold will be Sunday, July 6, at 2:00pm (ET). (See USAB.com)
WHAT WILL DAME DO? The Milwaukee Bucks waived injured guard Damian Lillard to pave the way to sign former Indiana Pacers bigman Myles Turner. The Bucks will be responsible for some $113 million owed to the injured sharpshooter. Once Lillard recuperates from his Achilles injury, he’s likely to play one or two more NBA seasons, as long as the rehabilitation goes well.
The oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag have opened lines for Lillard’s next team and they are as follows:
- Miami Heat 4/1
- Denver Nuggets 5/1
- Portland Trail Blazers 6/1
- Los Angeles Lakers 7/1
- Minnesota Timberwolves 8/1
- Boston Celtics 9/1
- San Antonio Spurs 9/1
- New York Knicks 12/1
- Houston Rockets 14/1
- Indiana Pacers 16/1
- Sacramento Kings 16/1
- Orlando Magic 22/1
- Detroit Pistons 25/1
- Golden State Warriors 25/1
- Toronto Raptors 28/1
- Dallas Mavericks 33/1
- Los Angeles Clippers 33/1
- Memphis Grizzlies 33/1
- Oklahoma City Thunder 33/1
- Phoenix Suns 33/1
- Atlanta Hawks 40/1
- Chicago Bulls 40/1
- Cleveland Cavaliers 40/1
- Brooklyn Nets 45/1
- Charlotte Hornets 45/1
- New Orleans Pelicans 45/1
- Philadelphia 76ers 50/1
- Utah Jazz 50/1
- Washington Wizards 50/1
THIS JEST IN: The regular season DOES matter. The PGA Tour has restructured the distribution of playoff bonuses, including the FedEx Cup champion this season earning $10 million in prize money instead of $25 million as in the past two years.
The new payouts from the $100 million total in bonus money were revealed weeks after an announcement in May that the Tour Championship’s “starting strokes” format will be eliminated, according to the PGATourCom site. The season-ending tournament in August where the Top 30 players compete, following two previous playoff events, will be a standard 72-hole stroke-play tournament held at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
The new three-tier system will reward golfers based on the FedEx Cup points standings after the regular-season finale at the Wyndham Championship (the top 10 splitting $20 million, with No. 1 getting $10 million), and after the second playoff event, the BMW Championship (top 30 splitting $23.93 million, with No. 1 getting $5 million).
The Tour Championship winner will get $10 million of the remaining prize money ($57.08 million), with the rest will be paid out to the other 29 players based on their finishes. Players ranked Nos. 31-150, eliminated from the Tour Championship round, will divide $17.08 million.
The PGA Tour cited its reasoning, noting, “To account for the increased volatility of the final event, reward season-long performance and recognize the significance of the FedEx Cup, the FedEx Cup bonus distributions for the Top 30 positions were rebalanced,” the PGA Tour posted on its website.
It almost goes without stating, the TOUR needs to set its rules and stick to them. The constant changing and experimenting with the postseason, including eliminating the “quarterfinal” event in Boston, has cost the circuit incredibly. But, the decision to finish before the NFL regular season began was justification for the tightening of the overall schedule which begins each January.