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While We're Young Ideas

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | NCAA College Football in NYC & The Hub

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While We’re Young (Ideas) for September 3 

CHESTNUT HILL: The Boston College Eagles opened the 2023 NCAA/ACC Conference football season this weekend.

By TERRY LYONS

CHESTNUT HILL – If this column were to be written from hometown New York some 15 years ago, the opening of the College Football season would NOT have registered as a major sports weekend. New York City is not a college sports town. Yes, there are plenty of taverns that welcome college football fans to congregate for their school’s games – they call it LSU HQ or ACC Football Hub and dozens of other bars that establish themselves as the place to be if you’re from Faber College and you’re looking for your game.

To the extent of anything you might call Division I NCAA College Football in New York is few and far between. Columbia University provides the IVY League experience while Fordham University plays in the sub-division (FCS) and is a partial member (just for football) in the Patriot League. (Otherwise, for most sports, Fordham toils in the A-10).

After that, you’re looking at trips to Staten Island (Wagner), Long Island (Stony Brook), or points much further away and mainly Upstate NY (Albany, Buffalo, Cornell, Marist (Poughkeepsie), Colgate (Hamilton, NY) or Syracuse.

Here in Boston, the city’s College football fans face much the same problem. Although Boston is home for some 35 colleges and universities and more than. 154,320 students descend upon Boston every August/September, Boston remain a pro sports town with a lot of colleges. If you look at Massachusetts as a whole (as in counting the likes of Holy Cross in Worcester, Wellesley, Springfield, UMass in Amherst), the State’s population grows by some 483,488 from college students studting in the Commonwealth.

Yes, that’s a half-million Red Sox fans created every year.

Boston College rates highest in the Boston area college football meter, playing a highly competitive schedule in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). This weekend, Alumni Stadium in Chesnut Hill played host (and LOST) to Northern Illinois University in a non-Conference game vs FBS club with a devastating loss as the Eagles opened 2023 with high hopes but a realistic viewpoint when looking at a schedule that includes: No. 8 Florida State, and ACC tough Miami, Virginia, Louisville, Virginia Tech and Syracuse, among others. With a rotating ACC schedule, the Eagles were spared match-ups vs the likes of Clemson, North Carolina, Duke, NC State and Wake Forest.

Geez: Even next week’s opponent – Holy Cross – is a challenger.

Believe it or not, very soon, BC might face SMU, Cal or Stanford in the 2024-25 season as ACC school presidents and chancellors voted to allow the westward expansion Friday. That’ll make the ACC register 18 schools while the Pac 12 was reduced to the Pac 2 (Oregon State and Washington State), rendering the Pac 12 Network useless.

Looking elsewhere back in Boston, you can see Harvard compete in the IVY, or the UMass Minutemen play as an independent FBS school. Holy Cross plays in the Patriot League while Tufts always fields a competitive Division III team over in Somerville where you can see Bates, Williams, Colby and Wesleyan (New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is a proud alum).

Before Notre Dame defeated Navy over in Dublin, it was 32 weeks of the year without college football. This weekend, it’s open the floodgates.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: USA Today sprang a list of the “Ten best colleges for sports fans” this week. The paper touted, “From game day thrills to championship victories: Experience college sports like never before,” although every year, it’s sort of the same, isn’t it? The list (with commentary by WWYI):

  1. Connecticut – Guess they missed football?
  2. Florida State – Once upon a Time?
  3. Alabama – ‘Roll Tide
  4. Florida – Bad start this week
  5. Indiana – Fans, yes, BIG TEN football championships – Nada
  6. LSU – Should be #1?
  7. Wisconsin – Don’t the Sports get in the way of the Partying?
  8. Penn State – Called on the account of White Out.
  9. Michigan – Good enough for The Big Chill, Good Enough for the List
  10. Notre Dame – Should be No. 2

USA BASKETBALL UPDATE: The USA Basketball 5×5 Men’s senior national team, competing in the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila, will play its second round match vs Lithuania today, Sunday September 3 at 8:40am (ET). For you Saturday night bulldog edition readers, that means “Get Up” tomorrow and for you Sunday morning readers, “Turn on the TV.”

In their most recent game, the USA was losing to Montenegro, 39-38, at halftime, trailing for the first time in this World Cup tournament. A much-improved second half secured the win, as Anthony Edwards scored a team-high 17 points – all in the second half. Edwards leads the U.S. A. in scoring, averaging 16.5 points per game. Improved team field goal shooting made the difference. The US shot 13-for-37 (.351) in the first half, but responded with a 17-for-36 (.472) performance in the final two quarters. The U.S. also shot 1-for-9 (.110) from “3” in the first half before going 4-for-10 (.400) in the second half.

The U.S. is seeking its sixth FIBA Men’s World Cup gold medal.

3×3: In addition to the senior men’s national team for 5×5, the 2023 USA 3×3 U18 national team finished atop Pool B at the 2023 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup on Friday. The U.S.A. joins seven other nations who will play for the gold medal on Sunday. The Americans went 2-0 in pool play after defeating Brazil and Germany on Thursday.

Notice basketball isn’t only distinguished by “men’s and women’s” anymore? Now-a-days, you need the 5×5 (five on five) or 3×3 (three on three) to be added for FIBA ball.

USA FOUNDATION: The USA Basketball Foundation made an important announcement this week as the second Torch Leadership in Sport Mentoring cohort will be staged. A fully funded program, Torch Leadership will run from this September to May 2024.

Torch Leadership provides opportunities for minority students to be mentored by USA Basketball executive staff with the goal of empowering the next generation of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) leaders in sport by introducing them to opportunities at USA Basketball and other sports-related entities.

“It is an honor to welcome our second Torch Leadership cohort to the USA Basketball family,” said Jennifer Lynne Williams, USA Basketball Foundation chief development officer. “The application process was extremely competitive with 130 students applying to be a part of this special program. The 120% increase in applications is a direct testament to the importance and value of Torch. I look forward to working with each student as they develop their leadership skills and learn more about the business of sport,” she added.

TIDBITS: Readers surely have heard the term, “Once in a Blue Moon.” That’s a true statement when it comes to this columnist receiving the No. 1 draft choice in the annual SWFL Fantasy Football League, known nationally as the best league with the best team captains and best rules which includes the game-changing, ultra-difficult requirement of TWO active quarterbacks and THREE wide receivers and/or tight ends. The challenge of the TWO QBs changes draft strategy, especially in the 1st and 2nd rounds, will make my No. 1 pick (this Tuesday night at 7pm ET) a choice between the quarterback trio of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes or Philly’s Jalen Hurts – with Buffalo’s Josh Allen receiving consideration. … NFL Insider Adam Schefter has my club, the LOVETRONS (in honor of the late Darryl Dawkins residence on earth as it is in heaven), selecting Mahomes who was a clear 30 points higher than the others and the top overall scorer in the SWFL for multiple years. … Next week, I’ll list the club and that’s about all you’re gonna read about Fantasy Football, unless something is incredibly newsworthy.

A RARE – MUST WATCH – TV SPOT: The PepsiCo/Frito–Lay ad, certainly worthy of clearing the high bar as a Super Bowl-level commercial is seeing airtime this week as the NFL opens its 2023 regular season come Thursday night when Detroit travels to Kansas City for an 8:20pm (ET) tilt on NBC.

The theme of “retirement” is a great idea but “coming out of retirement” might not be so great idea for many players, including the inclusion of the show-stopper at the finish. Pepsi broke the bank by pulling some of the greatest recent stars together for the shoot (or series of shoots). No spoilers here in the intro. It’s a MUST WATCH!

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – August 20

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Yes, the dateline is Boston – not Liberty Park, NJ and not Olympia Fields (the site of this weekend’s semifinal tournament), nor Atlanta (the site of next week’s TOUR Championship) nor the old fave of Norton, Massachusetts where the TPC Boston hosted the Deutsche Bank Championship/Dell Technologies/Northern Trust Championship, once hailed as a MUST stop for the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs and a gem of a sporting event held every Labor Day weekend of yesteryear.

There was nothing better in the summer sports world than Labor Day Weekend datelines of FENWAY – CHESTNUT HILL – NORTON and FLUSHING MEADOW when a relatively easy step in time management – combined with some swift driving – could parlay an MLB game hosted by the Red Sox with a college Football game hosted by Boston College with a round of professional golf at TPC Boston then a drive to the Billie Jean King/United States Tennis Center for the annual U.S. Open – the raucous finale to tennis’ Grand Slams.

One year, an “all of the above” was coupled with a flight to Philadelphia and a Saturday at the AND1 Summer JAM, held at Temple U’s Liacouras Center to mix some tape and hoops as AND1 re-launched its brand only to be bought-up by yet another distressed brand gold-digger.

The finish that year and others was the Labor Day Monday conclusion to the PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoff event, a tournament then hosted by the Tiger Woods Foundation.

In 2003, the DBC replaced the Air Canada Championship when the authorities of the PGA Tour collaborated with the sponsors at FedEx to conjure-up a way to tie each PGA Tour season into a nice, neat bow. The players loved the risk v. reward aspects of the TPC Boston and the crowds poured through the gates, giving the Tour a signature event to rival tennis’ grand slam event in Flushing and frequently compete for eyeballs with the opening weekend of college football and the NFL.

Those suits at the PGA Tour and FedEx learned their lessons, though, and eventually streamlined the regular season and playoff schedule to conclude BEFORE the start of college footy and the NFL alike. When the music stopped, no one was playing “Shipping Up to Boston,” and the DBC/Dell Technologies/Northern Trust was no more.

Some of the great PGA Tour golfers who won at the DBC:

2003 Adam Scott

2004 Vijay Singh

2005 Olin Browne

2006 Tiger woods

2007 Phil Mickelson

2008 Vijay Singh

2009 Steve Stricker

2010 Charlie Hoffman

2011 Webb Simpson

2012 Rory McIlroy

2013 Henrik Stenson

2014 Chris Kirk

2015 Rickie Fowler

2016 Rory McIlroy

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Last week, the column touched on the issues facing NCAA athletic administrators around the country.

Sports lawyer Darren Heitner took a look at the happenings surfacing this past week.

“It appears that Georgia high school athletes will soon be able to enter into NIL deals,” wrote Heitner.

“Robin Hines, executive director of the Georgia High School Association, said that he will have a proposal ready for the Association’s Executive Committee meeting this Fall. The expectation is that the Executive Committee will approve the proposal if one reads through the lines on Hines’ overall commentary.

Looking back, Heitner recalled: “Julian “JuJu” Lewis” is a perfect example. As Pete Thamel highlighted for ESPN in a February 17, 2023 article titled, “The prep QB phenom and a million-dollar NIL question,” Lewis, a 15-year-old at the time the article was written, is already being compared to Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields. You would think that Lewis can start cashing in on his fame right now, but Georgia’s high school athletic association doesn’t allow for it . . . yet.

“While more than half of the states in the country have legalized name, image and likeness (NIL) deals in some form for high school athletes, the state of Georgia sits at a compelling crossroads. It is home to one of the richest recruiting bases in the country, the back-to-back national champions of college football and a generational prospect in Lewis, who could command well over a million dollars on the open market over the next three seasons,” wrote Thamel.

“As of now, a total of 31 states (as well as Washington D.C.) already allow or are soon to allow high school athletes to enter into NIL deals. Not on that list are states like the aforementioned Georgia, along with Florida, and Alabama, as well as Texas, South Carolina, Ohio, North Carolina, and Mississippi, which tend to produce a lot of talent for the next level. One would think that these states are closely monitoring what happens in Georgia and if as expected the state does decide to start allowing for NIL transactions to take place, they will likely follow suit.

Info From A Joint Survey By Sportico And The Harris Poll

Makes it seem like America at large is warming up to college athletes being compensated and perhaps to a greater degree. From the article:

  • 67% of U.S. adults believe college athletes should be able to receive direct compensation from their schools.
  • 64% support athletes’ rights to obtain employee status.
  • 59% believe athletes should be able to collectively bargain as a labor union.
  • More Americans today (74%) support athletes’ right of publicity than they did in November 2020 (62%).

The Collective Association Grows To 17 Strong

The trade association that advocates for athletes, shares best practices, and acts as a unified voice to shape the development of the NIL market has added 10 collectives to the fold.

As a reminder, the initial seven founding members were:

  • Classic City Collective (University of Georgia)
  • Spyre Sports Group (University of Tennessee)
  • The Grove Collective (University of Mississippi)
  • The Battle’s End (Florida State University)
  • House of Victory (University of Southern California)
  • Champions Circle (University of Michigan)
  • Happy Valley United (Penn State University)

The 10 new Collectives are:

  • Wildcat NIL (Kansas State University)
  • Garnet Trust (University of South Carolina)
  • Mass St. Collec)ve (University of Kansas)
  • The 1870 Society (Ohio State University)
  • The 5430 Foundation (University of Colorado)
  • Desert Takeover Collective (University of Arizona)
  • Every True Tiger (University of Missouri)
  • The Royal Blue (BYU)
  • Sun Angel Collective (Arizona State University)
  • 502 Circle (University of Louisville)

Says WWYI, “Let the NIL Be with Us.”

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Aug 13

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They’ll Be Staging the Tournament of Posers Parade

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Two or three years ago, did anyone in college sports think the PAC-12 was about to implode? Did anyone project a late Fall USC vs UCLA game, played in the beautiful Southern California sun of the Rose Bowl, would count in the B1G TEN standings? Did any sports administrator think Stanford, Cal and then Oregon State and Washington State would be without a home Conference to compete in for the 2024 season?

Embed from Getty Images

 

Come this January 1st, the conferences formerly known as the B1G TEN and PAC 12 will be staging the “Tournament of Posers” parade instead of playing in the annual Rose Bowl where the B1G TEN champion takes on the PAC 12 champ in the gran’ daddy of ‘em all.

OPENING AFC WIN TOTALS/ODDS: Are you ready for some football (again)? Last week, we ran the NFC Conference franchise win totals for the 2023 season. This week, it’s the AFC Conference. Again, you decide, is it Over or Under?

  • Baltimore Over 8.5 (-140) Under 8.5 (+120)
  • Buffalo Over 10.5 (-125) Under 10.5 (+105)
  • Cincinnati Over 11.5 (-110) Under 11.5 (-110)
  • Cleveland Over 8.5 (-140) Under 8.5 (+120)
  • Denver Over 8.5 (115) Under 8.5 (-105)
  • Houston Over 5.5 (-110) Under 5.5 (-110)
  • Indianapolis Over 6.5 (-150) Under 6.5 (+125)
  • Jacksonville Over 9.5 (-140) Under 9.5 (+120)
  • Kansas City Over 11.5 (-110) Under 11.5 (-110)
  • Las Vegas Raiders Over 7.5 (+120) Under 7.5 (-140)
  • Los Angeles Chargers Over 9.5 (-110) Under 9.5 (+125)
  • Miami Dolphins Over 9.5 (+110) Under 9.5 (-130)
  • New England Over 7.5 (-115) Under 7.5 (-105)
  • New York Jets Over 9.5 (-135) Under 9.5 (+115)
  • Pittsburgh Over 8.5 (-115) Under 8.5 (-105)
  • Tennessee Over 7.5 (-105) Under 7.5 (+105)

The only play to make is taking the Cincy Bengals “Under” 11.5 (-110) and keep an eye on the progress (or lack thereof) with QB Joe Burrow’s calf injury.

FOR BOSTON, FOR SALE: For those of you who don’t follow every pitch of the MLB season, oft-injured pitcher Chris Sale of the Red Sox impressed in his Friday night outing, his first start since June 1, 2023. Sale retired each of his first 14 batters and allowed two runs on only one hit in 4.2 innings. The Red Sox improved to (9-3) in Sale’s starts, including (6-1) over his last seven outings. For that seven game stretch in the 2023 campaign, Sale owns a 2.43 ERA and a .178 opponent’s batting average.

SHOW ON THE ROAD: In the second of five USA Basketball Showcase games, the U.S. came away with a wire-to-wire victory (92-62) over Slovenia at Carpena Sports Palace in Malaga, Spain. The US senior national team is on its way to compete in the FIBA World Cup of Basketball in Manila. … The U.S. won by a margin of 30 points (92-62) after winning their first friendly of ‘23 against Puerto Rico by 43 points (117-74). Since 1992, the USA has won its two opening exhibition games by 30+ points three times (2023, 2016, 1994). … USA’s Anthony Edwards finished with 15 points (7-14 FG) to go along with four rebounds and three steals. He’s led the team in scoring and takeaways in both exhibitions. … Game 3 of the Showcase is on OTA television today (Aug. 13th) at 3:30pm (ET) on FOX. The United States will take on Spain.

TIDBITS: During the pregame ceremonies Saturday, the Boston Red Sox organization presented retiring MLB great Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers with a “No. 24” made from the Fenway Green Monster numbers. So Cool, So Cool, So Cool. … At the Friday night festivities at Mohegan Sun – the business partner and semi-host of the Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement weekend – ESPN’s Holly Rowe was honored with the Curt Gowdy Award for Media. Rowe gave the best speech of the night. … Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich on Hall of Fame point guard Tony Parker (soon after Parker was drafted late in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft by R.C. Buford: “I hated him,” Popovich said in a pre-Enshrinement press conference held Friday. “I said I don’t want him. He’s a weenie. He’s unaggressive. He doesn’t like contact, he’s 19, and I don’t want to see him.” … Buford and Parker’s agent, Marc Fleisher, made arrangement for a second work-out. … “The rest is history,” said Popovich. … The fires of Lahaina have devastated the Hawaiian Island of Maui and the folks at Sentry Insurance, sponsor of the annual PGA Tour opener for champions at The Plantation Course in Kapalua, issued a statement of support: “The devastation caused by wildfires in Lahaina and other parts of Maui is heartbreaking for all of us at Sentry. Through The Sentry, our PGA TOUR tournament in Kapalua, and the Connected Communities initiative between Stevens Point and Maui, we’ve come to know the island of Maui. We’ve made friends and built deep relationships over the years,” read the statement.

“Maui is not just the home of our tournament—it’s a cherished community we proudly consider our second home. We’re relieved to share that, after reaching out, our longstanding partners and friends on Maui are safe. This is still a critical situation and we’re working closely with them to understand their most pressing needs. We’ll share more about our support in the coming days. If you’d like to support the relief efforts on Maui, two of our Connected Communities partners, the Maui United Way and University of Hawaii-Maui, have established relief funds.”

WWYI notes the American Red Cross is another way to support relief efforts and you can give – HERE

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | August 6

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By TERRY LYONS 

BOSTON – The countdown clock is on for the NFL Preseason to begin for all 32 teams. The Hall of Fame game (Cleveland Browns 21, vs New York Jets, 16) is in the books, and the end of week of August 10-13th will soon be upon us.

With that fact and the 2023 NFL season to begin Thursday, September 7th and the regular season to begin in earnest September 10th, the all-out marketing blitz of advertising for the NFL Sunday Ticket (now available exclusively on Youtube TV) and for online Gambling on the NFL, via the likes of Draft Kings, Bet MGM, Fan Duel and WynnBet MA (all new here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts) will fill the coffers for broadcast and media outlets.

The ads will overwhelm sports TV viewers, especially those tuning in to late season MLB and PGA Tour broadcasts, never mind the beginning of College Football. (Boston College opens Saturday, September 2nd vs Northern Illinois).

OPENING NFC WIN TOTALS/ODDS: Are you ready for some football? Not yet? Here are some NFC Conference franchise win totals for the 2023 season. You decide, is it Over or Under?

  • Arizona Cardinals Over 5.5 (+105) Under 5.5 (-125)
  • Atlanta Falcons Over 7.5 (-115) Under 7.5 (-105)
  • Carolina Panthers Over 7.5 (-110) Under 7.5 (-110)
  • Chicago Bears Over 7.5 (-115) Under 7.5 (-105)
  • Dallas Cowboys Over 9.5 (-120) Under 9.5 (+100)
  • Detroit Lions Over 9 (-150) Under 9 (+125)
  • Green Bay Packers Over 7.5 (+115) Under 7.5 (-135)
  • Los Angeles Rams Over 7.5 (-125) Under 7.5 (+105)
  • Minnesota Vikings Over 8.5 (-115) Under 8.5 (-105)
  • New Orleans Saints Over 9.5 (+110) Under 9.5 (-130)
  • New York Giants Over 8.5 (+110) Under 8.5 (-130)
  • Philadelphia Eagles Over 10.5 (-130) Under 10.5 (+110)
  • San Francisco 49ers Over 11.5 (+105) Under 11.5 (-125)
  • Seattle Seahawks Over 8.5 (-125) Under 8.5 (+105)
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers Over 6.5 (-115) Under 6.5 (-105)
  • Washington Commanders Over 7.5 (+115) Under 7.5 (-135)

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: When we last left the USA men’s national team at the FIBA Worlds, it was September 14, 2019 and the United States team was victorious in its 7th Place qualification round game over Poland. Yes, SEVENTH PLACE or one slot better than the SIXTH PLACE finish USA Basketball suffered in 2002 on the hometown soil of Indianapolis. Yes, that 2002 finish was three slots below USA Basketball and Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s outing in Japan in 2006 when the USA world team lost to Greece but managed a win against Argentina to take the bronze medal.

In between (2010 and 2014), the USA Basketball senior national team played tremendous basketball and won the two world tournaments, first in Turkey and then in Spain.

This year, it’s on to Manila (The Philippines) to compete in another 32-team extravaganza. The US has begun training, hitting the hardwood in its usual training camp hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada where the temperatures are higher than the game scores.

There will be a friendly (vs. Puerto Rico) on Monday (August 7) in Vegas before the team heads for Malaga, Spain for friendlies vs. Slovenia (August 12) and Spain (August 13) before a stop in Abu Dhabi for games against Greece (August 18) and Germany (August 20).

On Friday, USA Basketball cut a deal with FOX Sports to televise all the “USA Showcase” games. Check HERE.

LISTS and LISTS: Which of the USA Basketball (Olympics and World teams) are the best of the best? Let’s look at one insider’s list:

  1. 1992 – Dream Team – Barcelona
  2. 2008 – Olympic Team – Beijing
  3. 1960 – Olympic Team – Rome
  4. 1956 – Olympic Team – Melbourne
  5. 1996 – Olympic Team – Atlanta
  6. 1994 – Worlds Team – Toronto
  7. 2012 – Olympic Team – London
  8. 2016 – Olympic Team – Rio
  9. 2010 – Worlds Team – Spain
  10. 2014 – Worlds Team – Turkey

DOC, SHAQ – MORE LISTS: Shaquille O’Neal was recently asked about a Top 10 list of Greatest NBA Players submitted by Julius “Dr. J” Erving. O’Neal believes Erving is entitled to his opinion being that he helped pave the way for the players of today. The Big Aristotle was fine with the fact “The Doctor” did not list any active NBA players, thus leaving the likes of Lebron James and Steph Curry as players to be named later, maybe by others.

Let’s start with Julius Erving’s list (he stressed it is not in any particular order):

  • Jerry West
  • Oscar Robertson
  • Elgin Baylor
  • Wilt Chamberlain
  • Bill Russell
  • Michael Jordan
  • Kareem Adbul-Jabbar
  • Karl Malone
  • Magic Johnson
  • Nate “Tiny” Archibald

Shaq’s Top 10 (again, claimed as in no order):

  • Magic Johnson
  • Kobe Bryant
  • Michael Jordan
  • LeBron James
  • Then [expletive] me!

“That ain’t no disrespect to Malone, [Charles] Barkley and Kareem,” O’Neal said. “Hey, that’s my list. Understand what I’m saying? … as he went for the second group.

  •  Steph Curry
  • Allen Iverson
  • Tim Duncan
  • Malone (he didn’t specify Karl or Moses, but was probably thinking Karl).
  • Isiah Thomas
  • Then, he paused and noted Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had to be listed, too, making it a Top 11.

This columnist vividly remembers the morning the NBA at 50 were to be honored at the 1997 NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland. A photo of the honorees – all decked out in their special, one-of-a-kind Mitchell & Nessjackets – was presented to Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Erving for their signatures during an all-out, closed-door frenzy of autograph seeking led by the legends themselves.

The great Doctor signed and glanced at the other names alongside his, asking “would you like me to ask Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) to sign this, too?”

“No, no thanks,” was the reply. “You, Larry and Magic are my guys. You were the best to work with during my career, and you were always there for the NBA, no matter what we asked of you. You are my guys.”

“What about Kareem, he’s the best player,” noted Doc.

“No, it’s okay. Just three.”

The TL Top 10? (In order)

  1. Bill Russell
  2. Michael Jordan
  3. Wilt Chamberlain
  4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
  5. Magic Johnson
  6. LeBron James
  7. Oscar Robertson
  8. Larry Bird
  9. Elgin Baylor
  10. Kobe Bryant

Apologies to: Jerry West, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Karl Malone, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Shaq, Hakeem Olajuwon, John Havlicek, Moses Malone, Scottie Pippen, among others.

Apologies for possibly shaking up prior/personal Top 10 lists. Like any rock and roll lists, one must reserve the right to change mind, and thus the list every 24 hours.

NLL: The Sunday Notes column is always sharing some keen insights to what makes us tick, one being the fact indoor “box” lacrosse is a favorite sport. Of course, the outdoor game is great, as well, and I miss watching both the college and professional versions of the game (Boston Cannons or Long Island Lizards).

Here are some of the key dates for the NLL this Fall:

  • Sept. 15: NLL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Burlington, Ontario*
  • Sept. 16: NLL Draft in Oakville, Ontario
  • Oct. 28-29: NLL Training Camps officially open
  • Dec. 1-2: 2023-24 NLL Face-off Weekend

*The NLL will induct 10 new members into the NLL Hall of Fame on September 15. Among the honorees are eight former players and two referees to be enshrined under the Builders category.

TIDBITS: What does former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith – the head coach of the 1998 national champions – think?

“We had over 800 Division I players transfer last year.

“Over 800.

“C’mon.

“Teaching ’em how to quit. That’s what we’re doing. Things not going well? Let’s quit.

“I remember calling my dad when I was a freshman. High Point College. “Dad, people not treating me… this and that… I’m unhappy here.’ There wasn’t but two blacks in the whole school. My Dad, he said, ‘Son, somebody do something to you?’ No. ‘You’re still getting your scholarship aren’t you? They’re still feeding you? They’re still housing you? You’re still getting your education?’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He said, ‘You can’t come home. Your bed’s been taken… But you can join the Army.’ Best thing he ever said to me.”

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly Sunday Sports Notebook and sports news column written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 10pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a sports-filled compilation of interesting notes, quotes and quips.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.

TL

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | July 30

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Issue of Name, Image and Likeness Created Unrealistic Congressional P.O.V.

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – This week saw two – count ‘em – TWO – Congressional bills to create oversight on the issue of Name, Imagine and Likeness for College athletics. Those two bills, will be added to a previous submission by Senator Lindsay Graham and a host of other lawmakers – Fed and State – have made for a “4th Down and Long” in addressing the entire foundation of the NIL concept.

With the latest, call it the third whiff, the United States House and Senate should be out!

On March 29, 2023, Congress held a hearing which came less than a month after former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker had assumed the position as President of the NCAA. It also came about a month after the NCAA had its first ruling in an NIL infraction case.

In early February, 2023 Congressman Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced the “Collegiate Athlete Economic Freedom Act,” a bill co-sponsored by Massachusetts Congressional Rep Lori Trahan (D-MA) who is a former NCAA volleyball athlete from Georgetown University.

The Murphy/Trahan bill did not have specific language pertaining to an employee-employer relationship, a key legal designation that has all of the college athletics stakeholders concerned about that relationship and its influence on future legal maneuvers. Murphy’s bill also advocated athletes should receive a portion of athletic department revenues. Some of that language is included in the “College Athletes Bill of Rights” filed in December of 2022 by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

On May 19, Senator Lindsey Graham drafted and introduced the “College Sports NIL Clearinghouse Act of 2023.”

“The purpose behind the NIL clearinghouse would be to monitor compliance, establish and enforce penalties and provide educational information to athletes. The legislation provides some protections to athletes, including prohibiting institutions from limiting playing time or making changes to scholarships as retaliation for an NIL deal. Yet, universities would have the power to prohibit their athletes from entering into agreements that would violate state law or the student conduct code.

“Institutions would also have the right to, “provide each enrolled student-athlete a list of entities” athletes would be prohibited from entering business relationships with. The clearinghouse would provide any information to the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice or the attorney general of any state.”

Graham’s draft also called for third party oversight of Name, Image and Likeness for college athletics, removing the NCAA office and Baker from the equation, a proposal that would further place the NCAA in a position of weakness. The shifting power in collegiate sports has moved greatly to the College Football Playoffs and to the individual college conferences – all playing games of musical chairs to fight over worthy college football programs to hoist from one conference to another (see: Colorado, UConn and the constantly swirling rumors of expansion to the BIG 12).

The most recent Congressional take was the “Protecting Athletes, Schools, and Sports Act of 2023,” which contrasts with previously submitted “The College Athlete Economic Freedom Act.” The recent take, introduced by Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) and Joe Manchin, (D-West Virgina), includes more protection to the NCAA and its member universities and colleges.

It had the backing, as you might expect, from Baker who issued a statement saying, “This important legislation is a major step in the right direction to ensure the health and safety of student-athletes, includes key measures to increase consumer protections and transparency in the NIL market, and aims to protect women’s and Olympic sports.” (Note: Olympic sports is an easy way for colleges to say – NOT College Football).

At issue as the Federal legislators play dueling bills is the fact individual States are getting into the act, usually with input from their local institutions all looking out for their own small world and short-term success.

Alabama football coach Nick Saban addressed key issues when he did a lengthy interview with the online publication that used to look like Sports Illustrated. Touching on all aspects of the NIL craze, Saban said, “I’m not trying to spearhead a solution. I talk to (SEC Commissioner) Greg Sankey a lot. I talk to [SEC associate commissioner] William King. I hear the other coaches in our meetings. I’m just trying to help provide information to [the United States Senators] so they know what the issues really are. I’m trying to also direct them to people I think can input the solution, like Greg Sankey and those kinds of people. Everybody needs to look at the issue from 1,000 feet. I don’t want to take opportunities away from players. I just think the mechanisms around how they get those opportunities need to be more standard for everyone.”

Saban speaks from a lofty position at the top of the power base pyramid of college football, but he notes the quagmire (awkward, complex and hazardous position) created as the introduction of NIL collides with college athletics.

“I think one of the things is everybody having a different state law,” said Saban. “A lot of people blame the NCAA for a lot of this, but the NCAA sometimes gets caught. … Because of the changes we’ve had in what’s legal and not, they can’t enforce their own rules and they’re in a little bit of a dilemma, too.”

Ya think, Nick?

As previous typing here at WWYI, the main issue the NCAA, the schools, the Feds and the States all seem to miss is the fact NIL now means “Now, It’s Legal,” for all the friends of the programs, the boosters (aka very wealthy alum), the local businesses supporting colleges, the former athletes who’ve struck it rich in the professional ranks, and “want to give back” to the place where they started their careers.

The Tuberville-Manchin bill proclaims, ““Student athletes should be able to take advantage of NIL promotional activities without impacting their ability to play collegiate sports,” said Tuberville, the former college football coach. “But we need to ensure the integrity of our higher education system, remain focused on education, and keep the playing field level.”

Yet, it’s first line of defense is a colossally unrealistic – let’s call it stupid – statement of the proposed law, noting:

INDUCEMENTS—

1) IN GENERAL—An individual, booster, or third party may not offer or provide a prospective student athlete or a student athlete with any compensation or benefit that is intended to induce the prospective student athlete or student athlete to enroll in or transfer to a particular institution of higher education.

Yeah, right!

Where does that gem leave the issue?

What sayith the wisdom of WWYI? – “The lethal Bouillabaisse of NIL (Now, It’s Legal) consists of desperate and disparate worlds, all with their own specific agendas. They all stir the nasty ingredients put forth by State legislation, Federal legislation, the NCAA, the Colleges and Universities, the so-called Student-Athletes who play Football and Basketball, the Student-Athletes who do not play Football and Basketball, the TV networks, the wealthy boosters/former athletes, the Conferences, the Conference Commissioners, individual school Athletic Directors, and the “Collectives” – business groups trying to make a buck by brokering NIL deals often graced by the University but not necessarily in the best interest of the individual athletes.

Many of the issues are confronted each and every day by professional sports entities who pay players on the table, as opposed to the old-school ways of under-the-table. The league/franchise owners and the players’ unions sit down and negotiate a “Collective Bargaining Agreement” that addresses every issue of league/sport operation – from regular season compensation to playoff shares, from schedules to travel regulations, from per diem to mandatory appearances, from marketing rights to use of IP (trademarks) and more.

The more the NCAA and its member schools, along with the Feds and States, try to avoid the pro model, the deeper they fall into the NIL rabbit hole.

Sooner, rather than later, there will be no way out.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The artist formerly known as The New York Times Sports section, aka The Athletic, created a FAN-Tastic take-out highlighting the work of Boston Celtics tv play-by-play man and Gowdy Award Hall-of-Famer Mike Gorman. The Athletic’s Jared Weiss did the reporting and typing and, quite frankly, deserves consideration for the annual Pro Basketball Writers Association awards for his work.

The story is a must-read and it was brought to WWYI’s attention by column-consumer and now contributor Rich Hussey, an NBC Sports Hall-of-Famer in his own right.

Back to the Athletic – the article highlighted Gorman’s entire career, his relationship with the late Tommy Heinsohn – his TV sidekick for 40 years (2,800+ broadcasts) and his plans to retire after this season.

One thing, well make it two things are for sure. Mike Gorman and the late Tommy Heinsohn will never be replaced. Never.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 23

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While We’re Young (Ideas) on a Busy Week in Sports

BOSTON – Last week, we enjoyed a fake dateline and a fake British Open golf preview to show the open-ended dangers of trusting AI too much, especially before it’s ready for primetime. This week, we’re posting just as the final round of The Open begins at Royal Liverpool, in England.

The Open is being played a few miles from Penny Lane (which doubles as the name of our dog). Royal Liverpool last hosted The Open in 2014 when Rory McIlroy held on to win with a two-stroke cushion, despite his own (71) or (-1) in the final round. That Sunday, McIlroy’s competitors shot: T-2 Rickie Fowler (67); T-2 Sergio Garcia (66); 4th Jim Furyk (65), all in a mad dash to catch the 54-hole leader.

This week, it’s been a blast to listen to “The Open Radio” as background music while attending to other duties. Just to state the obvious: There is no better broadcast in the world of sports, maybe the world of everything. The infectious “Mrs. Doubtfire” approach to calling a 72-hole endurance test is a treasure to behold.

United States’ broadcasters and viewers think the world of Jim Nantz’s efforts on the PGA Tour, especially at The Masters. The Open broadcast makes Nantz’s famous, “Hello Friends,” or catch-phrase “a tradition unlike any other,” seem like locker room profanity.

Instead, let us present:

  • Marcus Buckland
  • Sue Thearle
  • Ron Jones
  • Matt Adams
  • Sophie Walker
  • Raymond Burns
  • Alison Walker
  • Paul Eales
  • Harry Ewing
  • SiriusXM’s Maureen Madill and Carl Paulson

Maureen Elizabeth Jane Madill is the gem. Her married name is Garner and she was born in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. Madill won the British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship in 1979 and the British Ladies Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 1980. She turned pro but didn’t have much success and turned to broadcasting where she’s worked for the British Broadcasting Company (BBC Sport) calling the Scottish Open, the PGA Championship, and of course, The Open.

Here’s a glimpse of Ms. Madill’s typical delivery:

“We were stationed in front of the telly watching the lengthy playoff for the Made in Himmerland title in Denmark between Spaniard Nacho Elvira and home hero Rasmus Hojgaard. We had no particular favourite for the trophy but acknowledged how fabulous it would be for Rasmus and the partisan galleries if the Dane could manage to pull it off. Elvira had ascended the 18th tee in the final round with a one-shot lead but was relieved to hole a nasty little one for bogey to fall back into a playoff with Rasmus, who’d shot 64 and been finished for ages.

The 18th was a bit of a brute of a hole with a very testing tee shot, trouble lurking everywhere. The pair shared pars on five occasions before Elvira finally came unstuck on the sixth time of asking and the title was won by a Dane for the first time in its history.”

Her go-to line is that a player is approaching “a tricky hole,” and her overall descriptions never fail.

The other killer phrases are when a player has to “Tidy-Up” to get his par or when the commentators wonder about Scottie Scheffler’s “Schh-edule” (schedule).

THE BUSY WEEKEND IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER: It’s been a busy week in sports and it’s getting busier by the day.

  • Major League Soccer held its All-Star break and fell to mighty Arsenal, 0-5. The Premier League power dominated the MLS stars, even though Arsenal is in its preseason preparations. The MLS Stars, coached by former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, were outshot 16-7 overall.
  • The Open is fully underway at Royal Liverpool, as noted above. It is the last of professional golf’s majors for 2023.
  • The United States Women’s National Team is in the preliminary round of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, being staged in Australia and New Zealand. The USA pool includes:
  • United States
  • Netherlands
  • Portugal
  • Viet Nam – the USA claimed a victory over Viet Nam, 3-0. That’s something that could not be said in 1975.
  1. Baseball is Back in Full Action after the MLB All-Star Break.
  2. The Premier Lacrosse League All-Star Game
  3. NFL Training Camps are opening with most clubs having had their rookies report July 18 and the veterans this coming Tuesday, Jul;y 25.
  4. SlamBall Returns. (You’ve read all about it here)!

HERE NOW THE NOTES: NBA Legend, LA Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, UCLA and Power Memorial champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is making as much impact in 2023 as he did in 1968 (when he changed his name from Lew Alcindor to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Noble, Powerful Servant ) or 1971 (when he won his first NBA title along with Oscar Robertson and the Milwaukee Bucks) or from 1975-1989 when, as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, he was “Sky-Hooking” his way to become one of – if not the – greatest player in National Basketball Association history.

Your dedicated columnist worked with KAJ from 1981 through 1989 but very little beyond. On the other hand, at times my former employer allowed for work far beyond the years a player competed on the court. Up until his retirement in 1989, KAJ was “a bit of a handful.” He was quite aloof in terms of his association with the people who promoted the NBA Players as a whole and NBA teams and the league with all systems on “full speed ahead.”

To be clear, KAJ performed on the court as well as any player in history and he lived-up to his obligations to do interviews, especially at tough times during the NBA Playoffs or Finals. But, he did so grudgingly – the complete opposite of many of his peers, such as Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, Wes Unseld, Willis Reed or Walt Frazier.

The latter group set an important tone in their respective team locker rooms and forged an air of cooperation that brought the NBA from the doldrums of tape-delayed NBA Finals games to global dominance in the sports world. In a pregame open locker, media availability session, KAJ would very often be at his locker, but he would be totally engrossed in a book he was reading – sending a “Please Do NOT Disturb” message to all passers-by, near and far.

At one point during the 2009 NBA Finals, the retired KAJ was traveling with his team and situated in a quiet Lakers team locker room, in his usual pose of reading a book off in a corner. This reporter was, coincidentally, in the locker at the same time, but there to see a dear friend – LA Lakers athletic trainer Gary Vitti – who had a few seconds of down time as the entire team was out on the court and warming up for that night’s game.

Seeing KAJ and in no way in need of his time, I felt it important to let him know that the parent of his friend and longtime Lakers PR man, Josh Rosenfeld, had just passed away after an extended illness. KAJ was well aware of the situation but not the death.

As only the great Rosenfeld could do, he had inserted a line of very dry humor in the death notice issued to his closest friends. I took the liberty of reading it to KAJ as he sat quietly and extended his sincere condolences to our mutual friend. It read in part, “In lieu of flowers, please send job offers.”

Kareem laughed out loud with a deep, “Har, Har”– as he looked me in the eye knowing how loyal a friend I was to his former colleague, and world traveling companion through Lakers’ trips all over the USA, all of his championships and NBA exhibitions and functions all over the world.

Upon returning to the other side of the locker to bid good-bye as a few players returned to the locker, Vitti and a small group of assist athletic trainers, equipment managers and video room techs gazed in amazement, asking, “What did you say to him? We haven’t seen ‘Capt’ laugh like that in 10 years.”

Now 76 years old and still a dozen years older than yours truly, KAJ has turned to this same platform (Substack) to share his point of view in a way very few writers have ever had the talent to do so.

Quite frankly, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s column is the best of its kind – maybe the best writing of any kind on any platform or publication available today.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 16

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By TERRY LYONS

HOYLAKE – So sorry, dear readers – I just couldn’t help myself. The promise for the WWYI column was great sports notes, some breaking news and analyzing the latest sports happenings with some true perspective. Fake news be damned.

Right after typing the fake dateline of HOYLAKE, a town on the outskirts of Liverpool, this column went right to the dark side of the Internet and called up CHAT GPT (Open AI). There’s a simple assignment to lead the column this week, so I asked Mr. Chat GPT if he/she/it could help the cause and generate a preview for this week’s Open, the major golf tournament played each year in the U.K..

Upon review, Mr Chat GPT Open AI must’ve been sipping from the Claret Jug all night, as it spit-out the following preview, complete with its own headline and the creation of sections to nicely break-up the copy. [Comments will be added by yours truly and in brackets].

Here we go:

2023 Open Championship: A Battle of Golf’s Finest on Historic Grounds

Preview:

The 2023 Open Championship is set to captivate the golfing world as the finest players from across the globe gather to compete on the prestigious and historic grounds. As one of the four major championships in professional golf, the Open Championship carries with it a rich legacy and a sense of tradition that makes it a highly anticipated event every year.

[Not terrible, but rather vague]

Venue:

This year, the Open Championship returns to the iconic Royal St George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, England. Known for its challenging links-style course, Royal St George’s has hosted the championship on 14 occasions, with the last edition taking place in 2011. Players will face unpredictable weather conditions, undulating fairways, and treacherous bunkers, making it a true test of their skills and resilience.

[Oh boy, BIG trouble. It’s nice to read about Royal St. George’s in Sandwich but the 151st Open Championship is being played at Royal Liverpool, a golf club in Wirral in Merseyside, England, founded in 1869 on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club. It received the “Royal” designation in 1871 due to the patronage of Prince Arthur the Duke of Connaught, one of Queen Victoria’s younger sons.]

[The mistakes of the wrong YEAR and VENUE are about as serious as one could make, except for the old “Change all the Armys to Navy” line about the hungover scribe calling into his newspaper to check copy on the football game he’d just covered at the Air Force Academy. AI screwed up. Hugelywith a distance almost as far as you can get in England, some 300+ miles and a five hour, 46 minutes trip by car, or six hours by train, which would include some walking.]

Let’s see what else Mr. ChatBot GPT has in store.

Contenders:

The Chat-man says: “The field is stacked with the world’s top golfers, each vying for the coveted Claret Jug. Defending champion Collin Morikawa will face fierce competition from a host of formidable contenders. The likes of Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, and Justin Thomas will be eager to claim their first Open Championship title, while seasoned veterans such as Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, and Jordan Spieth will be looking to add another major to their impressive resumes.

[A very nice listing of contenders, except for the fact that Cameron Smithwon the 2022 Open at St. Andrews while Morikawa won the 2021 Open at St. Andrews.]

[While Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas are, indeed, seeking their first Open championships, all three can add another Major to their impressive resumes.]

More trouble …

Dark Horses:

The Open Championship often produces surprise winners, and this year promises no less. Talented golfers like Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, and Matthew Wolff have been making waves in recent years and could emerge as dark horses in the tournament. Their young, fearless playing styles could prove to be an advantage on the demanding course.

[It’s great to embrace ambiguity unless it’s within a specific sports preview. A statement that The Open “often produced surprise winners” is far from the truth. You might think Francisco Molinari was a surprise winner in 2018, but he was among Europe’s best and was ranked No. 1 for Ryder Cup team qualification that year. You’d have to turn the clock back to 2003 – 20 years ago – to find a real surprise winner in Ben Curtis at the 132nd Open held at Royal St. George’s.]

Not to beat the dead horse, here, but …

Storylines to Watch:

As the tournament unfolds, several intriguing storylines will undoubtedly capture the attention of fans and media alike. The battle for the world number one No. 1 ranking between Dustin Johnson [Scottie Scheffler] and Jon Rahm could intensify, adding an extra layer of excitement to their head-to-head encounters. Additionally, the resurgence of Jordan Spieth, who won the Open Championship in 2017, will be closely followed as he seeks to recapture his winning form on the grand stage.

[Spieth has missed the cut in three of his last six tournaments, including the U.S. Open held on June 18th.]

Historic Moments:

Royal St George’s has witnessed its fair share of historic moments in Open Championship history. From Sir Henry Cotton’s triumph in 1934 to Ben Curtis’s stunning victory in 2003, the course has a reputation for delivering surprises and creating indelible memories. Players will strive to etch their names alongside the legends of the game who have conquered this revered course.

[Royal Liverpool was the site of Rory McIlroy’s first and only Open championship back in 2014. McIlroy (-17) outlasted two rivals in Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia (each two strokes back) to take the title.]

Conclusion:

The 2023 Open Championship promises to be a captivating event, featuring fierce competition, unpredictable weather, and a challenging course that demands precision and strategy. As the world’s top golfers descend upon Royal St George’s Royal Liverpool, fans can expect a tournament filled with thrilling moments, dramatic storylines, and ultimately, a worthy champion who will join the pantheon of golfing greats.

WWYI comment? – [That’s about as vague a conclusion as any writer could be. The “fans can expect a tournament filled with thrilling moments,” had me heading to British Air to book the next JFK to LPL I could find].

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: There are “Bad Beats” and simply “Bad Bets.”Anyone gambling on the Special Olympics has a special place reserved for them in the afterlife. The New York Post reported, “It doesn’t pay to bet on the Special Olympics. Unregulated offshore sports book BetOnline began offering betting markets this year on the Special Olympics, recently staged in Berlin from June 17-25, but the controversial enterprise turned into a disaster of confusing results and stalled payouts. … Noted the NYP: “The problematic rollout raised bigger-picture questions about whether an event such as the Special Olympics, which is meant to provide a platform and supportive environment for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, should have gambling.” … Special Olympics bettors said they were left high and dry on winning bets for several weeks, and some bets were graded as losers before the competitors even had a chance to perform. … One weightlifting event in particular caused issues: “In question for many bettors was which of the listed group would lift the most weight. Lifter Bobby Hillinitially was listed as the winner by the oddsmakers, with 70kgs lifted, while his opponent, Ryan Kealey, was marked as a losing bet despite the Canadian lifting nearly double, at 135kgs. … “Multiple days before Ryan Kealey even competed, BetOnline graded the bet as a loss,” one bettor told The Post in a direct message. … What says WWYI? … Let’s not jump to conclusions on the relatively new legal gambling in many USA States after the SCOTUS bagged PASPA and the States began to regulate sports gambling in their own jurisdiction. The underworld was shopping some pretty dark gambling exercises long, long ago. The newfound scrutiny, because of the ubiquitous advertising efforts of Draft Kings and the like, is good for those who want a legal playing field when it comes to wagering on sports. The more scrutiny, the better for the bettor.”

HEY NINETEEN! Yes, Steely Dan is on tour, opening for The Eagles, but more importantly, the United States’ Women’s U-19 squad has begun the preliminary round in the FIBA U-19 World Cup. In the opening round of the tournament, being staged at the Jorge Garbajosa Arena in Madrid, Spain, the USA defeated Mali 85-66 behind Cotie McMahon’s team-high 15 points which were accompanied by four assists and seven rebounds in 25 minutes of PT. … According to USA Basketball’s news release, Kiki Rice excelled on both sides of the ball, scoring 10 points while pulling down five rebounds in 20 minutes of action. (Full disclosure: Kiki is the daughter of this reporter’s former NBA colleague, John Rice, and the niece of former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice. … McMahon is headed to The Ohio State University while the 19-year old Rice just completed her first year at U.C.L.A … By the way, Kiki’s grandfather, Emmet John Rice, served as a Tuskegee Airman, so Air Kiki just might be the right moniker.

HERE COMES THE SUN (and the Mercury): The Phoenix Suns are moving forward with their free-to-air TV broadcast deal, which has been held up in a legal battle with Diamond Sports Holdings. Suns new team owner Mat Ishbia said in a statement that he was “excited to be able to deliver” the deal with Gray Television, which was previously paused after a bankruptcy judge said the Suns had to satisfy contractual obligations with Diamond Sports Net Arizona. … “I am proud that we are at the forefront of this shift to make the game more accessible, which not only serves our fan base, but also helps to build future NBA and WNBA fans,” Ishbia said in the statement. … Editorial comment: “If we all had a dime for every time a quote (any sport, any business, any descipline) started with a sentence with the word “excited” inlcuded. … The Suns and Mercury (planet closest to the Sun) are shopping their broadcast deals in unison. (Smart move). Sports Biz juggernaut Sportico was the first to report on the Suns moves.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 9

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Covers the Notes

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – In recent weeks, the readers have been the recipients of some breaking sports news (SlamBall!) and some motion picture musings (Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford). WWYI ran some music insights, from Billy Joel to The Beatles and Stones to Bruce Springsteen and his introspective thoughts through the “Last Man Standing.” The Notes always finish with a closing musical memory in the popular section tagged, “Parting Words & Music.”

Throughout, reader and writer have shared laughs and tears (for fears), talked sports, chatted-up trends in society while trying very hard to avoid politics and the terrible news of the day/week/month.

Today?

We have Notes. Just Notes.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Did you catch this news item? Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady lost millions in the collapse of cryptocurrency company FTX, for which he served as an ambassador, The New York Times reported Friday. Under an agreement the retired NFL quarterback made with FTX in 2021, he received $30 million in now-worthless stock for his work pitching the company in television ads and at its conference. In step with him at the time was his then-wife, Gisele Bundchen, who received $18 million in stock, per the report.

DRIBBLED IT OUT: USA Basketball tried to slip one by us on Thursday at 5pm (ET). New USA head-honcho Grant Hill named the players on the 2023 USA World Cup senior national team scheduled to compete in the 2023 FIBA World Cup tournament August 25-September 10, (a.k.a) The Thriller in Manila.

The 2023 USA Men’s National Team will include Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Josh Hart (Knicks), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans),Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), Cam Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks) and Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers).

In past years, Nike has spent beaucoup de bucks on glitzy announcements with day-long twitter feeds, NYC/Statue of Liberty photo shoots, team clinics for kids and global media days. This year, it was a simple news release (5pm ET) on Thursday with a follow-up with new USA national team managing director Grant Hill.

PERTH: The NBA G League Ignite will once again host a premiere international program for a pair of preseason games with the inaugural NBA G League Fall Invitational featuring the Perth Wildcats of Australia. The Ignite will welcomes the Wildcats to the Dollar Loan Center on Wednesday, Sept. 6 and Friday, Sept. 8 when the matchup spotlights top 2024+ NBA Draft prospects among both teams. McDonald’s All-Americans Matas Buzelis andRon Holland, who are projected as Top 10 picks in the 2024 NBA Draft highlight Ignite’s 2023-24 roster, while the Wildcats feature top international talent including National Basketball League (NBL) Next Stars participant Alexandre Sarr, a projected Top 20 selection in next year’s NBA Draft. … Remember! If there’s a logo, it must be important.

NIKKI – RIP: Amongst the saddest news item to report, former USA Basketball women’s team gold medalist and proud Olympian Nikki McCray-Penson, also a former WNBA star and immortal member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, died at the age of 51.

McCray-Penson, who spent nine years in the WNBA and led the U.S. Olympic Team to a gold medal in 1996, spent this past basketball season as an assistant coach at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Rutgers confirmed the report of Ms. McCray’s passing on Friday.

“Today is deeply sad and emotional day for everyone who knew and loved Nikki,” Rutgets head coach of the women’s team Coquese Washington said in a prepared statement. “Nikki had a big smile and an even bigger heart. She was full of life, energy, and was so much fun to be around. Nikki touched the lives of many because she made it her mission to uplift others and help them achieve whatever dreams and goals they expressed.”

McCray-Penson had been diagnosed with breast cancer years ago (2013), but the initial reports of her passing did not state a cause of death, but Nikki’s friend, South Carolina head coach and former USAB Olympic Games teammate Dawn Staley did.

$AUDI MONEY: Mucho controversy was made of the Private Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia paying the freight for LIV Golf in the summers of 2022 and 2023. The Saudi fund -valued at $650 billion – will branch-out with new fund-holders to arrange a new, multibillion-dollar entity, dedicated solely to sports, according to the Financial Times.

Accused by many – especially the families of 9/11 United – as using the funds to “Sportswash” in an attempt to cover-up human rights violations and murder committed by Saudi nationals. As time passes, the concept now calls for mainstream investments into leagues, teams, new franchises, start-ups in addition to LIV Golf. … Meanwhile, the rival to the PGA Tour, makes its way through St. Albans, England and London LIV where the LIV players will soon meet-up with their PGA Tour brethren to participate in The Open.

Current Saudi sports investments include:

  • At least $2 billion of funding to back LIV Golf
  • Purchased majority ownership of Newcastle United ($409 million purchase)
  • Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix
  • Purchased 16.7% stake in Aston Martin F1 team
  • Saudi Pro League (Soccer) ($75 million annual contract for Cristiano Ronaldo)
  • The PIF made news in sports all year, most notably the massive but cryptic announcment with the PGA Tour to stake a place in men’s professional golf.
  • Tennis was also a target for the PIF, which has reportedly had talks with the ATP Tour and WTA Tour.
  • It’s been previously reported, the PIF and other Middle East minority investments are being made in USA/North American-based professional teams. That’s clearly a part of the strategy for the new Saudi sports company.
  • The Qatar Investment Authority purchased a roughly 5% stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment (Wash DC) and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver publicly stated the league has not ruled out accepting investments from the PIF and other entities.
  • The NBA will be playing preseason games in UAE this fall and USA Basketball (repped by the NBA) will play exhibition games in Abu Dhabi on August 18-20.

IT’S OFFICIAL: Although there were plenty of leaks a week or two ago, the NBA formally announced the addition of the long-awaited “In-Season Tournament.” The NBA In-Season Tournament, a new annual competition for all 30 teams that will debut in the 2023-24 regular season, will tip off on Friday, Nov. 3 in NBA team markets and culminate with the playing of the Semifinals (Thursday, Dec. 7) and Championship (Saturday, Dec. 9) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“The NBA In-Season Tournament is an opportunity to further enhance and innovate around our season structure,” said Joe Dumars, NBA Executive Vice President, and the Head of Basketball Operations. “With the addition of this new marquee event on the NBA calendar, we are focused on providing players and teams with another competition to win, engaging fans in a different way and driving further interest in the early portion of the regular-season schedule,” added Dumars.

The In-Season Tournament will consist of two stages: Group Play and the Knockout Rounds.

  • Group Play:  All 30 teams have been randomly drawn into groups of five within their conference based on win-loss records from the 2022-23 regular season.  Each team will play four designated Group Play games – one game against each opponent in its group, with two games at home and two on the road – on “Tournament Nights,” which will take place every Tuesday and Friday from Nov. 3-28 (with the exception of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 7, when no games will be played).  The only NBA games played on Tournament Nights will be Group Play games.
  • Knockout Rounds:  Eight teams will advance to the Knockout Rounds:  The team with the best standing in Group Play games in each of the six groups and two “wild cards” (the team from each conference with the best record in Group Play games that finished second in its group).  The Knockout Rounds will consist of single-elimination games in the Quarterfinals (played in NBA team markets on Monday, Dec. 4 and Tuesday, Dec. 5) and Semifinals and Championship (played in Las Vegas on Dec. 7 and Dec. 9, respectively).  The Knockout teams will compete for a prize pool and the new In-Season Tournament trophy, the NBA Cup.

The 67 games played in both stages of the In-Season Tournament will count toward the regular-season standings except the Championship.  Each team will continue to play 82 regular-season games in the 2023-24 season, including those games that are part of Group Play and the Knockout Rounds.

TOURNAMENT GROUPS:

West Group A

Memphis Phoenix L.A. Lakers Utah Portland

West Group B

Denver LA Clippers New Orleans Dallas Houston

West Group C

Sacramento Golden State Minnesota Oklahoma City San Antonio

East Group A

Philadelphia Cleveland Atlanta Indiana Detroit

Eastern Conference

East Group B

Milwaukee New York Miami Washington Charlotte

East Group C

Boston Brooklyn Toronto Chicago Orlando

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 2

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While We’re Young (Ideas) on Indy, Star Wars and More

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – I first met Harrison Ford in 1973. He was 31 and I was only 14. He was on the Silver Screen, portraying Bob Falfa in American Graffiti, an incredible hit motion picture directed by a guy named George Lucas and produced by another familiar name in – oh – Francis Ford Coppola. I was sitting in a theatre chair, watching him, Richard Dreyfuss and Ron Howardwhile enjoying the picture and listening to one of the great sound tracks in Hollywood history.

A few years went by, my high school years, and I met-up with Ford again in 1977, except he was going by the name Han Solo in a sci-fi film named, Star Wars. What’a guy!

A few years later, we crossed paths once again. I was graduating from college (‘81) and he had changed his name and was hanging around with Hollywood characters working with Lucas. The new crew were writer Lawrence Kasdan and a new director named Steven Spielberg. They called Ford, “Indy,” as in Indiana Jones, professor of archaeology, and we followed his every move, his every trip in search of “Lost Arks” or to “Temples of Doom” or to battle the Nazi criminals or to India to free enslaved children.

Ford, errr, Indiana Jones, errr, Han Solo (by then, quite a wise-guy) and his new friends would change lives all around the world, teaming up with Mark Hamill (a young adventurer), Carrie Fisher (a princess), and Alec Guinness(wise old man). Add in the fabulous works of composer and conductor of music, John Williams, and it was the perfect formula – a motion picture soundtrack of our lives – some of it always heard in America on the 4th of July. They earned a place in our minds and souls from that Summer of ‘81 until this very day.

Ford had the thrill to go back and forth between the roles of Han Solo and Indiana Jones, and his films grossed some $5.4 billion in North America and $9.3 billion worldwide.

Ole’ Indy, (Ford is now 80 years old), is back for another go round in the summertime release of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” in theaters now and getting very positive reviews.

Ford played other great roles, too. His Jack Ryan in “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger,” two blockbusters. And, who could forget his role as “Dr. Richard Kimble” in 1993’s “The Fugitive,” or his role as President of the United States in 1997’s “Air Force One?”

This all brings us to the point of this column, usually focused on sports but often on media. TV anchor, reporter and newly crowned host of CNN’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace,” a masterful show of one-on-one interviews being aired weekly on the cable news outlet.

In every instance, the talented media personality formed a team within his/her organization. Just like Han teamed-up with Chewy, his trusty sidekick, and bonded with Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and his two friendly and trusty droids – R2D2 and C3PO, and they welcomed the input from the likes of Alec Guinness in the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

You can compare the team of the motion picture director, producer, casting director, cast and crew to a team in a live sports remote broadcast or to a team competing on the field of play. In each case, you place your trust in your co-worker’s hands and he/she does to you. You rely on your coach, the scouts, the athletic trainer and team doctor and everyone in the front office to help sell some tickets.

It’s much the same when preparing for an interview or shooting a movie.

The Wallace and Ford interview aired about a week ago, in large part of promote the release of the most recent piece of the Indiana Jones saga.

Wallace is not the first TV journalist to do a series of interesting interviews. CBS’ Anthony Mason does a great job on both the evening, morning and weekend news but he excels when he’s digging in deeply with a rock n’ roll, country music or any legendary musician, many previewing the annual Kennedy Awards, aired on CBS.

Last week, Mason had the legendary Paul Simon speaking on his new Seven Psalms and a few years ago, one of Mason’s gems was a sit-down with The Boss, Bruce Springsteen (in a MUST WATCH)..

From CNN’s Mike Wallace interviewing Harrison Ford to CBS’ Anthony Mason sitting down with Mr. “Born in the USA,” Bruce Springsteen, a logical next step might be to recognize Dan Rather and his Big Interview TV Serieson AXS-TV.

The show all other’s are based upon has to be James Tipton, the executive producer and host of Inside the Actor’s Studio on Bravo. Tipton set the bar so very high, all others strive to meet his professionalism, depth, humor and intensity. Born in 1926, Tipton passed away in March, 2020 with reports noting cause of death as bladder cancer. He was 93 years old and in those many years, from radio to TV soaps to his own show, there was no better episode as his interview with singer, songwriter, composer and Long Islander, Billy Joel.

Why all the fuss this week on some of the best journalists to ever interview actors and icons? It’s a simple reminder of how important the media are in our lives. The toxic B.S. of the political theatre has cast the media in such a negative light. We forget about the media in the arts, in religion, in investigative work (see Spotlight) and in sports. If there’s one take-away, it’s to never cast single broad stroke when you’re thinking of or speaking about “the media.”

There are as many different kinds of media as there are breeds of dogs. Some are better than others. Some breeds are smarter, others meaner, while others might be more trustworthy and show more loyalty.

If you’re casting broad strokes at the media – in general – they owe you one thing. The truth.

The problem with that? People lie to your face and tell you it’s the truth, not caring if it’s taped or live airtime.

When it’s not live, every word has to be checked, double-checked and triple-checked. In many ways, the story has two sides and each point-of-view must be sought out.

In the cases cited here – on music – each journalist has earned his stripes and the respect of his peers and his interview subjects, alike. That is the goal to strive for in any realm of the journalism industry, print, online, TV or radio.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: A new professional hockey league, featuring the world’s best women’s players, will launch in January 2024. … The new league is a venture by business and philanthropic leaders Mark and Kimbra Walter, sports icon Billie Jean King, and Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) Governors Johanna and John Boynton. The league will be supported financially by the Walters and led by board members including King, sports executive Ilana Kloss, and Los Angeles Dodgers President Stan Kasten, one-time head of the Atlanta Hawks and Turner Broadcasting.

The new league acquired assets of the PHF and has spent months negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA). These actions will enable the new league to move forward while undertaking a thorough and equitable process to ensure it features the best women’s hockey players in the world.

“I have always believed that professional sports should bring the highest levels of performance and organization, and this new league will have the backing and resources it needs to represent the very best of women’s hockey,” said Mark Walter, who is the controlling owner of the Dodgers and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, co-general partner of the ownership group of the Premier League’s Chelsea Football Club and holder of a significant interest in the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to advance women’s sports,” said King. “I have no doubt that this league can capture the imagination of fans and a new generation of players. I want to thank Mark and Kimbra Walter for their vision and commitment to investing in women’s sports.”

“This is another step forward for the women who play professional hockey and the girls who dream of it every day,” Johanna Boynton said. “The PHF has been a game-changer and catalyst for growth in the women’s professional game. This announcement builds on the established foundation, represents a shared vision for one new league, and reaffirms our belief that collective and collaborative leadership is in the best interest of women’s professional hockey.”

“I celebrate this transformational moment for women’s professional hockey,” said Kasten, who represented the Walters in both transactions. “I thank Jayna Hefford, Kendall Coyne Schofield and the PWHPA player bargaining committee, Johanna and John Boynton and their partners at the PHF, and PHF Commissioner Reagan Carey for their essential roles in this historic accomplishment.”

“This new league will be unlike anything we’ve seen in women’s hockey,” said Hockey Hall of Famer and PWHPA lead, Jayna Hefford. “I am inspired by this generation of players who are redefining the sport. We will create dreams and opportunities for girls and women around the world for decades to come.”

Although the Boston Pride competed in the prior pro hockey league, there’s been no mention on whether they will continue to be a local sports franchise or will fold.

SLAMBALL ART: SlamBall, the fast-paced that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey and trampolines, revealed its eight team names, logos, coaches and seven-man rosters for the league’s upcoming season. The mix of standout athletes with basketball, football and track backgrounds will be led by veteran coaching staffs in SlamBall League: Series 6, opening on ESPN July 21 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. … Three legacy teams – the Mob, Rumble and Slashers – will be joined by five new clubs, namely the Buzzsaw, Gryphons, Lava, Ozone and Wrath. Each squad is guided by a former SlamBall player or coach, including Ken Carter, the inspiration for the acclaimed film Coach Carter, who is back with the Rumble, the team that he led to a championship in the initial 2002 SlamBall campaign.

When we look at top picks like Bryce and Bryan, they represent high level basketball talent and high caliber football talent coming together in SlamBall, where basketball and football cultures collide,” said Mason Gordon, the Co-Founder of SlamBall. “We were incredibly gratified to see that on draft night.”

The SlamBall league and team logos and color schemes were designed by Gameplan Creative, the Chicago-based branding team headed by Tom O’that has been instrumental in creating designs for a host of teams, leagues and organizations, including the WNBA and eight of its teams and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

“The team names and logos are a nod to our history, with the Mob, Rumble and Slashers mirroring the original franchises, and also a reflection of the sport’s exciting future,” added Gordon.

SlamBall recently announced an exclusive, two-year national broadcast partnership with ESPN for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The partnership begins on Opening Night 2023, when SlamBall relaunches on ESPN live from Las Vegas on July 21 from 7-99pm (ET) ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+ will combine to air more than 30 hours of live SlamBall programming across five weekends, culminating August 17-19 with the SlamBall Playoffs and SlamBall Championship Game.

For a full Sunday Note column, Visit “While We’re Young (Ideas) and consider becoming a paying subscriber to help fund Digital Sports Desk.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – June 25

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While We’re Young (Ideas) on the PGA Tour Travelers Championship and the NBA Draft

The following story appeared here on Digital Sports Desk earlier this week. Your trusty columnist and editor thought it worthy of sharing to those who might’ve missed it).

By TERRY LYONS

CROMWELL, Conn – Sixty-two might be a typical score registered by the St. John’s University Red Storm in a mid-winter BIG EAST basketball game, but Keegan Bradley, an alum of the basketball-centric school currently undergoing a massive overhaul, was thrilled with a score of 62 posted today in the opening round at the Travelers Championship.

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It stood as the clubhouse lead until Denny McCarthy carded a (60) in the afternoon and Australian Adam Scott recorded a (62) in the afternoon to equal Bradley.

The story at day’s end was the New England kid played well.

Bradley flaunts his Northeast upbringing with a badge of honor. From his Vermont roots to his formative days in Hopkinton, Mass to his collegiate experience as sports management major in Jamaica Estates, graduating from his beloved St. John’s in 2008, Bradley eats-up the Travelers as a “home game.” With the loss of the Deutsche Bank – Northern Trust at TPC Boston, it’s his only “real” home game of the year, unless you count the tournaments in Westchester County, NY.

The nephew of LPGA superstar Pat Bradley, the St. John’s guy had an early wake-up call for his 7:25am tee-time, and he saddled up with Emiliano Grilloof Argentina and PGA Tour star Xander Shauffele of San Diego for a start off the 10th tee this morning.

Shauffele was coming off an impressive T-10 at last weekend’s U.S. Open while Grillo (+5) and Bradley (+6) each missed the cut at the Los Angeles Country Club.

“I just played so awful last week,” said Bradley, ” and I was able to get out of there (LA) and I got here early and flew my coach, Darren Mahan, out here and we got some great work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. It really helped,” he added.

“It was better for me to miss the cut, honestly, and get here and feel better about my swing. It helped a lot, said the Thursday morning clubhouse leader.

Just what did that extra work and maybe a little rest in familiar surroundings do for Bradley?

He went out with five birdies being etched to his scorecard from No. 10-to-14. Then, made a shot that even St. John’s Dream-Teamer, Chris Mullin couldn’t hit – Bradley drained a 74-foot birdie putt on No. 17 which combined with a par four on No. 18, gave him an impressive (29) score on his first nine holes.

“I can’t believe how hard I hit that putt (on No.17),” noted Bradley. “As soon as I hit it, I couldn’t believe it. A lot of times on those putts you’re begging for it to hit the flag. It’ll just miss or bang off, and (this putt) just hit perfectly in the center and dropped down.

“It was at least – probably – a two-shot swing. Instead of walking off that green at 6-under, I’m (might’ve been) minus-4, maybe minus-3. It’s a huge swing.”

Even flirting with the idea of a Jim Furyk-esque (58) is a dream in itself, but Bradley went on to birdie two of his first three holes on his back nine, holes No. 2 and 3.

“Well, when I made that really long putt on 17 and it was — it could have gone in the water. I don’t know, (59) crossed my mind. I wasn’t thinking about it a lot, but I certainly was going to try to do it.

“And, I thought about it hardly. You know, I got enough on my hands when I play out here,” he said.

“So, I mean, it popped into my mind for a second. For the most part I was trying to execute the shots and do what we’ve been trying to do out here, and it was fun to match up a good ball striking and putting day,” Bradley noted on his complete round, the best of his 2023 PGA Tour season.

He and his caddie (Scott Veil) came back down to earth when Bradley bogeyed No. 5, to drop his score from (-8) to (-7) and a stroke closer to the wild pack of PGA Tour hyenas chasing him from hole-to-hole at TPC River Highlands in the suburbs of Hartford, Connecticut – the insurance capital of the world.

But while Bradley was enjoying his round, he and Veil had a little fun along the way, carrying on with a superstition unlike any other.

“I don’t know,” Bradley paused before admitting, “we bow to the putter. When it’s working, that’s our God.”

That thought of joy brought Bradley to speak about his real priorities and his support group, a difficult circumstance for a Northeastern (and Florida, too) based golfer jetting all over the States and the world.

“This is a special week,” he said. “I don’t get to have my family out here a lot anymore with school, and having them out here is an advantage for me. It’s really special to see my son out in the crowd watching, cheering. It’s just really great.”

Does his son “get” the whole PGA Tour and intense competition?

“He’s five, and I would say over the last six months, eight months he’s getting it now and he loves to come out and watch. He likes to cheer and clap and it’s really special.

“I’ve grown up watching the veteran guys have their kids out here and seeing them grow up on the Tour, so it’s really fun to have my boys out here now, too.”

As Bradley exited from his interview duties, it seemed to be the right time to ask if he’s kept up on the St. John’s University basketball drama with the school making the bold hire of Rick Pitino, and Pitino’s summertime overhaul of all but one player from a year ago in center Joel Soriano.

With such a question, coming out of the blue, Bradley’s eyes lit up like the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center.

“Yeah, I’ve been following it,” he said as a PGA Tour official ushered him towards the player’s-only area of the clubhouse. The tour marshall wasn’t quick enough, though, as Bradley turned back a second later.

“I’m REALLY excited,” he said.

Let’s see if Bradley can hold a spot high on the leaderboard to the afternoon today and if the St. John’s faithful turn out at TPC River Highlands for a weekend of golf within 100 miles of (Lou) Carnesseca Arena, as the golf ball flies. On Saturday, Bradley remained high on the leaderboard at the last “elevated event” of the Tour season, meaning there’s $20 million in the kitty and a winner’s share of $3.6 million awaiting the best player of this well-run tournament.

After all, the new St. John’s basketball coach lives on the famed Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY, a place both Bradley and Pitino are sure to be when Bradley wants to play a round or two to practice long before he takes another shot at another U.S. Open, for that event is at Winged Foot in 2028.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Boston Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers has been in and out and back in batting slumps since May when he was leading the majors in Home Runs. On Friday night Devers hits a two-run HR 434-feet at 110.1 mph to extend his season long RBI total to (60), tops in the big leagues. Despite his intermittent struggles, Devers hit five home runs in 13 games after going 27 of his previous 28 contests without a homer. … Boston’s Sunday game will end a streak of 23 games in 23 days with one rain-out tucked in there.

SLAMBALL, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey, man-to-man combat and gymnastics trampolines, announced an exclusive, two-year national broadcast partnership with ESPN for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The partnership will begin on SlamBall’s opening night, as the popular sport of yesteryear re-launches live from Las Vegas on July 21 from 7-9 p.m. EDT.

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+ will combine to air more than 30 hours of live SlamBall programming during five dog-days of summer weekends, culminating August 17-19 with the SlamBall Playoffs and SlamBall Championship Game. All games will be played at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, the same site that hosts part of the NBA Summer League.

SUMMER LEAGUE: Speaking of which, the NBA announced the game and broadcast schedules for its NBA 2K24 Summer League 2023, which will take place July 7-17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

All 76 games of the 11-day competition will air live on television somewhere as the ESPN networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews) air a bunch and NBA TV sweeps up a few more. Every game will also be available to stream on the ESPN App or NBA App.

Now in its 18th NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, all 30 NBA teams will play at least five games each. Each team will play four games from July 7-14. Winners advance to the playoffs, July 16-17. SlamBall will move in right afterward.

Top picks from the 2023 NBA Draft are expected to play. ESPN will televise potential matchups between both the No. 1 and No. 2 picks and the No. 3 and No. 4 picks from this week’s Draft. No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama is set to lead the San Antonio Spurs against No. 2 pick Brandon Miller and the Charlotte Hornets at 9pm ET. Earlier in the day, No. 3 pick Scoot Henderson and the defending NBA Summer League champion Portland Trail Blazers are scheduled to face No. 4 pick Amen Thompsonand the Houston Rockets at 7pm ET.

A head-to-head matchup between the Thompson Twins (see note below), pitting Amen Thompson and his twin brother, No. 5 pick Ausar Thompsonof the Detroit Pistons, is set for Sunday, July 9 at 6pm ET on ESPN2.

TIDBITS: Buzz on the Bill Walton 30-for-30 on ESPN continues to build. This columnist has yet to see the three-part documentary but has it high on the list of priorities and will report here very soon without any spoilers.

The worldwide publicity and anticipation to see France’s Victor Wembanyama at the NBA Draft. The rookie-to-be enjoyed his whirlwind tour in New York City which included a trip to Yankee Stadium on the NYC Subway system. Wembanyama was quite complimentary of the ragged and aging subway cars, noting he could “stand-up” in the car, as opposed to the smaller cars in Paris’ “Metro.” … Wembanyama tossed a baseball for the first time in his life and his large hands completely covered the baseball, making his “first pitch” from the mound of the most famous baseball stadium in the world – well – a ball.

Asked about the rookie’s impact to the NBA Europe’s Tom Marchesi who has seen it all, from Basketball without Borders magic to the rise of Tony Parkerto the Greek Freak, he said: “Difficult to put into words but his athleticism and skill is matched only by his maturity. It’s quite something,” said multi-lingual Marchesi so eloquently.

MEET THE THOMPSON TWINS: As noted just a paragraph above, this week’s NBA Draft was full of intrigue as France’s Victor Wembanyama – the 7-foot-3 bundle of energy, personality, joy and – most importantly – game wowed a global audience tuned into the annual NBA poker game to distributed its burgeoning talent pool.

Wembanyama’s meet and greet with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was the most-watched NBA Draft ever on any network, according to Nielsen company, the monitor of ratings and determining factor for NBA ad sales and money. The first round of the annual Draft averaged 4,928,000 viewers across ESPN and ABC, up 24 percent from last year’s first round on both platforms. It peaked with 6,085,000 viewers in the 8 p.m. ET quarter hour. Disney decided to broadcast two different feeds of the event, one with the knowledgeable Jay Bilas and one without.

Overall, the NBA Draft averaged 3,743,000 viewers across ESPN (both rounds) and ABC (first round-only). The average audience was up 23 percent from last year. The NBA Draft started airing on both ESPN and ABC in 2021.

Putting the French Fantastique and his wingspan the width of a Boeing 747 aside, NBA Draft night unfolded with a second plot when Commissioner Silver announced brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson as back-to-back draft picks in the first five selections. Amen went to the Houston Rockets at No. 4 and Ausar followed when the Detroit Pistons grabbed him at No. 5.

The Thompson Twins became the hottest siblings since Hamilton the Musical’s “The Schuyler Sisters” and they came similarly dressed in the subplot, both basketball and Fashion Show.

The twins, who played in the non-college non-NBA G-League “Overtime Ignite” program, joined Lonzo and LaMelo Ball as the only brothers to both go in the top 5 in a draft in the modern era.

Regardless of the accolades and the trivia, the same sentiment for success in the NBA is for all to “Work, work!”