Baseball: Season kicks off. Anti sign stealing devices. Thompson suspended for 3 games.
Basketball-NBA: Playoffs start this week. Embiid wins lead scorer. Luka out.
Basketball-NCAAM: KU wins!
Football: Haskins killed on FL road.
Golf: Scheffler is the new Masters champion!
Olympic Sports: Devon Allen to the Eagles. Liu retires.
Baseball:
- As opening day approached, the MLB announced that it will allow pitchers and catchers to use anti-sign stealing technology during the regular season. This is a listening device on the pitcher that communicates with a button pad on the wrist of the catcher. After the implementation of this, there will be no need for a sign system and it wont be visible to the batter.
- Cubs P Keegan Thompson has been suspended for 3 games after intentionally hitting Brewers OF Andrew McCutchen on Saturday. It was believed that this was in retaliation for several hit batters by Brewers pitchers in the first 2 games of the series.
- Dodgers announcer Vin Scully won the Lifetime Achievement Award by Baseball Digest.
Basketball-NCAAM:
- KU won the national championship! They came from a 16-point comeback to win over UNC; the largest win in NCAA history. Despite scoring the games first 7 points, the Jayhawks went down 15, only scoring 25 by halftime. However the script flipped for the 2H with KU outscoring UNC 47-29.
Basketball-NBA:
- The playoffs are set! The Heat clinched the East, only winning 2 more games than the Celtics, Bucks and 76ers, who all sit at 51 wins. That’s a much different story than the West where the Suns won 64 games and the next highest team is the Grizzlies at 56. Joel Embiid ended the season as the scoring champion averaging 30.6 PPG.
- The Lakers and the Knicks were the 1st 2 teams out of playoffs.
- The Lakers are out of the playoffs despite their star studded roster. HC Frank Vogel has been fired after a record of 33-49 season. Vogel was there for 3 seasons with a total record 127-98.
- Breaking: Dallas is in trouble. In the last regular season game, star Luka Doncic limped off the court and MRI has now confirmed that his calf is strained. There is no timetable for his return.
Football:
- Dwayne Haskins died this weekend after walking on a FL highway. He was struck by a dump truck. There was no reason given as to why he was walking on the highway as of right now. It is a huge loss and he will be honored at the Ohio St spring game.
Golf:
- Scottie Scheffler, #1 golfer in the World, won his first major and it’s a green jacket. After the cut, Scheffler was ahead by 5 strokes – only 1 golfer in history has had that lead and not won the tournament. He had cool composure on the course on Sunday despite pressure from Cameron Smith (until he hit his ball into the water on 12th) and then Rory McIlroy’s amazing 64. Scheffler did 4 putt the final hole due to nerves – that was the moment he said he let himself enjoy the moment. He was leading by 5 so it didn’t matter. Tiger Woods made his 22nd cut which is the 3rd longest streak in history, just a year after his car accident.
Olympic Sports:
- The PHI Eagles have signed Oregon hurdler Devon Allen to be a WR for 3 years. The Olympic hurdler hasn’t played football since 2016 but ran an unofficial 4.35 40 yard time at Oregon’s pro day. Allen was a 3x national champion in the 110m hurdles but had 2 knee injuries that led to him only playing 9 games over his last 2 seasons at Oregon. He will run at USATF’s national championships outdoor and then Worlds (if he makes it) before turning his attention to football with the Eagles.
- Alyssa Liu, 16 year old Olympic and world bronze medalist, has retired from figure skating.
- The Boston Marathon will not allow athletes from RUS or Belarus.
What to watch this week
Baseball:
- Sat 4/16
- Braves at Padres @ 3:05pm on FS1
- Sun 4/17
- Braves at Padres @ 6pm on ESPN
Basketball-NBA:
- Tues 4/12
- Cavaliers at Nets @ 6pm on TNT
- Clippers at Timberwolves @ 8:30pm on TNT
- Wed 4/13
- Hornets at Hawks @ 6pm on ESPN
- Spurs at Pelicans @ 8:30pm on ESPN
- Fri 4/15
- TBD at TBD @ TBD on ESPN
- TBD at TBD @ TBD on TNT
- Sat 4/16
- Jazz at Mavericks @ 12pm on ESPN
- TBD at Grizzlies @ 2:30pm on ESPN
- Raptors at 76ers @ 5pm on ESPN
- Nuggets at Warriors @ 7:30pm on ABC
- TBD at Celtics @ TBD on TBD
- TBD at Heat @ TBD on TBD
- Bulls at Bucks @ TBD on TBD
- TBD at Suns @ TBD on TBD
Golf:
- Thurs 4/14
- RBC Heritage – Round 1 @ 2pm on Golf Channel
- Fri 4/15
- RBC Heritage – Round 2 @ 2pm on Golf Channel
- Sat 4/16
- RBC Heritage – Round 3
- @ 12pm on Golf Channel
- @ 2pm on CBS
- RBC Heritage – Round 3
- Sun 4/17
- RBC Heritage – Final Round
- @ 12pm on Golf Channel
- @ 2pm on CBS
- RBC Heritage – Final Round
Hockey:
- Tues 4/12
- Flyers at Capitals @ 6pm on ESPN
- Lightning at Stars @ 8:30pm on ESPN
- Wed 4/13
- Rangers at Flyers @ 6pm on TNT
- Kings at Avalanche @ 8:30pm on TNT
- Thurs 4/14
- Wild at Stars @ 7pm on ESPN
- Sat 4/16
- Wild at Blues @ 2pm on ABC
- Sun 4/17
- Panthers at Red Wings @ 12pm on ESPN
Olympic Sports:
- Thurs 4/14
- W Gymnastics – NCAA Semifinal 1: Oklahoma, Utah, Alabama & Minnesota @ 12pm on ESPN2
- W Gymnastics – NCAA Semifinal 2: Florida, Michigan, Auburn & Mizzou @ 5pm on ESPN2
- Fri 4/15
- M Gymnastics – NCAA Qualifiers @ 1pm & 7pm
- Sat 4/16
- W Gymnastics – NCAA Championship @ 12pm on ABC
- M Gymnastics – NCAA Qualifiers Finals @ 6pm
Soccer:
- Tues 4/12
- Women’s International Friendly: USA vs UZB @ 6pm on FOX
- Sun 4/19
- MLS: LAFC vs Sporting Kansas City @ 3pm on ESPN
