Weekly Update May 8, 2023

Baseball: A’s broadcaster off air for mispronounced slur. Blue dies. Ohtani maybe the best ever? Conference Championship week for softball.
Basketball: NBA Playoffs round 2 updates. Couple of series are tied. Embiid wins MVP. LeBron’s son to USC.
Football: 2024 CFP calendar released.
Golf: Clarks wins first at WF Championship. Woods being sued by ex-gf.
Hockey: Finishing up Round 1 of Stanley Cup Playoffs. Round 2 begins.
Horseracing: Mage wins KT Derby. 7 horses die at the course.
Olympic Sports: Bowie dies with no details. Diamond League returns. IGF allows RUS & BLR.

Baseball:

• A’s broadcaster Glen Kuiper used a racial slur while visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. A review will be conducted and he will remain off air until that concludes. It is believed that he ‘mispronounced’ negro when discussing the visit.

• Sticking with the A’s, LHP Vida Blue has died at age 73. He led the A’s to 3 straight World Series before his career was over due to drugs. As a winner of both the Cy Young and MVP in the same year, Blue is one of just 11 pitchers ever to do so.
• Shohei Ohtani joined an exclusive club only with the likes of Babe Ruth. He became just the 2^nd player ever to have 500 KOs and 100 HRs.

• It’s conference championship week for softball.
  • ACC, PAC 12, SEC, Big 10, Big 12

Basketball – NBA:

• Round 2:
  • The 76ers/Celtics match up has lived up to expectations meeting up for the 21^st time in playoffs. Game 1 the 76ers we Embiid-less but Harden more than made up for his absence, scoring 45 which is a playoff PR for him. The 76ers take an impressive Game 1 119-115. The Celtics came back in game 2 though to destroy the 76ers by 34 points to tie the series. By Game 3, Embiid was back to being the leading scorer for the phili team but that wasn’t enough on Friday. The Celtics take Game 3. Sunday’s game was a thriller, going into OT and coming down to the wire and a beautifully made 3-pointer by Harden who came up clutch despite not playing great recently. This game was a different story though as he brought in 42 points. The Series is tied 2-2.
  • The Nuggets had a strong 2H in Game 1 to beat the Suns by 10. Jokic scored 39 on his own and put the Denver team up 2-0 in the series. The Suns did take Game 3 though to start making up the deficit and they continued the momentum into Sunday. After scoring all 4Qs in the 30s, the Suns evened the series by winning 129-124. Tied 2-2.
  • The Heat Knicks met up for the 2^nd time on Tuesday and the Knicks tied the series as their top two scorers combined for 55 points to win by 6. There was a long break before game 3 on Saturday where the Heat were home and it showed. Butler led his team to win by 19 and to go up in the series 2-1.

• • But we all know where the big showdown was. The Clash of the Titans Warriors vs Lakers matchup. Steph Curry vs LeBron James. But it wasn’t those two making the big headlines for the first 2 games. The Lakers took Game 1 by 5 points with Davis being the leading scorer. The Warriors evened up the series in Game 2 after Klay Thompson caught fire to help the team win by 27. And if you thought that was a lot, the Lakers won Game 3 by 30! The LA team scored 41 points in the 4Q alone and again AD was the leading scorer. Lakers lead 2-1.

• 76ers Joel Embiid won the NBA MVP title this year, after finishing runner up the last 2 years. His stats were impressive averaging 33.1 points, 10.2 rebound and 4.2 assist per game.
• LeBron’s son, Bronny James, has committed to go to USC.

Football:

• The 2024 CFP playoff calendar as come out. The first round will take place on campuses to then be followed by Quarterfinals, Semifinals and the Final at the different bowls. Next year the final is in Atlanta.

Golf:

• After 5 years on the PGA Tour, Wydnham Clark has finally won his first PGA Tour title this weekend at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hallow. Clark beat Xander Schuaffle by 4 strokes to end the tournament -19, just te 2^nd lowest score to par ever (2^nd to Rory McIlroy who is a 3x champ here). Tyrrell Hatton and Harry English finished 3^rd and Adam Scott and Tommy Fleetwood were one host behind them. Clark beat them all. Although he was leading going into the final round by 2 shots, that lead was gone in 7 holes but playing the last 11 holes 4-under helps.

• Tiger Woods is being sued by ex-gf Erica Herman. She claims that he threatened to fire her (from the restaurant she worked at that he owns) if she did not sign an NDA. NDAs like this can be nullified in the case of sexual abuse or harassment. Herman is suing him for $30MM. Also she claims that he had his lawyer break up with her at the airport after lying to her that they were going on a weekend trip then the locks were changed and she was ousted.

Hockey:

• Round 1: We only had one game in round 1 left on Monday. It was Game 7 of Rangers/Devils game. The Devils came to play. The NJ team won 4-0 to be the final team to advance. They had a quick turn around to play the Hurricanes on Wednesday.
• Round 2: Began on Tuesday
  • Panthers/Maple Leafs kicked off the second round. The Panthers won game 1 4-2. The Maple Leafs were leading Game 2 2-1 in the 1^st period but then the Toronto team did not score again after that letting the Panthers come back to win 3-2. Sunday, the Florida team needed OT to get the W but they still did it and added to their series lead 3-0. They could advance on Wednesday.
  • The Kraken scored 4 in the 1^st against the Stars but the Dallas team came back in the 3^rd to take Game 1 to OT. The Kraken got the last laugh though taking the W. The Stars won game 2 on Thursday 4-2 to tie the series up. But Sunday the Kraken put on a clinic beating the Stars 7-2 – Yikes. Kraken are up 2-1.
  • The Hurricanes took advantage of the Devils long first series. The Carolina team beat them 5-1 Game 1 and 6-1 in Game 2. But then the Devils said enough is enough last night. The NJ team won 8-4 on Sunday to take their first game of the series but they still trail 1-2.
  • The Oilers/Golden Knight match up is a high scoring Game 1 the Vegas team won 6-4. Oddly enough the teams scored half of their goals in 1^st period and the other half in 3^rd. The Oilers came back in Game 2 though putting it away 5-1. Series is tied!

Horseracing:

• Mage, 15-1 odds, won the 149^th Kentucky Derby. And no one is more thankful than his jockey, Javier Castellano who was 0-15 in the well known race. Mage had only 1 win when coming into the Derby. Odds favorite, Forte, was the 5^th horse to scratch in the Kentucky Derby after stumbling on the track during a workout. This was also the first time that 5 horses had scratched since 1936. But really the race is being overshadowed by the deaths of 7 horses at Churchill Downs in the last week. 2 on the day of the race in earlier races with racing injuries. 2 others earlier in the week were under the same trainer who is now under investigation. Saffie Joseph Jr has been indefinitely suspended from the track. The other horses were euthanized after injuries sustained during earlier races or trainings.
  • Chloe’s Dream – fractured right knee during race Saturday
  • Freezing Point – left ankle injury (left front biaxial sesamoid fracture) during race 8 Saturday
  • Wild On Ice – musculoskeletal injury during training
  • Take Charge Briana – same as above
  • Parents Pride – Joseph’s horse
  • Chasing Artie – Joseph’s horse

Olympic Sports:

• Tori Bowie, 3x Olympic medalist, has died at the age of 32 and no cause of death was given. So far the police have said that no foul play is believed and that she suffered from mental health issues but no other details were provided. Bowie earned a medal of each color during the Rio Olympics Gold for 4x100m relay, Silver in the 100m and Bronze in the 200m.
• Not to add insult to injury (or death in this case) but this weekend Tori Bowie’s Diamond League record in the 100m was broken by none other than Sha’Carri Richardson. She won the 100m against the star studded line up beating Shericka Jackson and Dina Asher-Smith. The Diamond League season is 14 meets all over the world ending in September.
• International Golf Federation has allowed RUS and BLR athletes to compete as neutrals in international competitions.
• Worst prize award goes to: Carrera de la Muejer.

What to watch this week

Baseball – MLB:

• Tues 5/9
  • Red Sox at Braves @ 6:20pm on TBS
    • Pivetta vs Morton
• Fri 5/12
  • Cubs at Twins @ 7:10pm on Apple TV+
  • Royals at Brewers @ 7:10pm on Apple TV+
• Sat 5/13
  • Rangers at A’s @ 3:07pm on FS1
    • Gray vs Spears
  • Astros at White sox – or – Padres at Dodgers @ 6:15pm on FOX
• Sun 5/14
  • Angels at Guardians @ 10:35am on Peacock
    • Suarez vs Bibee
  • Cardinals at Red Sox @ 6pm on ESPN
    • Mikolas vs Houck

Baseball/Softball – NCAA:

• Mon 5/8
  • Softball: 17. Florida at Kentucky @ 11am on ESPNU
  • Softball: Louisville at 3. Florida St @ 1pm on ESPNU
• Tues 5/9
  • Baseball: 5. Vanderbilt at Louisville @ 5pm on ESPN2
  • Softball: 10. Georgia at 16. LSU @ 8pm on ESPNU
• Wed 5/10
  • Softball: 15. Clemson at 3. Florida St @ 10am on ACC
  • Softball: SEC Ole Miss vs 16. LSU @ 10am on SEC
  • Baseball: 5. Vanderbilt at Louisville @ 1pm on ESPNU
  • Softball: SEC South Carolina vs 23. Texas A&M @ 1pm on SEC
  • Softball: SEC TBA vs 14. Alabama @ 4pm on SEC
  • Softball: Kentucky at 17. Florida @ 7pm on SEC
  • Baseball: 1. LSU vs Auburn @ 8pm on ESPNU
• Thurs 5/11
  • Softball: ACC Game 3: 3. Florida St vs TBA @ 10am on ACC
  • Softball: SEC TBA vs 15. Auburn @ 10am on SEC
  • Softball: ACC Game 4: Louisville vs 22. VTech @ 12:30pm on ACC
  • Softball: SEC TBA vs 10. Georgia @ 1pm on SEC
  • Softball: ACC Game 5: 11. Duke vs TBA @ 4pm on ACC
  • Softball: SEC TBA vs 12. Arkansas @ 4pm on SEC
  • Softball: ACC Game 6: 8. Clemson vs UNC @ 6:30pm on ACC
  • Softball: SEC TBA vs 4. Tennessee @ 7pm on SEC
• Fri 5/12
  • Softball: ACC Semifinal 1 @ 12pm on ACC
  • Softball: Big 12 Semifinal 1. Oklahoma vs 21. Baylor/Iowa St @ 1pm on ESPNU
  • Softball: ACC Semifinal 2 @ 2:30pm on ACC
  • Softball: SEC Semifinal 1 @ 3pm on ESPN2
  • Baseball: 5. Vanderbilt at 7. Florida @ 4:30pm on SEC
  • Softball: SEC Semifinal 2 @ 5:30pm on ESPN2
  • Softball: Pac12 Semifinal 1 @ 6:30pm on ESPNU
  • Baseball: Mississippi St at 2. LSU @ 7:30pm on SEC
  • Softball: Pac 12 Semifinal 2 @ 9:30pm on ESPN2
• Sat 5/13
  • Softball: AAC Championship @ 10am on ESPN2
  • Baseball: 17. Kentucky at 23. Tennessee @ 11am on SEC
  • Baseball: Georgia Tech at 10. Duke @ 12pm on ACC
  • Softball: ACC Championship @ 12pm on ESPN2
  • Softball: Big 12 Championship @ 2pm on ESPN2
  • Baseball: Louisville vs 21. UVA @ 3pm on ACC
  • Softball: SEC Championship @ 4pm on ESPN2
  • Baseball: 16. Clemson at VTech @ 6pm on ACC
  • Softball: Pac 12 Final @ 9pm on ESPN2
• Sun 5/14
  • Baseball: 11. Miami at Pitt @ 11am on ACC
  • Baseball: 16. Clemson at VTech @ 2pm on ACC
  • Softball: NCAA Selection Show @ 6pm on ESPN2

Basketball – NBA:

• Mon 5/8
  • E Game 4: Knicks at Heats @ 6:30pm on TNT
    • MIA leads 2-1
  • W Game 4: Warriors at Lakers @ 9pm on TNT
    • LAL lead 2-1
• Tues 5/9
  • E Game 5: 76ers at Celtics @ 6:30pm on TNT
    • Tied 2-2
  • W Game 5: Suns at Nuggets @ 9pm on TNT
    • Tied 2-2
• Wed 5/10
  • E Game 5: Heat at Knicks @ 6:30pm on TNT
  • W Game 5: Lakers at Warriors @ 9pm on TNT
• Thurs 5/11
  • E Game 6: Celtics at 76ers @ 6:30pm on ESPN
  • W Game 6: Nuggets at Suns @ 9pm on ESPN
• Fri 5/12 – If necessary
  • E Game 6: Knicks at Heat @ TBD on ESPN
  • W Game 6: Warriors at Lakers @ TBD on ESPN
• Sun 5/14 – If necessary
  • W Game 7: Suns at Nuggets @ TBD on TBD
  • E Game 7: 76ers at Celtics @ TBD on TBD
  • W Game 7: Lakers at Warriors @ TBD on ABC

Football:

• Sat 5/13
  • USFL: Pitt Maulers at Michigan Panthers @ 11:30am on USA
  • USFL: Houston Gamblers at Birmingham Stallions @ 3pm on FOX
  • XFL: Arlington Renegdes vs DC Defenders @ 7pm on ABC
• Sun 5/14
  • USFL: NJ Generals at Phili Stars @ 11am on NBC
  • USFL: Memphis Showboats at NOLA Breakers @ 2pm on FOX

Golf:

• Thurs 5/11
  • AT&T Byron Nelson – Round 1 @ 4pm on Golf Channel
• Fri 5/12
  • LIV: Tulsa – Round 1 @ 12pm on CW
  • AT&T Byron Nelson – Round 2 @ 4pm on Golf Channel
• Sat 5/13
  • LIV: Tulsa – Round 2 @ 12pm on CW
  • AT&T Byron Nelson – Round 3
    • @ 1pm on Golf Channel
    • @ 2pm on CBS
• Sun 5/14
  • LIV: Tulsa – Final Round @ 12pm on CW
  • AT&T Byron Nelson – Final Round
    • @ 1pm on Golf Channel
    • @ 2pm on CBS

Hockey:

• Mon 5/8
  • W Game 3: Golden Knights at Oilers @ 7:30pm on ESPN
    • Tied 1-1
• Tues 5/9
  • E Game 4: Hurricanes at Devils @ 6pm on ESPN
    • CAR leads 2-1
  • W Game 4: Stars at Kraken @ 8:30pm on ESPN
    • Tied 1-1
• Wed 5/10
  • E Game 4: Maple Leafs at Panthers @ 6pm on ESPN
    • FLA leads 3-0
  • W Game 4: Golden Knights at Oilers @ 9pm on ESPN
• Thurs 5/11
  • E Game 5: Devils at Hurricanes @ TBD on TNT
  • W Game 5: Kraken at Stars @ TBD on TNT
• Fri 5/12
  • E Game 5: Panthers at Maple Leafs @ TBD on TNT
    • If necessary
  • W Game 5: Oilers at Golden Knights @ TBD on TNT
• Sat 5/13 – If necessary
  • E Game 6: Hurricanes at Devils @ TBD on ESPN
  • W Game 6: Stars at Kraken @ TBD on ESPN
• Sun 5/14 – If necessary
  • E Game 6: Maple Leafs at Panthers @ TBD on TBD
  • W Game 6: Golden Knights at Oilers @ TBD on TBD

Olympic Sports:

• Sat 5/13
  • Track & Field: SEC Outdoor Championships @ 5pm on SEC
  • Equestrian @ 1:30pm on NBC

Soccer:

• Mon 5/8
  • Premier League: Fulham vs Leicester City @ 9am on USA
  • Primer League: Brighton vs Everton @ 11:30am on USA
  • Premier League: Nottingham Forest vs Southampton @ 2pm on USA
• Sat 5/13
  • Premier League: LeedsU vs NewcastleU @ 6:30am on USA
  • Premier League: Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest @ 9am on USA
• Sun 5/14
  • Premier League: Everton vs Manchester City @ 8am on USA
  • Premier League: Arsenal vs Brighton @ 10:30am on USA
  • MLS: LA Galaxy vs San Jose Earthquakes @ 8:30pm on FS1