04/25/24
Archives for April 2023
April 30, 2023
Phoenix Suns and Mercury Cut the Cable: The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury are leaving cable TV and coming to local broadcast TV. Every regular season Suns game will be free to watch with an antenna and games will stream online for a fee. Mercury games will be free over the air and online. The move triples their potential audience to 2.8 million households in Arizona. NBA games used to be on local TV through the 1990s before regional sports networks grabbed the rights.
posted by rcade to basketball at 09:04 AM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
April 29, 2023
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments
April 28, 2023
NBA Playoff Pickem Round 2: Conference Semifinals: The Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets begin the second round of the NBA playoffs Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. Eastern, so it's time to make your picks in that series, the Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics. The fourth series will be decided by Sunday. As it stands now, Jjzucal leads the pickem with 40 points.
posted by rcade to basketball at 11:11 AM - 17 comments
Daniel Murphy Attempting MLB Comeback with Long Island Ducks: Former New York Mets All-Star Daniel Murphy is back in baseball at age 38, playing for the Long Island Ducks and hoping to return to the majors three years after his exit. A rewatch of Ken Burns' Baseball inspired his bid. "I underestimated just how cool our game was and how cool the guys were who played before me," he said.
April 27, 2023
13-Year Minor Leaguer Plays First Game in Majors: After 1,155 games over 13 minor league seasons, Drew Maggi finally played in a Major League game for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The infielder was drafted by the team in 2010 in the 15th round and received a $468,000 bonus. He got a standing ovation from the crowd Wednesday, entering as a pinch runner and striking out in one at-bat. "I saw my dad crying. I don't think I ever saw him cry before," Maggi said.
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
April 26, 2023
Paolo Banchero Wins NBA Rookie of the Year: Paolo Banchero got 98 out of 100 first-place votes to become the NBA Rookie of the Year, the third time an Orlando Magic player has been thus honored following Shaq in 1993 and Mike Miller in 2001. He's the first No. 1 overall pick to get the award in his first season since Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016. The Magic, who improved from 22 to 34 wins this season, had everyone thinking on draft night they were going to pick Jabari Smith.
posted by rcade to basketball at 09:33 AM - 2 comments
April 25, 2023
Bucks getting Jimmy Butlered right now: People are trying to make Playoff Jimmy a thing. "It's not a thing,...It's not. I just be hooping." Butler scored 56 against the Bucks for their 119-114 game four win.
posted by NoMich to basketball at 01:14 PM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
April 24, 2023
Jets Complete Trade for Aaron Rodgers : Every 15 years this century, the New York Jets acquire a 39-year-old, Hall of Fame-bound, Super Bowl-winning quarterback from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for draft picks -- including one that improves based on playing time. As went Brett Favre and now Aaron Rodgers, so shall 24-year-old Jordan Love in 2038.
posted by rcade to football at 05:32 PM - 4 comments
Heart-Warming Moment Becomes Stomach-Turning Forfeit: "May couldn't help himself. He knew Kade West wasn’t officially on the team, but, at that moment, no one on the team was more important. May looked down to the praying figure. He motioned to the court. It was a gesture he knew West would understand. 'Get in there, Kade.'"
posted by rcade to basketball at 08:45 AM - 2 comments
April 23, 2023
Phil Jackson Yells at Cloud: Former NBA coach Phil Jackson said he stopped watching games when players wore slogans such as "Justice" and "Black Lives Matter" in 2020. In the past he's complained about rap music, Phoenix wearing "Los Suns" jerseys, players wearing clothes he called "prison garb" and LeBron James calling his business partners a "posse."
posted by rcade to basketball at 12:26 PM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
April 22, 2023
Does St. Louis City Know It's an Expansion Team?: Expansion club St. Louis City has begun in Major League Soccer with 18 points in its first eight games and sits atop the table in the Western Conference. The team is scoring 2.5 goals a game. "We haven't just opened up checkbooks and signed five $12 million players,” said manager Bradley Carnell. "I feel we've got a pretty good roster together without going into the market deeply."
posted by rcade to soccer at 10:33 AM - 3 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
April 21, 2023
Oakland A's Reach Deal on Stadium Land in Las Vegas: The Oakland Athletics have struck a deal on a 49-acre site near the Las Vegas Strip to open a new stadium by 2027, saying goodbye to the city after 55 seasons. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao had been in daily negotiations to keep the team with a new waterfront ballpark. Thao said, "It is clear to me that the A’s have no intention of staying in Oakland and have simply been using this process to try to extract a better deal out of Las Vegas." Vegas will be the fourth home for the franchise, which began in Philadelphia in 1901 and moved to Kansas City in 1955.
posted by rcade to baseball at 10:33 AM - 3 comments
April 20, 2023
Colin Cowherd Wants Sacramento's Beam Investigated: Sports radio host Colin Cowherd called the Sacramento Kings' beam "an egregious waste of energy" and urged California Gov. Gavin Newsom to investigate. The skyward lasers lit after victories only use as much wattage as a single run of a dishwasher. Overall the beam represents just 0.014% of the energy consumed by the Golden 1 Center arena, which is powered entirely by solar. The beaming Kings are two lightings from advancing over the Golden State Warriors.
posted by rcade to basketball at 10:45 AM - 2 comments
April 19, 2023
Suns Beat Clippers, Chris Paul Beats NBA Referee: The Phoenix Suns victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday night ended one of basketball's most infamous streaks. Chris Paul's team had lost 13 consecutive playoff games in which NBA ref Scott Foster officiated. Asked about breaking the streak afterward, Paul said, "I ain't notice."
posted by rcade to basketball at 09:50 AM - 4 comments
April 18, 2023
Yankee Stadium Opened 100 Years Ago Today: On April 18, 1923, the original Yankee Stadium opened. A crowd of 60,000 saw Babe Ruth batting third for New York against the Boston Red Sox. Ruth said before the game, "I'd give a year of my life if I can hit a home run in the first game in this new park." In the third inning he hit the first homer in its history.
posted by rcade to baseball at 10:57 AM - 3 comments
April 17, 2023
Browns to Rebuild Stadium, Play Somewhere Else 2-3 Years: The Cleveland Browns are rebuilding Cleveland Stadium, which means a temporary move somewhere else for several seasons. A likely spot is Columbus to share Ohio Stadium with the Buckeyes. The project needs to be complete by 2028.
posted by rcade to football at 04:09 PM - 6 comments
Cricket is Coming to America: The U.S. is getting Major League Cricket starting in July and the T20 World Cup in 2024, which will be played over 18 days in Grand Prairie, Texas. Can anyone explain why these are huge developments for the sport in the country?
posted by rcade to other at 12:38 AM - 5 comments
April 16, 2023
April 15, 2023
Enter the SportsFilter NHL Playoff Pickem: The NHL playoffs begin on Monday so it's time for the puck to drop on the annual NHL Playoff Pickem. First prize is an official NHL team puck. Make your pucks, er, picks.
posted by rcade to hockey at 12:00 AM - 19 comments
April 14, 2023
Zion Williamson's Health and Future Remain a Mystery: Zion Williamson participated in pregame warmups for the New Orleans Pelicans and did a windmill dunk but did not appear in the play-in game Wednesday, where the Pelicans season ended in a 123-118 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Williamson said he's physically fine but "now it's just a matter of when I feel like Zion. ... I don't feel like there are any specific benchmarks for being Zion -- it's just a matter of when I feel like myself. If it's in God's plan for me to be who I feel like I should be, then it's in his plan. If not, I'll live with it."
posted by rcade to basketball at 11:49 AM - 6 comments
April 13, 2023
Tampa Bay Rays Move to 12-0: The Tampa Bay Rays have opened the season with 12 straight wins and play the Boston Red Sox at 1:10 p.m. Eastern today for a chance to extend it to 13. Only three teams have managed that feat: the 1982 Atlanta Braves, 1987 Milwaukee Brewers and 1884 St. Louis Maroons.
posted by rcade to baseball at 07:22 AM - 3 comments
Enter the SportsFilter NBA Playoff Pickem: With all teams set but the final two play-in victors, it's time for another NBA Playoff Pickem. First prize is an NBA 59Fifty cap of the team of your choice. Start by picking the eight series winners in this round and four prop bets. The playoffs begin Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern when Brooklyn visits Philly. Good luck!
posted by rcade to basketball at 06:43 AM - 8 comments
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
April 12, 2023
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
April 11, 2023
The $1 Million Shot, 30 Years Later: On April 14, 1993, 23-year-old office supply salesperson Don Calhoun made a three quarters of the court basketball shot to win $1 million at a Chicago Bulls game. It was actually a $50,000-a-year shot that only stopped paying in 2013 -- and was almost a no-dollar shot because the insurer wanted to declare him ineligible. ESPN has the full story with lots of poignant details.
posted by rcade to basketball at 02:17 PM - 5 comments
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 3 comments
April 10, 2023
NBA Pickem Champion: rcade: Friday's game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks was meaningless in the NBA season but decisive in the SportsFilter NBA Pickem. Rumple would've won with a Bucks win by 7 to 13 points. Instead Grizzlies scrubs steamrolled Bucks scrubs by 23, giving me the championship. Ufez Jones claims the Costanza.
posted by rcade to basketball at 10:12 PM - 4 comments
Timberwolves Center Rudy Gobert suspended for play-in game versus Lakers.: The Minnesota Timberwolves have suspended Center Rudy Gobert after he threw a punch at teammate Kyle Anderson in Sunday's game vs. the Pelicans and was sent home during the game. The Wolves traded five first round picks to Utah this Summer for Gobert, including 2022 breakout rookie Center Walker Kessler.
posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 02:07 PM - 6 comments
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
April 09, 2023
Boston Bruins Break Record for Single-Season Wins: The Boston Bruins have become the first team in NHL history to win 63 games in a regular season and have a chance to set the single-season points record as well in their final two games. (One of the teams that won 62, the Detroit Red Wings in 1995-96, did it before an overtime shootout eliminated ties. Four Bruins wins came in OT.)
posted by rcade to hockey at 10:07 PM - 5 comments
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
April 08, 2023
Rangers Voice Eric Nadel on Leave for Mental Health: I tuned in the Texas Rangers game Saturday and was wondering why Eric Nadel wasn't on the radio call. Nadel's been on broadcasts since I was 12 years old in 1979. He announced in late March he would miss the start of the season for mental health treatment. "I now find myself dealing with anxiety, insomnia and depression which are currently preventing me from doing the job I love," said the 71-year-old Nadel in a statement released by the team.
posted by rcade to baseball at 10:28 PM - 2 comments
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 0 comments
April 07, 2023
The SportsFilter Banhammer Has a New Wielder: To help vanquish the most persistent spammers on Earth and Asgard, I've asked a longtime SportsFilter member to also take on the powers of the banhammer -- the pickem prognostication powerhouse NoMich. Read further to learn more.
posted by rcade to general at 10:49 AM - 6 comments
Mike Gundy: College Football Needs Contracts for Players: Longtime Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy has a proposal to tame the wild west era of players hitting the transfer portal in big numbers to chase larger NIL dollars. He wants schools to sign players for one- to four-year contracts that bind both sides for that duration. Over that span no scholarship could be dropped and no athlete could leave without the coach's approval. "The portal’s so crazy now, it’s hard to really get your arms around it," he said.
posted by rcade to football at 10:44 AM - 0 comments
April 06, 2023
LIV Golfer: Of Course It's About the Money: Shortly before today's opening round of the Masters, Harold Varner III scoffed at the comments made by his fellow LIV golfers about why they joined the Saudi-bankrolled league: "They're full of shit. They're growing their pockets. I tell them all the time, you didn't come here to fucking grow the game. ... Some of these motherfuckers want their cake and eat it too."
posted by rcade to golf at 09:07 AM - 5 comments
April 05, 2023
Some NHL Players Won't Participate in Pride Nights: NHL teams are altering plans for how they'll celebrate Pride Night after a small number of players are refusing to wear warmup jerseys created to recognize the LGBTQ+ community. Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, who has marched in Toronto pride parades with team execs, said "actions speak louder than words. And especially speak louder than attire."
NFL Playoff Pickem Champion: NoMich: There's no time like the present to announce the winner of the SportsFilter NFL Playoff Pickem. With the Kansas City Chiefs victory and that heartwarming ad with a dog or Ben Affleck or John Travolta fresh on our minds, I can reveal that NoMich defeated Cixelsyd by 1 point. The outcome hinged on NoMich locking the Chiefs. I claim the coveted Costanza. The NFL season starts in 156 days.
posted by rcade to football at 07:52 AM - 12 comments
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 2 comments
April 04, 2023
April 03, 2023
Rays Make Don Zimmer First Inductee in Team's Hall of Fame: Baseball lifer Don Zimmer joined the Tampa Bay Rays in 2004 as a special advisor and went on to serve in that role for 11 years, his longest stint with any team over 66 years in baseball. Now he has become the first to be inducted into the Rays' new franchise hall of fame, nine years after he died. “The Rays hiring him, I think it made his lifetime longer,” said his wife Soot, 92.
posted by rcade to baseball at 08:58 PM - 3 comments
NBA Pickem Week 19: All the Marbles Edition: There are six national games to pick during the final week of the NBA regular season, beginning Tuesday night with Boston/Philly. Our season-long pickem contest has come down to a final week in which two players are tied at 550: Rumple and your humble correspondent. Make your picks.
posted by rcade to basketball at 08:19 PM - 7 comments
April 02, 2023
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 7 comments
April 01, 2023
SportsFilter: The Saturday Huddle
posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 4 comments