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π¨ Headline
π Not unanimous: Caitlin Clark was named WNBA Rookie of the Year, but fell one vote short of unanimous (66/66), with Chicago’s Angel Reese receiving the first-place vote.
βΎοΈ Francona to Cincy: The Reds are hiring Terry Francona as their new manager. The longtime captain will be coming out of retirement after leaving Cleveland last year.
β½οΈ NWSL Sanctions Angel City: Angel City has been fined $200,000 and given three demerit points (among other penalties) for violating the NWSL’s salary cap regulations.
π Rice placed on IR: The Chiefs placed star WR Lachie Rice on injured reserve. This means he will miss at least the next four games due to the knee injury he sustained on Sunday. However, no formal diagnosis was made.
βΎοΈ Alonso plays the hero as Mets move forward
(John Fisher/Getty Images)
Pete Alonso was the hero on Thursday, hitting a three-run homer in the ninth inning as the Mets defeated the Brewers 4-2 and advanced to the National League.
Historic Explosion: It was the 10th game-winning homer hit after the ninth inning in a winner-take-all game in postseason history, and the first with the player’s team trailing. . When Alonso stepped up to the plate, New York was losing 2-0.
From Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports…
No player needed a bigger moment than Pete Alonso. The Mets made plenty of big hits during their incredible September run to the postseason. But none came from their star first baseman.
In fact, nothing seemed to be going right for Alonso going into his ninth inning at bat in Game 3 on Thursday. His timing was crazy. He didn’t look comfortable in the batter’s box.
Frankly, with the Mets’ season coming up, there probably were other players fans wanted at that moment. But in baseball, especially in the postseason, those moments find you.
(@Anthony Dicomo)
What’s next: The ALDS and NLDS begin tomorrow with series openers in Cleveland, Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles.
Tigers vs. Guardians: The first-ever postseason matchup between American League Central teams, and also the first between Detroit and Cleveland.
Mets vs. Phillies: Like the AL Central opponents listed above, these NL East rivals have surprisingly never met in the postseason.
Royals vs. Yankees: AL MVP candidates Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr. are at the forefront of reigniting their once bitter rivalry.
Padres vs. Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani’s playoff debut should be a big one, as the NL West rivals meet for the third time in the last five postseasons.
Offseason Preview: What do the Brewers need to do to reach the top of the NL Central Division?
πΈ The world in photos
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA β The Falcons defeated the Buccaneers 36-30 (OT) on a walk-off goal from KhaDarel Hodges for their third miraculous win of the season. Kirk Cousins ββpassed for 509 yards, a Falcons record. Do you like it?
(Warren Little/Getty Images)
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland β The PGA Tour and LIV remain at odds, but there was a laugh Thursday between leaders Jay Monaghan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who played in the same group at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Hugs were exchanged.
(Mark Atkins/Getty Images)
LONDON β Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku pulled a balloon out of his sock and inflated it after scoring in a 4-2 win over Gent in the opening game of the new-style UEFA Conference League – his signature celebration. .
*How it works: In the Championship, players rotate between three famous courses (Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and St Andrews) before the cut is made and the final round is played on the Old Course. There are a lot of big names in this field (Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka), but ultimately it’s pro-am. McIlroy is playing with his dad.
π Ashton Giunty joins Heisman Chat
(Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports)
Boise State running back Ashton Giunty has emerged as a Heisman favorite, and if he continues on his record-setting pace, it will be hard not to award him the award.
Video game numbers: Giunty rushed for 845 yards and 13 TDs through four games, pacing the junior with more than 2,700 yards and 42 TDs. Both of these goals broke Barry Sanders’ single-season FBS record of 2,628 yards and 37 TDs, set in 1988.
Jeanty isn’t the only one doing this for cupcake schedules. He ran for 451 yards and seven TDs against No. 6 Oregon State and 4-1 Washington State.
In fact, in the game he played against an FCS team, he was ejected at halftime after gaining 127 yards and no score. Therefore, his stats may be underestimated if anything.
Not your typical candidate: Giunty is the fourth running back to win the Heisman this century (Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram, Derrick Henry) and the first Group 5 player to be invited since 2013 (Northern -Illinois QB Jordan Lynch) I went to New York as a finalist.
Broncos Loyal: After leading the Broncos to the MWC title last season, Giunty could have moved elsewhere and earned a huge NIL salary. However, “no matter how much money you have, you can’t beat it” [what I have here]” he told The Athletic ($) (don’t worry, he’s still signed to a $300,000 NIL contract).
Did you know? Gianti spent his freshman year of high school playing soccer in Italy. In Italy, his father was stationed in the U.S. Navy.
π MJ vs. NASCAR
(Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing filed an antitrust lawsuit Wednesday accusing NASCAR of being a “monopoly bully” for refusing to sign its latest charter agreement.
Catch up quickly: With the old charter agreement expiring at the end of this season, NASCAR and its teams spent much of this year negotiating new contract terms. Ultimately, all but two teams, 23XI and co-plaintiff Front Row Motorsports, signed contracts last month.
Charters allow NASCAR to function like a professional sports league, guaranteeing teams starting positions in races and a larger share of the purse. The agreement also provides for revenue sharing, which was at the heart of the long-running negotiations mentioned above.
Teams can no longer rely on the sports world’s dwindling sponsorship dollars and want a bigger slice of the seven-year, $7.7 billion media deal that begins next year. That money is divided between the teams, NASCAR and the race track, with NASCAR owning the majority of it.
What they’re saying: “I love the sport of racing… but the way NASCAR is run today is unfair to the teams, drivers, sponsors and fans,” Jordan said in a statement. “Today’s actions… It shows that I am willing to fight.” A competitive market where everyone can win. β
The bottom line: “NASCAR is the only sports series where it’s nearly impossible to both win and make a profit,” says Nick Bromberg of Yahoo Sports. One of the greatest athletes of all time is trying to change that.
π October 4, 1906: 116 wins
Member of the 1906 Cubs. (Transcendence Graphics/Getty Images)
118 years ago today, the Cubs shut out the Pirates, finishing with 116 wins and 36 losses (batting average of .763), which remains the best record in modern MLB history.
The Cubs finished the season with an astonishing 55-8 record, including winning streaks of 11, 12, and 14 games.
Their star player was Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown*, whose 1.04 ERA that season remains the second-best in modern MLB history.
Best Records: The top five full-season winning percentage records since 1901 (when the American League was founded) are:
1906 Cubs: 116 wins, 36 losses (.763)
1902 Pirates: 103 wins, 36 losses (.741)
1909 Pirates: 110 wins, 42 losses (.724)
1954 Indian: 111-43 (.721)
2001 Mariners: 116-46 (.716)
No storybook ending: The Cubs lost to the rival White Sox in the World Series in the biggest playoff upset of all time in terms of regular season winning percentage (.763 vs. .616).
*Brown had his right hand amputated in a childhood accident, the same hand that made him a Hall of Fame pitcher. “It was a great ball, his downward curve,” Ty Cobb said of the pitch, which resulted from Brown’s misshapen fingers. “That was the most deceptive, most destructive pitch I’ve ever faced.”
πΊ Watchlist: NHL in Prague, NFL in London
Sabers pose for team photo in Prague. (Ben Rudeman/NHLI via Getty Images)
The NHL season begins this weekend in Prague, Czech Republic, with the Devils and Sabers playing today (1 p.m. ET, NHL) and tomorrow (10 a.m. ET, NHL).
Meanwhile, in London, the Jets and Vikings will meet on Sunday (9:30 a.m. NFL) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the first of three NFL games to be played in London this year. (Sunday full schedule)
Also noteworthy:
βΎοΈ MLB Playoffs: Tigers vs. Guardians (Saturday, 1 p.m., TBS). Mets at Phillies (4 p.m. Saturday, Fox). Royals vs. Yankees (Saturday 6:30 p.m., TBS). Padres vs. Dodgers (Saturday, 8:30 p.m., FS1)… Game 2 of the NLDS on Sunday.
π WNBA Playoffs: Lynx (1-1) Sunday (7:30 p.m. Friday, ESPN2). Liberty (2-0) vs. Aces* (Friday 9:30 p.m., ESPN2) β¦ Game 4 (if necessary) will both be played on Sunday.
π CFB Saturday: No. 9 Missouri vs. No. 25 Texas A&M (12 p.m., ABC). Iowa, No. 3 Ohio State (3:30 p.m., CBS). No. 10 Michigan at Washington (7:30 p.m., NBC)β¦Week 6.
π MMA: UFC 307 (Saturday 10 p.m., ESPN+ PPV) β¦ in Salt Lake City.
π NASCAR Playoffs: Talladega (Sunday, 2 p.m., NBC) β¦ Round of 12 continues.
β½οΈ MLS: 14 games (Saturday and Sunday, Apple)
β½οΈ NWSL: Orlando vs. Washington (Sunday, 5 p.m., ESPN2)
β½οΈ EPL: Manchester City vs Fulham (Saturday 10am, Peacock); Brighton vs Tottenham (Sunday 11:30am, USA)
β³οΈ Korn Ferry Tour: Championship (Friday-Sunday, Golf)
*Pre-game reading: Aces prove to be the latest example of how difficult a three-peat is
βΎοΈMLB trivia
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Division Series begins tomorrow, with eight teams aiming to qualify for the 2024 World Series.
Only one player in the current MLB franchise has never appeared in a World Series. Could you tell me the name of that team?
Hint: They missed the playoffs this year.
The answer is at the bottom.
π That’s a big loss
Hoosiers and Wildcats during a 1990 game. (Jonathan Daniel/Stringer/Getty Images)
Tomorrow, Northwestern hosts Indiana in the first-ever matchup between FBS teams with over 700 losses.
Most losses (in FBS history): Indiana leads with 713 losses, followed by Northwestern (703), Rutgers (695), Wake Forest (687) and Kansas (681).
Trivia answer: Mariners
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