Tag: bout today

Yankees’ Aaron Judge is on pace for another record-breaking season yankees,aaron,judge,is,on,pace,for,another,record,breaking,season,sbnation,com,front-page,mlb,dot-com-grid-coverage

Yankees Aaron Judge is on pace for another record breaking season
On: By: admin


Back in 2022, Aaron Judge brought the baseball world back to an era that hadn’t been seen since the late 90s and the early 00s. Those were the days when other shows on ESPN would get cut into whenever a prolific home run hitter was having an at-bat that was deemed to be culturally significant. While Tulane and Houston football fans probably weren’t enthused about having to share half of their screen with one at-bat of a regular season baseball game that they probably didn’t care about, it’s proof that there is nothing like hitting a bunch of dingers that can grab the imagination of fans all over the baseball landscape.

Judge finished 2022 with an astonishing tally of 62 home runs and a scarcely-believable wRC+ of 209 to go along with 11.2 fWAR for the season. His 2022 was so incredible that it was totally understandable when Judge, who was injured and missed time, “fell off” and had a “normal” season in 2023 where he “only” hit 37 home runs and finished with a wRC+ of 174 and 4.8 fWAR over 106 games. That’s still a very fine season for any player in particular but it’s not the type of season that gets ESPN to cut away from college football games in order to show off your live at-bat. With that being said, we might be seeing those days return in September because Aaron Judge is currently in the midst of another absolutely incredible season at the plate for the New York Yankees.

Heading into action on Wednesday, Judge is hitting .321/.440/.718 with a wOBA of .478, an Isolated Power number of .397, a wRC+ of 218 (!!!) with 32 homers and an fWAR of 6.1. There is so much here to talk about that it’s mind boggling. Sir, what are you doing with a .718 slugging percentage? Your wOBA is nearly .500, that is wild. Usually an Isolated Power number of .200 or above is considered to be “serious power hitting” so what are we supposed to make of a guy who nearly has an Isolated Power number of .400? He’s already cleared his 2023 fWAR production with 22 games left to spare, and the fact that he’s already five homers away from matching his 2023 number and the wRC+ being above 200 is all you need to know. Aaron Judge is currently the best hitter on Planet Earth and right now it’s not particularly close between him and the competition.

It is wildly impressive that Aaron Judge is currently on track for another season that could see him finish in double digits as far as fWAR is concerned. Although seasons like that are already rare to begin with, it’s always possible that some of the most talented players in baseball are capable of putting up at least a 10 fWAR season if they can fully lock in for an entire year of crazy production. Mike Trout and Mookie Betts immediately come to mind, and Shohei Ohtani could potentially do it as a two-way player at some time down the road. However, doing it twice would put Aaron Judge in some truly rarefied air as far as baseball greats are concerned. There are many Hall-of-Fame players who never cleared the single season 10 fWAR threshold at any point in their career, so to do it twice (in addition to having a stellar career outside of that) would be as close to punching a ticket to Cooperstown as you could get.

It sounds wild to talk about that while a guy is active but that’s where we’re at with Aaron Judge right now. He is simply hitting at a Hall-of-Fame level at the moment and we also know it’s not just some isolated breakout because he’s already had a season under his belt where he did this before. It also makes you wonder: “Well, if he’s this good and this dangerous at the plate, why is he even getting stuff to hit?” Indeed, Aaron Judge has gotten this hot once again because he’s been getting a level of protection that he’s never had — and as Mike Petriello of MLB.com noted, it’s coming from the front instead of from behind him in the lineup:

He’s seeing somewhat more in-zone fastballs when runners are on as compared to when they aren’t, and he’s seeing more first-pitch in-zone fastballs when runners are on as compared to not, and so on, a dozen other small things that add up to an advantage for him – which is part of why he’s slugging 203 points higher with a runner on base. Why, then, wouldn’t you work around him and risk putting him on? Because more often than ever before, someone is already on.

“What he and Juan are doing as a tandem is hard to wrap your brain around,” said manager Aaron Boone.

So instead of simply giving Aaron Judge first base and calling it a day, managers have decided that they’d be better off actually dealing with Judge and whatever damage he can do with (more than likely) Juan Soto already on the base paths instead of walking Judge and potentially exacerbating the problem if someone behind Judge happens to do the damage. Essentially, since Juan Soto has been so good in front of Judge (and he’s also on 10 fWAR watch for this season, as he’s produced 5.0 fWAR over 83 games so far), it’s been nearly impossible to get Judge in that situation where the bases are clear and you can basically just give Judge the free pass and be done with it. Instead, you get to see scenarios like this one where the Mets were dealing with the Yankees last month.

It’s the top of the eighth, the Yankees are down 9-3 and Judge is at the plate with the bases loaded and two outs on the board. Now, it’s a six-run lead so the Mets have a very solid cushion and can afford to even take a grand slam here and still have a two-run lead. Mets manager Juan Mendoza still admitted after the game to Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated that he was thinking about walking Judge, conceding the run and then testing his luck with Gleyber Torres. Instead, Mendoza decided to simply play the matchup straight up. Aaron Judge responded thusly:

It doesn’t matter if it’s an 0-2 count. It doesn’t matter if the pitch that was thrown was 99 mph. If you throw a pitch to that part of the plate against Aaron Judge, you deserve whatever’s coming to you. Here’s what it looked like on MLB’s Gameday tracker:

Oof.
mlb.com

Now, here’s a collection of Aaron Judge’s zone charts for this season:

judge pitch position graphs

OOF!
baseballsavant.mlb.com

So yeah: Aaron Judge is currently on an incredible heater and he’s doing it in an environment that is conducive for him to keep on seeing pitches right where he wants them instead of being pitched around. The combination of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge has proven to be absolutely lethal for most teams and as a result, Aaron Judge himself is on track to have another otherworldly season at the plate.

I’m not going to guarantee anything but I suppose it really wouldn’t be shocking if some mid-tier college football fans are going to be annoyed with ESPN and Aaron Judge once again in September because it appears that Judge is once again on track for another historically great season. As long as opposing teams feel like they have no choice but to test him, Judge is going to continue dropping the gavel upside their heads.

A.I. tried to recreate gymnastics and gave us a Lovecraftian nightmare of unimaginable terror a,i,tried,to,recreate,gymnastics,and,gave,us,a,lovecraftian,nightmare,of,unimaginable,terror,sbnation,com,front-page,olympics

AI tried to recreate gymnastics and gave us a Lovecraftian
On: By: admin


Gymnastics is a stunningly gorgeous sport. A perfect harmony of strength, flexibility, and athleticism that causes us to marvel at what the human body is capable of. Ask a computer to try and parse it’s nuances and you get one of the most terrifying things the world has ever seen. I’m sorry to show you this.

A.I. was prompted to recreate some footage of gymnastics, and it spat out something that’s a mixture of Guillermo del Toro’s wildest nightmares, and a future sequel to The Human Centipede. Contorted human forms become a bizarre mass of flailing limbs, heads vanish into thin air, then a butt with eight legs is performing on the balance beam.

ALL HAIL OCTOBUTT!

I think it’s actually pretty impressive that by just asking A.I. about gymnastics you get some creations that are more terrifying than anything dreamed up by H.P. Lovecraft.

Cthulhu has nothing on Octobutt.

Steph Curry shares heartfelt goodbye to Klay Thompson on social media steph,curry,shares,heartfelt,goodbye,to,klay,thompson,on,social,media,sbnation,com,front-page,nba

Steph Curry shares heartfelt goodbye to Klay Thompson on social
On: By: admin


The “Splash Brothers” Era has come to a close.

With the news that Klay Thompson is headed to the Dallas Mavericks for the upcoming NBA season, a run of over a decade for Steph Curry and Klay Thompson has ended. During that stretch Curry and Thompson combined for six appearances in the NBA Finals, winning four titles.

With their ability to shoot the three, the duo racked up triple after triple, earning the “Splash Brothers” moniker.

But after the news dropped that Thompson was headed to Dallas, Curry took to social media to say goodbye to his fellow Splash Brother. On his Instagram Stories, Curry posted a series of photos featuring himself and Thompson, as well as Draymond Green.

The series of photographs ended with a message from Curry that read in part “[e]ven though we won’t finish the journey together, what we did will never be done again … Changed the whole Bay Area. Changed the way the game is played … Go enjoy playing basketball and doing what you do.”

The NBA has not yet announced the schedule for the 2024-25 season. But that first game for Thompson at Golden State next year might be worth watching.

CBS nets highest-rated non-Signature Event at Rocket Mortgage Classic cbs,nets,highest,rated,non,signature,event,at,rocket,mortgage,classic,sbnation,com,golf,golf-pga-tour,golf-news

CBS nets highest rated non Signature Event at Rocket Mortgage Classic cbsnetshighestratednonsignatureeventatrocketmortgageclassicsbnationcomgolfgolf pga tourgolf news
On: By: admin


Akshay Bhatia’s three-putt on the 72nd hole, which left Cameron Davis as the only man standing at 18-under-par, and thus the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic champion, helped give CBS Sports a nice ratings bump.

The network drew an average of 2.472 million viewers for Sunday’s final round at the Detroit Golf Club, a one-percent increase from last year when Rickie Fowler bested Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin in a playoff. Fowler’s win garnered plenty of attention, as he has quite an impressive following among PGA Tour fans. It also marked Fowler’s first PGA Tour victory since 2019. With that said, inclement weather forced the tour to begin the final round early a year ago, leading CBS to air a tape delay in the afternoon, which negatively affected ratings.

Weather had an impact on this year’s tournament, too, mainly during Saturday’s third round.

Yet, luckily for the network, Mother Nature did not create any issues or delays on Sunday, thus leading CBS to yield the highest-rated non-major/Signature Event of the 2024 season, per Josh Carpenter of Sports Business Journal.

Cameron Davis poses with the trophy after winning the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

With Bhatia and Davis coming down the stretch, the broadcast peaked with more than 4 million viewers—4.028 million to be exact—during the 6:00 to 6:17 p.m. ET window, per a CBS Sports spokesperson. That’s an impressive figure, considering many of the game’s top players did not compete last week in Detroit.

Similar sentiments can be said about this week’s John Deere Classic, as Jordan Spieth headlines the field. CBS will air live third and final round coverage from the Quad Cities this week.

It will also televise next week’s Genesis Scottish Open live from the Renaissance Club in Scotland.

CBS Sports will then wrap up its 2024 golf season with two more events, which bookend the Summer Olympics in Paris: the 3M Open at the end of July and the Wyndham Championship in August. NBC Sports has the rights to broadcast the FedEx Cup Playoffs this year.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

British Grand Prix: Williams to honor their entire organization with ‘Union Jack’ design british,grand,prix,williams,to,honor,their,entire,organization,with,union,jack,design,sbnation,com,front-page,formula-one

British Grand Prix Williams to honor their entire organization with
On: By: admin


This weekend’s Formula 1 British Grand Prix is a home race for many teams, given that several factories are located near the historic Silverstone circuit. Williams is among those teams, as their Grove factory is just 41 miles down the A43 from Silverstone.

As such, Williams is going all out for this week’s race.

Among several activations the team has planned for the week is a London Fan Zone, right in the heart of Piccadilly Circus. But the most stunning plan the team has for the week is their theme livery for the British Grand Prix itself, a one-off “Union Jack” design that features not only the iconic flag of the United Kingdom but also the names of “all 1,005 team members” on the car itself:

According to the team’s official announcement, the FW46 will be “ … transformed to fly the flag in thanks and appreciation to everyone at the team’s Grove HQ, New York and London bases and at races who are working tirelessly on our mission to return the team to the front of the grid.”

“Silverstone is always one of the highlights of the year and I’m delighted we are thanking our staff as the centrepiece of our home race celebrations. Williams is transforming from top to bottom so we can fight our way back to the front, and our people and culture will be key to that success,” said Team Principal James Vowles. “It takes extraordinary effort from every individual at the factory and at track to race in Formula 1, and I’m especially proud of the resilience whilst under pressure we have demonstrated so far this year.”

Driver Logan Sargeant praised the design as the “perfect” tribute.

“I’ve always loved racing at Silverstone. The track has everything a driver wants with its quick and flowing nature,” said Sargeant. “I have fond memories of this place throughout my career, and it’s always been one that I’ve performed well at. Racing with the names of every single team member on the car is the perfect way to mark everyone’s hard work and a home race for Williams.”

NBA free agency live grades 2024, updated for every major player changing teams nba,free,agency,live,grades,updated,for,every,major,player,changing,teams,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-free-agency,draftkings

On: By: admin


NBA free agency didn’t start with a bang this year the way it normally does. Maybe teams were worried about tampering penalties. Maybe Paul George was holding up the entire market. Maybe the new CBA is just too complicated for anyone to fully grasp. Either way, things have officially heated up on Monday, and most of the top names on the market are now off the board.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder are loading up for a run at the championship. The Orlando Magic added a solid piece that addresses their biggest weakness and complements their young core. The Mavericks made arguably the best value signing of free agency, but also lost a major contributor from their 2024 NBA Finals team in the process.

The NBA free agent deals are coming in quickly now, and we’re making note of every signing and trade in our live tracker. Now it’s time to grade the biggest deals of free agency.

Mavericks grade for Klay Thompson signing

Klay Thompson, Mavs agree to three-year, $50 million deal

Grade: B+

It’s going to feel so weird to see Thompson away from the Golden State Warriors. The 34-year-old guard has lost a step defensively, but he’s still an elite three-point shooter when he’s set up for an open look. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving attract so much attention offensively that Thompson should be free to run into open shots around the arc. He hit 38.7 percent of his threes on nine attempts per game last year, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see his percentage rise in Dallas with less pressure on him. I’m more worried about the other end of the floor: Thompson isn’t the defender he used to be, and he’s joining two bad perimeter defenders in Doncic and Irving. Still, Dallas got the extra shooting it needed, and the front office deserves praise for their creativity this offseason. The Mavs dealt Tim Hardaway Jr. to grab a flier on Quentin Grimes and open up more cap space. Dallas then signed one of the best bargain free agents in Naji Marshall before striking again with Thompson. Dallas isn’t settling after a surprising run to the NBA Finals, and that’s awesome. Losing Josh Green in this deal hurts a bit, and it feels like a lock that Thompson will pick up his player option in the final year of the contract. This isn’t a slam dunk, but it’s another solid move in a solid offseason for Dallas.

Chris Haynes reports that the deal will be a sign-and-trade, and is not completed yet.

76ers grade for Paul George signing

Paul George, 76ers agree to four-year, $212 million deal

Grade: A

Getting Paul George for nothing but cap space is an incredible piece of business by the 76ers. He’s an ideal fit between Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as a wing who can rip three-pointers with volume, play on- or off-the-ball, and take on the toughest defensive assignments. It’s scary giving out a max contract to a 34-year-old with a long injury history, but if George stays healthy, he fits Philly like a glove. This is an immense upgrade over Tobias Harris in the third star department. George will carry bench units when Embiid rests, and he’ll fit seamlessly in the closing unit alongside the other two All-Stars here. The Sixers’ won’t be the favorites in the East, but they are a real threat to win the conference if everything breaks their way.

Thunder grade for Isaiah Hartenstein signing

Isaiah Hartenstein, Thunder agree to three-year, $87 million deal

Grade: A+

Hartenstein has been one of the most underrated players in the NBA the last few years. He’s an elite defensive center who is coming into his prime at 26 years old, and can have a huge impact on games without needing the ball. The Thunder badly needed more beef inside and help on the glass, and Hartenstein expertly fills both areas. He’s not a big-time scorer, but his halfcourt playmaking will be an essential fit alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. This seems like a lot of money until you realize the final year of this deal is non-guaranteed. While the Thunder still have Holmgren and Williams on rookie deals, Hartenstein will fill in all the cracks to help make Oklahoma City a legit championship contender.

Magic grade for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signing

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope agrees to three-year, $66 million deal with Orlando Magic, per Chris Haynes

Grade: B+

The Magic were one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA last year, ranking No. 25 in three-point rate and No. 24 in three-point percentage. KCP will be an immediate solution to their shooting woes. He made 42 percent of his threes with Denver in 2022-23, and 40.6 percent of his triples last season. Caldwell-Pope is also a very good defender who will team with Jalen Suggs to form one of the league’s most ferocious defensive backcourts. This is a lot of money for a 32-year-old, and the Magic could still use some extra shot creation, but it’s a sensible fit all around.

Clippers grade for Nicolas Batum signing

Nic Batum, Clippers agree to two-year, $9.6 million deal, per Woj

Grade: B+

Batum was a revelation for the 76ers last year to the point where his departure legitimately hurts Philly. Batum hit 40 percent of his threes last year, and contributed versatile defense and connective passing around the Sixers’ stars. Batum has been around so long that he played with Greg Oden as a rookie, but he’s somehow only 35 years old. He gives the Clippers another high-level role player who can complement Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, but at this point he probably shouldn’t be asked to play too many minutes.

Warriors grade for De’Anthony Melton signing

Warriors, Melton agree to one-year, $12.8 million deal

Grade: A-

Melton was one of my favorite under-the-radar free agents. Still only 26 years old, Melton is a ferocious defender who can generate steals and deflections that turn into transition opportunities. He can’t really score inside the arc at all, but he’s a solid three-point shooter at 36 percent on nearly six attempts per game. If anything, the Warriors should have tried to get him on a deal longer than one-year. Melton is just a winning player, and if he’s able to stay in the lineup, I think it’s possible he’ll be an upgrade over Klay Thompson.

Mavericks grade for Naji Marshall signing

Naji Marshall, Mavericks agree to three-year, $27 million deal, per Woj

Grade: A

Marshall is a big forward (6’7 with a 7’1 wingspan) who can defend wing scorers, make connective passes, and hit the glass. He made a major leap as an outside shooter with the Pelicans last season by hitting 38 percent of his threes. He’s not as athletic as Derrick Jones Jr., and he won’t be as good at defending speedy guards, but Marshall is arguably a more well-rounded player who fits nicely around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Clippers grade for Derrick Jones Jr. signing

Derrick Jones Jr., Clippers agree to three-year, $30 million deal

Grade: B+

The Clippers are signing Jones at the top of his market value after he played a big role in helping the Mavs get to the NBA Finals this past season. He’s one of the best pure athletes in the NBA as a 6’6 wing who can soar to catch lobs and has enough quickness to defend guards. He’s a good defensive playmaker and offensive play-finisher who should be on the receiving end of plenty of set-ups from James Harden. I like the idea of the Clippers adding a player who can make an impact without the ball. This isn’t much of a Paul George replacement, but it’s still a solid move and a tradable contract long-term.

Pistons grade for Tobias Harris signing

Tobias Harris, Pistons agree to two-year, $52 million deal, per Woj

Grade: C-

Harris is one of the greatest bag-getters in NBA history. The dude has made $300 million in career earnings by age-31 without ever making the All-Star team or being on a team that reached the conference finals. Harris is a good positional fit for the Pistons as a jumbo forward who can take some pressure off Cade Cunningham and the rest of Detroit’s young core, but he’s still not a high enough volume shooter to truly space the floor, and he’s an impactful defender, either. I don’t think this does much for Detroit, but it will be a big expiring contract a year from now.

Chicago Bulls grade for Jalen Smith signing

Jalen Smith, Chicago Bulls agree to three-year, $27 million deal, per Woj

Grade: B

The Bulls needed some shooting after cashing in their best trade chip (Alex Caruso) for a non-shooter in Josh Giddey. If Smith can do anything, it’s hit an open three. The 6’10 center had something like a breakout season in the Pacers’ incredibly juiced offensive system by knocking down 42 percent of his three-pointers, mostly on wide open looks created by Tyrese Haliburton. Smith is a poor defender who won’t provide much rim protection, and it’s why he couldn’t really stay on the floor in conference finals against the Celtics. None of that really matters for a rebuilding Bulls team. Smith will provide some badly needed spacing, and still has some upside left at 24 years old. He might not be great, but he fits what the Bulls needed.

Wizards grade for Jonas Valanciunas signing

Jonas Valanciunas agrees to three-year, $30 million deal with Wizards, per Woj.

Grade: B-

The Wizards are nowhere close to competing, which makes signing a veteran center like Valanciunas a head-scratching move. At the same time, Washington badly needed some beef inside, and Valanciunas should help protect No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr from taking a beating in the paint. The 32-year-old center could put up some big numbers for a very bad Washington team and look appealing on the trade market down the road. The fact that he signed for half as much as Nikola Vucevic last year makes this a great value, but it still feels like a strange signing.

Spurs grade for Chris Paul signing

Grade: B+

It’s disappointing that the Spurs seem so content to play the long game when Victor Wembanyama appears ready for a superstar leap entering his second season. Chris Paul isn’t going to help the Spurs win much next year, but he will be someone who can consistently deliver the ball to Wembanyama and get out of the way. San Antonio’s point guard play was so bad last season. Ideally, the Spurs would have added someone who isn’t turning 40 years old this season, but CP3 can still be effective in spurts. I like this move in a vacuum for the Spurs, but their offseason in general has been underwhelming unless a bigger move is still to come.

76ers grade for Andre Drummond signing

Andre Drummond, 76ers agree to two-year, $10 million deal, per Shams

Grade: A

Drummond has quietly become one of the best backup centers in the league the last few years. He’s still an elite offensive rebounder, and his quick hands defensively can help force some turnovers. Drummond was impressive as Joel Embiid’s backup in Philly before being dealt as part of the Ben Simmons-James Harden swap, and this deal returns him to a place where he’s already comfortable. Paying $5 million annually for a quality backup five is a nice piece of business for the Sixers.

PGA Tour: Patrick Cantlay pulls out of John Deere Classic pga,tour,patrick,cantlay,pulls,out,of,john,deere,classic,sbnation,com,golf,golf-pga-tour,golf-news

On: By: admin


The John Deere Classic does not have the strongest field in golf year in and year out, but the event typically features a handful of stars.

Jordan Spieth will tee it up this year. As will defending champion and Ryder Cup star Sepp Straka. This year’s event also includes International stars Sungjae Im and Jason Day, 2023 American Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson, and 2009 Champion Golfer of the Year Stewart Cink.

But Patrick Cantlay, who the tour had listed in the original John Deere Classic field, decided to withdraw on Monday. Scotsman Russell Knox will replace him in the field.

The tour did not specify why Cantlay withdrew.

Yet, if Cantlay had remained in the field, it would have marked his first appearance at the John Deere Classic. TPC Deere Run has hosted this event since 2000.

Another notable withdrawal is Cameron Davis, who won the Rocket Mortgage Classic this past week for the second time in his career. His win in Detroit also vaulted him up the FedEx Cup rankings and gave him exemptions into next year’s Masters, The Players, and all eight Signature Events. As such, Davis felt obligated to take the week off and soak in his victory, which certainly did not come easy both on and off the golf course. Had Akshay Bhatia not three-putted, Davis would have likely faced Bhatia in a sudden-death playoff, and who knows how that would have shaken out. But Davis was the lone man to finish at 18-under as he happily stood atop the leaderboard after 72 holes.

As for Cantlay, his last appearance came at the Travelers Championship, where he tied for fifth. The week before, the former UCLA Bruin turned in the best major performance of his career, tying for third at Pinehurst No. 2. It seems he has found something as of late, an impressive development given that Cantlay has had a sporadic season. Before the U.S. Open, his best two finishes came at Riviera and Hilton Head, tying for third and fourth, respectively. But he also struggled at the Players, the PGA Championship, and the Memorial. He did not have his best stuff at the Masters, either.

Cantlay is also not listed among the entrants for next week’s Genesis Scottish Open, the final tune-up for The Open Championship at Royal Troon. As such, all signs point to golf fans seeing Cantlay next at golf’s oldest major championship in two weeks’ time.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

Welcome to the new era of the U.S. women’s national team  welcome,to,the,new,era,of,the,u,s,women,s,national,team,sbnation,com,front-page,soccer,united-states-womens-national-team,all-womens-sports,womens-soccer,uswnt-coverage

Welcome to the new era of the US womens national
On: By: admin


In the aftermath of the release of the U.S. women’s national team Olympic roster, it’s clear a new era has arrived. What it’s full of is a roster that features youth and versatility at the forefront.

Ahead of the planning and preparation for the Summer Games, let’s take a look at notable names on the list, the ones who missed out and the one player who’s addition might be an overcast on the rest.

Notable misses: Alex Morgan

For the first time in 13 years (and the irony of it being 13 is strong) the U.S. women’s national team roster for a major tournament does not have the name Alex Morgan listed on it. We all know Morgan’s name for one reason or another, so before we dive into the present, we have to look back.

Photo by C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images

Alex Morgan was a member of the 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023 women’s World Cup rosters, and the 2012, 2016, and 2021 Olympic rosters. Morgan has 224 appearances with the senior national team under her belt with 123 goals and 53 assists. For those of you who like to do the math, Morgan has either scored or assisted a goal in 79% of her senior caps. She is the 13th player in USWNT history to reach 200 caps and is fifth on the all-time scoring list. Needless to say, her trophy case is full, but let’s run through her accolades anyways:

  • Three World Cup trophies
  • One World Cup silver medal
  • One Olympic gold medal
  • One Olympic bronze medal
  • World Cup silver boot
  • NWSL golden boot
  • US Soccer’s Female Athlete of the Year award (2012 & 2018)
  • Four-time CONCACAF Player of the Year (2013, 2016, 2017, 2018)
  • Five-time FIFA Women’s World 11 selection (2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022)

“Her record speaks for itself,” said new USWNT head coach Emma Hayes in the press conference to announce the 2024 Olympic roster. Alex Morgan is, arguably, one of the best to play her position.

Even greater than her accomplishments on paper are those that are intangible. Her leadership, her class, and her determination to fight for equal pay for the US Women’s National Team are qualities that, quite simply, cannot be replicated.

Alex Morgan has made a lasting impact on the USWNT, and her legacy will never be forgotten. Even in this painful moment, with her statement, Morgan displayed ultimate class and remained an exceptional teammate.

The Olympic schedule is grueling. Each team will play a game every three days — that’s only two days rest in between — and because of that all 18 players on the Olympic roster are expected to carry a heavy load. In comparison, World Cup rosters are 23-players deep and teams have more than two days of recovery between games.

While this could seem like the end of the road for Alex Morgan’s senior national team career, it’s impossible to ever fully rule out a competitor like Morgan. We do know one thing: she’ll be watching this summer’s Olympic games on TV with the rest of us.

Notable Makes: Crystal Dunn, Casey Krueger, Korbin Albert

Korea v USWNT

Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF

Crystal Dunn being named to the US Women’s National Team roster for a major tournament is something that the forward has accomplished four times already, most recently for the 2023 World Cup. However, she hasn’t seen her name listed under the FORWARDS category for a major tournament since 2016.

Dunn is a goalscorer and plays forward for her NWSL club, Gotham FC, but has been playing outside-back for the USWNT since 2019. Upon taking over at the helm of the USWNT, Emma Hayes immediately brought Dunn into camp as a forward.

Dunn provides a veteran presence, leadership, and versatility as a player that can play forward, midfield, or defense.

South Korea v United States

Photo by David Berding/USSF/Getty Images for USSF

Casey Krueger is a consistent standout defender in the NWSL every year, and has seen herself called into many USWNT camps, but only made one major tournament roster. Krueger was listed as an alternate for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but when rosters expanded due to COVID-19, she joined the squad as a rostered player. Krueger is a fan-favorite, as a player that is nothing but consistent on the field and is constantly overlooked at the National Team level.

South Korea v United States

Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Korbin Albert is a notable make, but for all of the wrong reasons.

In March of this year, Albert found herself at the center of controversy, receiving criticism from not only USWNT fans, but former USWNT players including Megan Rapinoe. Fans found anti-LGBTQ videos that Albert posted to her personal TikTok, and also found her having liked a post hoping for pain to be inflicted on former USWNT star Megan Rapinoe

Korbin Albert plays her club soccer at PSG and was a breakout star in the midfield for the team during the inaugural Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup earlier this year. Immediately following the tournament, her hateful social media activity surfaced.

Fans turned on her, and it caused enough stir to even warrant a response from Rapinoe.

South Africa v USWNT

Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF

“To the people who want to hide behind ‘my beliefs’ I would just ask one question, are you making any type of space safer, more inclusive, more whole, any semblance of better, bringing the best out of anyone?… because if you aren’t, all you believe in is hate. And kids are literally killing themselves because of this hate. Wake TF up!”

Shortly after, Albert posted an apology on her Instagram stories.

Canada v USWNT

Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF

Captain Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan spoke to the media in a press-conference, and expressed their disappointment, but stated that the matter was being handled internally. Since then, fans have been calling for more transparency into how the matter was handled. Albert’s play has suffered, and she has been audibly boo-ed at every USWNT match she has appeared in since.

Many were speculating that Albert may not make the 2024 Olympic roster because of her actions, but without knowledge of how the matter was being handled internally, fans were in the dark.

South Korea v United States

Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

“There’s no denying that there’s been a lot of work that’s going on in the background,” Hayes said of Albert, adding that Albert is young, learning from her experiences, and has had a tough time in reference to the backlash and boos she has received from fans.

“She’s spending time working on herself,” continued Hayes, “and I want the fans to really embrace Korbin because I do think she’s a tremendous human being.”

The issue itself is much larger than just Korbin Albert, though, and her name being listed on this roster shows a changing of the guards in more ways than one.

The USWNT has consistently been a safe space for LGBTQ fans, and players on the team have always made it that way. A new era of young talent brings fears around perhaps a new identity of the USWNT, and questions about if it can remain the same safe space that it has always been.

Albert’s inclusion in the roster coupled with Hayes’ comments around it is drawing a cloud of negativity that is, in some ways, close to overshadowing the positivity that has come with the announcement of this young, dynamic new era. How, if any it impacts the team internally is a wait and see.

Live NBA free agent signings 2024 for every deal and trade this summer live,nba,free,agent,signings,for,every,deal,and,trade,this,summer,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-free-agency,draftkings

On: By: admin


The Boston Celtics are NBA champions, the 2024 draft class has come and gone, and now it’s time for the free agent frenzy. The league has already seen some wild trades in the early days of the 2024 offseason, and it’s only going to get more chaotic when NBA free agency opens on Sunday, June 30 at 6 p.m. ET.

While signings can’t be officially announced until July 6, teams are allowed negotiate with free agents at the start of the moratorium. While this isn’t the strongest free agency class, it feels like there are enough desperate teams right now to facilitate some big moves.

Paul George feels like the biggest star who could change teams. That scenario received a boost on Saturday afternoon when George opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, per Adrian Wojnarowski. George is expected to test the open market, and per Wojnarowski will meet with “cap space teams plus the Clippers” starting on Sunday evening. The Philadelphia 76ers are rumored to make a strong push for George in the open market, and plenty of other teams will be interested.

Isaiah Hartenstein is another major name to watch in free agency. The 26-year-old center is coming off a breakout season with the New York Knicks where he provided elite interior defense, efficient scoring, and a pinch of playmaking. The Knicks would love to retain him, but their payroll is getting high after extending OG Anunoby on a $212 million deal and swinging a trade for Mikal Bridges. Hartenstein could have a wide market, with the Oklahoma City Thunder frequently mentioned as a potential suitor.

There are several future Hall of Fame inductees near the twilight of their careers who are also unrestricted free agents. DeMar DeRozan, who turns 35 years old next month, could leave the Chicago Bulls after three fantastic seasons with the franchise. James Harden is also up for a new deal with the Los Angeles Clippers or anyone else just ahead of his 35th birthday. Klay Thompson is expected to leave the Golden State Warriors for the first time in his career at 34 years old.

Other names to monitor in free agency include Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Tobias Harris, Jonas Valanciunas, Buddy Hield, Kelly Oubre, Tyus Jones, and Isaiah Joe.

We’re keeping track of every free agent signing and trade in 2024 NBA free agency here.

Day 1 NBA free agent agreements

  • Pat Williams agrees to a five-year, $90 million deal to return to the Bulls, per Shams Charania
  • Obi Toppin intends to sign a four-year, $60 million deal to stay with the Indiana Pacers, per Adrian Wojnarowski
  • Alex Len intends to sign a one-year, $3.3 million deal to return to the Sacramento Kings, per Shams
  • Chris Paul waived by Golden State Warriors, per Chris Haynes and Woj
  • James Harden will sign two-year, $70 million deal to stay with Clippers, per Shams
  • Max Christie will sign four-year, $32 million deal to stay with Lakers, per Woj
  • Luke Kornet will re-sign with the Boston Celtics on a one-year deal, per Woj
  • Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors working on a sign-and-trade, per Shams
  • F/C Kevin Love is finalizing a two-year, $8 million-plus deal to return to the Miami Heat, per Shams

Early 2024 NBA free agency moves

Yuki Tsunoda ‘horrified,’ apologizes after fine for offensive language at Austrian GP yuki,tsunoda,horrified,apologizes,after,fine,for,offensive,language,at,austrian,gp,sbnation,com,front-page,formula-one,2024-formula-one

On: By: admin


A “horrified” Yuki Tsunoda has issued an apology after race officials fined the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team driver €40,000 for using ableist language during Saturday’s qualifying session at the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix.

Tsunoda was summoned to meet with race officials following the qualifying session, after an exchange with race engineer Mattia Spini during the first segment of qualifying. As Tsunoda was waiting in his RB01 as cars queued up during Q1 Tsunoda exclaimed over his team radio “[t]he guys are f——— r———-,” to which Spini replied simply “Yuki no worries, don’t worry, plenty of time.”

When Tsunoda met with race officials, he apologized for the comment and explained that because English is not his first language, he was not fully aware of the meaning of his comments. According to the decision from race officials the statement violated Article 12.2.1 k) of the International Sporting Code in the following manner:

“[d]uring the hearing the driver was very apologetic and explained that because English is not his first language he was unaware until after the session what the meaning of the words used is in the English language. He said that he was horrified when he learned this. He contended that his understanding of the words was different, but acknowledged that this should not be considered as an excuse for what he did.”

In their decision race officials noted that while they appreciate Tsunoda’s “honesty,” a penalty is appropriate to “reinforce the fact that the words used are offensive and wholly inappropriate.”

“The Stewards appreciate the honesty of the driver, but reinforce the fact the words used are offensive and wholly inappropriate. To have used such words over a platform that is available to the public amounted to misconduct as defined in Article 20 of the International Sporting Code,” read the decision.

However, officials took Tsunoda’s “genuine remorse” into consideration and suspended part of the fine. “Considering the circumstances, the Stewards determine that a severe fine is required, but also take into account the genuine remorse of the driver and his offer to issue a public apology and for these reasons decided to suspend part of the fine imposed,” continued the stewards.

Under this part of the decision half of the fine — €20,000 —- will be suspended until the end of the season providing Tsunoda does not repeat such conduct.

As indicated by the officials, the driver issued a public apology on all his social media channels:

Tsunoda is set to start 14th in Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix.