Friday was another positive session, with more evidence of progress, for Alpine.
Amidst the picturesque backdrop provided by the Styrian mountains, 20 Formula 1 cars roared to life on Friday at Red Bull Ring, as qualifying for tomorrow’s F1 Sprint Race was on the schedule. Once again Alpine saw both Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon advance into the third and final segment of qualifying, as both drivers moved out of SQ2 and into SQ3.
While thoughts of an even bigger surprise were quashed there, as Ocon qualified eighth and Gasly ninth, the result was hailed by the team as even more evidence that they are making progress this F1 season.
“I’m happy to have reached SQ3 today and starting in eighth place for tomorrow,” said Ocon in the team’s post-session media report. “Again, we reached the top ten in Qualifying as a team, which is another good performance. SQ3 was far from straightforward as we were at the back of the queue.
“We probably got a little fortunate with Charles [Leclerc] missing the flag at the end and gained a position as a result,” added Ocon. “Even so, the positive is we performed well and we are in a good position in the Sprint Race. We still have work to do and things to understand but it’s pleasing to be heading in a good direction.”
Leclerc’s SF-24 stopped on pit lane with just minutes remaining in SQ3 and while the Ferrari driver was able to get it started and onto the track, he could not post a time during SQ3 and will start the F1 Sprint Race in P10.
On the other side of the garage, Gasly pointed to the improved pace from the A524 as a “good sign” for tomorrow.
“It was a good Sprint Qualifying for the team overall today with both cars reaching SQ3,” described Gasly, who earlier this week announced a new “multi-year” deal with Alpine. “We managed SQ1 and SQ2 well, showed good pace and we progressed through both sessions. We certainly did not [maximize] SQ3. It was a messy one and I did not get a proper push lap. These are things we will review as we always aim to [maximize] all sessions and get the most from it.
“Even so, we had good pace again today – that is pleasing – and again we are inside the top ten. Those cars ahead of us are quick and only the top eight score in the Sprint Race tomorrow. It will not be easy to pick up points but we will try our best and see what we can achieve.”
Thanks to their recent form — Alpine has picked up six points over the last two race weekends — the team has climbed to seventh in the Constructors’ Championship. Coming into the Austrian Grand Prix one of the major storylines was whether Alpine could keep that recent run of form going.
Neal Shipley is no longer an amateur golfer but officially a professional. He made his PGA Tour Americas start last week at The Beachlands Victoria Open and finished T9.
Shipley received a sponsorship exemption into the Rocket Mortgage Classic to make his first PGA Tour start as a professional. He is no stranger to the PGA Tour, though, as he took the world by storm at The Masters and U.S. Open.
The former Ohio State Buckeye finished low amateur at both majors, becoming the second player in the last 25 years to achieve this feat. Viktor Hovland was the other player to do it in 2019.
Friday at Detroit Golf Club saw him card a 4-under 68 to follow his Thursday 5-under 67 score. He sits at 9-under total and four shots behind the leader, Akshay Bhatia. Despite being a new kid on the block, Shipley does not consider it.
“With my experience with the majors, I don’t feel like there’s a big learning curve for me,” Shipley said.
Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
“Pretty fortunate to have had two great experiences at Augusta and Pinehurst. I’ve been in the mix at both at certain times throughout the week, so I feel comfortable. I had a great week last week as a professional as well. So getting settled in and playing good golf, and good golf travels no matter if you’re an amateur or a professional.”
He began his day with a bogey on the par-4 2nd but rebounded and put together a solid round. Shipley recorded two more birdies on the front, then three more on the back nine as he came home in 33 strokes.
In six rounds to start his professional career, Neal Shipley has already made 42 birdies and an eagle. He is currently tied for seventh at 9-under after 36 holes at the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, which means he will make the cut for a third time against PGA Tour players
The 23-year-old is No. 4 in strokes gained approach to the green, picking up +4.296 shots. He is also T10 in strokes gained total at +5.970.
“Had a good first two days so far. Played steady golf today, which I was pretty happy about,” he said. “Hope to keep that up in the weekend and maybe even go a little bit lower. Throw in a low round tomorrow, and we’ll be right in the mix.”
Shipley sits in a good spot heading into Saturday and the rest of the weekend. His PGA Tour journey does not stop in Detroit, as he will also play in next week’s John Deere Classic.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Following nearly a full day of deliberations, which began on Wednesday and concluded on Thursday, the jury in the federal class-action lawsuit against the National Football League and all 32 member teams involving the “Sunday Ticket” service returned with a verdict against the league.
And it is a verdict with a lot of zeros.
The jury found that the NFL and the league’s member teams violated federal antitrust law regarding the “Sunday Ticket” package on DirecTV, which required out-of-market fans to purchase the service if they wanted to see their favorite teams play.
The jury returned a verdict in favor of both classes of plaintiffs on Thursday. With respect to the commercial class of plaintiffs — which represented bars, restaurants, and taverns that purchased “Sunday Ticket” as a means of attracting customers on NFL Sundays — the NFL and the member teams were ordered to pay $96 million in damages.
Regarding the residential class of plaintiffs — individuals who purchased the “Sunday Ticket” package for use at home — the NFL and the member teams were ordered to pay $4.7 billion in damages.
Under federal antitrust laws, that damage amount is tripled, meaning the NFL is on the hook for over $14 billion in damages.
Both classes of plaintiffs, through counsel, alleged a “conspiracy” of sorts which resulted in higher prices paid by consumers. First, that the teams have agreed not to compete with each other when it comes to producing telecasts of their games, instead conveying those rights to the league, and giving the NFL “exclusive” rights to enter into broadcast agreements.
Next, the Plaintiffs allege that the NFL has entered into agreements with broadcast partners — specifically CBS and FOX — to create a “single telecast” for every Sunday afternoon NFL game. Under the agreement, according to Plaintiffs’ theory of the case, those networks are given the “exclusive” right to broadcast a limited number of games free and “over-the-air.”
The third pillar of the conspiracy, according to Plaintiffs’, is that the league then exclusively (there is that word again) licenses to DirecTV the copyrights of those telecasts, which DirecTV then bundles into NFL Sunday Ticket. This means that out-of-market fans who want to watch their favorite teams play are forced into buying the “premium offering” of NFL Sunday Ticket.
The result, according to Plaintiffs? DirecTV was able to “charge supracompetitive prices for Sunday Ticket because fans unwilling to pay for Sunday Ticket cannot, for example, purchase out-of-market games individually or by team.” Plaintiffs assert that absent this agreement — or “conspiracy” as they term it — fans would be able to access all NFL games at “lower prices.”
In a statement, the NFL indicated that they will be appealing the decision:
What might this mean for the league and its fans?
Beyond the dollar amount, which will drive the headlines, many analysts and experts theorize that this decision paves the way for single-team packages. For example, the residential class of plaintiffs, who were purchasing “Sunday Ticket” for use at home, were often fans of an out-of-market NFL team. As an example, consider a New England Patriots fan living in the Baltimore, Maryland market. The only way to watch most Patriots games is to purchase “Sunday Ticket.”
Now, that fan might theoretically have access to a “Patriots Package” as part of “Sunday Ticket.”
For the commercial plaintiffs, this could open the door to a competitive service along with “Sunday Ticket,” which could allow those establishments to pay lower prices to view broadcasts of every NFL game.
There will be more to come on this matter, including the league’s appeal and any post-trial motions, in the days and weeks to come.
Round one of the 2024 NBA Draft is over, and for the first time, teams have to wait one more day to make their picks for round two. The draft is now a two-day event, with the second round taking place on on Thursday, June 27 at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN. There is still a lot of talent on the board even in a weaker draft class like this one.
We have already handed out instant grades for every first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Now let’s rank the best remaining players for round two.
Our best available rankings come directly from my top-60 big board heading into the draft. There’s still one lottery-caliber prospect available in G League Ignite stretch forward Tyler Smith. Duke big man Kyle Filipowski slipping to the second round was also a big surprise, and his combination of passing ability and shooting range could make him a big steal for at the top of the second round.
The Toronto Raptors start off the second round with pick No. 31, followed by the Jazz, Bucks, Trail Blazers, and Spurs. We’ll have the full second round draft order after the table. But first, here’s our list of the 30 best players still available to start the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
The best available players after first round of 2024 NBA Draft
Second roud rank
Overall rank
Player
From
Position
Age
Second roud rank
Overall rank
Player
From
Position
Age
1
12
Tyler Smith
G League Ignite
F
Born 2004
2
16
Kyle Filipowski
Duke
C
Sophomore
3
27
Kevin McCullar
Kansas
G/F
Senior
4
28
KJ Simpson
Colorado
G
Junior
5
29
Johnny Furphy
Kansas
F
Freshman
6
32
Jamal Shead
Houston
G
Senior
7
33
Adem Bona
UCLA
C
Sophomore
8
34
Ajay Mitchell
UC Santa Barbara
G
Junior
9
35
Tyler Kolek
Marquette
G
Senior
10
37
N’Faly Dante
Oregon
C
Senior
11
38
Bobi Klintman
Sweden
F
Born 2003
12
39
Judah Mintz
Syracuse
G
Sophomore
13
40
Juan Nunez
Spain
G
Born 2004
14
41
Keshad Johnson
Arizona
F
Senior
15
43
Melvin Ajinca
France
G
Born 2004
16
44
Jaylen Wells
Washington State
F
Junior
17
45
Nikola Djurisic
Serbia
F
Born 2004
18
46
Isaiah Crawford
Louisiana Tech
F
Senior
19
47
Jonathan Mogbo
San Francisco
F
Senior
20
48
Cam Christie
Minnesota
G
Freshman
21
49
Harrison Ingram
North Carolina
F
Junior
22
50
Baylor Scheierman
Creighton
F
Senior
23
51
Ulrich Chomche
Cameroon
C/F
Born 2005
24
52
Oso Ighodaro
Marquette
C
Senior
25
53
Anton Watson
Gonzaga
C/F
Senior
26
54
Tristen Newton
UConn
G
Senior
26
55
Reece Beekman
Virginia
G
Senior
27
56
Bronny James
USC
G
Freshman
28
57
Antonio Reeves
Kentucky
G
Senior
29
58
Justin Edwards
Kentucky
F
Freshman
30
60
Jalen Bridges
Baylor
F
Senior
2024 NBA Draft second round order
31. Raptors(from Pistons via Knicks and Clippers)
32. Jazz(from Wizards via Pistons and Nets)
33. Bucks(from Blazers via Kings)
34. Trail Blazers(from Hornets via Nuggets, Thunder and Pelicans)
35. Spurs
36. Pacers(from Raptors via 76ers, Clippers and Grizzlies)
37. Timberwolves(from Grizzlies via Lakers, Wizards and Thunder)
38. Knicks(from Jazz)
39. Grizzlies(from Nets via Rockets)
40. Trail Blazers(from Hawks)
41. 76ers(from Bulls via Celtics, Spurs and Pelicans)
42. Hornets(from Rockets via Thunder)
43. Heat
44. Rockets(from Warriors via Hawks)
45. Kings
46. Clippers(from Pacers via Grizzlies and Bucks)
47. Magic
48. Spurs(from Lakers via Grizzlies)
— 76ers (forfeited)
49. Pacers(from Cavaliers)
50. Pacers(from Pelicans)
51. Wizards(from Suns) — Reportedly traded to Knicks
52. Warriors (from Bucks via Pacers)
53. Pistons (from Knicks via 76ers and Hornets)
54. Celtics (from Mavericks via Kings)
55. Lakers(from Clippers)
56. Nuggets(from Timberwolves via Thunder) — Reportedly traded to Suns
57. Grizzlies(from Thunder via Rockets and Hawks)
— Suns (from Nuggets via Magic; forfeited by Suns)
Two months ago, 15-year-old Miles Russell set an incredible record, becoming the youngest player to make a cut in a Korn Ferry Tour event. He eventually finished in a tie for 20th at the LECOM Suncoast Classic, which earned him a spot in next week’s tournament.
He missed the cut despite posting a 4-under par score through 36 holes. But Russell made a lasting impression—so much so that the Rocket Mortgage Classic offered him a sponsor’s exemption to compete in this week’s event at the Detroit Golf Club.
“I was pretty much speechless at the time,” Russell said when he received the call that he would make his PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
“It’s always been a dream to play at the highest level and compete with the best players in the world, and I get to do that this week. I am really looking forward to it.”
Russell has quite a resume. He broke par for the first time at the age of six and then finished second in the Drive, Chip, and Putt finals at Augusta National in 2018 at nine years old.
Since then, Russell has racked up numerous junior titles. He won the Junior PGA Championship last August by seven strokes and then added a Junior Players Championship title at TPC Sawgrass, where he won by three. As such, Russell won the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Player of the Year Award, becoming the youngest player ever to do so—besting Tiger Woods in the process. Speaking of Woods, Russell will join Charlie Woods at next month’s U.S. Junior Amateur, which will also take place in Michigan at Oakland Hills Country Club.
“I don’t know how to describe it other than just a rollercoaster, and it’s just been a rollercoaster of just fun,” Russell said.
“It all happened a little faster than I thought it might, but it’s just what happens when you have good play.”
Russell will undoubtedly continue to have fun this week at Detroit Golf Club, the host of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, regardless of the result. He said he will have to rely on his short game—his strong suit—to get around this tight golf course, but he also noted that staying disciplined will be critical.
“My goal is just to come out here and have fun,” Russell said.
“That’s my main goal: have fun, maybe learn something, and take something to my next event.”
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
It’s been well-chronicled that the 2023 NCAA women’s championship game was a turning point for the popularity of women’s basketball — millions tuned in nationwide as LSU defeated Iowa to win the championship, and a media-driven rivalry between LSU’s Angel Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was born.
Two years later, both Reese and Clark players are pros, and are tearing up the WNBA. Their games could not be more different; Clark is a playmaking sharpshooter, while Reese is known for her tenacious rebounding and defense, but both players have managed to effectively transition to the professional level with relative ease.
Meanwhile, Cameron Brink — who was ranked No. 1 in the previous edition of the Rookie Power Rankings after a dominant defensive start to the season — is out for the year with a torn ACL. It’s a big loss for the Sparks, who relied on her defensive presence, and for Brink herself, who was due to compete on the 3v3 Olympic basketball team in Paris next month.
But those aren’t the only rookies who have made their impact felt, so let’s get to the June edition of SB Nation’s WNBA rookie power rankings.
Kate Martin has been a reliable bench piece for the two-time defending champions, averaging 17.2 minutes per night when most expected her to go undrafted or be cut from the team’s final roster. Martin has been in and out of the rotation, but has been an effective connective piece when given the minutes.
“I couldn’t ask for a better experience,” Martin said. “I’ve been welcomed with open arms. I have great vets surrounding me. I have great coaches surrounding me. I love Las Vegas, we have great fan support. It’s been tremendous so far.”
Martin maintains her 8th spot on the list despite limited minutes, as she’s been a strong defender and serves as a reliable option on what is likely the most star-studded roster in the WNBA.
Sevgi Uzun helped lead the Turkish Fenerbahçe to back-to-back Euroleague championships, and has adjusted well in her first season in the WNBA.
At age 26, Uzun has far more basketball experience than most rookies, and it’s shown in her decision-making. She’s struggled with her shot, however, shooting just 23.6% from three. Uzun’s ranking spot hasn’t taken a hit since last month, but her three-point percentage has dipped — she shot 41.7% from three this time last month, and that number has fallen by 18%.
6. Julie Vanloo, Washington Mystics
Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images
Stats:7.9 points (36.1% FG, 33% from three), 5.4 assists, 3 turnovers Previous ranking: #5 Team Record: 4-13
Julie Vanloo, who is 31 years old but in her first year in the WNBA, has been one of the premier playmakers in the league. Her 5.4 assists per game are good for 8th overall, and second among rookies.
It’s all led to an effective transition into the league for the 5’8 Belgian guard, whose energy has helped the Mystics.
“Vanloo’s just got a different kind of motor,” Sun head coach Stephanie White said after the two teams faced off. “She gets after it and you can’t relax.”
Vanloo’s efficiency has decreased in recent weeks, however; her field goal percentage has waned, and she hasn’t shot 50% or better on any given night since May 21st. Still, she’s been an effective playmaker, and the Mystics — after a brutal start to the year — have won four of their last five games.
5. Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Stats:9.8 points (46.3% FG, 29% from three), 3.3 rebounds, Previous ranking: #4 Team Record: 4-13
Rickea Jackson, picked fourth overall, has been another solid rookie for the Sparks. Already one of the most efficient rookies in this class, Jackson could see increased minutes with Brink out for the season.
She’s averaged 23.4 minutes per game this season, but that’s trended downwards in the last few. But when given increased minutes, Jackson has had several big offensive outings this year, including three games in which she’s scored at least 16 points.
But, the Sparks have lost six straight and Jackson’s production — and offensive touches — have fallen a bit. She’s scored 6 and 7 points, respectively, in her last two games, while grabbing a total of only two rebounds.
The Mystics had a very slow start to the season — losers of their first 12 games — but Aaliyah Edwards has been one of the big bright spots for a franchise in a difficult spot. Her two best games of the season have been against the Sky; on June 6, she put up 23 points (10-12 FG) and 14 rebounds, and on June 14 she had 16 points (6-7 FG) and 9 rebounds in a win.
“Aaliyah is one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever been around,” teammate Ariel Atkins said earlier this month. “Just her ability to learn so quickly, which is so important at this level.
The Mystics have won two of their last three games, and all of their June losses except for one were in the single digits, so they’re trending in the right direction.
Kamilla Cardoso missed the first couple weeks of the season with a shoulder injury. But, the third overall pick has looked increasingly comfortable in her minutes with the Sky, grabbing double-digit rebounds in each of her last three games. She put together her best game of the season on Sunday – 16 points on 7-9 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and 3 assists – and is averaging an efficient 9.3 points in nine games played so far this year.
Cardoso and Angel Reese have formed a formidable frontcourt, particularly on the glass, and Cardoso is the only rookie shooting better than 50% from the field. Her well-rounded performance, combined with Brink’s season-ending injury, has catapulted her to third in the rookie rankings.
Angel Reese, drafted seventh by the Sky, was one of the WNBA-ready players in the class from the jump, and has already established herself as one of the most tenacious rebounders in the league. Most recently, she set a WNBA rookie record for most consecutive double-doubles after a 16-point, 18-rebound performance in a Thursday win against the Wings.
“I just want to win. I came to Chicago to win,” Reese said. “Luckily, I was drafted No. 7 and came to Chicago and was able to come here and thrive. Being able to have great teammates, great coaches, and just a great atmosphere and culture here that really, really loves me, that’s what’s important to me.”
She followed that up with her best game as a pro — a 25-point, 16-rebound outing in a win over the Fever.
“I’m a dog,” she told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the game. “You can’t teach that.”
Reese is already the second-leading rebounder in the league — averaging 11.1 a night — and is the leading offensive rebounder (4.7). Her field goal percentage has room to improve (she’s shooting just 40.6% from the field) but she’s otherwise impacting the game at a very high level, especially for a first-year player.
After a tough start to the WNBA season, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have managed to turn things around. Clark had a big week last week — she followed a 23-point, 8-rebound, 9-assist outing in a win over the Sky with another near triple-double of 18 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. Then, on Sunday, she broke a Fever franchise record of most assists in a singular game (13) in a loss to the Sky, while also putting up 17 points.
The turnover numbers are still not ideal — she’s leading the league with 5.6 a night — but Clark has become increasingly efficient and connected to her teammates. That’s evidenced in the Fever winning 4 of their last 5 games. As teammates get comfortable with her passing, that number will go down as well. Her turnovers are indicative of a desire to playmake; Alyssa Thomas, who leads the league in assists, has the second-most turnovers per game with 3.9 a night.
“I’m trying to get to know my teammates and the coaching staff, but I feel like I have gotten more comfortable over the course of these games,” Clark said last week. “There’s still more than half a season left, and I really feel like we’ve grown so much.”
If she — and the Fever — keep growing at this speed, she may hang on atop these rankings for quite a while.
Sunday in Omaha a two-run home run from Dylan Dreiling kept Tennessee’s title dreams alive.
Monday night in Omaha a two-run blast from Dreiling helped solidify them.
The Tennessee Volunteers captured the NCAA Men’s College World Series for the first time in school history, taking the best-of-three series against Texas A&M in Game 3 by a final score of 6-5.
And as was the case Sunday, Dreiling played a starring role.
A sacrifice fly from Dreiling in the third inning staked the Volunteers to a 2-1 lead, but the score was 3-1 in Tennessee’s favor when Dreiling came to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Billy Amick, having singled to left center ahead of Dreiling, took his lead off first.
But he would jog from there:
Dreiling got his hand around on a 78-mph breaking ball from Texas A&M pitcher Evan Aschenbeck, lofting a high fly ball to right field. Aggies right fielder Caden Sorrell gave it everything he had on the leap, but he came up just inches short.
That made it three home runs in three Men’s College World Series Finals games for Dreiling, and the outfielder’s two-run shot gave the Volunteers a 5-1 lead.
Tennessee was not done in the seventh and tacked on another run on one of the greatest slides you may ever see. After Dreiling’s home run Hunter Ensley got on with a seeing-eye single, which brought Kavares Tears to the plate. Tears promptly launched a deep fly off the wall in center field, and Ensley tried to come all the way around from first on the play, but a great relay from the Aggies saw the ball beat Ensley to home plate.
But somehow, some way, Ensley avoided the tag from catcher Jackson Appel:
Ensley reads this play perfectly. He sees the throw come to the glove side of Appel and then cuts to the inside, sweeping across the plate with his left hand to touch home. Texas A&M challenged the play, but video replays confirmed the safe call on the field.
That slide would end up being huge.
The Aggies put two runs on the board in the eighth to make it 6-3, but left-hander Kirby Connell came into the game and stopped the bleeding with a pair of strikeouts to end the inning. Aidan Combs, who also played a huge role in Sunday’s win for Tennessee coming out of the bullpen, came on to face the top of the Texas A&M lineup in the ninth.
The Aggies did not make it easy.
Gavin Grahovac led off the inning with a double, bringing the dangerous Jace LaViolette to the plate. Combs was able to strike out LaViolette, but an Appel single into left field plated Grahovac, making the Tennessee lead 6-4 and bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of Hayden Schott, who was 3-for-4 on the night with a trio of singles.
Combs got the swinging strikeout of Schott with a high fastball, and the Aggies were down to their final out as Ted Burton strode to the plate. But a wild pitch brought Appel home, making it 6-5 with Burton representing the tying run, and the go-ahead run in the on-deck circle.
Combs punched Burton out on a 79-mph breaking ball, getting Burton to go down swinging and touching off the celebration. For the first time in school history, the baseball National Championship trophy is headed to Rocky Top.
For his effort throughout the series, Dreiling was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
With the title the Volunteers became the first No. 1 overall seed to win the Men’s College World Series since Miami did it back in 1999. That was the first year the tournament expanded to the current 64-team format.
The U.S. Senior Open takes center stage this week as Bernhard Langer will look to defend his title at the historic Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island.
But in two years’ time, another man will meet the eligibility criteria to play, which should intimidate everyone on the PGA Tour Champions. That would be Tiger Woods, the 15-time major winner who has also won nine United States Golf Association (USGA) titles.
Woods won three U.S. Junior Amateurs and three U.S. Amateurs during a six-year stretch from 1991 to 1996. He then went on to win three U.S. Open titles, with his first coming at Pebble Beach in 2000 and his last coming at Torrey Pines in 2008. He won his other one at Bethpage Black in 2002.
But as Adam Schupak of Golfweek penned on Monday, a U.S. Senior Open title would put Woods in rare territory. No player has ever won the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, and U.S. Senior Open during their career. If Woods were to go on and win a U.S. Senior Open, he would become the most decorated USGA Champion of all time with 10 USGA championships. Woods and Bobby Jones currently possess the all-time record with nine apiece.
“He’d love to win that Grand Slam and get some of the other senior majors on his CV,” Padraig Harrington told Shupak.
Tiger Woods lines up a putt during the 2024 U.S. Open.Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
“I saw him at the [PNC Championship] and we were just crossing paths and he laughed at me. I won’t say exactly what he said but the gist of it was he can’t wait to get out and beat me.”
Surely, Woods will want to possess those records all on his own. He loves the competition and wants to be recognized as the greatest golfer ever.
But the PGA Tour Champions also allows its competitors to take a cart, which would help Woods immensely. He has struggled to navigate 72 holes in major championships, but having assistance via a cart would eradicate many of those hardships. Yet, the senior majors require players to apply for and receive a cart via the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).
“Taking a cart changes everything for him,” Geoff Ogilvy added to Schupak.
“Interest both from fans and sponsors is going to be through the roof. I think there’s a good chance that Champions Tour ratings can top the PGA Tour when he decides to play. And what else is he going to?”
Woods will definitely play a role in his son Charlie’s budding golf career, as the younger Woods recently qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur later this summer. Outside of that, the 82-time PGA Tour winner can reinvigorate his competitive spirits and boost the Champions Tour by playing. He should go through with it.
And when he does, the golfing world will love it.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThroughfor more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
The Mets were a hapless mess of an organization until Grimace came into their lives. The husky blob of unknown density arrived at Citi Field to throw out the first pitch on June 12, and since the team has gone 9-and-2 — now in legitimate striking distance of grabbing a wild card.
Everyone has wondered how the hell Grimace has been able to turn the Mets around. More importantly: Why Grimace? What if I told you that this was a plan 53-years in the making, all set into motion by Don Draper of Mad Men fame in an effort to help his beloved team win before his 100th birthday?
Don Draper is a die-hard Mets fan
This is established throughout Mad Men. The Mets are a fundamental piece of Don’s identity, which establishes him as a modern man who has no particular reverence for the past, which is why he supports the upstart Metropolitans over the historic and vaunted Yankees.
A Mets pennant is a proudly displayed part of Don’s office, and remains a feature of the show until late in the series. The last we see Don’s allegiance to the Mets he finds the pennant under an old desk, electing to throw it out — but as we’ll come to realize it’s a love that never dies.
There are some Mad Men spoilers coming up, but at this point the finale was in 2015. You’ve had more than enough time to watch Mad Men.
Don Draper, Coca-Cola, and Grimace
The series finale of Mad Men left with Don finally finding the inner-peace that alluded him throughout the series. More importantly to the tale of Grimace and the Mets, it establishes that Don came up with the groundbreaking “Buy the world a Coke” campaign, which reshaped advertising in 1971, and is one of the most influential commercials of all time.
This tells us that Don was back on top in 1971. He didn’t leave the ad game, but instead rose like a phoenix to deliver the best work of his life after getting his own like in order. Now, it’s not difficult to imagine that after reshaping Coca-Cola he wouldn’t have landed another massive account to guide them into the future: McDonald’s.
When was Grimace created? You guessed it… 1971. The same year as the Coca-Cola campaign. But this goes so much deeper.
Debuting as “The Evil Grimace,” the initial portrayal of Grimace was as an evil entity who stole all the cups from McDonald’s to prevent children from getting … you guessed it: Coke.
See, Grimace was the part of Don’s psyche he left behind. The negative energy that he jettisoned. If the new, enlightened Don Draper wants to buy the world a Coke, the old Draper wanted to horde all the cups to himself and prevent the world from having Coca-Cola.
Don created “The Evil Grimace” to be the precise counterpoint to the last image we have of him from Mad Men — smiling. Then, in 1972 Grimace is re-introduced as Ronald’s best friend, and not a bad guy anymore. This was Don telling the world that he had changed. That he was different. That he was a happy, contributing member of society.
There are more hints of Draper’s involvement in McDonald’s too
Draper creates Grimace in 1971 and continues to work on the McDonald’s account, pulling more and more examples from his own life into the ad campaigns.
Hamburglar is a manifestation of Peggy Olson, created in 1971. With red hair and prominent teeth, Draper posits that Hamburglar is both mischievous and lovable, while also stealing the literal heart of out McDonald’s by taking their hamburgers. This is a metaphor for how Peggy ripped Don’s heart out, and he never recovered.
The Fry Kids from 1972 represent Don’s children.
Birdie is introduced in 1980, named after Don’s nickname for his ex-wife Betty. The full name “Birdie, the early bird” is a scathing critique of Betty’s self-absorption and his resentment at how self-reliant his children needed to be to support their mother’s life of sloth.
Mayor McCheese represents Bert Cooper, while Officer Big Mac is Roger Sterling — for obvious reasons.
How do the Mets fit into all this?
The number 100 is key to all of this. Don, despite being such a die-hard Mets fan, endured four consecutive 100-loss seasons from 1962-to-1965. When Draper was in his prime, the Mets were disgustingly awful — and yet he remained a fan.
Draper’s beloved team finally managed to win in 1969, but at that point Don was too far in the depths of despair and alcoholism to truly enjoy it. By the time he got his life back on track (and created Grimace) in 1971, the Mets had firmly become a middling team, which was present for most of his life.
There was only one World Series that Don truly got to enjoy in 1986. This coincided with Grimace’s rise to popularity, in which Grimace’s universe was expanded to highlight his family. It’s here that Draper, now aged 61 is coming to terms with his own mortality and wanting to wind down his advertising career by showing that family is important.
The “Grimace Shake” unveiled by McDonald’s on June 12, 2023 to commemorate the character’s birthday means inherently that the shake is there to celebrate Don’s birthday. HE. IS. GRIMACE. The two are one in the same.
Fast-forward to 2024
It is established in Mad Men that Draper was born in 1925, and we now know his full birthday is June 12, 1925. This is significant because 2024 is the last season the Mets can win the World Series before Don turns 100, a chance to exorcise the memories of those horrible 100-loss season where it all began, a chance to experience some sporting joy before he shifts off this mortal coil.
Don calls in a favor. He tells McDonald’s to dispatch Grimace to the Mets. Don is too old and frail to make it to Queens in person, but Grimace will be his spiritual medium to help the team in their time of need.
Grimace throws out the pitch on June 12, 2024 — Don’s 99th birthday. He witnesses as the team begins to turn it around and become relevant once more. The man who bought the world a Coke has now thrown the Mets a bone.
As an inside joke both McDonald’s at the Mets poke fun at Don’s womanizing past by having Grimace hit on Mrs. Met, and post it on social media.
Don Draper created Grimace as an extension of himself, and now Grimace is helping the Mets achieve what was previously thought impossible. It’s all because of one advertising executive and his checkered past.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour hit London over the weekend, and it’s no surprise that her boyfriend of nearly one year, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, was there. But what was unexpected was Kelce joining Swift on stage.
The European tour kicked off in May and saw the Eras setlist rearranged a bit. Taylor’s three-hour set opens with songs from her album Lover, then goes to Fearless, Red, Speak Now, Reputation, and she’s condensed and combined the set from Evermore and Folklore, which is a switch from the previous leg of the tour. The iconic 1989 is up next, and then comes Taylor’s new section from her latest, The Tortured Poets Department. That’s where Kelce comes in.
The song Kelce joined Taylor on stage for is one of my favorites from TTPD. It’s called ‘I Can Do It with a Broken Heart’ and it’s about how Taylor’s had to keep performing no matter what personal and professional heartbreak she’s experiencing. It’s a bop with incredibly honest lyrics:
I’m so depressed, I act like it’s my birthday Every day I’m so obsessed with him, but he avoids me Like the plague I cry a lot, but I am so productive It’s an art You know you’re good when you can even do it With a broken heart
The intro to this one about broke the internet — even without Kelce involved — when Swift performed it during the Paris show that kicked off the European tour.
The coolest thing about this is just how much fun Kelce appears to be having being a part of it.
And Kelce seems to be having the time of his life cheering on Taylor whether he’s on stage or not.
Especially when she changed the lyrics to her song ‘Karma’ to, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me.”
The Tortured Poets Department is the first Taylor Swift album that features songs written about Travis Kelce. My personal favorite is called ‘So High School,’ a sweet song about how fun and easy their relationship feels. There’s also speculation that the last verse of ‘But Daddy I Love Him,’ a song that’s otherwise assumed to be about Taylor’s ex, The 1975 front man Matty Healy (aka ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,’ another song off of TTPD) is about Travis. Those lyrics:
And I’m dancin’ in my dress in the sun and Even my daddy just loves him I’m his lady, and oh my God you should see your faces Doesn’t it give some perspective And no, you can’t come to the wedding I know he’s crazy, but he’s the one I want
As a matter of fact, Taylor goes straight from the end of that song into a snippet of ‘So High School’ in the current version of her Eras show, which is helping fuel that speculation. And she and her backup dancers even swag surf during it — which has got to be a nod to Chiefs fans.
Taylor Swift has performed with former flame John Mayer, but it was way back in 2009. She brought Taylor Lautner of Twilight fame — who she dated in 2009 — onstage at Arrowhead Stadium last July and introduced him, but he didn’t perform with her and it was more than a decade after they’d dated. As far as I can tell (from Google and polling every Swiftie I know), this marks the first time Taylor Swift has had a love interest come onto stage and perform with her in any way.
Swift has been criticized endlessly for her relationships in ways men aren’t — something she addresses on her song ‘The Man’ off of Lover:
They’d say I played the field before I found someone to commit to And that would be OK For me to do Every conquest I had made would make me more of a boss to you
But this relationship with Kelce seems very healthy, happy and mutually supportive. Here’s hoping they keep having this much fun together.
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