The Sports Thread

Topic

[Todd]

Feel free to discuss sports of all types from all over the world here. This thread is not limited by country or region.

And remember, Jeopardy! is a game show, not a sport.

• This topic was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Todd.

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Report: Blake Griffin expected to sign with Nets

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njerry

https://www.buzzfeed.com/shelbyheinrich/salary-comparison-female-male-athletes?utm_source=dynamic&utm_campaign=bffbbuzzfeed&ref=bffbbuzzfeed&&fbclid=IwAR1db1PrAgfI3t4OB907Q_7xY-OTKRlGo7BcX8zHxTsr4CtsluXHQZFOX84

[Rocket]

 

https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1369726013362610180?s=20

Hope they get back Gary Thorne and Bill Clement

• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Rocket.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Rocket.

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Sean Robinson

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/31046252/patrick-ewing-annoyed-being-accosted-msg-security-jokes-everybody-building-know-hell-am

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Rocket

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Sean Robinson, Rocket, Todd

Rocket wrote:

Serena is 1 behind Margaret Court for Grand Slam titles and 1 behind Chris Evert for Finals appearances so I would believe she is going to keep going a little while longer.

I do hope she can beat Court’s record, she’s a very bigoted fundamentalist Christian type now.

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Andrew

[Sean Robinson]

No Covid in the NHL’s North (Canadian) division. None of that postponing games bullshit. Oh, wait.

The Vancouver Canucks had their week off and then positive Covid tests. Games postponed and more names added every hour, up to 16 players and 3 coaches.

The season is a write off. We’re due for the first overall pick.
Maybe we get lucky with some of those bad contracts (assuming the dead don’t count against the cap…)

I’m cheering for a Colorado- Philadelphia Final, yet the conspiracy theorist in me sees Toronto has already bought it.

Edit to add: Canucks Covid list grows to 20 positives, intense symptoms- New York Post link

• This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Sean Robinson.

Phila has run into a problem with their Goalkeeping. Hart got benched and Buffalo broke their losing skid against the Flyers.

BREAKING: ESPN and NBA Legend Paul Pierce have parted ways, according to sources.

Pierce posted videos of himself with exotic dancers on Instagram Live Friday night. Pierce has played a key role on 'NBA Countdown' + other ESPN basketball programming.

ESPN declined to comment.

— Michael McCarthy (@MMcCarthyREV) April 5, 2021

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/19/european-super-league-government-fa-and-uefa-unite-to-denounce-plans

12 of the top teams in Europe are planning to quit UEFA’s Champions League competition and set up their own Super League. To say this has caused a stink of a response is quite an understatement. That format would create a closed competition whereas now teams only get to make the Champions League based on their results. For example in 2016 Leicester City competed because they won the league and giants Manchester United didn’t qualify.

It has been condemned by Prime Ministers, Presidents and a lot of the players and managers as an obsession with more revenue over fairness in the game. UEFA have threatened to ban all the players at the rebel clubs from competing in their international competitions, possibly getting FIFA to do the same for the World Cup.

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Todd

I don’t pretend to understand football politics, but it seems to me that any club should have the right to choose which matches and which other teams they want to play. I certainly don’t think it’s a matter that should be any concern of the Prime Minister (though to be fair, he hasn’t got a lot else to occupy his time at the moment, has he?)

The PM is being opportunistic, football fans seem pretty unanimous in hating this idea, including those from the teams involved. So opposing it is easy credit in the bank.

Politics and sports often overlap though to be honest. A bit like the arts there’s always an element that they operate in a wider context than just being independent businesses but also a community resource.

It’s why football teams almost never disappear (there are a very few exceptions). We’ve lost dozens of high street retail names in the last few years that will never come back. Glasgow Rangers FC went into liquidation in 2012, they won the 2021 league title a week or so back.

DavidM wrote:

I don’t pretend to understand football politics, but it seems to me that any club should have the right to choose which matches and which other teams they want to play.

Part of the problem I see with this is that by creating different/exclusive arenas of competition you end up watering down statistics, standings, and records from here on out; particularly if, for instance, a team that is not part of this Super League ends up having a spectacular season with no losses, averaging 4-5 goals per game, and basically smashing previous records. Since this stellar team presumably wasn’t competing against the “super” teams, do those statistics have any true value?

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Todd

It’s also very much part of football culture that there is always a dream there for your team to make it one day, as Leicester City did 5 years with 5000-1 odds at the start of the season. In US sport the closed shop structure has always been baked in but to temper that it has always come with controls to even it out. The draft system favouring the worst team of the previous season and wage caps making sure you can’t just spend your way to success.

European football doesn’t have that, it has a very loose ‘financial fair play’ rule that’s much abused but a team like Real Madrid essentially just buys success by paying more than anyone else to get the best players. This move, if it happened, means they will forever be at the top competition even if they play badly.

Manchester City, one of the teams in the Super League group, were in the 3rd division in the 1990s. They worked their way back up to become a European heavyweight but are denying that now for other teams. My team, Cardiff City, I have watched play in all 4 divisions of the football leagues and beat Real Madrid in a one off European tie. This would essentially make that impossible in the future.

I’m not sure how far this will go though when this is the response of more than one of the managers of the ‘elite’ teams:

and the fans….

 

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Rocket, Todd

In fact just after I wrote that there are reports Chelsea, Athletico Madrid and Manchester City are withdrawing because of the backlash, if true the thing will die. This from Gary Neville, a Manchester United stalwart as player and fan, sums the reaction up – disgusted by his lifelong team.

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Todd

I don’t understand the backlash. Why don’t Spurs, who haven’t won a major title in decades, deserve a guaranteed place in top tier international competition and a £3 billion a year payday for it?

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Rocket, garjones

don’t worry about it anymore

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Bruce, garjones, Dave

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Todd, Martin Smith

Last night in a game between Steph Curry’s Warriors and Zion Williamson’s Pelicans, ESPN did a Marvel themed broadcast.

<span style=”color: #0000ee;”><u>https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/7b185330-04ed-48f3-ae8b-7ba3cab1f003</u></span&gt;

ESPN also did an SFL like draft to pick teams for Marvel character game.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31364884/what-basketball-team-made-characters-marvel-cinematic-universe-look-like

The augmented reality broadcast was fun. Video game versions of the marvel characters appeared in the arena.  Iron Man stood above the basket while a Warrior took free throws and Captain Marvel did the same to a Pelicans player. 3 members of each squad were sponsored by heroes. Sam Cap, Iron man, Black widow supported Pelican players and Captain Marvel, Dr Strange, and Black Panther supported Warriors. Players got points for scores, assists, rebounds, and steals and lost points for misses and lost balls.

Formula E went to Monaco today for the first time in a few years. In previous seasons, they’ve done a shortened layout of the traditional track, but this year they did the full historic track (the one Formula 1 uses). Apparently, parts of the FIA were a bit hesitant to allow it, because they want to avoid direct comparison between FE and F1 cars (in terms of top speed, lap times etc) but after making a minor change to the swimming pool chicane, they let it happen.

And man, it was excellent. After the last race weekend – a double header which took place for the first time at a permanent race track rather than the usual street circuits, requiring a really dodgy bodge-job chicane installed on the start finish straight – had a race that was undermined by some questionable race direction decisions and a second race that was pretty boring, I think FE really needed to bounce back, and it totally did with this. Monaco is infamous in Formula 1 for being not very racey – everyone loves the track (and the location) but it’s really hard to pass on track and most over-taking comes from pit-stops. With the FE cars being significantly narrower, that wasn’t an issue. There was overtaking all over place, in locations that you’d never see used in F1. It instantly dismissed any questions of looking inferior with speed and lap time by just being a much more exciting race all round. F1’s back in Monaco in a couple of weeks and I just can’t see it producing anything as interesting as today’s race.

It’s on the BBC iPlayer still and I think on YouTube outside the UK. If you’ve got a spare hour or so, I definitely recommend watching it.

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Rocket

Well some teams will still be playing, but Vancouver and Edmonton on Saturday is the last game with a playoff bound team.
Vancouver & Calgary play 3 more meaningless games as the playoffs start.

NHL Playoffs start Saturday with Boston @ Washington

MASSMUTUAL EAST DIVISION
Pittsburgh Penguins (1) vs. New York Islanders (4)
Washington Capitals (2) vs. Boston Bruins (3)

DISCOVER CENTRAL DIVISION
Carolina Hurricanes (1) vs. Nashville Predators (4)
Florida Panthers (2) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (3)

HONDA WEST DIVISION
Colorado Avalanche/Vegas Golden Knights (1) vs. St. Louis Blues (4)
Colorado Avalanche/Vegas Golden Knights (2) vs. Minnesota Wild (3)

SCOTIA NORTH DIVISION
Toronto Maple Leafs (1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (4)
Edmonton Oilers (2) vs. Winnipeg Jets (3)

Tonight’s Colorado – LA Kings game: If Colorado wins in any fashion, they win the West and the President’s Trophy

Toronto – Montreal is first match-up since 1979
Montreal is last Canadian team to win the Cup (1993 – 28 years ago)

Second round stays in division. My predictions:

Washington – Islanders
Florida – Nashville
Colorado – Vegas
Toronto – Edmonton

Hmmm, I picked two 1 & 2, and two 2 & 4 (no 3rd seeds advancing)

The Avalanche did win and will have home ice throughout the playoffs.

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Sean Robinson

Be honest now; doesn’t this look so much better?

EAST DIVISION
Pittsburgh Penguins (1) vs. New York Islanders (4)
Washington Capitals (2) vs. Boston Bruins (3)

CENTRAL DIVISION
Carolina Hurricanes (1) vs. Nashville Predators (4)
Florida Panthers (2) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (3)

WEST DIVISION
Colorado Avalanche/Vegas Golden Knights (1) vs. St. Louis Blues (4)
Colorado Avalanche/Vegas Golden Knights (2) vs. Minnesota Wild (3)

NORTH DIVISION
Toronto Maple Leafs (1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (4)
Edmonton Oilers (2) vs. Winnipeg Jets (3)

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Sean Robinson

[Al-x]

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Al-x.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Al-x.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Al-x.

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Todd

Rocket wrote:

The Avalanche did win and will have home ice throughout the playoffs.

And what happened the last time the Avalanche won the President’s trophy?
They won the Cup! – 2001, when Sakic handed it straight to Ray Bourque.

Actually, only 8 teams have won the President’s Trophy and Stanley Cup in same year

2013 Chicago Blackhawks
2008 Detroit Red Wings
2002 Detroit Red Wings
2001 Colorado Avalanche
1999 Dallas Stars
1994 New York Rangers
1989 Calgary Flames
1987 Edmonton Oilers

3 more President’s Trophy winners lost in the Stanley Cup Finals

1990 Boston Bruins
1995 Detroit Red Wings
2011 Vancouver Canucks

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Rocket

I don’t often watch the football but as a Leicester kid I’m glad I watched the FA Cup Final today.

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garjones, Andrew, Ben

I watched my first sporting broadcast in ages yesterday evening, a Rugby League match from Brisbane in front of 42,000 fans in the stadium. It was quite entertaining! The Melbourne Storm comprehensively defeated the St. George Dragons, though it was not without its drama – one of the Storm’s key playmakers was concussed and taken out on a stretcher in the first few minutes of the match – the offending St George player was sent off by the ref. There were a few more injuries along the way on both sides.

Sadly the team I usually barrack for (the Bulldogs) are coming last; they have won only one game so far out of ten played this season. More happily the team our odious PM purports to support (the Sharks) are also doing poorly, coming third last.

There was a short-lived theory that Covid would have seen Rugby League and Australian Rules Football increase their international appeal through 2020-21 since they were among the few sports comps running almost as normal – I don’t think that came to pass.

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garjones, Rocket

There was a big increase in interest in the NRL and the New Zealand and AU Super Rugby comps last summer because there was a lack of any other sport. I know in the UK they got much bigger TV ratings than usual but it didn’t really carry over into this year when everyone’s domestic comps has started up again. In fact SKY didn’t renew their contract for the rugby union and you can only get them online now.

I was much the same, I watched a couple of NRL games when there was nothing else on but switched back to my usual competitions when they resumed.

 

 

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Andrew, njerry

My dad enjoyed watching the Rugby games on TV, as he played it in school back in Ireland.

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garjones

Did you know that the country with the highest number of rugby clubs is the USA? Just slightly higher than England and France. It has a decent presence in colleges and a bit of a cult following, the kids club set up here in Penang that I did some coaching with was instigated by an American guy.

A couple of years back they set up Major League Rugby as a pro league. A bit like MLS when it started it’s a combination of enthusiastic young locals and foreigners a bit past their best days but they seem to have a realistic objective of starting small and slowly growing rather than chucking money in hoping it’ll rival NFL, which of course it won’t but that was the kind of silly thinking they had trying to launch the US soccer league in the late 70s.

The sheer size of the US actually means you can do okay being a minority sport if you manage it properly. In MLS Atlanta have an average attendance of 53,000 which is actually better than all but 5 of the English Premier League teams, it puts them on about par with Liverpool. It doesn’t have the profile but it has the support in a few places, Seattle have EPL level crowds too.

Your local team is Rugby United New York (but they actually play in Cochrane Stadium in New Jersey) and Todd can watch Houston Sabercats. San Diego Legion seems to be the most supported and got 6000 fans to a game before Covid hit.

Home

 

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Todd, njerry

njerry wrote:

My dad enjoyed watching the Rugby games on TV, as he played it in school back in Ireland.

There’s a real divide between Rugby League and Rugby Union though. Rugby Union is seen (here) as very much a toff’s game, whereas League (like AFL) is a working class sport (or as working class as a multi-million dollar enterprise can be).

I’ve never gotten into Union that much with mainstream coverage of that game devoted here to the international competitions, whereas League games are on prime time FTA TV several times each week; Friday Night Football a la the NFL.

(AFL (a wildly different game to either Rugby variant) has gained some interest in the US, with an American fellow playing for Collingwood .)

Rugby League has always struggled to expand out of its base, Australia is the only place its more popular and it only has pro leagues centred in Oz and England (where almost every club is in Yorkshire or Lancashire).

The split and the ‘toff’ thing coming from union insisting on being strictly amateur in the late 1900s when working class players in the north of England wanted payment for time lost at work. It’s not seen that way everywhere though, in Wales, NZ and the Pacific Islands it’s a game of the people.

League is the easier sport to grasp as the rules are simpler but that never seems to have translated into selling it outside its two heartlands. It’s most evident in their World Cup where whatever country is playing 90% of the players will speak with an Aussie or northern English twang and have a grandparent connection.

 

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Andrew

When I lived in Denver, Rugby was huge. One suburb actually built the first world class rugby-specific stadium in the US.

https://www.infinityparkatglendale.com/

 

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garjones

Yeah I don’t quite understand the story behind it but Glendale Raptors (later renamed Colorado Raptors) were one of the best teams in MLR in the first couple of seasons and then just quit it last year as more teams joined.

Their official reason doesn’t make much sense, they said they felt their role was in developing American players but the MLR changed the limit of foreign players allowed to be higher. You’d think the logical response there is just pick American players regardless rather than drop out entirely. Obviously some politics going on there I don’t quite grasp.

 

A COVID-19 outbreak ruled out 20 of River Plate’s players for their Copa Libertadores match against Santa Fe, including all four of their goalkeepers. They were told to play anyway with no subs and midfielder Enzo Perez in goal. They won 2-1. Perez was named Man of the Match.

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Rocket, Andrew, Todd, Dave

If you go to the link for Infinity Park, it says it was the Former home of USA Rugby so i would guess when the team was good it had players from the national team and some disagreement led to a break up. Neither side probably wanted the other to have the team so that’s why the team broke up. My best guess is one side wanted to stay US and the other wanted to start using Foreign players.

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garjones

I don’t think it’s that, in rugby (as with soccer) the clubs feed the national teams and they make sure there are international windows so they never clash. Clubs are usually overjoyed if their players are picked to the national team. MLR are independent of USA Rugby anyway who just run the national teams.

I dug a little further and found a really long article about it all. The upshot of it all is clubs, owned by big businessmen with egos, who fell out with each other over how it was run.

 

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njerry

Phil Mickelson becomes oldest to win a major, hangs on for 2-shot win at PGA Championship

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/golf/phil-mickelson-becomes-oldest-to-win-a-major-hangs-on-for-2-shot-win-at-pga-championship/ar-AAKiK9N?ocid=msedgntp

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Todd, Sean Robinson

NHL Playoffs…

Colorado’s Nazem Kadri was suspended eight games for an illegal check to the head of St. Louis defenseman Justin Faulk in Game 2.
And the basic assumption is that playoff suspensions are half (basically a 16-game suspension as he’s a repeat offender).
Kadri is marked (and don’t you think he plays best pushing that envelope? Just don’t cross the line…)

Nice for Colorado to have the depth as they won games 3 & 4 without him to complete the sweep.
So Kadri is still suspended for 6 games? Is it a benefit long term for Colorado to lose a few games?
It’ll make your head spin, but keep mouth shut and play.

Assuming Vegas next round, I’ve heard some still pick Vegas.
Don’t get me wrong, lots still pick Colorado (and most of those have them going all the way).
But it will be a polarizing series. Lots of eyeballs.
Don’t let darling Vegas be the underdogs…
________________________________________

And whoa! The Winnipeg Jets took a surprising 2 game lead into tonight, but were behind 4-1 to the Edmonton Oilers.
Came back to win 5-4 in OT and take a 3-0 series lead.

Connor McDavid could be the best player in the game, but will be an afterthought if no playoff resume.
Colorado’s Nathan McKinnon and Toronto’s Austen Matthews can do themselves a world of good with success.
_______________________________________

Demonic Boston has also advanced.
How many souls were sold for multiple sports playoff success?
How many?
______________________________________

and my team? Yes, agree with extending coach Green.
but what a bunch of bullshit to go through to get a 2 year extension on an expiring deal.
And keeping GM Jim Benning? Fuck off!
Can’t sign free agents without overpaying, can’t trade properly, and while we’ve still got one more year on the worst deal ever (Erickson $6M and mostly bonus money so can’t buyout) we extend a bottom-six guy (Pearson) to 3.25m. I get the reasoning on the person, but 2 main people (Petterson and Hughes) are in need of contracts and need to be talked into cap-friendly bridge deals.
Why would they when they can look at the rest of the roster and honestly say ‘If I sign for $10 M you’re getting a bargain’.

I’ve never been so close to being this done. Just no hope other than fluke.

I’m buying a Seattle Kraken jersey.
Hope to see a game there when things open up.
Emerald City Comic-Con moved to December, but I’m not doing it this year no matter what.
If they stay December, then I’ll go 2022 and hopefully a Kraken game too.

I’m happy for the Avs dominance. 3+ goal difference in every game.

Sean Robinson wrote:

Is it a benefit long term for Colorado to lose a few games

NO! the Avs depth is good enough to play without him.

Vegas makes me sick. I think most writers pick Vegas because they are reprobates who just want to gamble and stare at naked women.

McDavid? …… I am praying for Avs playoff success so Nate can get a Conn Smythe because I am worried he will never get voted in as MVP

I hate to say it but the Kraken might be the way to go, Sean. Ron Francis is a smart hockey guy and will bring them success in a short time. plus, their jerseys are much better looking than your Canucks

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Sean Robinson

I love this.

In the late 90s Emile N’Tamack wins the European rugby cup with his young son on his shoulders:

In 2021 the son, Romain N’tamack wins the same European rugby cup, with his dad on his shoulders.

 

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DavidM, Rocket, Dave, Todd

Two great headlines from Sports yesterday:

Phil Mickelson wins Masters at age 50

Simone Biles makes history with new vault

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Todd, garjones

in utterly unheard of news here in the states,

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/31499939/trevor-moore-united-states-author-convincing-victory-canada-world-championships

@sean_robinson how is this being perceived north of the border? Do Canadians care little about World Championship or is this a national crisis? It says Team Canada got beat by Latvia as well.

I would say care very little, especially this year. Only players invited from elinated NHL teams can get an invite, with lots not accepting more travel right now.
Very few recognizable names in a tournament happening at the same time as NHL Playoffs.

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Rocket

[Sean Robinson]

Fuck! Game 7 (an elimination game for someone) and I’m cheering for Minnesota but Vegas just took a 4-2 lead (on a nice goal).

But they don’t give the respect, the reason why they’ve forced game 7.
The Vegas ‘darlings’ just seem to have you saying ‘Oh no’ but Minnesota doesn’t cave and comes right back.
Good for them.
Very impressed with this team the more I watch.

They can do it, minutes left in second (announcer says it’s been their curse this season with the long change) and a whole period to go.

Just dont want Vegas.
They seem to get the tiebreaker.
As I typed the refs missed a high stick, and gave out even-up penalties.

Saturday morning edit:
Well, I jinxed that good and proper.
Vegas wins 6-2
I hope Colorado destroys them.
It should be a great series.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Sean Robinson.

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Rocket

I wish Mike Tyson was in his prime today with Cus D’amato just to take on Logan Paul.

Tennis player Naomi Osaka does not want to constantly read and be exposed to nasty, racist posting by trolls about her. And she might get fined for it.

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/31537667/naomi-osaka-fine-15k-not-speaking-french-open-media-face-tourney-default-avoiding-press?platform=amp

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Todd

And now… she withdraws

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/31543237/naomi-osaka-withdraws-french-open-one-day-fine-threat-harsher-sanctions-skipping-media-obligations?linkId=120135278&fbclid=IwAR2GeW9kcTeuw3JLltcXIOqhTjCQEJ7ASwm8iVgVtzgK6eC3arhYLwsqPgY

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garjones, Todd

Al-x wrote:

And now… she withdraws

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/31543237/naomi-osaka-withdraws-french-open-one-day-fine-threat-harsher-sanctions-skipping-media-obligations?linkId=120135278&fbclid=IwAR2GeW9kcTeuw3JLltcXIOqhTjCQEJ7ASwm8iVgVtzgK6eC3arhYLwsqPgY

Good for her putting her mental health as her top priority.

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DavidM, Al-x

Making media an “obligation” for playing your sport seems wrong in all sort of ways. Though I suppose professional sports consider the money  more important than the actual sport, and you need media to help bring in the money.

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Todd

Rocket wrote:

@sean_robinson how is this being perceived north of the border? Do Canadians care little about World Championship or is this a national crisis? It says Team Canada got beat by Latvia as well.

Sean Robinson wrote:

I would say care very little, especially this year. Only players invited from eliminated NHL teams can get an invite, with lots not accepting more travel right now.
Very few recognizable names in a tournament happening at the same time as NHL Playoffs.

I stick by my statement, but feel compelled to point out that after staring the tournament 0-3, Canada will play for Gold at the 2021 IIHF World Championship in Latvia after besting team USA earlier today.
They started winning the rest of the way (with losses by other teams) so ended 4th in group B.

Apparently today just wasn’t the U.S.’s day, and it must hurt a little extra because of a Canadian team that fluked out.
The U.S. produces some top-notch talent, and you can prove that expansion and relocation (and the Gretzky trade to LA in 1988 before that) have opened up path’s to success from previously unthought of states (California, Florida, Texas).
Remember, you have to build Ice hockey arenas for every age level, and skill level.
The U.S.’s money and commitment have shown results (and a desire to be the best at everything doesn’t hurt).

Anyways, Canada plays Finland for the Gold (10 AM Pacific, 1 PM eastern, 6 PM in the UK, and we’ll set up rehab for anyone drinking and watching in the Philippines or Australia because you’ve got a problem at that point).
U.S plays for the Bronze against Germany at 8 AM EDT

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Rocket

Sean Robinson wrote:

Apparently today just wasn’t the U.S.’s day, and it must hurt a little extra because of a Canadian team that fluked out.

I noticed that. The pros got there in time to qualify and then dominate in the playoffs

Well… Boxing is not what it used to be.

Nowadays it is exhibition bouts between Youtube amateurs and over the hill boxers taking on the Youtube boxers.

Last night, Floyd Mayweather took on Logan Paul and they went the distance. No KO like there should have been.

All in all a boring match as all the Twitter comments said.

$50 pay per view for that…

Floyd made $100M (amazing) for last night and Logan got I believe $30M. Not a bad take for a retired pro and an amateur.

@rocket, no worries.

After Montreal has (surprisingly) come out of the North, and Tampa Bay from the Central, well…

I said, “Just get it over with. Colorado wins Tues. & Thurs., NYI wins Wednesday, then we start round 3!”

But nothing ever happens for my convenience, so both scenarios unlikely to occur.
And Vegas went and been pricks.
I knew one series over quick, one would force game 7.

The New York Islanders did their part and ousted the Boston Bruins.
NYI are 6-0 in clinching playoff game 6’s (at Nassau Coliseum).

I know it sucks for you right now, but coming out of this on the right end will be sweeter.

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Todd

Euro 2020 has just kicked off (yes they’re still calling it that) and despite being only a casual football fan I feel like I might watch more of it than usual this year.

It started with Turkey v Italy last night and in the same group later today Wales play Switzerland.

Then tomorrow England are up against Croatia and then Scotland play the Czech Republic on Monday. Should be a fun few weeks.

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Rocket

I have my Gareth Bale t-shirt on for the match today.

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Rocket, Dave

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garjones, Todd

Quite some drama in the Denmark v Finland game where the Danish player Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch and needed CPR. Dr Mike’s remote diagnosis said he thought it looked like a stroke rather than heart problem.

The game was suspended but with Eriksen seemingly recovering in hospital they have restarted it, which I was not expecting. I thought they’d write it off as a goal-less draw.

A bit difficult now to be a Finnish player, the narrative is set up for Denmark to play for their teammate.

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Ben, Rocket, Todd

Yes it’s an awful situation all round, and even more so now that Finland have pulled ahead with a goal. I don’t think anyone really wants to win a game under these circumstances.

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Ben, Rocket

And indeed Denmark lost in the end but it all feels a bit irrelevant. All very difficult to watch.

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Rocket

They should have written it off as a draw I think.

There’s a lot to admire from the Danish players saying they wanted to play on but I’m not convinced it was the right idea or they’d be in the right frame of mind to make the decision.

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Ben, Rocket

Yeah it seemed like an odd decision to me, although I did see reports that the other Danish players had spoken to Eriksen and he gave his blessing to go ahead, which may be part of it.

Either way though it doesn’t feel right for them to end up with that result after what happened.

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Ben, Rocket, garjones

Guys… You got to see this.

I bet she wanted to say this for a long time:

I LOVE HAO @HeatherOReilly 🙌🤣 put Alexi Lalas in place lol #USWNT pic.twitter.com/GjEJgYEDi5

— LCSquire (@Lcs1321) June 11, 2021

I can’t believe how ‘straight’ Lalas looks now. When he was playing he looked like a member of ZZ Top.

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Rocket

For me, the most fun was watching footie themed twitter up until about the 57th minute of the ENG-CRO game and then the last 5 minutes of that same game.

Jesus Christ Spain vs Sweden suckkkks

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njerry

Anonymous wrote:

Jesus Christ Spain vs Sweden suckkkks

I’m glad the Spanish forgot how to score.

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Todd

Turkey v Wales was a cracker tonight. Maybe the best game of the tournament so far. After going a goal down Turkey put some decent pressure on towards the end, but Wales held them off nicely and then Bale pulled off a great setup for a second goal in the closing seconds. Exciting to watch and hopefully it means Wales are through to the next round.

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garjones, Rocket

That last goal included some nifty foot work by Mr. Jones’ namesake. Until the end of ITA-SWI Wales is actually on top of their group.
hwre hwre hwre

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garjones, Dave

Yeeeeesssss!

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Dave, Rocket

From the Wrexham FC chairman (3rd oldest football club in the world).

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njerry, Sean Robinson, Todd, Rocket, Dave

The England team has the better hair products by far.

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Rocket

Cristiano Ronaldo moved a coke bottle off his table at a press conference and wiped $4 billion off the value of the Coca-Cola  corporation

Seriously, not a joke, apparently true:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/16/cristiano-ronaldo-snubs-coca-cola-billions-wiped-off-drink-giants-market-value

The Portugal captain is a renowned health fanatic and made it clear what he thinks of the carbonated soft drink.

It does make you wonder what was going through the minds of Coke’s marketing department when they said, “Let’s sponsor an event for world-quality athletes who have to be ultra-careful about the quality of their nutrition!”

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Sean Robinson, Todd

God I hate the Spanish team. Tiki taka my ass.

YAAAASSS FUCK YOU ESPANYA

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Rocket, garjones

Congrats on advancing, Gar! I like this years cup. It’s perfectly boring and lost on me, but still entertaining enough to leave on in the background.

 

Peak sports.

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garjones

DavidM wrote:

It does make you wonder what was going through the minds of Coke’s marketing department when they said, “Let’s sponsor an event for world-quality athletes who have to be ultra-careful about the quality of their nutrition!”

It’s been going on for ages. Coke and McDonald’s sponsor loads of these big events.

I think mostly everyone follows the line of the corporate sponsors, even if they’d never touch the stuff, but Ronaldo is obscenely rich so obviously doesn’t care.

 

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Todd, DavidM

Anonymous wrote:

Congrats on advancing, Gar!

Cheers Anders. It was a bit of a rear guard performance but we did enough, could have sneakily grabbed a draw even though Italy were much better, but in the end it doesn’t make any difference to the group standings.

 

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I was watching the Wales game at a Liverpool bar. Everyone cheered when Nico Williams touched the ball and booed when every switch did not include Harry Wilson.

Many Danish people will get drunk tonight.

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Rocket, Sean Robinson

Most of them were already drunk.

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Rocket, Sean Robinson, Dave, DavidM, garjones

Raiders’ Carl Nassib Comes Out As NFL’s First Openly Gay Active Player

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Todd

I think we advanced too? Not to sure about this, but yay I guess?

Yeah a few advanced last night without kicking a ball. Sweden and England are through to the next round but the final games will decide who and where they will play. We already know we are playing Denmark in Amsterdam.

garjones wrote:

Yeah a few advanced last night without kicking a ball. Sweden and England are through to the next round but the final games will decide who and where they will play. We already know we are playing Denmark in Amsterdam.

Mixed feelings about that Wales – Denmark game. They’re my secret teams this year, you know… The ones I’m rooting for when I’m not rooting for, uh, wait, I got this, uhhh, my homecSWEDEN! Sweden! That’s the one.

An NFL player comes out as gay:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31682318/carl-nassib-las-vegas-raiders-announces-gay

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Todd, njerry

[Rocket]

https://twitter.com/MenInBlazers/status/1407424604814073860?s=20

i know it’s late but I followed the advice and was in no shape to post yesterday.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by Rocket.

Germany vs Hungary was amazing football. Truly a good sports night

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garjones

hockey talkie for a second here.

Holy Fuck! I guess you do have a reason to play the games!
The Montreal Canadians are going to the Stanley Cup finals after defeating Vegas in game 6 OT on home ice.

Friday will have the deciding game 7 between NY Islanders (also a surprise) and Tampa Bay Lightning (last years winners).

So Montreal is the last Canadian team to win the Stanley cup (1993 over Gretzky and the LA Kings).

Canada since then:

1994 – Vancouver loses to NY Rangers in 7
2004 – Calgary loses to Tampa Bay Lightning in 7
2006 – Edmonton loses to Carolina Hurricanes in 7
2007 – Ottawa loses to Anaheim Duck in 5
2011 – Vancouver loses to Boston Bruins in 7

5 visits in 18 years (all losses), plus another 9 years without.

28 years later sounds like a sequel title of a movie…

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Rocket, Todd

Sean Robinson wrote:

hockey talkie for a second here.

Holy Fuck! I guess you do have a reason to play the games!
The Montreal Canadians are going to the Stanley Cup finals after defeating Vegas in game 6 OT on home ice.

Friday will have the deciding game 7 between NY Islanders (also a surprise) and Tampa Bay Lightning (last years winners).

So Montreal is the last Canadian team to win the Stanley cup (1993 over Gretzky and the LA Kings).

Canada since then:

1994 – Vancouver loses to NY Rangers in 7
2004 – Calgary loses to Tampa Bay Lightning in 7
2006 – Edmonton loses to Carolina Hurricanes in 7
2007 – Ottawa loses to Anaheim Duck in 5
2011 – Vancouver loses to Boston Bruins in 7

5 visits in 18 years (all losses), plus another 9 years without.

28 years later sounds like a sequel title of a movie…

Who is your preference to go against Montreal?

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Sean Robinson

As someone who loathes the Golden Knights, I was happy to see the Canadians oust them. I’ll be rooting for them to win it all. Then I’ll look forward to the Kraken being released on the NHL.

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Sean Robinson, Rocket, Todd

https://twitter.com/CanadiensMTL/status/1408264439510491140?s=20

GOHabsGO F@#$ Vegas

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Sean Robinson, Chris D

I’m rooting for the NY Islanders tonight.

John Tavares left them 3 years ago to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
They haven’t gone past the first round.
This was supposed to be their year, but no.
It’d be a double whammy to see his old team face rival Montreal as he watches from his basement.

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Todd

Just got out of bed half an hour ago, had my morning coffee to the highlights of Wales – Denmark.

0 – 4. Fuck. I was actually hoping that Wales would win. Sorry Gar. If we advance, we might avenge you at a later stage. F the Danes.

The only version I found with decent quality had suomi or eesti commenters on it. Anyone catch the justification for that red card?

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Todd

[Sean Robinson]

So the Stanley Cup finals are set. The Montreal Canadians will face the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning after they defeated the NY Islanders 1-0 last night.

That Islander team should hold their heads high as they played great.
Hope that franchise keeps it up. They’ve suffered enough.

I guess I’m cheering on the Montreal Canadians. I’m not invested in either enough for love or hate, but Tampa just won it last year.
Spread it around, y’know?
_____________________________________________

And this will have the extra local sting as the Canucks traded for Tyler Toffoli (from the LA Kings) in the 2019-20 season (and he was a really good fit) but couldn’t afford to keep him and he signed with Montreal for 4 years – $17 million ($4.25 cap hit).
Toffoli really wanted to stay. His wife works in LA, but other California teams have issues, a year ago Vancouver looked on the way up.

Vancouver had signed that idiot (and local boy) Jake Virtanen 2 years – $5.1 ($2.55 cap hit)
Still our property, but achieved arbitration rights so they figured that was the ballpark.
Never showed up to any camp in top shape, and local bar scene is his downfall.
I was definitely saying to give up on him, find a way to get rid of another bad contract (we have so many), and keep Toffoli.
We did not, and noticed his loss immediately and all through this losing season.
And Virtanen? Removed from the team when it became public he’s being investigated on rape charges.

I like Jim Benning’s eye for talent, but bad decision making on contracts his downfall.
He shouldn’t be the GM, but he’s still here. Even had a quote of “being aggressive on the Free Agent market” which has not worked for him.
I’m too old to get so emotionally invested anymore. I’ll be there if it ever happens, but I can’t be bothered to watch Canuck games during the week (but will watch other teams in ‘hype’ games) and weekends is only if it works out, but the channel gets changed when they suck.

Chris D wrote:

Then I’ll look forward to the (Seattle) Kraken being released on the NHL.

Yes. I have always felt a kinship with the Pacific Northwest.
Don’t care if I look traitorous for supporting Seattle, I’m doing it!
Would love to see a team in Portland also.

I love it all the way down to San Jose.
Don’t know where I’d draw the line after that, but definitely before LA.
It’s like California is twins, one good, the other not so much.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by Sean Robinson.

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Rocket, Todd