This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for reading today. We appreciate you for spending your morning with us.
Uh, so, guys. The Phillies, huh?
The Mets closed the door on Philadelphia on Tuesday with a 4-1 win in Game 4. It was an incredible moment for the Mets, who have now officially won a playoff series for the first time since 2015. That’s a genuinely cool thing for their fans, certainly, who’ve endured so much since 1986.
HEAR MORE: Howie Rose’s call on Francisco Lindor’s Grand Slam will live on forever
But, listen. You want to talk about enduring? My goodness. Phillies fans, I am so sorry.
Being a Philadelphia sports fan right now has to be the most miserable experience in the world today. Just think about the last two years for those folks, man.
Start in October of 2022. The Phillies blow a 2-1 World Series lead to the Astros. Then, the Eagles look great. Jalen Hurts is incredible. The team makes it to the Super Bowl … and blows a 10-point second-half lead to the Chiefs. Then the 76ers can’t beat the Celtics. Then the 76ers can’t beat the Knicks. Joel Embiid also can’t stay healthy. Then the Eagles completely collapse after starting the season 10-1. And, now, again, the Phillies can’t win a playoff series.
What an awful stretch. As a D.C. sports fan (who also roots for the Eagles!), I’d like to say that the experience of every team in the city being awful is tacitly worse. But that’s not true! What Philadelphia fans are experiencing today is undoubtedly the worst experience in sports.
It’s reaching the mountaintop only to never climb over the mountain. It’s seeing the peak in the distance and never getting there. Not only are you falling off the cliff, but, also, someone is cutting your rope every single time. And you keep falling for it. Over and over and over again. I’d almost rather not climb the mountain at all.
Eagles fans will always have 2018. Phillies fans will always have 2008. But being left to wonder if it’s possible ever to reach those heights again over and over cannot be fun.
Philly diehards, I do not envy you today. All the best to you and yours.
Best season opener ever
As a normal human being, I can’t imagine making one save in the net. That hockey puck hitting the wrong spot after a slapshot is the stuff of nightmares.
So, naturally, you can imagine that saving 47 shots is simply a no-go for someone like me. That’s why, in my eyes, Sam Montembeault is a superhero today.
The Canadiens’ keeper recorded 48 saves in the very first shutout of the NHL season, which is a record for a season-opening shutout.
https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1844206084309053755
This is how you start your season off properly.
Happy trails, Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal will forever be a legend. The tennis superstar officially announced his retirement on Thursday. He’ll be calling it a career after he plays the Davis Cup Finals in Spain this year, he said in a video posted on social media.
“The reality is that it has been some difficult years. These last two especially,” Nadal said. “I don’t think I’ve been able to play without limitations.”
The limitations he’s referring to are the injuries he’s endured over the last few years, including an abdominal tear in 2022, a hip and foot injury in 2023 and a thigh tear in 2024.
Nadal’s illustrious career is the stuff of legend. He’s won:
— 22 Grand Slam titles
— A record 14 French Open titles with a 112-4 record at the tournament
— 92 career overall titles
— An Olympic gold medal
He also spent 209 weeks in his career as the world’s No. 1 player on the ATP tour during his prime. He was going toe to toe with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic and winning.
Simply put, he’s one of the greatest to ever do it. Thanks for all of the memories, Rafa. We’ll cherish them forever.
READ MORE: Rafael Nadal’s retirement announcement got so much love from the tennis world
Quick hits: WNBA Finals storylines … CFB Spread picks for Week 7 … and more
— Here are the 6 best storylines coming from the WNBA Finals. Meg Hall has you covered.
— Here are the picks against the spread for Week 7 in college football from the staff.
— Hurricane Milton appears to have flooded Raymond James Stadium. Charles Curtis has more.
— Prince Grimes has his same-game parlay picks for 49ers-Seahawks tonight.
— Here’s Robert Zeglinski with 8 realistic deals for the NFL’s trade deadline
— Bob Costas is … not great at calling baseball games. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.
That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for reading today. We appreciate you. Happy Thursday. Peace.
-Sykes ✌️