Tag: morning win

Rooting for Tiger Woods at The Masters is just simply hoping that he can still do this

Here’s to Tiger Woods just giving it his best shot.

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 tapping in with us today. We appreciate you here.

It’s about that time, people. The tradition, unlike any other, has returned. The Masters is back and Tiger Woods is in it again.  He’s been a fixture in this tournament for so much of our lives. For most of it, we’ve expected him to dominate.

Sure, he’s old. But he’s still Tiger Woods. And he told us, “If everything comes together, I think I can get one more.”

He’s earned having that mentality with his long history of dominance on this course. Of course, Woods believes that. Why shouldn’t he? This is the same guy who Augusta altered its course for back in 1997. I’m always going to give that guy the benefit of the doubt. Plus, we’ve seen what it looks like when everything comes together for him. Just go back and watch clips from his incredible 2019 run at The Masters that still feels so improbable today.

But we’ve got to be realistic.  As much as we want to believe in this guy, rooting for Tiger Woods at The Masters in 2024 is simply hoping he can complete the course these days.

While that 2019 Masters run does exist, it feels like centuries ago. When you look at Woods’ recent history, things aren’t so rosy.

He withdrew from the Genisis Invitational earlier this year because of an illness. Last year, he withdrew from The Masters after making the cut for a record-tying 22nd time because of plantar fasciitis. After all his body has been through over the years, it isn’t cooperating anymore. It can’t operate like this for long stretches.

That’s why Woods simply making the cut would be an accomplishment. A good 36 holes from Tiger would be great. If he can finish the tournament? Whew, boy. We’re cooking with gas there.

The reality is that this Tiger isn’t that superhuman Tiger we’re all used to—he’s a bit closer to you and me these days. That’s OK. That’s life. That’s what makes him even going for it here so special.

Let’s hope he can give us a few special moments here to cheer for. We don’t know when it’ll be the last one.

RELATED: Here’s Tiger’s scheduled Masters group and tee time for Rounds 1 and 2. 

Shohei Ohtani is in the clear

Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Shohei Ohtani translator scandal seems to be over, I guess? We all still had questions about Ohtani’s involvement with Ippei Mizuhara’s gambling problems and how his former translator could steal money from right under his nose.

It seems that those questions have been answered. Well, at least they were for federal investigators, anyway.

Mizuhara is reportedly in negotiations with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to theft, according to the New York Times. Ohtani has been cooperating with the federal investigation into the theft and an MLB investigation that seemingly puts him in the clear.

Things are still confusing, though. We don’t have any answers to how on Earth Mizuhara managed to move such massive amounts of money from Ohtani’s accounts without being caught.

Once details of this investigation are revealed, we may get the answers we’re looking for. Until then, we’ll just be confused.

SO. MUCH. CAITLIN. CLARK.

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Caitlin Clark hasn’t even been drafted yet and she’s already a huge part of the WNBA’s plans for this season. We’ll see a lot of her on TV this year — more than we’ll see the defending WNBA champs, the Las Vegas Aces.

Meg Hall has more here:

“On Wednesday, they released their television broadcast schedule for the upcoming season, which will have several games shown on networks like ESPN, ABC and CBS but will also spotlight the Indiana Fever with 36 nationally televised games. That’s more than the defending champion Las Vegas Aces (35 games) and the runner-up New York Liberty (31 games). That’s also a 35 percent increase from the 2023 season when the Fever had 22 games on national television.”

I’ve got to be honest, folks. This is ridiculous. To be fair, all of them aren’t on ESPN. Some games will appear on Ion and NBA TV. You can argue that those games might not count. But still, man. This is a lot of Caitlin Clark. It’s easy to see why players like Diana Taurasi will go so hard at her. The league is doing all this for Clark and she hasn’t done anything yet.

Good luck, Caitlin. You’re going to need it this year.

READ MORE: Five ways Caitlin Clark’s impending WNBA debut is already impacting the league

Quick hits: Coyotes on the move? … New Masters tee times … and more

— Here’s Mary Clarke with more on a potential move for the Arizona Coyotes to Salt Lake City.

— Charles Curtis has you updated here on the new tee times for The Masters after a rain delay.

— This morbid joke from Tara Van Derveer on her retirement is so on-brand. Meg Hall has more.

— Prince Grimes has five picks to finish in the top 10 at The Masters here.

— Here’s a hole-by-hole look at the course at Augusta National. This is so beautiful, man. Charles Curtis has the details.

— John Calipari’s blunt assessment of his roster at Arkansas is hilarious. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.

Thanks so much for reading today, folks! Hope you enjoyed the newsletter. Let’s do it again tomorrow. Until then! Peace. We out.

-Sykes ✌️

NBA officiating has reached its all-time weirdest point with the Bucks-Celtics matchup

The NBA’s officiating just keeps getting weirder and weirder this season

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. Thank you for rocking with us this morning. Happy Wednesday. I hope your week is going well.

Watching the Celtics and Bucks play last night was…such a weird experience.

Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s calf injury threw everything off.  Anytime you see a non-contact injury to anyone, your heart sinks into your stomach. There were fears that he’d torn his Achilles during the game, which Milwaukee apparently avoided here. Antetokounpo just has a strained calf, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. What a relief.

But that injury wasn’t what made yesterday’s game so weird. It was the free throws — or a lack thereof.

The two best teams in the Eastern Conference combined for two (!!!) free throws in Tuesday’s game. Boston became the first time in league history to not shoot a free throw during a game, according to Yahoo! Sports’ NBA analyst Tom Haberstroh. Milwaukee only shot two and they came from Antetokounmpo.

The combined total of two free throws in this game is the fewest for two teams since 1983. The previous record for the fewest free throws in a game was 11, set back in 2019 during a Pacers-Magic game, per the Associated Press.

You can explain this away a bit if you try hard enough. Boston is mostly a jump-shooting team — they don’t shoot many free throws per game as is. Milwaukee lost Antetokounmpo, who tends to draw most of the team’s fouls.

One of the major stories in the league has been how officials have essentially swallowed their whistles during the second half of the season. The NBA had a mid-season crackdown on foul hunting in silence, and these are the results.

The result is a scoring crash around the league with shooting foul rates dipping across the NBA. This game seems to be the most extreme example of that.

But there’s something about this that I can’t shake. It’s strange to see two of the league’s premiere teams officiated this way with all the star power on both rosters.

Whether this is a good or bad thing is an interesting question. Of course, the games are quicker and fewer questionable fouls are called. The added physicality gives defenders some much-needed support. We can’t complain about that.

But this shadow protocol to officiate shooting fouls out of the game feels strange. There was no notice and teams had no adjustment period. That’s how we get games like this one where things are a little too unbelievable.

We’ll see how this works in the playoffs. That’s all that matters. Hopefully, it will make for better basketball in the end.

Happy Trails, Tara VanDerveer

(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

One of the most fascinating things to come across my timeline today is this incredible quote from Tara VanDerveer when she left Ohio State for Stanford in 1985 after winning four consecutive Big Ten titles.

She was looking for a challenge.

“It’s probably hard for some people to understand when we’re doing so well, but it was a decision I had to make,” VanDerveer said at the time. “I felt I was becoming very one-dimensional. I feel very comfortable that I will be rewarded both personally and professionally. Stanford doesn’t have near the talent Ohio State has and the competition is not there yet, but I consider this to be the ultimate challenge.”

Ultimate challenge accepted. Ultimate challenge crushed.

After 38 seasons, three championships, 14 Final Four appearances and 15 Pac-12 championships, VanDerveer is finally calling it a career. And what a glorious one it’s been. Her 1,216 wins are the most ever in NCAA basketball history. If there was ever a time to walk away, it’s now.

Congratulations on an incredible career, Tara. Happy trials.

READ MORE: Hoops fans had so many jokes about VanDerveer dodging that new Big Ten travel schedule. Good for her.

Tiger Woods still believes

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Network

Tiger Woods hasn’t won a major tournament since the 2019 Masters.

Doesn’t matter. If you put him on that green, we’ll all believe he can make something special happen even if we haven’t seen it in a while. It doesn’t matter how old he is. That’s still Tiger freakin’ Woods.

It’s good to know Tiger feels the same way. Charles Curtis has more on that.

Tiger Woods has been through so many struggles at Augusta and beyond in the last year with his health.

But once again, he believes in himself, which makes sense. He’s Tiger Woods. That competitive streak is always going to be there.

The thing is: he’s being honest about his chances given all those injuries and aches. When asked if he could win on Tuesday while meeting with reporters, he had this to say: “If everything comes together, I think I can get one more.”

Would a lot have to go right? Absolutely. But it’s Tiger. I won’t stop believing until it’s time to stop believing. He won’t, either. I suggest you do the same.

Quick hits: Diana Taurasi’s beef with Caitlin Clark … The best 30-and-over players in the NFL … and more

— We’ve got an explainer cooked up on the beef Diana Taurasi has with Caitlin Clark. This is an interesting one.

— Christian D’Andrea and Robert Zeglinski cooked up a list of the best 30-and-over players in the NFL at each position. Yes, Dak Prescott is included.

— Here are five sleeper picks from our Prince Grimes to win The Masters this year.

— Haven’t seen the latest Mel Kiper mock draft at ESPN? No worries. Charles Curtis has you covered here.

— Blake Schuster has five good bets to miss the cut at The Masters.

— Victor Wembanyama just continues to be a walking video game. Cory Woodroof has more.

Thanks so much for reading, folks. Appreciate you taking the time. We’ll be right back at it again tomorrow. Talk soon. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

The Chiefs and Royals need to do the right thing and stay in Kansas City

Kansas City deserves these teams.

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 rocking with this today. We appreciate your time.

The reigning back-to-back NFL champion Kansas City Chiefs might not actually be in Kansas City for much longer. Or, at least not the Missouri one, anyway. The same goes for the Royals, too.

On Tuesday, Jackson County citizens voted in the Missouri general municipal election. A stadium sales tax was one of the big-ticket items on the ballot.

If Jackson County citizens voted “yes” to Question 1, the county would’ve enacted a 3/8th cent sales tax for the Royals to fund a new $2 billion downtown ballpark and for the Chiefs to renovate Arrowhead Stadium completely for $800 million, according to ESPN.

The best-laid plans often go awry, however. A whopping 58 percent of voters voted no on the measure, completely killing it.

It’s time to start from ground zero. The Chiefs and Royals very clearly need to rebuild their proposal into something more amenable for Kansas City’s citizens. The Royals need to pick a better location for their downtown build. The Chiefs may need to throw in more private funding for an Arrowhead renovation. The process needs to be more thorough in its planning and more transparent. That’s what the citizens have been asking for. That’s all that’s needed.

What we don’t need are veiled threats, like the ones Team President Mark Donovan is sending right now.

Team president Mark Donovan said the Chiefs would do “what is in the best interest of our fans and our organization” as we move forward. Let me translate that for you: the Chiefs will move the team if the organization feels like there’s a better deal elsewhere.

Team owner Clark Hunt has made it clear that the team is not interested in renewing its lease for another 25 years in Kansas City without a major renovation. But the lease expires in 2031 — there’s still plenty of time to make this work. There’s really no need to allude to moving at this point. Instead, the Chiefs should be steadfastly committed to staying in Kansas City.

In the end, the organization owes that to those fans. The same goes for the Royals. They rooted for those teams through both the highs and the lows. Chiefs fans filled the stands when championships didn’t even seem possible. Royals fans waited decades for another World Series in 2015.

Both franchises have seen success more recently — especially the Chiefs after winning three titles in four years. And now you’re telling people it’s possible that you just pick up and leave? That’s gross, man. That’s not what this thing is supposed to be about.

I get that this is a business. Bottom lines are at the center of everything for these teams. Whatever it takes to improve that, these teams will do.

But come on, man. Let’s be real. Neither of these teams have a backup plan. This was just a poor effort to get something done. Let’s just set profit maximization aside for a second and do what makes sense.

Go back to the people of Kansas City and figure this thing out.

All eyes on Iowa and LSU

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

We knew that the Iowa and LSU rematch would get plenty of attention from sports fans everywhere, but y’all. The viewership numbers on this one are kind of insane.

Iowa vs. LSU clocked in 12.3 million viewers, according to ESPN. That number is pretty insane on its own. Here’s our Andrew Joseph with a little more perspective on that number.

“To put that figure into perspective, the NBA Finals — which aired on the more accessible ABC — averaged 11.64 million viewers. The 2023 World Series averaged 9.08 million viewers on Fox and didn’t have a single game average more than 12 million viewers. So, yeah, this was an incredible number for ESPN.”

It’s incredible how far women’s college basketball has come. The best part is it’ll only continue to grow with names like Juju Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo and more leading the way.

The future is bright, folks.

The sad state of the A’s

Nobody knows what’s going on with the Oakland Athletics anymore.

We thought they were moving to Las Vegas but there’s not even a stadium built there yet. So now the team is trying to stay in Oakland for a few more seasons through 2027 until it can officially move to Vegas, but that might not work either. So the A’s are in talks with … Sacramento for a potential temporary relocation now?

It’s a lot. It’s confusing. And it’s clear fans are fed up with it. How do we know? Because these empty stadium photos pulled by our Charles Curtis make it clear that no one cares anymore.

Just look, man.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Tragic, man. Just tragic.

Quick hits: Bronny’s future … DJ Burns on the NFL … and more

— Rumors about Bronny James entering the transfer portal came and went on Tuesday. We don’t know what’s next for him, but his dad is fully behind him. Cory Woodroof has more here.

— DJ Burns didn’t say yes to potentially playing in the NFL someday…but he didn’t say no either. Bryan Kalbrosky has more.

— Charles Curtis has details on this latest NBA mock draft with Zach Edey heading to the Milwaukee Bucks. That’s a nice fit.

—Here’s Prince Grimes with odds and picks for the women’s Final Four. This is going to be fun.

— Aaron Rodgers’ hilariously low performance bonus from the NFL is the best.

— Geno Auriemma is trying to butter up Caitlin Clark. Probably not going to work. Robert Zeglinski has more.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading today. We appreciate you taking the time! Y’all are the best.

P.S. … I got my days mixed up yesterday! I’ll be out for tomorrow’s newsletter, not today. You’ll be in good hands tomorrow, though. Don’t worry! Talk soon.

-Sykes ✌️

Angel Reese’s humanity is exactly why she’s one of the best players college basketball has ever seen

Thank you for everything, Angel Reese

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.

Goooood morning, folks! Welcome back to the Morning Win! Thank you so much for being here with us this morning. We appreciate you taking the time.

Last night’s instant classic between Iowa and LSU might’ve been the last time we see Angel Reese suit up for the Tigers. She has a big decision to make — is she returning for another season at LSU or is her future with the WNBA?

She’ll figure that out in due time. When she does, we’ll know it. But for right now, I want to give her so many flowers for how incredible she’s been through it all.

So many incredible hoopers and their stories were but on the backburner in the year of Caitlin Clark. Reese might be chief among them. She’s been an amazing ambassador for women’s basketball through it all. Not perfect, of course. But always visible. And always being herself, authentically, through both the good and bad.

It hasn’t been the most fun ride. Let her tell it: The year she’s had since winning a national championship in 2023 has been awful. Follow the news stories, and you can see why.

At the start of the season, LSU loses to Colorado and the vultures begin circling. Then you’ve got Reese’s mysterious suspension that we still don’t know much about. That didn’t stop people from speculating — we heard rumors about everything from something as minuscule as a low GPA to something more soap opera-y like beef with teammates and their parents.

That time was awful. It felt so gross. And it wore on her. Her words from her press conference after the Iowa loss paint that picture for us. She felt the need to remind us of her humanity. Think about how that feels at 21 years old. She spilled her heart out in that presser:

“I’ve been through so much; I’ve seen so much. I’ve been attacked so many times. Death threats, I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened. I’ve been so many things, and I’ve stood strong every single time, and I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and, like, not be there for them. So, I just want them to always just now, like, I’m still a human.”

READ MORE: A teary-eyed Angel Reese reminds us all of her humanity

That’s a lot. But you can understand why she feels that way with all that she’s been through.

But that’s the thing, man. That’s why, to me, Reese is so admirable. Through it all, she’s never backed down. She’s never stopped talking. She’s never stopped playing. She never quit. She’s always been the same Angel Reese we’ve come to know, respect and love. That’s the best part about her.

No matter what happens next for Reese, she’ll always be one of the best ambassadors college basketball has ever seen. And I’m so thankful we get to watch her.

RELATED: Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark share a classy moment after the Iowa vs. LSU showdown

Up next: Caitlin vs. Paige

(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Folks, the moment has arrived. Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and part two. I cannot wait. They haven’t played against each other since 2021, when they met in the Sweet 16.

Honestly, it’s looking back on that moment is funny. Bueckers’ and Clark’s dispositions have flipped since then.

Clark was an incredible talent back then, too. But Bueckers was regarded as the best player in college basketball as a freshman. Watching that game, you can see why. She didn’t even give her best but still nearly came away with a triple-double on a stacked UConn team.

Today? Clark is a living legend. She’s the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer and a player who some think is the best player they’ve ever seen. Because of injuries, Bueckers has moved to the back burner. It’s been an out-of-sight-out-of-mind thing. She went 720 days between playing in tournament games.

Don’t let that fool you, though. Paige is still nice. Dawn Staley thinks she’s the most elite talent in the game today. I can’t disagree with her.

Friday can’t come soon enough.

Tiger? Is that you?

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

There’s a chance that Tiger Woods just might be playing in the Masters this year, folks. At least, according to the internet sleuths out there, anyway.

Here’s our Charles Curtis with more:

“Here’s what we do know: Per those who track his private jets, Woods took a plane to Augusta earlier this week, presumably to start ramping up his practice for the tournament next week, which is the first major of the PGA Tour season.

Which means that until you see absolutely official word from the actual PGA Tour or Tiger himself, assume that he’ll be teeing it up next week.”

Please, Golf Overlords. Let this happen.

READ MORE: What we know so far about Tiger Woods playing in the 2024 Masters.

Quick hits: RIP Vontae Davis … The reverse Jordan shrug … and more

— Rest in Peace Vontae Davis. Here’s more on the former NFL corner’s tragic death from Robert Zeglinski.

— You know how Michael Jordan once shrugged after hitting a bunch of 3s? Caitlin Clark was so good she made her opponents shrug for her. Here’s Cory with more.

— Tyrese Haliburton calling Buddy Hield to brag about a dunk during his press conference is the best. Bryan Kalbrosky has more.

— Robert Zeglinski has two best friends at the top of his NBA MVP ladder this week.

— Paige Bueckers classily consoling Juju Watkins after UConn beat USC is what the tourney is all about. Here’s Charles Curtis with more.

— Christian D’Andrea ranked all 43 Wrestlemania events from worst to best here.

That’s a wrap for today, folks! I’ll be out tomorrow, so I’ll chat with you again on Thursday. Until then! Peace. Thank you so much for reading TMW.

-Sykes ✌️

The NCAA still doesn’t care about women’s sports and the Texas-NC State 3-point line debacle proves it

We’re so tired of waiting on the NCAA to be better.

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! Thanks so much for reading the Morning Win today. We appreciate you spending a bit of time here with us today. Hope you had a fantastic weekend.

The NCAA had an opportunity to really put women’s sports on a pedestal it’d never been on before this season with the women’s NCAA Tournament.

Unfortunately, it’s failing. Badly.

Don’t get me wrong. The basketball so far has been excellent. These ladies know how to put on a show. The Elite 8 is going to be absolute must-watch television. LSU and Iowa’s rematch will be one of the most-watched college basketball games ever.

The players are holding up their end of the bargain. The NCAA is not. That’s the only explanation for what happened in Portland this weekend.

NC State and Texas played an Elite 8 game where the 3-point lines on the court were different distances. That’s unfathomable to me. Could you imagine a Duke-UNC game on the men’s side like that? The answer is no. Because it’d simply never happen.

RELATED: Fans crushed the NCAA after NC State and Texas pointed out the 3-point lines in Portland were incorrect 

It was discovered only because NC State and Texas pointed it out just before their Elite 8 matchup. But, by then, it was too late. The teams had already warmed up and players were prepared to play ball, so they just continued as if it was business as usual. It essentially was because, well, that’s how the NCAA has always treated women’s sports.

No, those things aren’t quite the same as skimping on weight rooms or canceling entire golf tournaments, but let’s be honest. How far is that stuff from sending Utah off to Idaho Coeur d’Alene or making Hannah Hidalgo remove her nose ring in the middle of a game because of an obscure rule? Or painting 3-point lines wrong, for that matter? It’s all in the same bucket.

The women’s basketball tournament is still looked at as secondary despite all the inroads women’s basketball has made. You’ve got stars galore in the game. College basketball’s most popular players play on the women’s side these days. Their NIL deals are crazy. One would think that, with that being the case, the NCAA would make sure these ladies get the best and only the best.

But no amount of NIL deals or Instagram followers matters here. Women’s basketball — and women’s sports overall — just don’t seem to be a priority at this point. And that’s so unfortunate because the game is so good. The stars are so bright and fun. They all deserve so much better. We’re all just waiting for the NCAA to give it to them finally.

Maybe they will someday. It’s just unfortunate that today does not seem to be that day.

Thank you so much, UVA, for giving us NC State in the Final Four

(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Man. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone’s downfall so ironically bring so many people joy in this way. But if not for this missed free throw from UVA in the ACC tournament, do we even know who DJ Burns is?

The answer is probably not. But here we are. UVA missed. NC State won. And, now, Gen-Z Bo is America’s favorite player. It’s incredible how things work out sometimes.

Things only get tougher from here. NC State is playing Purdue in the Final Four, and Burns will face Zach Edey, who’s been quite the problem himself. It’ll be a tough one.

No matter how things end, though, we’ll always be pulling for you and your thicc boi buckets, Big Burns.

The MVBiid is back

Joel Embiid is nearing his return with the Philadelphia 76ers after tearing his meniscus, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

He’s been out since January 30 but could play later on Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

This is huge news. The 76ers are currently the 8th seed in the East and need every win they can get to get out of the play-in tournament. Embiid’s return should help with that.

Quick hits: More on those awful MLB jerseys … DJ Burns in the NFL? … and more

— MLB players aren’t wearing the see-through Fanatics pants to start the season. I can’t blame them. Andrew Joseph has more.

— Could DJ Burns be playing left tackle for somebody in the NFL next season? Here’s Charles Curtis with more.

— ESPN is out here accidentally tipping pitches. This is wild. Mary Clarke has more.

— I don’t know what kind of magic The Simpsons have, but I do know I need it. Here’s Prince Grimes with more.

— Here’s Angel Reese explaining her relationship with Caitlin Clark. They don’t hate each other. Here’s Andrew again with more.

— Here’s Dan Hurley with a perfect explanation on why so many people hate UConn. Charles has more.

That’s a wrap, folks! Tap back in tomorrow for more. Thanks so much for reading today. We out. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

Nate Oats has Alabama looking more like a legit basketball school instead of a football powerhouse

The Crimson Tide look legit.

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! Happy Friday! We’ve made it through the week, folks. Happy Easter if you’re celebrating this weekend.

Alabama-UNC was everything that we love about March Madness. It had a David vs. Goliath vibe to it, you know?

On one side, you had a college basketball blue blood in UNC. On the other hand, you had Alabama, who was considered the underdog coming into this game. That was the weird part about this thing. I’m not quite sure that Bama should’ve been the underdog that it was.

Most people expected UNC to pull this one out, which is reasonable considering how good that team has been all season long. But Alabama doing this shouldn’t be shocking. This program has been pretty good under Nate Oats.

In the last five years, Bama has:

— Made it to the Elite 8 for the first time in 20 years.

— Made it to the Sweet 16 three times (2021, 2023, 2024).

— Been named a No. 1 seed (2023) and a No. 2 seed (2021) in the tournament.

That all seems basketball-school-ish to me.

But that’s the thing, right? This is the wrong sport. When we talk about this school, it’s usually because of something Nick Saban has done. That’s why Charles Barkley called the team frail (and why Nate Oats can have his snappy comeback now). We’re not used to seeing Alabama basketball do this.

But we’d better get used to it — at least as long as Oats is there. I don’t know if he’ll be poached by one of college basketball’s more traditional schools. I don’t even know if Alabama allowed that to happen.

But, until that day comes, put some respect on Alabama Basketball’s name.

RELATED: Who is Grant Nelson? Meet Alabama’s new transfer star

Leaving it on the floor

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Sometimes, winning looks ugly. It did for Dejounte Murray and the Hawks on Thursday when they beat the Celtics.

Murray dragged the Hawks to a win. He took 44 shots (!!!!!) to score 44 points, which sounds awful. But, man. Honestly? The Hawks needed every single shot to win that game.

The last one was the most crucial — Murray hit a game-winner over Jrue Holiday for the win.

This was one for the history books, folks. Murray is the third player in the last 20 years to take at least 44 shots in a game. per Stat Muse. You can probably guess the other two: Russell Westbrook and Kobe Bryant.

“I don’t want to take that many shots. But I know Kobe would be proud of me,” Murray said after the game. Yeah, I agree.

A dazzling start

(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

The Juan Soto era is off to an amazing start in New York. He saved opening day for the Yankees with an incredible throw home from the outfield.

Here’s Blake Schuster with more.

“The latest superstar to wear the pinstripes got to play hero on Opening Day, helping the Yankees come back from a 4-0 deficit after the second inning by going 1-for-3 at the plate with two walks and an RBI. But it was what he did at the end of the game that made his debut really stand out.

As the Yankees clung to a 5-4 lead with runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth inning, Soto gathered a Kyle Tucker hopper to right field and fired a dart back to home to nail Maurico Dubón before he could score the tying run.” 

This throw was unfair, man. Soto is unreal.

Must be nice being a Yankees fan.

Photo Friday: A’s fans have had enough

D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

A’s fans showed up to the game…but didn’t go into Oakland Coliseum to watch their favorite team. Instead, they partied and protested outside to voice their displeasure with team ownership.

READ MORE: When will the A’s actually play in Vegas?

Quick hits: The best bets on the Sweet 16 … The latest NBA mock draft … and more

— Prince Grimes has you covered again on Sweet 16 bets — this time on the women’s side. I told you he was cookin’.

— Here’s Bryan Kalbrosky with his latest NBA mock draft and the rise of Donovan Clingan.

— 14 women are fighting for roster spots on Team USA’s basketball roster this summer. This camp is STACKED. Meg Hall has more.

— Charles Curtis has the 10 best songs from Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album.

— Speaking of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé put a twist on Dolly Parton’s hit record “Jolene.” This is pretty cool. Caroline Darney has more.

— Dan Hurley is funky. Blake Schuster explains.

That’s all, folks! Thanks so much for reading! Enjoy the weekend. We’ll talk again next week. Until then! Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

Draymond Green can’t keep writing checks that Steph Curry has to cash

The Warriors are probably regretting that contract extension right about now.

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.

Goooood morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.

Many of you probably didn’t watch the entire Warriors game on Wednesday, but I’m certain you’ve seen clips of Draymond Green getting himself ejected just four (!!!!!) minutes into Golden State’s game against the Magic.

It was so silly, man. Officials called an obvious foul on Andrew Wiggins, who was guarding Paolo Banchero. Green went over to complain about the foul. OK. Fine. Players do that all the time.

But he just never stopped. And then he appeared to call the official a name that I’m not going to repeat here and started walking toward the locker room because he knew his night was over.

The entire sequence is ridiculous:

This is just four minutes into the game, man. If Green wanted a night off, he probably could’ve just asked the Warriors for one. I’m sure they would’ve been willing to give it to him instead of watching him throw a tantrum on the court.

Steph Curry was visibly exasperated, and rightfully so. All the talk about the Warriors over the last week or so has been about finding Steph Curry some help. He’s been carrying too much of a load with this team, and here Green is dropping even more weight onto it.

Luckily, in the end, Curry was able to save the Warriors here like he usually does. He hit a game-clinching 3-pointer and let all his anger out on a chair.

It’s hard to blame him. This is how it goes with Draymond, man. He does something ridiculous, gets ejected or worse, apologizes to the team and then acts like nothing happened. It’s tiresome for us as viewers. It’s visibly wearing on Curry.

RELATED: Draymond Green dapping up Curry after his ejection became an instant meme

This has become way too common. Green is still an excellent defensive player and a key contributor to the Warriors’ offensive flow. But, man. The bad is beginning to catch up to the good. He’s just not dependable anymore. Maybe he never was — he couldn’t even hold himself together in the NBA Finals.

But the Warriors need him. Steph Curry said as much after Wednesday’s game.

“All I’ll say is we need him. He knows that. We all know that,” Curry said to reporters after the game. “So whatever it takes for him to be on the floor and available, that’s what’s got to happen.”

It sounds like the Warriors might need to Draymond-proof their roster for next season. That might mean not having him there at all anymore. We’ll see.

Baseball is BACK, folks

There’s actual baseball to talk about now! Or, at least, there will be after tonight.

Major League Baseball’s opening day is finally here with a full slate. Two games have been postponed (MIL @ NYM, ATL @ PHI), and somehow, we still have a 13-game slate to watch.

What I’m watching this year: 

— Juan Soto’s forever home?  Juan Soto will make his debut with the Yankees today. New York will be his third team since 2022. Will this be the one that keeps him for the long haul or will he take that Soto shuffle elsewhere? We’ll see.

— Did the Orioles do enough? The Orioles were the best team in the American League last season and should still be elite if healthy this year. Pitching was their biggest pitfall last year and it doomed them. Baltimore spent the offseason bolstering its rotation — particularly with the Corbin Burnes trade. This could be Baltimore’s year.

— Is the spending worth it in LA? This is the thing it feels like everyone wants to see. The Dodgers spent over $1 billion on roster moves this season between Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s signings alone. That’s before you get to massive extensions for Will Smith and Tyler Glasnow. The Dodgers are all in. This better work.

There’s going to be a ton to watch this season. Exciting stuff, man. Welcome back, MLB.

RELATED: Here are our first MLB power rankings of the season

Don’t believe the hype

You probably saw Ice Cube’s reported $5 million Big 3 offer to Caitlin Clark on Wednesday.

On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer to take that money. But Meghan Hall has more on why this isn’t something we should be taking seriously:

“There’s just one problem: The Big3’s season — which starts in June — runs smack dab in the middle of the WNBA’s season. That means while the offer is substantial, but it’s likely more a gesture to show that the league understands Clark’s value.

Also, the current WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) prioritization clause, which requires players to prioritize the WNBA over other leagues, would complicate Clark’s involvement. This is part of the reason why several players go overseas or play in other leagues during the offseason.

Pair the schedule and CBA restrictions with the major injury risk Caitlin Clark would assume by getting involved with the BIG3, and it’s very easy to see why this is not entirely feasible right now.”

That’s an extremely well-put breakdown from Meghan there. This just isn’t going to happen. It shouldn’t, either.

Ice Cube is painting this as a good for women’s hoops. But if he truly cared and wanted to bring women into the Big 3, he would’ve offered this to other college and WNBA players before Clark.

This is just him attaching his league to the hype train. Nothing more.

RELATED: Hoops fans are ripping Ice Cube for his offer to Caitlin Clark

Quick hits: MLB predictions … Jayden Daniels’ weird elbow … and more

— Prince Grimes has you covered with MLB awards predictions and picks for division winners. That boy is cookin’

— Have you seen Jayden Daniels’ elbow? You should look at Jayden Daniels’ elbow. Robert Zeglinski has more.

— Dan Hurley made the weirdest comparison for the NCAA’s transfer portal. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.

— Blake Schuster has you covered with MLB over/unders this season. Go win some money.

— The Rhode Island Scumbag has your betting guide to the men’s Sweet 16 as it starts today.

— Here’s a list of guest stars for Beyoncé’s new Cowboy Carter album. Fun! Caroline Darney has more.

That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for locking in with us today. We appreciate your time! Let’s do it again tomorrow. Talk soon. Peace! We out.

-Sykes ✌️

Draymond Green can’t keep writing checks that Steph Curry has to cash

The Warriors are probably regretting that contract extension right about now.

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.

Goooood morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.

Many of you probably didn’t watch the entire Warriors game on Wednesday, but I’m certain you’ve seen clips of Draymond Green getting himself ejected just four (!!!!!) minutes into Golden State’s game against the Magic.

It was so silly, man. Officials called an obvious foul on Andrew Wiggins, who was guarding Paolo Banchero. Green went over to complain about the foul. OK. Fine. Players do that all the time.

But he just never stopped. And then he appeared to call the official a name that I’m not going to repeat here and started walking toward the locker room because he knew his night was over.

The entire sequence is ridiculous:

This is just four minutes into the game, man. If Green wanted a night off, he probably could’ve just asked the Warriors for one. I’m sure they would’ve been willing to give it to him instead of watching him throw a tantrum on the court.

Steph Curry was visibly exasperated, and rightfully so. All the talk about the Warriors over the last week or so has been about finding Steph Curry some help. He’s been carrying too much of a load with this team, and here Green is dropping even more weight onto it.

Luckily, in the end, Curry was able to save the Warriors here like he usually does. He hit a game-clinching 3-pointer and let all his anger out on a chair.

It’s hard to blame him. This is how it goes with Draymond, man. He does something ridiculous, gets ejected or worse, apologizes to the team and then acts like nothing happened. It’s tiresome for us as viewers. It’s visibly wearing on Curry.

RELATED: Draymond Green dapping up Curry after his ejection became an instant meme

This has become way too common. Green is still an excellent defensive player and a key contributor to the Warriors’ offensive flow. But, man. The bad is beginning to catch up to the good. He’s just not dependable anymore. Maybe he never was — he couldn’t even hold himself together in the NBA Finals.

But the Warriors need him. Steph Curry said as much after Wednesday’s game.

“All I’ll say is we need him. He knows that. We all know that,” Curry said to reporters after the game. “So whatever it takes for him to be on the floor and available, that’s what’s got to happen.”

It sounds like the Warriors might need to Draymond-proof their roster for next season. That might mean not having him there at all anymore. We’ll see.

Baseball is BACK, folks

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

There’s actual baseball to talk about now! Or, at least, there will be after tonight.

Major League Baseball’s opening day is finally here with a full slate. Two games have been postponed (MIL @ NYM, ATL @ PHI), and somehow, we still have a 13-game slate to watch.

What I’m watching this year: 

— Juan Soto’s forever home?  Juan Soto will make his debut with the Yankees today. New York will be his third team since 2022. Will this be the one that keeps him for the long haul or will he take that Soto shuffle elsewhere? We’ll see.

— Did the Orioles do enough? The Orioles were the best team in the American League last season and should still be elite if healthy this year. Pitching was their biggest pitfall last year and it doomed them. Baltimore spent the offseason bolstering its rotation — particularly with the Corbin Burnes trade. This could be Baltimore’s year.

— Is the spending worth it in LA? This is the thing it feels like everyone wants to see. The Dodgers spent over $1 billion on roster moves this season between Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s signings alone. That’s before you get to massive extensions for Will Smith and Tyler Glasnow. The Dodgers are all in. This better work.

There’s going to be a ton to watch this season. Exciting stuff, man. Welcome back, MLB.

RELATED: Here are our first MLB power rankings of the season

Don’t believe the hype

Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

You probably saw Ice Cube’s reported $5 million Big 3 offer to Caitlin Clark on Wednesday.

On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer to take that money. But Meghan Hall has more on why this isn’t something we should be taking seriously:

“There’s just one problem: The Big3’s season — which starts in June — runs smack dab in the middle of the WNBA’s season. That means while the offer is substantial, but it’s likely more a gesture to show that the league understands Clark’s value.

Also, the current WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) prioritization clause, which requires players to prioritize the WNBA over other leagues, would complicate Clark’s involvement. This is part of the reason why several players go overseas or play in other leagues during the offseason.

Pair the schedule and CBA restrictions with the major injury risk Caitlin Clark would assume by getting involved with the BIG3, and it’s very easy to see why this is not entirely feasible right now.”

That’s an extremely well-put breakdown from Meghan there. This just isn’t going to happen. It shouldn’t, either.

Ice Cube is painting this as a good for women’s hoops. But if he truly cared and wanted to bring women into the Big 3, he would’ve offered this to other college and WNBA players before Clark.

This is just him attaching his league to the hype train. Nothing more.

RELATED: Hoops fans are ripping Ice Cube for his offer to Caitlin Clark

Quick hits: MLB predictions … Jayden Daniels’ weird elbow … and more

— Prince Grimes has you covered with MLB awards predictions and picks for division winners. That boy is cookin’

— Have you seen Jayden Daniels’ elbow? You should look at Jayden Daniels’ elbow. Robert Zeglinski has more.

— Dan Hurley made the weirdest comparison for the NCAA’s transfer portal. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.

— Blake Schuster has you covered with MLB over/unders this season. Go win some money.

— The Rhode Island Scumbag has your betting guide to the men’s Sweet 16 as it starts today.

— Here’s a list of guest stars for Beyoncé’s new Cowboy Carter album. Fun! Caroline Darney has more.

That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for locking in with us today. We appreciate your time! Let’s do it again tomorrow. Talk soon. Peace! We out.

-Sykes ✌️

Utah’s women’s basketball team deserved so much better from the NCAA

The NCAA was reactive instead of proactive and this is the result.

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! Thanks so much for rocking with the Morning Win today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.

The more information we get about Utah’s women’s basketball team’s awful weekend, the more I feel this should’ve been avoided.

To make a long story short, for part of the weekend, the Utes had to stay in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, instead of Spokane, Washington, where their games were being played because of a lack of space.

While staying in Idaho, the team experienced the worst parts of humanity. They were the targets of some racist attacks from people in Coeur d’Alene. As they were coming to and from dinner at their team hotel, they were harassed. They had people revving trucks at them and calling them the N-word. The attacks were so bad the team had to switch hotels.

READ MORE: Everything we know about the racist incidents experienced by Utah’s basketball team

That’s why Utah head coach Lynne Roberts said what she said after the team’s loss to Gonzaga on Monday.

“For our players and staff not to feel safe in an NCAA tournament environment, it’s messed up,” Roberts said. And she’s right — it is messed up.

This is supposed to be one of the best moments of her players’ lives. Instead, it became a moment of anguish for her team, staff and traveling party. That should never have been allowed to happen.

Look, I don’t want to blame the NCAA for people’s racism. It’s not the organization’s fault that these hateful people targeted Utah.

But, at the same time, sending this team to Coeur d’Alene was a clear mistake.

The surrounding region in northern Idaho has been known as a haven for white supremacists. The Aryan Nations — a Neo-Nazi hate group — was once rooted in the region for decades before being removed just 24 years ago in 2000. There are still remnants of folks who believe in the group’s principles.

A quick Google search tells you all of that. Do you mean to tell me that no one could’ve done that for Utah’s basketball team before they were moved into the town? It doesn’t take that much.

Truthfully, it’s a shame that the team even had to move in the first place.

I get it. There wasn’t enough space to house Utah in Spokane for the weekend with the men’s and women’s tournaments in the same area. The NCAA picked Spokane as one of the men’s tournament sites four years ago, according to The Athletic. The women’s tournament’s first few rounds use the home arenas of the first four ranked teams in each region as the tournament sites. It’s a tricky confluence of events, to be sure.

But shouldn’t the teams playing in the area get a bit of priority here? Why should they travel 30 minutes away just to come back and play a game the next day? That’s absurd.

The NCAA has come a long way with the treatment of the women’s tournament. It’s always been an afterthought — March Madness branding wasn’t even used for it. To be fair to the NCAA, that’s changed in recent years. This incident makes it clear the organization still has a long way to go.

Utah’s safety wasn’t a concern. The NCAA just treated it as a logistical piece. These women were placed in a space that was clearly unsafe, and the NCAA didn’t seem to care until the damage was already done. Now, here we are.

The NCAA released a statement condemning racism on Tuesday, per CNN. “The NCAA condemns racism and hatred in any form and is committed to providing a world-class athletics and academic experience for student-athletes that fosters lifelong well-being,” the organization said.

That’s nice. But you know what would be even nicer? If Utah was never put in this position in the first place.

Hopefully, the NCAA will be more proactive in situations like this moving forward.

Coach Cal is back in blue

Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

The thing we all knew was going to happen actually happened. Despite Kentucky’s upset loss to Oakland in the first round of the NCAA tournament, John Calipari will return as the head coach next season.

School Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart confirmed Cal’s return via Twitter.

“As we normally do at the end of every season, Coach Calipari and I have had conversations about the direction of our men’s basketball program and I can confirm that he will return for his 16th season as our head coach.” 

Oh, boy. To be a fly on the wall during those conversations. I can only imagine what was said before the decision to bring Calipari back.

Let’s be honest, though. Cal was never going anywhere — there are 35 million reasons why.

READ MORE: Kentucky is keeping John Calipari for another year and fans couldn’t believe it.

March Madness in the NBA

NBA basketball tends to go a bit under the radar in March with college hoops taking up all of our attention. But if you weren’t watching last night, you missed a treat from the Bucks and Lakers on Tuesday.

Milwaukee had a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Lakers came all the way back to tie the game up and send it to overtime. Not behind some insane LeBron James barrage of 3-pointers. Not because of some incredibly dominant game from Anthony Davis (though he was great!).

Nope. Instead, it was Austin Reaves getting buckets. 29 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and one turnover. Plus a dominant fourth quarter.

I’ll tell you what, man. If these are the Lakers that show up for the playoffs this year? That first-round series could be pretty fun … as long as they make it out of the Play-In Tournament.

READ MORE: LeBron James hilariously trolled Giannis by timing his free throws

Quick hits: Upset watch for March Madness … Shaq still thinks Caitlin Clark is the GOAT … and more

— Prince Grimes has four teams in men’s March Madness he’s putting on upset watch

— Shaq explains why he’s got Caitlin Clark as his GOAT in women’s basketball. Meg Hall has more.

— Here’s a video of how the NFL’s new kickoff will work. It’s weird…yet kind of fun? Charles Curtis has more.

— Here’s Andrew Joseph with our first MLB Power Ranking of the season. Baseball is back, folks!

— The Predators might be the hottest team in the NHL right now after this wild comeback. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.

— Saquon Barkley is trying to bring Jason Kelce back to the Eagles. Hopefully, it works.

That’s all, folks! Thanks so much for reading today. I hope you have an amazing Wednesday. Let’s chat again tomorrow. Talk soon! Peace. We out.

-Sykes ✌️

We have no reason to believe Shohei Ohtani’s explanation on the betting scandal with his interpreter

We don’t believe you. You need more people.

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.

Gooood morning, Winners. Thanks so much for reading the Morning Win today. We appreciate you for giving us a bit of your time.

This Shohei Ohtani interpreter scandal just keeps getting worse by the day and, honestly, it’s all his fault. Ohtani and his team refuse to give us a plausible explanation for everything going on.

On Monday, Ohtani addressed the media for the first time since the Dodgers fired Ippei Mizuhara. He didn’t take any questions. Instead, he released a statement rehashing everything his team told us before. That doesn’t seem suspicious at all, right?

Here’s a quick summary: Ohtani says Mizuhara was approached by ESPN’s reporters and made a statement on his own accord about the $4.5 million in transfers to the bookmaker. Ohtani apparently didn’t know about his translator’s interview at all. He also says everything he said was a lie and that the money transferred in his name was stolen from him.

I’m sorry, man, but absolutely nobody believes this. We’ve all got questions. Or, really, I think we’ve all got the same question: If we’re to believe this, how on Earth did Mizuhara have this much access to Ohtani’s financials? Our Tyler Nettuno asks the question here:

“Further, if he did gain access to Ohtani’s accounts without his knowledge, how was he able to transfer millions of dollars to an individual who was already under federal investigation without flagging the attention of the bank’s risk management systems?”

That just seems impossible. And maybe there are perfectly reasonable answers to this. Personally, I found the first explanation of Ohtani simply helping a friend out to be plausible. Ohtani has a ton of money. He and Mizuhara were (maybe are still?) legitimately friends. If his buddy simply needed help here, I could see anyone in that position helping him.

But this? Nah, man. This ain’t it. Something fishy is going on here. Eventually, we’ll find out what it is — especially if legal action is being taken here.

In the meantime, though, people will fill this blank space with theories. Most of them will be about Ohtani having a gambling problem and him having his friend take the fall for it. That’s unfortunate. But that’s what happens when you give us a story that doesn’t make sense.

Jontay Porter might be done in the NBA

Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Speaking of gambling problems, Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter is being investigated by the NBA for betting irregularities in his stat lines, ESPN reports.

You probably don’t know this guy. He’s a fringe player and is also the brother of Denver’s Michael Porter Jr. He’s only appeared in 26 games so far this season.

Yet, here he is, at the center of a major NBA investigation. The league is investigating two games involving Porter: One against the Clippers on Jan. 26 and another against the Kings on March 20.

He mysteriously left both with ailments after playing a few minutes in both games, allowing his stats to hit the under. After multiple accounts reportedly attempted to bet $10,000 and $20,000 on Porter’s under in the Clippers game, red flags went up.

RELATED: Everything we know about the Jontay Porter investigation

Our Prince Grimes says if the NBA finds him guilty, he needs to be banned from the league ASAP:

The NBA can’t let that fly. If the investigation finds Porter was involved in some way, the punishment has to be heavy. He shouldn’t be allowed to play in the NBA ever again.

You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again, upholding the integrity of the game is the most important thing to sports leagues when it comes to betting. If players think they can get away with manipulating betting outcomes, what’s stopping the next bench-warmer (or referee) from trying something similar.

READ MORE: Jontay Porter should get a lifetime ban from the NBA if he’s guilty

The Sweetest 16

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

If you haven’t been tapped into the women’s NCAA tournament, you should lock in as soon as possible. We’re about to see a ton of great basketball over the next few days.

The game’s biggest stars made it to the Sweet 16. We’ll have some incredible matchups to watch.

The biggest storylines: 

— The Freshman class: There are so many incredible freshmen who’ve carried their teams this far. Juju Watkins (USC), Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame), Madison Booker (Texas) and Mikaylah Williams (LSU) are the four I’m locked in on. They’re so fun to watch.

— Can LSU survive? Angel Reese and the Tigers will face their greatest test on the road to repeating yet with a Sweet 16 matchup against UCLA. Defending Lauren Betts down low is going to be a challenge.

— South Carolina’s dominance: Will South Carolina dominate Indiana the same way it did UNC and Presbyterian? I doubt it. Indiana’s defense is tough. But Dawn Staley’s team seems inevitable.

— Caitlin’s climb: Iowa has probably been the headliner of the tournament for obvious reasons. Everyone is either rooting for or against Caitlin Clark. The Hawkeyes almost faltered against West Virginia. Colorado isn’t going to be any easier of an opponent.

Lots of fun basketball, folks. Don’t miss out on this.

Quick hits: The NFL’s new kickoff rules explained … The Jalen Green dilemma … and more

— Christian D’Andrea has a breakdown of the NFL’s new complicated kickoff rules here.

— Here’s Bryan Kalbrosky with the latest Layup Lines on Jalen Green and the good problems he’s bringing to the Rockets’ table.

— Should the women’s NCAA tournament be played on more neutral courts? Fans seem to think so. Here’s Meg Hall with more.

— Robert Zeglinski is here with the latest NBA MVP ladder and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s case is rising.

— Is Geno Auriemma taking shots at Caitlin Clark? Charles Curtis lays out the case here.

— Speaking of Caitlin Clark, here’s Cory Woodroof with more on her classy goodbye to Iowa.

That’s all, folks! Thanks so much for reading. We appreciate you for taking the time. Let’s chat again tomorrow. Until then! Be well. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️