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 the Morning Win today. We appreciate you giving us some of your time.
I’m not the type of person who goes around telling people they should be thanking me for the good things I do for them. That’s buffoonery.
However, I do feel like I may have played a small role in preventing the Mavericks and Oilers from getting swept over the weekend in their respective championship matchups.
Okay, let’s be serious. Friday’s Morning Win had nothing to do with any of the action on the ice or the court. Is it possible that someone on the Mavericks staff showed Luka Doncic our email on Friday to get a little motivation cooking? Maybe! Connor McDavid might be a subscriber, too! That’d be cool.
But, look. Neither team needed to look around the internet for much motivation to show up in their respective Game 4s. It was do or die for the Oilers and Mavs and they both chose not to go out in the worst way possible: By the broom. You’ve got to respect that.
That said, don’t make the mistake of finding hope in either of their blowout Game 4 wins. Both of these series are still likely over.
No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a series. Plenty of teams have come close (including last year’s Boston Celtics), but in the end, it always proves to be too much to overcome.
The NHL is a bit different. Four teams have completed 3-0 comebacks in the league’s history, with the last one being the Los Angeles Kings in 2014. The last time it happened in a Stanley Cup Final was back in 1942. Anything is possible, sure. But this is a lot to overcome.
I’m not telling you not to root for the comeback — if that’s the sliver of hope you’re holding onto, don’t let it go! What I’m saying is it probably isn’t going to happen. So maybe keep that hope at just a sliver for now.
RELATED: Prince Grimes has Game 5 odds for the Mavericks for you here
Caitlin Clark doesn’t care about the Angel Reese foul and neither should you
Ah, yes. The Caitlin Clark discourse has returned for the third week in a row. Huzzah.
A hard foul on Clark from Angel Reese has the internet buzzing about assault on the basketball court again. The reaction so far has been completely ridiculous. You’ve got people who’ve never talked about the WNBA before suddenly chiming in on the situation as if they’re experts.
But here’s the thing: Caitlin Clark doesn’t care about this. So why should we? Here’s Andrew Joseph with more on her reaction:
“But despite the hard foul, Clark had no animosity towards Reese about the contact. She knew it was an attempt on the ball, and that sort of thing happens in basketball.
“It’s just a part of basketball,” Clark said.
When asked about the rivalry between the two players, Clark went on to say that it showcases their passion — something that is great for women’s sports.”
That’s kind of where I feel like we should leave it. Well, let me speak for myself. That’s certainly where I’m leaving it. We are not spending a week discussing the discourse on a flagrant foul on TMW. Not again.
It’s basketball, folks. Let’s leave it at that.
The U.S. Open crown is Bryson’s again
There was a time when I thought Bryson DeChambeau would never be able to play in a major again after he jumped ship for LIV Golf.
Here he is, two years later, under the umbrella of the controversial LIV-PGA fusion, winning one of the most prestigious golf tournaments again.
Time is so weird, isn’t it?
What a win it was. Rory McIlroy looked like he had things in the bag but then totally (and uncharacteristically) collapsed. He had a two-stroke lead on Bryson heading into the 15th hole. He finished with three bogeys through the final four holes, which led to DeChambeau’s win.
RELATED: Eight photos showing how fired up DeChambeau was after his U.S. Open win
I don’t know whether I feel great for Bryson or terrible for Rory. All I know is we got some exciting golf on Sunday. That’s all we were all asking for.
Quick hits: Elly De La Cruz is the best show in baseball … Matt Leinart, please go away … and more
— Elly De La Cruz can only be described as electrifying. Watch him score from second base here. Andrew Joseph has more.
— Here’s Meg Hall on Matt Leinart coming out of nowhere to complain about Caitlin Clark being fouled
— This catch from Hunter Ensley is SO impressive. Here’s Charles Curtis with more.
— Prince Grimes has Aaron Judge at the top of his MLB MVP ladder here.
— I know the Oilers are down right now, but Connor McDavid is still that dude. Cory Woodroof has more.
— Poor Rory McIlroy. He’s a meme now. Here’s Andrew again with more.
That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for reading TMW today. We appreciate you. Have a fantastic Monday! Peace.
-Sykes ✌️