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 rocking with us today. Appreciate you.
You know what I don’t appreciate, though? The NFL’s schedule release charade.
The NFL finally released its schedule on Wednesday after a week and some change of leaks. And, folks, I’ve got to say, this feels as anticlimactic as it ever has.
At first, this was all fun! We got all these memes and the social media accounts for our favorite teams would find clever ways to present a calendar to their fans.
In any other setting, this wouldn’t work. But because it’s the NFL, y’all have tricked yourselves into believing this is something to go nuts over. It’s not! It’s just a two-minute video about a PDF file that you’ll probably print out and stick on your fridge. Were you seriously looking forward to *checks notes* the Falcon’s NFL Street video? We both know the answer is no.
Selfishly, I’ll admit, the schedule release is good for content. Y’all click it. It works. Speaking of which…
READ MORE: The winners and losers of the NFL’s schedule release
But I love y’all, man. I want better for you. You don’t have to sit there waiting on pins and needles to see who your team has to play. Go outside! Touch some grass!
The Celtics keep cooking me
I’m done questioning the Celtics at this point, folks. Boston has made a fool of me too many times for me to keep this going.
Last week after Boston was blown out by Cleveland in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semis, I questioned whether this team was actually good enough to make it back to the Finals. Boston legitimately looked vulnerable.
Today? Yeah, I’m an idiot.
Boston is back in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third consecutive year and the sixth time in eight years. That’s dominance. This has been the best team in the East for nearly a decade at this point.
The Celtics survived the LeBron James Cavaliers. They’ve beaten Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks. They made light work of Kevin Durant’s Nets. And, now, they’ll probably skate to the Finals again after seeing either the Pacers or the Knicks in the next round.
My bad, Boston. I’m sorry I forgot how nice y’all were. I won’t forget again.
Angel Reese is finally here
Angel Reese made her debut with the Chicago Sky on Wednesday night. To call it an up-and-down affair might be putting it lightly.
Reese didn’t score her first field goal until the second half against the Wings. She finished the game with 12 points and 5 rebounds while taking 13 shots with a few coming from opportunities on the offensive glass. She also finished the game with five fouls, which was a major reason why she couldn’t stay on the court in the first half.
On the bright side, she did have a few moments where it looked like she was at LSU. This bucket from Reese was a tough one.
A big-time bucket by the Chi-Town Barbie!#skytown pic.twitter.com/j1katqtqnd
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) May 16, 2024
Just like Caitlin Clark, it will be a bit of a struggle early on for Reese. She’ll get her footing eventually, though. When that happens, watch out, WNBA.
Quick hits: Must-watch NFL games … Darius Garland on the move … and more
— Here’s Robert Zeglinski with 11 must-watch games on the NFL’s schedule this year.
— Darius Garland might be on the move if the Cavaliers manage to keep Donovan Mitchell around. Here’s Bryan Kalbrosky with more.
— Big Latto attended her first WNBA game. Why? Because Angel Reese was there. Here’s more from Meg Hall.
— Here’s why club pro Michael Block is back at the PGA Championship. Charles Curtis has more.
— Shoutout to this MLS raccoon. That’s all.
— Cory Woodroof ranked all of the Monday Night Football games for you NFL nuts out there.
That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. Appreciate you. Let’s do it again tomorrow. Until next time. Peace.
-Sykes ✌️