TWIST: This Week in Sports Talk is our weekly recap to help you learn how to talk about sports right now. If you’re just starting to learn about sports, or need a quick summary of what’s up in your favorite league, or just want to fake talking sports at work or at the bar with some semblance of credibility, read on. Here’s what you need to know to talk with a sports fan the week of April 7, 2019.
This Week in Sports: What You Need to Know Now
First, some short takes.
we begin with number 101
Last Sunday in the men’s final of the Miami Open, Roger Federer defeated John Isner to win his 101st match. He is now eight short of tying Jimmy Connors for the open era record. At 37, Federer has an 18-2 record this season and is the first man or woman to win more than one singles title in 2019. He’ll return to the clay courts for the first time since 2016 in Madrid in early May.
Roger Federer wins the Miami Open. Photo Courtesy The New York Times
Brawl at the Hall
The 2019 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony last night was marred by an assault that was not part of the program. A man rushed the stage and attacked former WWE champion Bret “The Hitman” Hart as he was being inducted. No word on what motivated the attack. Hart went on to finish his acceptance speech after the attacker was arrested.
Gotham Green
In NFL fashion news, the New York Jets have new uniforms! The culmination of work that began in 2014, the team hosted a party for the big reveal on Thursday night. The new hue for the uniforms is called “Gotham Green.” We think it looks like the color of absinthe. The early reviews are mixed: the young guns love them, but the traditionalists not so much.
Jets Quarterback Sam Darnold in Gotham Green. Photo Courtesy The New York Times
the AAF is no more
The Alliance of American Football (AAF), the new professional American football league founded by Charlie Ebersol and Bill Polian, has met a swift demise. This week, after only 8 games, management announced that it will likely file for bankruptcy. The owners invested $250 million but did not complete all 10 games of the scheduled first season. The abrupt end has led to criticism — some players have been left without housing or health care, and some coaches are also in a difficult spot. Apparently, the nation is not yet ready for 12 months of football a year.
what you need to know to talk about sports this week
For Those Who Do Not Avidly Follow Professional Sports and Want to Be Able to Talk to a Sports Fan, here are the happenings that you should know about for the week of April 7, 2019:
1. ncaa basketball
must know:
March Madness is in its last weekend, with the Final Four now culled down to two. On the men’s side, Virginia and Texas Tech will meet in the national championship game on Monday, April 8 in Minneapolis. It’s the first trip to the national finals for both teams.
In the women’s Final Four, it was #1 Notre Dame over #2 UCONN, 81-76. And #1 Baylor over #2 Oregon, 72-67. If you want to impress your sports-loving pals, you can say “wow, talk about going Chalk!” That means the heavy favorites won. This evening, Notre Dame meets Baylor for the national championship.
Virgina defeats Auburn in the Final Four 2019
nice to know:
The Final Four were #5 Auburn, #2 Michigan State, #3 Texas Tech, and #1 Virginia. As a reminder, last year Virginia was the first #1 seed to get beat by a #16 seed UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore County). The cosmic scales have re-balanced for the team. Is this their year to go all the way? Texas Tech has the best defense in the league – fans are anxious to see if they can leverage that for the win in today’s 3-point era.
Texas Tech’s Matt Mooney
extra credit:
Heading into the Final Four, the “blue bloods” were all absent this year. This is one of the few years that none of the “Big 5” made it to the Final Four. Since 1980, (39 years) there have only been 6 years where one of Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Louisville or UCLA have not been in the Final Four.
2. MLB
must know:
As of this posting, the World Champion Boston Red Sox are in last place at 2-8 in their division.
nice to know:
The Red Sox arch-rivals the New York Yankees are having struggles of their own. As of this posting they have a 4-4 record. And the team has been hit by an extraordinary series of injuries. Eleven players are on the injured list, including Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks, Miguel Andujar and pitchers Luis Severino, C. C. Sabathia, and Delin Betances.
Giancarlo Stanton. Photo Courtesy The New York Times
There’s already panic in the air up and down the East Coast. But our Sports Desk confidently predicts that come September, both the Red Sox and the Yankees will be battling for the division crown.
extra credit:
Meanwhile, across town the New York Mets are 6-2. In the AL West, the Seattle Mariners are 8-2; in the NL West the LA Dodgers are 7-2. And in the NL Central the Milwaukee Brewers are also 7-2.
3. NBA
must know:
It’s the last week of the NBA regular season – it ends on Wednesday, April 10th. The playoffs begin on Saturday, April 13, 2019.
nice to know:
The Golden State Warriors have pulled away from the Denver Nuggets for a solid first place (the Nuggets are 2 games back). The rest of the West in the playoffs will be the Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, LA Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs.
On a related note, this week Gregg Popovich (aka “Pop,” the coach of the Spurs) set a record by getting thrown out of a game only 63 seconds into it. As he said after the game, “I would think you would have had to punch someone to get thrown out that early.” He didn’t.
Gregg Popovich
In the East, the Milwaukee Bucks have clinched the NBA’s best record. Their star, the nearly 7-foot tall Giannis Antetokounmpo, sat out a game this week to rest a sore calf. The rest of the East: the Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76’ers, Boston Celtics, and Indiana Pacers have all clinched playoffs spots. The teams fighting for the remaining three slots are the Detroit Pistons (go Detroit! Whoo hoo!), the Brooklyn Nets and the Orlando Magic.
Dwayne Wade has been on his retirement tour all season, and he may end it by being on the outside looking in. The Miami Heat are in 9th place and battling with the Nets, Magic and Pistons for the last spot. Meanwhile, the New York Knicks clinched the worst record in the NBA this week. Zion, dude, we really need you.
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks
extra credit:
This week the LA Lakers played the Golden State Warriors, and television cameras caught LeBron James (in his street clothes) and the Warriors’ Kevin Durant (KD) whispering to each other with their hands over their mouths. Hmmmm.
KD claimed it was much ado about nothing. But fans know that he has the option to leave the Warriors after this year. And we all know that the Lakers are looking for another star. Could LeBron and KD be scheming? Or is there no collusion? Time will tell.
LeBron James and Kevin Durant caught on camera – collusion???
3. nfl
must know:
The NFL Draft is coming up on April 25-27, 2019. There’s the usual high level of intrigue and speculation in the run-up.
nice to know:
Russell Wilson has given the Seattle Seahawks a deadline of April 15 for a contract extension. He’s entering the last year of his current contract and hoping to become the highest-paid NFL quarterback. Word on the street is that he’s trying to force a trade, as such public negotiating isn’t how the Seahawks normally conduct business. The rumor is that Wilson’s wife Ciara wants to be based in New York or LA for her career. The New York Giants have been suggested as a good landing spot for Wilson. But at the moment, they seem committed to Eli Manning. Stay tuned.
extra credit:
The NFL world is abuzz about a Bleacher Report expose entitled “How Egos took down the Packers.” A number of former Packers team members spoke with the reporter, and the picture they painted is an ugly one that reflects badly on both quarterback Aaron Rogers and former head coach Mike McCarthy.
The article reports that the deep divisions within the team started when head coach Mike McCarthy was with the San Francisco 49’ers. He chose Alex Smith as the number one draft pick – above the Packers’ Aaron Rogers. The two reunited when McCarthy moved to the Packers. And Aaron couldn’t forgive the perceived slight.
One of the quotes from the piece that will sting the most? “People here would love to have a QB like Tom Brady.” And you thought that the Steelers had the most operatic dysfunction in the locker room in the NFL . . .
Quarterback Aaron Rogers of the Green Bay Packers
4. NHL
must know:
The hockey playoffs are almost finalized. In the East? The 8 teams are the Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Carolina Hurricanes are also in – they’re the team that has been both cheered and jeered for their on-ice antics at home games.
The Greater New York area is blessed with three NHL teams. This year, the Islanders are in while the Rangers and the Devils are out. So they get the bragging rights.
In the West, the 8 teams are the Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, and the curiously-named Colorado Avalanche.
nice to know:
The Islanders have clinched home ice for the first playoff series. Previously, the team had a streak of having appeared in the playoffs 13 times since 1988 without ever hosting a series. They also have the distinction this year of going from allowing the most goals last season to the least this season. Before the season started, no one had pegged the Isles for the post-season. Yet here they are.
The New York Islanders
extra credit:
We end with a celebration of NHL fan loyalty. Even though the Chicago Blackhawks will not be in the playoffs this year, they played their last game at home this week and had their 497th straight sold-out crowd at home. They also led the NHL in attendance for the 11th straight season. Nice.
That’s what you need to know to talk with a sports fan this week. You’re good to go. See you next week!
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