This Week in Sports Talk (TWIST) is our weekly roundup of top headlines and sports news, plus a preview of what’s up next. Heading into the week of February 17, 2020, here’s the top sports news, with a twist. Skim it, and you’ll be good to go all week.
This Week in Sports Talk: February 17, 2020
We begin with some short takes in sports news heading into the week of February 17, 2020.
Federer, Nadal, Gates and Noah take to the court
Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal in a match-up in Cape Town, South Africa a couple of weeks ago to benefit the Roger Federer Foundation.
The Match in Africa 2020.
The Match in Africa was great fun for a great cause: Bill Gates and Trever Noah joined the two champions for a curtain-raising doubles match, with Federer and Gates facing off against Nadal and Noah. The event raised a total of $3.5 million to support education in rural South Africa. Yay!
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XFL chugs along
At the end of Week 2 of the XFL season, the consensus is that it’s not an embarrassment, but it’s also not likely to be a game-changer.
PJ Walker, quarterback of the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks.
Oliver Luck, whose son is former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, is the XFL commissioner. He helped recruit P.J. Walker to the league, and he’s doing strong work as the Houston Roughnecks’ quarterback. Two teams have perfect records so far: the DC Defenders and the Houston Roughnecks.
Top Sports Headlines heading into the week of February 17, 2020
Now that we’re warmed up, here’s everything else you need to know about sports heading into the week of February 17, 2020:
1. NFL
Must Know:
Wither Tom Brady? That’s the pressing question on the lips of members of Patriots Nation. Will the long-time quarterback with six Super Bowl rings play for the New England Patriots in 2020-21? Join another team? Or retire?
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Photo Credit: Getty Images.
This week, speculation is high that the LA Chargers have the inside track – he’s got ties there, and would be playing in new stadium that lacks a strong fan base (in part because the LA Rams will be playing there, too). On the other hand, the newly-installed Vegas Raiders (formerly of Oakland), could be exciting. Or perhaps he’ll reunite with his former teammate and buddy, head coach Mike Vrabel and the Tennessee Titans.
Arrghh!!! The suspense is killing us. But somehow it feels as if this isn’t going to end anytime soon.
Oh, and there are quite a number of other star quarterbacks who are going to be in play this off-season, including Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Dak Prescott, Teddy Bridgewater, Taysom Hill, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota.
NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
Nice to Know:
The indefinite suspension issued to the Cleveland Browns’ player Myles Garrett for using his helmet as a weapon against Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolf has been lifted. After only only 6 games and a meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett swings a helmet at Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) late in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, in Cleveland.
Photo Credit: David Richard, AP, Shutterstock.
Garrett maintains that Rudolf used a racial slur during the fracas. To date, there’s been no independent verification of this. Garrett has apologized to Rudolf, the league has conducted a full investigation, and so far no other player directly involved in the altercation has said that they heard such a comment.
Extra Credit:
Former San Francisco 49’ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has announced that he’ll be writing a memoir and distributing it via his newly formed publishing house.
And former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown (AB) is on an apology tour to try to get back into the NFL. Regular readers of the TWIST will remember the high drama from last season that AB generated. After demanding a trade from the Steelers, he was signed by the Oakland Raiders, and arrived for preseason camp in a hot air balloon. Before the season started, he had already caused a dust-up by refusing to wear the regulation NFL helmet. He ultimately decamped to the New England Patriots, where he played one game before accusations of domestic abuse caused the team to cut him. He was sidelined for the remainder of last season. What’s next? Watch this space.
2. NBA
Must Know:
It was NBA All-Star Weekend, and as always, there were lots of emotional stories and excitement throughout the weekend. In the All-Star game itself, a thrilling fourth quarter ended when Anthony Davis made a free throw to give Team LeBron a 157-155 win over Team Giannis.
The league made some rule changes that players and fans uniformly praised, with many saying it was the most fun All Star game they’d seen in years.
Nice to Know:
At the All-Star break, two teams continue to dominate. The Milwaukee Bucks have the best record in the league followed by the LA Lakers. Our beloved Golden State Warriors have the worst record in the league (ugh!) followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Without question, the star of the season has been Giannis Antetokounmpo. He has led the Milwaukee Bucks to a team average win of 12.11 points per game, which is the highest margin since the 1995-96 Bulls.
Another standout? 20-year old Luka Doncic is putting up numbers that have only been matched by Oscar Robinson and Russell Westbrook: 28.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.7 assists. His team, the Dallas Mavericks, are on track to put up the highest offensive rating in NBA history. The Slovenian national is just in his second season in the league, so there’s high excitement about the years to come.
Luka Doncic at the All-Star Weekend 2020. Photo Credit: USA Today.
In an adorable aside, Doncic is apparently a huge Cardi B fan, and even said that the female rapper was his favorite sighting of the evening at the All-Star Game.
Finally, number one draft pick Zion Williamson is finally on the court after being benched for the first weeks of the season due to an injury. The New Orleans Pelicans are seeing him starting to deliver on his promise, and the second half of the season could be amazing.
Ten games in, Williamson is doing what only Michael Jordan has done: scoring at least 20 points in eight of his first 10 games.
Zion Williamson scores for the New Orleans Pelicans.
At the All-Star weekend, players from USA (Team USA) played non-US players (Team World), and Zion had a dunk fest that was amazing to see, helping Tea USA win a 151-131 victory.
Extra credit:
Kevin Garnett is getting his No. 5 jersey retired by the Boston Celtics.
Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics.
His number five is going into the TD Garden rafters mere months after his induction into the Hall of Fame.
3. MLB
Must Know:
The MLB pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training last week. The “Cactus League” camps are in Arizona, and the “Grapefruit League” camps are in Florida. The remaining players report today and tomorrow.
The New York Yankees are the team to watch heading into this season. They’ve got ace Gerritt Cole on their roster, and a deep bench of sluggers. But perhaps most importantly, their main competitors over the past three seasons are dealing with the fallout of the sign-stealing scandal that has engulfed both the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox.
Nice to know:
On that note, the Houston Astros held a press conference on Thursday to address the scandal. It had been billed as an opportunity for the team to make a public apology. But the consensus is that the session completely missed the mark, and seems to have made things even worse, if that’s possible.
The Houston Astros press conference on February 13, 2020.
Astros owner Jim Crane first declared that the sign-stealing “didn’t impact the game.” Then he contradicted himself just moments later. Only two players appeared at the press conference, and neither had much to say about the scandal. One of them, Jose Altuve, guaranteed the Astros would win the World Series in 2020. Maybe it’s just us, but that seems utterly tone deaf.
Houston Astros owner Jim Crane.
Later that day, several players took issue with a report in The Athletic that suggested that Carlos Beltrán, the only player named in the MLB report, had singlehandedly intimidated the rest of the team into participating in the scheme. Several said that they had made their own – albeit poor – decisions. But in a situation where most won’t admit to having done anything wrong, it’s hard for them to render a believable apology and try to move past this episode.
Seems like the drama isn’t over just yet.
This Week in Sports News February 17, 2020
That’s it. You’re good to go with the top headlines and coming attractions heading into the week of February 17, 2020. Have a good one, and see you next week.
Join our Community
For access to insider ideas and information on the world of luxury, sign up for our Dandelion Chandelier newsletter here. And see luxury in a new light.
Join our community
For access to insider ideas and information on the world of luxury, sign up for our Dandelion Chandelier newsletter. And see luxury in a new light.