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Happy Thursday! We’re creeping up toward the holiday season and the sporting world is heating up. We have some juicy stories from the past week and things to keep a close eye on over the weekend…
❄️ Baseball drama in the dead of winter
📈 NBA’s surprise success (so far)
☮️ College football clarity
🔄 Lebron James circle of life
Lets goooo ⬇️
THIS PAST WEEK ⏮
Hoping for a Christmas Miracle
Amazon has re:Invent, Salesforce has Dreamforce, and the MLB has the "Winter Meetings ❄️." This event, which just concluded yesterday, is a key time for agents, coaches, team owners, and others in baseball to strike player deals and shift their teams during the offseason's peak.
Although a boring conference isn’t typically newsworthy for SportsBall (given our strict vetting process), this year's meeting was highly anticipated. The excitement stemmed from the expectation that two of the game's biggest stars would be switching teams as General Managers and owners mingled in Nashville ⬇️.
Juan Soto won a championship with the Washington Nationals in 2019 when he was only 21 years old. He’s one of the most talented hitters in the game and he was just traded from the Padres to the Yankees last night. 🔁 |  |
Shohei Ohtani, famed for his dual role as an all-star pitcher and hitter, is in the thick of his free agency. He's asked for a "secret free agency," insisting that any team leaking information about their meetings will face consequences. This has significantly quieted the rumor mill around one of baseball's biggest stories and as of last night, he has still not been signed ✍️ Keep your ear to the ground for any news on this as a signing is expected to happen in the next couple of days! |  |
Wait, it’s working? 🏀
Into the semifinals of the NBA in-season tournament we go, and our hesitation expressed in a previous newsletter has dissipated. Because people love this thing.
While in its first year, the tournament has gotten positive feedback from fans, players, and coaches alike with some of the takes below.
Fans 📺 Viewership of tournament games is 26% higher than the same period last year. Along with the new jerseys and courts, the product is certainly eye-catching. |  |
Players 💰 Every player on the winning team will get $500K. For the stars that isn’t a huge impact but some teams have over 10 players that make $3 million or less. The opportunity for a ~25% bonus certainly has them bought in. |  |
Coaches 🤬 They love the intensity coming from their teams “Whatever they thought it was going to do from an excitement standpoint, I would say it's times 100.” Frank Vogel, Suns Coach |  |
New Sheriff in Town 🏈
After weeks of rightfully touting the Eagles (my fav team) as the best in the NFL, San Francisco walked into Philadelphia and whooped them on Sunday. The teams last saw each other in a feisty semi-final game last year and are most likely to meet again in the playoffs down the road. Until then, the 49ers will hold the top spot in the league. 👑 |  |
We have a Snubbery! 🏈
After reading Claire’s explanation of the College Football Playoff last week, we all now know what it means to be snubbed. And so does Florida State University.
Like Leo missing the Oscar for the movie Titanic, FSU was on the outside looking in Sunday morning as the final 4 teams were announced. The chosen teams were: Michigan (13-0), Washington (13-0), Texas (12-1), and Alabama (12-1).
The final two are what stings the most for FSU 🐝. The Seminoles won all their games this year (13-0) and even their conference championship (the ACC). They couldn’t have done anything better but still were left hanging, mostly due to the elusive “strength of schedule” claims.
As we covered last week, the playoff committee assesses multiple factors when choosing the lucky 4, one of which is how difficult the team’s schedule is. Texas and Alabama were both put through the wringer this year while Florida State had an easier time playing their weaker opponents 💪
Not only will FSU lose the chance to win the national championship, but they also miss out on $2 million in school bonuses. Adding insult to injury, their coach’s bonus will also be cut by more than half. 📉💰
Here’s a picture of the selection committee watching the games Saturday. Not a beer or vibe in sight, a truly unnatural way to assess teams ➡️ |  |
LEARNING MODULE 💡
What do you know about Lebron James? 🏀
You love Taylor Swift, but do you know her streaming stats? Probably not. You think Jacob Elordi is a good actor, but do you know how tall he is? Maybe. You’ve heard that Lebron James is a great basketball player, but do you know the data behind it? Not until now 👇
LeBron is currently in his 21st NBA season 👴 and remains among the elite players in the world's most competitive basketball league. He is only the sixth player to reach this 21-season milestone and is undoubtedly the best performer in this group. After Dolly Parton last week, let’s dive into another elite aging legend. ⭐️
Lebron holds the career record for the most points scored at a whopping 39,171 (and counting). In the visuals below, we’ll show you how he achieved this. ⬇️ By comparing him to the top 20 all-time scorers, you can see how reaching the apex of sports history requires not only massive skill but consistent performance and health.
LeBron's on-court success is mirrored off the court, where he has built an impressive empire:
He's an investor in several ventures, including Blaze Pizza, The SpringHill Company, and the Liverpool Football Club. 🤓
Married to his high school sweetheart, Savannah, he has three children, one of whom is following in his footsteps by playing basketball at USC. ❤️
In 2015, he signed a lifetime contract with Nike, reportedly valued at $1 billion. 📝
LeBron is active in the film industry, both acting in and producing movies, with notable roles in "Trainwreck" and "Space Jam." 🎬
Now, as the most prolific scorer ever, every season we experience with LeBron is a bonus, and we eagerly await to see the heights his ascension will reach.
If you, like Claire, are concerned that you've missed much of a living legend's career, now is the perfect time to start watching him play. He has expressed a desire to play in the league alongside his son, suggesting we have about 2-3 more years to enjoy LeBron's basketball, health permitting. 🤞
THIS NEXT WEEK ⏭
NBA 🏀
The In Season Tournament semifinals and final are this upcoming week. Tap into some of the excitement as there are some underdogs like the Pelicans and Pacers trying to win. Here’s the schedule below ⬇️
NHL 🏒
Although we’re only 32% through the season, there are still great games to tune into this weekend if you’re looking for some action. Two games to keep your eye on:
Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars: Saturday 1PM PST
The Knights are defending champions while the Stars are serious contenders in the Western Conference. Both are very physical teams so if you’re looking for some big hits tune in.LA Kings vs New York Rangers: Sunday 4PM PST
Both of these teams are title contenders this year and this will be a good early-season gut check as to who’s for real. Plus it’s NY and LA, a classic rivalry.
NFL 🏈
Rivalry week in the NFL as there are three games we’re keeping our eye on this weekend.
Seahawks vs 49ers: Sunday 1:05 PM PST
These teams aren’t fond of each other, their disdain dating back to 2014. While the 49ers look to be on a path to the playoffs and dominating, the Seahawks need to win this to stay alive in the playoff race.Bills vs Chiefs: Sunday 1:25 PM PST
A similar situation here as the Bills need to win this game to have hopes for the playoffs while the Chiefs are already sitting pretty in their conference. This will be a rematch of the incredible semifinal game in 2021 and hopefully bring as much excitement.Eagles vs Cowboys: Sunday 5:20 PM PST
This is a borderline biblical rivalry. So much hate between the two and both teams are vying to have the best record in the NFC. The winner takes the driver's seat and controls their destiny until the playoffs. Sunday night, primetime, tune in.
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