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Good morning! I would love to enjoy the 30th season of Dynasty with you.
While You Were Sleeping: The first ever champion
There were two big hockey games throughout the night, one of which ended with a first-ever win for the PWHL.
- Minnesota is Walter Cup after a 3-0 win over Boston late last night. Even more impressive is Minnesota's trajectory after starting the PWHL playoffs as the last-place team and entering the postseason on a five-game losing streak. Haley Salvian, who has covered the league since its inception, I was there to capture the historic moment..
- In the NHL, the Oilers overcame an early 2-0 deficit against the Stars. To 5-2 victory after a 2-2 tieLeads are fleeting in hockey, but this game was intense even by the sport's standards: The Stars scored 30 seconds into the game and again five minutes later, but never scored again.
What a sport.
bated breath: College Football 25 Preview
Athletic's Chris Vannini and other journalist/creators made my dream come true. very The long-awaited return of EA Sports' college football game. Three things I found most interesting:
- The gameplay is noticeably different from Madden. The concern for those of us nostalgic for the college game after a decade-plus hiatus is the game's engine, as it's no secret that the Madden series has become a buggy, microtransaction-ridden hellhole. Chris' Report: CFB gameplay is smooth, realistic and improved. Phew.
- yes, NIL a little bit In games, However, it is not called by that name. This is mainly in the “Road to Glory” feature, where you control one player on their quest to get into college and earn “brand exposure” that improves your gameplay. We're not going to outbid the AI Kirby Smart for a player just yet.
- But what we all wanted was dynasty mode and online play, right? For a generation that grew up on this game (I'm 34 and have played every iteration of NCAA from the Ricky Williams cover in 2000 to the final edition in 2014), we have lived in those modes. Chris writes: The whole story about a new dynastyand I can't wait to experience the new features: the transfer portal, the deeper recruiting experience, and, wow, the College Football Playoff. The last time I played a college football video game, the CFP was still two years away.
There is one thing I found disappointing. The online Dynasty mode doesn't support cross-play, so you can only join with people who have the same console – Team Pulse must start on an XBox.
I recommend reading Chris' Full Story, It goes deeper. Our college football team We also did a podcast of the entire event.
Chris Fowler is back. We're all back.
News you need to know
QB doesn't return kicks
After initial rumors circulated, Steelers backup quarterback Justin Fields Yesterday he said he wasn't going to return the kick.It's an idea that was popularized after Pittsburgh running back Jalen Warren mentioned the possibility of being a factor at quarterback in the NFL. New kick return rulesFields maintains he didn't go to Pittsburgh as a backup, and I have little doubt he'll be a dynamic kick returner… but I can understand the move.
Schaeffler's charges were dropped.
Louisville Police Department All charges were dropped. Yesterday, to golfer Scottie Scheffler His shocking arrest It happened two weeks ago outside the PGA Championship, and since video of the incident was released, the outcome is no surprise. cast doubt on some of the claims It's listed in the police report.
In other news
Jorge Lopez was ejected by third base umpire Ramon de Jesus.
Lopez tossed his glove into the crowd as he left the field. pic.twitter.com/5BlF6badFQ
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 29, 2024
surprise! MLB's most unexpected teams
I love the way Ken Rosenthal frames his notebooks. Yesterday's WindupHe, like most of us, was not impressed with the Cleveland Guardians this spring, with the team coming off a disappointing season with a new manager and little notable accomplishments in the offseason.
It's easy to overlook this, but the Guardians are the second best team in baseball.
- Ken mentioned the jump in offensive power: This team was 27th in points scored last year, but is second this year. As a team, they rank in the top 10 in home runs hit, led by Jose Ramirez (16) and Josh Naylor (15), both of whom also rank in the top 10 in individual home runs hits.
- Zach Meisel We took a closer look at the numbers earlier this week.And some startling statistics were revealed. Cleveland is 27-1 When you're leading at the end of the 6th inninga tribute to the bullpen, which has performed better than expected. They boast the best bullpen ERA (2.54) in baseball.
All this was achieved despite the loss of multiple stars over a long period of time.Ace Shane Bieber and reliever Trevor Stephen both had Tommy John surgery this year, and Steven Kwan (.353 batting average) hasn't played since May 4. Cleveland is 16-7 in his absence.
We haven't talked about David Frye yet, but he's batting .357 and, as Zach pointed out, is the best offensive player in franchise history. This guy batted .238 last year.
For more eye-opening stats from Cleveland, read Zach's articleAnd I might watch some more Guardians games in the future.
Watch this match
NHL: Panthers vs Rangers
8pm ET on ESPN
The days of simultaneous playoffs in multiple sports are coming to an end. We should cherish that. This 2-2 series was a real treat. Home ice doesn't matter much either, which makes it even more unpredictable.
NBA: Mavericks vs Timberwolves
8:30pm ET on TNT
This is, without hyperbole, the biggest moment in franchise history for Minnesota. Can they get off the mat again and force a Game 6? A win here would change the trajectory of their franchise from “Yeah, maybe they'll bounce back” to “They'll definitely bounce back and maybe even survive this series after being down 3-0.” The pressure would be immense. Wolves have the advantage tonight.
Get tickets to these matches here.
Pulse Pick
Fernando Tatis Jr. Once the face of baseball's next generation, Tatis turned steroid-addled. Now, at 25, Tatis is nearly back to his old self and having more fun than ever. Brittany Guillory has a great article on the subject. Tatis' long road to recovery after suspension and disgrace.
It is one of the two richest leagues in the world. College FootballThe NCAA's new reality will require a budget rethink. Seth Emerson has an interesting report from the SEC spring meetings. Budget cuts are the main topic of discussion.
Trevor Lawrence He still has the potential to be a superstar quarterback. So what's holding him back?
Stephen J. Nesbitt Digging deeper into yesterday's historic news about Negro Leagues Statistics and Integration MLB Databases, which are very large and impactful.
Most clicked on yesterday's newsletter: DeMeco Ryans and the TexansThe hype is astronomical.
The most read articles on the website yesterdayWayne Rooney plays golf with former President Donald Trump. There was a sniper in the bushes..
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(Photo: Screenshot provided by EA Sports)
