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Good morning! Do you want to be my caddy today?
Stanley Cup Date: Edmonton finally hits oil
Heading into these playoffs, we all knew pressure. Hell, we knew that right after the Edmonton Oilers lost in the second round last year. This team, with Connor McDavid, had to win something.
Most teams don’t survive the pressure to win at all costs. In fact, it’s usually the looser teams that tend to play better in these scenarios. But this time, Edmonton rose to the challenge:
- The tankers squeaked the Dallas Stars last night 2-1 to advance to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup final since 2006. History will remember it as a coronation night for the Western Conference champions, but we must not forget that they won despite to be overtaken 35-10. Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner should be bought a lot of drinks.
- McDavid is so, so good. The superstar is finally within reach of the Stanley Cup, after nine years of sparkling career. How he performs on that stage will define much of his career. Let’s hope he scores a goal like he scored last night:
CONNOR MCDAVID HOW😱
The Oilers captain opened the scoring in game six in breathtaking fashion.
🎥 @Sportsnetpic.twitter.com/qLgujRNQy3
– The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 3, 2024
I had to watch this several times to see how he scored. A wizard.
There is, however, an elephant in this room: the Edmonton-Florida game will have difficulty reaching the general public. I asked André Marchandour senior sports media columnist, for his thoughts from an audience perspective:
“That’s not what you want if you’re in the NHL. If you dream of New York or Dallas, you have Edmonton and Florida. A glimmer of hope ? Connor McDavid.
We can all agree on that last part. This should at least be a close game, as BetMGM has the Panthers as a slight favorite at the moment. I’m having a hard time choosing against McDavid.
The first match will take place on Saturday.
News to know
WNBA improves foul on Clark
Chennedy Carter’s controversial push against Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark is now a Flagrant 1, the league announced yesterday, although Carter will not receive any suspension for the hit, which caused buzz on social media throughout the weekend. Clark’s on-court nemesis, Angel Reese, was also fined for not giving media interviews after that game, the Fever’s 71-70 victory Saturday over the Sky. (Clark also had a rough Sunday, scoring just 3 points in Indiana’s 36-point loss at New York.)
Yuka Saso 📈
While I’m sure 22-year-old Yuka Saso would love to have more than two wins on the LPGA Tour, getting those two wins at the US Women’s Open is enviable (she’s already in quite exclusive company as a multi-major winner). She won her first in 2021 and his second yesterday after a steady final round of 68, which might as well have been 62 with how the Lancaster Country Club course was. She was one of two players to finish this tournament under par.
Simone Biles 📈📈
There is consistent excellence, and then there is Simone Biles. The 27-year-old, already considered the best gymnast of all time, took first place at the US Gymnastics Championships last night and swept every individual title for good measure. The national title is her ninth, a record for any man or woman. I can’t wait to see her at the Olympics.
No more news
Shopping carts: Big weekend for the bag guys
Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
Robert MacIntyre won the RBC Canadian Open yesterday, a great way for a PGA Tour rookie to earn his first victory. The biggest problem, however, was the people carrying the bags:
- Let’s start with MacIntyre, whose victory came with his father, Dougie, as caddy, a scenario that could have been better on Father’s Day weekend. Dougie, a greenskeeper in MacIntyres’ native Scotland, was an emergency call for Robert, who has had four caddies this season. The emotion here after the round of father and son is incredible. Come on MacIntyres.
- Then there is a bad CT Pan, who finished tied for 37th this week. Early in yesterday’s round, Pan’s caddy, Mike “Fluff” Cowan, fell and was unable to continue his bag duties. Stove then there was three other caddies during his final round, including a fan who hid under the ropes and put on a bib. Luckily, one of Pan’s former caddies lives 15 minutes from the course and arrived in time to carry Pan’s bag for the back nine.
Thanks to a caddy today. Additionally, Cowan is fortunately expected to make a full recovery from his fall.
Watch this match
WCWS: Florida Vs. Oklahoma
Noon ET on ESPN
These are two of the best teams in this tournament going head-to-head as the stakes rise. If OU wins here, they’re back in the Championship Series – with Nemesis Texas raking in on the other side of the bracket. If Florida wins, these two will play again at 2:30 p.m. ET.
MLB: Phillies Brewers
6:40 p.m. ET on MLB Network
Not only is it a meeting between two NL division leaders, but it also marks the return of Rhys Hoskins from Milwaukee — author of a fantastic home run celebration in last year’s playoffs – in Philadelphia.
Get tickets to games like these here.
Pulse selection
When the Bear announcement Jaylon Johnson extension in March, no one expected him to admit that he had been in therapy for sex addiction. As Dan Pompei wrote today, it was a small, revealing public confession of the transformative season Johnson experienced, on and off the field.
Officially, Mike Babcock is in exile for hockey. But unofficially, he remains popular with the game’s influencers. Dan Robson and Katie Strang used this unique moment to reveal a better view of Babcock’s place in the sport — and what led to his ouster in the first place.
It’s like feeling Dillon Gabriel has been a college football star for a decade. Sixth grade audible sound – a surprise stop at Oregon — could stage a grand final.
The promotion took place 50 years ago this week: Cleveland sold beers for 10 cents each. It ended with fans take to the field in a drunken rage which forced the home team to withdraw. Wild, wild, wild.
Most clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Our first update on the Caitlin Clark-Chennedy Carter incident.
Most read on the site yesterday: The beautiful story of Tess DeMeyer this weekend on how, in gymnastics, leotards make the link between fashion and sport. Read it if you missed it.
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