Major League Baseball For the Win
After a new voting law in Georgia that restricts voting access, especially for people of color, Major League Baseball announced today that is moving the 2021 All-Star Game and 2021 draft out of Atlanta.
Commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement today saying: “Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box. In 2020, MLB became the first professional sports league to join the non-partisan Civic Alliance to help build a future in which everyone participates in shaping the United States. We
proudly used our platform to encourage baseball fans and communities throughout our country to perform their civic duty and actively participate in the voting process. Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.”
Manfred also said that All-Star festivities will celebrate Hank Aaron, who passed away in January. A new city has not yet been announced.
Bravo to MLB for taking a stand to do its part to ensure that ALL Americans have voting access.
One Shining Moment: NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four
Though some of us are still mourning Michigan’s Elite 8 loss to UCLA (and by some of us, I mean me), the show must go and the Final Four is still happening, so you guys are still getting a preview. You’re welcome.
Houston vs. Baylor
Tomorrow’s early game brings the second-seeded Houston Cougars vs. the No. 1 seeded Baylor Bears. Baylor is the epitome of teamwork makes the dream work, and it’s gotten them to the Final Four. Houston is known for its defense, but between Matthew Mayer, MaCio Teague, Davion Mitchell, Jared Butler and Adam Flagler, the Bears’ offense is almost too high-powered to lose (shame the Chicago Bears can’t say the same thing, but I digress). Add in Mitchell’s defense, and Baylor should be appearing in Monday night’s National Championship game.
UCLA vs Gonzaga
Next up, it’s the seemingly unstoppable Gonzaga Bulldogs against the upstart UCLA Bruins. The Bruins are an 11th-seed play-in team, and they are in the Final Four. Impressive. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are a No. 1 seed and have played as such the whole tourney. They haven’t lost a game this season and they don’t intend to start now.
Sophomore Drew Timme has scored 75 (yes, 75) points in his last three games. Add in Jalen Suggs and Corey Kispert, and the Gonzaga offense is 🔥. UCLA’s Cinderella story has been fun to watch (not for me but for other people), but the juggernaut that is Gonzaga should retire the Bruins’ glass slipper.
The National Championship game is Monday night at 9:00 pm ET/6:00 pm PT on CBS. “One Shining Moment” to follow.
MLB’s First COVID Postponement
Yesterday was Major League Baseball’s Opening Day. The Tigers played in snow. The cheating Astros got booed. Clayton Kershaw kinda got rocked. Fenway got rained out.
Beyond all that, the Washington Nationals and the New York Mets had their series postponed, as four Nats players have tested positive for COVID-19. The Nationals also have five players and a staff member in quarantine due to contact tracing. Washington doesn’t know when its season will begin as a result, but they are scheduled to play the Atlanta Braves starting Monday.
One Shining Moment: NCAA Women’s Final Four
Stanford vs. South Carolina
The NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four tips off today with the No. 1 seeded Stanford Cardinal vs. the No. 1 seeded South Carolina Gamecocks. Stanford is averaging 78.9 points per game, while South Carolina is averaging 75.8 and giving up an average of 57.8. Both teams are stellar beyond the three-point line, with Stanford’s Kiana Williams making 39% of her attempts, and South Carolina’s Zia Cooke making 38%. In other words, these teams are going to give us a great game.
UConn vs. Arizona
In the later game, it’s the UConn Huskies vs. the Arizona Wildcats. The Huskies are a No. 1 seed and the Wildcats are a No. 3. UConn is scoring an average of 82.7 points per game, while the Wildcats are scoring an average of 66.8. Advantage: Huskies. UConn is also averaging just over 40 rebounds a game and holding their opponents to just over 29.
On top of that, UConn’s freshman Paige Buecker has been a tournament force and had 28 points in the Huskies’ 69-67 win over Baylor. All signs point to a UConn trip to the Championship.
The women’s championship game is Sunday at 6:00 pm ET/3:00 pm PT on ESPN.
Roy Williams Retires
After 33 years coaching NCAA men’s basketball, Roy Williams is retiring.
Williams has spent the last 18 seasons coaching the North Carolina Tar Heels, where he won championships in 2005, 2009 and 2017. Before that, Williams coached the Kansas Jayhawks for 15 seasons. Kansas made four Final Four appearances under Williams.
Williams leaves coaching with .774 winning percentage, while being the only coach in the history of the NCAA to have 400 wins at two different school. He was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. Congratulations on an incredible career!
