#National League Championship Series

[postapocalypticromance]

As far as inter-region dynamics go, the tension over football/soccer between Europe and the US is by far the one I find most interesting.

It's not particularly because I think it's that notable, it's more because I think there's an almost unbound sense of absurdity to the proceedings.

Bear in mind, the content I consume is all in the anglosphere or adjacent to it, I don't know about the opinions of people who don't post content in English because the only other language I speak is French, and even then I speak it very badly.

The part of it that I find most interesting is that the US steamrolls the international competition in its major domestic sports, ice hockey being maybe the only consistent exception, and is also by and large competitive in a large number of international sports; athletics, gymnastics, swimming, etc.

Sportspeople from America occupy the upper echelons of a good chunk of international sport, and with a healthy dose of exceptionalism, patriotism, and pro-american, biased reporting, you get a situation where, much like how many other countries report their own sports, American sportspeople are by far and away a bigger deal in the US than elsewhere. After all, no one in Europe would describe Christian Pulisic as the "LeBron James of soccer."

Given that Americans excel at so many sports, and I'd be remiss not to mention they're still largely The Team in women's international football, so I think it's not an illogical next step to ask the question "can the men reach the top too?"

Now, it's not so much that Europeans don't want to see the world order upset by an outsider, it's far more about the attitude of said outsider, but I think the tension arises from the fact that, even if we don't articulate it well, Europeans just know that the US men probably won't win a major tournament. This then morphs into a frankly pointless amount of defensiveness from our side, as there are good reasons to say why the US can't reach the pinnacle of football.

I don't think that the issue is that we don't want to see our leagues be opposed and challenged, though I have no doubt that's a part of it. I think it's more to do with other leagues being pushed as The Next Big Thing.

It's more difficult to describe, but I believe that we just don't care for other leagues because other leagues are pushed as a way to draw eyes away from the European leagues, but almost in a way that feels like those marketing leagues that want to be up and coming want us to watch theirs instead of ours.

Whilst I have no doubt that people are protective and selfish over what we have in Europe, part of the issue boils down to the question of "why are you selling us your league? We don't need it." Even if that's not what is intended, that's the scepticism that will greet it.

On top of all that is a sort of sense of place. Instead of punching above their weight, it feels more like waving their hands and saying, "we could be there." That's not inherently bad, but I think the reaction that Europeans have to that is laced with disdain because there's a feeling that the US haven't earned the right to say then can win the World Cup based on past performances or current international team.

And that's not even mentioning the football/soccer schism. A discussion that is so wildly pointless that I'm shocked it even illicits strong feelings in people because both mean the same thing. But, it's turned into a petty way to discredit America as lesser in football, though I admittedly have little sympathy for either side because I find both equally annoying.

[a2zsportsnews]

National League Championship Series Preview: Dodgers vs. Mets

Let’s get one thing out of the way up front: Jose Iglesias has issued an appeal to the gods. Iglesias, a pop singer who performs as Candelita and sometime infielder for the New York Mets, has seen his song, “OMG,” become something of a victory anthem. It’s been on signs and shirts and — above all — on repeat, as Iglesias’ club charged from fourth place in June all the way to the NLCS in…

[1863-project]

(video and tweet source)

THE HANSHIN TIGERS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE OF THE COLONEL!

For the people who don't know, in 1985, the Hanshin Tigers won their first (and at the time, only) Japan Series victory. Traditionally, they've been hard luck losers, and they're often compared to the Red Sox in the sense of their being overshadowed by the Yomiuri Giants, who, like the Yankees, have won more championships than any other team in their league.

When they won, fans resembling the players on the team were jumping into the Dotonbori Canal in Osaka - the fans would yell out a player's name, and a fan who looked like them would jump in. The problem was when they got to Randy Bass, who none of the Japanese fans looked like. They needed to find something resembling him and selected a statue of Colonel Sanders, who was white and had a beard like Bass, and threw it into the canal.

Colonel Sanders sank underwater, and the Hanshin Tigers did...horribly after that, usually coming in last in the league or close to it, to the point where the team was considered cursed by his presence in the canal. The team made the Japan Series a few times after that in the 2000s and once in the 2010s, but lost each time.

In 2009, the Colonel was located and recovered from the Dotonbori Canal, save for his left hand and his glasses. He's now at a location near Koshien Stadium, where the Tigers play their home games (and where the famed national high school baseball championships are played), and can be viewed there to this day.

Fans were, however, not convinced that they had earned the Colonel's forgiveness, since his hand and glasses were missing. In the image above, he's been given some replacement glasses, but he still lacks a left hand.

This year, Hanshin beat the Orix Buffaloes, a team that plays roughly 20 minutes away by train in Nishinomiya, 4-3 in a seven-game series. The curse is thus considered broken...so the fans did what they do best, and threw a fan dressed like Colonel Sanders into the Dotonbori Canal.

For years, this has been my favorite baseball story, and I'm so happy that I was alive to see it seen all the way through. Congratulations, Hanshin fans!

[reasonsforhope]

"Justine Siegal, the first woman coach employed by a Major League Baseball team, is attempting to make more history -- this time by creating an American professional baseball league specifically for women. Siegal is one of the co-founders of the Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL), which aims to begin play during the summer of 2026.

Siegel and co-founder/lawyer Keith Stein have enlisted a few other notable names as special advisors... Those include World Series-winning manager Cito Gaston and Japanese pitcher Ayami Sato, a five-time Women's Baseball World Cup champion. (Sato is also part of Japan Women's Baseball League.)

The WPBL is hoping to land a national television deal ahead of its inaugural season. The league intends to have a full season, as well as playoffs and a championship round. At present, the goal is to field six teams at launch, with those clubs located "predominantly" in the Northeast region of the United States. 

"The Women's Pro Baseball League is here for all the girls and women who dream of a place to showcase their talents and play the game they love," Siegal said as part of the WPBL's press release announcing its formation. "We have been waiting over 70 years for a professional baseball league we can call our own. Our time is now."

Stein, for his part, added: "We believe that the success of other women's professional leagues such as the WNBA and NWSL demonstrates the incredible interest and support for women's sport."

The United States has won two Women's Baseball World Cups, and most recently finished as the runners-up in the 2024 event (that was played in 2023). The U.S. team roster included, among others, pitcher/outfielder Kelsie Whitmore. Whitmore has been a trailblazer in her own right, appearing in games with various independent leagues, including the Atlantic League, Pacific Association, and, as of this year, the Pioneer League."

-via CBS Sports, October 30, 2024

[mydaddywiki]

Joe West

Physique: Husky Build Height: 6′1″

Joseph Henry West (born October 31, 1952), nicknamed "Cowboy Joe" or "Country Joe", is an American former baseball umpire. He worked in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1976 to 2021, umpiring an MLB-record 43 seasons and 5,460 games. He served as crew chief for the 2005 World Series and officiated in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. On May 25, 2021, West broke Bill Klem's all-time record by umpiring his 5,376th game.

He’s the most polarizing man on the Hall of Fame ballot. Fans have been screaming at him for 44 years, managers and players cursing him, and he has a personality bigger than virtually every player who steps onto the field. All I have to say about this this guy is… DAT ASS.

Born in Asheville, North Carolina, he grew up in Greenville and played football at East Carolina University (ECU) and Elon College. West entered the National League (NL) as an umpire in 1976; he joined the NL staff full-time in 1978.

West has been married twice. After the death of his first wife, West remarried.

Career Highlights and Awards Special Assignments All-Star Game (1987, 2005, 2017) Wild Card Game (2013, 2014, 2020, 2021) Division Series (1995, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016) League Championship Series (1981, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2018) World Series (1992, 1997, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2016) World Baseball Classic (2009) MLB record 43 seasons umpired MLB record 5,460 games umpired

[dedalvs]

NBA Realignment Proposal

This is Tumblr—a place where you can be who and what you wish to be. Today I take advantage of that to bring to you an idea that I think will solve a couple of dire problems the National Basketball Association (an American professional sporting association for basketball) has been struggling with in recent years. The problems are two-fold:

(1) Division championships are meaningless. In the old days if you won your division, you earned a top seed. When there were two division, the division winner with the best record got the 1 seed, and the other division winner the 2. It didn't matter if there was a second (or even third) place team that had a better record: winning your division meant you earned a top seed. A good example is the 1991-92 season, where the Chicago Bulls (67-15) earned the top seed, but the 51-31 Boston Celtics earned the second seed as winners of the Atlantic Division, despite the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers had a much better record at 57-25. Winning the division was incredibly important. Now teams are seeded by record throughout the conference. Division titles mean nothing.

(2) Super teams. Since divisions are meaningless but winning chamiponships is still the most important thing in the NBA, successful players go to teams that can pay the most money. The ones that have the most money are the teams that are most successful. With only two conferences, this usually results in two teams—one in the east, one in the west—being stacked. Players can either join that team or try to form another super team to rival them. And the ones that can rival them are other historically successful teams. All in all, it's a lack of parity, and the same teams winning every single time.

Now, it is assumed, amongst fans and sportswriters, that the league will eventually expand to Seattle, regaining their former Supersonics, and Las Vegas—the latter perhaps when LeBron James retires (he's expressed interest in being an owner for a team in Las Vegas in future). If that comes to pass (and no other teams change locations), I propose a radical realignment of the divisions, and concomitant playoff changes. These changes were inspired by the changes the NHL made in recent years. They had six divisions, like the NBA has now, but then when they expanded, went backward, to four divisions, and the results have been impressive.

If you need to refresh yourselves of the current alignment, you can do so here. Now here's the realignment I propose:

These are the four divisions the NBA had before expanding to six. Most of the membership is the same, but I'll note the discrepancies. First, the most easterly western conference team, the Memphis Grizzlies, has been moved to the east (I always found it absurd that a team in a state one state away from the Atlantic Ocean was in the western conference). The Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets have been swapped, which makes geographic sense, and the Atlanta Hawks have been returned to the Central.

This gives us four divisions with eight teams each. Currently, ten teams from each conference go to the playoffs—kind of. Four teams in each conference are forced into a mini-tournament called the play-in. For this play-in, the 7th place team hosts the 8th place team and the 9th place team hosts the 10th place team in a one game playoff. The winner of the first game becomes the real 7th seed. The loser of the first game plays the winner of the second. The winner of that game becomes the real 8th seed. Then the playoffs proceed as they always have. Very strange.

I propose something radically different. Same number of playoff teams—even the same number of play-in teams—but it's all done inside the division:

Each division has its own playoff. The 4th and 5th place teams play each other for the right to take on the top place team in the division in the first round of the divisional series. Then the 2nd place team hosts the 3rd place team in the division. The winners of each series face off, the winner being crowned the ultimate division champion. Then the western and eastern conference division champions face off, resulting in conference champions, who face off in the finals. The bracket looks like this:

This means that one team from every division will always make it to the semifinals. Division championships are suddenly very important, and there's incentive for good players to try their luck on teams in different divisions if they can't make it in the division they're in. It takes two very large pools (the conferences) and separates them into four smaller pools. It will also ensure you get some nice, exciting playoff matchups in the early going, because every matchup is all but guaranteed to be a rivalry, as the matchups are always interdivision matchups.

For the curious, if this had happened for last season, it would've looked like this (less the two expansion teams):

Same exact playoff teams! And the first matchups would've looked like this:

Some of the matchups are the same, but we get some good ones earlier. Mavs-Pelicans would've been a lot spicier than Thunder-Pelicans. In general, we've got a lot better shot at getting better matchups earlier on, and good matchups at each stage. This is the NBA I want to see!

Thank you for coming to the Dothraki guy's Tumblr account.

[chirpingfromthebox]

TORONTO (February 10, 2025) – The Toronto Sceptres have announced two updates to the roster today following the league’s international break. Forward Laura Kluge has been signed to a Standard Player Agreement (SPA) for the remainder of the 2024-25 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season, and forward Sarah Nurse has been placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR).

“We are excited to welcome Laura back to our organization,” shares General Manager Gina Kingsbury. “Laura had a great training camp with us and left a great impression on our entire team. She will add to our team both on and off the ice.” The 28-year-old from Berlin, Germany was part of Toronto’s 2024-25 Training Camp, appearing in two mini-camp games. In her first appearance against Minnesota, the teams played a three-on-three overtime following regulation and Kluge scored in the OT period. A veteran on the German National Team, Kluge has represented her country at seven World Championships in the top division and most recently helped her country earn a berth in the 2026 Winter Olympics with two assists in three qualification games last week. Kluge played four NCAA seasons at St. Cloud State from 2017-21 and produced 52 points in 99 games and ranked within the top-15 career leaders in many Huskies categories including game-winning goals and assists. Kluge then spent three seasons with ECDC Memmingen of the DFEL and scored 73 points in 38 regular season games, and 24 points in 12 playoff games. The team captured the league championship in 2023 and 2024. Earlier in the 2024-25 season, Kluge played for the DFEL’s Eisbären Juniors Berlin and recorded 16 points in 14 games. Per the Players Association, salary terms of contracts will not be disclosed. Kluge will wear number 25 for the Sceptres, and Anneke Rankila will now wear number 13. Nurse suffered a lower-body injury during Game 4 of the Rivalry Series on Thursday while playing for Canada’s National Women’s Team and will be out of the Sceptres lineup indefinitely. Through 15 regular season games, the 30-year-old from Hamilton, ON contributed five goals and seven assists for 12 points.

[grandpeachpersona]

It's A Man's World

Chapter 8 ☆Sorry not Sorry☆

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1.8k (Sorry for any grammar errors)

A:N: Not my best chapter, just a filler if I'm being honest 🤷🏿‍♀️ photo and gifs, thanks to Pinterest.

To words

Jet. Laged.

We faced the Nationals in the NDLS, and of course, we won 4-0. Now, we're back home in the ATL, preparing for the NLCS (National League Championship Series), where our opponents are the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Interestingly enough, they had their press conference today and said some very interesting things about me, which I couldn't care less about. You have the nerve to say and quote, “I mean, she's good, but I don’t think she’s good enough to beat us.”

As I sit down for my press conference, I usually would keep some comments to myself, but as of right now, all gloves are off. “How was practice Sierra?”

“Good, a little chilly, but it was fine,” I respond with a shrug.

And the question that everyone wanted to ask got fired off next: “Any response to the comments that were made earlier today by the Dodgers.’

I pull a slight smirk on my face and nod my head. “I was good enough to win Rookie of the Year. I was good enough to win MVP. And I was good enough to win a Gold Glove. I think I'll be great enough to beat the Dodgers,” I answer confidently.

The room noticed the slight change in demeanor because the questions afterward were very short and to the point. Sorry not Sorry

Game Day was here, and I was more than ready to go. I had just finished lacing my cleats when a notification popped up on my phone. Normally, I wouldn't check my phone so close to game time, but full of curiosity, I checked it anyway.

Joe Burrr 🧡

Hey, you don't have to respond. I know you're in your zone. I just wanted to say go kill it out there tonight. You made it this far, so don't let them drag you back over some petty comments, even though your clapback was funny as hell, lol. I know you got this. Good luck! And no hits to the face.

I smile at the message and chuckle at the last part. As if I needed more confidence boost, Joe just put the cherry on top with this. I didn't respond but reacted to his message with a heart.

He's right. I busted my ass for his moment, and ill be damned if, like he said, some petty comments stop me. With my heart racing and excitement bubbling, I stepped out of the locker room, ready to face what lay ahead. The atmosphere was electric, filled with the cheers of fans and the buzz of anticipation. It was time to prove myself once again.

Game 1..Los Angeles

Game 2…Atlanta

Game 3…Atlanta

Game 4… Los Angeles

Game 5…Atlanta

Game 6…Los Angles

Here we are: Game 7—the climactic finale of this intense series. The stakes couldn't be higher; this game could either catapult us to the heights of glory or send us back to our living rooms, resigned to watching the World Series unfold from our couches, devoid of the thrill of competition.

The atmosphere felt electric, but we were up against the reality of not having home-field advantage. Every cheer from the opposing fans echoed in our ears, amplifying the pressure. As the scoreboard ominously displayed a 4-6 lead for our opponents in the bottom of the 7th inning, a collective sense of urgency enveloped our dugout.

It was my turn at bat. With each heartbeat resonating in my ears, I steadied myself in the batter's box, digging my cleats into the ground. I took a deep breath, visualizing my success, and when the pitcher threw the ball, I swung hard and made contact. The satisfying "crack" of the bat resonated through the stadium as I connected cleanly, sending the ball slicing into the outfield.

The crowd erupted, their cheers mingling with my own racing thoughts. I bolted down the first baseline, my legs pumping with adrenaline as I focused on reaching the safety of first base. A base hit! I knew it was enough to bring in a run, narrowing the gap and making us just a single run short of tying it up.

Now attention shifted to Ronny Mauricio, the rookie out of the Dominican Republic—a whirlwind of talent and potential. Watching him in action was like witnessing poetry in motion; he had an innate ability to read the game that belied his experience. I remained on first, breathless with anticipation as he took his stance in the batter's box. My teammate stood at third, equally poised for the moment.

The pitcher, sensing the mounting tension, cast a wary glance in my direction, gauging whether I might attempt to steal second. He then turned his focus back to Ronny, delivering the pitch with a swift motion. Ronny, with a keen eye, timed his swing perfectly, launching the ball deep into the outfield.

With my heart pounding, I took off, pushing myself to accelerate as I rounded second base. It felt like the world had faded away, leaving only the sound of my breath and the pounding of my heart. As I glanced toward the dugout, my third-base coach was a blur of determination, animatedly waving me on to keep running. His enthusiastic gestures spurred me further as I hurtled towards third base.

Rounding the base, I quickly turned my gaze back to the outfield. I could see the ball gliding through the air as the outfielders scrambled to retrieve it, their movements frantic as they prepared for the throw home. The anticipation twisted in my stomach, a mix of hope and fear. I was in the home stretch now.

Closing in on home plate, I went all out, knowing this was it. With a burst of energy, I dove forward, my body stretching toward the plate, conscious of every moment passing. I aimed to reach the base before the ball could get there, my fingertips longing to brush against the plate. As I hit the dirt, I felt the weight of the game pressing down, and with one final effort, I reached out, praying that my hand would touch the plate just as I made my desperate slide.

“SAFE!” The umpire shouted as I stood up. I clapped my hands as I walked back to the dugout, receiving pats on my back and on top of my helmet. New ballgame, gentlemen—6 to 6.

It all came down to this—bottom of the 9th, the scoreboard reading 7-6. We were just three outs away from securing our place in the World Series. As I stepped onto the field at shortstop, the tension in the air was palpable. The roar of the crowd surged around me as fans leaped to their feet, rallying behind our closing pitcher, Ryan Gonzalez.

The first out came swiftly—a high fly ball that one of our outfielders snagged with ease. The crowd cheered, but the tension only thickened.

The second out was even faster—a powerful strikeout that sent a wave of excitement through our dugout. But our hopes for a quick victory were tempered as the next batter approached the plate.

Shohei Ohtani.

Even in this high-stakes moment, the name alone sent a shiver down my spine. He’s already cemented his place in baseball history as a legend, and the energy shifted palpably as he walked up, bat in hand. The stadium, once a cacophony of cheers, fell eerily silent, all eyes fixed on Ryan as he prepared to pitch.

The first pitch whistled through the air, and Shohei connected—but it wasn’t to be. The ball sailed foul, slicing through the tension with a loud crack.

0-1.

Ryan took a moment, steadied himself, and fired the second pitch—a slow ball that floated just outside the strike zone.

1-1.

The crowd watched with bated breath as the third pitch split the plate, a crisp strike that drew another round of cheers from our supporters.

1-2.

With just one out remaining, the atmosphere was electric. Ryan took a deep breath, and for a split second, time seemed to stand still as he wound up for the final pitch.

Shohei swung with all his might but came up empty. The moment the ball hit Ryan’s glove, a thunderous eruption of cheers engulfed the stadium, drowning out everything else. My heart raced as my teammates and I rushed the mound, a tidal wave of joy crashing over us. We shouted, leaped, and embraced one another in pure elation.

We had done it—we just won the National League Championship Series and earned our ticket to the World Series. I couldn't help but feel like the universe was smiling down on me. I truly felt like I was God's Child, blessed and ready for whatever came next.

As I stepped into the familiar warmth of my house, a relieved sigh escaped my lips as I leaned back against the heavy wooden door. The vibrant energy of my teammates still echoed in my mind, a reminder of the spirited celebration I struggled to keep up with. Despite my love for the camaraderie, I knew I was no match for their boundless enthusiasm, especially when it came to reveling in our recent victory.

Pushing myself off the door, I made my way toward my bedroom, the soft carpet cushioning my feet as I began to remove my jewelry, each piece a cherished memory of the night. The sudden buzz of my phone caught my attention, drawing me to my bed where it lay, face up, a bright light illuminating the dark room.

I picked it up and glanced at the screen, a smile spreading across my face as I recognized the sender.

Joe Burrr 🧡

"Hey, just landed in Dallas. Just wanted to say congrats and I'm proud of you, Ri."

A warm sensation spread through me, making my cheeks flush as I began to type my response. I could sense the exhaustion in his words, the faint hint of fatigue woven into the text.

Me

"Thank you, baby, ❤️. Good luck on Monday."

My heart dropped into my stomach the moment I hit send. Oh no. Please tell me I didn’t just send that.

Joe Burrr 🧡

"Baby? That’s a new one…"

If I could’ve smacked myself right then and there, I would’ve done it without hesitation. What on earth possessed me to text him something so intimate?

Well, perhaps the remnants of the night’s festivities and the alcohol swirling in my system had something to do with it, but that was beside the point.

Me

"Yeah…umm…"

Joe Burrr 🧡

"Lol It's okay Ri. Get some sleep. I'll call you before practice tomorrow."

Part of me wished he wouldn’t follow through on that, yet another part of me buzzed with excitement. It felt so wrong, yet undeniably thrilling, and I couldn’t shake the sensation that this small slip could change everything.

Chapter 9 ☆Butterflies☆

@hoodharlow @enretrogue

[flareonfloof]

my favorite sports team¹ lost a very important game² and now I need lots of pets³ :(

¹ The Colorado Avalanche (formerly Quebec Nordiques) are an NHL⁴ franchise located in Denver, Colorado. They have won the NHL championship⁵ three times, most recently in 2022.

²The NHL playoffs⁶ are conducted via a series of 4 7-game rounds, with the winner of each round advancing to the next. The game in question was game 7 of the first round. By losing, the Colorado Avalanche have been eliminated.⁷

³ Soft, consentual stroking of a creature's fur.

⁴ The National Hockey League (NHL) is a North American professional ice hockey organization, made up of 32 teams across the United States and Canada.

⁵ The NHL championship is also colloquially known as the Stanley Cup, after the trophy awarded to the winning team. Every member of the winning team's organization has their name engraved into a section of the trophy, with bands being added and removed as space is required.

⁶ The term "playoffs" here refers to a tournament held after a regular season of scheduled games of a sport. The season determines qualification and seeding for the playoffs.

⁷ From the playoffs. The players were not killed.

[bluephoenixgirl]

Best Friend’s Sister

Adley Rutschman x Reader

Warnings: Adult Language, Fluff and Maybe a Tiny Bit Of Angst, Mention of Cheating, Anxiety, and Maybe Some Grammar Errors. (Sorry if I forgot any!)

Summary: Adley’s best friend is his teammate Gunnar and they have been so close ever since the Orioles drafted them. They are so close that they live together so when Gunnar’s big sister comes to Maryland to visit she stays with her brother and his best friend. But right when Adley meets Y/N he instantly falls for her which makes him freak out because he knows that he’s growing feelings for not just any girl, but he’s falling for his best friend’s sister.

Word Count: 2,018

Author’s Note: Just wanted to leave a little note that this story might not be completely accurate. This story takes place last season. I’ve heard Adley and Gunnar say that they have lived together multiple times. I don’t know if they just lived together when Gunnar first got called up or not and I don’t know if they live together now. They definitely live together during spring training but again this story takes place last season where I believed they were still living together during the regular season!

Adley is the star catcher for the Baltimore Orioles and his best friend is his teammate Gunnar Henderson who is the Orioles star in the in field and is also a star with his bat as well. Adley and Gunnar were both drafted by the team in 2019. Adley was drafted number one overall after is record breaking season at Oregon State University. The team ended the season with a National Championship. Gunnar was drafted right out of high school.

The boys became close through the minor leagues all the way up to the major leagues. Adley made his major league debut in May 2022 and Gunnar made his major league debut the same year in September.

People noticed the close bond between the two players that people were saying that Gunnar is Adley’s sidekick. Both boys have admitted that they are very close and have said that the main reason why they are so close is because they live together in a contemporary style house.

———————————————

The Orioles just ended the day with another win. The team has a day off tomorrow before they start another series back at home. The team is currently in Boston getting ready to leave Fenway for the airport back to Maryland.

The team was in the visitor’s locker room gathering their stuff up to head outside to the bus. Adley was putting on his sneakers when Gunnar approached him. “Remember my big sister, is coming tomorrow morning.” Gunnar said reminding him.

A couple months ago Gunnar’s sister who is just a couple years older than him told him that she will be coming to visit him from their home town in Alabama. Gunnar asked Adley if it was okay if Y/N can stay in their guest room while she’s in town which Adley told him it wasn’t a problem at all. Y/N is the only person in Gunnar’s family that Adley hasn’t met yet. Gunnar has told Adley how amazing Y/N is and how close they are with one another. Gunnar is very excited to see Y/N since when Gunnar is playing baseball he doesn’t see Y/N a lot since she’s busy with her career. Y/N just broke up with her boyfriend of one year so she felt like she needed to get away so why not visit her baby bro.

“Right, thanks for reminding me.” Adley told Gunnar as he tied the laces to his left shoe. “How long is she staying with us again?” Adley asked him in a curious tone as he put on his right shoe. “A week and a half.” Gunnar answered him.

“You’re going to love her. She’s like the girl version of me.” Gunnar told him. “Okay so I’m basically going to be living another you.” Adley said as he stood up after tying his right shoe. “Can’t wait.” Adley added in a teasing tone as he playfully rolled his eyes. “Hey! I’m a good roommate!” Gunnar said defending himself as Adley picked up his bags that had him equipment and uniform in. “Whatever you say.” Adley said still teasing his best friend as he made his way out of the locker room. Gunnar rolled his eyes and followed him. He knows that Adley’s just messing with him like he always does. Adley sees Gunnar as a little brother.

———————————————

It was the next morning and Adley was awoken by music playing downstairs. Adley let out a big groan as he got out of his comfy bed. He was planning on sleeping in since the team had a long day yesterday but obviously that’s not going to happen. Adley walked out of his room and stomped downstairs to the living room. He heard the music coming from the kitchen so he made his way towards the kitchen.

“Gunnar will you turn down the-“ Adley started to say in a snappy and annoyed tone but stopped himself when he saw that the person in the kitchen wasn’t Gunnar. Adley right away knew that it was Y/N since she looked similar to Gunnar. Y/N stopped mixing the pancake mix that was in the bowl and paused the music that was playing on her phone.

“Shit! You’re not Gunnar.” Adley said as his cheeks turned a rosy red in embarrassment. “No, but people do say that I do look like the girl version of him.” Y/N told him with a giggle. “I’m Y/N.” Y/N added introducing herself with a kind smile. “I’m Adley but you probably know that so why am I telling you something that you already know.” Adley said cursing at himself in his head. Y/N let out another giggle which made Adley’s heart skip a beat. “It’s okay.” Y/N reassured him.

“Sorry for barging in here like that.” Adley apologized. “You don’t have to apologize.” Y/N told him. “I’m sorry about the music. Gunnar kept turning it up.” Y/N apologized. “It’s okay. This ain’t the first time I’ve been woken up by Gunnar’s music.” Adley told her with a small sigh. “Yeah, as much as I love my little bro he can sometimes be hard to live with.” Y/N told him which made Adley let out a small laugh.

“Do you want some pancakes?” Y/N asked him in a curious tone as she walked over to the stove carring the bowl that had the pancake batter in. “Sure.” Adley said with a nod. Y/N gave him a small smile and started to pour some of the batter into the big pan with a spoon. As Y/N cooked the pancakes Adley walked over to the kitchen island and took a seat down onto one of the chairs. As she cooked Adley would glance over at her. He didn’t notice that he was just staring at her till Gunnar walked in caring a grocery bag that has a carton of milk in it.

“I’m back.” Gunnar said. “Hey sleepy head.” Gunnar said walking over to Adley and roughing up his messy brunette hair with his empty hand. Adley rolled his eyes as he pushed Gunnar’s arm away. “I hope my annoying sister didn’t bother you while I was gone.” Gunnar said in a teasing tone. “Oh shut up and put the milk in the fridge.” Y/N told him in a stern tone. “Geez so mean.” Gunnar said pulling the milk out of the bag and walked over to the fridge. Y/N rolled her eyes as Gunnar opened the fridge and put the milk in it.

After Y/N finished making enough pancakes for herself and the boys they sat down at kitchen island together. As they ate Y/N and Gunnar told Adley stories about them growing up together. Adley also got to know Y/N as well.

———————————————

As the days passed and the more Adley has gotten to know Y/N he’s realized that he is falling for Y/N. And he knows that he’s not just falling for any girl, no! He’s falling for his best friend’s sister. He’s falling for Gunnar’s older sister.

When Adley’s around Y/N he just can’t help but feel butterflies in his stomach. When they lock eyes Adley feels his heart rate speed up. He loves hearing her talk with her southern Alabama accent that matches Gunnar’s.

Adley knows that he’s falling head over heels for her and some times he feels like she feels the same way but sometimes he thinks that it’s all in his head. But that’s not his biggest worry. His biggest worry is what Gunnar will think. Would he freak out if he finds out that his best friend likes his sister? Even though Y/N is the older sibling he can tell that Gunnar is very over protective of her. Adley wants to tell Gunnar about what he’s been feeling but he’s worried about what his reaction would be.

———————————————

It was a Saturday night and the Orioles had an early game win so to celebrate some players game to Adley and Gunnar’s house. Y/N sat in the backyard with her brother and his teammates. Since there was a fire pit in the backyard Gunnar put some firewood in the pit and started a bomb fire so everyone sat around the fire just having some drinks and talked. As time passed some guys left one by one. Once the last teammate left Gunnar called it a night for himself since he was exhausted so he went inside to his room leaving Y/N and Adley alone by the bomb fire.

There was a comfortable silence between the two till Y/N broke it. “I enjoyed watching you play. You sure know how to put on a damn good show.” Y/N told him which made Adley blush. He was hoping that Y/N didn’t notice. “Thanks.” Adley said with a smile. “I’m glad I took this trip. Really has helped me get my mind a reset.” Y/N told him. “Gunnar told me that you recently just got out of a relationship.” Adley said in a soft voice. “Yeah.” Y/N said with a small nod.

“What happened?” Adley asked in a curious tone. “If you don’t mind me asking.” Adley quickly added. “It’s okay. You’re good.” Y/N reassured him which made him relax. “It all started two months ago when my ex boyfriend kept accusing me of cheating on which I wasn’t and just after we celebrated our one year anniversary I caught him in bed with a girl who was at the time a good friend to me.” Y/N told him which broke his heart to hear. “Damn. That’s fucked up.” Adley said with a hint of anger in his voice. “Turns out he had been cheating on me for months and was just accusing me of cheating so I would break up with him.” Y/N said with a heavy sigh as she stared down at her hands that were resting on her lap. “What a dick move.” Adley said in disgust. “It was a fucking cowardly move.” Y/N added with another sigh.

“You don’t need people like that in your life.” Adley told her. “They didn’t deserve to have you in their life. Especially that douchebag.” Adley added which made her look up at him. “Really?” Y/N asked him. “Y/N, you are a beautiful and an amazing girl.” Adley started to tell her as they locked eyes. “The perfect guy is out there for you. He’s waiting for you and he’s going to make you forget all about that asshole.” Adley told her with a warm smile. “Thanks Adley, I’ll remember that.” Y/N said returning the smile.

Adley knew that he was talking about himself being the guy but he was wondering if Y/N knew that he was the one he was talking about.

———————————————

Ever since that night by the bomb fire Adley and Y/N have become so close that for the rest of her visit she always wanted to be around him and just talking to him. It made both of them sad when Y/N had to leave to go back to Alabama. Before Y/N got on her plane she promised that she’ll keep in touch with him.

Gunnar was driving his car with Adley in the passenger seat driving his car back to their house. “You have a feelings for Y/N, don’t you?” Gunnar asked him which took Adley by surprise. He didn’t know what to say so he just stayed quiet. “It’s okay if you do.” Gunnar told him with a reassuring smile which made Adley’s nerves relax. “Yeah, she’s just everything that I look for in a girl.” Adley told him. It felt so good for him to finally say this out loud to someone.

“I know my sister better than anyone so I know that she definitely feels the same way.” Gunnar told him giving him a quick glance. “But just because I’m your best friend doesn’t mean that I won’t kick your ass if you break her heart.” Gunnar added in a stern tone. Adley let out a small laugh. He knew that was coming. “You have my word cowboy.” Adley said looking at him. Gunnar couldn’t help but let out a laugh at Adley’s nickname he gave him.

[boxboxblog]

Driver Profiles: Lewis Hamilton

Updated December 2024

Name: Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton

Age: 39

Nationality: British

Years in F1: 17 (Mclaren 2007-2012, Mercedes 2013-2024, Ferrari 2025)

Number: 44

WDCs: 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

Driving Style: Seen as one of the best racers in motorsport history, Hamilton in incredibly well rounded and skilled in all aspects of F1. His race craft is a league above the rest, and his natural skill with the car means he drives precise and intelligent races. He is also known for pushing it to the limit, regularly taking chances most other drivers would not in order to win. Due to his experience in the car (the 2nd most after Fernando Alonso right now) he is also a driver who is incredibly adaptable, as tracks, cars, and rules change so much over the years. When put in a fast car, he completely dominates races. The only negative I have about Hamilton's driving styles is that he tends to allow frustration to overtake him when he shows poor results, most likely due to being used to winning. This leads him to often get stuck in the midfield traffic when he qualifies poorly.

History:

Hamilton is one of the few drivers on the grid who did not come from an affluent background or racing family. In fact, in order to support his son's career, Hamilton's father sometimes worked up to 4 jobs at a time. He started his karting career at the age of 8, and quickly showed himself to be a natural talent. He would win several championships and race weekends in his early years, and became the youngest driver to win the British cadet karting championship at the age of 10.

(Hamilton when he was in karting)

Hamilton continued his progress in the Intercontinental A (1999), Formula A (2000) and Formula Super A (2001) ranks, and became European Champion in 2000 with maximum points. In Formula A and Formula Super A, his teammate was childhood friend Nico Rosberg, who would later become his teammate at Mercedes and his biggest rival. Following his karting successes, the British Racing Drivers' Club made him a "Rising Star" Member in 2000.

(Hamilton, left, and Rosberg, right, during their team days in karting)

Hamilton began his racing career in cars at the 2001 British Formula Renault Winter Series, finishing fifth in the standings. This led to a full 2002 Formula Renault UK run where he finished fifth overall. The next year he would go on to win that championship. He made his Formula 3 Euro Series debut in 2004, and finished in 4th. It was this time that Hamilton tested his first F1 car for Mclaren.

In 2006, Hamilton moved to the GP2 (F2) sister team of his F3 team, and won the championship in his rookie season. His extreme success in this series is what grabbed Mclaren's attention totally, and he was signed for the open Mclaren seat for 2007 before the year was over.

(Hamilton on podium in GP2/F2)

Hamilton's debut season in F1 would prove to be a record breaking one for the Brit, claiming records like most consecutive podium finishes from debut, the joint most wins in a debut season, and the most points in a debut season. He became the youngest driver to lead the championship at just 22 years old, but lost his lead after a few Mclaren strategy missteps. He finished in 2nd place behind Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen, and had one of the strongest rookie seasons ever seen in F1.

(Hamilton in his 2007 Mclaren)

In 2008 he would win his first world title with Mclaren, with an incredibly tight fight that held to the last race. He became the youngest WDC at this point (until Sebastian Vettel in 2010) and the first British WDC since Damon Hill.

(Hamilton after winning his first WDC)

During his last 4 years with Mclaren, Hamilton would regularly show strong performances and finish on podiums. But during this time major technical changes in 2009 led to Mclaren struggling more than their competitors, and dropping down in the rankings. He got 5th in 2009, 2nd in 2010, and 5th in 2011. He left Mclaren for Mercedes that year after Michael Schumacher retired, a surprise move for many as Mercedes had not been a championship winning team. This was where he would win a majority of his titles and have one of the most infamous rivalries in F1 history.

Reuniting with his karting teammate and best friend, Nico Rosberg, Hamilton and Mercedes would go on to have a pretty average year. Hamilton only achieved one win that year, and finished 5th in the 2013 standings. This was the year that friction started to erupt between the two Mercedes drivers as it became clear that Mercedes had 2 future WDC's on their team.

(Rosberg and Hamilton before their rivalry went sour)

2014 saw a much more successful time for Hamilton, as Mercedes excelled with the new Turbo-Hybrid engines. This allowed Hamilton to regain his 2008 form, and Mercedes had a dominant season, winning 16 of the 19 races. Hamilton's closest rival during this time was his teammate, Rosberg. This would prove to be true for the next few years for Hamilton. At the end of 2014, Hamilton clinched his 2nd world title.

(Hamilton after winning his 1st WDC)

He showed even further domination in the 2015 season, winning 10 of the races himself, and securing his 3rd title before the last race of the season. This was his first back-to-back championship, and the one where he matched his racing hero, Ayrton Senna, for wins. This was also the year where Hamilton extended his contract with Mercedes, adding on another 3 years.

2016 proved to be a more difficult year for Hamilton, and the cumulation of his rivalry with his teammate. While Mercedes dominated season, the fight between Rosberg and Hamilton was fierce. Ultimately, Hamilton would place 2nd in the standings that year, having taken the fight to the last race, but not been able to hold his teammate off. That year, Nico Rosberg (the newest WDC) announced his retirement from F1. Hamilton would go on to have Valtteri Bottas as his teammate for the rest of his championship wins, a driver he didn't find as much of a struggle with.

(Hamilton and Rosberg after colliding during their 2016 title fight)

2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 were almost complete dominance from Hamilton. His closes rivals for the championship were his teammate, who was not particularly a threat, and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen. But he almost always won his title before the last race. These were the years that Hamilton solidified himself as one of the greats in motorsports.

(Hamilton after winning his 7th title)

2021 saw the first real title fight for Hamilton since Nico Rosberg. Max Verstappen, a Red Bull driver, proved to be a difficult competitor. The two drivers had almost parallel season. While they both won many races, they also had times of poor performances and DNF's. This led the final race in Abu Dhabi to be the most tense in years, as both drivers had exactly the same amount of points. What followed was one of the most controversial races in recent history. Hamilton led the race towards the end after an overtake on Verstappen that was a bit legally shaky, but still allowed. A late safety car after a crash threw the whole race in turmoil. Red Bull pit Verstappen for fresh tires under the safety car, but Mercedes did not. On top of that, during the safety car after Verstappen came out of the pit the 5 lapped cars in between them were told they could unlap themselves (go by Hamilton freely) a controversial if illegal ruling by the race director. Furthermore, instead of finishing the race under the safety car (which would have won the race and title for Hamilton) the racing director allowed the race to restart for one more lap. Verstappen with his fresh tires easily overtook Hamilton, who was on old hards. Verstappen won the race and the title that year. Many Hamilton fans were understandably upset by the result, and some still claim the win for Hamilton, calling him an 8x WDC.

The 2022 and 2023 season would prove to be difficult ones for Mercedes and Hamilton. The 2022 season was the first year in Hamilton's F1 career that he failed to take a win or pole. The car was the biggest problem, and Hamilton deemed in 'undriveable'. They would encounter similar issues in 2023, and even early 2024.

2024 was a mixed bag year for Hamilton. He had some truly terrible races where he did not even finish in the points, but he also had stellar races and wins (Silverstone, for example). He finished 7th in the championship that year.

Perhaps the biggest news for Hamilton was his surprise move to Ferrari for the 2025 season. After being with Mercedes for over 10 years, most assumed he would retire with them. This jump caused chaos during silly season, as he unseated Carlos Sainz and opened up a coveted Mercedes seat.

(Hamilton on podium after 2024 Silverstone win)

Major Races:

2007 Canadian GP - Hamilton's first ever F1 win in his rookie season. A commanding win as he controlled the entire race from the lead, he basically announced his presence as a future star here.

2008 Brazilian GP - This was the GP where Hamilton won his first world title. It happened in a rather dramatic fashion, as he overtook in the last lap to get 5th place, in the process earning the correct amount of points to get the title.

2012 US GP - This race was Hamilton's final victory with Mclaren before his move to Mercedes in 2013. He battled with Vettel (the reigning champ) for the win and was massive symbolism for the new chapter in his career.

2014 Bahrain GP - This race was known colloquially as the "Duel in the Desert" between Hamilton and Rosberg. The entire race was a fierce battle between the two drivers, with Hamilton only just holding off his teammate for the win. This type of battling would define the rest of their race relationship at Mercedes.

2018 German GP - This race saw Hamilton start in P14 after quali mechanical issues, and gave him the opportunity to display his dominant skill. He picked his way through the field, and eventually won the race. It is incredibly rare to see such feats in F1.

2020 Turkish GP - This is where Hamilton secured is 7th world title, equalling Michael Schumacher's record. A tense rain race, he used patience and his intense race craft to move from P6 to the top step on the podium.

2021 British GP - This race had the most controversial incident of 2021, after Hamilton collided with Verstappen and caused him to DNF the race. Hamilton went on to win, and reignited the title fight that year.

2024 British GP - Hamilton's first win in a long time with Mercedes (after they experienced car troubles since 2022) he drove a masterful race in a car that still wasn't quite there. Lauded as his great 'comeback' Hamilton showed he still had the skill, even if he didn't have the car, to take the top step.

Cheers,

-B

[ohmymets]

if you are emotionally invested in this mets team...

So grateful I got to hear this live last night, from Howie Rose (listen here):

"If you are emotionally invested in this Mets team, and you're sad right now, It's certainly understandable. But I promise you that won't take long to wear off if it ends here, because once the immediate disappointment if they don't pull off some kind of magical comeback here wears off, you'll realize what an incredible ride this team took you for this year.

"Started out 0-5, showed some signs of life, before they fell to 11 games under the .500 mark and a lot of people had them written off right there. And so, when you're lying around during the offseason, anticipating the next one, and you think about what the 2024 Mets were all about, you won't be able to keep yourself from smiling. Remember the talk over the winter? Transitional year, they're punting on the season, well they've kicked all the way to the 6th game of the National League championship series.

"And I'll say this, on a personal level, I was 15 years old when they won the 1969 world series. That's 55 years ago, so you can do the math yourself. But I'll just say this about the 2024 New York Mets. They have made this 70 year old feel 15 all over again."

when Jeff McNeil got an RBI in the 9th:

"It's poetic, isn't it? Somehow, that the Mets, even if they don't pull the Houdini act of all time off, they're just not going quietly."

[juergenklopp]

PLAY THE SONG! 🔂 Calum Scott – Dancing On My Own (Tiësto Remix)

The PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES celebrate moving on to the 2023 National League Championship Series (October 12, 2023)

[whirlpool-blogs]

The NHL can thank women’s hockey for molding its top prospect into Barry Sanders on skates

June 19, 2019

His former coach calls it a “force field.” When Jack Hughes skates with the puck, the potential top pick in this week’s NHL draft has a way of darting in and out, feinting side to side to keep defenders just out of stick’s reach, as if they’re blocked by some imaginary bubble.

“If fans remember Barry Sanders,” says John Wroblewski, coach of the U.S. National Team Development Program, “he could move laterally, and then he’s at full speed again. Or in basketball, the way Michael Jordan could get guys to stop on a dime. The quickness and slashing and deception — Jack is truly turning on the ice as well as anyone I’ve ever seen.”

This ability to shift and shoot at full speed is part of what has made the hockey world anticipate Hughes’s draft-night moment for years. The 5-foot-10, 18-year-old forward seems destined to be a cornerstone for the New Jersey Devils or New York Rangers, depending on whether he goes first or second when the draft begins Friday, but either way he will be front and center in a major media market. Hughes is hockey’s Zion Williamson, with confidence to match.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt overwhelmed on an ice rink,” he says.

So then the question for Hughes is: Who taught you to skate?

His answer is as quick as his wrist shot: “It was my mom.”

Hughes has a first-round draft pick in older brother Quinn (now with Vancouver), a potential NHLer in little brother Luke and a title-winning coach in father Jim, so his story is truly a family affair. But his mom’s influence is central to the tale.

Ellen Hughes played with the U.S. women’s national hockey team in the early 1990s, and she played soccer against some of the members of the 1999 World Cup champions. (She once roomed with Brandi Chastain at a youth camp.) Jack’s success is as much of a tribute to his mother as to anyone in the men’s game. He is hardly the first hockey star to be influenced by a decorated mom — Alex Ovechkin’s mother, for example, is a two-time gold medalist in basketball — but Hughes is a men’s player who has benefited from the Title IX generation. In that sense, he is part of an emerging chapter in American sports.

Jack was born in Orlando in May 2001, and 10 days later Ellen was on a plane to Oklahoma to work as a reporter for ESPN at the Women’s College World Series. Broadcasting was the capstone to a fabled athletic career that earned her a spot in the University of New Hampshire Hall of Fame and took her to the sidelines to report on the U.S. team during its 1999 Women’s World Cup run to the Rose Bowl. She was pregnant with Quinn at the time.

Jim Hughes won an International Hockey League championship as an assistant with the Orlando Solar Bears — 12 days after Jack was born — and the family relocated as Jim got coaching gigs in Boston and then Ontario when he was hired by the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies. Ellen scaled back on broadcasting with three little boys in the house. She loved parenting but never stopped loving sports. That led to Mommy and Me skating days in Massachusetts. Childhood photos and videos show Quinn, Jack and Luke in NHL jerseys and dressing rooms, but the boys also followed the women’s game.

“My kids have grown up watching that,” Ellen says. “They’ve watched the women as much as the men.”

There was never a grand plan to create a family of hockey stars. Jim and Ellen were hopeful of landing college scholarships and nothing more. They kept the game fun and light, encouraging hard work but not drudgery. Ellen was once pulled aside by Quinn’s grade school teacher, who told her that her oldest boy was often looking out the window at his mom skating with little Jack at lunchtime.

But genetics and the perfect hockey environment — including a childhood in ice rink-heavy Ontario — conspired to make Jack both heady and speedy.

“Quinn was a worker, very competitive,” Jim says. “Jack was . . . well, you could see there was something else going on.”

Jim remembers when Jack was put out onto the rink with some older kids, at defense, and he promptly took the puck and wove in and out of larger players as if they were orange cones. It was an early glimpse of the force field. Jack was 5 years old.

As the boys grew into their teens, Ellen became an uber-planner for games and practices. But she was far more than a driver of minivans and provider of Gatorade, especially when Jim was on the road. She was a hockey resource.

“They could ask, ‘What do you think of this?’ ” Ellen says. “They would want my opinion. Or, ‘Come watch the game with me.’ Or they’d throw me in net. That to them is normal; they don’t know differently.”

Ellen insists that Jim had the primary role in the boys’ development, but Jim insists Ellen’s hockey knowledge “meant everything.”

“She would tell the boys the truth,” he says. “She could talk to the kids. She knew what to say and what not to say. She could connect.”

This may be avant-garde in a historical sense but not to the Hughes boys. Quinn had a girl on his team as a youth player. NBD, as the kids say. “Women’s hockey is pretty cool, too,” Jack says. “Hockey is hockey.”

The family eventually moved to Michigan (where Quinn went to college), and Hughes obliterated the points record for the national team’s development program. Last month he had three assists in seven games with Team USA at the world championships even though he only turned 18 in late May and was facing NHL-caliber opponents.

“That’s kind of uncharted water,” Wroblewski says. “That’s a man’s tournament.”

Hughes’s precision is to the point where he has been known to attempt to shoot the puck off the goalie’s mask and into the net. He says to expect some of the unexpected at the next level.

“You could see a lot of things,” he laughs.

That includes something very rare: a first overall NHL pick born in the United States. Hughes would be only the eighth player to earn that honor. And he is not shy about admitting it’s “really important to him” to go No. 1 to the Devils (even though he’s also happy to land with the Rangers at No. 2).

Story continues below advertisement

“You dream of going first overall,” he says. “You don’t dream of going later than that.”

No members of the Hughes family assign any special status to what they have done. “We’re just another American hockey family,” Jim insists. “That’s all we are. There have been pioneers before us. We are just another American hockey family.”

Yes and no. Having two children as star athletes could happen more often in the United States.

“Fathers are still more likely to socialize boys into sport than mothers,” says Cheryl Cooky, an associate professor of gender studies at Purdue. “But that’s shifting.”

“Shifting” is an apt word to describe Hughes and what he will bring to the NHL.

“He has really cut a path for himself,” Wroblewski says. “There’s an entire generation trying to grow up and play like Jack Hughes. He’s that unique.”

[baseballbybsmile]

Today In 1952: Willie Mays is sworn in to the U.S. Army! "The Say Hey Kid" would miss the rest of the '52-'53 seasons, but he returned in '54 to win the National League MVP while leading the New York Giants to a World Series championship!

[guentzel]

BASEBALL PRIMER: Playoffs

Here is the tag where you can find all the posts.

The MLB playoffs are an elimination style tournament. There are several series within the MLB Playoffs: the division, championship, and world series.

The divisional series are the American League Divisional Series (ALDS) and National League Divisional Series (NLDS) respectively. Winners of the divisional series then move on to the championship series.

Then, there is the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and National League Championship Series (NLCS), in which the winner of each series will face the other in the World Series. This is the first time in this tournament an NL team will see an AL team, and vice versa.

WHO QUALIFIES?

Five teams from each league qualify (making it ten total). Six are the winners of each division--NL West, NL Central, NL East, AL West, AL Central, and AL East--and automatically qualify for the playoffs. The four remaining ones are known as the 'wild card', and these are the teams in each league that had the best record but did not win the division.

WILD CARD

The wild card round makes up the first round of the playoffs. This is a single elimination game, so you only have one chance to make it into the playoffs. One winner will be from the AL, one will be from the NL.

DIVISIONAL PLAY

At this point, eight teams remain, four from each league. This series is either known as the ALDS or the NLDS. Whoever won the wild card game then goes on to play the team with the best regular season record in their league. The other two remaining teams in the league play each other. At this point, the games are best of five--first team to three wins in a series moves on to the NLCS or ALCS respectively.

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

This series works just like the others, but at this point, there are only four teams remaining, two from each league. This time, these play off in a seven game series, and first one to four wins.

WORLD SERIES

The winner of the ALCS and the NLCS face off against each other in a seven series game, first to four wins it all and will be crowned World Series Champions.

Back at the very beginning, what the team won wasn't a trophy, but a pennant that they then could fly over their stadium. Times have changed and they win a trophy now, but it's still called the pennant race.