Yahoo Sports AM: Clash of the titans
The 2023 WNBA season was all about the superteams in Las Vegas and New York. Now, they’ll meet for the championship.
🎉 Yahoo, it’s Friday! MLB playoffs, WNBA Finals, Texas-Oklahoma and Cowboys-49ers headline a jam-packed sports weekend. Enjoy responsibly.
— Kendall Baker (email), Jeff Tracy (email)
Let's sports...
HEADLINES
🏀 Embiid chooses USA: Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon and has dual citizenship in France and the U.S., has committed to Team USA for the 2024 Olympics.
⛳️ TGL on ESPN: Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's new tech-infused golf league, TGL, will air exclusively on ESPN when the season begins in January.
🏈 Fitz sues NW: Former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald has filed a $130 million wrongful termination lawsuit against the school.
⚽️ USMNT recalls Reyna: Gregg Berhalter has named Gio Reyna to the 23-man roster for October friendlies, setting the stage for a complicated reunion between the two.
CLASH OF THE TITANS: THE SERIES THAT WAS PROMISED
The dominant narrative this WNBA season was the superteams in Las Vegas and New York, who were seemingly on a crash course to meet in the Finals. As fate would have it, that's exactly what happened, Jeff writes.
The matchup: The WNBA Finals tip off on Sunday, with the Aces and Liberty facing off in a best-of-five series. New York won the season series, 3-2, including a victory in the Commissioner's Cup championship. But it's the top-seeded Aces who are the betting favorites (-210, per BetMGM).
Aces: The defending champs went 34-6 behind the league's best offense and defense and reached at least the semifinals for a fifth consecutive season. They're now three wins away from becoming the first team since the 2002 Sparks to win back-to-back titles.
Liberty: After adding three superstars in free agency, they went 32-8 behind the league's second-best offense and third-best defense. Now, they're in the Finals for the first time since 2002 and have a clear goal: win the franchise's first title (0-for-4 so far).
Nine players to watch: Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson headline two rosters that featured a combined three MVPs and five No. 1 picks (*). And that doesn't even include Aces forward Candace Parker, who is unfortunately still recovering from July foot surgery.
Stewart* (Liberty): This year's MVP set career highs in points and assists, and is now one of just eight women to win multiple MVPs.
Wilson* (Aces): Another multi-time MVP, Wilson put up career highs in points, rebounds, blocks and FG% this season, and already has three 30-point games these playoffs.
Jonquel Jones (Liberty): The 2021 MVP has been a juggernaut in the playoffs, shooting 53% with a double-double in all six games.
Chelsea Gray (Aces): Last year's Finals MVP got even better this year, averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists and blocks.
Sabrina Ionescu* (Liberty): The do-it-all guard is the league's best shooter, setting the single-season record with 128 made threes this year at a blistering 45% clip.
Kelsey Plum* (Aces): Last year's All-Star Game MVP is averaging 16 points in the playoffs, where she's knocking down more than three triples a game.
Courtney Vandersloot (Liberty): Arguably the greatest distributor in league history, her 8.1 assists per game this year ranked sixth all-time — behind five other seasons of hers.
Jackie Young* (Aces): The fifth-year guard just keeps getting better, upping her scoring average for the fourth straight year and putting up a 15-6-5 so far in the playoffs.
Betnijah Laney (Liberty): The eight-year vet was less heralded in the regular season but has been their playoff X-factor, averaging 17-5-3 while shooting 44% from deep.
Fun fact: Becky Hammon (Aces) and Sandy Brondello (Liberty) are the first former WNBA players to meet in the finals as head coaches.
THE PURSUIT OF A THREE-PEAT
No. 1 Georgia faces its first ranked opponent of the season on Saturday when No. 20 Kentucky comes to town — the Bulldogs' biggest test so far as they seek a historic three-peat, Jeff writes.
Only one team has done it: Minnesota is the only team to officially win three straight national championships. The Golden Gophers were recognized as champions in 1934 and 1935 by early selection agencies like the NCF before emerging as the inaugural AP champion in 1936.
Many have failed: Since then, 13 teams have fallen one title short of a three-peat, including two this century during the BCS era.
2013 Alabama: Finished No. 7 with an 11-2 record.
2005 USC: Finished No. 2 with a 12-1 record (lost BCS Championship).
1996 Nebraska: Finished No. 6 with an 11-2 record.
1980 Alabama: Finished No. 6 with a 10-2 record.
1976 Oklahoma: Finished No. 5 with a 9-2-1 record.
1972 Nebraska: Finished No. 4 with a 9-2-1 record.
1971 Texas: Finished No. 18 with an 8-3 record.
1967 Michigan State: Finished unranked with a 3-7 record.
1966 Alabama: Finished No. 3 with an 11-0* record.
1957 Oklahoma: Finished No. 4 with a 10-1 record.
1948 Notre Dame: Finished No. 2 with a 9-0-1 record
1946 Army: Finished No. 2 with a 9-0-1 record.
1942 Minnesota: Finished No. 19 with a 5-4 record.
A tall task: If Kentucky wants to pull off the upset, they'll have to do what no team has done in the CFP era: beat the top-ranked team in their house. The last time a No. 1 team went down at home was in 2012 — when it happened in back-to-back weeks (Johnny Manziel's Texas A&M beat Alabama, then Stanford beat Oregon).
*The Tide's undefeated finish in 1966 wasn't enough to pass undefeated Michigan State and Notre Dame, who were named co-champions after winning every game except their controversial 10-10 tie against each other.
DA BEARS FINALLY WIN A GAME
The Bears snapped a 14-game losing streak on Thursday with a 40-20 road victory over the Commanders.
Star of the night: DJ Moore had a monster game, catching eight passes for 230 yards and three scores.
Crazy stat: Washington dropped back to pass 55 straight times without a designed run, from the second quarter through the end of the game.
By the numbers: The only longer losing streaks of the Super Bowl era (since 1967):
26 games: Buccaneers (1976-77)
20 games: Jaguars (2020-21)
19 games: Lions (2007-09)
17 games: Oilers (1982-83), Browns (2015-16, 2016-17)
16 games: Steelers (1969-70), Dolphins (2006-07), Raiders (2013-14)
RIP, Dick… On the day franchise legend Dick Butkus died, the Bears gave an effort befitting of his legacy.
DAILY RANKING: HIGHEST-PAID CFB COACHES
The SEC leads all conferences with seven teams in the AP top 25, so it's not surprising that they also have seven of the 10 highest-paid coaches, per USA Today, Jeff writes.
The top 10: Four of the top 10 face off this weekend when Texas A&M hosts Alabama and Georgia hosts Kentucky.
Nick Saban, Alabama: $11.4M
Dabo Swinney, Clemson: $10.9M
Kirby Smart, Georgia: $10.7M
Ryan Day, Ohio State: $10.3M
Mel Tucker*, Michigan State: $10M
Brian Kelly, LSU: $10M
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M: $9.2M
Mark Stoops, Kentucky: $9M
Josh Heupel, Tennessee: $9M
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss: $9M
*Michigan State fired Tucker amid sexual harassment allegations last month, just two years after signing him to a 10-year, $95 million extension. The school fired Tucker for cause, which could void the remaining $79 million on his contract.
OCT. 6, 1993: MJ'S FIRST RETIREMENT
30 years ago today, Michael Jordan shocked the basketball world when he announced his retirement at age 30, Jeff writes.
Nothing left to conquer: MJ had won seven straight scoring titles and led the Bulls to three straight championships. But he was exhausted from the intense scrutiny of being Michael Jordan, and his father's murder earlier in the year put him over the edge.
"When I lose the sense of motivation … to prove something as a basketball player, it's time for me to move away," he said during his press conference.
But Jordan left the door open for a return, saying, "I don't believe in never." And that's exactly what he did, coming back to lead the Bulls to another three-peat from 1996-98.
🏟️ 1959: 92,706 fans packed into the Los Angeles Coliseum for Game 5 of the World Series between the Dodgers and White Sox, the largest attendance in World Series history.
⚾️ 2010: The late Roy Halladay no-hit the Reds* in his playoff debut, one of just three postseason no-hitters ever recorded.
*What a week! Halladay's no-no is the fifth-best postseason pitching performance ever by game score (94). Just one day later, Tim Lincecum one-upped him with the fourth-best (96) — a 14-strikeout, two-hit shutout.
WEEKEND WATCHLIST: EIGHT TEAMS LEFT
All four Division Series begin tomorrow in Baltimore, Houston, Atlanta and Los Angeles, Jeff writes.
(5) Rangers at (1) Orioles* (1:03pm ET, Fox): Camden Yards should be electric for the Orioles' first ALDS since 2014. … Game 2 is on Sunday (4pm, Fox)
(3) Twins at (2) Astros (4:45pm, Fox): Houston is in its seventh straight ALDS, while Minnesota hasn't been here since getting swept in 2019. … Game 2 is on Sunday (8pm, Fox)
(4) Phillies at (1) Braves (6:07pm, TBS): Philly topped Atlanta in last year's NLDS, and now the Braves are back for the sixth straight time. … Game 2 is on Monday.
(6) Diamondbacks at (2) Dodgers (9:20pm, TBS): L.A. is playing in its 11th straight NLDS, while Arizona hasn't been here since getting swept in 2017. … Game 2 is on Monday.
More to watch:
🏀 WNBA Finals: Liberty at Aces (Sun. 3pm, ABC) … Game 1.
🏈 NFL Sunday: Jaguars (+5.5) vs. Bills in London (9:30am, NFL); Ravens (-4.5) at Steelers (1pm, CBS); Cowboys (+3.5) at 49ers (8:20pm, NBC) … Full slate.
🏈 CFB Saturday: No. 23 LSU (-4.5) at No. 21 Missouri (12pm, ESPN); No. 12 Oklahoma (+5.5) at No. 3 Texas (12pm, ABC); No. 20 Kentucky (+14.5) at No. 1 Georgia (7pm, ESPN); No. 10 Notre Dame (-6.5) at No. 25 Louisville (7:30pm, ABC) … Full slate.
⚽️ MLS: 14 games (Sat. 7:30-10:30pm, Apple TV) … Seven are free to watch. Regular season ends Oct. 21.
⚽️ NWSL: OL Reign vs. Washington Spirit (Fri. 8pm, CBS); Houston Dash vs. Angel City (Sun. 7pm, CBSSN) … Penultimate weekend of the regular season.
⚽️ Premier League: Brighton vs. Liverpool (Sun. 9am, Peacock); Arsenal vs. Man City (Sun. 11:30am, Peacock) … Both top-six matchups.
🏁 F1: Qatar Grand Prix (Sun. 1pm, ESPN)
🏁 NASCAR Playoffs: Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (Sun. 2pm, NBC)
🎾 Tennis: China Open (Fri-Sat, Tennis) … Finals on Saturday.
🏒 NHL preseason: 13 games (Fri-Sat) … Regular season begins Tuesday.
🏀 NBA preseason: Eight games (Sat-Sun) … Lakers at Warriors (Sat. 8:30pm, NBA); 76ers at Celtics (Sun. 6pm, ESPN)
⛳️ Korn Ferry: Tour Championship (Fri-Sun, Golf)
🏉 Rugby World Cup: Seven matches (Fri-Sun, Peacock) … Quarterfinals will be set by Sunday.
*Consistently underestimated: FanGraphs projected the Orioles to finish in fourth place with a sub-.500 record. Now they're giving them the lowest odds to win the World Series.
NFL TRIVIA
Three NFL teams have failed to score 20 points in a game this season.
Question: Which of the following teams is NOT one of them?
Patriots
Raiders
Bengals
Saints
Answer at the bottom.
WORTH A READ: HOW THE BRAVES WERE BUILT
The Braves have been the best team in baseball in 2023 — and may just be getting started. Thanks to a core of players signed to early-career, long-term deals, Atlanta is singularly positioned to dominate MLB for years to come.
From Yahoo Sports' Hannah Keyser:
Atlanta's top eight position players by fWAR — Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Sean Murphy, Michael Harris II, Ozzie Albies, Orlando Arcia and Marcell Ozuna — are signed through at least 2025, and only Ozuna is over 30 years old. The top six are signed through at least 2027. Strider, the team's best pitcher and a Cy Young contender, is 24 years old and signed through 2029.
The answer to why the Braves seem so formidable is that they have lots of really talented players locked up for years to come. How they did that, however, is the real question. Is there a differentiating circumstance or strategy? Is it simply intent and good fortune? Has it become a self-perpetuating process, wherein the presence of so many long-term commitments makes Atlanta an especially attractive destination?
___
Trivia answer: Bengals
Thanks for reading today's edition! Email me with questions or comments. Subscribe for free here.
