Steven Louis Goldstein

With all that happened today, there's no WAY the committee could screw North Texas and James Madison again THIS wee--[committee screws North Texas and James Madison again this week]

Parable symmetry in today's West standings

Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto's "odd couple" friendship is powering the Dodgers closer to a World Series return.

http://dlvr.it/TNhGw5

NEWS: Russell Westbrook has agreed to sign a minimum deal with the Sacramento Kings, a source confirmed to The Athletic.

The 9x All-Star was an unrestricted free agent before the signing, having last played with the Denver Nuggets.

Read more: www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...

WNBA Finals: Phoenix Mercury or Las Vegas Aces? Matchups and predictions Our experts, Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman, break down the series and make predictions.

The 2025 WNBA Finals feature a desert duel that few would have predicted at the start of the season.

◻️ How do the Aces and Mercury match up?
◻️ Las Vegas’ X-factor? Veteran leadership.
◻️ Phoenix’s X-factor? Deep bench.

Let’s preview the series:

Follow @sabreenajm.bsky.social and @benpickman.bsky.social for this series. These playoffs have been a bunch of bangers, and I'm quite hyped about the Finals draw

WNBA Finals streaming primer: Schedule, lineups, odds, A’ja Wilson vs. Alyssa Thomas Here's a brief overview of what to know and what to expect from the WNBA Finals, plus championship and MVP odds.

WNBA Finals primer, featuring:

- A'ja Wilson as a silk and swagger pogo stick
- Jackie Young juking across history
- Alyssa Thomas diming with torn shoulders
- The gym inside the casino inside the resort
- "Mighty Mercury" for song of the year

49ers at Rams on TNF: Kyle Shanahan vs. Sean McVay, rivalry history and TV predictions Here are a few things to anticipate ahead of Thursday's Niners-Rams showcase in prime time.

TNF predictions:

- Los Angeles will look better in actual football
- San Francisco will look better in uniforms and mascot
- A golden retriever will give its review of the Pacific Ocean
- Mack 10 will be played. It's Inglewood, after all

After the Aces’ series win over the Fever on Tuesday, A’ja Wilson responded to Napheesa Collier’s statement calling out WNBA league leadership and commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

JACKPOT 🎰

Las Vegas is heading to the semifinals in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs.

The 2025 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year is… A TIE 👀

Both A’ja Wilson and Alanna Smith received 29 votes.

This is the first time two players have won the award together.

The Rap-Up: Week of September 15, 2025 | Passion of the Weiss Destin Laurel looks back. BLUEHILLBILL finds a coaster for his cognac. ICB falls asleep at the listening party. And Wallie hosts a float-a-thon!

ATL's Destin Laurel reflects on the past

BLUEHILLBILL alliterates like a gold-fronted Nabokov

ICECOLDBISHOP molds space w/ rubber flows

Wallie the Sensei launches a float-a-thon w/ Ty Dolla Sign & Blxst

An impeccable Rap Up by @slgonsports.bsky.social www.passionweiss.com/2025/09/16/t...

Where is the smoking gun in this Kawhi investigation?

@pablo.show reveals what the Clippers can’t run from 👀

Week 1 NFL Power Rankings: Eagles on top, but Packers eke closer with Micah Parsons The defending Super Bowl champs remain atop our Power Rankings, but the Packers are on the rise following their blockbuster trade.

Our Week 1 power rankings are here.

Tap in:

Streameast — the world’s largest illegal sports streaming platform — has been shut down, according to a leading U.S-based anti-piracy organization.

The unauthorized domains generated 1.6B visits over the past year, providing free access to global sports fixtures.

Read more: http://dlvr.it/TMrtSf

The Rap-Up: Week of September 1, 2025 | Passion of the Weiss Nasaan carries Detroit legacy. Kairo Keyz has juice. PatvFoo packs it in for Peewee. Doley Bernays studies Ottoman achievement.

Nasaan, the son of D12's Proof carries on the blues, yellows & purple legacy

Wifigawd drops a drifting dispatch of zero net weight

Doley Bernays x Chris Crack invent the world's most dangerous light show

And much more at the Rap Up

By @slgonsports.bsky.social www.passionweiss.com/2025/09/02/t...

Glad to oblige, @pro-football-reference.com x @defector.com

Newsflash: It's 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙 to play QB in the NFL. It's even harder as a rookie.

And Jayden Daniels did it the best of any first-year signal caller this century, according to our expert.

http://dlvr.it/TMbLVw

Who is the most notable omission from our expert's list of 21st-century play-by-play announcers?

It’s your turn to weigh in ⤵️

http://dlvr.it/TMbfpv

The Rap-Up: Week of August 18, 2025 Evidence greys the past. StlShorty cranks up in white. And Fetty P. Franklin counts blue from Charlotte’s historic corridor.

Fetty P Franklin stakes a claim to having next from Charlotte

Lord Sko does NYC nostalgia right

G-Len flips 'Pac for a late summer LA anthem

StlShorty channels the spirit of Dem Franchise Boyz

Evidence x Blu remain masters

As is @slgonsports.bsky.social

www.passionweiss.com/2025/08/19/t...

The Rap-Up: Week of August 4, 2025 Domo Genesis evolves. $ilkmoney ascends. B For Better asks a question. And Enphamus channels Perry the Platypus.

Domo Genesis chronicles a world gone mad

$ilkmoney performs darkcloud hyperspeed therapy

B is for Better with a sidewalk jam

Babytron kicks lifestyle hustle raps over Teena Marie beats

Enphamus does a No Biggie sequel

@slgonsports.bsky.social w/ The Rap Up

www.passionweiss.com/2025/08/04/t...

Almost three decades after his (fictitious) Tour Championship triumph, Adam Sandler is back on the links in "Happy Gilmore 2."

It got us thinking about all the other sports movies that deserve a part II … or III or IV.

The sports movie sequels we want to see ⤵️

www.nytimes.com/athletic/651...

When the Baseball Hall of Fame balloting results were released, and Ichiro Suzuki wasn't a unanimous pick, a longtime Cleveland sportswriter was quick to clarify:

It wasn’t him this time.

🔗: http://dlvr.it/TM6pvt

The contemporary NBA Draft broadcast is so many things. It’s a coronation of new talent and a hinge point for each franchise.

It’s also basketball’s closest thing to a red carpet: http://dlvr.it/TLYf2S

The 2025 NBA Draft comes to us live from the borough of Brooklyn. Dallas improbably holds the No. 1 pick. Let the chaos rip.

How to watch the draft: http://dlvr.it/TLYHN6

The evolution of NBA Draft fashion and the most emblematic suits from each era From Olajuwon's Michael Jackson look to the bespoke threads of today's rookies, NBA Draft night is a bellwether of evolving league fashion.

From @theathletic.bsky.social: The NBA Draft is basketball’s closest thing to a red carpet.

We revisited past eras to see how the league’s most emblematic draft-night suits reflect its fashion evolution.

The evolution of NBA Draft fashion and the most emblematic suits from each era From Olajuwon's Michael Jackson look to the bespoke threads of today's rookies, NBA Draft night is a bellwether of evolving league fashion.

Olajuwon looking like the Off The Wall cover
LJ looking like The Fresh Prince of Charlotte
Samaki Walker's all-timer
Drew Gooden's aversion to buttons
Brandon Jennings matching with David Stern

Wrote about draft night suits for @theathletic.bsky.social !

The Rap-Up: Week of June 23, 2025 Boldy James is one of the game’s gods. Los Angeles stays scorching hot. Chris Crack lusts for Iggy Azalea.

A tribute to Boldy's absurd '25 run

The rise of Tommy Gunz from SoCal obscurity to rising star

Street anthems from Whittier, Blaccmass reworks Dre into Clipse & Chris Crack has a point to make about Iggy Azalea

A classic Rap Up by @slgonsports.bsky.social www.passionweiss.com/2025/06/23/t...

Pacers at Thunder Game 7 picks, odds, how to watch: OKC favored in NBA Finals finale We get an NBA Finals Game 7 for the first time since 2016 and just the fifth time in the 21st century. OKC opens as Sunday's home favorite.

21st century Finals G7s

'16: CLE > GS
Did the team to force G7 win? Yes
Home team win? No

'13: MIA > SAS
Did the team to force G7 win? Yes
Home team win? Yes

'10: LAL > BOS
Did the team to force G7 win? Yes
Home team win? Yes

'05: SAS > DET
Did the team to force G7 win? No
Home team win? Yes

New York Liberty favored to set single-season WNBA wins record despite loss to Fever The teams' odds shifted to suggest a new league benchmark is possible this year.

The New York Liberty’s regular-season win total moved up to 35.5 at BetMGM last week.

The most games won in a single season by a WNBA team is 34.

Can they do it?