The False Hope of Opening Day Feels Very Real

data-mm-id=”_n2ys9jnuu”>They are stacking the dead in a refrigerated truck outside a Queens hospital where 13 people lost their lives yesterday to the coronavirus. The worst is yet to come. This is a nightmare with an indeterminate end. And New York City, as the canary in the coal mine, is just the beginning. The fight there will become the fight in hamlets and villages from sea to sea. We are a nation caught looking and the course to normalcy is a marathon, not a sprint.To think that they'll play baseball games a few miles away in Flushing in a few weeks is absurd. It does not compute. The idea of our national pastime as the Great Distractor is a shiny object of no substance. A nice, rosy thought to steal before sighing and facing each day that bleeds into the next.Rob Manfred, a…

Sports Illustrated Staffers Say They Are Out

data-mm-id=”_gmjc47t8n”>TheMaven, which operates Sports Illustrated's editorial on a license via the brand's parent company Authentic Brands Group, announced a round of layoffs today in the wake of anticipating losing about $30 million in expected revenue on account of the advertising market drying up to coronavirus. This includes SI, where Ben Strauss of the Washington Post reports that "at least" six editorial staffers and one business-side employee have been laid off. So far, these are the staffers who have announced they are exiting:After almost 20 years, today is my last at Sports Illustrated. Hell of a ride. I got to work alongside childhood idols, collaborate with some of the best editors in the business, and live out a dream. Best job in the world, I always …

The Nickelodeon Broadcast Could Change Everything

data-mm-id=”_aigb3ah2p”>It took fewer than a handful of minutes for viewers to realize that Nickelodeon's broadcast of the Bears-Saints game was a fantastic idea on paper that may have only been improved in practice. One of those things where we all wonder why it didn't happen sooner. A plainly obvious meatball that hadn't yet been blasted for a home run. There are already discussions underway about the possibility of doing something similar for the Super Bowl, and if that's not possible, making the kid-friendly presentation a regularity going forward. In what's proven not to be an isolated anecdotal experience, my two children each showed more interest in football than they ever have. They loved the graphics, the slime, the overall youthful vibe. The younger o…

Could Chris Paul Make the Phoenix Suns Title Contenders?

data-mm-id=”_o5ktxsvhp”>UPDATE: The Suns traded for Chris Paul. The Phoenix Suns are finalizing a deal to acquire Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star guard Chris Paul, sources tell ESPN.— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 16, 2020The Phoenix Suns have gone a full decade since making the NBA Playoffs. That was the Steve Nash era, so it's been a minute. Devin Booker was in junior high. DeAndre Ayton was in elementary school. Now the Suns are considering a trade for Chris Paul, who was still in New Orleans the last time the Suns made the playoffs. Can those three come together and make the Suns good again?The quick answer is yes. The Suns had their most wins since 2015 before the pandemic shut down the season. When they showed up in Orlando, only so that the NBA could justify shoeh…

Jay Williams Feeding Lakers Propaganda Machine After Win Over 36-40 Bulls

data-mm-id=”_pdewwxmyh”>The Los Angeles Lakers had their best game in months last night, winning 121-110 over the Chicago Bulls. This is obviously good news for the Lakers as the playoffs rapidly approach and they continue to jostle for a spot in the play-in tournament in the Western Conference. On the other hand, the fact that we all consider an 11-point win over a sub-.500 team Los Angeles' best win in a long time is probably not a good sign and reflective of how good this team really is– that is to say, not very good at all. But that doesn't matter! Whenever this team shows even the slightest glimmer of competency there will be many media members who see that as a green light to declare Lakers Back!? On Thursday morning, it was Jay Williams' turn as he dared the audi…