SPORTSREALMS DELIGHT-PUCKS AND B-BALL

 The finalists are quickly emerging in both the NHL and NBA Playoffs.  What once looked like some promising matchups are turning into walkovers.  

Let's take a look at the NBA first.  Most pundits would have had the New York Knicks and Indianapolis Pacers matchup as pretty even.  That thought lasted a very short time.  When the Pacers won the first two games on the road, it put them squarely in the driver's seat.  As they return to New York on Thursday night, they have a 3-1 series lead.  The end could be fast approaching BUT, before we go crowning Indianapolis Eastern Division Champs, remember....a fourth victory is the hardest game to win in a seven-game series.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Knicks win Game 5.  Game Six would switch back to the Pacers home court, Gainbridge Fieldhouse.  That's where I think we see a champion crowned.  Tyrese Haliburton has been so dominating in this series for the Pacers.  The former Iowa State Cyclone is now showing all basketball fans; he's more than a follower of Caitlin Clark.  He has his own game and it's not too shabby! 

In the Western Division, the Oklahoma City Thunder have turned the Minnesota Timberwolves into a confused ballclub.  The depth of the Thunder and an ability to keep the Timberwolves Anthony Edwards under control has been their calling card.  As I post this, the Thunder are leading 65-32 at the half.  I will update as the game concludes. (UPDATE:  OKC WINS 124-94).  I think a 33-point lead at the half will be a safe ticket to the finals for Oklahoma City.  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is showing off his recent MVP honor.  He will be a deciding factor in the Finals against either one who makes it through on the other side of the bracket (New York or Indy).   

Can the Panthers repeat?  Aaaah, yes

The NHL East and West finals have very similar to the NBA's.  The Florida Panthers are leading the Carolina Panthers in the East series, 3-1.  Tonight (Wednesday) they trailed 2-0 entering the second period on Panther home ice.  BOOM! They exploded for three straight goals entering the third period with a 3-2 lead.  (UPDATE: Florida wins 5-3 and advances). Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is clearly the man for Florida.  He has been dominating in the net now for such a long time.  Many hockey analysts had crowned Winnipeg G Connor Hellebuyck as the top goalie in the World.  I strongly "disagree".  "Bob" has been strong in the regular season and the playoffs.  He could very well be the reason Florida wins the Stanley Cup again.  Several weeks ago, I mentioned Florida as my favorite to win the Cup.  That hasn't changed, but my dark horse, the Edmonton Oilers, might give them a run for money.  That's of course if they get by the Dallas Stars,  Game 5 is to be played Thursday night in Dallas.  The Oilers can score with anybody with the weapons they have in forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, two of the best forwards there are.  But is their defense for real.  After getting thumped 6-3 in the opener, Stuart Skinner has been a strong presence in net.  His play will decide the division champion as well as any run to the Cup Edmonton has.

Added Caveat....

"Tickets prices have drastically fallen since Monday's news of Caitlin Clark's quad injury.  For the four games (at minimum) will miss, the average purchase price was 71% more expensive prior to the news than Tuesday, as the average has dropped from $137 to $80 per ticket according to TickPick data provided to USA Today Sports"..   

The Indiana Fever lost their first game without Clark on Wednesday night, 83-77 to the Washington Mystics.     

The Caitlin Clark affect is already apparent on and off the court.  More to come.........

    

AN ANGEL NEEDS TO CHANGE HER WINGS

 Enough is enough.  This crap needs to stop and this Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese pettiness needs end.  It's gone on long enough certainly to the point that it needs addressing by WNBA League Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert.  Last year Reese did everything but beat up the league cash cow.  Reese fouled Clark hard any chance she got, threw her to the floor and encouraged her teammates to follow suit.  It certainly resembled bad sportsmanship to the fullest. And through it all Engelbert has done little.  It's like she's clueless the image of the league is at stake.

My take is fairly simple.  Clark is a generational player.  She is to the WNBA what Michael Jordan was to the NBA.  The star.  No one else.  Imagine players treating Jordan like Reese does Clark.  How long do you think that would have taken place?  And when you compare the significance of both Clark and Jordan it's easy to come to the conclusion no one else deserves to be on that mountain.  It'd be like Denis Rodman wanting his piece of the NBA pie.  Granted Rodman was a good rebounder, actually great and he played good defense, but he was not an NBA super nova.  

That's what Angel Reese wants to be known as.  "Remember people come to see me play too", she says.  But what we all might ask ourselves is for what?  Dirty play, mouthing at fans, coaches and teammates.  Don't think so.  But that's her calling card.  And for some reason, she's comfortable with it.  I don't get it.  That's not the way to influence young girl basketball players and athletes in general.  Her attitude reeks of jealousy and it's that jealousy that, I believe is going to take her over the edge.  If you saw the play involving Clark and Reese in the league opener you can see what I'm speaking of.  The play was a hard foul by Clark, no doubt.  But it was a basketball play made to force Reese to go to the free throw line rather than getting a gift layup.  It's the reaction from Reese that is most concerning.  Had Alyiah Boston not been where she was to step between the two, I believe Reese would have hit or pushed Clark, hoping to get Clark to retaliate.  And Clark simply walks away.  Not taking Reese's bait.  This is the kind of behavior Reese's game has resorted to.  

   

What is equally disappointing to see is the response of the Chicago media and the Chicago Sky staff. The media has continued to support her in all her shenanigans.  I've seen no reporter question Reese why she plays so "angry" against Clark.  Perhaps she's happy with the thug image.  Her coaches continue in their support too.  Sad.

Another piece of the story is...."it's not just race; it's also sexuality", says OutKick Sports founder Clay Travis, noting that the WNBA is 70% lesbian.  "Caitlin Clark is a white heterosexual woman in a black lesbian league.  And they resent and are jealous of all the attention and the shoe deal that she got.  And instead of recognizing the truth, which is that great athletes who people care about....really do make everybody more money". 

The only criticism I have of Caitlin is her incessant talking back to the officials.  Not every foul that's called on her is anything less than, a foul.  So quit yapping and take the medicine.

Let's simplify it as easy as possible.  This entire matter is about duty.  An athlete should strive in duty to  families, to friends, and to their job.  Not to mention the city and the sport....and let's not forget the fans. 

Time to wake up and control the thugs....   

CLASSIC SPORTSREALM ENDING IN A LACK OF SHOES AND A ROSE

The question I get asked about this site most often is, "what the heck is a Sportsrealm?"   Here might be one of the simplest responses.  "Sportsrealms includes the ways in which sports are discussed, debated and represented in society, as well as the various venues, teams and organizations that contribute to the sport's presence.  In essence, it's the world of sports, its culture and its impact on society".  Hey, it's the Wide World of Sports!

I've spent an exorbitant amount of time on sports websites.  I'm no different than you.  If my team is looking to trade for a player or lock up a top commitment, I'm searching everywhere I can for information, until a final decision is reached.   

It never ceases to amaze me the wide range of intelligence fans show with their posts.  Some are knee jerk reactions and others are in-depth pieces of statistical information to support their stance.  That's why I've concluded, "your world is often different than mine.  I see things a different way.  Be that as it may". 

I've been perusing the Iowa Hawkeye sports sites in recent days in regard to a young guard/forward the Women's Basketball team is trying to land.  Her name is Emely Rodriguez.  She played last year at Central Florida and averaged 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.  She made the All-Big 12 Conference freshman team and has three years of eligibility remaining.  Rodriquez placed her name in the transfer portal in early May and visited Iowa on May 12th.  She also visited Indiana the next day.  We're still waiting on her decision.  (UPDATE): Iowa lands Rodriquez on Monday.  Huge get.  She had been recruited by UCONN and South Carolina as a high schooler,   

One site in particular, Hawkeye Beacon, does a superb job of following the women's program.  There were numerous posts about Rodriquez and whether she'd make Iowa better.  And if better, how much better than the current roster is.  The back and forth, yea and nay is head shaking.   Last night I came across a post that I found so well thought out.  And sums up what a true sportsrealmer is all about.  The writing is from Lembo Allen.  

"This is a very interesting discussion....everyone's fan experience is uniquely their own...mine is based on the culture of the program and the personality of the players and coaching staff.  As I have mentioned before I'm not tied to the university nor the state of Iowa....I trust Coach J to find the correct balance between high school recruiting and the portal to keep me engaged as a rabid Iowa WBB fan.  Even with all the winning of that Geno (Auriemma), Dawn (Staley) and Kim (Mulkey) have done with their programs, I have never enjoyed those teams as much as I have the Hawkeyes.  I have even found myself going back to find video clips of Hawkeye games prior to my first Iowa experience.  I get the same feel good vibes from watching those teams that I do watching the current version.  The joy our girls play with is incredible with no disrespect for anyone else's fandom.  I ride or die with whoever Jan and Co put together and cheer relentlessly for their success.  I will be excited for recruiting and portal wins and I won't dwell on the what ifs of perceived misses.  I am so glad I found the Iowa WBB program and truly enjoy being David against the Goliaths of WBB..GO HAWKS!!"  Well said Lembo.

Now back to Ms. Rodriquez.  In digging a little deeper on the young lady, I think she'd bring something to the roster they don't have a great deal of, athleticism.  She can make her own shot, drives well to the basket, plays good defense, rebounds and shoots the three-ball fairly well.   Here's a little look.

  

Here's my two cents.  I didn't think so at first, but Iowa needs Rodriquez's services.  She could very well be an important missing element.   For all the Lembo's out there, I hope the Rodriquez's recruitment ends in Iowa's favor.  I feel Emely is clearly a difference maker and one that could move Iowa into the second week of NCAA play.  And maybe beyond.....

 

LET'S TALK SOME BASEBALL....

I've refrained from offering any thoughts on the Shoeless Joe Jackson and Pete Rose eligibility to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I wanted to mull the subject and make sure my feelings were true.  "In an historic, sweeping decision, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday removed Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe Jackson and other deceased players from Major League Baseball permanently ineligible list".   

Rose was placed on baseball's ineligible list on August of 1989, voluntarily.  That's a long time ago.  He bet while managing the Cincinnati Reds.  Not good.  Rose could be eligible in December of 2027.  Why wait?  Let's get done as soon as possible.  Shoeless was another story.  Jackson was associated with the Black Sox scandal from the 1919 World Series while playing with the Chicago White Sox.  Shoeless supposedly participated in a conspiracy to fix games.    

Should Jackson and Rose be in the Hall of Fame?  Yes.  And should they have been voted in some time ago?  Yes.  Did they both do something stupid?   Yes.  And who should cast the first stone?  Not me.  I look at it this way.  Or maybe I really look at it Pete's way.   

"Last September, in his last interview, 10 days before his death (Rose died on September 2024), Pete told sportscaster John Condit: I've come to the conclusion--I hope I'm wrong--that I'll make the Hall of Fame after I die.  Which I totally disagree with, because the Hall of Fame is for two reasons: your fans and your family...and it's for your family if you're here,  It's for your fans if you're here.  Not if you're 10 feet under.  You understand what I'm saying?  What good is it going to do me or my fans if they put me in the Hall of Fame a couple of years after I pass away", Rose told Condit.  "What's the point? What's the point?  Because they'll make money over it".      

And there's Pete with his last slap hit.  

PLAY BALL!! 

DESPITE THE LONG SEASON, THE PLAYOFFS HAVE BEEN TRULY SENSATIONAL IN THE NHL AND NBA

With the glut of sports available to us these days it's becoming even more than a suggestion to pass on the regular season and check in on the playoffs.  I'm specifically talking the NHL and NBA.  Both have seasons are far too long, 82 games to be exact.  The NHL starts in early October and the NBA in the latter part of the same month.  

I like both sports but there are others that are in competition with my TV watching.  In October you have the MLB running down to the World Series. The NFL is a month into play then too....same for college football.  Volleyball is making a run for "eyes" to the TV set these days. The women have made this sport one that has attracted a rabid fan base.  It remains to be seen where it will go.  Then there's Tennis which is pretty much year-round.  Golf begins early in January.  It seems like soccer is always on the tube somewhere.  Then the MMA.  Whew!  Have I forgotten anyone? 

Before anyone calls me on it, there are roughly 200 sports that have international recognition through an international governing body of some sort, also a small part of the estimated 8,000 played world-wide.  Yes, 8,000.

Now that we've proven how sports crazy we've become, I think it's time to dial in on just how special post-season has become.

The NHL games have been wild to say the least and we're only in round two of the playoffs.  In the Western Division there were two opening series that were decided by a 4-3 games margin:  Winnipeg over St. Louis and Dallas over Colorado and two decided by 4 games to 2: Vegas over Minnesota and Edmonton over the LA Kings.  In the first round of the East, 3 series were decided by 4-1 margins: Washington over Montreal, Florida by Tampa Bay and Carolina over New Jersey.  The lone series that went six was Toronto over Ottawa.  

At the time of this posting (through Monday night) the second round looks like this in the West:  Dallas is up 2-1 on Winnipeg and Edmonton is up 3-1 on Las Vegas.  In the East:  Toronto and Florida are tied 2-1 and Carolina is up 3-1 on Washington. Washington came into the playoffs as the #1 team in the East, they've not played like it whatsoever.  There have been no sweeps thus far and based on the competition we've seen, I'm not sure that we will.  The play has been sensational.  Big comebacks and huge late goals have been the spice of the 2025 playoffs.  The biggest was the Vegas goal with .4 seconds left by Reilly Smith to seal a 4-3 win.  Dallas has also been on a hot streak riding the heroics of Mikko Rantanen. Over the last six games, Rantanen has scored 9 goals and has 8 assists.  His play alone is leading the Stars to a Stanley Cup run.  They'll have to beat #1 rated team in the West, Winnipeg, to do that.  Mikko's name is derived from the Hebrew name, Michael, meaning "Who is like God"?  If Rantanen leads Dallas back to the finals, somewhere they haven't been since 2020, they might very well start calling him that. 

What has been most noticeable is the number of games won by the road team.  The "roadie" is winning at a 60% rate this season making home not the "place to be" especially in a Game 7.  

It's still early yet, but I am leaning towards the Florida Panthers to repeat.  They are so talented, play really "heavy" hockey.  They are big and are very, very physical.  And they have one of the best in the nets, Sergei Bobrovsky.

Will the Panthers do a repeat? 

   

The team with the longest active Stanley Cup drought is the Toronto Maple Leads, currently at 57 years since their last championship in 1967 before the NHL's first expansion era.  But hey, their still in it.  They're due for that sad stat to end.  My dark horse is the Edmonton Oilers.  They got a shutout from backup Calvin Skinner Monday night in a 3-0 game with the Golden Knights.  If Edmonton gets starting goalie Calvin Pickard back for game five it might signal the end for Las Vegas. (UPDATE): Pickard is out for the rest of the series

The NBA has been equally tantalizing.  If you're a favorite look again, especially in the East.  New York has given the Boston Celtics all they've wanted. They're now up 3-1 after winning Game 4 at Madison Square Garden.  And to make matters worse, star Jason Tatum went down with an ankle injury no doubt putting him out for the next game at minimum (UPDATE): Tatum ruptured his Achilles and is done for the year.  The Indianapolis Pacers have done the same as they've not only beaten Cleveland, but they've also humiliated them.  The 20-point win they had Sunday night wasn't even that close.  It was a 41-point difference at the half.  The Pacers could be a tough out for either the Knicks or Celtics.  Tyrese Haliburton has been the catalyst for their stunning play.  The Pacers had 14 less wins on the season to Cleveland's 64.  The Knicks had ten less than Boston.  So much for the regular season, as I said earlier.     

Out West, top-seeded Oklahoma City has had more than it bargained for against the tough-minded Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets were the #4 seed going in with 18 less wins than OKC. At present, that series is tied 2-2. The other matchup featuring the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State has been somewhat interesting. The Warriors stole a game in Minneapolis but couldn't use that momentum to maintain their edge.  The Wolves win on Saturday night 102-97 and Monday night 117-110 might very well have put them closer to advancing to the Finals for another straight season.  Anthony Edwards has risen to the top of his game.  Seth Curry's injury most likely has ended any chances the Warriors have.  

So, enjoy the remaining playoffs.  There are no doubt going to be some more spectacular games fueled by some of the best athletes in the world.  We'll find out who has the best team to win on the road.  That's where the Champions are going to come from.   

Just think, NFL camps begin in July.  It'll be here before you know it.  

  

   

SHOOT YOURSELVES IN THE FOOT WHY DON'T YOU WNBA

Several weeks ago, I blogged about the officiating in the WNBA and how that might be a real detriment to the success of the league. Now, I'm not so sure.  

Paige Bueckers was crowned as the No. 1 choice in the 2025 WNBA Draft.  She is now endearing herself to the WNBA community in the worse way possible.  

John Simmons of OutKick shares a little of his reasoning on the subject.  "Bueckers has kept busy in the time leading up to her first rookie season, making several media appearances and doing interviews with large publications, one of which was TIME magazine.  Heck I didn't even know TIME was still in production!  In the interview, she apologized for something that doesn't exist and something that she doesn't have, white privilege.  Evidently, she believes that such privilege has been a massive contributor to her rise to stardom, and that Black players still don't get enough coverage".

"There's white privilege every single day that I see", she continued when asked about her own success.  "I feel like I've worked extremely hard, blessed by God, but do I think there's more opportunities for me?  I feel like even just marketability, people tend to favor white people, white males, white woman.  I think it should be equal opportunity, I feel like there is privilege to what I have and to what all white people have.  I recognized that, I want to counteract that with the way I go about my business".    

A No. 1 pick with a lot to learn

    

Simmons continues, "this is a tired and old narrative, and so it the assumption that white athletes-Bueckers or anyone else -are famous because of their skin color.  If it feels like we've heard this from a WNBA player before, it's because we have.  This league and some of the media that cover it, have an incredible way of shaming white players for their success.  They did it to Caitlin Clark in her rookie season".  

Let's look at the NBA for a minute.  The top white players in the league are Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Chet Holmgren, Tyler Herro and Domantas Sabonis.   The first two are at the head of the class.  They've been successful, Jokic more so that Doncic, but still, they are making millions of dollars.  They are popular and they share the spotlight in the league with the likes of LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and the like.  There is no infighting.  No black versus white issue.  

Back to the WNBA.  Its black women headed by Aja Wilson, Angel Reese, Alyssa Thomas and Dijonai Carrington who not only want their "piece", but they are also actually willing to let a product be taken down to prove their point. In fact, this attitude is really becoming a joke.  

The upcoming season in the WNBA could be one of the more exciting in league history.  There are any numbers of teams that could win the Championship.  It will be interesting to see the over-hatred of white players when Clark rolls out her wingers for this year, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham.  Both white, blonde dead eyes.  But then what?  Before next season there will be one ugly contract negotiation.  The salary cap is projected to be $1,552,300 with a team minimum of $1,299,240.  Think the players are going to want their "piece"? And that doesn't include a $2.2 billion media rights deal to begin in 2026.    

2025 will be a season to watch in the WNBA.  I don't see smooth sailing on the horizon beyond that.  And for that matter, I don't see Paige Bueckers making the big imprint Clark did last year. She's not the offensive threat that Clark is.  And I have questions on how she'll handle the physical play in the league.  Caitlin was a generational player and a generational marketer.  That's why the league is where it us today.   

If players, black and white would realize what's at stake, there could be a real giant in the offing.  There needs to be some black leadership who brings the two factions together.  At present, I don't see anyone matching that description.   

I have my doubts on the future of the WNBA, and that's not even thinking about the officiating any more.....