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SOX GO DOWN the SCHLITTLER

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Cody Bellinger drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single to help the visiting New York Yankees extend their winning streak to six  by beating the Boston Red Sox 4-2 Thursday night.

Bellinger singled against reliever Greg Weissert with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning. The hit, which drove in Jazz Chisholm and Trent Grisham, put the Yankees in front 3-2.

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Aaron Judge followed with an RBI single that scored Jose Caballero to give New York a 4-2 lead. Each of the three runs the Yankees scored in the seventh were charged to Danny Coulombe (0-1), who surrendered three hits in 2/3 of an inning.

Cam Schlittler (3-1) held Boston to two runs on four hits in eight innings to earn the win. He struck out five and walked one. David Bednar pitched a clean ninth to collect his seventh save.

The victory gave the Yankees a sweep of the three-game series. New York won 4-0 Tuesday and 4-1 Wednesday.Games

Boston has not scored more than two runs in any of its last six losses. The Red Sox scored six runs in those six games. Carlos Narvaez homered for Boston. It was a solo home run off Schlittler in the fifth inning that broke a 1-1 tie. Payton Tolle, who was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, gave the Red Sox a strong start. Tolle struck out 11 in six innings and limited New York to one run on three hits. He walked one.

Tolle, who was 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in Triple-A, struck out the first five batters he faced.

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Trevor Story reached base on Amed Rosario’s throwing error, and scored on Marcelo Mayer’s double to center field.

Chisholm’s home run made it 1-1 in the fifth.

Chisholm (2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI) and Caballero (2-for-4, 1 run) were the only players on either side to record multiple hits.

The Yankees fanned 17 times, including four from Giancarlo Stanton and three from Judge.

The Red Sox have lost five of their last six.

–Field Level Media

Draft: Raiders Say “Make Mendoza Mine”

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QB Mendoza to be New Centerpiece for Vegas

PITTSBURGH – (Wire Service Report) – The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, confident the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion just keeps winning.

The 22-year-old becomes the centerpiece of a franchise rebuild following his own meteoric rise, culminating in the Hoosiers claiming a football national title for the first time in program history.

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Las Vegas went 3-14 last season and fired Pete Carroll as head coach, which prompted a change at quarterback under first-time head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders traded starter Geno Smith to the Jets and signed Kirk Cousins to bridge any potential gap for Mendoza to be deemed ready for the QB1 role.

General manager John Spytek and Kubiak said their “perfect world” would allow for Mendoza to be worked into the starting role gradually. Considered a cerebral field general more than a physical freak or elite specimen at quarterback, Mendoza has already openly discussed the presence of a priceless sounding board in Las Vegas: minority franchise owner Tom Brady. He read the “TB12 Method” book before the NFL Scouting Combine in preparation for a potential interaction with Brady.

That didn’t come until he took his official team visit to meet the team’s top brass.

“Everything that he’s all about is something that I’ve always emulated as a football player,” Mendoza said in February. “And anything the coaching staff has as coaching points, like, ‘Hey Fernando, we need you to get better at this, this and that,’ I’m gonna be like, ‘Hey Tom, how do I get better at this, this and that?’ If I get selected by Mr. Spytek and the Raiders, if that does happen, it’d be a great opportunity.”

NBA: Welcome to the Playoffs

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PHILADELPHIA – (Wire Service Report) – Welcome to the playoffs.

After the Boston Celtics dropped Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers, those four succinct words from Jaylen Brown summarized the situation at hand for the division rivals. The Celtics look to recover from a surprising defeat to the Sixers when the teams reconvene Friday in Philadelphia for Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.

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“It’s the playoffs. Welcome to the playoffs,” Brown said following a 111-97 home setback in Game 2. “They out-competed us. I’ve played in series that have gone similar. You can’t take anything for granted. You just got to be ready to go. I trust our group.”

Boston, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, captured Game 1 by a 123-91 margin. Many expected the Celtics to cruise again in Game 2, but the seventh-seeded 76ers rode their talented backcourt to a convincing triumph.

Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe led the way with 30 points and 10 rebounds. The 20-year-old became the youngest player in NBA history to post 30 and 10 in a postseason contest.

“He’s a tough kid,” 76ers center Andre Drummond said. “His confidence is something I haven’t seen in a very long time. He plays with a swag that a lot of guys don’t play with when they’re coming up. I’m happy that he’s here. He’s playing at a very high level and we need more from him next game, too. So he has to stay prepared.”

Tyrese Maxey was another key to the Sixers’ success in Game 2. The All-Star guard registered 29 points and nine assists and drained three clutch 3-pointers down the stretch.

“He just wanted them,” coach Nick Nurse said of Maxey’s late-game heroics. “I think you probably all could see that. He looked at me for a play call, and I looked at him and called, and he’s like, ‘I got it.’”

The Sixers continued to play without Joel Embiid (appendicitis) and were outrebounded 50-42 by the Celtics. Edgecombe (10) and Drummond (eight) were the only Philadelphia players with more than five rebounds on the night, and nobody had more than one block.

Adem Bona got the start at center and went scoreless with three rebounds in a 22-minute run.

“We’re obviously really hopeful (that Embiid can return soon), and I think he’s really hopeful,” Nurse said. “He wants to play, and we want him to play. I don’t know how close we are to that at this point, but I think there’s some progress being made.”

Brown led Boston with 36 points in Game 2, while Jayson Tatum chipped in with 19 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists. Derrick White had eight points but shot just 3 of 12 from the field, while two of the team’s sharpshooters – Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser – combined to shoot 4 of 16 from the floor and 2 of 12 from beyond the arc.

“I thought Sam and Payton both got good looks,” Brown said. “Both got some open shots. That’s what we want. Continue to trust that process.”

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t seem too concerned about his team’s offensive process, even after the Celtics shot 39.3% from the field and 26% from 3-point land.

“You focus on the stuff that you can be better at, that’s within your control,” Mazzulla said. “I know it’s tough, but you can’t necessarily control when you shoot it, if it goes in or not.”

–Field Level Media

France to Host 2031 World Cup

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BERLIN – (Wire Service Report) – The FIBA Central Board has chosen France as the host of the 2031 FIBA Basketball World Cup, with Japan getting the Women’s World Cup in 2030. The French cities of Lille, Lyon, and Paris will co-host the event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 14, with the final taking place in Paris.

The women’s tournament will be held in Tokyo from Nov. 26 to Dec.8, 2031.

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Japan and France achieved success in the sport as Japan’s women and France’s men both won silver medals in basketball in their recent home Olympics. Japan hosted the 2020 Summer Games and Paris held the 2024 Summer Games.

The two locations were chosen in part because of their history of hosting major sporting events. FIBA made the decisions after the draw for the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin.

“Japan and France are two basketball-loving nations, two destinations extremely popular with our fans, players and partners,” FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis said. “The FIBA World Cups have become synonymous with success in large part because selecting the appropriate host each time is the cornerstone of our mission to make basketball the most popular sports community.”WNCAAB scores

French star and San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama is likely to headline the 2031 World Cup after the young superstar led the 2024 Olympic Gold Medal game in scoring with 26 points in a losing effort to the United States.

–Field Level Media

76ers Even Series vs Celtics

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BOSTON – Philadelphia’s rookie guard VJ Edgecombe and All-Star Tyrese Maxey combined to make 11 3-pointers and score 59 total points as the 76ers bounced back to even their Eastern Conference playoff series with the host Boston Celtics in a 111-97 decision on Tuesday.

Seventh-seeded Philadelphia (1-1) shook off a dismal Game 1 performance, which included making just four 3-pointers in Sunday’s 123-91 loss, with a complete reversal on the offensive end.

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The Sixers shot a torrid 19-of-39 from beyond the arc in Game 2, with Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Paul George each adding a pair of made triples to supplement Edgecombe and Maxey.

Edgecombe and Maxey were the catalysts, however. The rookie Edgecombe finished 12-of-20 from the floor, including his 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.

“This is who we are. Game 1 isn’t who we are,” Edgecombe said in his postgame interview with Peacock. “We let our offense dictate our defense (on Sunday), and we didn’t do that tonight.”

Philadelphia’s flipping of the script on the offensive end on Tuesday did indeed carry over defensively. The Sixers limited the Celtics (1-1) to 35-of-89 shooting from the floor, locking down each scoring option beyond the primary two of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Brown went for a game-high 36 points, and Tatum finished with 19 points to go with his game-high 14 rebounds. No other Celtic reached double-figures scoring, however, a stark contrast from Game 1 when the entire Boston starting five notched at least 10 points.

And while Brown shot 5-of-12 from long distance, Boston’s other shooters combined to go just 8-for-38.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, got 19 points from George and 12 from Oubre. After foul trouble limited him in Game 1, Andre Drummond came off the bench to provide the Sixers quality minutes on the interior with 10 points and eight rebounds.

–Field Level Media

 

NBA Playoff Report: Blazers Win; Wemby Hurt

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SAN ANTONIO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Scoot Henderson poured in a season-best 31 points as the visiting Portland Trail Blazers came back from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to outlast the short-handed San Antonio Spurs 106-103 on Tuesday and even their first-round Western Conference playoff series at one win each.

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The teams will play Game 3 on Friday in Portland, and it’s unclear if the Spurs will have Victor Wembanyama available. The NBA Defensive Player of the Year hit his face on the floor in the second quarter and was diagnosed with a concussion. He is scheduled for further testing on Wednesday.

The Spurs, led by Stephon Castle’s team-high 18 points, carried a one-point lead into the fourth quarter but reeled off the first 13 points of the final period to build their advantage to 93-79. The Trail Blazers roared back to take the lead via a 7-0 run capped by a Jrue Holiday layup with 2:02 left and held on from there.

Holiday produced 16 points and nine assists, and Deni Avdija added 14 points for the Trail Blazers. The Spurs got 17 points from De’Aaron Fox plus 16 points and 12 rebounds from Devin Vassell.

Lakers 101, Rockets 94

LeBron James compiled 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead Los Angeles to a victory over visiting Houston, giving the Lakers a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.

With leading scorers Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) watching from the bench, Los Angeles’ Marcus Smart added 25 points, shooting 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and Game 1 hero Luke Kennard contributed 23 points, going 3 of 6 from deep.

Kevin Durant, who missed the opening game with a right knee contusion, scored 23 points for the Rockets, but he had nine turnovers and was held to three points after halftime. Alperen Sengun paired 20 points with 11 rebounds.

76ers 111, Celtics 97

VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey combined to make 11 3-pointers and score 59 total points as Philadelphia bounced back to even its Eastern Conference playoff series with host Boston.

Seventh-seeded Philadelphia shook off a dismal Game 1 performance, which included making just four 3-pointers in a 123-91 loss, with a complete reversal on the offensive end. The Sixers, who got 19 points from Paul George, shot a torrid 19 of 39 (48.7%) from beyond the arc in Game 2.

Jaylen Brown went for a game-high 36 points and Jayson Tatum finished with 19 points to go with his game-high 14 rebounds for the Celtics. No other Boston player reached double figures in scoring, a stark contrast from Game 1, when the Celtics’ entire starting five notched at least 10 points.

–Field Level Media

Welcome to the Best Day of the Year

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By TERRY LYONS

HEARTBREAK HILL, NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS  – Twenty miles into the Boston Marathon, the runners enter “my kinda town.” Yes, Newton, Massachusetts is the location of the world famous “Heartbreak Hill.” To those not familiar with the area, it’s really a series of four hills along Commonwealth Avenue which runs diagonally through the center of Waban, Newton, Newton Centre and Chestnut Hill. Normally, it’s quite nice and scenic.

But, today, the tree-lined and bucolic streets of Newton turn into the most challenging aspect of the race course for the 130th Boston Marathon.

A Boston Globe delivery truck navigates Heartbreak Hill on Raceday. (Photo by T. Peter Lyons/Digital Sports Desk)

Runner’s World accurately describes it like this:

“Heartbreak Hill is located between mile 20 and mile 21 of the Boston Marathon. As the last and most famous of the four Newton hills, this roughly half-mile incline begins around mile 20.3 and peaks near the 20.4-mile marker, specifically notorious for testing runners after 20 miles of racing.

Quick Facts

o Starting Point: Just past the 20-mile marker on Commonwealth Avenue (Comm Ave) in Newton.

o Summit Point: It ends roughly at mile 21, near Hammond Street and the Boston College campus.

o The Incline: The hill is about 0.4 to 0.5 miles long with a vertical rise of approximately 88–91 feet.

o Difficulty: While not the steepest hill on the course, it is notorious because it occurs at a point where runners’ glycogen stores are often depleted—the point where many  “hit the wall”

Heartbreak Hill earned its name during the 1936 race when defending champion Johnny Kelley caught up to and patted leader Ellison “Tarzan” Brown on the back. The gesture motivated Brown to surge ahead and win, “breaking Kelley’s heart”. A statue of Kelley, titled “Young at Heart,” stands at the base of the hill near mile 20.

Like that of Johnny Kelley and Tarzan Brown in 1936, the Boston Marathon, each and every year, has about 30,000 incredible stories to tell. Data from race organizer – the Boston Athletic Association – shows 33,267 applications for today’s race, so the actual number of participants will fall between 30,000 and 32,000 runners.

That’s a lot of runners.

 

While it’s not as many participants as New York’s record 59,662 runners for last November’s New York City Marathon, Boston is known as the most prestigious race to run (and finish). I often cite that 1968 Boston Marathon champion Amby Burfoot famously describes the Boston Marathon as “the Carnegie Hall” of marathons. This analogy highlights the race as the premier, ultimate venue for runners—a place of prestige where one has to earn the right to perform, similar to performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City.”

I’m lucky enough to call Amby Burfoot a friend.

I met him as a colleague/co-worker when he was the Editor-at-Large for Runner’s World magazine. I was asked by Runner’s World’s PR team (Chris Brienza, David Tratner and Laura Beachy) to help out with their work – both preparing and then executing efforts to publicize the wonderful and informative magazine, a product of Rodale publishing. To say it was a marvelous experience would be the understatement of the century.

After 26 years at the NBA, you think you would’ve experienced just about everything sports has to offer. Well, running marathons is a whole different story. Quite frankly, I learned more from a three minute talk with Amby than I ever learned in school.

As Editor-at-Large, Burfoot could unearth the stories of the champions and the everyday, weekend warriors. When in Boston (from his Mystic, Connecticut home), he was the “people’s champion” for sure, taking pictures and interacting with thousands of runners and fans. It was quite amazing to see any everyday guy turn into this incredible celebrity champion for a couple of weeks, leading up to race day.

Instead of paraphrasing one of Amby’s great stories, I’ll simply turn the column over to him to tell you this one. To frame it, this is what Amby wrote on August 21, 2011 of the death of “young” John Kelley, his friend and idol.

John J. Kelley, RIP, 1930-2011: 1957 Boston Marathon Winner; America’s First Modern Road Runner

Nineteen fifty-seven Boston Marathon winner John J. Kelley “The Younger” crossed the final finish line early this morning in North Stonington, CT, just a few miles from Mystic, where he had lived most his adult life. Kelley died with few more possessions than he began with 80 years ago on Christmas Eve, 1930. But he ran his heart out every step of the way. And those of us lucky enough to have shared a few miles at his side will forever remember his vigor, his encompassing warmth, and the way he loved all creatures great, and especially the small and powerless.

Kelley, whom I first met in 1962, was the most sincere, humble, gentle, and authentic human being I have ever known. He was the first person I ever saw stop his car to help a turtle across the road, and he never ever, without exception, said a word about himself and his considerable accomplishments. He also never uttered a negative word about anyone else, with the possible exceptions of Joseph McCarthy and Richard Nixon.

Kelley was an extraordinary gentleman, yet also a radical free thinker. A friend, writer and marathoner Gail Kislevitz, called Kelley “the last rebellious man standing.” The phrase fits.

In his final days Kelley was surrounded by his three daughters–Julie, Kathleen, and Eileen–and a number of his grandchildren. He died from a melanoma that eventually spread to his lungs. Kelley’s wife Jacintha passed away in 2003.

Kelley’s athletic record is unparalleled among American distance runners. In 1957 he became the first and only member of the BAA running club to win the BAA Boston Marathon. In addition to his win, Kelley finished second at Boston five times. He won the 1959 Pan American Games Marathon, and captured eight consecutive USA National Marathon titles even though this event took place on the hot, hilly Yonkers course just four to five weeks after Boston. Kelley represented the U.S. in the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Marathons, with a best finish of 19th in the Rome Olympic race famously won by barefoot Abebe Bikila.

“Kelley didn’t like the limelight, and people don’t even know about him today,” says Bill Rodgers, four time Boston and New York City Marathon winner, “But his eight straight wins at Yonkers stand second only to Grete’s nine wins in New York, and it’s better in some ways. Grete’s longest streak was five straight.

“Kelley was at the epicenter of American marathoning. He was in the trenches doing the spade work for the likes of Frank Shorter and me and everyone who has come along since. Marathoning wasn’t a business then. There wasn’t any money, and it wasn’t entertainment. The runners had to put up with a public and sports media who basically knew nothing. Marathoners were treated as second-class athletes. But Kelley didn’t let that stop him. He was quiet but had tremendous drive. He was tough as nails.”

In many ways, Kelley was the first modern American road runner. The generations before him–including greats like Clarence DeMar and “Old John” A. Kelley (no relation, despite the similar name and similar Boston Marathon histories)–came from working-class roots. So did Kelley, but he loved books and learning, and ultimately received a masters degree from Boston University.

Another big difference: Where his predecessors were relatively slow plodders, Kelley was fast. A high school prodigy in the mile in New London, CT, he was recruited to B.U. by an ambitious track coach who aimed to turn him into the next Glenn Cunningham. The plan didn’t work. Kelley had no taste for endless track repeats and races on a small oval. He yearned for greater adventure, less coaching, and more personal exploration. Midway through his college years, he was rising at 4:30 a.m. to run a dark, lonely 16-mile loop around the Charles River. He spent more time listening to Boston Marathon organizer/masseur/running-team coach Jock Semple than to his college coach, and ran his first two Bostons while still a college student.

“Kelley argued with his college coach Doug Raymond about the value of long, slow runs vs endless, gasping 440-yard sprints around the track,” notes Boston Marathon historian and author Tom Derderian. “Kelley’s fight against the conventional wisdom lifted him to the crest of the new wave of American distance running that led to Frank Shorter’s Olympic gold medal.”

The Boston Marathon’s former executive director Tom Grilk observed: “John J. Kelley’s victory in the Boston Marathon wearing the unicorn of the BAA has been an inspiration to all of us at the BAA, as well as to generations of Boston and American runners. He ran and won at a time when there was no money to be won; a time when victory was sufficient unto itself. His legacy is that of striving for excellence for its own sake, and for the quiet satisfaction that it brings to those with a deep sense of personal values. I hope we will all continue to learn from that. It remains John’s gift to us all.”

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A pretty amazing backstory coming from the ’68 champion who happens to be running Boston again – today!

What strikes me the most every Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts (it’s celebrated in Maine, Florida, Wisconsin, Connecticut, North Dakota, and Utah, too) is that the whole Commonwealth STOPS. At some point in the day, every person that is able gets out to cheer on a friend or a random runner passing by. Some families create their makeshift tailgate parties while those fortunate enough to own a house on the course throw the party of the year (rain or shine, in all degrees of temperature). The estimates are some 500,000 people are spectators for the Boston Marathon, not counting the local broadcast (now on WCVB-5 Boston, after decades on WBZ-TV Boston), the national broadcast on ESPN2 and a host of international broadcasters, many who send their commentators to cover the race live and in person.

Others, like your favorite columnist, will detour over to Fenway Park for today’s game pitting the hometown Red Sox vs. the Detroit Tigers. First pitch is 11:10am.

Regardless, the spirit and pure inspiration of the race permeates the very cold air we breath on this wonderful day, the best day of the year in Boston.

I’ll provide links to a couple of columns from year’s past. They are amongst my personal, all-time favorites.

I highly recommend you take a stroll through those two columns which both provide incredible backstories of experiences from much earlier this century, noting that we moved to Newton, Mass in 2008.

Stating that, I urge you to take a few minutes today, log on and follow the race, look at the thousands of photos and videos provided by WCVB-TV or ESPN2. You will truly be inspired.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | On Oscar

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Brazil’s Oscar Schmidt – (1958-2026)

 

By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – The City of Boston is such a great place, especially this weekend when the sports side of Boston rises to the highest tide. On one weekend, we get to experience:

  • Red Sox Major League Baseball, vs Detroit, leading into a series vs. the New York Yankees – all at Fenway Park
  • Boston Bruins Stanley Cup Playoff ice hockey, @ the Buffalo Sabres
  • Boston Celtics NBA Playoff basketball, vs the Philadelphia 76ers, at TD Garden
  • And, the single best day of the year in this town – Patriots’ Day – when the 130th running of the Boston Marathon is staged from Hopkinton to Copley, while the Red Sox play a day game with the first pitch at 11:10am

All that sporting juice, there’s only one other place I’d rather be this weekend and that’s to pay my respects in SAO PAULO, Brazil, the hometown of the late Oscar Schmidt, nicknamed by his compatriots as “The Holy Hand.” ( “Mão Santa”). Yes, his ability to shoot a basketball was that good.

Let NBA legend, Hall of Famer, the great Larry Bird explain:

“I always admired Oscar (Schmidt) and considered him a friend. He was, without a doubt, one of the greatest players to ever play the game,” said Bird in the statement. “It was an honor of a lifetime when Oscar asked me to present him at his well deserved induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. My sincere condolences to Oscar’s family.”

So sadly, Oscar Schmidt passed away on Friday, at the age of 68, after what his family said was a 15-year battle against brain cancer. His battle began, then, about two years before his 2013 induction to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. It was in Springfield when I last saw him, and enjoyed some brief moments recalling times gone by and so many fond memories all those years ago.

I first learned of Oscar when he lit up the scoreboard for 46 points in Brazil’s win over the United States in the 1987 Pan American Game, held at Market Square Arena in downtown Indianapolis. Schmidt’s performance came in the finals of the tournament as he led Brazil to a 120-115 win over an ABA-USA team that included then-college superstars and eventual No. 1 NBA Draft picks David Robinson and Danny Manning as well as then-Indiana University stars Keith Smart and Dean Garrett.

Fast forward to the 1992 Basketball Tournament of the Americas in Portland, Oregon where Brazil went (6-1) and qualified for the ‘92 Olympics in Barcelona, the first when NBA players were eligible to compete. Keep in mind, Schmidt had been drafted in 1984, a sixth round choice by the New Jersey Nets, but he chose not to sign an NBA contract as it would’ve ended his national team career with his teammates in Brazil.

Of course, Oscar was allowed to play pro ball in Europe where led the Italian top division in scoring six times while a member of Juve Caserta (1983–84, 1984–85, 1985-86, 1986–87, 1988–89, and 1989–90 seasons). A double-standard vs. the NBA players?

Yes.

Regardless of the unfair sports eligibility rules which kept him out of an NBA uniform, Schmidt played with pleasure for his country, and I always respected that fact. I can remember him celebrating with his Brazilian teammates in the back halls of the Portland Memorial Coliseum when they qualified. Like a small handful of the international players (count Yao Ming (China), Sasha Volkov and Sarunas Marciulionis (USSR) – (Ukraine) (Lithuania), Drazen Petrovic (Croatia), Jose “Piculin” Ortiz (Puerto Rico) or other NBA superstars like Steve Nash (Canada), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Tony Parker (France) or Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Oscar was always very friendly, professional and cordial with our dozens of requests. Quite frankly, I think he “batted” 1.000 with fulfilling the interview requests we thrust upon him. Only Andrew Gaze of Australia can be compared.

Schmidt was the same true pro in 2013 when I helped out at the BHofF with the Enshrinement as he joined Gary Payton, Richie Guerin, Bernard King and a handful of others in the festivities. In fact, I remember Oscar’s induction speech as being the very best of the night, delivered with a beret to cover his bald head, coming two years after his brain surgery and subsequent treatments.

MUST WATCH! ⬆️

It was at or around the Hall Enshrinement when Schmidt uttered one of the great quotes in sports history.

Asked how he could explain his “Holy Hand,” and ability to shoot and score – at will – while others could barely manage to play alongside him or attempt to guard him, Schmidt replied simply, “Some people play the piano, and some people … They move the piano.”

God Bless the great Oscar Schmidt. He will rest in peace but his defenders can now, finally, rest on earth.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: As mentioned at the top of this missive, it’s a special holiday weekend, here in Boston, Massachusetts. The NBA and NHL Playoffs were mentioned, as was the Boston Marathon and the 11am Red Sox game to coincide with the Patriots’ Day celebrations and the timing of the race.

Paraphrasing the advice Doc Rivers gave to me when we moved here in 2008, you just don’t fully understand Boston until you’ve lived here,” said Doc, who stepped down from his duties as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks this week.

Exhibit 1-A of that statement is the full understanding of the Boston Marathon, a spectacle that draws more than 500,000 spectators along the race route, all cheering, screaming, sign-waving and, yes, drinking to their pleasure, mostly on front lawns and porches along the way.

Wellesley College gets a lot of props for the screaming and kissing that goes on as the runners zip past the gorgeous, suburban campus, as does Heartbreak Hill(s) – it’s really a series of three hills in Newton Centre, leading towards Boston College and the town of Chestnut Hill. The gradual, steep climb is one thing, but as the runners pass BC (Mile 21), the terrain turns to a downhill as the race enters its final 5.2 miles, and those calves and hamstrings which were working hard to climb all of a sudden are asked to switch gears.

In medical terms, in the sudden transition to the final downhill stretch, the runners all experience a significant shift in physical strain and mechanical demand. While the descent feels metabolically “easier,” it often causes more muscle damage than the uphills – due to the mechanics of eccentric loading.

As runners descend on the streets of Brighton, their quadriceps must act as “brakes” to control momentum and absorb impact. This requires the muscle to contract while it is simultaneously lengthening—a process called eccentric contraction that is more mechanically stressful than the concentric (shortening) contractions that were just used on Heartbreak Hill(s). The downhill running at this stage can result in up to 54% greater impact forces on the legs compared to running on a flat surface. Peak braking forces can increase by as much as 74%, leading to “shredded” quads and micro-tears in the muscle fibers.

First time runners have been told about this phenomenon, but, until they experience it, there’s nothing that can help.

It’s a metaphor for actually living in Boston. You can live in New York City or Tokyo and experience all of the overcrowded aspects of city life, the noise, the joys, the culture and the pressure, but – come to Boston – and you’ll experience an entirely different vibe, largely fueled by the successes or failures of the local professional sports teams. Boston is a small town – maybe call it a whole bunch of small towns all rolled into one.

The Boston Marathon unifies those eight towns and the running world into one – like no other day of the year.

The pure inspiration of the runners, gutting it for 26.2 in the most important marathon in the world, fuels the human spirit like no other event. The amateurs run the same course as the professionals and the amateurs receive the vast majority of the cheers and encouragement, especially in the afternoon.

The great Amby Burfoot, the 1968 Boston Marathon champion, calls Boston, “the Carnegie Hall” of marathons.

I might take it a step up from there.

“The Boston Marathon is to a runner as Red Rocks is to a Rock n’ Roll band.” – TL

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Georgia Tech announced that their head basketball coach Scott Cross is adding Harvard assistant coach Matt Fraschilla to his staff. Matt is the son of former head coach Fran Fraschilla, now a popular television commentator on ESPN. “I have known Coach Matt Fraschilla for quite some time now,” Cross said. “I remember watching him play at Highland Park High School (Dallas) where he led the state in assists. On his coaching journey, Matt was part of Coach Jay Wright’s staff at Villanova that won a National Championship! I have watched him recruit in person and I know that he is one of the brightest, up-and-coming coaches in the country. He will instantly make our program better.” … FANZO, a tech platform that links brands, rights holders and broadcasters with fans who aren’t watching games in arenas or stadiums, announced that it will begin partnerships in North America after test-runs and scaling in Europe and the Pacific Rim. The new tech effort will support the millions of fans following the FIFA World Cup, being staged in North America this summer. … Speaking of this summer’s FIFA World Cup, the bars in Providence are petitioning the city to allow their establishments to stay open all night long, figuring many of their patrons might be adjusting to time zone changes, or just flat-out thirsty. The Boston leg of the World Cup will be played at nearby Foxborough, MA.

OF LOCAL INTEREST: The Boston Red Sox moved the start time of their Sunday, April 19th game against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park from 1:35 p.m. to 4:35 p.m. The change was made in consultation with Major League Baseball due to a forecast for an extended period of rain from mid-day into the afternoon.

LIV GOLF: What’s up with the LIV Golf Tour? There was a lot of speculation and some non-denial denials from LIV Golf execs in the USA and in Saudi Arabia where the PIF issued a new business plan, stating they’d be cutting down on funding of non-essential business outside of the country. WWYI will do some digging to see what’s in store for LIV Golf, Newcastle futbol, and some of the other sports the PIF has invested in over the past four years.

The Saudi PIF Plan is HERE.

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil agreed to do an interview on this weekend’s broadcast from the LIV Golf tournament in Mexico. Here it is: HERE

NBA Playoffs: Saturday Round-Up

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LOS ANGELES – (Wire Service Report) – Luke Kennard scored 27 points and LeBron James added 19 points with 13 assists as the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers earned a 107-98 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Saturday in Game 1 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Deandre Ayton scored 19 points with 11 rebounds and Marcus Smart added 15 points with eight assists as the fourth-seeded Lakers won with leading scorers Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) watching from the bench.

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In just his seventh start since joining the Lakers from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline, Kennard went 9 of 13 from the floor and 5 of 5 from 3-point range while delivering a season high in points to fill the scoring void at guard.

Alperen Sengun scored 19 points while Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard each added 17 for the fifth-seeded Rockets, who were playing without leading scorer Kevin Durant (knee).

Jabari Smith Jr. scored 16 points with 12 rebounds and Tari Eason also had 16 points for Houston, which has lost three consecutive road games to Los Angeles since the middle of March.

Nuggets 116, Timberwolves 105

Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, Jamal Murray scored a game-high 30 points and host Denver beat Minnesota to take a 1-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.

Murray was perfect from the line, hitting a career-high 16 free throws. Aaron Gordon finished with 17 points, nearly half of which came during the Nuggets’ 14-0 third-quarter run which broke a deadlock and put them in control of the game after a slow start.

Anthony Edwards, who was questionable after missing 11 of the Timberwolves’ final 14 regular-season games with right knee issues, led Minnesota with 22 points. Rudy Gobert produced 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who led by as many as 12 points in the first quarter.

Knicks 113, Hawks 102

Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to start the decisive third-quarter run for host New York, which pulled away for a win over Atlanta in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Jalen Brunson scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in the first quarter for the third-seeded Knicks, who reached the Eastern Conference finals last year for the first time since 2000. Towns finished with 25 points and was 10 of 10 from the free throw line while Anunoby collected 18 points.

CJ McCollum scored 26 points for the Hawks, who earned the sixth seed in their first trip to the playoffs since 2023. Jalen Johnson had 23 points while Onyeka Okongwu (19) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (17) each scored in double figures.

Cavaliers 126, Raptors 113

Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points and James Harden added 22 points and 10 assists, powering Cleveland to a victory over visiting Toronto in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Max Strus had 24 points off the bench and Evan Mobley scored 17 for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers, who have won 11 straight playoff games over the Raptors. Game 2 is Monday in Cleveland, where Toronto is 0-8 all-time in the postseason.

RJ Barrett scored 24 points and Scottie Barnes contributed 21 points and seven assists for the fifth-seeded Raptors. Brandon Ingram added 17 points and Jamal Shead had 17 points in his playoff debut, starting for injured guard Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring strain).

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NBA

NCAA Tournament to Go to 76

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Wire Service Report) – NCAA’s leadership and basketball committees are expected to finalize expansion of the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments to 76 teams shortly after the conclusion of this year’s tournament, multiple media outlets reported on Friday.

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Per the report, the new format would see 52 teams earn berths directly into what is currently the first round of the NCAA Tournament, while the remaining 24 — 12 lower-seeded automatic qualifiers and the final 12 at-large teams — would play 12 opening-round games Tuesday and Wednesday. They would be held in the longtime First Four home of Dayton, Ohio, and at an additional site to determine which teams would advance to Thursday and Friday’s first round.

However, these details could also reportedly change as the NCAA continues to talk with its men’s tournament TV partners in Warner Bros. Discovery and CBS, which have broadcasting rights through the 2031 tournament.

The report didn’t indicate how quickly expansion could be added, but it could theoretically come as soon as the 2027 NCAA Tournaments. But expansion “will happen” barring something unforeseen in the next few days.

It would mark the first expansion of the tournament since the field moved from 65 to 68 teams with the addition of the First Four games in 2011. The field had been 64 or 65 teams since 1985.

The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference were the leading voices behind tournament expansion, according to reports. However, it’s also something that NCAA president Charlie Baker has said he’s in favor of doing.

–Field Level Media

Yoshida Delivers Walk-Off Single for Win

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief

BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox game was being televised by Apple TV and the NBA Playoffs were on Amazon Prime. Just what’s a sports fan without a Smart TV to do?

Pro lacrosse on ESPNU? College lacrosse on the Big Ten Network? Women’s pro ice hockey on NESN, not NESN+ or some other outlet to make room for the Red Sox. College baseball is on the ACC Network and the Big Ten Network, too.

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Then, there’s always WEEI-Radio, 93.7 on your FM dial. All you would’ve heard is silence, as in three-up, three-down.

The fact of the matter is that you could’ve gone nine full innings and witnessed a grand total of seven hits, three by the Tigers and four by the Sox.

Many a baseball eye might’ve thought it was a classic pitcher’s dual, but neither lefty Ranger Suarez of the Sox, nor righty Casey Mize of Detroit looked particularly sharp. But they were both quite efficient.

What could be said is that both teams played a strong defensive game, including Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela gunning down Detroit DH Jahmai Jones with a perfect throw to second to nip Jones’ effort to stretch a base hit to a double in thje top of the first inning. Or, a nifty 6-4-3 double-play by the Tigers in the home half of the fourth inning, cutting down Boston’s Trevor Story and the heart of the Sox line-up just before they could place a rally cap on Sox guest legend Jonny Gomes who was in the ballpark to soak up some suds and some cheers.

With two gone and one on (Jarren Duran infield hit), Mize, the Tigers’ starter, gave way to reliever Kyle Finnegan who retired the side on a ground ball to third (Hao-Yu Lee) and a major league scoop by first baseman Spencer Torkelson to keep the goose eggs fresh on the old school Monster scoreboard.

Mize departed with 6.2 IP, allowing three hits, no runs, while walking one batter and striking out seven. He threw 94 pitches (58 strikes) in the game.

Suarez, the Sox starter, went 8.0 IP, allowing only two hits and no runs while walking one and striking out four Detroit batters. Suarez threw 93 pitches with 55 for strikes before giving way to Sox closer Aroldis Chapman who entered the game in the top of the ninth with the score still blank.

Finnegan kept us awake long enough to give way to lefty Brant Hurter in the bottom of the eighth with two out and one on base (Conner Wong walk), and Hurter retired Roman Anthony on a drive to left center. No score through eight full innings.

Chapman held his own, although he did face clean-up hitter in catcher Dillon Dingler with men on second and third and two out. Chapman struck out Dingler to retire the side and turn the game over to the Red Sox offense in the bottom of the ninth to no avail.

Free baseball placed the phantom runner (Dingler) on second base, and he tagged-up on a fly ball to right by pinch hitter Riley Greene, but the Tigers bats stalled and reliever Garrett Whitlock retired three straight batters to send it to the home 10th with the Sox phantom runner, the speedy Jarren Duran, on second base and Rafaela at bat.

With a 2-2 count, Duran advanced to third base on a wild pitch by reliever Will Vest, giving the Red Sox the golden opportunity to win the game.

Rafaela struck out.

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Sox second baseman Marcelo Mayer, facing the Tigers’ infield of five players, drew a walk, and Boston manager sent pinch hitter Masataka Yoshida to the plate, first and third with only one out. The Tigers kept five infielder close and two outfielders stationed in left center and right center field.

Yoshida slapped a base hit over the first baseman’s head and it rolled slowly towards the right field wall, a walk-off single and game-winning RBI to score Duran.

Boston took the first game of the four game series, 1-0.