Let's Talk About The Top 5 Sports Stories Of The Day

[monkeyman576]

Each day (hopefully) I'll post what I feel are the top 5 sports stories from an Americancentric perspective, and we'll give our opinions and thoughts in a SportsCenter like format. Of course, I can't stop you from talking about other things, but we'll try to keep things focused this way.

Saturday, February 6th, 2022
*GOLF - PGA Tour event cuts ties with Mickelson following comments
*MLB - MLB, MLBPA still far apart in talks as more game cuts loom
*NCAAB - Michigan State upsets #4 Purdue
*TENNIS - Dayana Yastremska flees Ukraine for France
*MMA - Machachev to fight Green at UFC Fight Night

I'm not sure what Mickelson said that was so indefensible. Saudi Araibia has suspicious human rights records, the PGA shouldn't have a monopoly on golf? Seems like an overreaction in my book.

[jumpSeat]

Originally Posted by monkeyman576

*TENNIS - Dayana Yastremska flees Ukraine for France

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/...-safely-france

A few excerpts from the ESPN story:

UKRAINIAN PRO TENNIS player Dayana Yastremska wrapped her arms around her father, tears running down her cheeks...

Her father parked the car in Izmail, and the family walked the last five minutes to the harbor, to the boat that would take Dayana and her sister to Romania...

"I don't know how this war will end, but you must take care of each other, and strive for your dreams, build your new life and always be together," her father said to her. "Don't worry about us, everything will be fine..."

In matching pink sweatpants, the sisters walked away from their parents, rolling their suitcases to the boat. When the boat's engine whirred, they waved vigorously at their parents, at the country they were forced to leave behind, at everything they knew to be home.

The human cost of war, with families torn apart and many destined to never see their loved ones ever again. And for what?... My heart goes out to the Ukrainian people who are suffering so greatly. It's truly heart breaking to watch the long lines of refugees attempting to flee the war zone. I fear for their safety. For their well being. And I'm so thankful to live in a country that is relatively safe from this kind of threat.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by monkeyman576

I'm not sure what Mickelson said that was so indefensible. Saudi Araibia has suspicious human rights records, the PGA shouldn't have a monopoly on golf? Seems like an overreaction in my book.

He is rightly under fire because he said he was willing to overlook their human rights record in order to try and gain leverage in deals with the PGA.
Mickelson is worth about $400 million dollars but like a lot of morally bankrupt assholes, has no qualms about how he tries to gain more.
He deserves what he is getting right now.
He can **** right off

[Leo_The_Lip]

That Purdue post completely missed the mark. For the first time in history, all TOP SIX teams lost. That's the real story. Frankly, no one should care about despicable Michigan State any more.

[monkeyman576]

Originally Posted by jumpSeat

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/...-safely-france

A few excerpts from the ESPN story:

The human cost of war, with families torn apart and many destined to never see their loved ones ever again. And for what?... My heart goes out to the Ukrainian people who are suffering so greatly. It's truly heart breaking to watch the long lines of refugees attempting to flee the war zone. I fear for their safety. For their well being. And I'm so thankful to live in a country that is relatively safe from this kind of threat.

I think it's appalling that the US is not willing to take the lead and commit troops, but that's not really a sports story.

[monkeyman576]

Originally Posted by Leo_The_Lip

That Purdue post completely missed the mark. For the first time in history, all TOP SIX teams lost. That's the real story. Frankly, no one should care about despicable Michigan State any more.

I have a feeling this is going to be one of those years there are a lot of high seeds in the final four. I see a lot of parity and not a lot of teams that are unbeatable.

[monkeyman576]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

He is rightly under fire because he said he was willing to overlook their human rights record in order to try and gain leverage in deals with the PGA.
Mickelson is worth about $400 million dollars but like a lot of morally bankrupt assholes, has no qualms about how he tries to gain more.
He deserves what he is getting right now.
He can **** right off

I'm not saying what he said was right. I'm saying we have freedom of speech in this country, maybe he should have chosen his words and actions more carefully but I don't think it's to such a level that he should lose sponsorships and such. WWE holds events in Saudi Arabia and people still sponsor those events.

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by monkeyman576

I'm not saying what he said was right. I'm saying we have freedom of speech in this country, maybe he should have chosen his words and actions more carefully but I don't think it's to such a level that he should lose sponsorships and such. WWE holds events in Saudi Arabia and people still sponsor those events.

There is freedom of speech. Capitalism also means that companies can give money to who they wish and also rescind those deals when their spokespeople say or do things they do not agree with.
Even if those decisions come from public pressure.
It is a two-way street.

And Mickelson was pretty much offering to go to a rival golf tour to extort more money out of the current one he plays for.
If the PGA was not threatened by more golfers also being interesting in a KSA-backed tour then they would kick Mickelson completely off tour.
But they have to be a bit careful since there is a lure out there for many golfers to play on the other tour.