Good Morning, Stumpers!

I’ll tell you what…As a basketball fan, I don’t know how seeing Luka watch that tribute video last night doesn’t get you a little bit. Man, to see him go off last night was awesome! We’ll talk Luka, The MASTERS, some Jackie Robinson, and some chicken wings as well. Yeah, we said that! Happy Masters Thursday! Let’s roll!

Today’s Rundown

What’s in today’s edition?

• ⛳️ LIVE from Augusta! The MASTERS!

• 🏀 Luka Doncic Returns to Dallas

• 🤝 On This Day…Jackie Robinson Makes History

• 🎼 Only one choice for a song today!

On This Day

On This Day…

🤝 Jackie Makes History

There aren’t many athletes that stories are more well-known than baseball’s Jackie Robinson. When Branch Rickey agreed to bring him to the Brooklyn Dodgers, the world would change forever.

On this day in 1947, Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson announced that Jackie had signed a professional contract with the Dodgers, the first black player to ever do so. It was a moment in history that is still discussed and honored today, while also depicted in movies and stories alike.

Today’s Trivia

🧠 Test your sports knowledge…

Yesterday’s Trivia Answer: D. Jack Nicklaus! The ‘Bear’ won a total of 6 Masters championships, one more than Tiger Woods, to hold the most career wins at Augusta in the events history.

Before We Dive In…

👀 Yesterday’s Must See’s

• 🤯 UNREAL grab to end the game for the Marlins

• 😢 Luka gets EMOTIONAL during Mavs tribute video

• 👑 At 40 years old… how does LeBron do this?

• 🏀 HARRISON BARNES CALLS GAME! WOW!

🔍️ Stump Spotlight

Live From Augusta

⛳️ Georgia on My Mind

Look, there aren’t many weekends in the year to just sit back, soak in some great golf, and enjoy yourself. Well, technically you could do that any weekend. But if you had to choose ANY weekend, choose this weekend. Ladies and gentlemen, we are LIVE from Augusta National and the 2025 Masters.

Many the most anticipated week in golf is finally upon us. The first major championship of the year at arguably the most cherished and historic course in the United States, an absolutely beautiful recipe that can only lead to one thing: chaos.

Yeah, I said it, chaos. The PGA Tour has been relatively quiet to start the year, and I can’t see a world where that lasts much longer. In years past, golf has been lacking a sort of… insanity. Expect for Rory’s major collapse at Augusta this time last year, I can’t really think of anytime the golf world has been set on fire. It’s time.

There’s no clear favorite this week, despite what you may read. Could it be Rory’s year to finally put on the green jacket? Maybe. Can Scottie take his place at the top of the mountain once again? I guess. Does a LIV players come into the week and play spoiler? Perhaps. But what about all these other guys sitting on the outside looking in?

Players like Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Tony Finau, Matt Fitzpatrick, Hovland, Aberg, Bhatia, Tommy Fleetwood, what about THOSE guys? These guys are pretty prominent names to the intensive golf watchers, but not to the novice. Guys with immense talent who just seem to struggle at times, or maybe just don’t have the big win they need to get to that next echelon of stardom.

I want to see these guys go toe-to-toe with the big dawgs. All of these players have been scratching at the door for years, it’s time for one of them to knock it all the way down. Some people love pure dominance, a guy like Scottie to win again, or maybe Rahm to take it home. I’m not one of those guys; I want to see a world where a guy gets to the top of the leaderboard and creates absolute havoc.

Is that too much to ask for? It’s what golf needs. It needs pure drama. Names battling at the top of the leaderboard. Big names, little names, amateurs, pros, whoever, create havoc. Go shot for shot, go to a playoff, get hyped when you nail a birdie putt. Bring energy. For the sake of the PGA, bring every ounce of fire you have.

The Hot Stove

🥹 Luka Returns to Dallas

In between ridiculous step back Luka 3’s, there was a chant from the arena. A chant heard round the world…”Fire Nico…Fire Nico…Fire Nico”. Tough day to be a Nico.

As a basketball fan, I’ll be straight up and honest with you all. Watching Luka watch his tribute video from Dallas, and seeing the tears well up in his eyes, that was an onion cuttig moment for sure. Luka showed up to Dallas as a 19-year-old kid. Dallas took him in, became his home, and became a place he thought he would be for the rest of his career. I can only imagine how being there for the first time since the trade was like for him.

Basketball wise, he was a man absolutely possessed. He was as efficient as ever and totaled a ridiculous 31 points at halftime. He ended the game with 45, 8, and 6. The type of statline that Mavs fans were all too familiar with. The Lakers are the three seed in the West with a few days left in the regular season. We’ll see how it all ends up.

👶 Par 3 Tourney at The Masters ; BABIES!

No, I’m not saying the players are babies, I’m saying that the players are playing WITH their babies. The Par 3 Tournament at the Masters is a tradition that dates back to 1960, where players walk a modified course with their friends and/or families, and everyone plays a little bit of golf. A lot of guys bring out their kiddos, so it’s safe to say there’s a lot of CUTE moments. Nico Echavarria, a first timer at the Masters, won the Par 3 Tournament in a playoff hole against JJ Spaun. But that may not be a good thing, no player has ever won the Par 3 and the Masters in the same year. Some players choose to not play at all, others don’t hand in a scorecard. The jinx fear is real. Here’s our favorite moments of the day:

• Rory McIlroy’s four-year-old daughter, Poppy, drains an unbelievable putt from DEEP! She acted like she’s been there before, like father like daughter.

• Aaron Rai’s wife, who had no warmup, stuck it within 10 feet of the hole! Better than her PGA professional husband… SHE GOT GAME!

• Keegan Bradley nails the FIRST hole-in-one of the day, celebrates by throwing his sons in the air!

• Tom Hoge with the SECOND hole-in-one of the day

• Jordan Spieth’s son, Sammy, with the drive of the day on the first hole

🍗 No More Wings for Belly

In case you didn’t hear about the struggles that Yankees’ outfielder Cody Bellinger has been struggling with a bout of food poisoning, he’s making it clear. Bellinger took to the media yesterday to announce that he has sworn off of chicken wings for at least five years after dealing with his most recent sickness: “They were good coming in, but I woke up at 4 a.m. sweating and just started throwing up for a few hours. It was a tough morning. I can say I will not eat wings for five years. I swear. Because the thought of it right now makes me sick”. Bellinger ate the wings in his hotel room in Detroit and watch the NCAA Men’s National Championship Monday night. Maybe you thought that it was a dry rub or the sauce that caused it? Nope. Plain wings. Nothing on them. Interesting choice, but I guess MLB players eat whatever they want. Belly returned to the lineup yesterday for the Yanks, but this is still top tier content.

⬇️ Quick Links

• 🤔 Police called to Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill’s home after dispute

• 🤝 Your guide to the 2025 Masters

• 🏈 Justin Fields with interesting take on his Pittsburgh benching

What To Watch

🏀 NBA Basketball - TNT Double Feature

• TNT Doubleheader: Cavs @ Pistons (7:00 PM), Timberwolves @ Grizzlies (9:30 PM)

• What to Watch: Knicks @ Pistons (7:00 PM), Pelicans @ Bucks (8:00 PM)

⚾️ Major League Baseball

• Schedule: Angels @ Rays (1:10 PM), Twins @ Royals (2:10 PM), Blue Jays @ Red Sox (4:10 PM), Phillies @ Braves (7:15 PM), full schedule

🏒 NHL Action

• ESPN+: Red Wings @ Panthers (7:00 PM), Hurricanes @ Capitals (7:30 PM), Jets @ Stars (8:00 PM), Canucks @ Avs (9:00 PM), Kraken @ Las Vegas (10:00 PM)

⚽️ A Couple Different Tourneys From Across the World

• Europa League: Lyon vs Man U (3:00 PM), Rangers vs Athletic Club (3:00 PM), Tottenham vs Frankfurt (3:00 PM)

• Concacaf Champions League: Legia Warsaw vs Chelsea (12:45 PM)

⛳️ Ladies and gentlemen, the first day of The Masters is HERE! I’d argue that this is the best week in golf, so if you need to feel a little sick over the next 48 hours to get out of work, I do NOT blame you. You have our permission. Here’s a link to the leaderboard as it develops…

The Moment You’ve Been Waiting For

Thanks for sticking to the end! Share The Daily Stump using this link, it would go a long way. Appreciate the hell out of you all. Trees may get chopped. Stumps hold strong 🌴