It’s a Thursday, but I’ll tell you what, there’s a HUGE day in sports ahead of us. Golf left us for a little while, but it’s back and bigger than ever. The President’s Cup tees off in Montreal, baby! Back in the US the playoff push in the MLB is getting tighter and every game means more than the last, while college athletics is still having NIL problems. Oh, and I wouldn’t dare forget about an elite father-son story from the NHL. Get ready ladies and gentlemen, it’s gonna be a great sneak peek to the weekend.

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Today’s Trivia🧠

🏈What year did Thursday Night Football begin the NFL?

• A. 1995

• B. 2006

• C. 2015

• D. 2019

• E. 2000

(answer at the bottom of the Stump!)

On This Day…

🏀 Here’s a team you might not have ever heard of. On this day in 1973, after his playing career was over, Wilt Chamberlain signed with the San Diego Conquistadors of the ABA to be their head coach.

The Conquistadors, or “Q’s” as they were more commonly known ended up going 37-47 on the year and lost in the Western semifinals to the Utah Stars. Here’s a little more on the Q’s!

What’s Worth Your Time

🏈Sluka Leaves UNLV Over NIL

There’s a LOT that the college athletics world is still trying to figure out in terms of NIL, and Matthew Sluka isn’t waiting around for UNLV to figure it out.

After a few highly successful seasons at Holy Cross, Matthew Sluka decided to take his talents elsewhere. He landed at the University of Las Vegas-Nevada, and as most transfers expect nowadays, he got some money in exchange for his services. Or so he thought he would.

UNLV is off to a historic start, their first 3-0 start since 1984, and received 53 points in the latest AP Poll. Sluka has thrown for over 300 yards and ran for north of 275, but the most important piece has been his ability to control and run the offense and not turn the ball over…7 total touchdowns, and 1 turnover.

Following last week’s win, Sluka announced that he was going to use his redshirt year and leave the program. Citing “certain representations that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled”. If you’re the type of person who can read between the lines, it’s pretty obvious what he’s talking about.

Whatever UNLV offered him to convince him to commit, he hasn’t got. Whether that is money or other perks/benefits, somebody hasn’t followed through. The move by Sluka is the first of its kind in the new NIL world, and I’d be shocked if there aren’t more.

⚾️Mets @ Braves: Every Pitch Counts!

The Diamondbacks, Mets, and Braves were all separated by just one game heading into last nights games. One pitch could separate each of these teams from a chance in the big dance or not.

The Mets lost game one of their do-or-die series against the Braves, and heading into last night’s game they were only one game up on the Braves. One of the best rivalries in baseball only means a little bit more this time around. Yesterday’s game was postponed, so it’s gonna come down to a Monday doubleheader, the LAST DAY OF THE SEASON!

The Braves have been riddled by injuries this year but have managed to still rip off 86 wins and put themselves in a position to get into the postseason. Chris Sale has come into Atlanta and completely revitalized his career, leading the team in ERA, Wins, and strikeouts, and firmly put himself in contention to win the NL Cy Young Award.

The Mets have finally got the star they thought they would in Francisco Lindor, who arguably is the MVP of the NL this year. The Mets have been streaky all year long but when they are hot, they are hot. When the pitching and hitting are clicking, there’s not many teams better than the team from Queens. The Mets are 19-7 in September.

Despite all the successes and challenges they overcame, none of it matters for either team. This series will decide their playoff fates. There’s no if, and’s, or but’s about it. If you really want it, you HAVE to beat your rivals, and you HAVE to win in late September. For the Mets and Braves, you HAVE to win on Monday.

⚾️Historic Ohtani Baseball Goes to Auction

Catching one of these historic baseballs is a good way to get rich, apparently. Ohtani’s 50/50 ball goes up for auction in the coming weeks.

Shohei Ohtani did something that nobody has ever done about a week ago, he hit his 50th home run to go with 50 stolen bases on the season. In the game, he hit three home runs and stole two bases in one night to etch himself in baseball history.

The third home run, number 50, was sent over the left center wall in Miami. Some lucky fella, who has chosen to remain anonymous, has already shared his intention to sell the ball in auction. He has partnered with the collectibles marketplace Goldin.

Fox Sports confirmed that the man was offered $300,000 by the Dodgers organization for the baseball, but the man refused. In 2022, Aaron Judge’s record-breaking 62nd home run sold for $1.5 million at auction. Ohtani’s ball can be purchased prior to the auction date for $4.5 million.

Bidding will start October 16th, 2024, let’s see if Ohtani can break another record and become the most expensive ball to sell at auction.

🏒 Father Testing Son in NHL Tryout

Not very often do you see a son play for his father at the highest level of professional sports. Sure, this is everyday commonplace at the lower levels, but in the NHL? Now that’s pretty rare.

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour had a great playing career in his own right, playing 21 seasons in the league and retiring with 452 career goals. He’s been the head coach of the team he had his most playing success with since 2018, and the team has been extremely successful.

Now, he’s got a much different situation on his hands. Rod’s son, Skyler, is currently trying to make the roster of the team his Dad coaches. Skyler was signed to a professional tryout deal on Wednesday after he played 54 games in the AHL last year.

Skyler was a faceoff specialist on the 2022-2023 National Championship Quinnipiac team, and has been playing hockey in the Raleigh area since he was a child. Now, he gets the chance to make the big club.

Skyler played 14 minutes in his NHL preseason debut and managed to win 50% of his faceoffs after struggling early. When asked about what the moment meant to him and his family, it was head coach Rod who answered, not Dad, “In the heat of it, he’s trying to prove himself, and we’re just trying to get through a day here, but it was nice… a nice moment.”

All business for the Brind’Amour boys.

⛳️ Presidents Cup Preview

I’m here to say it: I miss golf. The good news is, we don’t have to miss it this weekend! The President’s Cup is here, and it is OHHHH so beautiful.

LIVEEEEEE FROM MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, THE PRESIDENTS CUP IS HERE! TODAY!

Taking place at the Royal Montreal Golf Club, the 2024 edition of the Presidents Cup features a team of the best of the USA versus the rest of the world, minus Europe. The US takes on Europe in the Ryder Cup every other year. This year the USA is captained by Jim Furyk, while the International team is captained by Mike Weir, a native of Canada.

Each team has 12 players, and the two teams will compete in two different formats. Today and Saturday morning will be a 2 v 2 set up, lowest score of the hole wins it for their team. Friday and Saturday afternoon will be an alternate shot format. Sunday is 12 different 1 v 1 matchups to decide the winner. Points accumulate through out the weekend for both teams.

It can be seen on Gold Channel all Thursday and Friday, and NBC on Saturday and Sunday! Here are the 12 golfers for each team:

USA: Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Colin Morikawa, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Sahith Theegala, Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Brian Harman, Russel Henley, Max Homa

International: Hideki Matsuyama, Sungjae Im, Adam Scott, Tom Kim, Jason Day, Byeong Hun An, Christian Bezuidenhout, Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee, Taylor Pendrith

Yesterday, but the Good Stuff❗️❗️ 

🏈Post Week 3 NFL Power Rankings from FanDuel, what you think?

⚾️JOSE RAMIREZ PIMP JOB! THAT BALL IS LOOOOOOONG GONE!

🏀Caitlin Clark even hits threes in the WNBA playoffs

⚾️Reds break up perfect game with a bunt… thoughts?

🏒We’re back to NASTY goals in the NHL

💯 Full Scoreboards: MLB, Soccer, PGA, NFL, WNBA, NCAAF

Today’s Slate

*All times are ET*

⚾️ Rays @ Tigers (1:10 PM), Orioles @ Yankees (7:05 PM), Mets @ Braves (7:20 PM), Padres @ Dodgers (10:00 PM), full schedule

⚽️LALIGA: Espanyol vs Villareal (1:00 PM), Celta Vigo vs Atletico Madrid (3:00 PM) ; Coppa Italia: Monza vs Brescia (12:30 PM), Napoli vs Palermo (3:00 PM)

🏒 NHL Preseason: Bruins @ Rangers (7:00 PM on NHL Network), Sabres @ Senators (7:00 PM on ESPN+), Sharks @ Ducks (10:00 PM) , full schedule

🏈NCAAF: Army @ Temple (7:30 PM on ESPN) ; NFL Thursday Night Football: Cowboys @ Giants (8:15 PM on PRIME)

⛳️Golf: Day one of the PRESIDENTS CUP! LIVE FROM CANADA!

Trivia Answer:

B. 2006! The first Thursday Night Football debuted on Thursday, November 23rd, 2006. The Kansas City Chiefs handed the Denver Broncos a 19-10 loss on Thanksgiving night.

Can’t thank you enough for sticking to the end of this thing we call The Daily Stump. If you know anybody who might want this bit of daily sports news in their life, send them this link! It would go a long way! Appreciate the hell out of you all!

Trees get chopped. Stumps hold strong!