Good Morning, Stumpers!

 No April Fools from us, too much important sports news to get to all of our loyal supporters. We have SO much to talk about. Our spotlight goes into our sad boy hours about Zion Williamson and his season ending back injury, incase you can’t tell, we’re sad about it. Then we’ll jump into Women’s Elite Eight, PED’s, big contracts, and what the Browns finally admitted about Deshaun Watson. So don’t worry about any jokes from us, we’re ALL BUSINESS TODAY.

Today’s Rundown

What’s in today’s edition?

• 🏀 Women’s Elite Eight Finals

• 🥹 Please, no, Zion.

• ⚾️ Highs and Lows of Yesterdays MLB News

• 🗣️ A very FITTING Quote of the Day

On This Day

On This Day…

🪧 NHL Players Go On Strike

The NHL has gone through many different iterations in it’s long history, including adding international players, changing rules, and moving franchises from city to city. But it wasn’t until 1992 that the players took their first stand.

It was on this day in 1992 that NHL players begin the first strike in 75-year history of the league. After 10 days, the players union and the league agreed to large playoff bonus increase, more control over licensing of their likeness, and free agency systematic change.

Today’s Trivia

🧠 Test your sports knowledge…

Yesterday’s Trivia Answer: B. 2008. The only other time in history that four number one seeds made it to the Men’s NCAA Tournament Final Four.

Before We Dive In…

👀 Yesterday’s Must See’s

• 🕰️ Al Horford TURN BACK THE CLOCK

• 🤣 A “fire Nico” right in the Mavs GM’s face

• 😵‍💫 Sarah Strong SPIN MOVE has me dizzy

• 🤧 Cale Makar with a top net SNIPE

🔍️ Stump Spotlight

From a Guy Who Likes Zion

🏀 Zion, Please Don’t Do This to Me.

This one hurts. New Orleans announced yesterday that Zion Williamson will be shut down for the remainder of the season with a bone bruise in his back. Maybe I’m overreacting. I know the regular season is almost over and Pelicans are already eliminated from the playoffs, but man I just want this guy to be healthy.

Williamson’s latest injury setback comes as the Pelicans sit at 21-54, 41.5 games back of the first place Oklahoma City Thunder. This injury ensures that the first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft will play 30 games or fewer for the fourth time in his six year career. Before this injury, Zion had two triple doubles in the previous eight games.

Maybe you don’t hear a lot about Zion and you think he isn’t that good, but let me give you a neat stat. Among players who debuted after the 1997-98 season, Zion is the only one to average at least 15 points in the paint a game while shooting above 55% in each of his first five seasons. So, yeah, he’s as promising as any other player in NBA history with his skill set. But here’s the ugly part, he’s missed more games (258) than he has played (214).

The flashes are there. Everything was trending right. He had lost weight, he was getting his triple-doubles, arguably playing his best stretch of his career in the weeks prior to this injury. But then a freak fall in a game and he bruises his back, boom, out for the season. It’s just so sad, man. He’s so incredibly talented, and don’t get me wrong, it’s not like he’s taken the best care of his body off the court, but it felt like he was really turning a new leaf.

This feels like a make or break offseason for Zion. It’s going to be year seven. From everything the Pelicans are saying it’s sounding like this injury won’t prohibit him from his offseason training. So, Zion, from all us fans who are cheering for you, let’s get after this summer grind and come back stronger than ever!

The Hot Stove

Texas def. TCU, 58-47: If you turned this game off after the first half, I get it, but shame on you. This was as sloppy as it could get early, Texas and TCU were trading turnovers, missing shots, and playing with their hair on fire. Both teams caught fire in the third quarter and went punch for punch, but then came Texas’ sparkplug. Kyla Oldacre, a 6’6 Junior from Mason, Ohio who dropped in 9 points and 5 rebounds off the bench and was an absolute glue gal when the team needed it most. Texas pulled away in the fourth quarter, but TCU fought and brought the game within 6 with a few minutes left. Hailey Van Lith had 17 points in her last game as a college basketball player, a true legend of the sport. Despite her all, it wasn’t enough for the Horned Frogs. Texas makes their first final four since 2003.

UConn def. USC, 78-64: The Paige Bueckers show has been on full display in March! The show continued last night with another spectacular performance. She ended with 31 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals. Freshman Sarah Strong tacked on 22 points and a wild 17 rebounds in the victory! This game was vastly different than it would’ve been with a healthy Juju Watkins was healthy, but the Trojans showed fight throughout. They went down by 16 but were able to bring it back to with 6 in the fourth quarter. The Huskies now will make their 24th trip to the National Semifinal, and they have a date with No. 1 Seed UCLA! We’re in for a great finish!

The Women’s Final Four is set and will be played Friday night: Texas vs South Carolina, UConn vs UCLA.

💉 Profar Caught Using the PEDs

There’s aways one guy every year, and this year, it just so happens to be Jurickson Profar. No wonder he set a career high in home runs last year. The Braves’ outfield will serve an 8-game ban after he tested positive for a banned substance. That substance, chorionic gonadotropin, increases male testosterone. Profar played on a 1-year, $1M contract in 2024 with the Padres and put up career bests hitting the ball. The Braves signed him to a three year deal this offseason to become their everyday left fielder. Perhaps Profar felt the pressure of his career dwindling before 2024, and decided to take action. The Braves already rough start gets a little rougher, as injuries were already a big question make for the beginning of the season for Atlanta. This team needs Acuna back BAD.

⚾️ Crochet Cashes in with Red Sox

The Red Sox and their big time offseason acquisition, Garrett Crochet, agreed to a new deal yesterday to keep their new ace in Boston for the foreseeable future. The two reached a six-year, $170m deal that goes into effect in 2026 and includes an opt-out after the fifth season. Crochet played for the White Sox prior to an offseason mega-trade that included five different players and sent him to Boston. He was the 11th selection in the 2020 draft out of the University of Tennessee. This is the largest deal in MLB history for a player with only 4 years of service. Meaning he’s only been out of college for four years, as he started his professional career in the 2021 season.

🏈 Browns Owners Says Quiet Part Out Loud

There’s no doubt that the Deshaun Watson experience in Cleveland has been nothing but a failure of the upmost fashion. But it wasn’t until yesterday that the organization finally came public about just how bad they know they messed up. Cleveland Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslem called the team’s trade for QB Deshaun Watson a “big swing-and-miss”. He went on to say that the organization though they had “the quarterback”, but obviously didn’t. The Browns gave up three first round picks for Watson, and then gave him a fully guaranteed $230M contract that currently has two years left. Injuries, suspensions, more injuries, locker room problems, all ensued. None of which have contributed to winning football, “we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole”, Haslem says. This is no surprise to anyone that the organization knows this internally, but to come out and say it even though the player has two years left on his contract, is a little shocking. This should almost certainly guarantee that Deshaun Watson is NOT the quarterback of the Browns and most likely will never step on the field for them again.

⬇️ Quick Links

• 💰️ Top NBA draft prospect Dylan Harper officially declares

• 🚿 Freddie Freeman slips in shower, to miss a few games for LAD

• 🔴 Pitino and St. John’s lands big time in conference transfer

• 🤝 PJ Tucker signs 2-year deal with NYK

What To Watch

🏀 The NCAA Tournament…

• Men’s Final Four: Now we wait!

• Women’s Final Four: Waiting here too!

🏀 NBA Basketball - TNT Double Header!

• TNT: Suns @ Bucks (7:30 PM), T-Wolves @ Nuggets (10:00 PM)

• More to watch: Magic @ Spurs (8:00 PM), Warriors @ Grizz (8:00 PM)

⚾️ MLB Action on TBS!

• TBS: DBacks @ Yankees (7:05 PM), full schedule

🏒 The NHL on ESPN+

• ESPN+: Capitals @ Bruins (7:00 PM), Panthers @ Canadiens (7:00 PM), Sabres @ Sens (7:00 PM), Lightning @ Islanders (7:30 PM), Red Wings @ Blues (8:00 PM), Oilers @ Golden Knights (10:00 PM), Jets @ Kings (10:30 PM)

The Moment You’ve Been Waiting For

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