Author: Michael

It’s looking like there will be one giant fish in the pond when NHL free agency starts on July 1 after reports that Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos will hit the open market.
Stamkos and the Lightning have been trying to come to terms on a new contract after his previous 8-year, $68 million deal came to an end this season.
The 34-year-old is the face of the franchise and led them to two Stanley Cup wins and three-straight Stanley Cup Final appearances, but given his play, it stands to reason he might want more than his $8.5 million AAV.

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In case you were wondering, MLB Hall of Famer John Smoltz is not a fan of how analytics in baseball have affected starting pitching in the league.
On an episode of “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich,” the World Series champion and “Fox MLB” commentator discussed how much the element of starting pitching has evolved since he retired after the 2009 season. I say “evolved” with a negative connotation, since Smoltz largely believes nothing good has come from the analytics philosophy.

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Whew. Let me tell you, I feel refreshed… but that will not keep me from griping.
I got home over the weekend from a week at the Outer Banks with my family (sorry, no Gripe Report last week, but my family was lucky to hear some exclusive, live gripes. Very cool for them)
It was a nice week spent sitting by the pool, moving to the beach, bitching about the sand like Anakin Skywalker, and then going back to the pool.
Plenty of Narragansett in throwback 1970s cans were consumed (and then crushed like Quint because that’s what you do) and good times were had by all.

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THIBODAUX, Louisiana – Texas redshirt freshman quarterback Arch Manning drew quite a crowd, as usual, at the star-studded Manning Passing Academy media day at Nicholls State University here Friday.
He did draw the largest crowd at the College Football Playoff semifinal media day at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans last season, even though he has played in exactly two college games in his career, completing 2-of-5 passes for 30 yards.

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Photo by Jayce Illman/Getty Images
Friday was not the smoothest of days for Daniel Ricciardo at the F1 Austrian Grand Prix
Friday was not the easiest of days for Daniel Ricciardo as the 2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix got underway.
But despite the early struggles, one of F1’s main attractions is staying upbeat.
Ricciardo posted the 16th-fastest time in the single practice of the week, and could not improve on that position in Friday’s F1 Sprint Qualifying session. The Visa Cash App RB F1 Team driver finished 16th, leading to his elimination in SQ1.

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