Deadspin > Sports News Without Fear, Favor or Compromise

As infuriating, or disappointing, or occasionally exciting as baseball teams can be these days, you can generally figure out their direction and aims pretty quickly. As well as where they are on said arc. You don’t need a Watson to figure out what the Reds and A’s are doing. Nor do you for the Mets or Dodgers. The…Read more...

Ah, just what we needed right now — Herschel Walker coming out as the anti-science candidate. Maybe I was optimistically ignorant to think we’d left mainstream creationism in the twentieth century, but Walker, who has become a prominent conservative political figure in his state and is the leading Republican candidate…Read more...

The introduction of the modern seeding system to the NCAA Tournament in 1979 gave way to the age of upsets. Before long, the Cinderella moniker was attached to dozens of teams that played well beyond expectations. The immortal words of John Wooden, architect of college basketball’s transcendent dynasty, should…Read more...

The Browns QB might know something that we don’t (in fact, it’s safe to say that he probably knows a lot of things that we don’t), but his heartfelt letter to the city of Cleveland last night caused some confusion. In a notes app write-up posted to Twitter, Baker Mayfield thanked the city of Cleveland for embracing…Read more...

The NFL Rules Committee’s sluggish acceptance of progressive ideas is analogous to another legislative body in the United States. Someone presents a grand notion and five, 10 or 20 years later, some lawmaker digs it up and gets praised as a visionary.Read more...

You’re not supposed to miss a blister. You’re not supposed to get nostalgic about a paper cut on that webby part between your thumb and forefinger. You shouldn’t smile at stubbing your toe against the bed or couch that causes you to limp for an hour.

It’s not just that the Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009, although it can’t be repeated enough that the Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009.Read more...

It’s been more than five years since Colin Kaepernick has thrown a pass in an NFL game, but it doesn’t mean that he’s done throwing to NFL receivers.Read more...

If I told you Kyrie Irving was cooking on the court last night, you’d probably say, “OK, what’s new,” right? But Kyrie was on an entirely different level in Tuesday night’s 150-108 win against the Orlando Magic, going for 60 points in only 35 minutes of game action. Irving had 41 in the first half, and at one point, I…Read more...

For the best chance at a major upset in this year’s NCAA Tournament, look no further than the Peacocks hailing from Jersey City, New Jersey.

Players in Major League Baseball continue to show their ass, and it looks like their teams are growing weary of it. NYC mayor Eric Adams reiterated that there will be no exceptions in NYC’s restrictions for private employees, and it’s particularly a problem for the Yanks and Mets because those players will not be…Read more...

While MLB players were doing their best to put a shiny face on the new CBA as progress, before watching baseball act like baseball again unless you play for the Mets, their minor league counterparts did actually change the landscape a bit last night.

The new NFL year officially begins tomorrow at 4 p.m. EST, but free agency is already on and popping with many big moves, trades, and releases being confirmed. When you woke up this morning, you may have heard that the Dallas Cowboys had retained the services of defensive end Randy Gregory, agreeing to a long-term…Read more...

For those who thought Batman was a fictitious character, you might be wrong. Sure it’s overexaggerated with the billionaire in the Halloween costume, the humongous car with a turbo gear, and a utility belt full of non-lethal gadgets, but a citizen with no superpowers fighting crime, one of those exists — it’s UFC…Read more...

One of the great selling points for public money going being used to build a stadium is that, while the stadium itself will be used by teams owned by billionaires, there will be an economic impact to the surrounding community that makes the public investment worthwhile.

Tom Brady is back, and while that news has been the cause of some confusion and dismay for opposing fans and teams, it’s also given NFL Twitter some solid comedic content.

“Hey, yo.”

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Christian Dawkins is in federal prison. Will Wade is at home. This is a story about sports, money, college basketball, a corrupt justice system, and racism. It’s an American saga.Read more...

Over the years, we’ve seen some great runs during March Madness and some highly talented teams. But the most talented teams don’t always take it all the way to a national championship. Many have fallen short, and some didn’t even make it to the Final Four. Here we rank some of the best teams in NCAA history that…Read more...

As March Madness kicks off in a few days, the next class of NBA regulars will play in their final college games before transitioning into pre-draft prep, doing everything they can to hear their name called higher on June 23. Most of the top prospects for this summer’s draft will display their talents in the NCAA…Read more...

You know, just for a second there, I thought baseball might give everyone a little time to enjoy the lockout being over, to soak in the excitement of the anticipation of spring training games and the season that will start right on its heels. To feel the reflected heat of the Arizona and Florida sun as we tune in for…Read more...

In the previous decade, we could have asked this question about Aston Villa, West Ham, or Newcastle. All of those clubs are of the same size as Everton, all should be comfortably in the second tier of the Premier League behind the big six, if not breaking into the big six themselves. And yet, the latter three have all…Read more...

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ surge up the NBA standings has been a warm fire during another frigid winter. For the past decade, this has been an utterly moribund franchise. The time was nearing for Karl-Anthony Towns to begin asking for an escape hatch as his super-max contract approached its expiration date.Read more...

It’s time to end this madness NBA. You’ve been playing around with the jerseys for far too long. I get it. Each team having approximately 1,000 alternate jerseys is a great revenue stream as well as the sponsor logos in the corner where the NBA logo used to be. But there is this word, clarity, that allows a contest…Read more...

Well, here we go again.Read more...

Welcome to “How to fill out a March Madness bracket and other lies” where I’m going to give you five truths and five lies, and you have to figure out which ones are going to give you the edge in your office pool. If I’m giving away free advice, it’s going to come with a catch. (I am getting paid to write this, but you…Read more...

It sure looks funny when the MLBPA claims that the establishment of a draft lottery is something of a win in the new CBA, in a bid to prevent tanking from teams, and on the very first day they can do so, the Oakland Athletics trade their best pitcher (Chris Bassitt) for one prospect and one minor league wanderer at…Read more...

The only thing more ridiculous than the money TV networks are throwing at guys to be analysts is the fact that a Black man has never had one of those coveted longtime gigs.

Naomi Osaka loves tennis, but tennis doesn’t seem to love her back.Read more...

Did the NCAA Tournament selection committee watch the SEC Tournament? There’s no way it paid proper attention. Otherwise, its messaging to Texas A&M — as well as ACC Tournament Champion Virginia Tech, should the Hokies have not upset No. 2 Tournament seed Duke on Saturday night — is their resumes were only good enough…Read more...

If you want to get an idea of how the power dynamic between the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks has drastically shifted, Sunday’s matchup gave us a window. The Nets now think they run the city.Read more...

In a sense, we’ve done this to ourselves. The amount of attention, emotion, and time we spend not just dissecting the NFL, but the specific position of quarterback in the NFL, would warp any person who plays the position and is on the receiving end of all that. It’s probably one of the big reasons the position is so…Read more...

Tom Brady couldn’t stay away after all. His retirement lasted less than six weeks, reversing course to announce his intentions of returning to Tampa Bay for his 23rd NFL season. Harkening back to memories of Brett Favre with the Jets and Vikings, Brady’s “retirement” more so served as a long vacation. Brady will be 45…Read more...

Klay Thompson broke out of his shooting slump in a big way Saturday night in Golden State’s 122-109 win over Milwaukee. Thompson dropped 38 points on the Bucks with six rebounds and five assists, connecting on eight three-pointers in the process.Read more...

The NIL landscape has opened up a world of big and small endorsement opportunities that have no tangible connections to college campuses. This deal, the largest NIL one ever signed by a non-professional athlete, has placed a spotlight on the hinterland of the NIL landscape.Read more...

It took way too long to oust Will Wade from his place atop LSU men’s basketball, but the deserved guillotine finally made its swift chop on Saturday afternoon, a major moment in the 4-year-plus NCAA investigation into wrongdoing surrounding his time in Baton Rouge. Wade was fired with cause, meaning he’s not owed any…Read more...

The Milwaukee Bucks took one on the chin Saturday night in prime time against the Golden State Warriors, falling in defeat 122-109. What’s even more concerning than the loss is that Warriors superstar Stephen Curry scored just eight points. Curry was on the floor for a total of 35 minutes. That statistic should worry…Read more...

It was a great weekend for those posing as journalists who are more interested in acting like bullhorns for the lizard people who want their messages out. I wouldn’t pretend to know all the things that go into being a dependable journalist, nor do I care much, but I do know from vague memories through hangover-hazed…Read more...

The Phillies had a 4.60 bullpen ERA last season, sixth-worst in the major leagues. Philadelphia relievers’ 2.36 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranked 19th in the majors in 2021. And the Phillies’ bullpen corps served up 89 homers last year, tied for seventh-most in baseball.Read more...

Thanks to a change in arena policy last week removing the vaccine requirement for entry, Kyrie Irving was allowed in the building in Brooklyn on Saturday night for the first time all season – as a spectator, for Duke-Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game.Read more...

Amari Cooper is a good receiver. He’s not as good as Odell Beckham Jr. was when he left New York for Cleveland though. Sure, there are some arguments you could make against the latter statement. For example, perhaps Cooper hasn’t been a true No. 1 in Dallas since CeeDee Lamb got there. Doubtful, but I can see the…Read more...

Big E is lucky he’s not paralyzed. Look up Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hiromu Takahashi, Hayabusa, Nikki Bella, Sabu, Hardcore Holly, Paige, and Edge. All professional wrestlers who suffered major neck injuries and had their careers and lives changed because of it. The former WWE Champion and member of the New Day is one…Read more...

On Monday, Brian Flores will speak to the American Association of Justice about repealing forced arbitration in cases of racial discrimination. Forced arbitration allows American companies to avoid the court system, instead taking a lawsuit through a closed investigation that is never heard by a jury and, by nature,…Read more...

The Portland Trailblazers are not the worst team in the NBA. They’re far from it actually. However, their past six games would indicate otherwise. They’re tanking like there’s no tomorrow. Since their Feb. 24 matchup at home against the Golden State Warriors, the Trail Blazers have lost every game they’ve played, and…Read more...

“A cultural event” is how my aunt and uncle describe the SEC tournament, and it’s one that I had not previously experienced. They’re Kentucky fans as are my parents and basically my Dad’s entire side of the family. I knew I was a Kentucky fan before I even understood what college sports were. So when my aunt and uncle…Read more...

So, does the rest of the NFL know now that not being charged criminally doesn’t equal innocence in civil lawsuits, or do we need another agenda-serving Adam Schefter tweet-gone-wrong to illustrate that lining up to court Deshaun Watson is still a risky endeavor?

“You look like one of us,” a young woman tells Jerry West at a bar, fresh off a championship but stuck in his own ennui. The woman is part of a group mourning a deceased loved one, some dude named Bob. West is three hours removed from winning his first NBA championship in 1971, after six attempts. West has yet to…Read more...

When I told my mom about the reports of NBC’s impending $30 million deal to stream a dozen and a half Major League Baseball games on Peacock, she groaned. More streaming, more annoyance when all you want to do is just turn on the TV and see the ballgame.

When this season began, Ray Allen was the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had the record for combined regular season and playoff points, and Don Nelson was the winningest coach in league history.Read more...