MidValleySports.Com

By Joe Torosian

Kick it!

I’m not early to this party—in fact, I’m a bit late—but story matters.

I’m not really a fan of either, but the World Cup and WNBA are really interesting stories.

I was prepared for Messi, I knew about Mbappé, but the Norwegians? Who knew?

(Well, I didn’t know.)

As a Casual, I want an Actual to explain to me why the World Cup expanding from 32 to 48 countries/teams is a good thing.

Did the tourney need Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan added to the dance? 
(And as I post this, Uzbekistan is losing 5-0 to Portugal.)

It feels like they put in a lot of NAIA-types (not even Mid-Majors) for the sake of a buck. Corrections accepted.

But then, again, it is FIFA.

As I said yesterday, I think Giannis Antetokounmpo has one great year left in him. But I think, long-term, Milwaukee came out ahead in the deal.

Then again, all the Heat needs is to win a title, and the trade will be justified.

Does anyone see the Bucks competing for a title anytime soon?

On the flip side, I’m a Knicks fan, but they’re not a lock. The Celtics are about to get weaker and keep the wrong guy, so anything seems possible in the East…But….If Bam and Giannis stay healthy, they match up well with the Spurs and Thunder in a potential Finals.

We said it back in May, Julius Randle has the most bipolar game in NBA history. Yesterday, he was traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Brooklyn Nets. Next season will be his 13th in the league, and the Nets will be his fifth team.

I’ll say it again, the product the WNBA puts out is terrible basketball—on the whole—but it is a page turner.

And it’s competitive. The ladies play with an inner knowledge and desperation that the entitlements could be pulled at any time. Unlike the NBA regular season, the WNBA regular season—just 44 games—is compelling. 

So, what does leadership do? They expand the regular season to 50 games. The season will go deeper into summer, MLB’s pennant races will heat up, NFL camps will open…and people will lose interest.

Even worse, a regular season that does matter will be diluted in a vain effort to be like the NBA. Extending a regular season to a point where it becomes irrelevant while taking away the one thing the WNBA has—passion.

…And without passion, the story will be lost, and the product will become even more unwatchable.

WNBA Testimony: The Indiana Fever was down 19-3 to the Phoenix Mercury in the first quarter last night and came back to win 86-77.

Things got chippy, the refs—horrible—lost control, there was a lot of finger pointing, and tomorrow night’s rematch has become as anticipated as a Harry Potter release.

The MLB won’t be fining the San Francisco Giants pitchers for putting scripture on their pride hats — perhaps a victory for tolerance, but a loss for celebration.

#72—May the San Francisco Giants rot and lie stinking in the earth…

Are Dodger fans worried about Kyle Tucker? And how close is Josue De Paula?

The Dude abides…

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Ecclesiastes 12:13
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