Sports ‘n Stuff 6/20/22

In less than two months, Wizards star Bradley Beal is expected to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career when the NBA’s free agency period opens on Aug. 2.

Beal, who has played his entire 10-year career in our nation’s capital, has long stood by his desire to win in Washington. And while many teams around the league have anxiously waited for the day he demands a change, the 29-year-old has consistently reiterated his commitment to the team and city.

On Saturday, Beal was again asked about his future plans during an appearance at the Banneker Recreation Center in D.C. for the unveiling of two refurbished basketball courts as part of a ribbon-cutting ceremony also commemorating Juneteenth. The three-time All-Star said in an interview with The Athletic that he has made a decision on his playing future, but declined to provide details out of respect for his current contract–a two-year, $72 million pact he signed in 2019.

Beal is still working his way back from season-ending wrist surgery, which he underwent five days after getting injured against the Grizzlies on Feb. 5. He revealed to The Athletic that he is no longer facing limitations after finally resuming on-court activity on Friday.

Beal, the third overall pick in 2012, averaged a team-high 23.2 points on 45.1 percent shooting and a career-low 30.0% from three in 40 games last season. He is eligible to sign a five-year, nearly $248 million max deal with the Wizards, who own his bird rights. Under league rules, he would only be able to sign a four-year deal worth roughly $184 million with any other team.

The Warriors received a plethora of congratulations messages after winning their fourth NBA championship in eight years, following their Game 6 victory over the Celtics on Thursday. Even, the President of the United States weighed in with some touching words. There is no telling if Biden knows that there’s other teams in California and this is the one without LeBron James.

The 2021-22 Golden State Warriors were the most expensive team in NBA  history last season. At roughly $346 million in combined salary and luxury taxes, they were the second-priciest group of players ever assembled in the history of North American professional sports. The NFL and NHL use hard salary caps, so no team has ever exceeded the current cap in either league ($208,200,000 for the NFL and $82,500,000 in the NHL). No baseball team has ever officially topped that total either, though the Dodgers are currently on track for a whopping $357 million in combined salary and competitive balance taxes. The Guardians took 2 out of 3 from the Dodgers over the weekend with a salary cap just over $60million.

Speaking of LeBron James, his former teammate Kyrie Irving’s  future with the Brooklyn Nets remains uncertain after he and the team are at an “impasse,” according to  The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks are among the teams who could be interested in Irving. The Lakers and Clippers would likely need to facilitate a sign-and-trade for Irving, while the Knicks could sign Iriving outright in free agency.

Random Fact of the Day:

In 2007, Scotland spent $150,000 devising a new national slogan.  The result was:  “Welcome to Scotland.”

A ticket stub from Michael Jordan’s first game as a Tar Heel just hit the auction block, and it’s believed to be the only one in existence. The extremely rare piece is from the November 1981 North Carolina vs. Kansas game, which was Jordan’s debut on Dean Smith’s Tar Heels basketball team.

The ticket is tattered and torn and has been given a poor 1 grading … but since it’s believed to be the only surviving stub from the night — it could net a small fortune.

In fact, experts at Heritage Auctions say it could go for over $10,000!!

Here’s this weekend’s top five movies at the North American box office:

  1. “Jurassic World: Dominion” – $58.6M
  2. “Buzz Lightyear” – $51M
  3. “Top Gun: Maverick” – $44M
  4. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” – $4.2M
  5. “Bob’s Burgers Movie” – $1.1M 

Cleveland Guardians move up to #11 in this weeks CBS Sports MLB power rankings. Recently going 5-1 on the current road trip:

top 5

  1. Yankees
  2. Mets
  3. Dodgers 
  4. Astros
  5. Padres

 

ISAAC BRUCE and DONNIE SHELL will be honorary coaches July 23 when the first Pro Football Hall of Fame East-West All-Star Football Game kicks off at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium at 7 p.m. Bruce will join Mark Geis, head coach of Green High School, and his three assistants in directing the West squad. Shell will join Brian Gamble, head coach of Sandy Valley High School, and his three assistants with the East squad. The game is making a come back after a two-year absence due to the pandemic.

The game concludes several days of special events celebrating high school football, including the induction of a new class into the Stark County High School Football Hall of Fame. This year’s class is comprised of Lance Burick, Eric Heinzer, Larry Laursel, Josh McDaniels, Tim Powell, Herman “Bup” Rearick and Zach Slates.

 

The induction banquet will be held on the evening of July 22 (time TBD) at the Nash Family Event & Conference Center at the Hall of Fame.

Tickets for the game will be $10 and are available at www.profootballhof.com/events/2022/07/east-west-all-star-game/.

 

Today is Monday June 20th 2022

Today in sports and pop culture history:

55 years ago – In 1967, former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali was fined $10,000 and sentenced to 5 years in prison for dodging the draft.  His conviction was later overturned by the Supreme Court.

At the Movies:

47 years ago – In 1975, Steven Spielberg started the whole “summer blockbuster” phenomenon with the release of “Jaws”.  At the time, it was the highest-grossing film in movie history, earning $260 million in the U.S.

“Star Wars” came out two years later and made $307 million in the U.S.

 

36 years ago – In 1986, “The Karate Kid, Part 2” was released.

29 years ago – In 1993, the Chicago Bulls beat the Phoenix Suns, winning Third Straight NBA Championship . . . making them the first team to “three-peat” since the 1966 Boston Celtics.  Michael Jordan was the series MVP.

 

The sixth game, that wrapped up the title, was won with a three point shot by the very white John Paxson, with 3.9 seconds remaining on the clock.

1998 – Sammy Sosa (Chicago Cubs) hit two home runs for the second straight game. The feat set a major league baseball record of 16 home runs in June. 

2004 – Ken Griffey Jr. (Cincinnati Reds) got his 500th career home run. Retiring in 2010, Jr. hit an impressive 630 dingers in his Major League career. He is still on the Reds’ payroll until 2024.

A couple Celebrity Birthdays today 

John Goodman is 70 (“Raising Arizona,” “Barton Fink,” “Always,” “The Babe,” “The Flintstones,” “The Artist,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” “The Big Lebnowski,” “Argo,” “The Hangover Part III,” “Patriots Day,” “10 Cloverfield Lane,” “Roseanne”)

Lionel Richie is 73 (FAST FACTS: He co-wrote the famous fundraising song “We Are the World” with Michael Jackson, which raised money for people in Africa. He also adopted Nicole Richie when she was 9.)

Brian Wilson is 80 (FAST FACTS: He co-wrote over 25 top 40 hits for the Beach Boys such as “Good Vibrations” and “Surfin’ the USA.”)