EVO 2023 highlights massive growth
EVO 2023 will host its largest open-bracket tournament to date with more than 9,000 competitors.
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1. EVO 2023 highlights massive growth
EVO 2023 will host its largest open-bracket tournament to date with more than 9,000 competitors, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Paul Delos Santos.
EVO General Manager Rick Thiher has seen how much EVO has grown in his time since he first started working for the brand in 2010 as a bracket runner.
He has seen EVO grow into a well-known entity in the gaming world, and it will host its largest event ever. EVO returns to Las Vegas, starting Friday as it hosts more than 9,000 competitors for 71 countries to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center for its yearly world championships and annual convention.
“You can expect the single largest Street Fighter tournament that has ever been hosted, as well as what we think is one of the largest offline open bracket competitions of all time,” Thiher said. “We have a significantly enhanced exhibitor and vendors area at the show.”
2. Chargers CB Asante Samuel Jr. showing his versatility early in training camp
The Chargers have Asante Samuel Jr. moving between inside and outside cornerback during training camp, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Fernando Ramirez.
The Chargers secondary has been the talk of training camp, and on Wednesday, they made the difference; one player, in particular, was cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.
As the offensive emphasis was two-minute drills and playing inside the 20-yard line.
Toward the end of practice, quarterback Justin Herbert hit Joshua Palmer and Keenan Allen to put them in the red zone. Herbert decided to go to rookie receiver Quentin Johnston when Samuel Jr. knocked down the pass.
Then Herbert went to Johnston again with the same result; Samuel Jr. came between the quarterback and the receiver.
“I’m just trying to get better and make plays for this team,” Samuel Jr. said.
3. Circa Sports to open SlamBall betting lines
SlamBall announced Thursday that Circa Sports has been named a Founding Partner of the SlamBall League, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Will Despart.
It was only a matter of time before SlamBall got the full Las Vegas treatment. Circa Sports has announced that they will officially open betting lines for the remainder of the SlamBall season, starting with tonight’s slate.
“We have always believed that SlamBall was a tailor made property for sports gambling, and Circa Sports coming on at this early juncture further validates and expedites this critical part of our business plan,” said SlamBall CEO Mason Gordon in today’s press release. “Our expansive partnership with Derek Stevens and the team will be amplified this upcoming weekend when live gambling on SlamBall will take place for the first time.”
The cult-classic sport made its return to airwaves this summer after several short-lived attempts throughout the last twenty years. Invented in Los Angeles by Gordon in 1999, it previously peaked in the early 2000’s while airing on the now defunct Spike TV. Often the subject of online nostalgia, SlamBall never fully left public consciousness. Even in its absence, it was one of the relics of the new millennium that remained in people’s collective memory.
4. Ohtani exits early, Angels lose 5-3
Shohei Ohtani exited Thursday night's game as a pitcher after throwing just 59 pitches across four scoreless innings, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Joey Linn.
Having already been removed from two games last week due to cramping, Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani exited Thursday night’s game as a pitcher after throwing just 59 pitches across four scoreless innings. Dealing with lower body cramps last week, it was a finger cramp that forced Ohtani to leave the series opener vs. the Seattle Mariners as a pitcher. Ohtani remained in the game as a hitter, where he reached base all four times, stole a base, scored two runs, and blasted his MLB-leading 40th homer.
While cramps are not the type of injury that forces a player to miss extended time, it has now become a recurring issue for Ohtani, and forced him to exit a dominant start on Thursday night. When asked after the game about this development, Angels manager Phil Nevin said Ohtani explained the cramping in his finger, and said he wasn’t able to pitch anymore. Nevin added that he is encouraged Ohtani is not dealing with arm pain, and instead just a finger issue.
5. Julio Urias cruises, Freddie Freeman crushes in 8-2 win
The Dodger lineup continues to rake as Urias dominates the A's lineup, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Grant Mona.
This team just continues to roll. Julio Urias got back to his dominant self and Freddie Freeman continued his remarkable offensive tear in a sweep of the Oakland A’s. The offense supplied the run support and Julio Urias didn’t even need it, as he cruised to a scoreless start.
Urias was on his game tonight with all of the pitches in his arsenal looking sharp and with command, which is a sight that Dodger fans are used to, but haven’t seen lately. He went five innings, only giving up three hits, with zero runs allowed and five strikeouts.
6. Is Caleb Williams the best QB prospect ever?
Does Caleb Williams need to live up to the hype this season? Or is he already a lock for the first overall pick? The Sporting Tribune’s Josh Fisher wants to know.
Over the past three decades, three quarterbacks left college being described as true ‘no-brainer’ first overall picks: Peyton Manning in ’98, Andrew Luck in ’12, and Trevor Lawrence in ’21. While there has been a profusion of other notable quarterbacks of distinction to arrive on the scene, the three aforementioned players top the list.
In this upcoming 2023 season, USC Trojans QB1 Caleb Williams boldly enters the ‘no-brainer’ conversation and thereby warrants comparison to the great quarterbacks.
Many fans, analysts, and commentators wondered, as they previously had about Lawrence, if Williams had been allowed to leave after his sophomore season, would he have gone first overall to the Panthers?
7. Odds and Ends presented by Circa Sports
Here are some odds at Circa Sports if you’re thinking about placing a wager today:
8. Ticket Time presented by TickPick
Here are the “get in” prices for tickets if you’re thinking about going to a game today.
6:38 p.m. – Mariners at Angels – $15
6:40 p.m. – Dodgers at Padres – $43
9. On the Air presented by The D Las Vegas
Here are the game times and television channels for professional teams in the region today.
4:00 p.m. – Sparks at Mystics – Ion – Rey Moralde
6:38 p.m. – Mariners at Angels – Bally Sports West
6:40 p.m. – Dodgers at Padres – SportsNet LA
10. The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune
The Sporting Tribune’s Arash Markazi is joined by Adrian Hernandez and Brandon Deutsch as they talk to The Sporting Tribune’s Steve Carp about Terence Crawford being perhaps the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world right now.
Listen to The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune on The Mightier 1090 ESPN Radio in Southern California, 98.5 The Bet in Las Vegas and the Hawaii Sports Radio Network 95.1 FM and 760 AM in Hawaii. You can also listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play and Stitcher.
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That’s it for today. Talk to you on Monday!