Nyjah and the Olympic youth movement
The Sporting Tribune's Michael Silver writes about a new wave of athletes ushering in the era of social media and action sports stars.
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1. Nyjah and the Olympic youth movement
The Sporting Tribune's Michael Silver writes about a new wave of athletes ushering in the era of social media and action sports stars.
In a nondescript warehouse tucked away in the suburbs of Orange County, a generational talent perfects his craft. A playground of steel and concrete ramps, ledges and stairs painted purple and black provide a canvas for Nyjah Huston to create.
The 29-year-old professional skateboarder spends countless hours in his private skatepark practicing flip tricks and grinds. A dedication that started when he was only five. By age 10 he had won his first major competition and put everyone on notice.
He has since become the highest paid street skater in the world and amassing a global fanbase with five million followers on Instagram. Huston is the most decorated street skater of his era, earning victories in every competition under the sun but one, the Summer Olympics.
2. The Sporting Tribune’s 2024 MLB Mock Draft 1.0
The Sporting Tribune's Taylor Blake Ward gives his first version of the MLB Mock Draft.
Many ask why I wait until June to start writing mock drafts -- which is a pretty reasonable question. To keep it simple, there just isn't enough information about club's real interest in players until around this point in the draft, which is evidently later in the calendar than in years prior due to the draft date.
The rumor mill can start as early as it wants to and it's up to whomever will listen to the rumors as to how much they'll believe what they're told or hear. Though it remains a constant cycle of information (and misinformation), we are in the late stages of the grapevine chatter and getting into more concrete material. That comes with the caveat that it is still scuttlebutt, which doesn't merit fact.
Super Regionals are over and teams destined for Omaha have been decided. For the youngsters, they're sporting caps and gowns as opposed to ballcaps and stirrups. Most players have seen their seasons conclude with a few exceptions, whether on the collegiate or prep side, while some will head off to wood bat leagues before the draft.
3. Kershaw shows promise in 1st rehab start since shoulder surgery
Clayton Kershaw excelled in his first rehab start for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Wednesday after undergoing shoulder surgery at the end of last season, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Fredo Cervantes.
Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw threw three innings of two-hit ball in his first minor-league rehabilitation appearance Wednesday night at LoanMart Field.
Throwing for Low-A affiliate the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, he allowed two hits and one run while striking out five hitters. He is trying to return from Nov. 3. surgery to repair the glenohumeral ligaments and capsule in his left shoulder.
Helping the Quakes earn a 6-2 victory over the Inland Empire 66ers, Kershaw faced 11 batters and threw 36 pitches with 26 strikes.
4. ‘Fight Night’ in Las Vegas always has meant more than just boxing
The Sporting Tribune's W.G. Ramirez was at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for a celebration of the venue's 100th card and recounts his memories of fight night in Las Vegas.
As I stood inside MGM’s Grand Garden Arena for a celebration of the venue’s 100th boxing card, I couldn’t help but think about Oct. 2, 1980, the first time I remember attending a major fight card in Las Vegas.
My grandfather had secured ringside seats for “The Last Hurrah!”
Muhammad Ali’s effort against Larry Holmes was a far cry from any hurrah, but it certainly brought tears to my eyes. Watching Ali get pummeled into retirement wasn’t what I expected at 11 years old.
Here I thought Holmes was a nice guy for signing my autograph book before he ever even won a championship belt — he signed it “the future champ, Larry Holmes” — and I just watched him bring an end to “The Greatest.”
I also didn’t know it would be one of many fight nights I’d enjoy in Las Vegas, including what was supposed to be Holmes’ swan song nearly 15 years later (April 8, 1995), when he was tattered by Oliver McCall for the WBC World Heavyweight belt.
5. Sparks play first of two games in New York against Liberty
The Sparks will play two games in three nights against the New York Liberty, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Rey Moralde.
The road has gotten a lot tougher for the Los Angeles Sparks.
Cameron Brink was diagnosed with a torn ACL on Wednesday. Brink will likely miss the rest of her rookie season and will also very likely miss the Olympics as she was chosen to be part of the 3×3 Women’s national team. A speedy recovery to Brink.
The rest of the team will miss her defensive presence as well as some of her scoring. Brink averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per in the 15 games she played.
Who will take her place in the line-up? The 6’7” Li Yueru took her minutes when she left the game on Tuesday. She’s not the defensive ace Brink is but she is good around the basket and can surprise people with her agility. Li has a nice midrange J, too.
So with Brink out, it’ll be a significant change for the Sparks. They will rally around their fallen teammate and hope to finish the road trip strong.
6. Aces top Storm in Chelsea Gray’s return
The Aces’ Point Gawd made her return on Wednesday night, albeit in a limited capacity off the bench, as the Aces beat the Storm 94-83, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Will Despart.
It’s been a tough go of things for the Aces, there’s no doubt about that. But Wednesday night’s 94-83 victory over the Storm punctuated what was surely the best night of the season so far for the two-time defending champions.
The Aces vibes were high with the impending return of Chelsea Gray expected. When Gray checked in for the first time of the season midway through the first quarter, Michelob Ultra Arena went ballistic for the Point Gawd in what was surely the loudest moment of the game.
“Just a lot of emotion,” Gray said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been out on that court, but the fans, they were amazing from the time I came out to warm up to the time I checked into the game. It was great. Just a rush and a feeling that I missed a lot.”
7. Video of the Day
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8. Ticket Time
Here are the “get in” prices for tickets if you’re thinking about going to a game Friday:
7:00 p.m. – Sun at Aces – $20
7:10 p.m. – Angels at Dodgers – $60
9. On the Air
Here are the game times and television channels for professional teams in the region Friday:
7:00 p.m. – Sun at Aces – ION
7:10 p.m. – Angels at Dodgers – SportsNet LA
10. The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune
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. You can also watch every Friday on BLEAV on FuboTV.
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That’s it for today. Talk to you Monday!