Sports Are Back: Bubble King LeBron & Baseball's '90s Kids

www.ozy.com Sponsored by Wednesday, July 22, 2020 For many Americans, the pandemic got real when the NBA went on hiatus after one of its players tested positive — a signal that our nation was grinding to a halt. Now more than four months later, the virus continues to spread like wildfire, and many high school and college sports look like they could be on ice until January. And America’s pro sports? They’re all on track to return, but without fans. Today’s Daily Dose gives you a primer about the joyous return of real games so everyone can stop [betting on the stock market]( and start [booing the Astros](. Game on! Daniel Malloy, Senior Editor Quick Facts About the Sports Restart MLB Opening Day: July 23 NBA Season Resumes: July 30 NHL Season Resumes: Aug. 1 Amount of Unused Ballpark Peanuts: [2.3 million pounds]( athletic awokening [1. Outspoken on Campus]( Long deprived of a voice given the constraints of their programs, college athletes are increasingly speaking up for racial justice in the George Floyd era. The movement includes athletes like basketball player Rasir Bolton (pictured), who transferred schools after his coach used the word “noose” to describe the pressure he thought Bolton was feeling, and Oklahoma State football player Chuba Hubbard, who called out his coach for wearing a T-shirt of a right-wing TV network. [read more on OZY]( 2. (W)NBA at the Forefront America’s two pro hoops leagues are leading the charge on activism. NBA players can choose to play with any of 29 racial justice slogans on their jerseys. WNBA players will wear “Black Lives Matter” and “Say Her Name,” in honor of Breonna Taylor, on their jerseys and warm-ups. In both cases, they’ve drawn flak from Republican U.S. senators. Missouri’s Josh Hawley questioned why slogans supporting police or troops weren't an NBA jersey option — earning a [vulgar reply from a top NBA reporter]( — and Georgia’s Kelly Loeffler (owner of the Atlanta Dream) [called BLM “Marxist”]( and encouraged the WNBA to drop its support. 3. Across the Pond In the U.K., Black soccer stars like Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford [are finding their voices]( in support of BLM and other social causes. Rashford even helped convince the U.K. government to extend a meal program for poor children, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson lauding his “contribution to the debate around poverty.” [4. One to Watch: Kellen Mond, Texas A&M]( The Aggies quarterback is leading the charge on his campus to remove a statue of a Confederate general-turned-university president. Mond, an early round NFL prospect, recently [led a march to the statue]( that was met by counter protesters. [Read all of OZY’s 86 Angelic Troublemakers]( 5. More Names to Know Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds. The former MVP [wrote in a striking op-ed]( that his previous defenses of police made him “complicit” in the death of George Floyd, and is now using his platform for racial justice, including kneeling during the national anthem. Gwen Berry, track and field. When she won gold in the hammer throw at the Pan-American Games last year, Berry raised her first in protest. Now she says [she’s getting retaliation from the USA Track & Field Foundation]( denying her funding, as [influential athletes push to overturn]( rules against protests at the Olympics. [time to learn]( [Book Lovers, Rejoice!]( For a limited time, OZY is pairing up with [The Great Courses Plus](to give our readers one month of free access to incredible courses like [Rise of the Novel.](Join Harvard professor Leo Damrosch on a literary journey over the course of three centuries to see how the novel was born and the many ways it shaped Western literature. [Sign up now](for a free month. [Start Free Trial]( Need a little beat to get through the week? [OZY Presents: Your Hump Day Playlist]( featuring the game-changing artists you love and rising stars you’ll soon love. Check out this week’s playlist on [OZY’s Spotify](. nba action 1. Crown Him LeBron James, aka “The King,” was perhaps the [most influential force]( in making sure the league stayed on course to return in the Orlando bubble, sealed off from the outside world and tested constantly. James, Anthony Davis and the L.A. Lakers start this strange run as oddsmakers’ title favorites, with 22 teams being whittled to a 16-team playoff by mid-August and a champion crowned in October. It’s a legacy-burnishing moment for James, 35, who’s probably still smarting from all the GOAT love lavished on [Michael Jordan]( during the airing of The Last Dance documentary (which just dropped on Netflix if you missed it on ESPN). 2. Young Legs The long hoops layoff, combined with an abbreviated training camp and a compressed schedule, is [raising concerns about a spike in injuries](, COVID-19 aside. This could present an advantage for the Boston Celtics, one of the league’s youngest teams, who rely heavily on stars Jayson Tatum (22) and Jaylen Brown (23). 3. Philly Special Uber-talented but always struggling to put it all together, the [Philadelphia 76ers are trying a bold experiment]( in Orlando: playing 6-foot-10 point guard Ben Simmons (pictured) at power forward. It’s a roll of the dice to try to break through in the East at last … and save coach Brett Brown’s job. 4. One to Watch: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks The second-year point guard was attaining celestial levels of brilliance before the pandemic shutdown. While the West is dominated by the two Los Angeles teams, [the 21-year-old Slovenian can put Dallas in the mix]( — especially given how much uncertainty lies ahead for the bubble playoffs. 5. More Names to Know Eric Bledsoe, Milwaukee Bucks. The point guard puts up about 15 points per game and[will need to step up]( to complement superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, but his arrival in Orlando has been delayed because of a positive coronavirus test. Patrick Beverley, L.A. Clippers. The guard is a key cog on a title contender, but had to leave the bubble for an [unspecified family emergency]( — a signal of just how unpredictable things will be in the coming weeks. Whom are you tracking? [Tag us on Instagram]( and let us know the baller you have your eye on in the bubble. [A Gift Guide for Money Lovers & Financially Savvy Folks]( It’s an age-old dilemma that’s become even more layered in this time of quarantine and social distancing. [What do you get someone]( who has enough of everything and has enough money to buy anything they want? Try our collection of brilliant but usually overlooked options for your money-loving family and friends. [Check out the OZY Store]( today. [Shop Now]( take me out to the ball game 1. Rule Breakers Baseball, a haven for traditionalists, is in a tizzy with two substantial changes as MLB returns to fan-free home stadiums across the country. First, the [designated hitter will come to the National League]( after nearly a half-century of only American League pitchers being spared torture at the plate. And when games go extra innings, a runner will begin on second base to start each half-inning — an attempt to bring games to a quicker close. These shifts, plus the abbreviated season (60 games instead of the usual interminable 162), raise questions about whether pandemic-inspired changes will become permanent. 2. Embarrassment of Riches The L.A. Dodgers will play MVPs from both leagues beside one another in the outfield, as Mookie Betts (the 2018 AL MVP who arrived via offseason trade from Boston) joins 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger. Emerging star Joc Pederson completes the outfield trio on what’s the [most imposing team in the game on paper](. Thing is, the Dodgers have often been the best team on paper in recent years, yet there remains a 32-year World Series drought in Chavez Ravine. [3. Will Robot Umpires Kill Pitch Framing?]( The art of framing — deceiving a human umpire into calling strikes — is a key part of a catcher’s role. Robot umpires, which will soon be tested in the minor leagues, could remove the need for that skill. [Read more on OZY]( [4. One to Watch: Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres]( In a league increasingly [populated by children of ’90s stars]( (Vlad Guerrero Jr., Adalberto Mondesi, Bo Bichette), Tatis stands out as a breakout candidate from a Padres squad stocked with tantalizing young players. The 21-year-old hit .317 and posted a .969 OPS as a rookie last year, and expectations are sky-high in San Diego. [Read more about the 'Baby Padres' on OZY]( 5. More Names to Know Gerrit Cole, N.Y. Yankees. After signing a $324 million deal, [a record for a pitcher,]( to leave Houston, can the 29-year-old ace deliver in the Bronx? Nate Pearson, Toronto Blue Jays. He may not be with the big club to start the year in order to prolong the time before he becomes a free agent, but this 23-year-old [can hit 105 mph on the radar gun](and is one of the top prospects in the game. best of the rest 1. August Madness The NHL is returning not to one bubble, but a pair of north-of-the-border hubs in Edmonton and Toronto. And it’s trying an [innovative March Madness-style tournament]( to qualify for the playoffs, with games all day so you can binge on pucks. The long layoff could favor top-scoring superstars like Washington’s Alex Ovechkin or Toronto’s Auston Matthews over the traditional NHL playoff X factor of a hot goalie, because the goalies haven’t had time to warm up. 2. The Shield The NFL, indomitable American monolith that it is, [has not shifted schedules at all]( during the pandemic — plowing full speed ahead toward its usual opening date just after Labor Day. Don’t expect fans in the stands, and there are [a lot more COVID-19 complications]( with its larger rosters, but there are strong incentives for both owners and players (who have vanishingly short careers) to go forward with the season ... regardless of what fresh hell the pandemic brings in the fall. 3. First Out of the Gate Major League Soccer, playing in its own Orlando bubble, has seen success so far, with its latest batch of coronavirus tests coming back clean. That’s allowed the [focus to remain firmly on the pitch](, where San Jose, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland and Columbus clinched early slots in the knockout phase of the tournament. 4. One to Watch: Skylar Diggins-Smith, WNBA The 29-year-old missed last season on pregnancy leave, then was traded from Dallas to Phoenix — helping make the Mercury a title contender. [Diggins-Smith running the point]( will free up the legendary Diana Taurasi to do more scoring from the wing. [5. More Names to Know]( Ayo Akinola, MLS. With five goals in Toronto FC’s first two matches, Akinola is the talk of the bubble — with a lot of the [chatter focusing on the 20-year-old’s international future](. Born in the U.S. but raised in Canada to Nigerian parents, Akinola could play for any of three national teams. Clay Collard, boxing. The star of Top Rank’s Las Vegas “Bubble” is this 27-year-old former MMA fighter who’s [won four bouts]( this year, with another fight coming as soon as August. [Read more about Collard on OZY]( beyond our shores 1. Orderly Scrum New Zealand, which has largely squelched the virus, brought back rugby last month in front of unrestricted crowds, and it’s all gone swimmingly so far. [Attendance is way up](, and the nation may well [become a kind of global sporting capital]( — potentially hosting the entirety of the 2020 Rugby Championship that usually hops across the Southern Hemisphere to Australia, South Africa and Argentina. [2. India, the Next Big Home of MMA]( From Britain to Singapore and the U.S., top promoters are heading to India to set up new MMA leagues and support rising stars as the sport tries to tap into fast-rising interest in the world’s second-most populous nation. India’s MMA fights are on hold right now because of lockdowns but could resume next month. [Read more on OZY]( 3. One to Watch: Sungjae Im, golfer The perfect social-distancing activity, golf came back quicker than most American sports with (fan-free) PGA tournaments resuming in June. And the under-the-radar story of the season has been a 22-year-old South Korean import. [Im’s early career trajectory]( nearly matches that of Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm. He currently ranks third on tour, with an opportunity to break out at the PGA Championship next month. 4. More Names to Know Simona Halep, women’s tennis. By [committing to play at Palermo](, Italy, the first WTA event since the pandemic shutdown, the world’s No. 2 ranked player is setting a marker for other stars amid a cautious return to play. Sandeep Lamichhane, cricket. The leg spinner (meaning he turns the ball away from right-handed batsmen) is [putting Nepal’s cricket program on the map]( by snagging international stardom. He was recently a [top pick in the Caribbean Premier League]( draft, as play is set to resume behind closed doors in Trinidad and Tobago next month. [TV]( | [Podcasts]( | [News]( | [FESTIVALS]( Modern Media Company OZY Media, 800 West El Camino Mountain View, California 94040 This email was sent to {EMAIL} [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Read Online](