A Link of Her Own: September 30, 2016
Sports TV innovation, results & injury roundups and more
This year’s Ryder Cup is changing the way golf is watched on TV, and we’re hoping other sports producers take notice. Golf Channel launched “Playing Through” which, instead of completely switching to commercials, just splits the screen so the ads and the tourney action are both shown at the same time. This way of airing the event could have very interesting implications for other large tournaments like the Olympics (we’re looking at you, NBC) or even average, everyday sports games that just seem to keep getting longer.
In a nice full-circle moment, the U.S. Ryder Cup team swept the opening round for the first time since 1975, when Arnold Palmer was captain. Congrats on the accidental tribute, guys.
Football Updates
The Bengals drowned the Dolphins 22–7 and Houston trounced UConn 42–14 on Thursday night. Houston QB Greg Ward Jr. especially had himself a heck of a night, passing for 389 yards while running for another 65 and scoring five total touchdowns (throwing for three and running in the other two).
Anyone who calls themselves a college football fan is going to be glued to their TVs this weekend: for the first time in 14 years, three matchups feature all top-10-ranked teams, and this is the earliest in the season it’s ever happened. #7 Stanford lost big to #10 Washington with a score of 44–6, and on Saturday #8 Wisconsin battles Big Ten rival #4 Michigan and #3 Louisville is up against #5 Clemson. You want good football? You got it.
Injury Report
Bills receiver Sammy Watkins was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury, and Jets WR Eric Decker has been sidelined for a while with a partially torn rotator cuff.
Just as it looked like there might be a glimmer of hope, the Philadelphia ‘76ers streak of bad luck struck again: #1 draft pick Ben Simmons fractured his foot.
MLB Updates
First, the one that may actually have an effect on the NL playoffs: the Cardinals beat the Reds 4–3 Thursday night on a missed call by the umpires that they then deemed the Reds were too late to challenge. The Cardinals are one of three teams in a really tight race for the two NL wild card spots, and this win just bumped them up a notch.
The Cubs-Pirates game, on the other hand, had no effect on postseason standings whatsoever, which is why it was allowed to end in a tie — the first time an MLB game has done so since 2005. We’ve become accustomed to games going on for countless extra innings until a team scores, but because the Cubs are already division champs with home-field advantage in the playoffs and the weather was terrible, it was decided there was no need for this game to continue.
World Cup of Hockey Crowns Its Winner
Team Canada yet again asserted its international dominance. While Team Europe’s Zdeno Chara scored early to give his team a 1–0 lead for 95% of the game, Canada scored two goals in the last three minutes to win, the latter of which was a beautiful shorthanded goal from Jonathan Toews to Brad Marchand:
Longread of the Day
Must-Watch Video of the Day
Whatever team you root for, you love this guy: the history of the Phillie Phanatic.
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