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Hacksaw’s No Hitter-Thursday Podcast
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“NBA-TV-War”
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The NBA has a new 76B-TV contract.  ESPN-NBC are back in.  Amazon Prime Streaming has come on board.  TNT is out.  Get ready to lawyer up.

TNT claims it had the right to ‘match’ any contract offer’ to stay with the NBA.  The NBA maintains it was only for ‘over the air broadcasts’, and that Amazon offers something no one else can, streaming, to build a very different base.  The matching contract clause is not for streaming.

Wonder what Charles Barkley thinks about that now that Inside the NBA is no longer a player.  TNT should have read the fine print about what they could and could not match.

Here’s what to look for next year as TNT and the NBA prepare to go to court, off the court, infront of a judge.

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NBA on TV Breakdown:

Disney:

Disney will broadcast 80 regular season games per year, including 20+ on ABC and up to 60 on ESPN. ABC’s games will air on Saturdays and Sundays, with ESPN’s airing on Wednesdays and some Fridays.
ABC and ESPN will broadcast about 18 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs each season.
In 10 of the 11 seasons in the agreement, ABC and ESPN will air one of the two conference finals.
ABC will continue to air the NBA Finals.
ABC/ESPN will continue to air the draft, the draft lottery, and half of the Summer League games.
NBCUniversal:

NBCUniversal will distribute as many as 100 regular season games per year. More than half of those games will be broadcast on NBC on Sunday and Tuesday nights. Peacock will stream Monday night doubleheaders throughout the regular season.
The All-Star Game and All-Star Saturday Night (including the dunk contest and three-point competition) will air on NBC.
NBC and/or Peacock will air about 28 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs each season.
In six of the 11 seasons in the agreement, NBC will broadcast one of the two conference finals. They’ll rotate with Amazon beginning in 2025/26.
Amazon:

Amazon will distribute 66 regular season games per year on Prime Video. Those will include Thursday doubleheaders (beginning in January), Friday doubleheaders, some Saturday games, and at least one game on Black Friday.
Prime Video will broadcast the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final of the NBA Cup (in-season tournament).
Prime Video will broadcast all six games in the play-in tournament.
Prime Video will air approximately a third of the games in the first two rounds of the playoffs each season.
In six of the 11 seasons in the agreement, Amazon will air one of the two conference finals. They’ll rotate with NBC beginning in 2025/26.Note: Because NBC and Amazon will each broadcast six conference finals, there will be one year in which they each get one and Disney doesn’t.
Prime Video will air half of the Summer League games.
A lawsuit from TNT Sports – a longtime NBA broadcast partner and the odd man out in this round of negotiations – is possible after the NBA rejected TNT’s right to match Amazon’s deal.

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Hacksaw’s Thursday Podcast..1pm
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“THE OLYMPICS”
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It is here, the Paris Olympics.

It is a welcome break from the things we are experiencing in life right now.
..Trump-vs-Biden
..Republicans-vs-Democrats
..Israel-vs-Hamas
..Russia-vs-Ukraine
..Padres-vs-Dodgers
..NFL-vs-Anti Trust Lawsuit

All that goes on and on and on.

But for the next 19-days, we get a different look at sports, the Olympiad, wrapped around the Eiffel Tower.

The games will be on NBC and it’s network of stations wrapped around the coverage Peacock provides.

There are 329-events across the Olympic menu.

There are 529-USA athletes wearing the colors and competing in 31-events.

The opening ceremonies are 10-30am-Friday (Pacific) and there is a 9-hour time difference between us here and those celebrating on the Seine River.

So many big names to follow, regardless of the sport.

Track and field, led by 100-dash star Sha’Carri Richardson.

Like gymnastics, this is history as Simone Biles, who has won 7-medals, returns.

In swimming you only need to watch when it is Katie Ladecky, 10-medals strong.

American sprinter Noah Lyles could be gold in both the 100-200 meter events.

Of course there is LeBron James leading Team USA-basketball, and many of the stars from the WNBA-seeking women’s basketball gold.

It’s a fun event.  Time stops from all of our problems, to watch those representing our flag.

We’ve seen so much greatness in recent years, from Michael Phelps to Usain Bolt to Carl Lewis, this is a 19-days to look forward too.

Pick an event, pick any time of day, and you can follow.  Fly and flag too for our American athletes.  It’s worth watching

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“BIG 10-MEDIA DAY”
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It was really a strange feel in Indianapolis on Tuesday as the Big 10-began a 3-day session-it’s 2024-Football Media Day.

If Big 10-purists were off center when Penn State became the 11th member years ago, then think aboutwhat  it was like to walk thru the hotel hallways with the jerseys of all the new teams on the wall?

Think about how weird it was to have a conversation and realize the Big 10-will have 18-teams in the Fall?

Is itmstrange to mention USC-UCLA-Oregon-Washington in the same sentence with Michigan-Ohio State and others?

There are some really anxious feelings too, swirling around the mid-pack teams of the Big 10, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, now being pushed further down the ladder because of the arrival of the Pac 12-refugees, the Trojans-Bruins-Ducks-Huskies, who all carry a pretty good brand.

Think too how tough it must be if you are the lower ranked Northwestern, or Rutgers or Maryland, and how you are expected to develop a rivalry with the newcomers?

Ohio State has Ryan Day and a banner recruiting class.
Michigan no longer has Jim Harbaugh and a host of stars gone to the NFL

it will be a different breed of teams coming in as newcomers too.

USC has Lincoln Riley, but it does not have QB-Caleb Williams, his top receivers and key running backs, all who left for the NFL.

UCLA no longer has Chip Kelly, has lost a ton of veteran players and hopes the transition to new coach DeShaun Foster surrounded by veteran assistant coaches.

Washington not only said goodbye to its great QB-Michael Penix, but watched coach Kalen DeBoer head to the SEC as soon as the Huskies season ended.

Oregon’s Bo Nix ended a great career, and will be replaced by veteran transfer QB-Dillon Gabriel, but the Ducks don’t have their top RBs, WRs and key defensive players back.

Outside of the Buckeyes, who also had player changes, this sure looks like an upside down year in the Big 10.  So many players and people have left rosters, everywhere.

Media day, very different, maybe because of who is no longer on these teams, those who vacated this conference, and even stranger with 4-new teams coming in on the flight from the West Coast, definitely not whom they used to be either.

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“A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PENNANT RACE”
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Look at the Baseball Standings right now.

There are 21-of-30 teams still within a stone’s throw of either winning a divisional race or within reach of one of the six wildcard playoff spots.

But there is a different pennant race going on, this off the field.  It’s about the baseball trading deadline.

There are some sellers out there, moving the contracts of players, whom they don’t think they can re-sign.

There are teams willing to move some big money contracts off the books, and willing to pay some of the salary to move those players.

There are teams in races, with deep minor league systems, willing to send top prospects to short term two month rentals of established players.

So the big question, who fires the first shot, with just two weeks to go before the trading deadline arrives, and who are the best players out there to bid on?

A quick snapshot of the rumors out there at this hour?

TIGERS…A shocking development, they are taking offers on their top pitching staff winner Tarik Skuba, who could have 15-wins by the deadline.  He has two years of arbitration rights too which means you trade for him and the team that gets him could own him for two more years.  Detroit is also shopping second starter Jack Flaherty.  The price tag on Skubal could be high.

WHITE SOX…Awful season, and awful roster, and now they want to pull off a 4-1 deal to deal away ace pitcher Garrett Crochet, and a big deal too for OF-Luis Robert.  Who is going to pay the price for a 1-year wonder starting pitcher?

TAMPA BAY…With a history of moving players in deals, are shopping Zach Eflin, a veteran righthander.  There have been some injury issues with him, that mean he might be more affordable.

COLORADO…Is shopping righthander Cal Quantrill, a young veteran, who has had good seasons and bad seasons.  He is healthy and has pitched well at Coors Field.  Would the Rockies deal him in the NL West.

TEXAS..Injuries have wreck this Rangers pitching staff this year.  Nathan Eovaldi is well respected after what he did in Texas and Boston.  Someone will have to overpay for him.

METS…Sean Manaea becomes available but there are limitations on what you might get from him.  He’s been moved a couple of years in a row at the deadline.  You know what you get, innings and starts at the back of your rotation.

CUBS..Their season has gone down the drain with injuries, but they may be willing to move pitching like Jameson Taillon, he is coming off injuries too, but if healthy, a trustworthy 33-year old arm.

MIAMI..Jesus Luzardo can be had if you can get him healthy, and he has pitched well in bad situations, with the Marlins and before that with the A;’s.

———-

And there are buyers out there, and there are questions too, how steep a price are you willing to pay?

YANKEES..They need pitching and it seems they are willing to now include minor league slugger Spencer Jones in the right deal.

DODGERS..Neve afraid to take on salary and years, and with assets, never afraid to trade younger players.  Names to watch, 2nd baseman Gavis Lux, catcher Diego Cartaya, pitcher Michel Grove, outfielder James Outland.

ORIOLES…They have become great by virtue of their drafts and signings and how they seem poised to be a player at the deadline, and they have a farm system to use as trade bait.

PADRES…With a GM with a history of dealing, the big question is not whether AJ Preller will do a trade, but rather what does he have left to trade?  Ha Seong Kim, Luis Campusano, or the gems in the lower farm system?

ARIZONA..The D-back spent alot of free agent money on pitching and they have all been hurt.  Big issue, can they take on any more salary and who would they give up to take on that money?

It is interesting to see how these deals fall, and more interesting to see who is willing to pay the steep price to get to play deep into October.  It happens at the end of each July, and it’s about to happen again.

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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast…1pm
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“A STAR SHINES”
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It was carnage on the golf course.  It was calamity at the hands of the weather.

It was the British Open at its finest and for the 158-man field, the absolute worst.

And by Sunday night on the West Coast-Scotland,a new superstar has risen.

Xander Schauffele has been on the perimeter of greatness over the last couple of years.  Winning his first Grand Slam event was a big step forward in credibility.  Winning the British Open moves him into elite status on the Pro Tour.

Give me a word to describe what we saw on Sunday?  Ice Water in his veins.  Never rattled.  Making the putts.  Fighting off the challengers.  Pulling away from a traffic jam field.

It was as if he was immune from everything going on around him.  He emerged from the clogged top of the leaderboard as all the others hit rough spots.

At one point on Sunday, there were 8-golfers within 2-shots of the top of the leaderboard.  Schauffele was in and out of the mix, and then he made the turn and stormed thru the field.

Birdies at 11-13-14-16, to tie for the lead and then take the lead and go get the Claret Jug on the 18th Green ceremony.

He won it, seized it, took it with as complete game, amazing considering the chaos and calamity on a course, buffeted by high winds, soaked by driving rains, controlled by rugged terrain.

Xander beat the Pot Hole bunkers, the Postage Stamp hole, the Railway line,  the 623-yard Irish Sea hole, and the Coffin Hole.  Nothing phased him.

He hit 16-of-18 greens.  He hit 20 ‘and 21’ putts.  He stayed out of bunkers, the grose, got bounces too.

For the others, they tried hard but did not find a comfort zone with the elements.

What a weekend for Justin Rose, the venerable former Open winner years ago.  At one stretch he had just 3-bogeys in the first 54-holes when the Irish Sea weather was awful.  But he had struggled on Sunday mid round and fell back.

Billy Horschel had the Grand Slam of his life but he got rattled Sunday and needed 3-birdies in a row to steady himself and finished in that 2nd place tie.  He had 4-birdies in 6-holes on Saturday when everyone else was faltering, but he did not look like the same player Sunday afternoon till the end, too little, too late.

The South African Thriston Lawrence was a surprise, but wilted under pressure on Sunday and came home third.

The early round leader Shane Lowrey lost his consistency and you could see him seething on Sunday as none of his drives nor putts went where they were supposed to go.  His composure caved in.

It was an awful weekend for so many other big names.  Rounds that included Triple bogeys and Quadruple bogeys in the midst of the horrid weather.

Bryson Dechambeau bogeyed 4-of-6 holes on day one and never recovered.  He went 9-over par and missed the cut.

It was bad for Rory McIlroy too.  Three bogeys and 2-double bogeys killed his early start and he was gone at 12-over.

Tiger Woods pity party tour continued.  His 14-over score over 36 holes involved lots of bogeys and double bogeys, poor tee shots, bad putting and scores of 79-77 and saddled him with a sad streak that means he has not shot a subpar round in a Grand Slam event since 2021.

So much for so many other names, Thomas, Koepka, Cantlay, Rahm, Aberg, Morikawa and others.

And what we saw the first 3-days, coupled with the final round accomplishment by Schauffele was even more impressive.

He survived the course, the weather and the 8-finalists trying to chase him down.

Safe now to say, the PGA’s next super star has arrived, and his name is XANDER SCHAUFFELE.

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