#Professional sports leagues in the United States

[reportwire]

AP source: Panthers CB Jackson has torn left Achilles tendon

AP source: Panthers CB Jackson has torn left Achilles tendon

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers starting cornerback Donte Jackson will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his left Achilles tendon in Carolina’s 25-15 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night, a person familiar with the situation said Friday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not yet announced the news. Jackson had…

[dykeseinfeld]

shitty majoring in gender and sexuality focused on masculinity studies and team sports which is super interesting and cool (and a space where it can actually be refreshing to have male voices) and it may be tempting to read the double major in poli sci as focusing on gender equality and lgbt rights but there's a world where he focused on cold war tensions and how the soviet union and the united states used sports as an arena for competition, sports as an arena of political protest and defining piece of the nation state in itself, also the exploitation of athletes across racial gender and class divisions in college and in professional leagues

[siriusist]

OKAY I'M SCREAMING BECAUSE IF YOU KNOW YOUR OBSCURE BAND OF BROTHERS FACTS, MY FAVOURITE DEEP DIVE BAND OF BROTHERS FACT IS THAT LEWIS NIXON AND BUCK COMPTON HATED EACH OTHER BECAUSE LEWIS WEIRDLY HAD A THING AGAINST HIM FOR BEING A "JOCK."

IT'S A THING IN A COUPLE OF THE OFF-SHOOT COMPANY BAND OF BROTHER BOOKS written both by Buck and other men. There's never a real explanation offered for WHY Lewis didn't like Buck, and what I always assumed was that Lewis basically got pestered by jocks at Yale, took it badly, and most likely took that out on poor Buck.

To get you a perspective of how athletic Buck was, Buck went to school at UCLA, which is famously a pretty jock-ish school. They traditionally have pretty great sports teams, Buck was All-American, which basically means one of the best in the country, and was recruited for professional baseball and played varsity football. He also played with Jackie Robinson at UCLA, the first black man to play professional Major League Baseball in the United States. Needless to say, he was pretty fucking athletic.

My theory is that Lewis was weirdly jealous because he was a poor little rich boy who never did anything on his own merit, and slightly intimidated of Buck's athletic prowess and charisma, but I digress.

AND LOW AND BEHOLD, MY YOUTUBE "RECOMMENDED FOR YOU" GIFTED ME THIS CLIP POSTED 12 DAYS AGO:

And I'm dying because so much drama that can be taken from this one clip:

The real Buck Compton seems immensely likeable even in his old age, and someone I think I would have been friends with.

Buck calls Lewis both a drunk and a prick, plus basically infers because he's up at battalion staff not even on the front lines that he basically was fucking about and not doing his job by being on the front line every time he was getting after Buck. And Buck is basically politely saying, "What are you even doing here." 💀

AND THEN LEWIS APPARENTLY CAME UP TO HIM UNPROMPTED and was basically like "AT YALE I HAD GIRLFRIENDS AND USED TO PARTY- AND ALL YOU JOCKS WERE DOING WAS SPORTS." And Buck is literally me if someone came up to me and was like I USED TO GET DRUNK AND PARTY AND YOU LOSERS JUST LIKED TO SWEAT in a weirdly accusatory tone, and is just like "... Okay????!? GOOD FOR YOU?!?? TO EACH THEIR OWN?!???"

Then poor Buck had to run a fucking hour of running Lewis made him in charge of every morning, even though he technically had no direct power over him, in a wool outfit, because he put him in charge of physical education. Because clearly some jock gave Lewis Nixon a swirly in a toilet once or something, and Lewis couldn't handle it because he was a rich boy used to getting what he wanted.

THE LEGENDARY ALMOST 100 YEAR OLD BEEF CONTINUES.

[flareonfloof]

my favorite sports team¹ lost a very important game² and now I need lots of pets³ :(

¹ The Colorado Avalanche (formerly Quebec Nordiques) are an NHL⁴ franchise located in Denver, Colorado. They have won the NHL championship⁵ three times, most recently in 2022.

²The NHL playoffs⁶ are conducted via a series of 4 7-game rounds, with the winner of each round advancing to the next. The game in question was game 7 of the first round. By losing, the Colorado Avalanche have been eliminated.⁷

³ Soft, consentual stroking of a creature's fur.

⁴ The National Hockey League (NHL) is a North American professional ice hockey organization, made up of 32 teams across the United States and Canada.

⁵ The NHL championship is also colloquially known as the Stanley Cup, after the trophy awarded to the winning team. Every member of the winning team's organization has their name engraved into a section of the trophy, with bands being added and removed as space is required.

⁶ The term "playoffs" here refers to a tournament held after a regular season of scheduled games of a sport. The season determines qualification and seeding for the playoffs.

⁷ From the playoffs. The players were not killed.

[grantmentis]

2024 PWHL BROADCAST SCHEDULE SUMMARY:

PWHL season opener will be available to Canadian viewers live on CBC, TSN, and Sportsnet national television feeds, streamed on CBC Gem, ca, the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices, TSN.ca, the TSN app, and Sportsnet+. French-language coverage will appear on ICI TOU.TV.

PWHL season opener is available to United States regional TV viewers with MSG Networks and NESN.

All subsequent PWHL regular-season games are available to Canadian viewers on coverage divided across TSN, CBC, and Sportsnet which includes linear television and streaming on TSN+, CBC Gem, ca, the CBC Sports app, and Sportsnet+. Additional games will be announced pending NHL and AHL playoff schedules.

French-language coverage of all Montreal games will be split between RDS and Radio-Canada, ICI TOU.TV.

MSG Networks will be the home of all 24 PWHL New York games.

NESN will be the home of all 24 PWHL Boston games for fans in New England, excluding Fairfield County. Fans in New England can watch on NESN or stream on the NESN 360 app by logging in with their TV provider or purchasing a direct subscription.

League agreements with regional networks allow out-of-market distribution including the potential for games to be added on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and other networks on a case-by-case basis.

All PWHL games will be streamed on the league’s YouTube channel and available outside of Canada.

The league may announce additional broadcast partners throughout the season.

EDIT: Bally Sports North has also been added as a partner for PWHL Minnesota games

[hboww2rewatch]

Please read the movie descriptions below

Saving Private Ryan (1998) - Following the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action. Dir. by Steven Spielberg

A League of Their Own (1992) - American sports comedy drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) during WWII. Dir. by Penny Marshall

Greyhound (2020) - The film is based on the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd, and follows a US Navy commander on his first assignment commanding a multi-national escort destroyer group of four, defending an Allied convoy from U-boats during the Battle of the Atlantic. Dir. by Aaron Schneider

Mudbound (2017) - The film depicts two World War II veterans – one white, one black – who return to rural Mississippi each to address racism and PTSD in his own way. Dir. by Dee Rees

Twelve O'Clock High (1949) - A tough-as-nails general (Gregory Peck as General Savage) takes over a B-17 bomber unit suffering from low morale and whips them into fighting shape. Based on a novel by the same name. Dir. by Henry King

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) - three United States servicemen re-adjusting to societal changes and civilian life after coming home from World War II. The three men come from different services with different ranks that do not correspond with their civilian social class backgrounds. It is one of the earliest films to address issues encountered by returning veterans in the post World War II era. Dir. by William Wyler 

The Monuments Men (2014) - An unlikely World War II platoon is tasked to rescue art masterpieces from German thieves and return them to their owners. Based on the 2007 non-fiction book The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History. Dir. by George Clooney

Dunkirk (2017) - Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated from Dunkirk. It is shown from the perspectives of the land, sea, and air. Dir. by Christopher Nolan

Fury (2014) - A grizzled tank commander makes tough decisions as he and his crew fight their way across Germany in April, 1945. Dir. by David Ayer

Valkyrie (2008) - A dramatization of the July 20, 1944 assassination and political coup plot by desperate renegade German Army officers against Adolf Hitler during World War II. Dir. by Bryan Singer

[leveloneandup]

Christen Press on potential Angel City sale: ‘It allows the club to continue to professionalize’

Willow Bay and her husband, Disney CEO Bob Iger, are close to purchasing a controlling stake of Angel City FC. There’s no public timeline for when the deal will be done. Still, the new ownership group — and the numbers around their investment, somewhere in the ballpark of $300 million — has reignited discussions about NWSL club valuations and the rapid growth of women’s soccer here in the United States.

Angel City forward Christen Press, who was also the team’s first signing, spoke to The Athletic on her way to training on Wednesday morning. Immediately, she noted she was following the potential sale through media reports herself. Her reaction — and that of her fellow players — was one of excitement.

Press said those numbers shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. Not if you’ve been paying attention, anyway.

“When you start to see valuations as a player, and as someone who has a very vested interest in the business of women’s sports, there’s two things,” she continued. “First thing I think is, ‘Hell yeah.’ This is exactly how it should be, right? On our podcast, we just talked to Ali Krieger about how, as a novice broadcaster, she’s making more money than she did as a player. These types of sales and deals are working towards changing that.”

For her second point, Press said that Angel City has gotten a lot right through the first few years in the league. Whether that’s game day experience, business, or community, all of those things are already working.

“They also have a lot of things that they need to get right, and a sale like this is a lot of money to the club,” Press said. “It allows the club to continue to professionalize and push the envelope in terms of the expectations for women’s sports. I do think Angel City recognizes that they have a lot of room to grow on that end.”

Press called the team a “zero to one project,” but one that needs a different level of funding to go from one to two. That’s along the same lines as what one early investor told the Los Angeles Times in March when the news broke that Angel City was considering selling a controlling stake.

“What’s been built at Angel City in three short years is nothing short of incredible. And in high-growth companies, it is absolutely normal to step back and look at ‘what do we need to continue this growth?’” Sarah Harden, CEO of Hello Sunshine, said. “This board has determined that this is the right time to bring in a new major investor. That’s it. That is the story.”

Of course, Angel City hasn’t been the only NWSL team to explore a sale — though they have the more positive distinction of exploring a move willingly. Also in March, San Diego Wave FC made headlines for setting a new record, with the club’s principal owner Rob Burkle agreeing to sell to the Levine Leichtman family at a total valuation of $120 million. The valuations of NWSL teams are being watched on a global scale as well. For instance, Chelsea has started to explore the idea of selling a minority stake in their women’s team, using Angel City’s previous valuation of $180 million as their benchmark.

“All of the measures of women’s sports right now are growing, and I think the NWSL is at the forefront of a lot of that,” Pete Giorgio, who leads Deloitte’s global and U.S. sports practice, told The Athletic in March. “Those large valuations and these large transactions validate both the foresight, but also the investment that a lot of people made in the first place.”

As women’s soccer analyst Kim McCauley pointed out, Michele Kang received plenty of questions when she seemingly overpaid for the Washington Spirit in 2022. Kang had originally offered $21 million for the controlling stake in the team. She closed the deal at $35 million, which only two years ago seemed like an absurd number.

Seattle Reign FC finally wrapped its sale last month, with the Seattle Sounders and Carlyle Group taking over the club for $58 million (that club’s sale was the result of John Textor’s takeover of Lyon and a sole focus on the men’s team, with Olympique Lyonnais also sold to Kang). Before that, the sales of the Chicago Red Stars — a total bid of $60 million, with $35.5 million as the purchase price — and Portland Thorns FC at $63 million were also finalized, with both of those changes coming following the league’s abuse scandal.

“If you have an ownership group that needs to be out, it’s actually really hard to compartmentalize, and I think we’ve seen that in the Chicagos and the Portlands, how it’s affected the players,” Press said. For her, it’s different in Los Angeles, as she pointed to the regular presence of owners and investors at games. “For this, it’s only positive. We know our ownership group.”

The NWSL is going through an incredible transformation. Even with the positive impact of some of those changes and investments, it’s not hard to understand why some fans and supporters might get a little nervous about this much money coming in and how it might change the sport. Some of those changes are deeply necessary and some will absolutely affect the culture of women’s soccer in America.

Press has been part of what she called “a generation of change”, whether that’s on the USWNT with their fight for equal pay and a new collective bargaining agreement, or her NWSL career, which started in 2014 with the Red Stars. “I can’t even remember what that first field that I played on in Chicago was called, but I was driving out of the city for an hour and a half to get to some turf field.” The Red Stars’ home field was at Benedictine University; in 2014, the team had an average attendance of 2,949.

“I don’t think we want to hang on to those memories,” Press said. “There is absolutely a connection between those of us who have been fighting for improved standards in the league and our fans because the fans have had so much influence in that fight and our success. It really has bonded us with our community in a way that it feels like we’re all doing this together.”

Press isn’t worried about that bond being lost. She believes it’s trending in the right direction, especially as players have a lot less to worry about off the field and can step directly into stardom. Players that turn into superstars have to be supported though, by brands, by teams, through marketing and the media.

“That’s storytelling and that’s investment, so as it continues to grow, there is a huge opportunity for the relationship with the fans to transform. And because we continue to find ourselves in a fight for legitimate valuations and for fair pay and for equality, we’ll be able to maintain such a strong tie to the fans that help us achieve these things.”

There are more immediate goals for Angel City to accomplish, even with the potential sale to the Bay-Iger group in the works. On the pitch deck, acquired by Semafor, the first of the new ownership group’s guiding principles is “Improve team performance, player support and retention,” which also includes the tangible goal of building a new facility that could serve as the team’s HQ and training site.

While Angel City is currently in 11th place in the NWSL, they’re only three points off the playoff line cutoff. They’ll face Gotham FC in their final match before the league takes an extended break for the Olympics.

Press said the team can rely on the existing trust between the players and ownership group to allow the sale process to play out as it should and not have it overshadow the urgent need for three points on the field — at home — this weekend.

“The entire focus of the group is on the game,” she promised.

[usnatarchives]

Play Like A Girl!

Women's Soccer in the United States ⚽⚽⚽

From its early days, the story of women's soccer is one of resilience, determination, and sheer love for the game.

The first recorded women's soccer match in the U.S. took place way back in 1922, featuring the Dick, Kerr's Ladies of England and a local amateur St. Louis team. While this historic match sparked interest, the sport didn't really take off until the 1970s. 

A game-changer was the passing of Title IX in 1972, a federal law that said "no way" to sex-based discrimination in schools. This opened the door for more opportunities in sports, including women's soccer.

The first NCAA Women's Soccer Championship took place in 1982, further legitimizing the sport at the collegiate level.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT) was formed in 1985, making their international debut at the Mundialito tournament in Italy that same year.

The team's success in the 1991 Women's World Cup, where they emerged as champions, marked a turning point in the popularity and recognition of women's soccer in the United States.

In 1999, the United States hosted the World Cup. The USWNT captured the hearts of fans everywhere with their nail-biting victory against China in a penalty shootout. Who can forget Brandi Chastain's iconic celebration after scoring the winning goal? That moment became a symbol of the growth and success of women's soccer–and women athletes–in the United States. 

Fast forward to 2013, when the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) was created as the go-to professional league for women's soccer in the U.S. Today, the NWSL and USWNT continue to make waves in the sport, with the national team winning multiple Olympic gold medals and World Cup titles. So get out there, and Play Like a Girl!

Further Reading:

Title IX and Women’s Soccer in NARA’s Film Holdings

[todaysdocument]

Order with Notice of Entry Judgment

"granting access to all accredited sports reporters to the locker room without regard to their sex"

Record Group 21: Records of District Courts of the United States Series: Civil Case Files File Unit: [Melissa Ludtke and Time, Incorporated v. Bowie Kuhn, Commissioner of Baseball, et al.]

[stamp] MICROFILM SEP 26 1978 [stamp] MICROFILM SEP 26 1978 58 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK MELISSA LUDTKE and TIME, INC., Plaintiffs, -against- BOWIE KUHN, Commissioner of Baseball, LELEAND MacPHAIL, President of the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, the NEW YORK YANKEES PARTNERSHIP; The Mayor of the City of New York; The Commissioner of Parks and Recreation for the City of New York; and the Director of the Economic Development Administration of the City of New York, Defendants. [stamp] U. S. DISTRICT COURT FILED SEP 25 1978 S. D. OF N. Y. 77 CIV. 6301 ORDER [handwritten] + Judgment In accordance with its opinion of this date, the court now ORDERS that plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment be and is hereby GRANTED, and defendants' motion for summary judgment is hereby DENIED. It is further ORDERED: 1) That defendants, their officers, agents, representatives, servants, employees, and all persons acting in concert and participation with them, be and they hereby are permanently enjoined from refusing to admit plaintiff Melissa Ludtke to the locker rooms of the clubhouses at Yankee Stadium solely on the ground of her sex; 2) That defendants shall adopt one of the al- ternative methods referred to in the court's opinion of this date to protect the privacy of ballplayers within the locker room while granting access to all accredited sports reporters to the locker room without regard to P-043-B 58 FPI.MI--9.9.75.150M.4345 their sex; and 3) That a copy of this injunctive order shall be served on the "city defendants", dismissed from this action by order of the court dated April 14, 1978, forth- with. Dated: New York, New York September 25, 1978 SO ORDERED [signature] Constance Baker Motley CONSTANCE BAKER MOTLEY U. S. D. J. [stamp] JUDGMENT ENTERED [handwritten] - 9/26/78 Raymond F. Burghardt CLERK P-043-B - 2 - FPI.MI--9.9.75.150M.4345 INDEX NO. 77 Civ. 6401 (CBM) UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK MELISSA LUDTKE and TIME, INC., Plaintiffs, -against- BOWIE KUHN, Commissioner of Baseball, et al., Defendants. ORDER WITH NOTICE OF ENTRY CRAVATH, SWAINE & MOORE Attorneys for Plaintiffs ONE CHASE MANHATTAN PLAZA NEW YORK, N. Y. 10005 Tel. No. HAnover 2-3000 [stamp] FILED U.S. DISTRICT COURT SEP 25 4 05 PM '78 S.D.OF N.Y. UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK MELISSA LUDTKE and TIME, INC., Plaintiffs, -against- BOWIE KUHN, Commissioner of Baseball, LELAND MacPHAIL, President of the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, the NEW YORK YANKEES PARTNERSHIP; The Mayor of the City of New York; The Commissioner of Parks and Recreation for the City of New York; and the Director of the Economic Development Administration of the City of New York, Defendants. 77 Civ. 6301 (CBM) NOTICE OF ENTRY OF ORDER [stamp] LAW DEPARTMENT CITY OF NEW YORK 78 SEP 25 P3:42 OFFICE OF CORP COUNSEL PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that an Order, of which the within is a true copy, was entered and filed in the office of the clerk of the above-named Court on the 25th day of September 1978. September 25, 1978. CRAVATH, SWAINE & MOORE Attorneys for Plaintiffs, One Chase Manhattan Plaza, New York, N. Y. 10005 TO: Allen G. Schwartz, Esq., Corporation Counsel, Attorney for Municipal Defendants, Municipal Building, New York, N. Y. 10007

[canitalkaboutsomething]

F1 in America is and always will be cringy and thats just part of the experience.

Many of us were sitting down or standing up on an exciting Sunday afternoon when we F1 fans collectively saw the cringe-fest that was Will. I. Am and LL Cool J's star-studded introductions of twenty of the best drivers in the world.

And as we were watching and cringing and closing our eyes and opening them because we were getting some serious secondhand embarrassment (at least I was,) we collectively all asked ourselves why this was happening and was the Fanfare necessary. 

Among with backlash from Twitter, and even some drivers speaking up about how unnecessary and distracting it was to do these introductions, many people wondered why the promoters and event organizers would choose to do something like that, especially on race day. 

So, why did that happen, and why was it so cringy?

The simple answer is money. I think to those who know and may not already know that any sport in America is highly commercialized and starts not with the teams or the sport itself but the idolization of those who operate in it. It has always been this way, even with sports outside the united states.

For instance, I bet most people could care less about the stats for the Kansas City Chiefs or The Cleveland Browns. Still, they know who Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Joe Burrow are, or they could tell you that Lebron James plays for the Lakers and Stephen Curry plays for the Golden state warriors. Still, they don't know their positions or stats, but they could tell you their jersey number, what kind of shoes they prefer, their latest Instagram post, and who they are currently seeing. It happens often.

So why does this happen?

In sports, especially in American sports, it is not enough to be good at the sport. You have to be the best, and you have to be likable. That starts with your online presence, how the fan base perceives you, and how others perceive the sport. It is simply not enough to attend a sporting event and be entertained. It is a performance from the time you, the paying attendee, walk into that sporting event until you leave.

That's why they have halftime shows at basketball and football games; they have professional cheerleaders, crowd participation events, and mini-games on the sidelines of Major and Minor league baseball Innings. These entertainment tactics ensure that people have a good time and want to return.

So why does this happen in F1 when it comes to America?

Fanfare and Fanservice. Events in America, as I've stated before, are highly commercialized. That's how it is. And, because America is so big and the interest is so varied, organizations and promoters are left with having to find a way to appeal to bigger audiences. But, in addition to that, interest in things peaks and then declines drastically. And because of this, one of their highly effective tactics is to induce this feeling of FOMO.

" If you're not in Miami this weekend, where are you? Oh, you weren't in Austin this weekend, then where were you? Oh, you're not going to the race in Vegas? I'm sad for you."

Fanfare and the Fear of Missing out is an effective way to sell tickets, and because the United States only experiences three races as of this year, and the continent of North America in total experiences five races, if you're willing and have money to travel to Mexico and Canada, there are not a lot of opportunities to see these races in person, granted if they even have a passport (which is a conversation for another day.)

In addition, you have Drive to Survive on Netflix, which has gotten more people into the sport, especially in America, and in my opinion, has helped pave the way to getting Miami and Las Vegas on the schedule. In addition, the show has given newer fans a glimpse into the fast-moving world of F1, even on an overly dramatic scale. And to some extent, they expect that type of drama and scale when they go to these races. So, therefore, the Fanfare has to be bigger and better than the last to ensure that the sport can continue to become popular in America. 

So the organizers use big names like LLCoolJ and Will.I.Am, and they invite celebrities like Tom Cruise, Vin Diesel, and the cast of Fast and Furious; they have had companies that invite influencers who have nothing to do with the sport, trying to get as much publicity on the event so that the rest of America has this feeling of wanting to be where the action is taking place.

For comparison, This is the same reason why Beyonce or Taylor Swift can sell their concert tickets at astronomically high prices because you are not paying to go to a concert, but rather the experience of seeing them in the flesh in real-time, even if your tickets are not great, and you were in the nose bleeds the entire time, you were there and got to see it. Which is the same logic promoters are operating off of for these races.

Now back to the obvious,

Was the Fanfare with the introductions, at that moment, necessary? No. Honestly, it was just poor planning. The time to do something like that would have been at the drivers' parade or any other time other than race day, but it is interesting because so many people want the Fanfare to be around the race, big Sunday race day, which in America is more on par with NASCAR. Not saying that the race isn't one to have Fanfare over, but the race weekend technically starts on Thursday with the press, so there were potentially other opportunities to engage in Fanfare all weekend. 

Now, will this backlash affect how other American races will go this year? Probably not. But I hope that in any event that it's just a lesson in what not to do on a race day, and hopefully, next year, we will get a different format.

[reportwire]

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa stretchered off with head injury

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa stretchered off with head injury

CINCINNATI — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained neck and head injuries after being slammed to the ground Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals and was stretchered from the field. The Dolphins said Tagovailoa was conscious, had movement in all his extremities and was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further evaluation. The Dolphins said after their…

[blowflyfag]

WRESTLING EYE: APRIL 1993

AN INSIDER’S VIEW OF THE WWF-USWA MERGE

BY STEVE MUELLER

On August 9, 1992, the wrestling world changed. It changed not with a bang, but with a challenge. It changed in a manner that may, one day, restructure the entire way professional wrestling is promoted in America. In some ways, the change was as significant as the national Football League agreeing to face the American Football League in a Super Bowl. 

On that date, the World Wrestling Federation officially recognized the existence of a wrestling promotion other than itself. Oh, during the past couple of years, there head been some cracks in the WWF rigid policy of not recognizing the existence of other pro wrestling organizations. For example, Ric Flair came into the promotion with the NWA world title belt in tow and calling himself the “real World Champion.” But the official beginning of the new WWF philosophy did indeed begin on August 9.

That date saw Jeff Jarret, son of USWA promoter Jerry Jarret and one of that promotion’s top attractions, leap a barricade at a WWF event to challenge then WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart to a title match. Hart accepted the challenge and a new era dawned. 

Allegedly because Hart would lose the Intercontinental strap to the British Bulldog at SummerSlam in ‘92, the match never took place. But that fact is inconsequential because the WWF and USWA entered into an historic “working agreement.” For the first time since the Vince McMahon, Jr., era began in 1984, the WWF promoted cards on which non-WWF wrestlers appeared. Additionally, some WWF wrestlers and personalities began appearing on USWA cards. 

What does this all mean? How will it effect the future of wrestling in America? Is this a trend, the start of things to come, or just an aberration. Good questions that need answers. WRESTLING EYE will try to supply them. 

What follows is an attempt by the crack WRESTLING EYE editorial staff to analyze these dramatic events. The entire development will be broken down into its component parts. Opinions of experts will be reviewed. Logical conclusions and suppositions will be formulated. 

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan was one of the WWF wrestlers chosen to compete in the USWA.]

THE PLAYERS

VINCE McMAHON

World Wrestling Federation head honcho, alleged marketing genius, and supreme commander of the universe, at least the WWF slice of it, Vince McMahon is the prime mover in this story. Vince was the first promoter to successfully take a wrestling promotion national, and, love him or hate him, he remains the world champion of wrestling promoters with no serious challengers for his crown in sight. 

McMahon has been called by some a serpentine, cut-throat businessman with an ego the size of Montana, by others a genius with his own code of honor and a great love for the wrestling business. Whatever the reality may be, he is one of the most influential and complex men ever to be involved with the mat sport. 

JERRY JARRET

Owner/operator of the United States Wrestling Association, based in Tennessee. His longtime top attraction is Jerry “the King” Lawler, perhaps the greatest all-around star in the history of southern wrestling. (Lawler has a significant role in this growing saga. That role will be discussed later.)

[Many feel that the Rock ‘n Roll Express would be an excellent addition to the WWF –Photo by Cohen.]

According to Jim Cornette, wrestling greatest living manager, in an interview in the “Pro Wrestling Torch” newsletter, “Jerry Jarret is one the shrewdest businessman in wrestling. I have never known him to come up on the short end of a business deal.” 

[Jeff Gaylord could be a competent replacement for the Ultimate Warrior. –Photo by Wilson]

Earlier this year, Jarret was trying to set-up a working relationship with World Championship Wrestling. That deal fell through. It appears this one will not. 

OVERVIEW

The exact nature of this “working relationship” has yet to be revealed or determined. It seems to be a work in progress. Rumors have claimed everything from the USWA becoming a kind of minor league for the WWF to the whole deal being an elaborate scheme by Vince McMahon to take over Memphis wrestling. However, why Vince McMahon would want to do that is not clear at this time. Especially in view of the wrestling depression that is currently gripping America. One thing Vince does not need is more empty arenas. 

This “working agreement” has advantages for both promotions. The USWA gets WWF stars to appear on its shows. The WWF saves travel money by using USWA wrestlers to fill up spots on cards run in the South. And then, on December 7, the WWF got a lot more. It got Jerry Lawler. 

[Jeff Jarrett has challenged Bret Hart.]

WRESTLERS AND PERSONALITIES

Jerry Lawler’s move to the WWF is significant on many levels. Lawler, called the Hulk Hogan of the South, debuted on the December 7 edition of “Prime Time” on the USA network. Lawler is a great ring worker, but even more importantly, he is one of the best communicators in the history of the sport. His great all-around ability is reflected in his amazing accomplishments. Without working for a major promotion for any length of time, Lawler has over the last 15 years been one of the most influential men in the sport. He even parlayed a feud with late comic Andy Kaufman into appearances on the David Letterman Show and sold out houses in the Mid-South Coliseum.

[Can you imagine the havoc the Moondogs would wreak in the WWF?]

Jeff Jarret has also been wrestling successfully in opening matches on WWF cards not only in the south, but across America. Additionally, many WWF stars have appeared at USWA events including Jimmy “Mouth of the South” Hart, southern wrestling managerial legend, Sergeant Slaughter, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and the Bushwackers. 

WHAT LIES AHEAD?

Experts say the huge egos of McMahon and Jarret can’t co-exist very long. Others say that the McMahon/Jarret alliance is the first stage of a new way to promote wrestling in America. These experts say that it is alliance born out of necessity. The WWF needs a developing ground for new talent and USWA needs nationally known personalities on its cards to foster credibility in the minds of casual fans. And more importantly, it needs these recognizable stars to get those casual fans to buy tickets for USWA events.

[The WWF-USWA merge could produce some interesting match ups.]

The editorial staff at WRESTLING EYE,, after careful evaluation and extensive study, believe that this alliance is indeed the start of a new era in professional wrestling. As proof, we point to the recently announced alliance between World Championship Wrestling and Smokey Mountain Wrestling. We further believe that these alliances will help pro wrestling overcome its current popularity slump. New faces and developing talent are exactly what the majors need to rekindle interest in the sport. 

[rabbitcruiser]

Flying West (No. 6)

San Francisco and the surrounding San Francisco Bay Area are a global center of economic activity and the arts and sciences, spurred by leading universities, high-tech, healthcare, finance, insurance, real estate, and professional services sectors. As of 2020, the metropolitan area, with 6.7 million residents, ranked 5th by GDP ($874 billion) and 2nd by GDP per capita ($131,082) across the OECD countries, ahead of global cities like Paris, London, and Singapore. San Francisco anchors the 13th most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States with 4.6 million residents, and the fourth-largest by aggregate income and economic output, with a GDP of $729 billion in 2022. The wider San Jose–San Francisco–Oakland Combined Statistical Area is the nation's fifth-most populous, with around nine million residents, and the third-largest by economic output, with a GDP of $1.32 trillion in 2022. In the same year, San Francisco proper had a GDP of $252.2 billion, and a GDP per capita of $312,000. San Francisco was ranked fifth in the world and second in the United States on the Global Financial Centres Index as of September 2023. Despite a continuing exodus of businesses from the downtown area of San Francisco,[43][44] the city is still home to numerous companies inside and outside of technology, including Salesforce, Uber, Airbnb, X Corp., Levi's, Gap, Dropbox, and Lyft.

In 2022, San Francisco had more than 1.7 million international visitors – the fifth-most visited city from abroad in the United States after New York City, Miami, Orlando, and Los Angeles – and approximately 20 million domestic visitors for a total of 21.9 million visitors. The city is known for its steep rolling hills and eclectic mix of architecture across varied neighborhoods, as well as its cooling summers, fog, and notable landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and Alcatraz, along with the Chinatown and Mission districts. The city is home to a number of educational and cultural institutions, such as the University of California, San Francisco, the University of San Francisco, San Francisco State University, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the de Young Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco Symphony, the San Francisco Ballet, the San Francisco Opera, the SFJAZZ Center, and the California Academy of Sciences. Two major league sports teams, the San Francisco Giants and the Golden State Warriors, play their home games within San Francisco proper. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) offers flights to over 125 destinations while a light rail and bus network, in tandem with the BART and Caltrain systems, connects nearly every part of San Francisco with the wider region.

Source: Wikipedia

[freifraufischer]

https://olympics.com/ioc/news/statement-on-solidarity-with-ukraine-sanctions-against-russia-and-belarus-and-the-status-of-athletes

The key points:

1.  With regard to the sanctions, participants in each of the consultation calls unanimously reaffirmed and called for a reinforcement of the sanctions already in place:

No international sports events being organised or supported by an IF or NOC in Russia or Belarus. No flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications whatsoever of these countries being displayed at any sports event or meeting, including the entire venue. No Russian and Belarusian Government or State official should be invited to or accredited for any international sports event or meeting.

and

No athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport.   A pathway for athletes’ participation in competition under strict conditions should therefore be further explored. Such strict conditions being:

athletes would participate in competitions as “neutral athletes” and in no way represent their state or any other organisation in their country, as is already happening in professional leagues, particularly in Europe, the United States and Canada, and in some individual professional sports. only athletes who fully respect the Olympic Charter would participate. This means in particular: first, only those who have not acted against the peace mission of the IOC by actively supporting the war in Ukraine could compete. Second, only athletes who fully comply with the World Anti-Doping Code and all relevant anti-doping rules and regulations would be eligible. There must be individual checks carried out for all entered athletes.

My read on this is no teams only individuals. I don't know how they judge "actively" but I assume that at the very least means Youth Army Leader Boy.

[wwfshow]

NWSL to the Bay: An Interview with Leslie Osborne 

As you know Women's World Football Show is the premier podcast on women's soccer, featuring interviews with top players and personalities from the sport.

In episode 215, I was honored to interview former USWNT midfielder Leslie Osborne about her soccer journey and her new venture as co-owner and co-founder of the newest National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) team taking flight in the Bay Area in 2024.

Leslie, who played for the Boston Breakers and the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL, discussed her experience of being part of the first professional women's soccer league in the United States. She talked about the positive aspects of the league, such as the high level of competition, the camaraderie between the players, and the support of the fans. 

It’s so interesting to hear Leslie touch on some of the challenges that the league faced in its early years, such as a lack of financial stability, and how the NWSL has grown. As women’s soccer fans, it’s definitely a journey we’ve all lived through together. 

Leslie’s energy is contagious! Listening back to this interview got me all pumped up again! I’m excited to see how Leslie’s past experiences in the SIX leagues she’s played for, as well as her experiences as a businesswoman and current role as Director of Coaching at the San Jose Earthquakes youth academy, will serve her in her next journey as co-owner of an NWSL team.

In this absolutely killer episode, Leslie talked about the unique opportunities that the Bay Area has to offer, such as the high level of competition, the great weather, and the passionate soccer fans. Osborne also discussed her how her career-altering injury helped prepare her for her next role as an entrepreneur and sports broadcaster, as well as her work in the Earthquakes academy, where she has helped develop the next generation of soccer players.

Throughout the interview, Leslie is so open and transparent, sharing valuable insight into the NWSL and the Bay Area. She spoke about the importance of having a professional soccer team in Northern California and how it will be different than the two Southern California teams (Angel City FC and San Diego Wave FC), and how it will help to raise the level of competition for women's soccer. 

Along with co-founders and former USWNT stars, Brandi Chastain, Aly Wagner, and Danielle Slaton, Leslie shares invaluable insight into their new Bay Area team’s mission and expectations.

Women's World Football Show podcast continues to be a great source of information on women's soccer, and this episode with Leslie Osborne is another entertaining addition to our library. Take a listen and share with your friends! 

[laresearchette]

Friday, August 04, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: EVA THE OWLET (Apple TV+) WITNESS TO MURDER (A&E Canada) 9:00pm WOMEN ON DEATH ROW (A&E Canada) 10:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT? SECRET CELEBRITY RENOVATION (CBS Feed)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA THE LOST FLOWERS OF ALICE HART MAMBA’S DIAMOND WNBA: ATLANTA DREAM AT PHOENIX MERCURY

CBC GEM CHATEAU DIY (Season 6) HEY DUGGEE (Season 2)

CRAVE TV 65 BLIZZARD THE CHI (Season 6, Episode 1 *Season 6 Premiere) THE DISHWASHER EAST HARBOUR HEROES (Season 1) GOOD MORNING CHUCK (Season 1) THE JOURNALS OF KNUD RASMUSSEN MONKEY BEACH NATURAL BORN KILLERS ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST PACO RHYMES FOR YOUNG GHOULS SIMULANT SUPERBAD

DISNEY + STAR BULL SHARK BANDITS BULL SHARK VS. HAMMERHEAD THE RANDALL SCANDAL: LOVE, LOATHING, AND VANDERPUMP RETURN OF THE WHITE SHARK SAVED FROM A SHARK SHARK EAT SHARK

NETFLIX CANADA THE BIG NAILED IT BAKING CHALLENGE FATAL SEDUCTION (Volume 2)

ESPN THE OCHO!!!!! (TSN2) 1:00am: Stern Heads-Up Pinball Invitational 1:30am: USA Mullet Championships 2:00am: 2023 ACL Pro Shootout Championship 3:00am: Disc Golf Pro Tour Championship 4:00am: Marble Runs 4:30am: Financial Modeling World Championships 5:00am: 2023 Table Hockey World Championships 5:30am: Death Diving 6:00am: Teqball 6:30am: Auctioneer's Championship 7:00am: Microsoft Excel eSports: Elimination Race 7:30am: Truck and Tractor Pulling 8:00am: One Wheel World Championship 8:30 am: Arm Wrestling Reborn 9:00am: Extreme Axe & Knife Games 10:00am: Omegaball Women's Invitational 11:00am: Bullshooter 12:00pm: Omegaball Men's Invitational 1:00pm: Professional Cuesports League 2:00pm: Kickball Championship 3:00pm: The Ocho Show 4:00pm: 2023 Wiffleball All-Stars 5:00pm: Major League Table Tennis 6:00pm: Slippery Stairs 7:00pm: ACL World Championships 9:00pm: Viii Sports 10:00pm: Pillow Fighting Championship 11:00pm: 2023 FootGolf World Cup 11:30pm: Stein Holding Competition 12:00am: 2023 Corgi Races 12:30am: World Dog Surfing Championship 1:00am: Dodgeball All-Star Showcase 2:00am: 2023 Table Hockey World Championships 2:30am: Truck and Tractor Pulling

HLINKA GRETZKY CUP (TSN4) 1:00pm: Semifinal: Canada vs. United States (TSN5) 1:00pm: Semifinal: Czechia vs. Finland

MLB BASEBALL (SN1) 2:00pm: Atlanta vs. Cubs (SN) 7:00pm: Jays vs. Red Sox (SN Now) 7:00pm: Mets vs. Orioles (TSN3/TSN5) 8:00pm: Rays vs. Astros (SN1) 9:30pm: Dodgers vs. Padres

CEBL BASKETBALL (TSN5) 7:00pm: East Play-In - Brampton Honey Badgers vs. Scarborough Shooting Stars (TSN5) 9:00pm: West Play-In - Edmonton Stingers vs. Winnipeg Sea Bears

LEAGUES CUP SOCCER (TSN3) 8:30pm: Round of 32: Chicago vs Club America (TSN3) 10:30pm: Round of 32: Monterey vs. Portland

LEGENDS VS. MODERN ICONS (Cottage Life) 8:00pm: The competition kicks off with a cage match between the Colosseum, the ancient world's top arena, and Wembley Stadium, the most expensive football venue ever built; a look at their architectural features and which one offers the best fan experience.

CFL FOOTBALL (TSN4) 9:00pm: Argos vs. Stamps

GIANT POP-UP CONSTRUCTIONS (Cottage Life) 9:00pm/10:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Workers gather in India to build a railway underpass in just five hours; they battle stifling heat and deadly obstacles to reconnect the tracks and ensure they're safe before the first scheduled train roars through.

STIMULANT (Crave) 9:00pm: A humanoid A.I.'s attempt at winning a grieving widow's heart puts it in the path of a government agent trying to stop the rise of machine consciousness.

NATURAL BORN KILLERS: DIRECTOR'S CUT (Starz Canada) 9:00pm: Two young lovers (Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis) embark on a blood-drenched killing spree that quickly propels them to celebrity status.