📰🏟️ Feeling Blue
Plus: Who’s hiring LSU’s coach?...
Good afternoon. Today’s edition is chock-full of top sports stories. Let’s get right to it.
1) Blue Jays stand one win away from first World Series title in 32 years
Toronto defeated the Dodgers in Los Angeles last night to take a 3-2 series lead, thanks to seven strong innings and a rookie record 12 Ks from SP Trey Yesavage—who was in the minor leagues as recently as September 10—as well as yet another homer from 1B Vlad Guerrero Jr.
- The series now heads back to Toronto for Game 6 on Friday night and Game 7 (if necessary) on Saturday.
- With a victory in either game, the Blue Jays would clinch their first World Series since 1993.
Why the Dodgers are feeling blue
2) It’s unclear who’s hiring LSU’s next head football coach
In a press conference on Wednesday, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry—the current acting president of LSU, after the previous one abruptly left in June—said LSU AD Scott Woodward won’t be hiring the school’s next head coach after Brian Kelly.
- Gov. Landry cited Woodward’s history as the guy who hired both Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M and Kelly—recipients of the two largest contract buyouts in CFB history ($77M and $53M, respectively).
- Landry said Louisiana’s Board of Supervisors will instead be in charge of hiring Kelly’s replacement. The only issue? The board’s chair later said he had no idea they were running the job search.
3) Nationals set to hire youngest MLB manager in 50+ years
Washington is reportedly finalizing a deal to hire Blake Butera, a former minor-league manager and current director of player development with Tampa, as the Nationals’ next manager.
- Butera, 33, would become the youngest MLB manager since 1972, according to FanGraphs.
- He was previously the youngest manager in minor league history, at 25, after transitioning to coaching following a two-year minor-league career.
4) Jim Irsay’s legendary memorabilia collection is headed to auction
The family of the late Indianapolis Colts owner plans to auction off the majority of Irsay’s famed memorabilia collection, for which he once said he was offered over $1B.
- Irsay’s stash includes what Guitar World called “the greatest guitar collection on Earth,” featuring 199 guitars once played by icons like Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Eric Clapton, Kurt Cobain, and members of The Beatles.
- He also collected many prized pieces outside of music, including Muhammad Ali’s “Rumble in the Jungle” belt, Secretariat’s Triple Crown saddle, and a 200+-year-old copy of the Declaration of Independence.
Explore Irsay’s one-of-a-kind collection
5) UCLA sued for trying to move from Rose Bowl, per report
The city of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl Operating Company are suing UCLA for allegedly trying to move its football games to SoFi Stadium, the LA Times reported Wednesday.
- UCLA's current lease with the Rose Bowl runs through 2044. But the school is reportedly trying to break the contract and move to a closer stadium amid struggling attendance figures.
- The Rose Bowl is 26 miles from UCLA’s campus, while SoFi Stadium—home of the NFL's LA Rams and Chargers—is 12 miles away.
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