Newsletter Archive

📰🏟️ Good luck charm

Plus: The Nationals press reset…

Peter Nowak, Kyle Nowak

08 Jul 2025 — 6 min read

Good morning. Over the next few minutes, prepare to learn why the Nationals pressed the reset button, the record number of teams involved in the Kevin Durant megadeal, and much more.

Let’s do it to it.

—Peter & Kyle

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🗺️ AROUND THE HORN

Three big things

🙏 Tragedy strikes the sports world. Diogo Jota, 28, a forward for Liverpool who also represented the Portugal national team in major tournaments, and his brother André Silva, 25, were killed in a car accident in northwest Spain last week. Jota spent five years playing for Liverpool, scoring 65 goals in 182 games and helping the club win four titles. Liverpool, which said it’ll pay out the remainder of Jota’s contract to his widow (~$20M), is set to begin the preseason tomorrow after postponing its start due to Jota’s passing. Meanwhile, Bobby Jenks, the flame-throwing 2x All-Star closer who secured the final out of the Chicago White Sox’s 2005 World Series win, passed away Friday after a battle with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer.

🔘 Nationals press the reset button ahead of choosing #1 overall. Washington DC's MLB team fired its manager, Dave Martinez, and president of baseball operations, Mike Rizzo, on Sunday, just days before this year’s draft, in which they hold the #1-overall pick. The franchise, which hasn’t finished higher than fourth in its division since winning the World Series in 2019, is looking for a “fresh approach,” according to principal owner Mark Lerner. Mike DeBartolo, the club's senior vice president and assistant GM, has been named interim GM and de-facto draft czar.

🏆 Mexico lifts the Gold Cup with the same hands the US is mad about. On Sunday, in front of a sellout crowd at Houston's NRG Stadium, Mexico defeated the US men's national soccer team 2-1 to win their second straight Concacaf Gold cup and 10th overall. But the match wasn’t without controversy: Mexico’s game-winning goal in the 77th minute was originally called off for offsides before being overturned by review, while USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino has since been critical of the referees for an uncalled handball in the 67th minute that would’ve granted the US a penalty kick (watch it here…and you be the judge).

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📸 SNAPPED

Pics from the weekend

⚾ Another week, another gambling investigation. Cleveland Guardians SP Luis Ortiz has been placed on “non-disciplinary paid leave” through the end of the All-Star break while the MLB completes a gambling investigation into two specific pitches that Ortiz threw. Both pitches had a higher-than-usual number of bets—yes, betting on individual pitches is a thing—predicting they would be balls, which raised red flags with a betting integrity firm. The news came days after the feds announced a gambling investigation into NBA G Malik Beasley, and months after MLB umpire Pat Hoberg was fired for sharing a sports-betting account with a friend who bet on baseball.

🏀 Rising star AJ Dybantsa led the US to gold in the FIBA U19 World Cup. The #1 overall high-school recruit and incoming BYU freshman was named tournament MVP after leading the American squad to a 109-76 victory over previously unbeaten Germany in Sunday’s championship game. Dybantsa, who reportedly received a $7M deal from BYU’s NIL collective, is one of four main favorites to go #1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.

🎾 Ben Shelton made his first Wimbledon quarters in front of his “good luck charm.” The #10-seeded Shelton became the second American to advance to the round-of-8 after defeating Lorenzo Sonego yesterday, in a match that was attended by his sister Emma after a public plea from Ben was rewarded with an extra week off from her job at Morgan Stanley. Other quarterfinalists include #1 Jannik Sinner (who’s facing Shelton tomorrow) and #2 Carlos Alcaraz on the men’s side, as well as #1 Aryna Sabalenka on the women’s side.

📰 NEWS

What else is happening

A seven-team NBA trade involving Kevin Durant was finalized over the weekend. It marks the most teams involved in a trade in league history.
Grand Slam Track, the track league startup founded by Olympian Michael Johnson, reportedly still owes its competing athletes ~$13M.
Sauber F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg ended a 239-race wait for his first podium at this weekend’s British GP.
MLB All-Star rosters have been finalized. Notably absent: Mets OF Juan Soto, Cubs 1B Michael Busch, and Phillies SS Trea Turner.
Dan Orlovsky signed a contract extension with ESPN. The football analyst's current deal was set to expire prior to this year's NFL season.
WNBA All-Stars will receive a ~$2.5k bonus for being selected.

👀 MUST-SEE TV

Top plays

💨 Pirates’ Oneil Cruz nabs runner at plate with 105.2 MPH missile

⚽ Al-Hilal goalie Bono delivers save-of-the-year candidate in upset of Man City

🏀 Indiana Fever rookie Makayla Timpson gets up for a monster block

🎾 Carlos Alcaraz hits perfect grass slice to win point

⚾ Bobby Witt Jr.’s nifty slide avoids Cal Raleigh

🔢 BY THE NUMBERS

70.5

The number of hot dogs and buns Joey Chestnut polished off in 10 minutes at the 2025 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, earning him his 17th title. Chestnut beat all other contestants by 24+ dogs, but finished shy of his official world record (76). On the women's side, reigning champion Miki Sudo earned her 11th win with 33 hot dogs and buns.

$473 → $13

How much the get-in price to Tuesday afternoon’s Club World Cup semi-final between Chelsea and Fluminense fell over a 72-hour period ending Saturday (-97%), The Athletic reports. This means it could be cheaper to buy a ticket than a beer ($14) or cheesesteak ($15) at host MetLife Stadium.

3 up, 3 down

The Pittsburgh Pirates recently became the first team in MLB history to win three straight games via shutout...then immediately lose the next three straight games via shutout.

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🤔 TRIVIA

Three for three

Last week, hours before NHL free agency began, the Florida Panthers locked up 2025 Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett, playoff record-breaker Brad Marchand, and marquee defender Aaron Ekblad with substantial long-term contracts.

The move ensures the core that propelled the team’s winning 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup runs stays intact, priming the chamber for a three-peat—something only three franchises in NHL history have ever done.

Can you name the three? Bonus points if you can guess the years in which they won their consecutive Stanley Cups.

Hint: Two Canadian, one American

🌐 WEB GEMS