This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning. Ted Berg usually writes this but he’s on vacation this week (probably eating extravagant sandwiches on his yacht somewhere) so Andy Nesbitt will be filling in. Ted asked that we include this mention so that you don’t go after him about this week’s takes.
The Los Angeles Lakers are a mess right now… and it’s very easy to laugh at them.
It has been for a while, as they haven’t made the playoffs since 2013, even though they signed LeBron James, who now might be facing his biggest challenge, last summer. This season was a waste and ended in perfect fashion.
Fans are angry over the team’s inability to work out a deal with Ty Lue to be their new head coach, and just frustrated that this legendary franchise is still such a stinker.
A group of fed up fans have organized a protest Friday outside Staples Center in which they hope to get media attention, as well as the attention of controlling owner Jeanie Buss, by chanting such things as “sell the team!” and “fire Rambis!” and “shadow owner!”
That’s how desperate things have gotten out here in LA.
(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
And it’s sad, because these fans deserve better. The Lakers are one of the most storied franchises in all of sports, and basketball is better when they are competing for a championship.
But those days are long gone. Their last playoff win came in 2012 over the Durant/Westbrook/Harden Oklahoma Thunder team and they lost that series 4-1.
Now Magic Johnson is gone, off tweeting vanilla takes about playoff games. LeBron is still here, though trade rumors could heat up. And they’re becoming more and more of an easy target for funny rants by Stephen A. Smith.
Will this protest thingy work? No, absolutely not. It will probably be as effective as online petition that your hopeful mom sends you to sign for some worldly matter that will never even hear of the petition.
But at least they’re trying to do something. Because there are no guarantees that this thing is going to turn around in a hurry.
Even with LeBron and cap space.
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The CBS analyst who spent some time in the NFL playing quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys is playing in a PGA Tour event this week, as the Byron Nelson in Dallas gave the scratch golfer an invite. We all know Romo is good at golf (and announcing and playing QB in the NFL) but this was even impressive for him – not only did he birdie his first hole of the tournament but he later chipped in for eagle on the par-5 7th, and he was pretty fired up, too. Romo finished with a 5-over, 76 which has him in a tie for 148th place. But he did have a better score than four professional golfers. Which ain’t bad.
NASHVILLE, TN – APRIL 25: A Seattle Seahawks fan is seen prior to the start of the first round of the NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
– The Seattle Seahawks bid farewell to both Kam Chancellor and Doug Baldwin, as they terminated their contracts on Thursday. That made Seahawks fans really sad because those two guys were key parts of some very good teams, including one that won a Super Bowl. Sometimes it’s hard to say goodbye. Believe me, I know that.
– Joel Embiid had some big blocks as the Sixers won Game 6 to force a Game 7.
– A sideline reporter at a Europa soccer game probably wishes a ball didn’t hit her in the head while she was on live TV. But it did. Ouch.
– The White House thought the Red Sox were the “World Cup Series Champions.” Which isn’t technically correct. Also, they’re not the “Red Socks” as the White House thought.
– Liverpool’s radio announcers had so much fun calling the team’s huge Champions League comeback earlier this week. You gotta watch this.
– OK, folks. It’s time for us to say goodbye as the legendary Ted Berg ends his world tour this weekend and will be back to writing this thing on Monday morning. I had a fun time doing this and hope you had a fun time reading this, even that one guy on Twitter who threatened to come find me because of what I wrote about the Kentucky Derby. Follow me on Twitter, have a great weekend, and get some flowers for your mom.
(Follow Andy Nesbitt on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life.)
