The ESPN Daily: Very good dog on the field, how the Knicks got into this mess, and the most random NHL jersey sightings
Weekend warriors … Today’s newsletter will get you all fired up for the weekend. Know a friend who needs a little Friday pick-me-up? Why not send them this newsletter? You can do so right here.
Dual-threat duel … Lamar Jackson. Deshaun Watson. On Sunday, two of the most exciting signal callers in the game will face off for the first time since they were in college. If you recall, Jackson was headed for a Heisman trophy at Louisville, and Watson was en route to a national title with Clemson. Now? They’re both NFL MVP candidates. On today’s episode of the Daily, Domonique Foxworth joins host Mina Kimes to breakdown the highly anticipated showdown. You can listen to the full podcast right here.
But wait! After you’ve listened to the podcast, here’s a look back at the last time the two future superstars faced off as the leaders of two powerhouse college programs. Read more
“That’s my dog!” Mark Schlabach’s dog, Tubby, was a very good boy but had a habit of escaping even the most confining circumstances — most famously when he somehow found his way to a Georgia football game and brought the whole thing to a standstill by romping around on the field. If you’re like us and love reading about dogs being dogs, you’ll be extremely into this story. Read more
When NHL stars end up in random places … Some stars become so integral to a team that seeing them in another squad’s jersey seems bizarre — think Brett Favre in any uniform other than the Packers, for instance. In hockey, it’s rare for any player to spend his entire career with one team — even Wayne Gretzky moved around. Here’s our list of the most incongruous examples of iconic players in weird jerseys. Read more
How the Knicks got into this mess … For years, the New York Knicks have been one of the lowest-performing teams in the NBA, but for a brief moment last year, things were looking up. They had a young star, a plan and the possibility of drafting a game-changing talent. Then it all went wrong, as it has so many times before. Here’s what happened to the Knicks, in their own words. Read more
The best CFP scenarios for each conference … Alabama is the third-best team in the SEC. The Big Ten has two undefeated teams. The Big 12 and Pac-12 have something to prove. With the college football regular season rapidly coming to a close, there’s not much time left for the major players to make their statements. Here’s the best each conference can expect when it’s all said and done. Read More
Iconic moments for an iconic sneaker … Michael Jordan has more than his fair share of legendary moments, but he might be the only star in history who can divide those moments by the shoes he was wearing at the time. With the announcement that his “Bred Air Jordan 11s” will go on sale for just the fifth time in history, the Undefeated compiled a list of MJ’s best moments while wearing the iconic kicks. Read More
Jay Bilas expects James Wiseman will be able to play again this season for Memphis, based on previous cases.
“Pat Bev trick y’all, man, like he playing defense. He don’t guard nobody, man. He just running around, doing nothing.”
— Russell Westbrook, on Patrick Beverly Read more
On this date in 1996, the Looney Tunes defeated the Monstars in the final seconds of “Space Jam,” with a little assist from cartoon physics and Bill Murray.
UEFA European Qualifiers (all weekend, ESPN App/ESPN+): We’ve got a whole host of soccer for you this weekend, as teams face off for the right to compete in the UEFA European Championship.
United States vs. Canada (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2): The CONCACAF Nations League continues with a USA-Canada rematch. Team USA will be looking to avenge a shocking 2-0 loss to Canada in their previous matchup.
Georgia State at No. 2 Duke (7 p.m. ET, ACC Network); Monmouth vs. No. 5 Kansas (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+); Gardner-Webb at No. 6 UNC (9 p.m. ET, ACC Network); No. 8 Gonzaga at Texas A&M (9 p.m. ET, SEC Network): Lots of top 10 teams in action on Friday night, which is very good news for any college basketball fan looking for a sports-filled evening at home.
Jazz at Grizzlies (8 p.m. ET, ESPN); Celtics at Warriors (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN): We’ve got two mismatches for you tonight, with the Jazz taking on a struggling Grizzlies squad and the streaking Celtics facing off against the suddenly hapless Warriors. Strange how fast fortunes can change in the NBA.
College GameDay (Saturday, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN): GameDay travels to Waco for the Oklahoma-Baylor matchup (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC). For a first look at the top stories and marquee matchups, make sure to tune in to our Countdown to GameDay (Saturday, 8:30 a.m. ET, ESPN App/YouTube/Twitter/Facebook). After the crew has made its picks, stay on the ESPN family of networks for a full day of college football, including No. 5 Alabama at Mississippi State (noon ET, ESPN) and Arizona at No. 6 Oregon (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Jacare (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+): Jan Blachowicz takes on Jacare Souza in a light heavyweight bout in Sao Paulo. You can catch the prelims at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Edmonton Eskimos vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPNEWS); Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2): We’ve got the Canadian Football League Eastern and Western finals this Sunday, in case you prefer your football with three downs and a larger field.