Ain’t no hold ’em
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Happy hump day!
While you patiently wait for Beyoncé’s Act II: Cowboy Carter album to drop, stick around, ’round, ’round, ’round, ’round this newsletter for some sporty updates.
No. 4 Stanford star Cameron Brink, sharing yesterday that she’ll be joining fellow senior, No. 2 Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, in the stacked 2024 WNBA Draft class.
- Brink, a dominant shooter and blocker, is widely expected to be a top-three pick, but no matter where she lands, you can bet godbrother Steph Curry will be sitting courtside.
NFL Free Agency
🏈 Musical chairs (football’s version)
The GIST: It may be the offseason, but the NFL’s free agency is giving more drama than this season of The Bachelor. Free agency is a period where players with expiring contracts can freely negotiate and sign with other teams, and teams can officially trade players and draft picks to other squads.
- Though free agency doesn’t officially open until the NFL’s “new year” begins today at 4 p.m. ET, that hasn’t stopped teams from brokering blockbuster deals.
Running back (RB) moves: After years of less lucrative and shorter contracts for RBs compared to other skilled positions, many top backs — including longtime (and now former) NY Giant Saquon Barkley — considered sitting out last year unless they received a fair deal. Despite fears that the position has been devalued, the 2024 season is shaping up to be the year of the RBs.
- Headlining the signings is former Tennessee Titan Derrick Henry, who agreed to a two-year, $16M deal with the Baltimore Ravens yesterday. One of the best RBs in the league lining up beside the league’s reigning MVP quarterback (QB) Lamar Jackson? It’s almost unfair.
- Meanwhile, the aforementioned Barkley is flying to a new home, agreeing to a three-year, $37.75M contract with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday. If Barkley hits his incentives (aka performance bonuses), the deal could be the second richest for an RB in NFL history.
QB signings: Not to be outdone, the QB market is red-hot, too. On Monday, former Minnesota Viking Kirk “you like that” Cousins agreed to a massive four-year, $180M deal with the Atlanta Falcons. The 35-year-old signal caller had one of his best statistical seasons last year before tearing his Achilles in October.
- And there’s plenty of QB cash to go around: Netflix star Marcus Mariota’s en route to the Washington Commanders, perennial backup Sam Darnold bagged a cool $10M to lead the Minnesota Vikings, and Gardner Minshew’s headed to the Las Vegas Raiders on a two-year, $25M deal.
What’s next: With the free agency frenzy just getting started, stay in the loop as teams continue to wheel and deal heading into the fall campaign. September’s looking a whole lot different already.
🎾 World No. 1 Novak Djokovic stunned by 20-year-old at Indian Wells
Djokovic momentarily lost his focus in his upset loss at the hands of No. 123 (!!!) Luca Nardi on Monday. Following the self-proclaimed “miracle” dub, Nardi faces No. 17 Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals today at 3:20 p.m. ET.
- And with no Canadians left in the mix, it’s time to cheer on birthday girl No. 3 Coco Gauff, who will hope to enter her second decade with a win as she takes on No. 28 Elise Mertens at 3:15 p.m. ET.
🎓🏀 Canada boasts two 2024 Wooden Award (MVP) finalists in the NCAA
No. 3 Purdue senior Zach Edey and No. 10 UConn senior Aaliyah Edwards are both Wooden Award nominees, an accolade given to the top player in men’s and women’s college hoops.
- Edey — who won the award last year — stands to become the third-ever repeat winner if he takes home the trophy again. Doing it for Toronto.
- But Kingston’s very own Edwards faces some serious competition on the women’s side, squaring up against No. 1 University of South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, No. 2 Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, and No. 4 Stanford’s Cameron Brink.
🏒 NY Rangers rookie center Matt Rempe suspended for four games
Calgary-born 6-foot-7 Rempe will serve a four-game suspension after elbowing NJ Devils player Jonas Siegenthaler in the head on Monday, the latest chapter in the rookie’s dramatic but divisive debut season. New Yorkers may love his intensity, but Rempe’s antics are ruffling some veteran feathers. Watch this space.
Together With The GIST
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If you or your company want to help level the playing field in sports, let’s talk.
🏀 NBA: Toronto Raptors vs. Detroit Pistons — Tonight at 7 p.m. ET — TSN4
- After squandering a 22-point lead in Monday’s 125–119 loss to the Denver Nuggets, the shorthanded Raps need to get the job done against one of the league's worst teams, the Pistons. Vroom vroom.
🏒 NHL: Washington Capitals vs. Edmonton Oilers — Tonight at 10 p.m. ET — Sportsnet
- Near, far, wherever they are, Connor McDavid and the surging Oilers will look to continue their rise in the Pacific Division standings in a hump day clash against Alex Ovechkin’s Caps.
⛳ PGA: THE PLAYERS Championship — Tomorrow to Sunday — The Golf Channel
- The 50th edition of this prestigious tournament tees off from the iconic TPC Sawgrass in Florida with all eyes on the seven Canadians in contention — including Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor — to make a run for the trophy.
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
🍺 Where to watch the game
A Bar of Their Own, Minnesota’s first sports bar dedicated exclusively to women’s sports. More of this, please.
🏳️🌈 What to check out
State of Play, a column from Gay Times focused on the changes necessary to make the world of sport fully accessible to the LGBTQIA+ community.
📕 What to read
Sidelined: Sports, Culture, and Being a Woman in America by Julie Dicaro. The GIST Book Club is all over this one for Women’s History Month. Read along with us on Fable.
Question of the Day
Did you hear? The April 20th PWHL game between Toronto and Montréal will be played at the Bell Centre, the NHL’s biggest arena, with a seating capacity of over 21K. Do you think this game will break the pro women’s hockey game attendance record? Make your voice heard below.
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