INDIANAPOLIS — On Thursday night, Caitlin Clark entered her new venue, which was covered in No. 22 jerseys and shirts from floor to ceiling.

Being a first-time WNBA champion, she left.

A belated but raucous audience cheered when Clark hit her first basket, a layup with 7:00 remaining in the first quarter, and during her formal presentation to Fever supporters. When she eventually made a deep 3-pointer from the edge of the Fieldhouse logo late in the third quarter, the applause intensified and increased when she finished a three-point play a few minutes later.

A Boisterous Audience Thunderously Applauds Caitlin Clark As Fever Wins 83–80 To Make Her Home Debut.

Yes, even though it wasn’t quite the expected start, Clark managed to pull off the city’s most anticipated rookie debut since Peyton Manning played for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts in 1998.

In 31 minutes, Clark scored 12 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 turnovers, and 2 of 9 three-pointers in an 83-80 preseason victory over the Atlanta Dream.

“I thought they were loud and into it, and it was a lot of fun.” After her home debut, Clark remarked, “It was entertaining to watch.” There are 13,000 spectators for this Thursday night preseason game. That, in my opinion, merely illustrates what this season will be like for us. It will be beneficial to us.

After last week’s preseason opener loss at Dallas, the Fever rallied from an early double-digit hole on Thursday with the crowd’s support, which undoubtedly had an impact.

One of the girls held a banner that said, “Welcome to Indy Caitlin! — Caitlin M.”

Officially, 13,028 people attended, almost three times more than Indiana’s average of a little over 4,000 people per game for their 20 home regular-season games in 2023. Following that, Clark ran into a close friend and erstwhile college teammate, Gabbie Marshall, and the two clicked a picture.

Even for the postponed contest, most people came to witness Clark.

The NBA announced that the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks would play Game 3 of their best-of-seven series at that time. Hence, Indiana’s original Friday schedule was shifted.

After playing college ball just a month ago, Clark—the WNBA’s overall No. 1 draft pick—has quickly adapted to the pro game. Furthermore, there wasn’t as much fanfare and fanciness surrounding this game as one might have thought.

With music playing and the stands beginning to fill, Clark completed her pregame warm-ups quietly and intently. But as the game began, it was all business for Clark & Co.

I don’t think I was all that effective, Clark remarked. Above all, I performed excellently, finding my teammates and passing the ball. Granted, I would have preferred to make a few more threes, but sometimes that’s how things work out.

A Boisterous Audience Thunderously Applauds Caitlin Clark As Fever Wins 83–80 To Make Her Home Debut.

Not all of the blame could be placed on Clark.

Naturally, opponents plot their moves to slow down the most-scoring player in NCAA Division I history. Atlanta’s strategy was to physically attack Clark to remove her from her location and use hard closeouts and numerous defenders to force the ball out of her hands.

As a result, Clark had trouble early on as the Fever trailed, and her teammates had trouble turning her precise passes into baskets. However, they also got a sneak peek at what this season might hold.

With a game-high 21 points, Nalyssa Smith stated, “She pushes the pace for us, she gets the ball where it needs to be, if you run the floor you’ve got to look up because the ball is coming.” “She’s looking to pass the ball, she can spread the floor, and everybody can score.”

Clark was a huge hit and a welcomed change for a team looking for a revival throughout it all. She’s brought women’s basketball more attention and interest than most of her predecessors, which has given her a platform that few others have, and she’s making the most of it.

Because of her presence and those of the other players in what is arguably the most anticipated rookie class in WNBA history, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert said earlier this week that she plans to spend $50 million on charter aircraft over the next two seasons.

A Boisterous Audience Thunderously Applauds Caitlin Clark As Fever Wins 83–80 To Make Her Home Debut.

Some opponents have shifted their games to bigger facilities to accommodate ticket sales due to the intrigue around Clark, and a team that has yet to make the playoffs since 2016 will now have 36 of its 40 regular-season games broadcast nationally.

For Clark, performing in front of a packed house has become second nature. This might be the beginning of something greater than her coaches and teammates could have ever dreamed, particularly for a player who represents a generation like Clark, who has enthusiastically embraced her new hometown.

“This is the best part of it, in my opinion,” Clark remarked. “You have to compete every night, and if one of those nights is bad for us, you can always come back and answer a few days later. Everyone is thrilled, and I believe this bunch will be prepared for the regular season.

SOURCE – (AP)

The Toronto Maple Leafs sacked head coach Sheldon Keefe just days after losing their first-round series to the Boston Bruins in seven games.

“Today’s decision was difficult,” Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving stated. “Sheldon is an exceptional coach and a kind man; nonetheless, we felt that a new voice is required to help the team push forward to achieve our ultimate goal.

We applaud Sheldon for his nine years of hard work and dedication to the organization and wish him and his family the best.

Keefe took over as Maple Leafs head coach in November 2019, after Mike Babcock. He guided the squad to a 212-97-40 record over five seasons, including three consecutive 100-point seasons.

While Keefe led the club to regular-season success, they fell short in the postseason.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-round struggles have been well-documented, with the team only making it to the second round once since 2004. That one time, in 2022-23, Keefe was in power.

Toronto Maple Leafs playoff streak

However, three first-round exits (all in seven games) and a qualifying round loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs increased the pressure on management to make a change.

The Maple Leafs have the NHL’s longest ongoing playoff streak at eight seasons, but seven of those have ended in the first round. After trailing 3-1 against the Bruins and forcing a Game 7, they lost 2-1 in overtime in the last game.

When Keefe was hired as NHL head coach, he had never done so before. If Treliving is looking for experience in the role, he can look to Craig Berube, who won a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Gerard Gallant, who has coached 17 seasons in the NHL with four teams, and Todd McLellan, who most recently coached the Los Angeles Kings and has 19 seasons of league experience.

If the Maple Leafs choose to go with a new face, Denver University’s David Carle has led the Pioneers to two of the last three NCAA men’s championships and led the United States men’s national junior team to World Junior Championship gold in January.
Another early-round loss indicated that changes were on the way, most likely starting with the head coach.

Keefe’s two-year contract extension, which he signed last summer following the appointment of general manager Brad Treliving, has not yet taken effect.

Source: CBC

Tiger Woods will be the only player on a five-member subcommittee negotiating with the Public Investment Fund. This is part of a hectic day of governance as the PGA Tour attempts to reach an agreement with LIV Golf’s Saudi sponsors.

Woods was appointed to the PGA Tour board in August, becoming the sixth player-director and the only one with an unlimited term.

Tiger Woods To Be The Only Player On The Negotiation Committee With Saudis.

According to the tour, Woods will serve on the “transaction subcommittee” of the PGA Tour Enterprises board, which will manage day-to-day negotiations as PIF attempts to become a minority partner.

The subcommittee includes PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, board chairman Joe Gorder, John W. Henry of Fenway Sports Group, and Joe Ogilvie, a former tour player named director liaison in March.

The subcommittee reports back to the entire board.

The developments concluded a day that began with Rory McIlroy losing his inside track on returning to the board as Webb Simpson’s successor after board members opposed his return.

“I think there was a subset of people on the board who were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason,” McIlroy said at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, a $20 million marquee tournament.Simpson had offered to quit, but only if McIlroy replaced him. When a player director resigns, the remaining players on the board must unanimously agree on a replacement. McIlroy resigned from the board in November, and the players chose Jordan Spieth as his replacement.

The seven players — Woods, Spieth, Simpson, Ogilvie, Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, and Peter Malnati — serve on the boards of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Enterprises, the business organization that signed an agreement with Strategic Sports Group as a minority partner.

That contract included a $1.5 billion investment, which may rise to $3 billion.

McIlroy was eager to return, hoping he could help find a solution to golf’s schism, which has left some of the top players on two tours. McIlroy sees reunification in some form as the ultimate aim and offended players earlier this year when he recommended that LIV players return without penalties.

“Today’s news is in no way a commentary on Rory’s important perspective and influence,” Monahan said. “It’s simply a matter of following our governance process when a tour player becomes a board member.

Tiger Woods To Be The Only Player On The Negotiation Committee With Saudis.

“Webb remaining in his position as a member of the policy board and PGA Tour Enterprises board through the end of his term provides the continuity needed at this vital time,” he stated. “We are making progress in our negotiations with the PIF.”

Given his two years on the board and his influence in the game, McIlroy is almost certain to remain involved in an unofficial manner. He was the sole European Tour member on the PGA Tour board, and he has built contacts across continents throughout his career.

On a British soccer podcast earlier this year, he stated that he met with the PIF governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, during the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in late 2022, then returned home and persuaded the tour board to meet with him.

The PGA Tour, European Tour, and PIF announced a framework agreement on June 6, with a deadline of the end of 2023. Negotiations continue with little progress.

Woods, along with Monahan and Henry, was one of the player directors who traveled to the Bahamas on March 18 to meet with Al-Rumayyan.

Tiger Woods To Be The Only Player On The Negotiation Committee With Saudis.

At the Masters, Woods stated of that meeting, “I’m not sure if we’re closer, but we’re definitely on the right track.” That was a pretty productive meeting, and I believe both parties left feeling good.

Gorder is chairman and CEO of Valero, the Texas Open’s title sponsor. He has been selected as the first chairman of the PGA Tour Enterprises board.

SOURCE – (AP)