Tip Off

The most discussed sports topics at water coolers across America

1. Michigan Cheating Scandal Heating Up

The Scoop: If you missed our last newsletter, we shared basic updates on Michigan’s sign stealing scandal. In the last few days new information came to light. We’re going to give a longer update so you can be in the know!

After the initial cheating report, internet sleuths have found clips of a Michigan staffer named Connor Stalions holding play sheets with pictures of hand signals on them and communicating with Michigan coaches. Third party ticket information uncovered that he purchased tickets to 30 games over the last two years with the purpose of filming the signs used by future opponents. His venmo account shows payments with descriptions like “GA” on the date of a Georgia vs Ohio State game. Stalions has recently been suspended without pay. A recent report from the Washington Post claims an investigative firm has shared with the NCAA files and videos, alleging that Michigan coaching staff and officials were aware of this, providing Stalions with the budget, and actively using this information to gain a competitive advantage. 

The timing of this story and the severity of the allegations suggest it could be bad news for the Wolverines. There are still a lot of unanswered questions. The rules are vague and there are a lot of technicalities at play. Many expect a long drawn out legal battle, rather than a swift punishment. Michigan is currently #2 in the country and is preparing for a run at the National Championship. Will the NCAA or Big Ten Executive Committee step in with punishments? Can they continue to win games without their sign stealing guru on the sidelines? You can read more here, watch this GREAT VIDEO by SEC Shorts, or as always, just stick around and we’ll keep you updated.

Conversation Starter: Do you think Michigan has an unfair advantage? Should there be punishments?

2. The NBA is Underway

The Scoop: There are no days off for sports fans, as the NBA regular season made its return this week. Last year’s champions the Denver Nuggets tipped off the season, beating Lebron and the Lakers 119-107. With more games the whole week, fans will be excited to watch their favorite players and see the new talent. Have a team you support? Check out the expert opinions on all 30 teams here.

Conversation Starter: Do you watch the regular season, or just the playoffs?

3. D-backs, Rangers for the World Series

The Scoop: Fueled by the drama in game 5 (see our last post for details), Adolis Garcia hit not one, but two home runs to send the Rangers to the World Series! They will face the Diamondbacks, who held on against the raucous Philadelphia crowd to beat the Phillies 4-2. The showdown is set, as two teams without much historical success look to leave their mark on the history books.

Conversation Starter: Would you perform better after having a public conflict?

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Sports Memes Demystified

Do you have a friend who always sends you memes you need context for? We’re here to give you that context. Feel free to ask us to demystify a meme here!

This weekend, a video of Taylor circulated watching Travis take a hard fall. The entire video is great, Brittany Mahomes, now desensitized to the physicality of the NFL, goes from nervous about the play, upset that there was an incomplete pass, to excited because the ref threw a flag on the field. However, Taylor just looks scared that Travis might be hurt. This led X user Juza_23 to joke that if she was dating Liverpool / Werder Bremen midfielder Naby Kieta, she would be in constant fear. Why? Since the start of the 2020-2021 season, Kieta has officially been listed as injured for 473 days. He has missed almost half of the available games in the last three seasons, and is currently injured now. Poor Taylor’s heart could not take that kind of anxiety.

What We’re Watching This Week

If you're at a bar, they might be showing these games. Here's what you should know:

College Football

Saturday’s Games

• #13 Utah (6-1) vs #8 Oregon (6-1): The Utes have found ways to win this year, but haven’t been dominated and in their toughest test so far, they look to prove their mettle

• #21 Tennessee (5-2) vs Kentucky (5-2): The two historical rivals have great offenses and will look to put up points, this should be a fun, high scoring game, which will be interesting for the neutral with no allegiance to either team

• #20 Duke (5-2) vs #18 Louisville (6-1): The Blue Devils and the Cardinals both are hoping to make the ACC Conference Championship; after North Carolina lost last week, the winner here is set up well to play Florida State for the trophy

MLB Playoffs

The World Series (See the World Series Schedule here)

• Texas Rangers vs Arizona Diamondbacks: The Rangers offense, led by Adolis Garcia, is flying right now. The young core of the Diamondbacks will have their hands full trying to stop the high powered offenses. With the first two games on Friday and Saturday, we will have a clearer picture of who has an advantage coming out of the weekend

NBA

• The season tips off this week, with all teams playing their first games, you can check out the schedule here to see when your local team plays!

Subscriber Question of the Week

Do you have a sports topic you want to get smart on? Let us know here.

This week, Demitri from Maryland asked, "My friends are watching the Champions League, how does the tournament work?"

Hi Demitri! Soccer in the US is growing, so we’re happy to help you get up to speed on the World’s game!

The UEFA Champions League is a tournament between the top teams across Europe. To qualify teams need to win their domestic league (or for some of the best leagues finish near the top). In total, 32 teams qualify and are drawn into 4 groups. The teams in each group play each other home and away, earning 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. At the end of the group play, the top 2 teams from each group advance to a 16 team knockout tournament. The knockout rounds also consist of home and away matches until just two teams are left. Those two play in a final game, this year held in Istanbul. The tournament is generally dominated by big clubs, like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich but anything can happen in knockout matches. You can tune in on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on Paramount Plus here in the US to watch!

We hope this helps!

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Until next week,

The Fastbreakk