Tag: #Sports

Believe it or not: It’s 2024 Opening Day of Baseball 

Well, it’s about 30 degrees here in Chicago, however that won’t stop the owners to squeeze out ever last drop of baseball player blood. The game must go on, even in the cold, the snow, the wind, the storms…You get the idea.

If you are a fan of baseball, you just might be loving’ it. Not so if you have season tickets in the Cubs bleachers!

Here is the opening day schedule for Today and tomorrow. Hope for decent weather.

MLB Opening Day schedule 2024

Thursday, March 28

GameTime (ET)TV channel
Brewers at MetsPostponedN/A
Angels at Orioles3:05 p.m. Bally (LAA), MASN (BAL)
Braves at PhilliesPostponedN/A
Nationals at Reds4:10 p.m. Bally (CIN), MASN (WAS)
Giants at Padres4:10 p.m.NBCS (SF), Padres.tv (SD)
Cardinals at Dodgers4:10 p.m.Bally (STL), Sportsnet (LAD)
Blue Jays at Rays4:10 p.m.Sportsnet (TOR), Bally (TB), MLB Network, Fubo (national)
Twins at Royals4:10 p.m.Bally (MIN, KC)
Tigers at White Sox4:10 p.m.Bally (DET), NBCS (CHW)
Pirates at Marlins4:10 p.m.Bally (MIA), SportsNet (PIT)
Yankees at Astros4:10 p.m.YES (NYY), SportsNet (HOU)
Cubs at Rangers7:35 p.m.ESPN, Fubo (national)
Guardians at Athletics10:07 p.m.Bally (CLE), NBCS (OAK)
Rockies at Diamondbacks10:10 p.m.Rockies.tv (COL), DBacks.tv (ARI)
Red Sox at Mariners10:10 p.m.NESN (BOS), Root Sports (SEA), MLB Network, Fubo (national)

Friday, March 29

GameTime (ET)TV channel
Brewers at Mets1:40 p.m. SNY (NYM), Bally (MIL)
Braves at Phillies3:05 p.m.Bally (ATL), NBC 10 (PHI)
Blue Jays at Rays6:50 p.m.Sportsnet (TOR), Bally (TB), MLB Network, Fubo (national)
Pirates at Marlins7:10 p.m.Bally (MIA), SportsNet (PIT)
Yankees at Astros8:10 p.m.Apple TV+
Rockies at Diamondbacks9:40 p.m.Rockies.tv (COL), DBacks.tv (ARI)
Guardians at Athletics9:40 p.m.Bally (CLE), NBCS (OAK)
Red Sox at Mariners9:40 p.m.NESN (BOS), Root Sports (SEA)
Giants at Padres9:40 p.m.NBCS (SF), Padres.tv (SD)
Cardinals at Dodgers10:10 p.m.Apple TV+
Photo credit: Sky Sports©

MLB World Reacts to Massive Umpire News

While fans hoping to see robot umpires during the upcoming 2023 Major League Baseball season will still have to wait, they also won’t have to look too far to find them. Robot umpires will reportedly be implemented in all 30 Triple-A stadiums during the 2023 season.

© Provided by The Comeback

Buster Olney of ESPN reported on Thursday that “The electronic strike zone will be used in all 30 Class AAA parks in 2023.” He also detailed that two different systems will be used.

“The Automatic Balls and Strikes system, commonly referred to as ABS, will be deployed in two different ways,” Olney said. “Half of the Class AAA games will be played with all of the calls determined by an electronic strike zone, and the other half will be played with an ABS challenge system similar to that used in professional tennis.”

“Each team will be allowed three challenges per game, with teams retaining challenges in cases when they are proved correct. MLB’s intention is to use the data and feedback from both systems, over the full slate of games, to inform future choices.”

This drew a mixed response. Some opposed the move to robot umpires, or at least seemed skeptical of how it might be applied. However, given that the job performance of MLB umpires was one of the most hotly discussed topics of the 2022 season, it should come as no surprise that this had support, as well.

Robot umpires have been used at lower levels of the Minor Leagues. One has to assume that, presuming no major kinks are exposed at AAA, they’ll be coming to MLB not long after the 2023 season.

Source: thecomeback.com

Hm… Is it ok to boo a robot umpire? Just Askin.

When is the Champions League quarter-final draw? 

European Soccer League

TV channel, live stream, start time and qualified teams

The Champions League has reached the quarter-final stage as the giants of European football compete for glory at the business end of the competition.

The lineup for the last eight is now known after Liverpool’s aggregate win over Inter Milan and romps home for both Manchester City and Bayern Munich. Real Madrid produced a comeback for the ages as Karim Benzema hit a late hat-trick to down Paris Saint-Germain.

https://www.greatbigcanvas.com/wall-art/sports

Manchester United lost to Atletico Madrid after a Renan Lodi goal at Old Trafford while Benfica claimed a big win at Ajax.

Chelsea then held off a Lille fightback on Wednesday while Villarreal upset Juventus in Turin to complete the quarter-final set.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Champions League quarter-final draw…

Champions League quarter-final draw date, start time and venue

The draw is scheduled for 11am GMT on Friday, March 18, 2022. It will take place at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.

As well as the quarter-final draw, teams will also be drawn in a path for the semi-finals, meaning this will be the final draw of this season’s competition.

Champions League quarter-final draw qualified teams

  • Liverpool
  • Bayern Munich
  • Real Madrid
  • Manchester City
  • Atletico Madrid
  • Benfica
  • Villarreal
  • Chelsea

The quarter and semi-final draws are open, meaning teams from the same country can face one another, and there are no seedings, so home and away legs will be determined by the order the teams are drawn.

Where to watch the Champions League quarter-final draw

TV channel: Friday’s draw will be broadcast live on BT Sport 2, with coverage beginning at 10:45am.

Live stream: The Uefa website and BT Sport website will also stream the draw online.

Live blog: You will also be able to keep up with the draw via Standard Sport’s live blog.

When will the Champions League quarter-final ties take place?

The matches will take place on April 5/6 and 12/13, with the semi-finals then set for April 26/27 and May 3/4.

The Stade de France in Paris hosts the final, on May 28.

By Malik Ouzia for The Evening Standard©

Source: When is the Champions League quarter-final draw? TV channel, live stream, start time and qualified teams (msn.com)

March Madness is Upon Us

No, it’s not a new strain of flu.  No, not a new form of mad cow disease.  OK, for those who don’t reside in the U.S., March Madness is something that happens to men and women, boys and girls, who follow U.S. college basketball.  You know the game with the hoops and the court and the running up and down said court, to the yells, screams and shouts of the thousands of said followers in the stands, or at home screaming at their tv’s, phones, at eateries, taverns, or anywhere else a signal can be snatched from the air.  It’s a game of basketball that you’d think would determine who rules the universe for the next 52 weeks. It’s a tournament, ok?  That’s all.  It begins with 64 college teams and ends with the last 2 teams battling for all the marbles, the championship, the bragging rights, the ……Well, you get it by now.  Play has already started.  By now, half the teams have been sent packing, waiting until maybe next year, or not.

Many millions of dollars are wagered on the games.  Probably half are done so in office pools, bookies, friendly wagers, etc.  More importantly is the pride of winning and the later “agony of defeat” that all but 1 team will suffer.  There is no cure for this ailment, but there is a salve to make it bearable.  It’s beer, of course.  Quaffed in quantities that seemingly make’s any loss bearable.  Followed by the cursory, “Just wait until next year”.  If you haven’t heard from a friend for the past few days, that friend might just be in the clutches of this madness.  It might be best to just wait it out…..or maybe just have a brewski yourself.  Happy March Madness Month!