This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners! Thanks so much for reading the Morning Win today. We appreciate you spending a bit of time here with us today. Hope you had a fantastic weekend.
The NCAA had an opportunity to really put women’s sports on a pedestal it’d never been on before this season with the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Unfortunately, it’s failing. Badly.
Don’t get me wrong. The basketball so far has been excellent. These ladies know how to put on a show. The Elite 8 is going to be absolute must-watch television. LSU and Iowa’s rematch will be one of the most-watched college basketball games ever.
The players are holding up their end of the bargain. The NCAA is not. That’s the only explanation for what happened in Portland this weekend.
NC State and Texas played an Elite 8 game where the 3-point lines on the court were different distances. That’s unfathomable to me. Could you imagine a Duke-UNC game on the men’s side like that? The answer is no. Because it’d simply never happen.
It was discovered only because NC State and Texas pointed it out just before their Elite 8 matchup. But, by then, it was too late. The teams had already warmed up and players were prepared to play ball, so they just continued as if it was business as usual. It essentially was because, well, that’s how the NCAA has always treated women’s sports.
No, those things aren’t quite the same as skimping on weight rooms or canceling entire golf tournaments, but let’s be honest. How far is that stuff from sending Utah off to Idaho Coeur d’Alene or making Hannah Hidalgo remove her nose ring in the middle of a game because of an obscure rule? Or painting 3-point lines wrong, for that matter? It’s all in the same bucket.
The women’s basketball tournament is still looked at as secondary despite all the inroads women’s basketball has made. You’ve got stars galore in the game. College basketball’s most popular players play on the women’s side these days. Their NIL deals are crazy. One would think that, with that being the case, the NCAA would make sure these ladies get the best and only the best.
But no amount of NIL deals or Instagram followers matters here. Women’s basketball — and women’s sports overall — just don’t seem to be a priority at this point. And that’s so unfortunate because the game is so good. The stars are so bright and fun. They all deserve so much better. We’re all just waiting for the NCAA to give it to them finally.
Maybe they will someday. It’s just unfortunate that today does not seem to be that day.
Thank you so much, UVA, for giving us NC State in the Final Four
Man. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone’s downfall so ironically bring so many people joy in this way. But if not for this missed free throw from UVA in the ACC tournament, do we even know who DJ Burns is?
NC State misses the tournament if not for this shot. Now they are headed to the Final Four 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ccJl2z4kzK
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) March 31, 2024
The answer is probably not. But here we are. UVA missed. NC State won. And, now, Gen-Z Bo is America’s favorite player. It’s incredible how things work out sometimes.
Things only get tougher from here. NC State is playing Purdue in the Final Four, and Burns will face Zach Edey, who’s been quite the problem himself. It’ll be a tough one.
No matter how things end, though, we’ll always be pulling for you and your thicc boi buckets, Big Burns.
The MVBiid is back
Joel Embiid is nearing his return with the Philadelphia 76ers after tearing his meniscus, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
ESPN Sources: Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is nearing a return and expected to play this week. The reigning MVP has been out since January 30 with a left meniscus injury. His status for Tuesday vs. OKC is expected later today. pic.twitter.com/Rn4mb6Qizv
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 1, 2024
He’s been out since January 30 but could play later on Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
This is huge news. The 76ers are currently the 8th seed in the East and need every win they can get to get out of the play-in tournament. Embiid’s return should help with that.
Quick hits: More on those awful MLB jerseys … DJ Burns in the NFL? … and more
— MLB players aren’t wearing the see-through Fanatics pants to start the season. I can’t blame them. Andrew Joseph has more.
— Could DJ Burns be playing left tackle for somebody in the NFL next season? Here’s Charles Curtis with more.
— ESPN is out here accidentally tipping pitches. This is wild. Mary Clarke has more.
— I don’t know what kind of magic The Simpsons have, but I do know I need it. Here’s Prince Grimes with more.
— Here’s Angel Reese explaining her relationship with Caitlin Clark. They don’t hate each other. Here’s Andrew again with more.
— Here’s Dan Hurley with a perfect explanation on why so many people hate UConn. Charles has more.
That’s a wrap, folks! Tap back in tomorrow for more. Thanks so much for reading today. We out. Peace.
-Sykes ✌️
