This World Baseball Is Seriously Classic

…This “weird but true” news is for you. Tim Duncan’s brother, Scott, has quietly been the Director of Photography on “Survivor” since the show’s 2000 inception. He’s been nominated for 38 Emmys, and he’s won 21. Guess the most decorated Duncan brother isn’t who you thought. 

Yesterday was Selection Sunday, and you know what that means! Bracket-building time, baby. Here’s how to do it if you’re the vibes type. Here’s how to do it if you’re a stats nerd. And here’s how to do it if you want to win: Take UConn or UCLA for the women’s bracket, Michigan or Duke for the men’s. Just one woman’s opinion.

A media exec is behind the hottest new tennis label. Courtney Kelly recently launched “Courting,” and its first campaign with Whitney Port is a TikTok girlies’ dream. If that’s you, read more here from Jessica Schiffer’s ‘Hard Court’ newsletter. 

Hornets Reddit is talking about King Kon. Mavs Reddit is still talking about the Luka trade. Warriors Reddit is mad at Steve Kerr. Clippers Reddit is something I am just happy to learn really exists. Here’s what each NBA team’s fans are talking about on Reddit. 

As a card-holding member of the “stare into space for multiple minutes on accident because you forgot you were in public” club, I have to defend Dua Lipa here. She wasn’t unimpressed by Carlos Alcaraz. She was daydreaming about the French Riviera. See, she had fun! 

They called it the World Baseball Classic because it really is an instant classic (probably). 

This is all evidenced by the fact that we all had our YouTube TV’s custom multiview (brag) on the Oscars and the WBC. I was getting a tiny bit confused when they’d announce the nominees for “Best Score,” and Manny Machado was complaining that he was safe, but eventually I got the hang of it, by the way. 

Anyway, yesterday, the fighting Paul Skeneses (USA) faced the tournament's swaggiest team (thanks to Fernando Tatis Jr.), the Dominican Republic.

As always, the Dominicans brought the energy, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Americans from advancing to a third-straight WBC final. 

If Italy wins tonight, they’ll face America again, and hopefully Mark DeRosa knows the stakes. 

There were no celebratory espresso shots in USA vs. DR. Those will happen tonight as Italy takes on Venezuela in the other semifinal game, but many would argue a win for Italy is a win for America (mostly New Jersey). 

Anyway, I’ll see you back here Wednesday. We’ll do a bat flip (you’re allowed to do those here).

The Paralympics closing ceremony marked the end of the international competition. These games were (and are always) cold in temperature, but they warm our hearts (can’t believe they’re letting me get away with writing that). 

Grazie mille to the athletes for exciting us, Italy for hosting us, and those of us who are far too online for creating a community that we could all engage in. 

Sadly, with the end of the games comes the end of karaoke nights, fan improvisation during delays, and athlete pin trading.  

Cross-country camaraderie is one of the best things about the games, as evidenced here. 

But, from a completely biased perspective, nothing gets us as hyped as Americans supporting Americans. 

Speaking of Team USA, America closed the games with the most gold medals, while China had the most total medals. And, for the first time ever, all three American hockey teams in the Olympics and the Paralympics took gold. 

Check out the best photos from the games here.   

And check out the official rollout, aka the “One Shining Moment” for the Paralympics here.

Then start preparing for LA28, because it will sneak up on us. The volunteers already are.