| | | | | | | | | | | Axios Sports | | By Kendall Baker ·Feb 11, 2021 | | 👋 Good morning! Let's sports. 🇺🇸 The NBA responds: The NBA says teams must play the national anthem before games, after the Mavericks had stopped playing it. Today's word count: 1,926 words (7 minutes). | | | | | | 1 big thing: 🪄 Bringing the magic back to youth sports |  | | | Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios | | | | A new app called MOJO has arrived to bring the magic back to youth sports through better coaching and a greater emphasis on fun. Why it matters: Youth sports participation in the U.S. is declining at an alarming rate, thanks largely to poor coaching. - Only 38% of kids aged 6 to 12 played team sports on a regular basis in 2018, down from 45% in 2008. And parents say a lack of fun and bad coaching are two of the main reasons their kids quit.
- COVID-19 has made the situation even worse: Three out of 10 kids who played a sport prior to the pandemic are no longer interested in participating, according to an October survey conducted by The Aspen Institute.
Courtesy: MOJO How it works: With the MOJO app, which has free and paid ($19.99/year) versions, a coach can run a practice from the palm of his or her hand. - The app builds personalized practices customized to the age, skill level and preferences of each team — based on a curriculum developed by top coaches and experts in the fields of youth sports and child psychology.
- Instead of boring diagrams, MOJO is full of fun instructional videos produced by Mandalay Sports Media, the company behind "The Last Dance."
What they're saying: "Youth sports is broken," says MOJO co-founder and CEO Ben Sherwood, the former co-chairman of Disney Media Networks. "So much of the attention and money goes to elite teams, leaving the rest with very little." - "For most families, the experience today is luck of the draw. If you get a great parent coach, you're in luck. But most of them don't know what they're doing, so it ends up being a crummy experience."
- "We've built an app that takes the stress out of coaching and brings the magic back to youth sports. ... We want to build a brand that targets that particular time in life that's so important."
The state of play: Most new coaches today will search "youth sports drills" online to get started. And while there's plenty of content available, it varies in quality and it can be difficult to find age appropriate material. - "We're trying to set the bar for youth sports educational content," says co-founder and CPO Reed Shaffner.
- "Because parents aren't going to watch videos if they don't enjoy them. And if they aren't engaged, we've lost any hope of changing the way they coach."
Details: MOJO is launching with soccer, and will be available to hundreds of thousands of coaches through a partnership with US Youth Soccer. From there, the plan is to expand to all sports. - Target demo: "We're focused on under-13, when about 80% of coaches are moms and dads," says Sherwood.
- Athlete investors: Russell Wilson, Brandi Chastain and Julie Foudy, all of whom have coached youth sports.
🎥 Watch: MOJO on "Good Morning America" |     | | | | | | 2. 🏀 The NBA's chemistry equation |  | | | Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios | | | | In a league where every movement is tracked and every statistic is measured, chemistry remains the rare, unquantifiable variable that dictates NBA wins and losses. The intrigue: Fostering NBA chemistry has become increasingly difficult now that players change teams so often. But nothing has ever impacted chemistry-building quite like the pandemic. The question is: has it helped or hurt? - On one hand, most social-bonding experiences (i.e. team dinners) are off limits. Teams are also practicing less, which limits on-court chemistry in a sport where knowing your teammates' tendencies means everything.
- On the other hand, there's a heightened sense of camaraderie due to COVID-19 and the protocols each player must follow, which could improve chemistry in new ways.
Consider this: Due to the short offseason, rookie Anthony Edwards made his NBA debut just 33 days after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Timberwolves. - He barely had time to get to know his teammates before embarking on a season in which he's encouraged to stay in his hotel room on the road.
- There are countless stories of NBA teammates developing off-court friendships that translated to on-court success. It's harder to do that this season, especially for rookies and players who changed teams this offseason.
The bottom line: So, amid the strangest season of their lives, have NBA teams come together or drifted apart? The truth is, we'll never know. - "Everyone you talk to around the league has an opinion on chemistry," sportswriter Michael Pina, who wrote a great piece on this topic, tells me.
- "But unlike almost everything else in the NBA these days, there's no way to verify whether or not they're right."
| | | | | | | | Bonus: 💬 Cuban on chemistry |  | | | Photo: Todd Kirkland/Getty Images | | | | I reached out to Mavericks owner (and Axios Sports reader!) Mark Cuban to get his take on NBA chemistry and how it has been affected by the pandemic. How important is chemistry in the modern NBA? You can't win a championship without it. Chemistry alone won't make you a winning team, but a winning team without chemistry won't win a championship. How do you think the pandemic has impacted chemistry this season? I can only speak for us, but I think it has helped in many ways. The entire travel party realizes that they are in this battle against COVID together; that they all have the same goals to stay healthy and win games. It's created a unique bond that is unlike anything in the past. What do the Mavericks do to foster chemistry? Has that been impacted? Well, certainly the old team activities playbook is out the window. But we have a psychologist that travels with the team and is available 24/7 to help players and staff deal with the stress that all of this creates. It's not easy on anyone, particularly when guys are quarantined and the stress levels go up even more. Is basketball chemistry similar to chemistry in any workplace? No. Not at all like regular business. Night and day. There is far more transparency in sports, so chemistry is more important. In regular business, culture is critically important; you want everyone to understand what's important to the company. But that's different than team chemistry. | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Keep up with North Carolina sports | | |  | | | | Axios Charlotte is a daily newsletter covering the most important stories in your backyard — including sports. Why it matters: We're spending more time than ever in our hometowns. Axios Local helps you learn more about it. See all the cities and subscribe here. | | | | | | 3. 🏆 Bucs on parade | | Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images The Bucs celebrated their Super Bowl victory in style on Wednesday, cruising down Tampa's Hillsborough River in front of thousands of adoring fans. Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images Go deeper: Best of the boat parade (Bucs Nation) | | | | | | | | 4. 😷 Cases way down, N.Y. to welcome fans |  Data: The COVID Tracking Project, state health departments. Map: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios New coronavirus cases continued their sharp decline over the past week — progress that could help the U.S. find its way out of the pandemic faster and more safely, if it keeps up, Axios' Sam Baker and Andrew Witherspoon report. By the numbers: An average of 108,000 Americans were diagnosed with COVID-19 each day over the past week, a 24% decline from the week before. Driving the news: New York was once the epicenter of the virus. Now, the state's sports teams could host fans as soon as Feb. 23 with approval from the Department of Health, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday. | | | | | | | | 5. ⚡️ Lightning round |  | | | Photo: William West/AFP via Getty Images | | | | 🎾 Sofia Kenin, the reigning champion, was knocked out of the Australian Open on Thursday in a decisive 3-6, 2-6 loss to unseeded Kaia Kanepi of Estonia. 🏀 WNBA blockbuster: The Liberty acquired Natasha Howard and dealt the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft in a huge trade that touched five of the league's 12 teams. 🇯🇵 Yoshiro Mori will step down as president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee following his sexist comments about women, per multiple reports. 🏀 Splash bros: Zach LaVine (46 pts) and Coby White (30) led the Bulls past the Pelicans, becoming the first NBA teammates to each make eight threes in a game. | | | | | | | | 6. 🔥 Chefs Curry |  | | | Photo: Ray Chavez/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images | | | | The Curry brothers are dominating the league on a nightly basis with nearly unmatched shooting prowess and all-around play, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. Seth, the Sixers' starting SG, is on pace for an unprecedented 50-50-100 season. He'll likely (but not necessarily!) miss a free throw at some point, but even if that happens his season could still be one for the ages. - The 50-40-90 club (FG%-3PT%-FT%) is one of the NBA's most elite, with just eight members (including Steph).
- Through 18 games, Seth is shooting 50.3% from the field (8.8 attempts per game), 50.7% from three (4.2 attempts) and 100% from the line (30 for 30).
- Fun fact: Seth's career three-point percentage (44.73%) is second only to Steph's coach, Steve Kerr (45.4%). Steph, meanwhile, ranks fifth (43.45%).
Steph is more or less matching his 2015-16 season, when he won the only unanimous MVP in NBA history. - That year: 30.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists with 5.1 made threes and a 66.9% true shooting percentage.
- This year: 29.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists with 4.8 made threes and a 65.6% true shooting percentage.
- Fun fact: Only Michael Jordan (1995-96 and 1996-97) scored more points through 25 games at age 32+ than Steph's 741 this season.
📆 Tonight: Both brothers will look to build on their hot starts with some late-night basketball. - Magic at Warriors (10pm ET)
- 76ers at Trail Blazers (10pm, TNT) — Tune in to see just how badly I jinxed him from the free throw line.
| | | | | | | | 7. ⚽️ Qatar's World Cup tune-up |  | | | Education City Stadium. Photo: Karim Jaafar/AFP via Getty Images | | | | The Club World Cup final between Bayern Munich (Germany) and Tigres (Mexico) kicks off today in Rayyan, Qatar (1pm ET, FS1), Jeff writes. The state of play: The Club World Cup began in 2000 and pits seven teams — champions from Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania plus the host nation — against each other in a single-elimination draw. - Teams: Joining Bayern and Tigres were Al-Duhail (Qatar), Ulsan Hyundai (South Korea), Al-Ahly (Egypt), Auckland City (New Zealand) and Palmeiras (Brazil).
- Venue: Qatar's "Diamond in the Desert," the brand-new Education City Stadium, will host today's final and third-place match.
Looking ahead: Qatar is preparing for the much larger task of hosting the 2022 World Cup, which will take place in November and December due to the intense summer heat, making it the first not to be held in May, June or July. - This month's event has given exposure to some of the venues that will host the world less than two years from now.
- But much like the lead-up to the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the narrative around Qatar's World Cup may be dominated less by sport and more by geopolitics and controversy.
More soccer... - History: Manchester City beat Swansea, 3-1, to break the record for most consecutive wins (15) by a top-flight team.
- Thriller: Everton beat Tottenham, 5-4, in one of the best games of the season.
- Upset: Sevilla beat Barcelona, 2-0, in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal.
| | | | | | | | 8. Feb. 11, 1990: 🥊 The upset of the century | | Photo: The Ring Magazine via Getty Images 31 years ago today, Buster Douglas pulled off one of the biggest upsets in sports history, knocking out the previously undefeated Mike Tyson (37-0) in the 10th round to win the world heavyweight title. The backdrop: Tyson, overconfident heading into what was supposed to be a breezy victory, hardly trained and didn't watch film, assuming he could win on reputation alone. - He showed up to Tokyo 30 pounds overweight and spent his time leading up to the bout sleeping with the maids in his hotel rather than training, as he told Jimmy Kimmel in a rather uncouth 2015 interview.
By the numbers: Douglas was famously a 42-1 underdog. For context, No. 16 seed UMBC was a 25-1 underdog against No. 1 seed Virginia ahead of their historic upset in the 2018 NCAA tournament. What came next: Douglas lost his first title defense eight months later in a third-round knockout to Evander Holyfield. - Tyson, meanwhile, won his next four fights through June 1991 before he was arrested and ultimately convicted for raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington.
- He spent three years in prison, returning to the ring in 1995 and finishing his career with a 9-5 record over the next decade.
Go deeper: | | | | | | | | 9. ⚾️ MLB trivia | | Giphy Yadier Molina, who has signed a one-year deal to return to the Cardinals, leads all active catchers with 932 RBIs. - Question: Who is second?
- Hint: Won a World Series last decade.
Answer at the bottom. | | | | | | | | 10. 📸 Pic du jour: Hotel Corona |  | | | Photo: Michael Kappeler/Picture Alliance via Getty Images | | | | CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — Slovenian athletes at the Alpine Skiing World Championships are staying at the ... Hotel Corona. | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Keep up with North Carolina sports | | | | | | | | Axios Charlotte is a daily newsletter covering the most important stories in your backyard — including sports. Why it matters: We're spending more time than ever in our hometowns. Axios Local helps you learn more about it. See all the cities and subscribe here. | | | | Talk tomorrow, Kendall "Tom's designated driver" Baker Trivia answer: Kurt Suzuki (699 RBIs) | | Invite friends to follow Axios Sports Use your personal link to track how many readers you bring into the community  You currently have 00 referrals. Share with a friend For questions email referralsupport@axios.com. Participation in the Axios Sports Referral Program constitutes your acceptance of the Axios Terms and Conditions of Use, which can be viewed here. | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters.
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