| | | | | | | Presented By CLEAR | | | | Axios Sports | | By Kendall Baker ·Apr 26, 2021 | | 👋 Happy Monday! Let's sports. 🏀 Stat du jour: Steph Curry has set a new NBA record for threes in a calendar month (85) ... and he still has two games left. He's an alien. Today's word count: 1,918 words (7 minutes). | | | | | | 1 big thing: ⚽️ America's role in the Super League |  | | | Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios | | | | In the wake of the European Super League's spectacular demise, a popular response has been to blame Americans. Yes, but: While Stan Kroenke (Arsenal), John Henry (Liverpool), Paul Singer (AC Milan) and the Glazers (Manchester United) deserve as much blame as the other billionaires who hatched this epic failure, the Super League concept itself is actually quite un-American. - The Super League is more analogous to a postseason tournament than a league. The proposal wouldn't have eliminated promotion and relegation; it simply would have changed who makes the tournament.
- Like the current Champions League, the Super League would have placed the best European clubs in a group stage/knockout-style competition each year.
- Unlike the Champions League, it would have guaranteed spots to Europe's richest, most dominant teams, rather than make them qualify like everyone else by finishing near the top of their domestic leagues.
Between the lines: Do you know of any major U.S. sports league that guarantees playoff spots to its wealthiest, most successful teams without them having to earn it each season? Me neither. - In fact, one of the defining elements of America's crown jewel, the NFL, is how difficult it is for teams to consistently make the postseason.
- March Madness, another American phenomenon, is synonymous with miracles and underdogs, two things the Super League model would have essentially eliminated.
- Put it this way: U.S. sports are fairly socialist, while European soccer is pure capitalism. The Super League would have made it even capitalistic, which feels like an extension of European, not American, sports culture.
Photo: Omar Vega/Getty Images The state of play: We already have an "Americanized" version of professional soccer. It's called MLS, and it has virtually nothing in common with the Super League. - 10 different clubs have won the MLS Cup in the last 15 years, the kind of parity Americans love. The Super League model was fundamentally against that concept, and it's rarely found in European soccer.
- "We're the North American version of the global game," MLS commissioner Don Garber told me earlier this month. "Early on we were criticized for that, but I think now people accept that this is the path to success here."
- "You can't buy success in MLS — you've gotta earn it. And I think that's the quintessential American way. The fact that at the start of every season, every fan and every player believes they can win the championship."
The big picture: The amount of American influence on the European Super League is debatable. What isn't debatable is that Americans do, increasingly, have influence in Europe. The bottom line: Don't blame America for the Super League. Blame greedy owners, one-third of whom happen to be American. |     | | | | | | 2. 📺 America's largest media markets |  Data: Nielsen; Table: Axios Visuals Atlanta jumped up three spots and is now the seventh-largest media market in the U.S., according to the 2021 Nielsen DMA rankings. - How it works: There are 201 DMAs, or "Designated Market Areas," in the U.S. They include the urban center and suburbs, plus the surrounding counties that receive the same TV signal.
- Rounding out the top 20 ... 11. Phoenix, 12. Seattle, 13. Tampa-St. Petersburg, 14. Minneapolis-St. Paul, 15. Detroit, 16. Denver, 17. Orlando, 18. Miami, 19. Cleveland, 20. Sacramento.
Of note: Atlanta, which saw the NHL come and go twice in 31 years, is the only city in the top 10 without a team in all five major sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS). | | | | | | | | 3. ⚾️ DeGromination: Mets ace is must-see TV |  | | | Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty Images | | | | Jacob deGrom has won two Cy Young awards and finished third last year, but if the start of this season is any indication, his best is yet to come, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. Driving the news: The Mets ace spun his fourth career complete game (and second shutout) against the Nationals on Friday — a 15-strikeout, 0-walk, 2-hit masterpiece. By the numbers: Through four starts (29 innings), deGrom has compiled a 0.31 ERA and 0.55 WHIP, with 50 strikeouts and just three walks. - His 50 strikeouts are the most ever through a pitcher's first four starts, and he's the third pitcher ever to strike out 14+ in three straight starts.
- He's doing it with the bat, too, hitting .545 (6-for-11) while allowing fewer earned runs (one) than he's scored (three) or driven in (two).
🔥 Flamethrower: deGrom is throwing harder at age 32 than ever, with an average fastball speed (98.9 mph) that leads the majors. Here's what that looks like coming at you... Source: @PitchingNinja (Twitter) What they're saying: For Mets legend Doc Gooden, deGrom's starts have become appointment viewing. "A lot of times, I run across fans or family and they say, 'Man, it was fun to watch you. When you were pitching, everything stopped.' ... And now, I get to experience what they talked about, watching Jake pitch. ... My schedule works around when he's pitching." — Doc Gooden The big picture: deGrom, who began his career as a college shortstop, has been so good for long enough now that it's worth discussing where he stands among the all-timers of his generation. - Clayton Kershaw (2,364.2 IP): 2.44 ERA, 1.003 WHIP, 4.34 K/BB, 2,557 K; 3x Cy Young, MVP
- Justin Verlander (2,988): 3.33 ERA, 1.134 WHIP, 3.54 K/BB, 3,013 K; 2x Cy Young, MVP
- Zack Greinke (2971.2): 3.36 ERA, 1.158 WHIP, 3.99 K/BB, 2,711 K; Cy Young
- Max Scherzer (2,382.1): 3.20 ERA, 1.096 WHIP, 4.37 K/BB, 2,817 K; 3x Cy Young
- DeGrom (1,198.2): 2.55 ERA, 1.035 WHIP and 4.91 K/BB, 1,409 K; 2x Cy Young
📆 Coming up: deGrom's next schedule start is Wednesday against the AL East-leading Red Sox. | | | | | | | | A message from CLEAR | | Ready to get back to what you love? CLEAR can help | | |  | | | | Vaccine connection coming soon to the CLEAR app. Download the free app today so you can get back to what you love whether that be reuniting with family, heading to a concert, cheering on your favorite sports team, or traveling to new destinations. Get ready, get CLEAR. | | | | | | 4. 🇯🇵 88 days out: Japan declares emergency |  Data: Our World in Data; Chart: Will Chase/Axios With 88 days to go until the Tokyo Olympics, a "fourth wave" of the pandemic has hit Japan. Driving the news: Bars, department stores and theaters across Japan will remain closed for 17 days, after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency for Tokyo and three other prefectures. - A senior member of Japan's ruling party recently questioned Tokyo's ability to host the Games and said cancellation is still an option.
- The Olympic torch relay has been detoured several times since it began on March 25 and will be banned altogether this weekend.
The state of play: The surge in infections and Olympics concerns have put a spotlight on Japan's lagging vaccine rollout. - As of last week, Japan had administered just over two million vaccine shots, which is roughly 1% of its population, per Forbes.
- The U.S., by comparison, has administered nearly 230 million shots, enough for 42% of Americans to get one dose.
What's next: Tokyo organizers and the IOC will unveil a new "Playbook" this week, explaining how the Olympics and Paralympics will safely welcome 15,400 athletes, AP reports. | | | | | | | | 5. 🥊 Photos: UFC 261 in Jacksonville | | Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC 👑 Kamaru Usman knocked out Jorge Masvidal with a vicious right hand in front of a full capacity crowd, winning his 14th straight fight and staking his claim as the world's best pound-for-pound fighter. Photo: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC 🌹 Rose Namajunas knocked out the previously undefeated Zhang Weili in less than 90 seconds to recapture the women's strawweight title. Photo: Alex Menendez/Getty Images 🙏 Chris Weidman was stretchered out of the arena after suffering a gruesome leg injury just 17 seconds into his fight against Uriah Hall. Thankfully, he's now out of surgery and smiling. | | | | | | | | 6. 🏆 21 for 21: SEC completes title sweep |  | | | Photo: Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images | | | | Kentucky took down Texas on Saturday to win its first women's volleyball national championship, Jeff writes. The big picture: The SEC now has a national title in all 21 sports that it sponsors. Women's volleyball had been the lone holdout. - Men's titles: Football (39), Outdoor track and field (21), indoor track and field (20), golf (13), baseball (13), basketball (11), swimming and diving (11), cross country (8), tennis (7)
- Women's titles: Gymnastics (20), outdoor track and field (18), indoor track and field (16), equestrian (15), swimming and diving (15), tennis (10), basketball (9), golf (4), cross country (2), softball (1), soccer (1), volleyball (1)
More women's sports: | | | | | | | | 7. ⚡️ Lightning round | | Photo: Todd Kirkland/Getty Images ⚾️ No-hitter or not? Madison Bumgarner tossed a no-hitter but won't be credited with one since he did it in a seven-inning, doubleheader game. 🏀 Hot streak: The Wizards have won eight straight games, which is somehow their longest winning streak in 20 years. Photo: Chris Pizzello-Pool/Getty Images 🍿 Sports at the Oscars: "Two Distant Strangers," executive produced by Kevin Durant and Mike Conley and co-directed by former college hoops player Travon Free (above, right), won Best Live Action Short Film. ⚽️ Galaxy goal machine: Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez recorded a hat trick to lead the Galaxy past the Red Bulls, 3-2, and become the second player in MLS history with five goals in the first two games of a season. Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images 🏈 Pic du jour: Rob Gronkowski had himself a classic Gronk weekend, serving as an honorary coach for Arizona's spring game and catching a football dropped a world-record 600 feet from a helicopter. 🎾 Nadal wins at home: Rafael Nadal outlasted Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the Barcelona Open, his 12th title in the last 16 editions of the event. | | | | | | | | 8. 📆 April 26, 1983: Best draft class ever |  | | | John Elway talks to the press. Photo: Bettmann Archives/Getty Images | | | | 38 years ago today, the NFL welcomed what is almost universally considered its greatest draft class ever. Wild stat: Of the 28 players taken in the first round, 15 made at least one Pro Bowl appearance, and seven are in the Hall of Fame: - John Elway (No. 1 pick)
- Eric Dickerson (No. 2)
- Jim Covert (No. 6)
- Bruce Matthews (No. 9)
- Jim Kelly (No. 14)
- Dan Marino (No. 27)
- Darrell Green (No. 28)
By the numbers: In total, 41 members of the '83 class made a Pro Bowl and eight are immortalized in Canton, with eighth-round pick Richard Dent (there were 12 rounds back then) joining the seven men above. Dan Marino, Jim Kelly and John Elway at the 2018 ESPYs, where Kelly received the Jimmy V Award. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images "From Elway to Marino" ... A record six QBs were taken in the first round, and four started at least one Super Bowl (*): Elway*, Todd Blackledge, Kelly*, Tony Eason, Ken O'Brien* and Marino*. - Elway, who was also a promising Yankees prospect, famously leveraged the threat of him choosing baseball over football to force a trade from the Baltimore Colts to the Broncos.
- Kelly passed on the Bills to join the USFL's Houston Gamblers, where he starred for two years. When the league folded in 1986, he finally signed with Buffalo.
🎥 Watch: "From Elway to Marino" (30 for 30) | | | | | | | | 9. 🏈 NFL draft trivia |  | | | Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images | | | | Kyle Pitts is vying to become the third tight end this century to be drafted in the top-six of the NFL draft. - Question: Who are the other two?
- Hint: Drafted sixth overall in 2004 and 2006.
Answer at the bottom. | | | | | | | | 10. 🎥 Weekend's top plays |  | | | Over 20,000 fans attended Atlanta United's home-opener. Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images | | | - ⚽️ Absolute laser
- ⚾️ All-time robbery
- ⚾️ Clint Frazier!
- 🏒 What an assist
- ⚾️ Humans can fly
- 🏒 All hail, King Kaprizov
- ⚾️ Epic catch, epic call
- 🏀 "You reach, I teach"
- ⚾️ Randy Arozarena!
- 🏈 Look ma, one hand
Watch all 10. | | | | | | | | A message from CLEAR | | The world is opening up again, are you ready? Get CLEAR | | |  | | | | Vaccine connection coming soon to the CLEAR app. Download the free CLEAR app today and get ready to reunite with family, explore new travel destinations, head to a concert with friends, cheer on your favorite sports teams and more. Get ready, get the CLEAR app. | | | | Talk tomorrow, Kendall "Dodgers-Padres is the new Yankees-Red Sox" Baker Trivia answer: Kellen Winslow Jr. (2004) and Vernon Davis (2006) | | 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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