| | | | | | | | | | | Axios Sports | | By Kendall Baker ·Jul 26, 2021 | | 👋 Good morning! You could drink coffee to wake up this morning. Or you could just watch this video. ✍️ Feedback requested: We're considering an Axios Sports subscription product and would love to hear your thoughts. Please take two minutes to fill out this survey. Thank you! Today's word count: 2,100 words (8 minutes) Let's sports... | | | | | | 1 big thing: 🥇 Gymnastics, explained |  | | | Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios. Photos: Getty Images | | | | Gymnastics is one of the most popular Olympic sports. But unlike swimming (finish first!) or basketball (score more points!), it can be complex and difficult to follow. How it works: There are seven individual events for men and five for women. - Men: Floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, horizontal bar, individual all-around.
- Women: Floor exercise, vault, uneven bars, balance beam, individual all-around.
Scoring: The "Perfect 10" is a relic of the past. Since 2006, gymnasts earn scores made up of two components — difficulty ("D") and execution ("E"). - Difficulty score: Routines are comprised of skills, and each skill has a pre-assigned value that reflects its difficulty. So the higher the "D" score, the harder the routine was.
- Execution score: This is the grade for how well skills are performed. All "E" scores start at 10.0 and judges take deductions for mistakes, such as wobbles or poor dismounts.
Between the lines: Simone Biles' routines are so difficult that she can afford missteps and still dominate thanks to her huge "D" score. Something to watch: whether Tokyo judges give her moves — which few, if any, gymnasts can do — their proper value. Of note: While artistic gymnastics is the most well-known discipline, medals will also be awarded in rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline. Tokyo notes: - Men's schedule: The team final began early this morning (6am ET, Peacock) and will air on primetime tonight (8pm, NBC). The individual all-around final is on Wednesday.
- Women's schedule: The team final begins early tomorrow morning (6:30am, Peacock) and will air on primetime tomorrow night (8pm, NBC). The individual all-around final is on Thursday.
- Inside the venue: Ariake Gymnastics Centre is a temporary venue. That explains the unfinished wood seats that make it look like the world's biggest IKEA set, Axios' Ina Fried reports from Tokyo.
- Spotted: A jar of honey! Turns out, men use it as a gripping agent for parallel bars.
Go deeper: Meet Team USA's gymnastics teams (Axios) |     | | | | | | 2. 🇯🇵 Tokyo in photos: Opening weekend | | Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images Australia's Ariarne Titmus topped rival Katie Ledecky in the 400-meter freestyle, ending Ledecky's era of Olympics invincibility. Titmus' coach was pumped, leading to the first major viral moment of the Games. Photo: Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images This photo from outside the Olympic Stadium makes the opening ceremony look like an epic party that nobody wasn't invited to — which is basically what it was. Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images The U.S. men's basketball team lost to France, 83-76, in its opener — a reminder that this is not really a team so much as it's a collection of great players who still need to gel. Will they have enough time to figure it out? Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Two 13-year-olds finished 1-2 in women's skateboarding's "street" finals, with Japan's Momiji Nishiya taking gold and Brazil's Rayssa Leal taking silver. What were you doing at 13? | | | | | | | | Bonus: 🥇 Olympics dashboard |  | | | Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios | | | - 📆 Coming up: Today's key events include the men's gymnastics team final and multiple swimming finals. Full schedule.
- 🥇 Medal tracker (as of 7:30am ET): China (15) has the most medals, followed by the U.S. (14) and Japan (11). Full list.
- 🇰🇮 Fun fact: Kiribati, which has three athletes competing in Tokyo, is the only country in the world situated in all four hemispheres.
- 🦠 COVID watch: Bryson DeChambeau (USA) and Jon Rahm (Spain) are both out of the Olympics after testing positive.
Stories: - 📺 Ratings down: Preliminary ratings for the opening ceremony were down 36% compared to 2016, per NBC Universal. It was the lowest audience for the event in over three decades, per Reuters.
- 🎙 Legends on the mic: Michael Phelps nailed his swimming commentary, and Tony Hawk was in the booth for skateboarding's debut.
- 🇩🇿 Judo withdrawal: An Algerian judoka was sent home after withdrawing from a match to avoid a bout against an Israeli opponent.
- 🇺🇸 Full circle: Chase Kalisz, a Phelps protege he often compares to a little brother, won the 400-meter IM gold medal that had eluded Phelps in Rio ... while wearing an MP Brand swimsuit.
Highlights: Go deeper ... Deep dive: The COVID Olympics (Axios) | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Sign up for Axios' Referral Program | | |  | | | | When you refer your family, friends, colleagues, or anyone to any Axios newsletter you can earn free Axios swag. Better yet, if you refer 5 or more new subscribers by July 31st, you'll be entered for a drawing to win a 13" MacBook Pro and AirPods Pro. Start sharing. | | | | | | 3. 🏀 NBA Finals: TV ratings this century |  Data: Sports Media Watch; Chart: Connor Rothschild/Axios The 2021 NBA Finals averaged 9.9 million viewers per game, according to Nielsen, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. - Why it matters: While that's a 32% increase over last year's Lakers-Heat series in the bubble, it's also the fourth-lowest average this century, ahead of only 2020, 2007 and 2003.
- The backdrop: COVID-19 dramatically altered scheduling. While previous Finals took place in early June, this year's Bucks-Suns series was held in mid-July when networks typically have lower ratings. Last year's series was held in early October.
Of note ... Game 6, the Bucks' clincher, was the fifth-most watched non-football sporting event since the pandemic first arrived, trailing Baylor-Gonzaga (national championship), Gonzaga-UCLA (Final Four), the Kentucky Derby and Game 6 of the World Series. | | | | | | | | 4. ⚾️ Indians to change name to Guardians |  | | | Twitter: @Indians | | | | The Cleveland Indians will change their name to the Guardians at the conclusion of their 2021 season, Jeff writes. Driving the news: Just six months after announcing a name change was coming, the Indians whittled a list of over 1,000 names down to one, landing on the Guardians. - The name comes from "the Guardians of Traffic" — the art deco statues carved into the pylons of Cleveland's Hope Memorial Bridge.
- The announcement was made in a video narrated by Tom Hanks, whose career began in Cleveland in the late-1970s, inspiring a lifelong love for the city and its teams.
The Guardians of Traffic sculpture near Progressive Field. Photo: Jason Miller/Getty Images What they're saying: "I'm sure there will be some pushback," Aaron Payment, vice president of the National Congress of American Indians, told NYT. "But they are on the right side of history and deserve credit for it. This new name closes the books forever on a derogatory name." The big picture: The Indians and Washington Football Team both acted fast amid 2020's racial reckoning, but their high-profile changes belie the reality of how pervasive racially insensitive mascots remain. - As of October, 1,232 U.S. high schools still had Native American nicknames, per FiveThirtyEight. But without financial incentives or national media attention, most lack the urgency to make changes.
- Yes, but: The tide may be turning. Four states (California, Maine, Oregon, Wisconsin) already have laws or Department of Education policies prohibiting such mascots, and at least four more have proposed or discussed similar legislation.
Go deeper: The Indians changed their name, here's where other teams stand (Newsweek) | | | | | | | | 5. 🏒 "The Michigan draft" |  | | | Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images | | | | The Sabres selected Michigan defenseman Owen Power with the No. 1 pick in this weekend's NHL draft. Why it matters: This marks the fourth time in NHL history that a college player has gone first overall. Power joins Joe Murphy (1986), Rick DiPietro (2000) and Erik Johnson (2006). Go Blue: Michigan is the first school to ever have five players (current and committed) selected in the first round of a single draft. - Current: Matthew Beniers (No. 2, Kraken) and Kent Johnson (No. 5, Blue Jackets) heard their names called shortly after Power.
- Committed: Luke Hughes (No. 4, Devils) and Mackie Samoskevich (No. 24, Panthers) will play for the Wolverines next season.
Draft notes: - Family affair: Luke is the third Hughes brother to be a first-round pick, joining Jack (No. 1 pick in 2019) and Quinn (No. 7 pick in 2018).
- By country: 14 different countries produced a draft pick, led by Canada (82), the U.S. (50), Russia (29), Sweden (24) and Finland (14).
- Controversial pick: The Canadiens took Logan Mailloux at No. 31, despite the teenager asking teams not to pick him due to a criminal conviction while playing in Sweden.
Go deeper: All 224 picks (ESPN) | | | | | | | | 6. ⚾️ Baseball's latest experiment |  | | | Photo: Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images | | | | MLB's latest experiment will see minor-league catchers electronically transmit signals to pitchers in lieu of using finger signs, Jeff writes. - The new system, developed by a company called PitchCom, will be introduced next week in Low-A West, an eight-team division. Its use will be "optional but strongly encouraged," per ESPN.
- Why it matters: Doing away with complex finger signs — and the mound visits they can cause — should speed up the game, while also preventing future sign-stealing scandals.
The big picture: This is one of many experiments being conducted in the minors. Others include larger bases (more steals), banned shifts (more hits), and even home run swing-offs (to replace extra innings). How it works: The pitcher and catcher will each wear receivers in the padding of their hat/helmet, and the catcher will also wear a transmitter on his wristband. - The transmitter has nine buttons, which the catcher will use to signal pitch type and location.
- The receivers — using safety-tested, bone-conduction technology — will relay the pitch selection using a prerecorded voice.
Food for thought ... They're still just early-stage tests, but between electronic signals and robot umpires, technology is encroaching on America's (very traditional) pastime to a startling degree. Consider this: - The pitcher throws a fastball — called electronically — toward home plate, where a computer is relaying balls and strikes to the umpire.
- The batter swings and gets called out at first on a bang-bang play ... that his manager immediately challenges via instant replay.
| | | | | | | | 7. ⚡️ Lightning round |  | | | Photo: Andy Jacobsohn/AFP via Getty Images | | | | ⚽️ USA 1, Jamaica 0: Matthew Hoppe's 83rd-minute goal helped the USMNT squeak past Jamaica and into Thursday's Gold Cup semifinal against Qatar. 🎓 Big 12 madness: The Big 12 executive committee met with the presidents of Texas and Oklahoma on Sunday amid speculation that the two schools intend to depart for the SEC. ⛳️ Lee, Champ get wins: Australia's Minjee Lee beat South Korea's Jeongeun Lee6 in a playoff at the Evian Championship to win her first major, while American Cameron Champ won the 3M Open. 🏈 Watson saga: Deshaun Watson, who is embroiled in a sexual assault case and has also expressed a desire to be traded, reported to Texans training camp on Sunday. ⚾️ Frazier to San Diego: The Padres have acquired 2B Adam Frazier from the Pirates. Frazier entered Sunday with the most hits (125) in baseball and the second-best average (.327). | | | | | | | | 8. 📆 July 26, 1933: Joe's other streak |  | | | Joe DiMaggio with the Seals in 1933. Photo: Bettmann Archives/Getty Images | | | | 88 years ago today, Joe DiMaggio's other hitting streak came to an end after 61 games — the second-longest in minor league history. Why it matters: Eight years later, DiMaggio compiled his famous 56-game hitting streak with the Yankees. But without his minor league streak, he may never have become the player that he did. "Baseball didn't really get into my blood until I knocked off that hitting streak [in the minors]. Getting a daily hit became more important to me than eating, drinking or sleeping." — DiMaggio The backdrop: At 18, this was DiMaggio's first full professional season, playing with the Pacific Coast League's San Francisco Seals. - He'd joined the team one year prior after his older brother Vince, a rookie outfielder on the Seals, said his brother Joe could fill in for their recently departed shortstop.
- His bat was spectacular, but a shortstop he was not, so he soon switched to outfield. There, his speed and arm were unmistakable assets, and a baseball legend was born.
The aftermath: In 1934, despite a worrisome knee injury, the Yankees purchased DiMaggio's contract. - After one more stellar season with the Seals (.398 BA, 34 HR, MVP), he debuted in the Bronx in 1936 and proceeded to make the All-Star team in all 13 seasons, winning three MVPs and nine World Series.
Go deeper: DiMaggio's PCL stint was one for the ages (MiLB) | | | | | | | | 9. 🌎 Earth trivia |  | | | The Tokyo 2020 surfing venue. Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images | | | | Japan is the 11th-most populated country in the world. Question: Which of the following countries is not in the top 10? - Nigeria
- Brazil
- Pakistan
- Turkey
Answer at the bottom. | | | | | | | | 10. 🍿 Countdown: Best Olympics movies (No. 5) |  | | | Steve Carell in "Foxcatcher." Photo: Scott Garfield/Sony Pictures Classics via Getty Images | | | | This week, we're counting down the five best Olympics movies of all time. Foxcatcher (2014) tells the true story of millionaire John du Pont recruiting two gold medal-winning brothers, Mark and David Schultz, to move to his estate and help form a wrestling team for the 1988 Olympics. - Runtime: 2 hours, 14 minutes
- In one word: Chilling
- Watch: Trailer
What makes it great: While Olympics coverage focuses on feel-good stories and celebrates human achievement, "Foxcatcher" serves as a reminder of the darkness that can simmer beneath the surface. - The three stars — Steve Carell (du Pont), Channing Tatum (Mark Schultz) and Mark Ruffalo (David Schultz) — deliver incredible performances. Especially Carell, who couldn't be creepier.
Available to rent. | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Sign up for Axios' Referral Program | | | | | | | | When you refer your family, friends, colleagues, or anyone to any Axios newsletter you can earn free Axios swag. Better yet, if you refer 5 or more new subscribers by July 31st, you'll be entered for a drawing to win a 13" MacBook Pro and AirPods Pro. Start sharing. | | | | Talk tomorrow, Kendall "Go team go" Baker Trivia answer: Turkey 🙏 Thanks for reading. Don't forget to refer friends (axios.com/referral) and follow us on Twitter: @thekendallbaker and @jeffreytracy. |  | | It'll help you deliver employee communications more effectively. | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
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