| | | | | | | Presented By SiriusXM | | | | Axios Sports | | By Kendall Baker · Jul 27, 2022 | | 👋 Good morning! Happy Hump Day to those who celebrate. Today's word count: 1,827 words (7 minutes). Let's sports... | | | | | | 1 big thing: 🛥 Superyacht vs. subpoena |  | | | Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios | | | | The Commanders open training camp today, formally concluding a turbulent offseason for the franchise and its embattled owner Dan Snyder. But the drama continues. State of play: As Washington readies for the season amid Congress' probe into its alleged toxic workplace culture, Snyder remains at a distance — mostly on a $192 million superyacht with a two-deck IMAX theater. Why it matters: Snyder's summer vacation could ultimately help him avoid having to testify under oath before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform about the findings of their investigation. Catch up quick: It's been a whirlwind of a year for the Commanders, featuring sexual assault allegations against Snyder, investigations by the NFL and Congress, claims of financial improprieties, and halted efforts to secure a new stadium. - The House committee has been trying to depose Snyder for weeks. Roger Goodell testified last month, but Snyder "chose to skip town," said committee chair Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.).
- Since then, his yacht has been traversing the Mediterranean, stopping in lavish locales like Cannes and Portofino. There's even a Twitter account (@DanSnydersYacht) following his moves.
Where it stands: The House committee has agreed to allow Snyder to testify via Zoom tomorrow, but only under the force of a subpoena, which would place him under oath. - Yes, but: They've been unable to serve Snyder that subpoena while he sails around abroad, and his lawyer, Karen Patton Seymour, has refused to accept it on his behalf.
- Seymour has offered Snyder's voluntary testimony instead, which would effectively allow him to choose the questions he answers, per WashPost. It's unclear if a compromise will be reached by tomorrow.
What they're saying: "I worked on Capitol Hill for more than 20 years and I have never seen anyone intentionally evade a subpoena from Congress in this way," Georgetown Law professor Dave Rapallo told WSJ (subscription). The other side: In a letter to Maloney this month, Seymour pushed back against claims that Snyder has "refused to cooperate" and said "there is no legitimate need for a subpoena." Looking ahead: House Republicans consider the Commanders probe a "waste of tax dollars" and plan to drop it if they regain control in November. So if Snyder stays overseas long enough, he may be able to avoid a subpoena altogether. The latest: Snyder is in Israel to observe the anniversary of his mother's death. |     | | | | | | 2. 🎉 Linda Cohn celebrates 30 years |  | | | Courtesy: ESPN | | | | Linda Cohn was hired by ESPN 30 years ago this month. In that time, she's anchored over 5,000 episodes of SportsCenter — more than anyone else in the company's history. 🎙 Interview: Cohn spoke with Axios about what's changed over the years, the importance of connecting with viewers and the future of women in sports media. How has SportsCenter changed over the past 30 years? "We went from being the only game in town to having so much competition, and I love that SportsCenter never rested on its laurels. They saw things coming and made adjustments." "When they introduced the bottom line [score ticker], I remember Scott Van Pelt being incredulous: 'You're giving away the score before we show the highlight?!' But the bosses were insistent it would be a game-changer, and they were right." How do you think about SportsCenter's relationship with its viewers? "I think a big turning point in the show's popularity and growth was when we started doing the 'This is SportsCenter' commercials. You had athletes and anchors showing off their personalities in ways that had never been done before." "It's about having a connection with us. Fans have told me over the years that hearing my voice brings back memories of watching me as a kid, and viewers today are still looking for that comforting feeling." How do you feel about the state of women in sports media? "The biggest change that has to take place, which isn't moving fast enough for me, is having women in management positions to hire more women." "We've been getting opportunities for years, but if it wasn't for certain men in management positions who gave me the chance to prove myself, I never would have been able to carve out this path." Do you have a favorite moment or memory from your time as an anchor? "I remember hosting when news broke of Muhammad Ali's passing. We were on four straight hours, but I didn't want to be anywhere else because I got to interview people on the fly about an all-time legend." "And I knew everyone was watching. That's kind of a high, like an athlete in the Super Bowl who knows he needs to be at his best. That's how I feel in those moments." 🎥 Watch: Cohn's first show on July 11, 1992 (YouTube) | | | | | | | | 3. 💥 Pickleball: As popular, and loud, as ever |  | | | Photo: Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images | | | | Pickleball's pandemic-fueled rise hasn't slowed, but the sport does face one potential roadblock: the noise it makes, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. State of play: There are roughly five million pickleball players in the U.S., up 37% from 2019 and nearly double the total from just five years ago. Yes, but: While players can't get enough, anyone within earshot must contend with the loud, repetitive "thwacks" of hard plastic wiffle balls hitting solid paddles. - "No one can completely understand what it's like to sit on your back deck hearing that pop, pop, pop," Rob Mastroianni, who lives near five public courts in Falmouth, Massachusetts, told WSJ (subscription).
- Falmouth residents have filed public-nuisance lawsuits, arguing the sound (Thwack! Pop! Whack!) violates bylaws that prohibit "obnoxious noise levels." Similar complaints have been lodged in New Jersey and California.
The bottom line: The whole situation calls to mind my favorite line from "Fiddler on the Roof": "May God bless and keep [pickleball] … far away from us!" | | | | | | | | A message from SiriusXM | | Stream SiriusXM now and get 3 months for free | | |  | | | | With SiriusXM Streaming, get access to three months of expertly curated ad-free music, Pandora artist stations, live sports, celebrity hosts, Howard Stern and more. More info: Listen on your phone, at home and more with the SXM App. See Offer Details. | | | | | | 4. ⚡️ Lightning round |  | | | Photos: Stacy Revere/Getty Images; Mitchell Layton/Getty Image | | | | ⚾️ Baseball bros: At 8:14pm in Milwaukee, Luis Urías blasted his 11th HR for the Brewers. A few minutes later, his brother Ramón blasted his 11th HR for the Orioles. Both won the game for their teams. Sports! 🏀 Aces crowned: The Aces beat the Sky, 93-83, to win the second annual WNBA Commissioner's Cup. Each Aces player was awarded $30,000. Sky players got $10,000. 🎓 Quote du jour: "We will be in four time zones in 2024," commissioner Kevin Warren said at Big Ten Media Days. "We'll be able to provide content all the way from the morning into the night." ⚾️ New museum: After 14 years of planning and construction, the Jackie Robinson Museum opened Tuesday in Manhattan. | | | | | | | | 5. 🏈 Snapshot: Starting NFL QBs |  | | | Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images | | | | The 49ers officially moved on from Jimmy Garoppolo and named Trey Lance as their starter on Tuesday, Jeff writes. Zoom out: The 2021 draft class now has six projected starting QBs entering the season, two more than any other class. - 2022: 0
- 2021 (6): Lance (49ers), Mac Jones (Patriots), Zach Wilson (Jets), Davis Mills (Texans), Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars), Justin Fields (Bears)
- 2020 (4): Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins), Joe Burrow (Bengals), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Jalen Hurts (Eagles)
- 2019 (3): Daniel Jones (Giants), Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Drew Lock (Seahawks)
- 2018 (3): Josh Allen (Bills), Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield (Panthers)
- 2017 (3): Mitchell Trubisky (Steelers), Deshaun Watson (Browns), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
- 2016 (3): Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Carson Wentz (Commanders), Jared Goff (Lions)
- 2015 (2): Marcus Mariota (Falcons), Jameis Winston (Saints)
- 2014 (1): Derek Carr (Raiders)
- 2013: 0
- 2012 (3): Russell Wilson (Broncos), Ryan Tannehill (Titans), Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
- 2011: 0
- 2010: 0
- 2009 (1): Matthew Stafford (Rams)
- 2008 (1): Matt Ryan (Colts)
- 2007: 0
- 2006: 0
- 2005 (1): Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
- 2004: 0
- 2003: 0
- 2002: 0
- 2001: 0
- 2000 (1): Tom Brady (Buccaneers)
| | | | | | | | 6. ⚾️ The movie that saved "Bull Durham" | | Source: Giphy What does the 1987 political thriller "No Way Out" have to do with baseball? It's part of the reason an all-time great sports movie exists. The backstory: In a new book on the making of "Bull Durham," writer-director Ron Shelton shares how the 1988 minor league baseball comedy was passed on by every Hollywood studio. Twice. - Shelton and Kevin Costner, who would play the aging catcher Crash Davis, had a 30-day window to secure financing, or Shelton would lose his star to a Warner Bros. project.
- On deadline day, Orion Pictures — which distributed Hoosiers in 1986 — called to say they were in. What gave them the nudge? Costner's "No Way Out" had just opened to a rave review, declaring him a future star.
What they're saying: "Any other kind of review and 'Bull Durham' might never have been made," Shelton writes in "The Church of Baseball: The Making of 'Bull Durham,'" out now. "The only reason 'No Way Out' opened in August was because Orion didn't know what to do with it. That's where you used to send movies to die. But it was a hit, and it allowed a bigger hit ... to be made." — Shelton, via L.A. Times | | | | | | | | 7. 🌎 The world in photos | | Photo: Lynne Cameron/The FA via Getty Images SHEFFIELD, England — England beat Sweden, 4-0, on Tuesday to advance to the Women's Euro final for the first time since 2009. The Lionesses had lost in the semis of the past three Euros. Photo: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images BOSTON — Fenway Park toasted new Hall of Famer David Ortiz on Tuesday. Photo: Riccardo Fabi/NurPhoto via Getty Images RIETI, Italy — 150 riders from 22 countries are competing in this week's Wakeboard World Championships. | | | | | | | | 8. 📺 Watchlist: Germany vs. France |  | | | Photos: Harriet Lander/Getty Images; Alex Pantling/Getty Images | | | | France and Germany enter today's Women's Euro semifinal (3pm ET, ESPN2) with vastly different historical success in the tournament. - Germany: Die Nationalelf ("The national eleven") are the winningest team in Euro history, claiming eight of the 12 titles awarded since the tournament began in 1984.
- France: This is the first time Les Bleues have even reached the semifinals. The good news? They've won two of their past three matches against Germany.
More to watch: | | | | | | | | 9. 🏈 NFL trivia |  | | | Photo: Silas Walker/Getty Images | | | | Tom Brady has a new target: fellow future Hall of Famer Julio Jones. - Question: What is Jones' legal first name? (Julio is a nickname his mother gave him in middle school).
- Hint: Starts with "Q."
Answer at the bottom. | | | | | | | | 10. 📺 1 chart to go: Streaming milestone |  Data: Nielsen; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals Streaming made up one-third of television consumption among people in the U.S. last month, per Nielsen, the highest percentage since the media measurement firm began its monthly report in June 2021. Why it matters: Cable and broadcast saw their lowest-ever share of the TV audience, although they still collectively make up the vast majority of TV viewing in the U.S. For now. Go deeper: Read Sara Fischer's Axios Media Trends newsletter | | | | | | | | A message from SiriusXM | | Stream SiriusXM now and get 3 months for free | | |  | | | | With SiriusXM Streaming, get access to three months of expertly curated ad-free music, Pandora artist stations, live sports, celebrity hosts, Howard Stern and more. More info: Listen on your phone, at home and more with the SXM App. See Offer Details. | | | | Talk tomorrow, Kendall "I can get us a rainout" Baker Trivia answer: Quintorris 🙏 Thanks for reading. Follow us on Twitter: @kendallbaker and @jeffreytracy. And of course, tell your friends to sign up. |  | | Are you a fan of this email format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 300 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications. | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
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