| | | | | | | Presented By Q.ai | | | | Axios Sports | | By Kendall Baker · Aug 04, 2022 | | 👋 Good morning! Have you ever considered that you and I are basically pen pals? Except you never write :( Today's word count: 1,744 words (7 minutes). Let's sports... | | | | | | 1 big thing: 🏈 The appeal |  | | | Photo illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios. Photos: Nick Cammett, Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images | | | | The NFL has appealed Deshaun Watson's six-game suspension, a decision that will likely ignite a legal battle with a pre-written ending: a longer ban for the Browns' $230 million man. Catch up quick: Watson came under NFL investigation after dozens of massage therapists accused him of sexual misconduct. His case was heard by former U.S. District Court Judge Sue Robinson, who was appointed as a neutral arbiter by the NFL and NFLPA. - The league argued that Watson, 26, should have been suspended for at least a year and fined $5 million, per AP. Robinson called the QB's behavior "more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL" but settled on six games (and no fine) based on precedent.
- Robinson argued that the NFL was seeking a harsher punishment than its personal conduct policy called for in response to "public outcry," and trying to "impose a dramatic shift in its culture without the benefit of fair notice to … [NFL players]."
What's next: This is the first personal conduct hearing under the NFL's new collective bargaining agreement, which dictates that the appeal now heads to commissioner Roger Goodell. - Goodell, who came under fire for his handling of the Ray Rice saga in 2014 and finds himself once again at the center of disciplinary theater, can consider the appeal himself or appoint a designee.
- The NFL is eyeing a minimum one-year suspension, a fine and mandatory treatment for Watson, ESPN reports. The NFLPA has until Friday to respond and is expected to appeal the ruling in federal court.
Reality check: The NFL will eventually get its way. Thanks to a CBA clause that says its ruling is "full, final and complete," the decision by Goodell or his designee will be "virtually airtight against judicial overturn," a labor law expert told NYT's Jenny Vrentas. - "The NFL has ironclad language in its corner that will give it the 'win,' as it did in Deflategate and other cases that have gone to court," writes The Ringer's Kevin Clark.
- "That dynamic changed slightly after the 2020 CBA — a former judge like Robinson will hear cases now. But the end result did not: The NFL can still get the result it wants, when it really wants it."
Between the lines: Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was disciplined for tampering, 24 hours after Watson's ban was announced, and his suspension is exactly one day longer. That's probably not a coincidence. The bottom line: In her ruling, Robinson said the NFL often reacts to public scrutiny — like all billion-dollar businesses. In the end, that's why an appeal was the only choice, and why a longer ban is likely coming. |     | | | | | | 2. 🏀 Bronny James: Basketball's first son |  | | | Bronny James and Sierra Canyon teammate Amari Bailey (five-star UCLA commit) celebrate a win earlier this year. Photo: Quinn Harris/Getty Images | | | | Bronny James' basketball career has been talked about in the future tense since birth. Now 17, his possible NBA path — long mused about, but always years away — is coming into view, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. Driving the news: The spotlight on Bronny, a rising senior, grows brighter by the day. Last week, he brought his rockstar-like following to Nike Peach Jam. Next week, he'll play in Europe, with games on ESPN. Between the lines: Being LeBron James' son has naturally fueled speculation regarding Bronny's potential NBA bona fides, but the question remains how much of his hype stems from his name. - Most scouts agree that the 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard is an excellent defender and passer with a high basketball IQ. He's also flashed offensive brilliance.
- But his young career has also been marked by inconsistency, particularly in high school at Sierra Canyon (Los Angeles), where he's more of a role player surrounded by a stacked roster.
- Before becoming draft eligible in 2024, Bronny — who has 6.3 million Instagram followers — could head to college or take a different route like playing in the G League.
By the numbers: James is ranked No. 43 in his recruiting class by 247 Sports. For reference, 10 of the 50 players ranked between 40th and 49th from 2016-20 have been drafted, per The Ringer. The intrigue: Earlier this year LeBron said, "My last year will be played with my son. Wherever Bronny is at, that's where I'll be." He and the Lakers have some decisions to make on that front. - LeBron becomes extension eligible today, and the Lakers will likely offer him a two-year, $97 million deal through the 2024-25 season, which could be Bronny's rookie year.
- Yes, but: The Lakers don't own their first-round pick that year, so LeBron may need to decide whether the flexibility of a one-year deal makes more sense than rolling the dice on the draft.
P.S. … LeBron's younger son, Bryce, is just 15 years old but already 6-foot-6 and considered by some to be a better prospect than Bronny. | | | | | | | | 3. 💵 Doing both: Athlete and owner |  | | | Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios | | | | When Lewis Hamilton joined the new Broncos' ownership group on Tuesday, he also joined the growing list of active athletes with stakes in major sports franchises, Jeff writes. State of play: 14 active athletes are part owners of 17 different teams across the Big Four, MLS, NWSL and Premier League. - Hamilton: Broncos (NFL)
- LeBron James: Liverpool (EPL), Red Sox (MLB), Penguins (NHL)
- Patrick Mahomes: Royals (MLB), Sporting KC (MLS)
- Kevin Durant: Philadelphia Union (MLS), NJ/NY Gotham FC (NWSL)
- James Harden: Houston Dynamo (MLS), Houston Dash (NWSL)
- Serena Williams: Dolphins (NFL), Angel City FC (NWSL)
- Venus Williams: Dolphins (NFL)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo: Brewers (MLB)
- Aaron Rodgers: Bucks (NBA)
- Sue Bird: NJ/NY Gotham FC (NWSL)
- Mark Ingram: D.C. United (MLS)
- Russell Wilson: Seattle Sounders (MLS)
- Naomi Osaka: North Carolina Courage (NWSL)
- Candace Parker: Angel City FC (NWSL)
Of note: Plenty of former athletes are owners, too, including Michael Jordan (Hornets), Magic Johnson (Dodgers and more) and Alex Rodriguez (Timberwolves/Lynx). | | | | | | | | A message from Q.ai | | A 3-step guide to investing like a pro | | |  | | | | Investing doesn't have to be complicated. How it's done: - Create a Q.ai account.
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You're done! Let award-winning AI manage your portfolio. | | | | | | 4. ⚡️ Lightning round |  | | | Photo: Elsa/Getty Images | | | | 🏀 Huge bummer: UConn superstar Paige Bueckers, the only women's college basketball player to win the Wooden Award as a freshman and one of the faces of her sport, will miss the 2022-23 season (torn ACL). ⛳️ LIV lawsuit: Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and nine other LIV golfers have filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour challenging their suspensions. ⚾️ Whoops: Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez was accidentally given a four-strike at-bat on Wednesday. If anyone needs an extra strike, it's not Alvarez, who leads MLB in OPS (1.064). 🍿 McGregor goes Hollywood: UFC star Conor McGregor will make his feature film debut in "Road House," a remake of the 1980s cult classic that will see Jake Gyllenhaal channel his inner Patrick Swayze. | | | | | | | | 5. ⚾️ The walk artist |  | | | Photo: Denis Poroy/Getty Images | | | | In his first Padres at-bat, Juan Soto walked. Naturally. By the numbers: It was Soto's 92nd walk of the season, more than 30 (!) clear of any other player in the league. - Season: 93 BB/62 K
- Career: 466 BB/414 K
Go deeper: Soto's unfathomable numbers (The Athletic) | | | | | | | | 6. 🎂 Exclusive club: 45 and thriving |  | | | Tom Brady at Buccaneers training camp last week. Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images | | | | Tom Brady turned 45 on Wednesday and will soon become the oldest starting QB in NFL history, Jeff writes. The big picture: Brady is set to join an exclusive club of athletes who not only played but excelled after turning 45 — assuming he doesn't decline too much from last year's second-place MVP campaign. - Nolan Ryan: In 1992 at age 45, MLB's all-time leader in strikeouts (5,714) and no-hitters (seven) pitched to a 3.72 ERA across 27 starts.
- Gordie Howe: In 1974 at age 46, the six-time NHL MVP put together a 100-point season and was named MVP of the two-year-old WHA.
- Jack Nicklaus: The last of his record 18 majors came at the 1986 Masters at age 46, making him the oldest Masters champion ever.
- Jamie Moyer: In 2008 at age 45, he won 16 of his 33 starts (3.71 ERA) for the World Series-winning Phillies. Four years later, he became the oldest pitcher to win an MLB game.
- Chris Chelios: In 2007 at age 45, the Red Wings defender averaged 20 minutes across 18 playoff games, scoring seven points. The next year he won his third and final Stanley Cup.
- Martina Navratilova: She won mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 2003 (age 46) and at the U.S. Open in 2006 (49), the latter making her tennis' oldest major champion ever.
- Oksana Chusovitina: The 47-year-old Uzbek gymnast won vault gold at a World Cup event earlier this year and is training for Paris 2024, which would be her ninth Olympics.
| | | | | | | | 7. 🌎 The world in photos | | Flowers and mementos rest at the Hollywood Walk of Fame star of the late Vin Scully. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images LOS ANGELES — "I'm blown away at the way his mind works and his mastery over the language and his ability to weave," Joe Buck once said of Vin Scully. "Probably in another life, Vin would have made great carpets." Sweden's Johanna Gustavsson plays a bunker shot during a practice round. Photo: Octavio Passos/Getty Images GULLANE, Scotland — Muirfield Golf Club didn't accept its first female members until 2019. This week, it hosts the British Women's Open. India's Saurav Ghosal plays a shot against England's James Willstrop. Photo: Luke Walker/Getty Images BIRMINGHAM, England — Squash is super underrated. | | | | | | | | 8. 📺 Watchlist: Hall of Fame Game |  | | | Photo: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images | | | | The NFL preseason begins tonight in Canton, Ohio, as the Jaguars and Raiders face off in the annual Hall of Fame Game (8pm ET, NBC) as part of the NFL's enshrinement week festivities. More to watch: | | | | | | | | 9. 🏈 Hall of Fame trivia |  | | | Pro Football Hall of Fame, pictured in 1983. Photo: George Gojkovich/Getty Images | | | | The Pro Football Hall of Fame is in Canton, Ohio. - Question: Where is the College Football Hall of Fame?
- Hint: Biggest city in its state.
Answer at the bottom. | | | | | | | | 10. 🏀 1 nostalgic thing: SlamBall returns | | Source: Giphy SlamBall, the hard-hitting, trampoline-infused spin on basketball that took America by storm in the early 2000s, is making a comeback. Driving the news: On the 20th anniversary of its TV debut (remember Spike TV?), SlamBall founder Mason Gordon told TMZ Sports that the league will return next summer. "My partners and I have always looked at it and said, 'We're not gonna come back until the market conditions are really optimal,' and the alternative sports marketplace is just on fire." 🎥 Watch: Top 10 SlamBall plays (YouTube) | | | | | | | | A message from Q.ai | | Stop aimlessly chasing hot stock tips | | |  | | | | Sure, you can hunt down hot stock tips from the depths of the internet, but when's the last time that worked out? Instead, get ahead of the crowd and let advanced AI from Q.ai make smart investment decisions for you. Open an account for free. Fund it with $100 or more and get a $100 bonus. | | | | Talk tomorrow, Kendall "Gyllenhaal's no Swayze" Baker Trivia answer: Atlanta 🙏 Thanks for reading. Follow us: @kendallbaker and @jeffreytracy. Tell 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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