Day 7 without sports 😭: Even still, Tom Brady and the NFL just rocked our world
Sporting events continue falling like dominoes, slipping further and further … into the future. (Just like time, itself.)
No Kentucky Derby in May. Moved to September. Ditto for the French Open in tennis.
No PGA Championship in May, either. It’ll be played (hopefully) sometime later this year.
Throw in the NBA, MLS, NHL and MLB all possibly pushing their seasons back, and we could have an all-you-can-consume smorgasbord of sports backloaded into the second half of 2020.
But what about the here and now? What will sustain us until then?
🏈 *the NFL has entered the chat* 🏈
The NFL offseason is still big news … especially when it comes with one of the greatest to play the game leaving his longtime team for the lure of free agency. (No, not you, Philip Rivers!)
After 20 seasons in New England, Tom Brady will no longer wear a Patriots uniform. What will he be wearing? In addition to these get-ups, he’ll need to add a heavy dose of red, orange and pewter to his wardrobe. But we will never forget the stunning run that Brady and the Patriots delivered. It’s a run that Bill Belichick can’t sustain on his own in New England.
Sports video of the day
Sorry Patriots haters, we must do this. Perhaps it will provide a sense of closure since you’ll never see #TB12 in red, white and blue again.
Story time! Here’s our best:
- MIKE JONES: Why is Tom Brady is joining the Buccaneers? Because he can
- NATE DAVIS: Brady joins list of NFL standouts to make odd career stops
- BOB NIGHTENGALE: Padres OF feels “gut-punch” of delayed baseball season
- CHRISTINE BRENNAN: Olympic swimming champion says lives “turned upside down”
- OLYMPICS: Pushing forward on Tokyo Games “irresponsible,” 4x gold medalist says
- NCAA: Losses from no March Madness “could definitely be extensive” for schools
- MLB: All 30 teams pledge $1M each to aid stadium workers
Sports you could be watching
OK, so you really need something. The itch must be scratched.
Where better to find scratching … and barking … and mushing? But in Alaska!
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race comes to its conclusion today as the first competitors reach the finish line in Nome — after traversing nearly 1,000 miles from the start March 6 in Anchorage.
The games we’re missing
What could’ve been. Here’s what was scheduled to be happening in the world of sports:
College basketball
The NCAA tournament would’ve finalized its 64-team bracket with tonight’s results from the First Four. Then always-energetic Dwayne at work would have been reminding you DO NOT wait until noon tomorrow to get your picks in for the office pool. (But you probably would have procrastinated until then anyway …)
For an additional college hoops fix, the NIT would’ve wrapped up its opening-round games tonight as well.
NBA
- Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers
- New York Knicks at Boston Celtics
- Washington Wizards at Brooklyn Nets
- Golden State Warriors at Indiana Pacers
- Oklahoma City Thunder at Atlanta Hawks
- Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls
- San Antonio Spurs at New Orleans Pelicans
- Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Phoenix Suns
- Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers
MLB
This is about the time we’d start to see starting pitchers throwing as many as six innings in their spring training games as they ramp up for the regular season openers a week from tomorrow.
NHL
- Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers
- Edmonton Oilers at Ottawa Senators
- Boston Bruins at Anaheim Ducks
- Vegas Golden Knights at Phoenix Coyotes
- Tampa Bay Lightning at Vancouver Canucks
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Steve Gardner on Twitter @SteveAGardner.
