Sports

Scribe:  Samuel Otis

Email:  samuel@thethinkering.com

Seven consecutive playoff games and seven consecutive wins are boasted both in the west by the Golden State Warriors and the East by the defending champions the Cleveland Cavaliers.   The two teams are seemingly set on a destined course to offer a rematch of the 2015-2016 NBA finals.  Last season Cleveland upset the Warriors after a 3 game lead by the Western team to win the ring in seven. 

A new season, a new world class player in Kevin Durant has metamorphosed the almost unbeatable Warriors to a super team, that can play nearly every style of basketball and walk away with a win.  They no longer have to play a perfect game to get the W. 

Scribe:  N. Tru Bass

Email:  ntb@thethinkering.com

I grew up in Mississippi hearing stories of age old boxers like Jersey joe Walcott, Jack Johnson and Joe Louis, don’t feel sorry for me because this was in the 1970’s and the heavyweight division was rife with talent.  Joe Frasier, Big George Foreman, Ken Norton and of course the Great Muhammad Ali. 

Since then there has been a few that would ball into the ‘great’ category but none more dominant than the furious Mike Tyson.   Since then the division of the ‘Gods’ has grown a bit stale.  Boxing has not, but the big division had—until now.  The heavyweight division has never been bigger, stronger and more palatable to watch than now. 

Scribe:  N. Tru Bass

Email:  ntb@thethinkering.com

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office has ruled the death of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez a suicide.  The 27-year-old was found early Wednesday morning apparently hanged by a bed sheet attached to a window.   He was being housed in the states Souza-Baranowski Correction Center. 

Authorities are now saying the defamed athlete left several notes one to his four-year-old daughter, another to her mother, and a third to a prison inmate friend.  State Police found cardboard shards jammed into the tracks of the door of the single cell to impede entry. 

Scribe:  Samuel Otis

Email:  samuel@thethinkering.com

Aaron Hernandez made news on Wednesday when he was found dead in a prison cell allegedly by hanging to death at his own hand. 

Prison officials have sent Hernandez’ body to the funeral home but have decided to hold on to his brain a little longer.  The family is crying foul saying they promised Boston University they would provide his brain for continuing brain trauma research. 

The transfer was scheduled to be made after the autopsy was completed by Hernandez’ attorney Jose Baez said the state of Massachusetts would not release the brain despite releasing the rest of the former NFL star’s body. 

Baez said, "If we don't get answers and answers quickly, we're going to court."

It is not yet known if the former Patriot Tight End received brain damage from his playing days that prompted him to kill himself.  

Scribe:  N. Tru Bass

Email:  ntb@thethinkering.com

Aaron Hernandez, was serving a life sentence for a murder conviction and just days ago celebrated a win after being acquitted of double murder, was found dead in his prison cell.

The 27-year-old, former New England Patriot’s Tight End was found dead by guards in his cell at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center just after 3a.m. according to the department of corrections.   According to reports he was hanged in a single cell in general population housing of a maximum security state prison.  He hanged himself using a bed sheet that he attached to a cell window. 

The former professional athlete jammed the door with various items to prevent officers from getting inside to foil his plan.    

Scribe:  Lucy Osbourne

Email:  lucy@thethinkering.com

The New York Giants are streaking as they meet the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night.  While the Rays lost the last two in a row after winning the first five of seven games of the season.  On the other hand the Yankees started the season flat losing the first four games and picking up the last three consecutively. 

New York has figured out how to score runs lately.  Since Sunday’s game in Baltimore it has counted 23 runs, most the hard way with taking advantage of pitchers, and home runs.  According to reports, Manager Joe Girardi said, "I think it's important to put streaks together."

Scribe:  Samuel Otis

Email:  samuel@thethinkering.com

Its NBA Playoff time.  In the east the Celtics reign supreme with the ever present and defending world champion Cleveland Cavaliers sitting on the number 2 position with a 51-30 season record. While there are a few more games that must be played for the teams at the bottom of the tree to clinch, however the West is locked down. 

In the west the former world champion Golden State Warriors remain a 0.815 team with a season record of 66-15 and also sits at the top of the tree.  In sequential order the San Antonio Spurs are number one in the west with a 61-20 season, the Houston Rockets are sitting in position three with James Harden healthy and eager for playoff vindication. 

Scribe:  Samuel Otis

Email:  samuel@thethinkering.com

Marshawn Lynch may have been coaxed out of retirement by the Raiders, but now he is fully at play and is being shopped around, to other teams including the New England Patriots.   According to recent reports it’s official.  Lynch’s retirement isn’t a Raiders only proposition. 

It seems Oakland would choose 31 teams that they would prefer for Lynch to land rather than Patriots.   I’m sure Lynch isn’t coming out of retirement for financial reasons, but the Hall would be much larger and easier to find with a second Super Bowl ring, and going to Foxborough would give him a strong chance to warm another ring finger.

Scribe:  Samuel Otis

Email:  samuel@thethinkering.com

For 9 years’ competitors in the NBA has been plagued by the presence of Russell Westbrook’s quickness on offense and competitive drive on the opposite end of the floor.  His most recent accomplishment is overtaking Oscar Robertson’s record for having the most triple doubles—ever. 

He has consistently become better offensively and defensively show no signs of slowing down.  His real potential began to surface after Kevin Durant who shared the floor with Westbrook for years decided to take his talent to the Golden State Warriors. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar locked the record just days shy of the end of the season.  He not only did he put to rest a 55-year-old record but also scored 50 points in Sunday’s game against Denver giving him three 50 point triple doubles on the season.  A feat that no one else can claim 

Scribe:  Lucy Osbourne

Email:  lucy@thethinkering.com

Georgetown University’s Head Basketball Coach’s position has been filled with Alum and NBA Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing.  The former Knickerbocker is replacing John Thompson III, who failed to reach the legendary status of his father. 

Ewing and Thompson Jr.  as coach and player won the Championship in 1984.  Ewing then went on to play professionally with the Knicks 15 years after being a first round draft pick and played briefly with the Seattle SuperSonics and the Orlando Magic, both teams recording single seasons with the 7-foot center.

Ewing’s number 33 jersey was retired by the Knicks in 2003.   The big man recorded 24,815 points per game during his professional career, he was an 11 time NBA All Star and celebrated Rookie of the year honors in 1986.