Good morning, everyone! It’s your girl, Brigid Kennedy, back with another Monday morning newsletter. Happy Labor Day.
Before we get going, a little bit of housekeeping: Sadly, as you may have intuited from my “Closing Time”-themed subject line, this will be the last week of SI:CYMI. Our final newsletter will hit your inboxes Friday, Sept. 11. It’s the end of an era—but trust that you will be well taken care of by Dan Gartland over at SI:AM, where he’ll continue his always-excellent work recapping the biggest news in sports on the daily. As for me, you can keep up with my stories on the website, or wait until my name appears in the SI:AM byline, as it will from time to time.
Until then, though, thank you for reading SI:CYMI each morning, and for sticking with us for a full 12 months. Working on this newsletter has been a true joy for me, and I’m so proud of the team who put it together.
|
|
|
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
|
WEEK 1 FUN: Remember last week when we said college football was so back? We were wrong; it’s actually back now. On Thursday night, the lowly UMass Minutemen brought down the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a 37-21 upset loss that shocked even the sharpest of college fans, and it was what Rutgers did immediately after the defeat that made it that much funnier. … Then, on Saturday, we got a full day of college ball, just like our founding fathers intended. LSU beat Clemson in Lane Kiffin’s big debut; Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia and Alabama all won their games handily; and Michigan survived against Western Michigan, albeit in a controversial, last-second ending. (Seriously—Kyle Whittingham’s debut shouldn’t have come down to all that.) … All in all, here are the winners and losers from week 1.
NOTHIN’ BUT NET: Over in the NBA, everyone is still reeling from the consequential bang of Adam Silver’s hammer, which he brought down hard on the Clippers after they were deemed to have circumvented the salary cap. So hard, in fact, that they were stripped of five first-round picks, among other punishments. Woof. And to think—this was all for Kawhi Leonard, whom the Clippers have now given up quite a bit for. Just how much, you ask? Tom Dierberger investigated. … It’s a pretty clear, capital, bolded and underlined L for Los Angeles, who could now spend years reaping the consequences of its duplicitous behavior. But what about the winners of this fallout? … And moreover, could the Bucks be the league’s next target? … In happier news, Liam McKeone simulated the 2026-27 season 100 times on NBA 2K27 and compiled the results for you in a fabulously fun article. (Spoiler alert: the Magic win a lot more than you’d think.) … And finally, over in the W, commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced her intention to retire at the end of the 2026 season. She will be remembered not just for what she did, but for what she did wrong—so let’s hope her replacement learns from those mistakes.
HEAT EM’ UP: Heat up the leftovers, that is. … We’ve got two good ones for you today: (1) The Pro Football Hall of Fame changed its voting system after Bill Belichick’s snub; this is how. And (2) Consider this your cheat sheet to the most devastating regular-season collapses in MLB history. You’re welcome.
|
|
|
|
|
Join Verducci's View Newsletter |
MLB insights and analysis delivered by Tom Verducci, offering a mix of expert commentary, inside angles and thoughtful perspectives on baseball’s biggest storylines.
|
|
|
|
Click, click, click ...
TICK TICK BOOM: New year, new look for ESPN. The Worldwide Leader made one big change to its broadcasts for the 2026 college football season and we’re already fans of the aesthetic. Take a peek.
CELEB ROW, VIRTUALLY: Turns out there are quite a few famous peeps featured in the newest iteration of NBA 2K, and we’ve got the full VIP list. Here’s a look at every familiar face we spotted on (virtual) celeb row.
THINK FAST, RUN FAST: Have you binged the new season of Chad Powers yet?! If not, you’ll want to do that now. If you have, though, check out my interview with co-creator Michael Waldron, who shared some sweet insights on the show’s latest installment (spoilers included). Go Fish.
|
|
|
|
|
Get the print edition of Sports Illustrated delivered to your door.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
📺 What we’re watching tonight ... |
|
|
|
MLB:
Cardinals @ Giants—8:10 p.m. ET; NBC, Peacock
Tonight’s nationally televised game: Cardinals vs. Giants. There aren't really any playoff stakes here, so we’re just tuning in for the love of the game. The Cards have won six of their last 10, while the Giants have won four in that same period.
FIBA World Cup:
USA vs. Czech Republic—2:45 p.m. ET; TNT, HBO Max
The superstar-led Team USA (2-0) clinched a quarterfinal berth in the FIBA World Cup following Sunday’s close win vs. Italy, and will finish up Group D play on Monday against the Czech Republic (0-2). Let’s go girls.
College Football:
No. 19 SMU @ Florida State—7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN
The Seminoles on Labor Day … some things just feel right. For the ninth time since 2005, FSU is suiting up for the holiday game, in which they hold a 4–4 record across the eight previous contests. Meanwhile, this is the Mustangs’ first time playing on Labor Day since 2007.
That’s all I've got for ya! I'll see you guys soon for one final Wednesday Write-Up. 😢 Until then!
|
|
|
|
|
|
A weekly spotlight on the biggest stories and in-depth reporting of women’s basketball—from compelling athlete features to sharp commentary on the latest news and scores.
|
|
|
|
We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email.
Sports Publishing Solutions Inc.
625 Broadway, 10th floor
New York, NY. 10012
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI:CYMI newsletter.
You can unsubscribe here . Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions
© 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC.
All betting and gambling content included in the SI:CYMI newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators' opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or texting 800GAM.
|
Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser.
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment