Interesting sports you follow but not enough interest for their own thread

[Cobra Commander]

I'd joke about some wrestling promotion discovering PDC and deciding to create a Darts player gimmick.. but it'd probably end up with Brian Cage as a darts dude and Brandon Cutler (or his equivalent) holding a dartboard at ringside.

also, Darts apparently draws more lively crowds than most Wrestling.

[The Natural]

Incredible. @OSJ will have enjoyed that. Miss you, man. Congratulations to Michael Smith, the new PDC World Darts Champion and new World Number One.

Edited January 4, 2023 by The Natural

[The Natural]

 

[The Natural]

7 time and defending World Snooker Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan out of the World Snooker Championship to Luca Brecel in the quarter-final losing seven frames in a row. Big upset.

[Dolfan in NYC]

[Pete]

The Nebraska volleyball team just sold out Memorial Stadium for their match against Nebraska-Omaha in August, obliterating the women's attendance record with over 82,000 (I'll read that again - EIGHTY-TWO THOUSAND) tickets sold. Second largest women's sporting event in US history behind the 1999 WWC final. No word yet if the Decemberists concert was the real draw.

[SirFozzie]

First ever crucible final 147. Talk about on the biggest stage.

[Happ Hazzard]

Luca Brecel wins the World Snooker Championship, first mainland European to do so.

[odessasteps]

22 minutes ago, Happ Hazzard said:

Luca Brecel wins the World Snooker Championship, first mainland European to do so.

He is not sleeping with the fishes. 

[The Natural]

On 5/1/2023 at 10:14 PM, Happ Hazzard said:

Luca Brecel wins the World Snooker Championship, first mainland European to do so.

Before the World Snooker Championship, Luca Brecel had never won a match before. Beat Ricky Walden 10-9 in the first round, three time champion Mark Williams in round two, seven time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in the quarter-final winning 7 frames in a row, the biggest comeback in Crucible history 14-5 down to Si Jiahui in the semi-final winning 11 consecutive frames and four time champion Mark Selby in the final. Incredible run. Well earned.

[VSG]

I'm four hours into the NCAA Beach Volleyball Tournament and can't envision anything other than a UCLA/USC final. I'm really hoping more schools jump on board because the sport is fun to watch and also real easy with games lasting barely a full hour.

[odessasteps]

Is Pepperdine still a volleyball power? 

[VSG]

11 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

Is Pepperdine still a volleyball power? 

They missed the Beach Volleyball tournament. Loyola Marymount won the WCC's bid. 

 

Pepperdine should be a contender every year given their location and resources.

[Brian Fowler]

On 5/5/2023 at 4:29 PM, VSG said:

I'm four hours into the NCAA Beach Volleyball Tournament and can't envision anything other than a UCLA/USC final. I'm really hoping more schools jump on board because the sport is fun to watch and also real easy with games lasting barely a full hour.

And hey, those two schools are soon joining a conference that doesn't have beach volleyball! (I imagine they'll end up an associate member of some other conference for the sport, possibly even still the PAC-12. Like how Notre Dame plays hockey in the Big 10.)

[VSG]

Since USC and UCLA have won every title in Beach Volleyball they shouldn't have any difficulty finding a conference willing to take them on as affiliate members. I'm curious to see how the increased travel affects the teams once that happens. USC only left California once during the regular season this year to play. That'll likely change. 

[Brian Fowler]

On 5/7/2023 at 3:23 PM, VSG said:

Since USC and UCLA have won every title in Beach Volleyball they shouldn't have any difficulty finding a conference willing to take them on as affiliate members. I'm curious to see how the increased travel affects the teams once that happens. USC only left California once during the regular season this year to play. That'll likely change. 

That's really the biggest question for basically all the sports that aren't football. 

Like, how much is it going to cost, and how much more class time will, say, the softball team miss when a third of their games are in the Midwest or further East?

[odessasteps]

Quote

a judge jailed for 10 days the two fishermen who won the Lake Erie Walleye Tournament by inflating the weight of their fish

 

[Brian Fowler]

On 5/11/2023 at 3:42 PM, odessasteps said:

 

Also the one guy lost his $130,000 boat.

[hammerva]

not sure if it goes here but apparently Texas Dolly Doyle Brunson has passed away.  if you are or were a poker player he probably influenced in some way through his legendary Super System books on hold em.  when people use the term an OG, it definitely applies to him

[SirFozzie]

Brad Owen (one of the Poker YouTubers I follow played a hand against Doyle and won, he was super happy to play against a player of that legend.

[Greggulator]

NCAA Softball tournament is a blast. Last night, Louisiana (The Rajun’ Cajuns) vs. LSU was taking place the same as Washington and McNeese State in elimination games.

The Cajuns are a mid-major power and have made a few Women’s World Series over the years and have a fierce rivalry against LSU. On Elimination Sunday, coming from the losing bracket means you have to win a double header. The Cajuns won the first. In the second, they were trailing 8-7 headed into the 7th (and they one play 7 in softball.) Cajuns had runner on second and third with one out. LSU calls for an intentional walk, but in softball you still have to toss them. The pitcher throws a wild pitch and the runner from third comes home to tie it. Then the next run comes in on a base hit and they sealed the deal in the bottom of the inning to go on to the Supers.

Meanwhile, McNeese was up 6-0 on host Washington headed into the 7th.

If the Cowgirls won, Lafayette would get to host the regionals. McNeese was the Cinderella and Cardiac Kids team of the entire weekend. They upset second seed Minnesota to start 5-4 in a game that went 13 innings. I think they tied it late, too. They lost to Washington next in a close one (3-1) and had to go loser’s bracket. They then beat Minnesota 1-0 to go into the Sunday doubleheader. They best Washington 1-0 in a game with a few play at the plates. Then in the elimination game, they got up 6-0 and had three outs to go.

You can see where this is headed. They kept whoever was pitching in since she had been lights out. But she clearly got unraveled (the whole team did) and the Huskies kept chipping away with a very loud crowd. I forget exactly how all of the runs came in, but they plated 7 in the inning in one of the best comebacks I have ever watched in any sport. They then had to close McNeese out (who had last kicks in the way the schedules work) and did so. 

Which also means the Huskies get to host and depriving us of a Super Regional between two Louisiana schools located 45 minutes from each other or something like that where one of the teams is guaranteed a place in the Women’s World Series.

Women’s softball tournament is crazy. It’s a little top heavy compared to the men’s baseball tournament. It is Oklahoma versus the field this year and the past few years. Oklahoma has lost once all season and is looking to three-peat. But it is still wild wild wild.

[Pete]

Sydney with the DOUBLE TON! My Eagles are a freaking dumpster fire.

[SirFozzie]

https://twitter.com/EuroAthletics/status/1672621749379416068

 

Shotputter fills in for injured teammate in a.. very different event (the 100M hurdles) at the European Team Championships. She "ran" the 100M hurdles in 31 seconds, but earned her team two points (as one other competitor false started)

[Goitre]

The Big Pharma Games, anyone? As in, "Athletes are adults ... and they have a right to do with their body what they wish - my body, my choice; your body, your choice. And no government, no paternalistic sports federation, should be making those decisions for athletes - particularly around products that are FDA regulated and approved....The IOC has committed itself to vilifying enhanced athletes. Each Olympiad, another cohort of brave athletes sets new world records, only to have their medals revoked, their careers suspended, and their names dragged through the mud. It is time to end this oppressive cycle. The Enhanced Games hereby reinstates the world records set by the ...athletes and commends them for their bravery."

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jun/24/australian-entrepreneur-plots-enhanced-games-for-drug-taking-athletes

[Mister TV]

1 hour ago, Goitre said:

The Big Pharma Games, anyone? As in, "Athletes are adults ... and they have a right to do with their body what they wish - my body, my choice; your body, your choice. And no government, no paternalistic sports federation, should be making those decisions for athletes - particularly around products that are FDA regulated and approved....The IOC has committed itself to vilifying enhanced athletes. Each Olympiad, another cohort of brave athletes sets new world records, only to have their medals revoked, their careers suspended, and their names dragged through the mud. It is time to end this oppressive cycle. The Enhanced Games hereby reinstates the world records set by the ...athletes and commends them for their bravery."

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jun/24/australian-entrepreneur-plots-enhanced-games-for-drug-taking-athletes

They’ve had these kinds of games before.