Two Possible Miami Heat Draft Selections

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The NBA Draft process is clearly going to be different this year due to the unique circumstances, but it may benefit the Miami Heat.

Since Free Agency opens up before the draft, this allows them to try and make their moves, and they can fill holes in the draft afterward. And this is also predicated on Miami keeping the 20th pick in the draft, since it’s very possible that they trade it.

But if they do elect to keep their pick, it seems as if their two options are a defensive guard and a true big man.

If Miami grabs a big man in free agency, that means that they will go for the defensive guard, which I believe Tyrese Maxey will be at the top of that list.

He’s a great on-ball defender with a ton of speed and great at attacking the basket. It’s very clear that Miami could use a speedy defender to take on some of these guard match-ups, and he’s shown that he can be that guy. He also brings intensity on that end of the floor, which I’m sure has caught the eye of some people in the Miami Heat organization.

He’s also a very clever play-maker, especially when gets out onto the open floor. Usually when speedy guys at his age get onto the open floor, they’re not good decision makers. But, Tyrese has shown that he is, which is pretty impressive for a guy at his age.

And he’s just a natural scorer. He has shown throughout this past season that he’s very comfortable with the ball in his hands when trying to make a play. He can score at all three levels as well, which makes him very intriguing.

But, the only issue I see with this pick is that he’s not a true point guard. And since Miami has their future 2 guard in Tyler Herro, that position isn’t available. I do believe though that he has the ability to become a point guard if he came to Miami, since he already has the play-making down.

Another issue that people mention is that he’s a streaky scorer. While that may be partly true, that was what people said about Tyler Herro when he entered the draft, which is why I don’t believe that to be important. And he has very fluid shot mechanics, which is another reason this is not a huge issue.

And by the way, he’s a Kentucky Wildcat. That should tell you automatically that he will be a guy they’re looking at.

I do believe that if Tyrese Maxey is still on the board among the rest of the guards, Miami will take him. But what about if they need a big man?

There are a ton of big men in this draft class, especially late, but the only issue is that most of them are all undersized. And that’s exactly what Miami doesn’t need.

That is why I believe that Miami could make another unexpected pick and take Vernon Carey Jr.

And even Vernon Carey Jr is undersized for the center position, but his big frame allows him to play much bigger than 6’10.

He has a lot of the things that Miami needs in a big man. He plays very physical and thrives when he puts his back to the basket, due to his solid footwork in the post. Miami definitely needs a true big, which is why I believe he’s the guy that can absolutely develop in Miami’s system.

He’s a solid rebounder as well, mostly because he’s very crafty at boxing out opponents and getting position. This is another thing Miami could use, since they need a big that can rebound. He may not be the most elite rim protector, but his outstanding anticipation allows him to get blocks at the rim.

When people discuss Vernon Carey Jr’s downfall, it usually has something to do with his weight, since there’s questions about durability. Well, what better place to come to when trying to fix that, since they will get him in Miami Heat shape in no time.

He also has a bunch of ties to South Florida since that’s where he grew up and went to high school, which is another reason I know Miami has eyes on him.

Obviously there’s still uncertainty if Miami will elect to keep this 20th pick, but if they do, I believe that these two will be at the top of their list based off need.

A Kentucky Wildcat and a Duke Blue Devil at the top of Pat Riley’s list.

Well, that’s interesting.

A Possible Miami Heat Reunion: The Perfect Fit

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There are many guys on the Heat’s off-season radar right now, since they’re trying to find the right guy to add to this team to try and get this team back to the finals.

When discussing some possible trades, there’s been some big names that have come up including Victor Oladipo. But with that, you are probably going to have to give something up that you don’t want to, and there is uncertainty with his health. There’s also some concern about his actions in the playoffs when he lost to the Miami Heat.

Is he a Miami Heat type guy?

Well, there’s another guy that has proven he’s a Miami Heat type guy.

Josh Richardson was obviously included in a package to get Jimmy Butler last year, but it’s definitely not out of the question of a possible return.

I’ve mentioned before that Miami may not need a home-run pick-up this off-season, but instead the perfect fit. Josh is the perfect fit, since he fills the holes on this current team.

He’s a defensive first guard, who also is very capable of scoring the ball. If Miami could use a Josh Richardson to guard a Kemba Walker in a playoff series, that takes such a weight off of Jimmy Butler and others.

He also would not have to play the same role that he played while in Miami before. Instead of running the offense, he would be a facilitator on the wing who can hit the occasional three and attack the rim.

In Philadelphia, he was playing a role that doesn’t fit him well. For one, he was the only shooter on the floor with the starting lineup, which means that he had to carry the load of a role that he’s not extremely comfortable with.

But what would it take to get him to Miami?

Well, that’s not very clear, but it’s expected that it would include Kendrick Nunn, Kelly Olynyk, and the 20th pick. This is the trade that has been discussed with the other big names, but there’s no uncertainty in the player you are receiving when discussing Josh Richardson.

He also has a relationship with a bunch of guys on the roster still, especially Bam Adebayo.

The organization definitely hasn’t forgotten about Josh as well, since he was their second round steal in 2015.

Obviously this is all speculation, but it just seems there’s no better player to add to this team this off-season than Josh Richardson. Having Josh Richardson and Tyler Herro as your starting back-court seems pretty ideal, since Tyler can take the scoring reigns and Josh can take the biggest defensive assignment.

This pick-up makes the most sense for Miami, and also would be great for the individual success of Josh. If Miami could pull this trade off, it would basically mean that they traded Kendrick Nunn and Kelly Olynyk for Josh Richardson and Jimmy Butler, which would once again prove the genius front office of the Miami Heat.

MMA: Fight of the Month Power Rankings

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What makes for a great fight? It’s much more complex than having two strikers go at it. There has to be a certain amount of tension that the fight emanates. The battle scars and aesthetic of a fighter going through war makes it all the better. If a fighter is unique in his own way, it just adds to the recipe for making a great fight. With another week of fight in the books for the UFC, how does these fights stack up against last weeks?

  1. Joaquin Buckley vs Impa Kasanganay (N/R)

What else can be said about this fight. With Buckley delivering the potential best KO of all time, he cemented himself into every knockout highlight reel. This fight was much more than the knockout. Impa was showing good durability early in the fight and Joaquim was delivering good heavy shots early and often. With such amazing exclamation point of the fight, this one is the new king of the month in our Power Rankings

 

  1. Cory Sandhagen vs Marlon Moraes (NR)

On any other night, this might’ve been KO of the night. A spin kick KO with such a masterful performance for the first round places Cory Sandhagen on 2nd in our Power Rankings. Cory showed his skills off in this fight showing his striking ability early in this fight. His movement and striking at range displayed Sandagens ability to be a well rounded fighter. 

 

  1. Luigi Vendramini vs Jessin Ayari (Last Week: -2)

With strong contenders coming from last week’s fights. This fight gets bumped down. Still, the first fight of the month was a very exciting one and finishing with a bang always propels you upward in the Power rankings. This fight still holds ground in this weeks Power Rankings

 

  1. Nassourdine Imavov vs Jordan Willaims (Last Week: -2)

Two weeks in, we still have yet to see a fight where as much damage was delivered as in this one. This fight still is the war of the month with both guys throwing heavy for a good portion of two rounds. Even with low blows and headbutts, these two warriors kept fighting, and that performance holds their place in this months Power Rankings at 4.

 

  1. Dusko Todorovic vs Dequan Townsend (-2)

Holding the last spot of the power rankings is the fight between two heavy hitters. Townsend showed more durability than almost anyone to date this month and Dusko was willing to deliver the damage. Dusko showed himself as a threat in the division in the upcoming future. The undefeated Todorovic holds on to the last spot on the power rankings this week.

 

Just Missed: Germaine De Randamie vs Julianna Pena, Chris Daukaus vs Rodrigo Nascimento

 

You can follow Johnathan on Twitter @ThreePieceCombo

Mattingly

Don Mattingly Named Sporting News Manager of the Year

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The Miami Marlins season may have come to an end last week. However, the team still finds itself as part of the national baseball discourse. On Thursday morning, Sporting News announced their 2020 MLB awards, and among the recipients was Marlins manager Don Mattingly.

After enduring a COVID-19 outbreak which cost him more than half of his Opening Day roster, Mattingly led the Marlins to the club’s first winning record since 2009 and its first playoff berth since 2003. The Marlins earned a Wild Card spot and summarily dumped the NL Central winners, the Chicago Cubs, in a two-game sweep. Miami ultimately fell to the Atlanta Braves, but the team earned the respect of the baseball world in the process.

Mattingly Earns Manager of the Year

The Marlins lost 18 players in the COVID-19 outbreak and that was just the start of a tumultuous season for the roster. Even in a truncated 60-game schedule, Miami made 174 roster moves. The team used 61 different players over the 60 games. Miami’s nine different starting pitchers in their first nine games of the season set a new MLB record. Of the 61 players who appeared in a game for the Fish this season, 21 were rookies. 18 of those were making their MLB debut.

The fact that Mattingly navigated the team through that uncertainty and kept them competitive was not lost on most.

“He’s a great person,” said Marlins shortstop and de facto captain Miguel Rojas. “He’s a great human being before being a baseball player or manager. The communication he has with the players, the confidence he gave the players is unbelievable.”

Rojas and Mattingly both inked extensions with the Marlins in September and they’ve come together to help lead this young club forward.

“Donnie believes in our vision,” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said in September. “He believes in our direction, and he’s all in. He has shown a lot of patience with our young, developing team.”

That development was clearly evident this season. The Marlins bucked every prognostication that said they’d finished last in the NL East for a third-straight season. Mattingly became the first-ever National League manager in the Modern Era to lead his team to a playoff appearance after losing 100 games the previous season.

“The great thing about Donnie is he understands what we’ve been building here as an organization,” Jeter said. “He keeps our guys competing on a daily basis.”

Mattingly is the 15th manager in franchise history. This season, he became not only the longest tenured, but also the winningest. Mattingly’s 307 wins as a manager are most, as he passed Fredi Gonzalez (276) Jack McKeon (281).

Mattingly was no stranger to award as a player, winning an MVP and three Silver Sluggers, as well as nine Gold Gloves. He becomes the third Marlins manager to win the award from Sporting News, following Gonzalez (2008) and Joe Girardi (2006).

Could Le’Veon Bell end up in Miami? Flores won’t say no.

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Today is the day free agent running back Le’Veon Bell will be wined and dined (from a distance) by potential NFL teams.

Could the Miami Dolphins be interested in Bell’s services? That I can’t say for sure.

However, I will make a case as to why I think he would be a welcomed addition.

But first, a word from our good friend Adam. #FreeRapoport

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Miami Dolphins were at least in talks about the playmaking RB before his release.

No one truly knows how deep these talks were between the Dolphins and Jets. But after listening to the video, I get the feeling New York may have been a bit desperate?

But I don’t care. Let the speculation commence!

Flores won’t say ‘no.’ 

Yesterday, Flores didn’t really speak on the 28-year-old RB. Except he did, when he snuck this little nugget into his discussion on the Jets running back room without their Pro Bowl RB.

Look, Le’Veon Bell is a great player. I think we all know that. He’s had a lot of production in this league – run, pass and just a dynamic player.

Today, when asked what he thought about Bell and a potential new home in Miami, Flores dropped another nice little quote.

Where does Bell fit into the offense?

No disrespect to Myles Gaskin, who is proving to be an NFL RB and a key piece to Miami’s backfield, but Bell is a different breed of running back. And while the Jordan Howard experience may have failed or the team continues to struggle to get Matt Breida involved, the Dolphins could use something a little bit more.

Enter 28-year-old Le’ Veon Bell, hungry AF to prove to the doubters wrong. Most importantly, to prove Adam Gase wrong.

Bell had success in a similar offense in the past. And despite his recent woes in New York (and even his later years in Pittsburgh), I’m not convinced the book is closed. His patient running style would be effective behind Miami’s newly revamped offensive line and adding a weapon like him to an offense already averaging 27.2 points per game–watch out.

The Final Yard

I won’t lose sleep if the Dolphins miss out on Le’Veon Bell. But, rarely, a player that has eclipsed over 6,139 yards and 38 touchdowns falls from the sky. And while he’s proven to be an exceptional runner, it’s his ability to line up in the slot and split out wide that admittedly intrigues me most.

How would a defense stop DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki, Preston Williams, Jakeem Grant/Isaiah Ford, and Le’Veon Bell when all split out wide? Then, think of the different packages, whether it be (Gaskin/Bell, Bell/Breida, Gaskin/Breida, Bell/Howard, etc..) or even Lynn Bowden-Malcolm Perry.

I need a cigarette.

Miami’s offense is already scary. But adding a player like Bell would turn the Dolphins offense into a Megazord. An unstoppable force. And for a team already averaging 27.2 PPG, that’s scary.

He might not sign in Miami, but Le’Veon Bell would be a great signing for the Miami Dolphins.

Best of all, we could go around and tell anyone who listens, Gase swapped Bell for Ballage

A Long Shot Signing, But There’s Still A Shot

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There has been a lot of speculation about what Miami can do this off-season via trades or free agent signings. A lot of big names have come up, but is that exactly what Miami needs right now?

A Christian Wood signing may seem a little unrealistic, but it’s not out of the picture.

For one, there’s a low chance that Detroit will let Christian walk, since he’s still evolving and has great upside. He will also be searching for a 3-year deal, which is something that Miami won’t look to offer. But once again, if there’s anyone that could pull it off, it’s the Miami Heat.

It’s also pretty obvious that the only young stars who get recognition are those on winning teams. Even guys like Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker don’t get the recognition they deserve since they are on such low seeded teams. But Miami could fix that for Christian, since it seems as if winning is a priority right now…

The only issue that Christian seems to have is that he’s a bit scrawny for the center position. But what better team than the Miami Heat to get your body in the best possible shape.

He shares some similarities with Bam Adebayo, since he is 6’11 who plays like a guard at times. He’s an energetic force on both sides of the floor, who uses his length to his advantage. He’s also a good screen setter and floor spacer. This could definitely take some weight off of Bam’s shoulders.

And now to the Miami Heat’s point of view. Miami could clearly use another big, especially since Bam had such a burden throughout this run since nobody could replicate some of the things he does. And well, Christian could do some of those things, even stretching the floor to shoot the three ball. That also means that Miami could insert both of them into the starting lineup, which also deepens Miami’s depth.

If Miami had a Christian Wood to come off the bench in game six of the NBA finals when Bam was struggling, I have no doubt that Miami would’ve pushed it to seven.

And his story seems a little familiar to a couple of Heat players…

Obviously this is all speculation, but he could just fill so many holes on this current Heat roster. And once again, Detroit letting him walk does not seem like a viable option for them.

Miami may not need a home-run signing right now. Instead a guy like Christian Wood may be the better fit.

Stock up, Stock down vs San Francisco 49ers

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Welcome back to another installment of Stock Up Stock Down. In Week 5 of the NFL season, your Miami Dolphins came out on top against the San Francisco 49ers in a surprisingly dominant fashion with only a few things to nitpick at. We took control of the game from the first drive and did not let up throughout the game. With so much to dissect, let’s dive right in

Stock Up

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Ryan must have a couple of burner Twitter accounts and saw all the calls for Tua to start because he came out on fire from the very first play. All last year we praised Fitz for his ability to give his receivers a chance to make plays on the ball by throwing the 50/50 balls, which he has done this year but only to Gesicki and DVP, and it was apparent starting the game with a deep shot to Preston for 47 yards and culminating with a 3 yard TD pass to Adam Shaheen.

Ryan led an efficient offense all afternoon long, finishing with not just the stats (22/28 350 yards 3 TD) but also scoring on 9 of the 12 drives the offense was on the field (1 was the final drive to kill time and in the game). Overall, because of his play, I doubt we hear anything else about Tua starting until we after we play the Jets at home in Week 6.

Preston Williams

All season long, Fitzpatrick has shown a level of confidence in DVP and Gesicki, but this week it appears the level of trust extended to Preston and showed what it could result in. Preston, from the first play, took the extra trust and earned more with a 47-yard deep catch to start the game, and he did not let up the rest of the game leading to the first 100-yard game of his young career. He finished the afternoon with 4 catches for 106 yards and a TD in what I would call the most complete game of his career. The key here is going to continue to see this effort and attention to detail from the Unicorn because if we do, the sky is the limit for him.

Jason Sanders

Last week I placed Jason Sanders in the stock up as a slight to Flores’s inability or unwillingness to make tough decisions, but the start to the year that Jason has had is truly something to marvel at. Jason has started the year 14/14 on field goals and another 10/10 on extra points. It is a piece of mind to know that your kicker is perfect on every kick each time you send him out there.

Defense

This must be what it feels like to have a defensive-minded Head Coach because the D was flying around all afternoon long. Throughout the game, we saw players like Jerome Baker, Eric Rowe, Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, and even Andrew Van Ginkel. Jerome finished with 8 tackles and a huge sack at the end to ice it. Rowe shut down Kittle to a tune of 4 catches for 44 yards. Xavien got an interception, which is his third game straight with an interception. Byron Jones seemed to be the missing piece that solidified the rest of the defense as Noah was not tasked with an impossible task. Lastly, one of my personal gems through my analysis of his tape, AVG. AVG was a wrecking ball off the edge all afternoon long, totaling 6 tackles 1 sack, 1 FF, and 1.5 TFL. For more in-depth on AVG.

Coaching Staff

The Coaching Staff all should get some credit for the game plan and adjustments made throughout the game by getting an early lead after a 4th down stop. After that momentum swing, it was all downhill for the 49ers. On the defensive side, the coaching staff placed their players in positions to succeed by eliminating the 49ers offense from ever getting in rhythm through the air. We realized early on that their secondary was extremely small, with the lone exception was Brian Allen, who was just activated this week. All game long we attacked a beat up and weak secondary. Preston being single teamed all game led to us hitting him early and getting him his 100-yard game as well as getting another huge game from Mike Gesicki.

Stock Down

Jordan Howard

I find it hard to imagine seeing Jordan Howard in a Dolphins uniform for very much longer. A random and surprise coaching decision to not dress Jordan for the game led to more of Breida and Myles taking over goal-line duties. I still am of the opinion that if Howard was given the same role and opportunity as Myles, he would more than show the skills that have made him a 1,000-yard RB in the league.

Rushing Attack

It seems counterintuitive that we would sit a talented RB while still averaging only 2.8 yards per carry before the game. That is unacceptable and by looking at the tape Myles is only getting whatever the offensive line is getting for him. I don’t see any explosive moves or ability to make a man miss and take it to the house and while Coach Flores has bromance for Myles, but we need to start getting the ball to Breida and even Jordan Howard. Think about this, Myles had a 21-yard run (his longest on the year) and had a total of 57 yards rushing on 16 carries. My math is funny sometimes but 15 carries for 36 yards equals 2.4 yards a carry. Unacceptable.

Jesse Davis at Right Tackle

It’s becoming harder to see a world where Jesse Davis comes back to have his job on as the Right Tackle once Austin Jackson comes back from IR. Seeing both Solomon Kindley and Robert Hunt move bodies around all game long really showed that we have a solid foundation to build on and one which needs as much playing time as possible, even if it comes at the cost of veterans who are mere stopgaps for the future. By all indications our investments this past draft have been fruitful and eventually we will have an OL with 3 rookies playing and based off the early results, we have no need to feel nervous about saying that.

Rush Defense

I really have a tough time understanding how a team that finished with 26 less points than us still manages to average 6.8 yards per carry totaling 131 for the day and 1 TD. Somehow while being up the entirety of the game, we still allowed San Francisco the ability to run the ball when they wanted to even though they had to throw it all game to try and get back into it. If this had been a closer game or even a game that San Francisco got a lead in, are we talking 200+ yards rushing being given up? It does little to play the what if games, but this is a trend that still has not been broken and with the potential loss of Davon Godchaux we lose one of our most experienced run defenders to an already porous rush defense.

Overall this team pulled off a great win which should show guys that these types of results are possible when everyone is playing together, mistake free and discipline brand of football. Coach Flores constantly preaches about each player starring in their role and if everyone can buy in to that we may be able to go on a little win streak here with the lowly but still rival New York Jets coming into town.

 

 

 

The Game that Showcased the Miami Heat’s Full Potential

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59 seconds on the clock.

Down 117-111.

Trae Young just proclaimed the game over.

But was it?

The answer is no, because it’s never over when you have the amount of firepower that the Miami Heat have on this roster.

A Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler three sent the game to overtime, which was the beginning of a 22-0 run.

Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson exploded in overtime to give Miami a win.

Not only did this game show what this Heat team can do as a team, it was also a game that showcased many player’s personal abilities.

Bam Adebayo achieved his first career triple-double, while scoring 30 points for the first time in his career.

Jimmy Butler also put up a triple-double, grabbing a career high 18 rebounds.

Duncan Robinson scored a career high 34 points, knocking down 10 threes.

Kendrick Nunn also with a career high 36 points.

This was just the beginning of what these guys are truly capable of doing. This was the first game that Bam showed his full offensive package, and obviously he still has room to improve. It was also the moment that people realized he has the ability to take over a game if needed, which is what he did in overtime. And it’s also what he did throughout Miami’s playoff run.

That Jimmy Butler triple-double wasn’t really out of the norm, since he began to do that on a regular basis in the finals. Grabbing 18 rebounds though is impressive in itself, especially since he emphasized on rebounding so much against the Los Angeles Lakers.

This also put a stamp on the shooting excellence of Duncan Robinson, since it’s not everyday that a player makes 10 threes in a game. But since so many other guys were clicking on that night, it opened up the floor for him.

And of course Kendrick Nunn. This was when Kendrick was playing at Rookie of the Year levels, since his scoring abilities were off the charts. Obviously some of the lows throughout these playoffs made some people forget about this, but it’s clear he has the ability to do it. He began to show some glimpses in the Finals, but this game was the beginning of the increase in his value.

And this was on a night where Tyler Herro scored 0 points, which may be more surprising than any of the other player’s records.

It also showed that this team was full of a bunch of dogs, who are hungry to win. After seeing their will to win in this game approximately 10 months ago, it isn’t surprising what Miami did in the playoffs.

This team is full of young and evolving talent, which is why it’ll be very interesting how much they improve by the start of the 2021 season.

The Jimmy Butler-Paul George Debate is Over, But Now There’s a New One

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There has been an ongoing debate for a while now about Jimmy Butler and Paul George. Both are two-way guys that are top players in the league. But it seems as if one of those guys may have set themselves apart.

After the Los Angeles Clippers meltdown in the Western Conference Semi-Finals, where they blew a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets, it was clear that Paul George would take some heat.

It also didn’t help his case that Jimmy Butler took his team on an incredible run to the finals, stepping up when it really mattered, which is what has continually been in question when discussing Paul George.

Now that this debate is pretty much settled, it seems as if there’s a new one to discuss.

Bam Adebayo has proved himself once again in this playoff run, and it seems as if there is more similarities between these two, than Jimmy Butler and Paul George.

Paul George averaged 2 more points in the playoffs this season, while Bam averaged 4 more rebounds. Both of these guys were second options on their respective teams, but only one stepped up when it really mattered.

And it’s obvious that Bam Adebayo is the textbook definition of a two-way guy, since his energy is contagious on both sides of the floor.

Paul George had a better regular season than Bam Adebayo statistically, but that’s clear since that is when Paul George does most of his damage.

Bam Adebayo, on the other hand, is a proven winner who will be a handful for opposing playoff match-ups for many years to come.

It’ll be interesting to see where the majority of people rank these guys in the top players in the league, but for it to be this close with Bam being 7 years younger than Paul is absolutely insane.

Jimmy Butler proved his placing among the top players in the league, and it’s only a matter of time for Bam to do so as well.

A Brief History of Women’s Baseball

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Everyone knows that baseball is a huge sport played by men but what about the women’s equivalent? Is there even such a thing? The truth is women’s baseball was around in the 1860’s but went through much tougher and sadder times than the men’s game.

 

In 1866 Vassar College organized the first two women’s baseball teams. Over the next few years other colleges followed suit. Then in a similar way that women’s basketball later faced problems women’s baseball was mostly gone by the mid 1870’s. It faced a backlash not only from the press and the general public but also from the girls’ mothers.

 

Two teams competed in 1875 and were the first women to actually be paid for playing the sport. Unfortunately early teams were considered a novelty and anytime they tried to be taken seriously they were shut out. In the 1890’s things improved and teams started to become more prevalent. Because of the style of uniform these players were known as bloomer girls.

 

The beginning of women’s professional baseball

Ironically there were more opportunities for women to play baseball in the 1940’s and 50’s than there are now. In 1943 The All American Girls Professional Baseball League was formed. The league lasted 12 years and was very popular for a few reasons including a momentous event that happened two years earlier.

 

In 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked and America was drawn into the Second World War. Star players across all the teams enlisted or were conscripted to go and serve their country. The men’s league continued to compete but with a much lesser array of talent. Interest dwindled and so did the crowds.

 

The Lipstick League

Philip K Wrigley was the owner of the Chicago Cubs and their home was Wrigley Field. A big ballpark that needed to be filled. The Cubs General Manager at the time worked with Wrigley to devise options to raise revenues. They looked at softball and even light opera according to some sources. However it was the women’s league that became a reality.

 

Over 500 women would play in the league over the next dozen years. For the initial tryouts in Chicago nearly 300 women travelled from Canada and all over the states. Clearly there was a demand there to play. Four mid-west teams formed the initial All American Girls Baseball League (the word Professional was added later). The South Bend Blue Sox, The Racine Belles, Kenosha Comets and the Rockford Peaches.

 

Femininity was a big part of this league. They didn’t want women to act like their male counterparts and the league became known as the Lipstick League. The players were sent to charm school by Wrigley where they had to learn the right way to apply makeup and get out of a car in a feminine manner. They were encouraged to wear skirts at the hotel and slacks were frowned up.

 

This isn’t to say the league was a novelty. Far from it. The girls wore skirts but they were talented professional ball players. The popularity of the league grew and at its peak in 1948 it had a million paying fans. Like men’s baseball the women’s sport was segregated and only white players could compete in the AAGPBL.

 

The rise and fall and rise of women’s baseball

Sadly the sport didn’t survive long. In the 1950’s crowds dwindled and revenues dropped. More people were starting to get televisions in their homes and travelling to a stadium was not the only way to watch a game. The league collapsed and there were very few opportunities for women to play baseball. The Bloomer Girls had gone and the Lipstick League disappeared. Players packed up and returned home.

 

It would take decades for women’s baseball to rise again. Many sports witness league collapses and teams disappearing. Basketball is no stranger to this but women’s baseball seems particularly hard done by.

 

In 1984 Bob Hope attempted to bring women’s baseball back with a minor league team but was shot down by the Florida State League. He tried again in 1994 this time backed by Coors Beer. They established the Colorado Silver Bullets who would travel the states and play minor league and men’s college teams for the next few years.

 

2004 saw the first US Women’s National Team formed by US Baseball and there are signs for optimism with women’s baseball continuing to grow albeit slowly. Many young players end up switching to softball instead.

 

Betting on women’s sports

If you are a fan of women’s sports you may also like to have a flutter sometimes. Not surprisingly you cannot really gamble on women’s baseball. Online kaszino allow for a multitude of different ways to gamble though and include sports betting. You should check the regulations in your state or region to make sure online sports betting is allowed as there are different laws in place for each state. Women’s basketball is a popular way to bet women’s soccer is getting bigger too.

 

Before choosing a casino to play in, read the reviews to see recommendations and choose which games you want to play. Many land-based casinos will let you place sports bets on site and basketball season is very popular in Las Vegas. Search out your favorite games in Wazdan kaszinójátékok such as poker, blackjack and roulette and find the best odds for your sports bets. Online casinos are a great way for sports fans to stay entertained.

 

Future of women’s baseball

It is to be hoped that women’s baseball will continue to grow. The Peaches were immortalized in the Tom Hanks and Madonna movie; A League of Their Own. A story of the Lipstick League and the struggles those players faced and also their achievements. It is sad to see that 80 years on since the league was formed there isn’t now a professional established league like the NBL. If a girl or woman wants to play baseball it seems that they are encouraged to switch to softball instead.