The latest news and trends that matter in America's major sports.

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NCAA

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The Omicron surge and China's increasingly scrutinized authoritarian practices provide the backdrop for this year's winter games.

Beijing Winter Olympics

Sports

National

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr gave an impassioned plea for gun control on Tuesday, just hours after a shooter opened fire and killed at least 18 students and three teachers at a school in Uvalde, Texas. 

The big picture: Kerr has been an outspoken advocate for gun control since his father, Malcolm Kerr, was shot twice in the back of the head in Beirut in 1984 where he was the university president at the American University of Beirut. 

Driving the news: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the suspect entered Robb Elementary School with a handgun and may have had a rifle, though that has not been confirmed. 

The alleged shooter, an 18-year-old male who was local to Uvalde, was dead, Abbott said.

What they're saying: Kerr pounded his fist at a press conference ahead of the Warriors' game against the Dallas Mavericks, saying he was "tired of moments of silence."

“I’m so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to devastated families that are out there. I’m tired of excuses, I’m tired of moments of silence. Enough!" 

Kerr called out Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and 49 other senators for being "pathetic "and holding the country "hostage" by not passing gun control laws to "hold onto power."

"I ask you, Mitch McConnell, I ask all of you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence and school shootings and supermarket shootings. I ask you, are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of our children, our elderly and our churchgoers? Because that’s what it looks like."

"I want every person here, every person listening to this, to think about your own child, grandchild, mother, father, sister, brother — how would you feel if this happened to you today? We can’t get numb to this! We can’t just sit here, read about it, have a moment of silence, and yell, ‘Go Dubs! Come on Mavs, let’s go!'”

Warriors coach Steve Kerr slams ongoing gun violence

"I’m tired of excuses, I’m tired of moments of silence. Enough!"

Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Photo: Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images

Gun laws

Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

You probably can't pronounce Iga Świątek, but you should get to know her name.

Driving the news: Świątek — pronounced shvi-ahn-tek in Polish and svi-ah-tik in English — cruised to a first-round win Monday at the French Open for her 29th straight victory.

That's the fourth-longest WTA streak this century, trailing only Venus Williams in 2000 (35), Serena Williams in 2013 (34) and Justine Henin in 2007-08 (32).

Wild stat: The 20-year-old has won 44 of her last 45 sets, 25 of which were either 6-0 or 6-1.

The backdrop: Świątek’s journey began in Warsaw, Poland, where her father Tomasz, a 1988 Olympic rower, pushed her towards competitive sports and ushered her through a successful youth tennis career.

She burst onto the scene in 2020 by winning the French Open, becoming the youngest women's major singles champion since 2004 and the first Polish major singles champion ever (man or woman).

She won twice more in 2021 but has taken her game to new heights this year, becoming the first Pole ever to reach No. 1 after then-No. 1 Ash Barty's surprise retirement in March.

Between the lines: Świątek modeled her game after her idol, Rafael Nadal, so her success at Roland Garros is no coincidence. But she's recently added a new element that helps her dominate on all surfaces.

Rather than rely on her Nadal-esque topspin forehand, she's attacking earlier and is lethal against serves, winning more than half of her return games this season — by far the most among the top 10.

Świątek also attributes much of her success to her sports psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, who joins her at every tournament and helps her stay focused mentally.

What they're saying: "A lot of respect for Iga," Marta Kostyuk told the New Yorker. "The way she plays, thinks, talks ... I think it's great when someone like this is ruling."

Looking ahead: With numerous top players exiting early at Roland Garros, Świątek is the overwhelming favorite to win her second major.

All eyes on rising tennis star Iga Świątek

The 20-year-old has won 44 of her last 45 sets, 25 of which were either 6-0 or 6-1.

Nashville

Axios Nashville

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert gave the clearest indication yet that the league will soon be looking to expand — just as Nashville ramps up efforts to attract its first women's professional sports team.

Driving the news: Engelbert told the Seattle Times earlier this month that the WNBA is looking at adding two expansion franchises in the next few years.

Engelbert was responding to criticisms from top players that the 12-team league doesn't have enough roster spots to accommodate a rich pipeline of talent.

Why it matters: City leaders have been pushing to bring a WNBA or National Women's Soccer League team to Nashville in recent years. After billions of dollars of investments in men's pro sports, advocates say it's time for the city to invest in women's teams as well.

Context: A report by CAA Icon earlier this year showed Nashville has the fan interest and corporate support to justify a WNBA or NWSL franchise.

Margaret Behm, who chairs the advisory committee spearheading this effort, says the consultant will soon meet with league representatives to present the report's findings and key data points.

What she's saying: "What we've tried to be is ready when the league says it's ready to expand," Behm tells Axios. "So we can say we have what it takes to have a women's professional team. I think we're ready to do that on both the basketball and soccer front."

Yes, but: While Behm and the advisory committee have laid the groundwork, she acknowledges it will be competitive to land a WNBA franchise. 

"There is pent-up demand nationally for more women's pro sports," Behm says. "You only have 12 teams in both the WNBA and NWSL. So it's competitive, and we need to be ready."

A report by CBS Sports ranked Nashville among the top possibilities, behind both the Bay Area and Toronto.

Report: WNBA ready to expand

City leaders have been pushing to bring a WNBA team to Nashville.

Basketball

Dallas

Axios Dallas

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has been publicly advocating for a second NFL franchise in North Texas — specifically in South Dallas.

The idea has gained a little traction in the football world.

Driving the news: The mayor recently announced the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee on Professional Sports Recruitment and Retention, which aims to keep the Mavs and Stars within Dallas city limits and attract a second NFL team — while also gently needling the Rangers, Cowboys and other teams that don't play their games in the city of Dallas.

We took the liberty of coming up with a list of possible names for this hypothetical new franchise.

🛢️ Dallas Oilers  — Yes, there used to be an NFL team with that name, but they moved. And what better way to torture Houstonians.

The big picture: To be clear, there's no chance this second North Texas team will actually happen. (At least not in the next decade or two.) 

Yes, but: All of these names are still better than The Commanders, right?

Our list of team names for Dallas' hypothetical second NFL franchise

We took the liberty of coming up with a list of possible names for Dallas' hypothetical second football team.

A running back running in a very old photo

Long before the Houston Texans, we had the Dallas Texans. (Now the Chiefs.) Which proves you can absolutely re-use an NFL franchise name. Photo: Hy Peskin/Getty Images

Austin

Axios Austin

Former Texas linebacker Emmanuel Acho hasn't watched "Moana" or "Frozen" — a fact that left roughly a dozen students' mouths hanging open at the Moody Center on Monday.

Yes, but: They quickly overlooked the sin as the sports analyst and author offered advice on how to achieve their goals and move through adversity: "Put your skills and abilities out there," Acho said.

State of play: Acho is making the rounds at his alma mater. He delivered UT's commencement speech Saturday and sat down with actor Matthew McConaughey on Sunday to discuss his new book, "Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits."

Acho's previous books emerged from his Emmy-winning YouTube interviews, "Uncomfortable conversations with a Black man," which include an episode with McConaughey.

"I got a lot of blowback from both sides," Acho said of the series at the Moody Center event. "Some people were like, 'Hey, Emmanuel, stop being so nice to white people. … Some people, the ones that typically weren't of color, were telling me that I was a race baiter. We have to remember there are extremists on both sides. I try to live in the middle."

Of note: Acho's conversation at the Moody Center's Dell Technologies Club was offered to students from three local high schools receiving technology, education and professional development from the tech giant.

Dell offers programming including the student-led help desk TechCrew and Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) to help underserved students prepare for careers in technology.

Former Texas linebacker Emmanuel Acho meets with local students

Acho is making the rounds at his alma mater. He delivered UT's commencement speech Saturday and sat down with actor Matthew McConaughey on Sunday.

Dell Technologies' LaToya Collins-Jones (left) speaks with former University of Texas linebacker Emmanuel Acho (right) at the Moody Center. Photo: Nicole Cobler/Axios

Business

News

Columbus

Axios Columbus

Disc golf, an outdoor sport with little barrier to entry and plenty of distance between players, has experienced a popularity surge during the pandemic.

Want to give it a try? Here are Central Ohio's top three courses, per discgolfscene.com's online reviews. All are free to play.

1 course with 18 holes that's reservable for private competitions.

Simsburg Park, 625 E. Columbus St., Pickerington

2 courses, 45 holes, with a waterfront view!

Hoover Reservoir Park, 4151 Central College Rd., Westerville

1 course, 18 holes, for players seeking a challenge.

Charles Alley Nature Park, 2805 Old Logan Rd. SE, Lancaster

Zoom out: In the mood for a road trip? The Columbus Dispatch compiled the state's top 30 courses. 

Central Ohio's top 3 disc golf courses

Try these spots in Pickerington, Westerville and Lancaster.

Photo: Aram Boghosian/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Things to Do

Philadelphia

Axios Philadelphia

We'll soon know whether the World Cup is in Philly's near future.

Driving the news: FIFA recently announced plans to reveal the 2026 World Cup match sites that will stretch across U.S., Mexico and Canada, on June 16. 

Philly is one of 22 cities across the three countries — 17 in the U.S. — vying to host matches for the 48-team tournament. 

The big picture: 2026 will mark the first time the World Cup has three co-hosts and 80 matches, up from 64. 

Of the matches, 60 will be played in the U.S., while Canada and Mexico will host 10 games each. 

By the numbers: Philly could reap a significant economic boost from hosting up to six matches in Lincoln Financial Field, according to a report from Philadelphia Soccer 2026. 

The matches could generate an estimated $460 million in total economic impact in Philly. 

An estimated 450,000 total attendees are expected to flock to the city for the event, with visitor spending potentially ranging from $147 million to $262 million. 

Between the lines: FIFA is weighing several factors in the selection process, including the host cities' stadiums, sustainability, human rights and general infrastructure, according to the organization. 

What they're saying: The host cities will be key to ensuring the success of the World Cup in 2026, Colin Smith, FIFA's chief tournaments and events officer, said in a statement. 

"We look forward to working with them to deliver what will undoubtedly be the largest FIFA World Cup in history," he added.

Meg Kane, bid coordinator for Philadelphia Soccer 2026, told Axios: "Should Philadelphia be selected, we will be ready to celebrate."

Looking for more sports coverage? Sign up for Axios Sports.

FIFA to soon announce decision on Philly's 2026 World Cup bid

FIFA is weighing several factors in determining host cities, including stadiums, sustainability and human rights.

Illustration of a soccer ball on a soccer pitch with a dollar sign line

Soccer

Axios Sports

Connor McDavid is having a historic postseason, the likes of which we haven't seen since "The Great One" and "Super Mario" roamed the ice.

By the numbers: The Oilers superstar has 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) through 10 games, joining Wayne Gretzky (1983 and 1985), Mario Lemieux (1992) and Rick Middleton (1983) as the only players to ever do that.

McDavid's three assists in Sunday's 4-1 win over the Flames gave him his ninth multi-point game, the most ever through 10 games.

His 23 points would have made him the leading scorer in the 2019, 2015, 2012 and 2011 playoffs. It's still the second round!

What to watch: No player has recorded more than 36 points in a single postseason in 29 years. If Edmonton keeps winning, McDavid will almost certainly end that drought.

Elsewhere ... It looks bleak for the top-seeded Panthers, who are down 3-0 to the two-time defending champs. The Hurricanes, Oilers and Avalanche lead the other series 2-1.

East: Lightning 3, Panthers 0; Hurricanes 2, Rangers 1

West: Oilers 2, Flames 1; Avalanche 2, Blues 1

Connor McDavid's historic NHL playoff run

If Edmonton keeps winning, McDavid will almost certainly end a 29-year drought.

Justin Thomas entered Sunday seven strokes back with a 1.2% chance to win the PGA Championship. 21 holes later, he'd won his second major.

Why it matters: Thomas' seven-stroke rally is tied for the third-largest final round comeback in major championship history, trailing only Paul Lawrie (10 strokes, 1999 Open) and Jack Burke Jr. (eight, 1956 Masters).

How it happened: The quick version is that Thomas (-5) beat Will Zalatoris in a three-hole playoff to win his second PGA Championship (2017), but that belies the chaos of the final few holes.

Thomas got himself in the mix with four birdies in his last 10 holes and entered the clubhouse one stroke behind Chile's Mito Pereira, the surprising 54-hole leader competing in his second major.

Zalatoris then nailed a clutch par putt on 18 to match Thomas. Both players needed Pereira to falter down the stretch — and they got their wish.

Pereira's birdie putt on 17 fell a half-inch short, which proved costly as he double-bogeyed 18 to miss the playoff entirely and join the hall of 72nd-hole horrors.

In the playoff — the first at any major since the 2017 Masters — Thomas went birdie-birdie-par including a monster drive that reached the green on the par-four 17th. He tapped in for par on 18 to win.

The big picture: Thomas, 29, becomes just the sixth golfer since World War II with 15 PGA Tour victories and two majors before turning 30 (Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy).

The last word: Caddie Jim "Bones" Mackay gave Thomas some great advice ahead of Sunday's final round. Words to remember:

"You have to stop being so hard on yourself. You don't have to be perfect. Keep staying positive so good stuff can happen."

Justin Thomas wins PGA Championship with comeback for the ages

Thomas entered Sunday seven strokes back with a 1.2% chance to win. 21 holes later, he'd won his second major.

Justin Thomas holds the Wanamaker Trophy.

Chicago

Axios Chicago

The White Sox and Yankees fought on Saturday in New York, but not because of a dirty play or call on the field.

Context: Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson called Tim Anderson "Jackie," in reference to Jackie Robinson. 

Anderson is one of the few African American players in baseball. In 2019, he said he "kind of feel[s] like today's Jackie Robinson." 

Driving the news: Anderson took exception to the nickname, and words were exchanged. When Donaldson came to the plate, White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal got in his face, causing both teams to clear benches. 

What they're saying: "He just made a disrespectful comment," Anderson said after the game. "I don't play like that. I don't really play at all."

"This game went through a period of time a lot of those comments were made, and I think we're way past that," Grandal told reporters after the game. 

The other side: Donaldson doesn't deny calling Anderson "Jackie" but told reporters it was an inside joke referencing the article.

Backstory: These two players are not friends. They fought in Chicago earlier this month and last year when Donaldson was with the Twins.

What's next: MLB says it is investigating.

💭 Justin's thought bubble: Even if Donaldson wasn't trying to be racist, he wasn't calling Anderson "Jackie" as a term of endearment. It's high school bullying at best, disrespectful racism at worst.

You are an adult playing a kids' game. Act like it.

White Sox call taunt racist

The bad blood between the White Sox and Josh Donaldson continues.

Photo of a baseball player being restrained from fighting. 

Tim Anderson is held back by teammates on Saturday against the Yankees in New York. Photo:  Sarah Stier/Getty Images 

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