76ers owner should consider WNBA investment; Phillies woes continue
Name a town more basketball-crazy than Philadelphia. Bet you can’t.
Yet for all its rich basketball lore, the city doesn’t have a professional women’s basketball team — and hasn’t since Dawn Staley’s Philadelphia Rage of the late ‘90s.
The WNBA is expanding, and commissioner Cathy Engelbert recently mentioned eight cities the league was considering. That list didn’t include Philadelphia.
The history is there, but the right ownership group isn’t. In her debut column, Alex Coffey explores that issue and calls on Sixers owner Josh Harris to invest — for the benefit of the city and the billionaire himself.
— Maria McIlwain, Inquirer Sports Staff, @phillysport, [email protected].
❓If Philadelphia were to get a WNBA team, what would you name it? .
What better way to learn about new 76ers coach Nick Nurse than to ask those who interacted with him in Toronto? The Inquirer’s Gina Mizell reached out to reporters who covered Nurse during his five seasons with the Raptors. Michael Grange of Sportsnet and Doug Smith of the Toronto Star share details about Nurse’s personality and explain why he’s been labeled one of the NBA’s most creative coaches.
The Sixers will introduce Nick Nurse as their next head coach at a press conference at 2:15 p.m. Thursday.
One-third of the way through the season, the Phillies are chasing. Chasing the division-leading Braves, the nemesis Mets, and five other teams for six playoff spots in a watered-down National League. Chasing the feeling of going 65-46 over the final four months last season and making an exhilarating October sprint to the World Series. Chasing a stable No. 5 starter and more hits with runners in scoring position.
Mostly, though, they are chasing too many pitches. It’s a lineup-wide epidemic. As a team, the Phillies have swung at 31.7% of pitches outside the strike zone, according to Statcast, the highest rate in the NL and second-highest in baseball behind the White Sox (33.2%) entering play Wednesday. The league average was 28.2%. So how do they fix it? Well, maybe they don’t.
A tight hamstring kept Alec Bohm out of the lineup on Wednesday and could land him on the injured list.
Aaron Nola now has a 4.70 ERA after another Phillies loss to the New York Mets.
Next: The Phillies wrap up their series with the Mets at 1:10 p.m. Thursday (NBCSP). Taijuan Walker (4-2, 5.57 ERA) will start against Mets right-hander Max Scherzer (4-2, 3.54).
For Sean Desai, his path to becoming Eagles defensive coordinator is an immigrant story. He was born in Connecticut but faced long odds of reaching the NFL. But when he came to a fork in the road in his career, he received the support of his parents, who immigrated from India. Desai, who has a teaching background at Temple, has become the first Indian American coordinator in the NFL. And in an unCovering the Birds conversation with Jeff McLane, he emphasizes that he’s looking to become the best defensive coordinator, period.
For Bill McGovern, who died at age 60 on Tuesday, the former Eagles linebackers coach was a coaching lifer who just kept on learning. Mike Sielski remembers McGovern and brings back an interview in which the coach said, “If I can help a guy have a good day and get a little bit better, that’s what teaching and coaching is all about.”
The NFL is known for a lot, but international diversity is low on the list. So how did a first-generation Indian American land one of the most prominent gigs on the Eagles’ coaching staff? Sean Desai’s ascent is unequivocally an immigrant story, one underscored by hard work, long odds, and the support of family and friends. But for as much as he recognizes the historic nature of his hiring, Desai wants to be defined by the demands of his job. His goal is to be the best defensive coordinator in the NFL, and between his training, experience, and the personnel now at his disposal, he believes he’s got what it takes to deliver. On the season finale of unCovering the Birds, Inquirer Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane retraces Desai’s path, and how it’s shaped the coach he’s become.
Listen to all episodes here or wherever you get your podcasts.
While the Stanley Cup Final begins this weekend, the Flyers’ focus is firmly on the offseason.
The team enters a critical first offseason since committing to its rebuild with several key decisions to make when it comes to the NHL draft, potentially freeing up salary-cap space, and sorting out who should stay and who should go. In that vein, Giana Han put her general manager hat on to lay out a five-point plan for the Flyers this summer.
It took until the 70th minute and required an own goal, but the Union edged Charlotte FC, 1-0, on Wednesday night to extend their regular-season unbeaten streak to eight games.
The Union had plenty of chances before Dániel Gazdag forced the own goal with a close-range header and outshot Charlotte, 11-5. Jim Curtin stuck with the same starters from Saturday, and all three centerbacks played the entire game, which leaves us wondering about Curtin’s plan for the starting lineup next time out.
Worth a look
Mark your calendars:Temple and Penn State teased times and TV info for their upcoming football seasons.
Rowan’s ready: Coach Kim Wilson has the Profs in the Division III softball championship.
What you’re saying about Nick Nurse
We asked: Do you think Nurse is the right choice as Sixers coach? Among your responses:
Short and sweet. Sixers should have hired local very successful Frank Vogel. —Joe M.
I think that we should not expect greatness for this coming season because it is going to take a while for the team to learn a new system and coaching style ... — Joe S.
We will see what kind of a coach he is in the first game. If Embid continues to bring the ball up court then we have a loser for a coach. — Paul D.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, Gina Mizell, Scott Lauber, Jeff McLane, Mike Sielski, Giana Han, Jonathan Tannenwald, Kerith Gabriel, and Aaron Carter.
