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Zach Lutz (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

In the high school class of 2004, there was perhaps no recruiting battle more intriguing than the one over Governor Mifflin Senior High School (Pa.) third baseman Zach Lutz.

In one corner stood prominent Division I programs, each with an elite reputation, state-of-the-art facilities and yearly Omaha aspirations. In the other corner stood Division III Alvernia College (now Alvernia University). The Crusaders (now Golden Wolves) had finished the 2004 season with a respectable 27-17 record, but, more importantly, they were coached by Zachâ€s father, Yogi.

“Coming out of high school, I had some interest from the University of South Carolina, from Notre Dame, from Stanford,†Lutz said. “But for me, my mind was always set on going to play for my dad. Thatâ€s what I had my trust in—he knew my swing better than anybody.â€

Lutz chose Alvernia, and as a freshman, he teamed with fellow future big leaguer Anthony Recker to lead the Crusaders to a 41-6 record. He earned two-way All-America honors, hitting .423 and carrying a 9-0 record and 3.32 ERA on the mound during his standout freshman season.

That .423 average would end up being the worst Lutz ever hit at Alvernia. He posted a .464 average as a sophomore, then “slipped” to .454 as a junior while adding 12 home runs and earning NCAA Division III Player of the Year honors. Lutzâ€s standout years of production at the plate and strong frame caught the eye of the professional ranks, and the Mets made him their fifth-round selection in the 2007 MLB Draft.

Lutz had never struggled at Alvernia. Truthfully, he hadnâ€t even experienced moments of mediocrity. As such, the jump in competition from Alvernia was apparent from the get-go at his first Mets minicamp in Port St. Lucie after signing.

“I faced some Latin kid, and he was throwing 98 mph,” Lutz said. “And afterwards, I called my dad and said, ‘Dad Iâ€ve got no shot.’ I couldnâ€t even see it.â€

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Coach Lutz calmed his son. And while he was able to quickly correct his mindset and assert himself at the plate, his main problem was not being up there nearly as much as heâ€d like.

“Most of my career was derailed by injuries,” Lutz said. “A lot of freak injuries.”

Lutz broke a bone in his foot in his first professional game, resulting in six screws in his foot. Unfortunately, it served as a sign of things to come. In his minor league career, Lutz suffered multiple concussions, injuries to his hamstring and ankle and a broken ring finger via an errant foul ball hit into the dugout.

When he could find his way on the field, however, Lutz raked. He slashed .292/.384/.544 with 29 homers in 127 games at the Double-A and Triple-A levels from 2010 to 2011. Ultimately, Lutz proved he could handle pitching in the high minors, but finding the opportunity to prove that at the big league level was more of a challenge.

“For me, especially with the Mets, I had David Wright in front of me at third base, I had Lucas Duda and Ike Davis over at first base,†Lutz said. “I knew I just needed to swing the bat. If I swung the bat, they were going to find a spot for me. And whenever I was on the field, I always hit.â€

After years of injury trouble, Lutz finally got the call to New York to fill the roster spot of an injured Jason Bay in 2012. Heâ€d appear in 22 games for the Mets from 2012-2013, struggling to break through their crowded corner infield situation.

Lutz spent the latter half of his career searching for an opportunity to hit, playing in both Japan and Korea while also fighting his injury history. He retired following the 2017 season, still able to hit, but unable to keep up with the physical day-in, day-out demands of professional baseball.

On the surface, Lutz spurning the higher ranks of college baseball for Alvernia seems like a peculiar decision. But his professional on-field results and big league service gave Lutz the satisfaction that he was built for his unique journey.

“You get drafted out of a Division III school and thrown into pro ball, itâ€s a completely different world,” Lutz said. “Youâ€ve gotta be mentally tough to get through that, and thatâ€s how it was.”

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While other promotions claim to have the best women’s division in the world, Athena does not believe anyone can match up to AEW/ROH.

In an interview with WFAA News in Texas, Athena was asked about the possibility of AEW holding an all-women’s event in the future. She said Tony Khan has absolutely thought about the idea, and it’s just a matter of getting the timing right. Talent is not an issue, Athena believes, with her saying AEW/ROH has a stacked roster with eager women.

“I know TK has absolutely thought about that. I think it’s just about timing when it comes to those things,” she said about the potential all-women’s event. “And he’s been very open about it. We have the best roster in the world. I know everyone says it, but we actually do have the best roster in the world. We have Mercedes Mone, Toni Storm, myself — the Minion Overlord and Forever ROH Champion.

“But we have a very stacked roster and we have a lot of eager women. I like to say Ring of Honor is the girl show, because we have women’s wrestling across the board. From Leila Grey to Billy Starkz to that hussy Sareee who showed up out of nowhere when I was on vacation. Don’t know what’s up with that, don’t want to know. We have Alex Windsor. We have a beautiful platform where we get to see these women grow on Ring of Honor and then see them progress through AEW.

“So, yes, absolutely. I know it’s something that TK has in mind, especially with the tag team tournament. I just think we have to have baby steps and establish people more to get there. But, yes, I do know that that is on his brain, and it has been on his brain since I have been in AEW. So I know it’s just about timing.”

Athena has been ROH Women’s World Champion for nearly three years now. She is partnering with Mercedes Mone in the tournament to crown the first-ever AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions.

Outside of AEW/ROH, Athena’s indie promotion Metroplex Wrestling is presenting its second all-women’s event — titled “Who Runs The World? 2” — in Irving, Texas this Saturday. She told WFAA that her goal with this passion project is to showcase the power of women’s wrestling.

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Joseph Currier

Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.

In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated’s wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.

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Athena isnâ€t shy when it comes to defending AEW and ROHâ€s womenâ€s roster, and sheâ€s laying down a bold claim against every other promotion in the game.

During an interview with WFAA News in Texas, the current ROH Womenâ€s World Champion addressed the topic of a potential all-womenâ€s AEW event. While she confirmed Tony Khan has seriously considered the idea, she also made it clear that talent is not the issue—because, in her eyes, no one else comes close.

“We have the best roster in the world. I know everyone says it, but we actually do have the best roster in the world. We have Mercedes Mone, Toni Storm, myself — the Minion Overlord and Forever ROH Champion.â€

Athena believes the only thing standing in the way of an AEW all-womenâ€s event is timing, not readiness. According to her, the foundation is already strong—especially with Ring of Honorâ€s contributions.

“I like to say Ring of Honor is the girl show, because we have womenâ€s wrestling across the board. From Leila Grey to Billy Starkz to that hussy Sareee who showed up out of nowhere when I was on vacation… We have Alex Windsor. We have a beautiful platform where we get to see these women grow on Ring of Honor and then see them progress through AEW.â€

She added that the idea has been on Tony Khanâ€s mind for a long time and itâ€s not a matter of if—just when.

“Yes, absolutely. I know itâ€s something that TK has in mind, especially with the tag team tournament. I just think we have to have baby steps and establish people more to get there.â€

Athena is currently teamed up with TBS Champion Mercedes Moné in the tournament to crown AEWâ€s first-ever Womenâ€s Tag Team Champions. Outside the AEW/ROH ecosystem, sheâ€s also continuing her work with Metroplex Wrestling, which is presenting “Who Runs the World? 2â€â€”an all-womenâ€s indie event in Texas this weekend.

“My goal is to showcase the power of womenâ€s wrestling.â€

Athena has never been one to stay silent, and her claim that AEW/ROH tops the world in womenâ€s wrestling is bound to stir up debate. But with a resume like hers, sheâ€s more than ready to defend it.

Does AEW and ROH have the best women’s division right now? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

HOUSEKEEPING

•Andradeâ€s absence since his return to AEW finally got some explanation. Multiple outlets reported that Andrade had unwittingly violated a 90 day non-compete and was thus potentially subject to a one-year non-compete. The one-year non-compete seems rather punitive and of questionable legality. It remains to be seen how long Andrade will be off TV as the situation is resolved.

INTRO

AEW is back in my home state of Texas tonight for the fallout from WrestleDream. Fallout shows have been a little iffy lately with random matches thrown together. Not the case tonight. The announced matches all stem from something that happened at the PPV. I expect the San Antonio crowd to be lively and make this an even better show.

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And It Ends With a Wrestling Move

Latest Developments

After weeks of teasing weapons from a flamethrower to a Molotov Cocktail, Darby Allin forced Jon Moxley to say “I Quit†by applying a simple Scorpion Deathlock.

Analysis

On this past weekâ€s Dynamite, Darby and Mox met for a face-to-face in what appeared to be an abandoned prison. A thick mirrored glass separated the two. The words spoken between the two said more than the violence at the end. Darby explained that part of Moxâ€s philosophy made sense, but his methods were beyond the pale after what he did to Bryan Danielson. Mox said that sacrifices had to be made for the future of the craft. Darby accused Mox of chipping away at everything that makes AEW special. Mox said that Darby is chasing demons of the past not him. Thatâ€s when Pac attacked Darby, repeatedly smashing his head into the glass, leaving him a bloody mess. Darby crawling through the gauntlet of Death Riders to get to Mox later in the night established how relentless he was going to be.

When they bell rang on Sunday, I and everyone else watching were prepared for anything. What we got was still plenty violent, although not as violent as I anticipated. The first half of the match was spent with Mox attempting to torture Darby into quitting. He punched Darby in the mouth with a chain, sliced his ear with the bottom rope, shoved a skewer underneath his fingernail, and whipped him with a belt, but Darby refused to quit.

Darby fought back, hanging Mox over the rope with the AEW flag until Mox gouged his eyes. He attempted a Coffin Drop, but Marina pulled Mox to safety. Once back in the ring, Darby crawled over to his backpack and pulled out a bottle of lighter fluid which he doused Mox with. That brought out the rest of the Death Riders. Up until that point it was just Marina.

Darby sprayed Yuta and Garcia with pepper spray. Mox took Darby out with a cutter than yelled at Claudio to throw him a towel. He wiped off the lighter fluid and then pulled a taser out of Darbyâ€s backpack. With help from Marina, he zapped Darby with the taser and hit a Death Rider on a chair. Still no quit. Claudio picked Darby up and, for the second time in six weeks, launched him from inside the ring out onto the announce table with a bone shattering bounce.

Pac dragged Darbyâ€s limp body around the ring where Mox hit a Death Rider off the apron through two tables. Darby wouldnâ€t quit, but Mox begged the ref to call off the match because he cared about Darby. Meanwhile in the ring the Death Riders filled a small aquarium in center ring with water. Marina dragged Darby into the ring next to the aquarium. Mox splashed water in his face and then dunked his head into the tank. He pulled him out and begged him to quit. Darby didnâ€t, so Mox dunked his head again. Darby still refused, so Mox dunked him one more time.

Thatâ€s when the lights went out.

When they came back on Sting – with fully gray hair and goatee – was standing over Mox, trusty bat in hand. He briefly choked Mox with the bat before clearing out Claudio and Pac with bat shots. He destroyed the aquarium then tossed the bat to Darby. As he started to leave the ring, Marina got in his face. She swung at The Icon, but he ducked and tossed her over his shoulder and carried her out. Darby clocked Mox in the gut, across the back, and finally in the knee with the bat. He hit a Scorpion Death Drop and Coffin Drop in succession and then applied the Scorpion Deathlock in the pile of water and broken glass. Mox said “I quit” quickly.

The finishing sequence to this was so masterfully put together. First, Mox tried to torture Darby into quitting as he shoved his head underwater repeatedly. That brought out Sting who has entered the final phase of his career. There was surfer Sting, Crow Sting, Wolfpac Sting, and Joker Sting. Now we have Gran Torino Sting. Much like Clint Eastwood, Sting is the old gunslinger who has reached the end of his fighting days. Like Eastwood in that movie, though, he has just enough left to defend the good guy from the bullies. His passing Darby the bat could be the symbolic passing of the final vestige of Stingâ€s legendary career to the next generation. I wouldnâ€t be surprised to see Darby carrying that bat with him from now on.

The Scorpion Deathlock being the thing to make Mox quit caught me off guard initially. It seemed like a weak finish compared to the intensity of the feud. In hindsight, I think thatâ€s the point. Mox talks a big game, but the minute heâ€s in trouble and he knows heâ€s alone, he gives up quickly. I donâ€t think thatâ€s going to set well with the other Death Riders, specifically Pac. This is the second time in four months Mox has quit. Couple that with the fact that he displayed a soft spot for Darby and that seems like a recipe for his forceful ejection from the group, especially since Pac has already previously questioned Moxâ€s leadership.

Grade: B+

Just F—–g Kill Me

Latest Developments

Kris Statlander proved her win over Toni Storm in the four-way at All Out was no fluke by defeating Toni one-on-one.

Analysis

Stat vs. Storm was somehow both technical and physical. They started with a more methodical approach before eventually resorting to throwing bombs at one another. Storm was noticeably wrestling with a sense of urgency as she fought to recapture her title. She went for a Storm Zero, but Stat did a handstand to avoid contact. The second time around Storm hit the move but Stat became one of three people to have ever kicked out of it. (Mariah May and Mercedes Moné are the other two.) Thatâ€s when they took to trading submission finishers.

First Stat locked Toni in her painful looking leg vice armbar. Toni made it to the ropes. A short time later she trapped Stat in the TCM Chicken Wing, but the champ fought her way out. She hit a Staturday Night Fever on Toni and then put her back in the leg vice armbar. Toni struggled mightily, trying to get to the ropes as Stat shifted position and torque before defiantly refusing to submit and screaming “Just f—–g kill me!” Stat obliged and hit a second Staturday Night Fever for the win.

This was a good match hampered by a crowd still coming down from the high-octane fight between Kyle Fletcher and Mark Briscoe. Between her urgency and the tacit admission that Stat had her beat in the submission when she yelled for her to put her out of her misery, Toni did her best to put Stat over strong. I do wish both Saturday Night Fevers had landed better.

The biggest issue facing this title reign is Stat’s ongoing identity crisis. Sheâ€s talented in the ring and certainly looks like a champion, but she continues to struggle with her promos and personality. Sheâ€s gone to back to using some of the alien jargon while not being referred to as an alien. When she opens her mouth, though, it feels like sheâ€s trying too hard to be a “character.†If she could relax and just be more herself, sheâ€d be in good shape.

As it stands, Stat’s next feud is with Mercedes Moné. Mercedes came out immediately following her victory and shooed her out of the ring. She then proceeded with open challenge to any champion for a title vs. title match. Mina answered the challenge and, after a match that probably went too long for an open challenge on a PPV, Mercedes won and thus captured the ROH Interim Womenâ€s TV Title. This title puts her at 11 which breaks Ultimo Dragonâ€s record of 10. I really donâ€t like ROH belts on AEW TV, but here we are. After the match, Statlander came back to the ring and hit a modified Angle Slam on Mercedes. Later, Mercedes challenged her to a match at Full Gear.

This will be their third outing. The previous two matches were great so I expect much the same. I also anticipate Stat finally getting the win to further legitimize her title reign.

Grade: B

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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A Bitter Angry Samoan

Latest Developments

“Hangman” Adam Page defeated Samoa Joe after three Buckshot Lariats. After gestures of seeming respect for Hangman, Joe blasted him with a clothesline and sicced the Opps on him.

Analysis

To the surprise of nobody, Hangman and Joe had a very physical match. The two men really laid into each other. Joe focused on Hangmanâ€s previously-injured neck, but Hangman just kept fighting back. He finally hit a Dead Eye, an impressive move to execute on a guy of Joe’s size. He followed that up with a Buckshot Lariat. Joe didnâ€t go down. Hangman hit another, but Joe still remained standing. A third Buckshot finally put Joe down for the count.

After the match, the rest of the Opps came down seemingly to console Joe. Hangman extended his hand and Joe accepted. He shook Hangmanâ€s hand, raised his arms, and then nailed him with a clothesline. Shibata and Hobbs then jumped in and started assaulting Hangman. Joe laid the title belt out and dropped Hangman on it with a muscle buster.

The match was really good. Joeâ€s older but heâ€s still every bit the fearsome competitor heâ€s always been. Hangman is no slouch, himself. That it took three Buckshots to put Joe down was a testament to the challenger’s legendary toughness and really made Hangman look strong.

As for the heel turn, I have serious mixed feelings about it. Joe is an excellent heel. Hangman is such the sympathetic, beloved babyface. (Incidentally if you havenâ€t watched his “The Good, The Bad, and the Hangman” documentary on YouTube, stop reading this, go watch it, and then come back.) The problem is that I donâ€t know if the fans will fully get on board with a bitter heel Joe at this stage of his career. I also donâ€t know how effective Shibata can be as a heel.

On the positive side, Hangmanâ€s getting that feud I wanted for him so thereâ€s that.

Grade: B

Callis Family Affairs

Latest Developments

Kyle Fletcher retained the TNT title while friendly fire caused Okada and Takeshita to fail to dethrone Brodido.

Analysis

Kyle Fletcher and Mark Briscoe had really good match. These two guys have great in-ring chemistry; thereâ€s no question about that. The problem is that the match was five minutes too long. When an outcome is as predictable as Fletcher vs. Briscoe, going 25 minutes is a bit excessive. In the end, Fletcher used the top rope brainbuster to secure the victory. With Briscoe firmly behind him, Fletcher should move on to defending against younger up-and-coming wrestlers like “The Dynamite Kid” Tommy Billington.

The AEW Menâ€s World Tag Team title match was as good as expected. How could it not be when there are two Wrestler of the Year candidates and a living legend in the ring together? I appreciated the psychological soundness of Okada targeting Bandidoâ€s injured shoulder. For a lot of the match, Okada and Takeshita actually worked effectively together, but the tension was simmering just below the surface.

Late in the match, when Okada went for a Rainmaker on Bandido. Bandido ducked and Okada hit Takeshita instead. Rather than be dismayed at accidentally taking out his partner, Okada just smiled. That smile quickly turned into a frown as Okada was left alone with the champs. Though it took some encouragement from Brody King, Bandido was able to hit the 21 Plex on Okada with one arm to get the win.

As a result of that pinfall, Bandido was granted a shot at Okadaâ€s Unified Title tonight. That should be another feather in Bandidoâ€s cap even though heâ€s almost certainly going to come up short. The bigger story is what happens between Okada and Takeshita. I donâ€t think Takeshita is going to just forgive and forget being taken out with a Rainmaker or Okadaâ€s crap-eating grin afterwards.

Iâ€d be remiss if I didnâ€t mention the DCF’s other appearance on the show, which was after the Jurassic Express defeated The Young Bucks to win $500K (That brings the grand total of prize money awarded to $3.3 million.) As Josh Alexander, Hechicero, and Lance Archer attacked Jack Perry and Luchasaurus, the Young Bucks just walked away. Kenny Omegaâ€s music then hit.

As The Best Bout Machine made his way down the aisle, he stared down his former friends, attempting to convince them to help Jurassic Express, but they just kept walking. Omega ran to the ring and joined the fray. Eventually Omega and Jurassic Express stood tall.

It very looks like weâ€re getting an Elite reunion sooner rather than later. Kenny needs backup with Kota Ibushi out for a long time. The Bucks have basically hit rock bottom since losing their EVP power at All In. Eventually, they will see the light and stand beside Kenny against the DCF and “Carry On Wayward Son” will once again ring out.

Grade: B+

Random Questions

•Why are these people on my TV? Last week it was MxM TV. This week it was Jacked Jameson with the Frat House, and Big Boom A.J. The only positive in this crap stew of wasted TV time was the fact that Jacked Jameson never got a mic in his hand. MxM TV are neither funny nor entertaining. Taya Valkeryie is being wasted in that group, quite frankly. While I have some respect for Big Boom A.J. because he was actually a legit pro wrestler back in the day and not just some psudeo-celebrity glomming onto the business, Iâ€ve grown tired of seeing him on my TV. Alas, he and Big Justice will be on the Tailgate Brawl for Full Gear in New Jersey where they no doubt receive a pop worthy of actual Garden State royalty like Bon Jovi.

•That took them long enough didnâ€t it? The tournament to crown inaugural AEW Womenâ€s tag Team Champions was announced to be starting in a few weeks. The bracket will be revealed on Dynamite. The way I see it, there are currently five teams for sure in the field: Divine Vanity (Megan Bayne an&d Penelope Ford), The Sisters of Sin, TayJay, Toni Storm & Mina Shirakawa, and Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron. Itâ€s possible that Athena & Billie Starkz from ROH get added. Speaking of ROH, a video package from Collision a few weeks ago mentioned that Syrui & Alex Windsor had been teaming up, t so theyâ€re also a possibility. I could see a team from Stardom and a team from CMLL also making their way in. The eventual winner depends on how the tournament is set up.

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As the Knicks and Nets enter their 2025-26 seasons on entirely opposite trajectories, the conference around them has taken a major step back. Multiple stars hurt or departed, few clear contenders in sight, and Brooklyn doesn’t even have much tanking competition.

Let’s dive into the Atlantic Division as a whole to see how they measure up to each other and a weakened Eastern Conference.

New York Knicks

Projected starters: Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson

Offseason additions: Mike Browntaking over as head coach for Tom Thibodeau, Jordan Clarkson, Geurschon Yabusele,

Offseason departures: Precious Achiuwa

The Knicks face a depleted East after winning 51 games and finishing second last season, sporting a relatively unchanged on-court roster outside of some badly needed added depth. The big question for the regular season is how quickly and effectively the Knicks adopt their new system under their new head coach.

Philadelphia 76ers

Projected starters: Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Kelly Oubre Jr., Paul George, Joel Embiid

Offseason additions: VJ Edgecombe, Trendon Watford

Offseason departures:Yabusele

Philly is this season’s ultimate anomaly, with possibilities ranging from the high lottery to the Finals. Step one, as always for this team, is health, as their big three of Maxey, George and Embiid only shared the court for 15 games and under 300 minutes last year.

Just playing together and building chemistry would elevate them on talent alone above much of the East, but if they want to make real noise in the playoffs they’ll need a lot more to go right. Most expect bad luck or bad construction (no bigs, small wings) to derail this team long before that, but in a frail East, you can’t ignore this squad’s upside.

May 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) walks off the court after losing to the New York Knicks in game six in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / © Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Boston Celtics

Projected starters: Anfernee Simons, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta

Offseason additions: Simons

Offseason departures: Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horfordand Luke Kornet

What a difference a year makes. One season removed from a championship, the Celtics sold their team, lost to the Knicks, lost their star player for the year and blew the team up in a soft reset.

It’s a skeleton crew compared to what they had, but don’t doubt the mettle and makeup of this team. Brown is still a high-level All-Star in his own right, Simons is a scoring marvel who finally gets a chance in a winning culture, and White and Payton Pritchard are still very much here.

They likely can’t compete too deep in the playoffs, but they’ll be a constant annoyance during the regular season and a “crap, really?” matchup in the Play-In and/or first round. However, one big question coming in is how quickly Brown can recover from a preseason hamstring injury.

Toronto Raptors

Projected starters: Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl

Offseason additions: Collin-Murray Boyles

The team of everybody’s favorite ex-Knicks, New York’s partner in lawfare and colleague in the Andrea Bargnani trade, your Toronto Raptors. They may snatch Philly’s “anomaly” belt quickly, boasting a talented but odd-fitting group of hungry young players vying for the playoffs.

Their big splash came last season when they traded for an injured Ingram; now we get to see him in action alongside this core of prospects, for which this is a pivotal year. The oddsmakers and experts don’t expect much more than a hearty Play-In threat, with a much more variable floor.

Brooklyn Nets

Projected starters: Egor Demin, Cam Thomas, Terance Mann, Michael Porter Jr., Nic Claxton

Offseason additions: Haywood Highsmith, Kobe Bufkin, five first-round draft picks

Offseason departures: Cam Johnson

Has Sean Marks “Jordi-proofed” (as per The Ringer’s Zach Lowe) this team adequately enough? The ultimate goal clearly isn’t winning, and running an entire point guard rotation out of rookies is one way to keep from that, but put good coaching and good talent together, and you run some risk.

There’s much more at play here, of course. Thomas is in a contract year for an organization that doesn’t want him. Many of these veterans could be shipped via trade, and everybody wants to see one of these prospects blow up.

Any way you run it, don’t expect Brooklyn to threaten the division or conference.

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Toni Storm might be stepping away from AEWâ€s singles title scene—for now. After coming up short in her AEW Womenâ€s World Title match against Kris Statlander at WrestleDream, thereâ€s a strong belief sheâ€s about to pivot into the tag division.

Dave Meltzer explained during Wrestling Observer Radio that AEW is likely pairing Storm with Mina Shirakawa, who also lost on the same show. The idea? Boost the credibility of the womenâ€s tag belts by putting one of the companyâ€s biggest stars in that role.

“It looked like theyâ€re setting them up — Mina Shirakawa and Toni Storm — they beat both of them tonight, with the idea that now what weâ€ll do is weâ€ll make them the tag team champions. And making Toni Storm tag team champion, the deal is just like… it gives the tag team titles credibility because you have the biggest womenâ€s star in the company as tag team champion. So I get that.â€

But while the move makes sense from a booking standpoint, Meltzer questioned whether Statlander was the right choice for a long-term singles run over Toni—or even over someone like Willow Nightingale.

“I just… I donâ€t… I mean, look — Kris is going to work with Mercedes Moné, so itâ€s a big match. Title versus title. But if it was going to be someone for a long-term title reign, I would have picked Willow above Kris Statlander… I think Willowâ€s got way more charisma, probably wrestles better as well.â€

Storm is arguably the most over woman in AEWâ€s womenâ€s division, both from a character and crowd-response standpoint. Pairing her with Shirakawa could help the tag titles, but it also temporarily pushes her out of the top singles spotlight.

If this shift becomes permanent, AEW might be risking underusing one of its strongest characters—just to give the tag division a short-term jolt.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

Do you think taking Toni Storm out of the singles picture is the right move? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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AEW was founded on the strength of its tag team division, and two of the company’s founders, The Young Bucks (Matthew and Nicholas Jackson), recently shared their thoughts on the current state of tag team wrestling in AEW. Over the past year, several new teams have emerged as major players in the division, bringing new styles and fresh matchups to the forefront. The multi-time former AEW World Tag Team Champions have taken notice of this influx of new talent and believe it has been a significant positive for the entire roster.

During a recent appearance on The Takedown on SI,Matt and Nick Jackson were asked about the recent changes to the tag team division. Matt Jackson specifically singled out two teams that he believes have made a major impact in 2025.

“You know whoâ€s really just caught my eye and the rest of the worldâ€s eye it seems like, is a team like JetSpeed, a team like Brodido, who are the current champions. They came out of nowhere and it has been so fresh. I think the addition of those two teams specifically have really helped spark the tag division in 2025. Itâ€s really helped us out because itâ€s given us new teams to play with.â€

The teams mentioned have both had a major breakout year. JetSpeed, the duo of “Speedball” Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight, have impressed fans. The current AEW World Tag Team Champions, Brodido, the unique pairing of Brody King and Bandido, captured the championships at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view in August. Their reign has brought a new dynamic to the top of the division.

The Young Bucks are set for a match of their own at the AEW WrestleDream pay-per-view tomorrow night, Saturday, October 18. The brothers will go up against the reunited Jurassic Express (Jack Perry and Luchasaurus).

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We have a mega episode for you!

Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones kick off the episode with the latest news, covering the Kings†latest news and ending with a salute to Malcolm Brogdon.

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Then, the guys continue their NBA season preview series with both the Atlantic and Central divisions. They discuss what they’re excited about, key questions they have, potential breakout candidates, and the lineups that intrigue them the most.

If you ever have NBA or WNBA questions, email us at dunkerspot@yahoo.com.

(0:29) Introduction

(1:10) Kings sign Russell Westbrook, re-sign Keegan Murray

(5:14) Malcolm Brogdon retires

(7:09) Boston Celtics preview

(18:42) New York Knicks preview

(34:18) Toronto Raptors preview

(46:05) Brooklyn Nets preview

(53:20) Philadelphia 76ers preview

(1:00:35) Cleveland Cavaliers preview

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(1:10:09) Indiana Pacers preview

(1:18:04) Milwaukee Bucks preview

(1:27:12) Detroit Pistons preview

(1:34:37) Chicago Bulls preview

Jalen Brunson and the Knicks offense will look different under Mike Brown. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

ðŸ–¥ï¸ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at or atyahoosports.tv

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Everybody knew entering the season the top end of the Central Division was loaded. A few games into the schedule, though, itâ€s hard to spot a soft touch anywhere in the group.

Alternatively, it also feels like you canâ€t swing a Sherwood without whacking one of the numerous superstars or burgeoning superstars in the division.

The Colorado Avalanche won 3-1 in Buffalo on a holiday Monday and donâ€t have a 60-minute loss in four outings this season. The Winnipeg Jets do have one ‘L,†but are also now 2-1-0 after a Monday victory on Long Island. The Dallas Stars, meanwhile, account for the only blemishes on both Winnipegâ€s and Coloradoâ€s records, as the Stars are 2-0-0 with road wins over their chief division rivals.

Minnesota and St. Louis — the fourth and fifth teams the Central sent to the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs last spring — both also got victories on Monday and have decent 2-1-0 starts going.

Those squads being good is nothing new. Itâ€s at the bottom of the division, though, where things might be tightening up. The Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators not only finished in the Centralâ€s basement last season, they had the second- and third-worst goal differentials in the entire league (Chicago was No. 31 at minus-70 and Nashville was only slightly better, at minus-60).

Nashville spoiled Ottawaâ€s home opener on Monday with a 4-1 win and the Preds, who certainly had some bounce-back potential after last seasonâ€s miserable showing, are off to a 2-0-1 start. Meanwhile, in Mondayâ€s only all-Central affair, the young Blackhawks topped Utah 3-1. The victory marked Chicagoâ€s first ‘W†of the season, but all three losses were by just a single goal. As for Utah, the Mammoth have played only Central rivals this year — all as the visitor — and have a respectable 1-2-0 mark with a tight 2-1 loss in Colorado and a 3-2 OTW in Nashville in the mix.

• 
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Now glance at the top of the NHL scoring charts and ask yourself if anything but the Central could be called the leagueâ€s “Group of Death.” Coloradoâ€s Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas lead the way with eight points, followed closely by the seven both Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy of the Wild have in one fewer contest. Right behind Minnyâ€s guys sits Mark Scheifele, whoâ€s just over here putting up 3-3-6 in three outings on his way to another boring point-per-game year as a six-foot-three centre. Scheifeleâ€s runningmate in Winnipeg, of course, is Kyle Connor, who has five points in three outings.

Truly, MacKinnon-Necas, Kaprizov-Boldy and Scheifele-Connor probably represent three of the best, what, half-dozen duos in the NHL? And we havenâ€t even mentioned the reigning league MVP and back-to-back Vezina winner, Connor Hellebuyck, or last yearâ€s top defenceman, superfreak Cale Makar.

Last season, the best team after Februaryâ€s 4 Nations Face-Off was the Blues and their top centre, Robert Thomas, was the most productive player in the league to close out the year. On Monday, St. Louis freshman Jimmy Snuggerud popped his first two goals of the year to give himself three points on the season.

One of the biggest off-season trades involved Utah acquiring young sniper JJ Peterka from Buffalo and heâ€s already on the board with a goal against the Blackhawks, the first of many heâ€s going to net for the Mammoth. In Minnesota, Zeev Buium (more on him in a minute) is showing why he was such a heralded prospect, just as his fellow Wild defenceman Brock Faber was a very short time ago.

There may still be a long road back to contention in Chicago, but weâ€re seeing early good signs from Connor Bedard, who has two goals, and a fantastic start for sophomore Frank Nazar, who has five points in as many outings with the Hawks.

With young studs and established megastars alike, the Central could be at the centre of NHL conversations for a long time to come.

• Itâ€s impossible not to be struck by the start Matthew Schaefer has had to his NHL career. The 2025 first-overall pick has picked up a point in each of his first three games, giving him a 1-2-3 line in his earliest days as an Islander. Perhaps more impressively, the defenceman who turned 18 barely a month ago is leading the team in ice time per game with an average of 23:18. In fact, Schaefer played over 26 minutes both on Saturday versus the Caps and Monday versus the Jets, and thatâ€s despite neither game going past three periods.

As it happens, Schaefer isnâ€t the only rookie teenager looking like he belongs in the worldâ€s best league right now. Beckett Senneke, the third-overall selection in 2024, scored for the second time in as many games on Saturday during Anaheimâ€s wild 7-6 overtime win in San Jose. The 19-year-old has been skating as a winger on the top line with Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier. A late bloomer in major junior, the six-foot-three Sennecke has good size and loads of skill.

Meanwhile, Zeev Buium has been living up to the hype early on in Minnesota. The 19-year-old defenceman who dazzled in the NCAA the past couple years had three points in two weekend games, netting his first NHL goal and assist in a 7-4 loss to Columbus on Saturday, before tacking on another helper in Mondayâ€s 4-3 shootout victory over the Kings.

• Though he had a career-best 31-goal season last season, Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko closed the schedule by going nine games without a goal as Columbus made a push for the playoffs that ultimately came up short. Well, Marchenko isnâ€t fooling around to start this season, netting a hat trick on Saturday in Minnesota, before chipping in another tally during Mondayâ€s 3-2 loss versus the Devils.Â

With four goals in the bank already, itâ€s easy to wonder if this talented 25-year-old can push up toward 40 this year in Ohio.

Red and white power rankings

1. Edmonton Oilers (1-0-1)The Oilers get a tough test right out of the gate with seven of their next eight games on the road, beginning Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden versus the Rangers.

2. Winnipeg Jets (2-1-0)It was nice to see Jonathan Toews pick up his first point as a Jet — and first in the NHL since April 13, 2023 — with an assist on Nino Niederreiterâ€s PPG on Long Island during a 5-2 triumph over the Isles.

3. Montreal Canadiens (2-1-0)ÂThe season began with an extension for Lane Hutson looking light a real long shot. Now, the Canadiens will play their home-opener Tuesday night knowing the dynamic, second-year defenceman will be in their midst — at a friendly $8.85-million cap hit — for the next decade after he inked an eight-year contract on Monday.Â

4. Toronto Maple Leafs (1-2-0)Now that Easton Cowan has debuted in the NHL, it looks like the young man might get a good run beside Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies on the top line.

5. Ottawa Senators (1-2-0)ÂThereâ€s obvious concern over the health of Brady Tkachuk after the Ottawa captain left Mondayâ€s home opener following a cross-check from behind at the hands of Preds captain Roman Josi.Â

6. Vancouver Canucks (1-2-0)ÂThings only get tougher for the Canucks from here, with a five-game roadie beginning Thursday in Dallas.Â

7. Calgary Flames (1-2-0)ÂIt came in a loss, but Matt Coronatoâ€s two-goal game in Calgaryâ€s home opener on Saturday was a good sign the third-year NHLer is ready to build on last yearâ€s 24-goal showing.Â

• The NHLâ€s Board of Governors meet Tuesday in New York.

On the ice, Nikita Kucherov could hit a lofty benchmark with a big night in D.C. The Bolts scoring whiz needs four points to hit 1,000 for his spectacular career. After that, heâ€ll be only 137 behind Steven Stamkos for the all-time franchise lead.

Could you imagine if Alex Ovechkin potted goal No. 900 — heâ€s three shy — on the same night his countryman hit 1,000 points?

• Two teams — the Sabres and Islanders — have played three games this season without earning a single point. Buffalo will try to change that on Wednesday when it hosts old friend Dylan Cozens and the Senators, while New York will try to get the better of the Oilers the next night on Long Island.

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Oct 11, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

Another day, another win-or-go-home Game 5 in the 2025 MLB playoffs!

With the American League Division Series decided in an epic finale, the National League Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers comes down to one last meeting tonight at American Family Field.

The Brewers entered the series as the favorite — and the NL’s top overall seed. But after taking a commanding 2-0 lead, their NL Central rival Cubs evened the series with two wins at Wrigley Field.

Now we’re back in Milwaukee — with the winner moving on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL pennant.

We’ve got you covered with pregame lineups and the keys to Game 5, along with takeaways after the final out.

Series tied 2-2

Game 5 starters:TBD vs. TBD

Key to winning Game 5 for Chicago:The Cubs will need to get some length from one of their pitchers. While it will undoubtedly be Johnny Wholestaff going for manager Craig Counsell, they’ll probably need one pitcher to go at least three innings or so. Shota Imanaga, who was bad in Game 2 and struggled down the stretch? Colin Rea, who pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless relief in that game? Game 3 starter Jameson Taillon, coming off a 75-pitch outing? Aaron Civale, who pitched 4.1 scoreless innings in mop-up duty in Game 1? This game shapes up as an interesting strategic battle of relief decisions and pinch-hitters between Counsell and Pat Murphy, with Murphy focusing on his left-handed pitchers against Michael Busch, daring Counsell to pinch-hit, and Counsell trying to get his right-handed pitchers against Jackson Chourio, who is 7-for-15 in the series. — David Schoenfield

Key to winning Game 5 for Milwaukee:The Brewers have rightfully received a lot of credit for their ability to score runs without relying as much on homers as other teams. But they’ll probably need to hit more home runs than the Cubs to win this game. When the Brewers hit at least one home run, they’re 70-36, including 1-1 in this series. Yes, they scored nine runs in Game 1 without hitting a home run, but when they don’t hit a home run this season, they’re 29-31. If Shota Imanaga pitches for the Cubs, either as the starter or in a long-relief role, that’s a good sign for the Brewers. They homered twice off him in Game 2, and he’s now allowed at least one home run in 10 consecutive appearances and two-plus home runs in eight of his last 14 appearances. — Schoenfield

Lineups

Cubs

TBD

Brewers

TBD

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