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Ryan Day’s wife answers whether he dyes his beard

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Ryan Day’s wife has had enough of one popular narrative about the Ohio State head coach and his beard.

Over the years, many have accused Day of dyeing his beard black. The allegation resurfaced in a recent video from Outkick’s Clay Travis, who said Day’s alleged beard-dyeing was a sign that he is “not trustworthy.”

That did not sit well with Day’s wife Christina. In a post on X, Christina Day made clear that Day has never dyed his beard.

“I have known Ryan my entire life and he has never once (dyed) his beard. Move on to the next narrative,” Christina wrote.

Day’s jet black beard is certainty striking. Travis is hardly the only one who believes the Ohio State coach has applied some extra care to it. It honestly does not even matter if he does, but the claim seemed to strike a nerve with his wife, perhaps because it was somehow being used against him.

Day has had to deal with much more pointed criticism over the past few years. Some jabs about his beard probably aren’t going to bother him. Besides, he just won a national title. This sort of thing should be the least of his concerns.

Ravens GM answers whether team will trade Mark Andrews

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Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta was asked Tuesday whether Mark Andrews might be traded around the time of the draft. DeCosta did not commit to Andrews being on the team’s roster no matter what.

The question arose since there have been some trade rumors surrounding the longtime Ravens tight end. DeCosta was extremely complimentary about Andrews but did not say the team would definitively keep him.

“I never know what’s going to happen … but I can tell you this, Mark Andrews is a warrior. And he’s played his b-tt off for us. His competitiveness, his talent, his attitude, his leadership is so valued here. He’s a great player, and I think we’re in the business of keeping as many great players as we can,” DeCosta said.

DeCosta did not that there is “always a lot of unpredictability with the draft, you just never know.”

Andrews, 29, was a third-round pick by the Ravens in 2018 and has played his entire career with Baltimore. He has made three Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro player in 2021 when he had 107 catches for 1,361 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Andrews is entering the final season of the four-year, $56 million contract extension he signed in 2021. He is due to make $7 million in base salary and has a $16.9 million cap hit. Ravens fans have been upset with him over the way he played in the team’s playoff loss to the Bills.

Report: Nico Iamaleava could encounter 1 major issue with transfer

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Nico Iamaleava is set to enter the transfer portal after Tennessee was unwilling to meet his NIL demands, and the quarterback could reportedly encounter a big issue while negotiating with other schools.

Tennessee decided to part ways with Iamaleava after the redshirt sophomore skipped the team’s spring practice on Friday over a pay dispute. Reports have indicated that Iamaleava is seeking a $4 million NIL deal, which is significantly more than the $2.4 million deal he had with the Volunteers.

According to Pete Nakos of On3, multiple schools are only willing to pay Iamaleava in the range of $1 million. Those schools are reportedly planning to wait to see if Iamaleava’s NIL demands become more reasonable before they enter the mix for the star quarterback.

That is not ideal for Iamaleava, if true. It is possible that he could wind up with far less money than he would have gotten had he just remained with Tennessee.

In his first year as a full-time starter last season, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards with 19 touchdown passes and 5 interceptions. He also rushed for 358 yards and 3 scores while helping the Vols reach the College Football Playoff. He is viewed as the top quarterback available in the portal, but that does not mean he is going to receive $4 million offers.

Iamaleava is from Long Beach, Calif., which may explain why one particular school is viewed as the favorite to land him.

The big question now is whether Iamaleava will wind up with a worse NIL deal from his new program than the one he had with the Vols. If that happens, it will be a cautionary tale to other players around the country.

Intriguing theory emerges about Derek Carr’s injury

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A surprising theory has emerged about New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr’s injury and the public information about it.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic said on the “Scoop City” podcast that all indications are that news of Carr’s potentially season-ending injury was leaked by the quarterback’s camp, not the Saints. Russini found the timing of the story “fishy,” and believes this may be Carr’s way of sending the Saints a message as the team works out quarterbacks prior to the NFL Draft.

“From what I can gather, it appears the information got out from the Carr side of it,” Russini said. “I had some conversations with people in New Orleans who were aware of it, but weren’t looking to put it on blast. … I think he’s the one who isn’t thrilled with the Saints at this point.”

Russini added that there was reason to believe that new Saints coach Kellen Moore was not enthusiastic about Carr, which may have played into the quarterback’s issues.

“Maybe this is Derek Carr looking at the situation and going, ‘I don’t want the Kirk Cousins treatment. I don’t want to be your quarterback, you guys draft a young guy coming in here, and it’s basically, when is he going to play?’ Which makes a quarterback room tense.”

Cousins was signed as a free agent by the Atlanta Falcons, only for the team to immediately draft Michael Penix Jr. less than two months later. Penix wound up starting by the end of the season, while Cousins is trying to find a way out of Atlanta.

The Saints certainly do not see Carr as a long-term answer at quarterback. They have been meeting with quarterbacks throughout the pre-draft process, and even visited with one the day the Carr news came out. Carr’s message may be that the Saints are welcome to draft a quarterback, but they should not expect him to play if they do.

Carr and the Saints just restructured his contract in a way that is beneficial to him. He is not going anywhere in 2025 no matter what, making the situation even more intriguing.

Abdul Carter reveals his favorite NFL player

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Abdul Carter has the potential to be the next great NFL pass rusher, and the former Penn State star clearly is not shying away from the expectations that many have set for him.

During an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday, Carter was asked if there is any particular NFL player — current or former — who he believes has a similar game to him. Carter first mentioned Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons, who is a fellow Penn State alum. He then revealed that Von Miller is his favorite NFL player.

“Also, my favorite player Von Miller, just the way he played, how he showed up in the biggest moments. He’s probably my favorite player,” Carter said.

If Carter winds up making a similar impact in the NFL to the one Miller has made, the team that drafts Carter will be very fortunate.

Miller, who was released by the Buffalo Bills last month, ranks 16th on the NFL’s all-time sacks leaders list with 129.5. He is an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time First-team All-Pro. Miller had 10 or more sacks in seven of his first eight NFL seasons, and he missed seven games the year he did not hit that mark.

Carter was an absolute monster last season at Penn State with 68 total tackles, 12 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Many believe he will be the highest non-quarterback taken in the draft. If he lives up to the hype, future NFL prospects will be trying to model their game after his.

Odds listed for Nico Iamaleava’s next team

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Nico Iamaleava is leaving Tennessee over an NIL dispute and looking for his next school. Odds have now been listed for where he will end up next.

Iamaleava did not attend Tennessee’s spring practice on Friday over a pay dispute. He reportedly is seeking $4 million in NIL money, and Tennessee was unwilling to meet his price.

Who might be willing to pay that amount? BetOnline.ag has UCLA, North Carolina and USC as the top three favorites for Iamaleava — in that order. Texas Tech, Colorado and Arizona State also have pretty good odds of landing him.

UCLA 2/1
North Carolina 5/2
USC 3/1
Texas Tech 5/1
Colorado 6/1
Arizona State 7/1
Notre Dame 9/1
Maryland 11/1
Oregon 12/1
California 16/1
Syracuse 20/1

Where Iamaleava ends up likely depends on who is willing to pay him the most. This is basically free agency for Iamaleava, who is looking for top dollar.

Iamaleava is from Long Beach, Calif., which makes UCLA and USC his hometown schools. It makes sense for them to be top contenders for him. A report on Monday had UCLA and North Carolina listed among the likely spots for the young quarterback.

In his first year as a full-time starter last season, Iamaleava threw for 2,616 yards with 19 touchdown passes and 5 interceptions. He also rushed for 358 yards and 3 scores while helping the Vols reach the College Football Playoff.

Rory McIlroy had great interaction with his daughter after his Masters win

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Rory McIlroy had an incredibly wholesome interaction with his daughter following his win at the Masters on Sunday.

In a new interview with Anna Jackson of Sky Sports, McIlroy shared how his four-year-old daughter Poppy reacted to his first career Masters. Poppy was at the day care at Augusta National and received a T-shirt with past winners listed, and wanted to know when her father’s name would join the list.

“They have the day care here, and she came back with a T-shirt on Friday, and on the back of that T-shirt was all the past champions of the Masters tournament. And she asked me, ‘Daddy, why is your name not on the back of this T-shirt?’” McIlroy said. “I said to her after I played, ‘Poppy, next year my name’s going to be on the T-shirt.”

McIlroy finally won the Masters in his 17th attempt. Needless to say, he waited a long time to get his name on that T-shirt.

The 35-year-old managed to stave off several potential collapses to hold on and win Sunday in a playoff against Justin Rose. His emotional response to the victory summed up just what it meant to him. He also shared a great moment with both his wife and daughter after finally winning the title that had eluded him throughout his entire career.

Marcus Morris uses controversial term to describe Grizzlies players

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Marcus Morris appeared on ESPN show “First Take” on Tuesday and used a controversial term while talking about the Memphis Grizzlies.

The panelists on the show were discussing the upcoming 7-8 play-in game between the Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. Morris, who played 13 seasons in the NBA from 2011-2024, was among those discussing the contest.

“I think it will be a really tough game. I really like the Grizzlies. The YNs, they’re really coming to play,” Morris said. “They’re gonna be excited. They’re gonna be ready to go.”

The term “YN” is the controversial one, and it left Chiney Ogwumike laughing. YN stands for “young n–gas.” Ogwumike couldn’t believe that Morris had used the term. Stephen A. Smith was stone-faced in response and may not have even realized what Morris had said.

Given how bold of a player Morris was and also the type of clothing he’s worn to games, it’s not surprising to see the 35-year-old push the envelope while serving as an analyst.

At his peak in the 2019-2020 season, Morris averaged 19.6 points per game in 43 contests with the Knicks. He averaged 12 points and 4.4 rebounds per game during his career. Now he’s on the desk at ESPN and making headlines too.

Dolphins GM shares what it would take for team to trade Tyreek Hill

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Tyreek Hill has once again been the subject of trade rumors this offseason (some of which he has fueled himself), but Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier says it would take a massive offer for the team to consider moving on from its All-Pro wide receiver.

Grier spoke with the media on Tuesday about the report that the Dolphins and star cornerback Jalen Ramsey have mutually agreed to explore trades. He confirmed that report is true, which led to a question about whether Hill is also on the trade block.

Grier said Miami is not currently shopping Hill in trade talks. The GM did admit, however, that he would consider it if a massive offer came along.

“That is not anything that we’re pursuing. Who knows? If someone wants to come and give me two first-round picks, we’ll consider it,” Grier said.

Hill openly vented his frustrations following the 2024 season and indicated he wanted out of Miami. He later apologized and said he wants to remain with the team, but he has fueled speculation once again in recent weeks with his cryptic social media activity.

Though he remains an explosive playmaker, Hill is 31 and coming off a season in which he played through an injury. He still had 81 catches for 959 yards and 6 touchdowns, but that was a huge step back from the 1,700-plus yards he had in each of his first two seasons in Miami.

There has also been some recent off-field drama involving Hill, so the chances of a team offering two first-round picks for him are almost nonexistent. If that is the true asking price, Hill likely is not going anywhere.

Former MVP favored to become next Suns head coach

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The Phoenix Suns are looking for a new head coach, and a former league MVP is the favorite to get the job.

The Suns on Monday fired Mike Budenholzer after just one season on the job. Despite having the highest payroll in the NBA, the Suns went 36-46 and missed the postseason entirely.

This is the second year in a row the Suns fired their head coach after one season, as they also fired Frank Vogel last year. The job seems unstable, but oddsmakers are favoring former Suns star Steve Nash to get the job next.

BetOnline.ag set odds for the next Suns head coach. Here are all the candidates with odds 14/1 or lower. Nash, Sam Cassell, Willie Green, Jared Dudley and Chris Quinn all have pretty decent odds.

Steve Nash 4/1
Sam Cassell 9/2
Willie Green 5/1
Jared Dudley 6/1
Chris Quinn 7/1
Mike Brown 10/1
Micah Nori 12/1
Taylor Jenkins 12/1
Johnnie Bryant 14/1

Green’s inclusion fairly high on the list is no surprise considering a separate report mentioned him as a candidate. Nash, Green, Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins are the people on the list with previous experience as a head coach. The others have only served as assistant coaches.

Though the Suns have Kevin Durant on the team, they are expected to trade him. That means any coach who steps into the position would be taking on a roster in transition that would likely be centered around Devin Booker.

As for Nash, he served as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets for two full seasons from 2020-2022. He was fired after beginning the 2022-2023 season — his third on the job — with a 2-5 record. Durant was one of the major pieces on those Nets teams, but it doesn’t seem like there will be a reunion if KD is traded. Nash is a Hall of Fame player and was the NBA MVP in 2005 and 2006. He spent 10 of his 18 seasons as a player with the Suns.

Nico Harrison draws criticism for weak move

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Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison drew a new wave of criticism Tuesday for a weak move he made with the media.

Harrison held his first media availability with local Dallas reporters on Tuesday since the Luka Doncic trade in early February. However, the Mavericks hand-picked the reporters allowed to meet with Harrison, and barred those reporters from using cameras or recording devices during the media availability.

The evasive move was widely criticized by Dallas media and fans, as it gave the appearance that Harrison is trying to dodge pointed questions about the Doncic trade and its aftermath.

Harrison has become tremendously unpopular in Dallas for trading Doncic, and it has become commonplace for fans there to chant for his firing virtually everywhere. Harrison and the Mavericks are undoubtedly aware of that, and seem desperate to avoid fanning the flames. Moves like this, however, indicate that they are too desperate, and their lack of transparency becomes a story in itself.

The only way the Mavericks can mend fences at this point is to win championships. The front office certainly knows that. Still, they would do well to avoid unforced errors like this one that just open them up to more criticism. This just makes it look like Harrison is hiding from his critics, and that is a pretty bad look.

Karmelo Anthony’s father reveals how family plans to use fundraiser money

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An online fundraiser that was set up on behalf of Karmelo Anthony has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the alleged murderer’s father shared some information this week about how the family plans to use the money.

Anthony was arrested on April 2 and charged with first-degree murder for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf, a 17-year-old junior at Memorial High School in Frisco, Texas. Anthony and Metcalf were among over 100 athletes gathered at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco for a District 11-5A Championship track meet. Teams were gathering under tents as they awaited the start of the meet when an altercation developed between Metcalf and Anthony.

Anthony, a 17-year-old who attends Centennial High School, allegedly was standing under Memorial’s tent. Metcalf confronted Anthony and told him to move. Anthony allegedly challenged Metcalf back, and Metcalf allegedly responded by grabbing Anthony. Anthony then allegedly took out a knife and stabbed Metcalf in the chest.

On Monday, Anthony was released from jail after a judge in Collin County, Texas, reduced his bond from $1 million to $250,000. Anthony will be required to wear an ankle monitor and will need permission in order to leave home, according to WFAA 8’s Rachel Behrndt.

In asking for the bond to not be reduced, Collin County Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye argued that the Anthony family has raised enough money from the GiveSendGo fundraiser bearing Karmelo’s name. The fund had raised well over $400,000 at the time of Monday’s hearing.

Anthony’s father, Andrew Anthony, testified that the family does not currently have access to the fundraiser money. He also said he is the sole provider for his family and that he, his wife and their four children have been forced to move homes due to safety concerns. Andrew told the court that the money from the fundraiser will be needed to cover the costs associated with moving and security for his family.

Several GoFundMe campaigns were also started on Anthony’s behalf, but those were deleted due to the platform’s terms of service. GoFundMe prohibits “fundraisers for the legal defense of violent crimes.” Any GoFundMe donations that were made were returned to the donors.

Many have argued that the GiveSendGo campaign should also be removed, but one of the co-founder’s of the platform recently defended the decision to keep the fundraiser active.

Travis Hunter appears to give NFL teams a surprising ultimatum

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Travis Hunter has made it abundantly clear that he wants to continue to be a two-way player when he begins his NFL career, and the former Colorado star would like his future team to know he is very, very serious about that.

In a recent interview with Garrett Podell of CBS Sports, Hunter spoke about how much he has emphasized to teams leading up to the draft that he expects to play both wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL. The Heisman Trophy winner even appeared to give teams an ultimatum.

Hunter said he would rather not play football than be told he has to stick to one position.

“It’s never playing football again,” Hunter told Podell. “Because I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it.”

That was likely a hyperbole from Hunter. There is no way he would retire if an NFL team told him he needed to focus on one side of the ball. If anything, that was another way for him to show teams that he truly believes he can do at the professional level what very few players have done before him.

Hunter acknowledged that the competition will be much steeper in the NFL than it was at Colorado. He said he has “a competitive spirit that I can do whatever I put my mind to,” however, so he is not concerned about taking on too much.

If Hunter were to play wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL, he would have to find a way to attend meetings with both position groups. Some would say there are not enough hours in a day for that, but the 21-year-old recently made a wild claim about the type of workload he is willing to take on.

Hunter is widely expected to be taken with one of the first four picks in the draft, which belong to the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and New England Patriots. Though, the Titans seem locked in on quarterback Cam Ward.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel has indicated he would be willing to have Hunter play snaps on offense and defense, though he offered a disclaimer.

Even if he sees time on both sides of the ball, it is still likely that Hunter’s next team will want him to focus on honing his skills at one position. We doubt any NFL team is concerned about the risk of Hunter retiring.

Big news surfaces about Damian Lillard’s status for playoffs

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Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has been sidelined for nearly a month because of a blood-clot issue, and some new information has emerged about his status for the playoffs.

Lillard is not expected to play when the Bucks begin their first-round series against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The veteran point guard has not been ruled out for the remainder of the season, however.

Charania says Lillard has made “significant progress” and there is optimism that the 34-year-old could be cleared at some point during the postseason.

Lillard has been sidelined since March 18 after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. The initial belief was that he would miss the remainder of the season due to the serious nature of the condition, but there have been some positive updates about his recovery.

The Bucks finished the regular season with a record of 48-34, which earned them the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. If they can survive the first round, they may wind up getting a huge boost at some point from Lillard’s return.

Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game in his second season with the Bucks. The team’s chances of making a deep playoff run without him might be slim.

Ex-Super Bowl champion Don Hasselbeck dies unexpectedly

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Former NFL tight end Don Hasselbeck has died at the age of 70.

Hasselbeck, who played nine seasons in the NFL for four different teams, died on Monday. Hasselbeck won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Raiders in 1983. He is also the father of former NFL quarterbacks Matt and Tim Hasselbeck.

Matt Hasselbeck shared the news of his father’s death via social media on Monday night. He said Don was at home and suffered cardiac arrest.

“It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of our father, Don Hasselbeck, who suffered cardiac arrest and passed away today,” Matt Hasselbeck wrote on X. “We want to thank our parents’ neighbors and all the medical professionals who came to his aid.

“He was a great husband, father, grandfather, friend, coach, player, coworker, artist, mentor, and storyteller. Despite being an All-American at Colorado and a Super Bowl Champion with the Raiders, what we are most proud of is the leader he was for our family.”

Don began his career with the New England Patriots, who drafted him in 1977. He spent six-plus seasons in New England before being traded to Los Angeles. The 6-foot-7 tight end blocked an extra point in the Raiders’ 38-9 win over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII.

Hasselbeck had brief stints with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants before retiring. He finished his NFL career with 107 catches for 1,542 yards and 18 touchdowns in 123 games.

Matt and Tim were both NFL quarterbacks, with Matt making the Pro Bowl three times in his career. Tim, who was mostly a backup, is well-known for his role as an analyst with ESPN.

Giants may have hidden agenda with Shedeur Sanders workout

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The New York Giants have decided to attend a private workout for Shedeur Sanders a week before the NFL Draft, which has naturally led to the conclusion that they are considering drafting the former Colorado quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick. There may be more to it than that, however.

Sanders will work out for a contingent of Giants officials in Boulder, Colo., on Thursday night. That will reportedly be his last workout before the draft.

For weeks, there have been serious doubts about whether the Giants (or any other team with a top-five pick) have legitimate interest in Sanders. One report on Monday indicated that the majority of NFL coaches and scouts do not believe Sanders is a first-round talent, let alone one of the best players in the entire draft.

It is possible that the Giants disagree and genuinely believe Sanders can become a franchise cornerstone. Either that, or their decision to attend a private workout for Sanders is a last-ditch effort to maximize the trade value of their pick.

By creating the impression that they are thinking about drafting Sanders at No. 3 overall, the Giants might be trying to send a message to any team that is eyeing Sanders. The message would be that if said team wants Sanders badly enough, they will have to trade up for the quarterback.

Another potential scenario that the Giants could be considering is a trade back for Sanders. At least one notable team with a pick late in the first round has met with Sanders. If New York does actually want to draft Sanders, they might be able to do so by acquiring additional draft capital via a trade back and landing him later than No. 3.

The bottom line is the Giants would not waste their time sending executives and scouts to Boulder if they did not think it would benefit the team in some way. Either they strongly disagree with some of the descriptions we have heard of Sanders or are considering a trade back — for Sanders or another player.

Hailey Van Lith looked so uncomfortable in her WNBA draft interview

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Hailey Van Lith was drafted by the Chicago Sky with the 11th overall pick in the WNBA Draft on Monday night, and one interview has many fans wondering if she is pleased about that.

The Sky had the 10th and 11th picks in the draft, and they used the latter on Van Lith. After the selection was made, Van Lith was interviewed by ESPN’s Holly Rowe. Van Lith seemed a bit uncomfortable.

Some people felt Van Lith was forcing a smile, especially when she was asked about reuniting with former LSU teammate Angel Reese.

Van Lith may not have been uncomfortable at all, but she certainly looked it. That led to fans all making the same joke about her teaming up with Reese again.

Van Lith began her collegiate career at Louisville. She transferred to LSU after three seasons with the Cardinals to help the Tigers defend their national title, but they lost to Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the championship game.

Van Lith did not have a great 2023-24 season at LSU. She averaged just 11.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on a career-worst 37.8% shooting clip. She then transferred to TCU, where she averaged a much more impressive 17.9 points per game and made history by leading the team to the Elite Eight.

For what it’s worth, Reese seems pumped to be teaming up with Van Lith again.

Report: All-Pro CB placed on trade block

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One of the top defensive backs in the NFL could be traded this offseason.

The Miami Dolphins and Jalen Ramsey have mutually agreed to explore trade options for the seven-time Pro Bowl cornerback, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reported on Tuesday.

While there does not seem to be a sense of urgency to get a deal done, Rapoport speculates that the Dolphins may want to complete a trade prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, which begins on April 24. That would allow Miami to use any picks they might acquire in exchange for Ramsey.

Ramsey signed an extension with the Dolphins prior to last season that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL at the time. He played in all 17 games in 2024, finishing with 60 total tackles, 2 interceptions and 11 passes defended.

The Dolphins acquired Ramsey in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the 2023 season. The three-time All-Pro suffered a knee injury in training camp and missed the first half of the season, but he immediately resumed playing at a high level when he returned. He appears to be fully healthy heading into 2025.

While Ramsey is now on the wrong side of 30, he is still viewed as one of the best cover corners in the NFL. There should be interest in him on the trade market, though Miami’s asking price will determine the extent.

Pistons use sneaky tactic to limit Knicks fans at Detroit home playoff games

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The Detroit Pistons are clearly aware of how well the New York Knicks fan base travels for road games.

The 3-seed Knicks and the 6-seed Pistons are set to face off in the first round of this year’s NBA playoffs. With Detroit guaranteed at least two home playoff games at Little Caesars Arena, the team wants to make sure home fans are the ones who score most of the tickets.

Fans who have tried to buy tickets for Games 3 and 4 in Detroit online have noticed an interesting disclaimer upon checkout. The site has indicated that the Pistons are “restricting” ticket sales to fans “located in Michigan and in certain parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Ontario, Canada, as determined by the Pistons and subject to change.”

The disclaimer above clarified that the Pistons are filtering out non-local fans based on the billing address listed for the credit card used to make the ticket purchase. Those buying tickets outside the select areas will have their orders canceled.

The Pistons have not had much postseason success since icons like Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace were donning the team’s jersey. Detroit has only made the playoffs thrice since 2009. The team has also lost 14 consecutive postseason games, dating back to the team’s 2008 Eastern Conference Finals exit against the Boston Celtics.

While the Pistons’ billing address method is far from foolproof, it’s hard to blame the team for trying to ensure the team’s real fans get to attend the games in person. That rings especially true opposite a Knicks squad with one of the most rabid fan bases in sports.

Braves reporter goes viral for hitting on fans on live TV

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Atlanta Braves field reporter Wiley Ballard went viral on Monday for asking for a female fan’s phone number while thousands of baseball fans watched from home.

The Braves visited the Toronto Blue Jays for a night game at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada. With the Braves leading the Blue Jays 4-0 in the top of the 5th inning, the FanDuel broadcast cut to Ballard in front of two women sitting at the stadium’s exclusive Corona Rooftop Patio.

Instead of asking about baseball or the stadium experience, Ballard conducted the interview like he was trying to score a date. He broke the ice with a generic pick-up line.

“You guys hang out at the rooftop lounge often?” Ballard asked.

Ballard then tried to ask Braves-related questions to the women who appeared to be Blue Jays supporters. Before sending it back to the booth, he claimed he was going to “get to work.”

A few moments later, the broadcast cut back to Ballard taking out his phone. He told one fan named Lauren that the broadcast booth had wanted him to get her number. He claimed he was simply following orders.

“Alright, so they want me to get your number,” Ballard followed up. “I’m dead serious.”

Lauren eventually did give Ballard her number.

While some fans found Ballard’s segment amusing, the Braves reporter did draw some negative criticism for putting the girl on the spot. It’s harder to say no to someone’s advances with thousands of eyeballs watching. Many fans also joked that Lauren likely gave Ballard a fake number.

Ballard wasn’t the only member of the Braves organization to score on Monday night. The Braves themselves outscored the Blue Jays 8-4 to improve their record to 5-11.

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