Sports
March Madness “Group of Death” East Region Delivers Must-Watch Sweet 16 Matchups
There’s a reason it will run you several hundred bucks if you want to catch some basketball in the nation’s capital later this week.
And it has nothing to do with the dreadful Washington Wizards.
The get-in price for the NCAA Tournament East Regional reportedly hit a Sweet 16 record of $482, with most tickets going for even more.
No wonder. The region went exactly according to plan.
Duke, St. John’s, UConn, Michigan State. Scheyer, Pitino, Izzo, Hurley.
You’ll hear the soccer term “Group of Death” thrown around in the months leading up to the World Cup. The selection committee absolutely devised a Group of Death in the top-left quadrant of your brackets this year. And it’s going to be scintillating cinema this Friday and Sunday.
This region also featured blue bloods Kansas and UCLA and would have held similar appeal if a few second-round games went the other way. But all due respect to Bill Self and Darryn Peterson, that fantastic ending to a sometimes difficult-to-watch St. John’s-Kansas game set us up for maximum drama.
“Bells (Dylan Darling) comes up to me, and says run (a play for me). So I walk away like, wait a second, he hasn’t scored a bucket and he wants to run a play for himself. And I’m thinking, ‘But he’s Bells!’” Pitino relayed after the Red Storm’s buzzer-beater.
“Bells” shot less than 40% from the field this year! Is Pitino just YOLO-ing it out here in his 200th NCAA Tournament?
Never mind, because it worked, and as a result we get Pitino vs. Duke on a Friday evening, a rematch of the Christian Laettner game in 1992. The other side pits UConn against Michigan State, with a coach in Izzo who may not have any more chances to go capture a second national title.
“When you have UConn, Michigan State, St. John’s now with Rick and how they’re playing, and Duke. I mean, that’s not a regional final, that a Final Four,” Izzo said this week.
The loaded regional certainly raised eyebrows. For one, it could produce Part IV of UConn-St. John’s, who split their regular-season series in dramatic fashion — including UConn’s absolute beatdown of St. John’s 72-40 just a month ago in Hartford — followed by the Johnnies’ 72-52 revenge in the Big East title game.
“Obviously, we both hoped for a fourth meeting in D.C. It stinks a little bit that they threw us both in the same region,” Hurley said. “It feels like the combination of St. John’s being under-seeded, as well as putting us both in the same region. …
“It’s pretty brutal on Twitter, I think, and socials between our fan bases, but I think we have to try to come together Friday night against our opponent so we can have a blood bath on Sunday.”
Any Elite Eight outcome is mouthwatering to college hoops heads. Duke-Michigan State? That would be a rematch of the 2019 Elite Eight in the same exact building, with the Spartans prevailing and ending Zion Williamson’s college career. St. John’s-Michigan State gives you probably the final meeting of the two old ball coaches still hanging on from their generation.
And of course, Duke-UConn — the traditional blue blood trying to find its first title post-Coach K, versus the program Bomani Jones aptly called nouveau riche, with six titles since ‘99 and going for an unbelievable three in four years.
The head coaches have five natties between them, not counting Scheyer’s as a player or assistant, and if you’re all being honest with yourselves, one of the main reasons you’ll tune in is that you hate at least one of them. It’s not my business who that is. Take your pick. But I’d guarantee these guys are going to produce the story of the regionals, if not the tournament writ large, and this Group of Death will be fantastic for the health of the sport.
Sports
Report: Steelers assistant coach out over violation of club policy
Jun 7, 2021; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers special teams coordinator Derius Swinton III during organized team activities at the Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Pittsburgh Steelers and Derius Swinton II, a senior assistant coach for special teams, have split over a violation of club policy, ESPN reported Friday, citing league sources.
Swinton, 41, was hired in the offseason to the staff of new head coach Mike McCarthy for what was to be his 16th season in the NFL.
Swinton spent the past three seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, becoming the interim special teams coordinator when Tom McMahon was fired in Week 10.
He has worked for 10 NFL teams. He was special teams coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021 following stints with the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals.
Swinton’s NFL career started in St. Louis, where he was the Rams’ special teams quality control coach from 2009-11.
The Steelers have yet to confirm Swinton’s departure, nor did ESPN specify the policy he reportedly violated.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ian Poulter plays on torn meniscus, surgery set for September
Ian Poulter tees off on the ninth hole Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, during day one of the LIV Golf Indianapolis tournament held at The Club at Chatham Hills in Westfield, Indiana. Ian Poulter said he needs surgery after tearing his meniscus while hopping up two steps at LIV Golf Virginia earlier this month.
Poulter didn’t let the injury impede him on the golf course on Thursday, as he shot a 4-under 66 in the first round of LIV Golf Korea at Asiad Country Club. The co-captain of Majesticks GC followed with a 2-over 72 on Friday to reside in a tie for 13th place, six strokes in back of leader Talor Gooch.
“I tore my meniscus Thursday of Virginia just hopping up two steps, so went for an MRI when I got back from Virginia, and yeah, I’m going to have to have surgery in September,” Poulter said Thursday.
Poulter, 50, admitted that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to compete in Korea.
“Bizarrely I have no sensation throughout the golf swing that there’s anything wrong with it,” he said. “I sense it when I’m walking downhill, steep downhills. I’m just edging it a little bit. But look, I’m going to have to strengthen that leg. It’s not affecting my golf in any way, shape or form.
“I just have to be reminding myself that I can’t go and play paddle tennis or do anything stupid or hop up steps like I did a couple of weeks ago. Walking in straight lines and being super sensible is not something I’m used to doing.
“Look, I feel good. I feel great. The body feels good. We’ll deal with that at some stage.”
Poulter has yet to win an individual LIV Golf event since joining the upstart league in 2022. He has 17 professional wins, including three on the PGA Tour.
–Field Level Media
Sports
MLB Betting Picks for Friday, May 29: Phillies and Marlins Featured
May 23, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (L) and third baseman Alec Bohm (R) slap hands after scoring during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images A light MLB slate two consecutive days sets the stage for the full Friday night menu in baseball.
There are several key series to keep an eye on, including a pair in the National League. The Chicago Cubs (31-26) seek their third consecutive win, facing the St. Louis Cardinals (29-25) in an NL Central battle.
Out west, the Philadelphia Phillies (29-27) square off with the Los Angeles Dodgers (36-20) in a playoff rematch at Dodger Stadium.
We’ll break down two plays for the Friday action. Remember to monitor the odds throughout the day, as the sides and totals market is constantly changing.
Here are the free MLB picks for Friday, May 29. Odds Courtesy of DraftKings.
Best MLB plays today
- Marlins F5 (-104) at Mets
- Phillies (+100) at Dodgers
Marlins F5 (-104) at Mets – 7:10 p.m. ET
The Marlins (26-31) swept the Mets at home last week as the two NL East rivals meet tonight at Citi Field. Miami P Max Meyer owns a tremendous 10-1 record in the first five innings, which includes leading New York, 4-0 last Saturday through five frames in a 4-1 win.
Freddy Peralta has led through five innings in three of 11 starts this season for the Mets, including a 1-3-2 mark in his last six home outings. New York is 2-6-1 in the first five innings of the past nine games.
Meyer has tossed at least five innings in nine consecutive games and has not allowed a run in the opening five frames in this stretch. Let’s go with the Marlins to continue their domination of the Mets and back them in the first five innings.
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Phillies (+100) at Dodgers – 10:15 p.m. ET
Philadelphia (29-27) faces Los Angeles (36-20) for the first time since getting knocked out in the NLDS last season. The Phillies started their west coast swing with a three-game sweep of the Padres, highlighted by a pair of shutouts. Tonight, Zack Wheeler heads to the mound as the Phillies are 6-0 in the right-hander’s six starts, while owning an ERA of 1.67.
The Dodgers cruised past the Rockies for a three-game sweep, extending their winning streak to five games. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski hasn’t lost consecutive starts this season after allowing five runs in five innings against Milwaukee. Wrobleski owns a 13.7% strikeout rate, which sits in the fifth percentile in MLB.
The Phillies are 11-2 in their last 13 road games since May 1, after starting 4-8 in their first 12 outings away from Citizens Bank Park. Wheeler didn’t face the Dodgers last season, but I expect a strong showing from him to continue his dominance and the Phillies to get revenge for their playoff loss.
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Report: Steelers assistant coach out over violation of club policy
Ian Poulter plays on torn meniscus, surgery set for September
