MLB
– Brewers’ OF Nyjer Morgan went 2-for-5 with one run and the game winning RBI as the Brewers advanced to their first-ever NLCS in a 3-2 win over the Diamondbacks. There was talk of replacing Morgan in the lineup with OF Carlos Gomez prior to the game, but his decision to stick would Morgan paid off, as Gomez singled and stole second in the tenth inning before Morgan’s hit advanced the Brewers to the NLCS.
Meanwhile, Cardinals’ RHP Chris Carpenter pitched a three-hit shutout, striking out three in the Cardinals Game 5 NLDS upset over Philadelphia. C-C put together a solid pitching performance after struggling in Game 2. The lone run was scored by the Cardinals in the top of the first inning. 1B Ryan Howard grounded out to end the game and appeared to have injured his ankle coming out of the batter’s box. . Philly went 3-6 in the regular season against St. Louis, including a September series in which the Cardinals won three-of-four. It’s a disappointing end to the Phillies’ season, where many placed them as World Series favourites.
NBA
– Ken Berger reported Friday that the players have attempted to setup a meeting on Monday, but the owners will not meet unless they accept the 50/50 BRI split they proposed at the last meeting. So far, the players have refused. Seven points of the old BRI deal is equivalent to $210M in the first year, so it’s obviously a fair amount of money at stake for the owners. By making the players agree to the 50/50 deal before meeting, the owners are gambling the start of the season that NBPA would’ve voted for the deal had a vote been held. There could still be continued talks behind the scenes, but all signs point to an agreement coming as early as Monday, or as late as within the next few weeks. Keep your fingers crossed for some NBA basketball this season.
In an update, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that there aren’t currently any NBA labour talks scheduled for this weekend. Wojo’s source says that discussions could still happen on Sunday, but nothing is guaranteed. Nonetheless, it appears as though the gap between the owners and the NBPA is closing.
NFL
– According to the Miami Herald, the real reason free agent QB David Garrard didn’t sign with the Dolphins last week is because “he simply didn’t feel like playing right now.” It was believed that the Fins either weren’t giving him guaranteed money, or that they wouldn’t raise his salary above the veteran’s minimum. Per the Herald, Garrard “showed no great desire to play” when Miami contacted him, and is “quite content sitting out this season.”
TNA
– According to the PWInsider, TNA Impact Wrestling on Thursday, October 6 scored a 1.01 rating, the lowest of the year and down. The number is down from last week’s 1.14, for an episode marketed around Hulk Hogan’s retirement tease. Impact averaged 1.38 million viewers, which was the second-lowest audience of the year, just ahead of 1.36 million viewers on September 8.