Preakness Sets up Belmont Rematch … or Does It? 🐴
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards make for a stellar matchup…
The Baltimore Orioles won 131 games in Brandon Hyde’s first three years as their manager. They won 192 games in the previous two seasons but were swept in the playoffs. The AL East team was one of the favorites to make the postseason again.
Hyde was AL Manager of the Year in 2023, and the Orioles continued to build around a young nucleus, a threat to win many MLB games. The team got off to a brutal start in 2026, and in MLB news, Hyde was fired. Talk about what you have done for me lately?
The Orioles responded to the news of Hyde’s dismissal by giving the Washington Nationals six runs in the first inning of Saturday’s 10-6 loss. They had to be shocked that Hyde got the pink slip so quickly despite the 15-28 start. They are now 15-30 and were 0-6 on this homestand.
Hyde will get another job. That’s the way things work, and chances are, he will lead another team to the postseason and possibly a World Series. Look for his name to pop up in MLB rumors. Would anyone be surprised if the Pirates, who recently fired their manager, reached out?
The 2025 Baltimore Orioles are, unfortunately, a total yikes factory
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) May 18, 2025
MLB betting odds on Baltimore have ballooned since the start of the season. The O’s are +6500 to win the World Series. They are +3000 to win the American League. They have dug a deep hole, and it will be intriguing to see if they can work their way up or if dismissing Hyde will simply send the team further into a tailspin.
NHL and NBA Playoffs
Both leagues are deep into the postseason, conference finals time. The NBA has no problem with teams like Minnesota and Oklahoma City, along with Indiana and the New York Knicks. Players are bigger stars than the teams. So, the league’s ratings won’t suffer as badly when LeBron, Giannis, and others are out of the postseason.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards make for a stellar matchup in the Western Conference Finals. The Eastern has Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Brunson. And that is just for starters.
Chet: “You know who this is? The MVP.” 🔥
Chet shows love to SGA pic.twitter.com/4dSKhzELo2
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 18, 2025
A random factoid about the NBA’s final four teams: Three have never won an NBA championship. The other, the Knicks, haven’t won an NBA crown since 1973. That makes for some intriguing playoff drama.
ONLY FOUR REMAIN 🔥
Who will be the 2025 NBA champions? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/CwrDTLJliZ
— ESPN (@espn) May 18, 2025
The NHL can’t say the same. Florida, Carolina, Dallas, and Edmonton line up as a great final four for the hardcore fans. However, the casual fan isn’t going to rush to tune in. Connor McDavid isn’t the lure Wayne Gretzky/Mark Messier and those Oilers once were.
It’s a difficult road to navigate for the NHL. The teams all deserve to be where they are. They are all niche franchises in the States with little reach outside their areas, except for Edmonton, which has to represent Canada since it is seeking its first Stanley Cup since the Canadiens won in 1993.
Preakness Aftermath
Journalism survived a demolition derby through the stretch in Saturday’s Preakness to catch long shot Gosger and win the second leg of the Triple Crown. Horse racing odds sent him off at even money, and he returned $4 to win.
The bumper cars made the race exciting, and Larry Collmus delivered a great call. Following the race, horse racing, and news, rumors began to buzz about Journalism facing the Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty in the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown.
The question has to be why trainer Michael McCarthy would put through this at 1 1⁄4 miles at Saratoga when he could choose the same distance at the same track when the Travers is contested in August.
The Belmont Stakes, “the test of the champion,” is contested at 1 1⁄2 miles when the race takes place at the Elmont, NY, track. That venue is undergoing a renovation, so the Belmont is being run at Saratoga. That track can’t handle the 1½ miles distance due to the way it is structured.
So, why would McCarthy run back to Journalism in three weeks when he can get the same condition toward the end of the summer? Journalism has been three tough races. Cut him a break.
Larry Collmus was blown away watching Journalism’s incredible Preakness win! #Preakness150 pic.twitter.com/4LzUl1WeSi
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 18, 2025
The handle on the Preakness card was up. This is largely because sports betting accounts now include horse racing. Players of all types love to enter Triple Crown races. Pimlico shamefully hid Saturday’s attendance figures. That’s likely because the infield was at half capacity due to demolition and a lack of interest. The grandstand wasn’t full, and there was no excuse for that.
Traditionalists still think the Triple Crown schedule should remain as it is. Randy Moss on NBC was spot on when he said it is outdated. Come up with some other plan where horses can be in every leg, or let some of the powers that be in Thoroughbred racing use their marketing genius to incentivize running in all three races.
The best watch of the weekend was Gabby Gaudet cheering her trainer husband, Norm Casse’s Awesome Aaron, in the Pimlico Special.
Rapid Fire
A Machine
Wrestler and thrill-seeker Darby Allin reached the summit of Mt. Everest.
Darby Allin reached the summit of Mount Everest along with the four other members of his team. He was the only first-timer in the group
— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) May 18, 2025
Just Awful
The UFL should move all its teams to Europe. No one here cares.
THE DEFENDERS PICK OFF THE RENEGADES TO CLINCH THEIR SPOT IN THE PLAYOFFS 🔥 @XFLDefenders | @TheUFL pic.twitter.com/SmLFrAJ1bc
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 18, 2025
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