DOMINATION | TMK #26

Today, on TMK:

Super Max, France, and the Bulldogs dominate the competition.

Headlines

Catch Up

• 🏁 F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix

• ⚽ Euro 2024 Qualifiers

• 🏈 College Football Week 12

• 🏀 NBA: Bucks def. Mavs

The Main Events

• 🏈 NFL Week 11

• ⚽ Euro 2024 Qualifiers

• 🏀 NBA

• 🎾 ATP Finals: Djokovic - Sinner

Extra Time:

• ❓ Sports Trivia

• 🗣️ Quote of the Day

• ⭐ Can’t Miss Moment

• 🧮 Stat of the Day

• 📽️ Video of the Day

Verstappen wins the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix

• Charles Leclerc finished 2nd, Perez 3rd. This race was much better than anticipated; more on that below.

The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Romania qualify for Euro 2024

• The Netherlands and Romania won to qualify, while a draw was enough for Switzerland.

France wins 14-0, its largest margin ever

• We knew Gibraltar wasn’t likely to put up a fight, but France chose violence.

Djokovic def. Alcaraz, will meet Sinner in ATP Finals

• Two sets and an easy win for the experienced #1 over the young lion set up a rematch with Sinner for the title.

🏁 F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix

Everyone - including Verstappen - had low expectations for this Grand Prix. The track layout was questioned, the show was questioned, F1’s ability to organize a race was questioned…but in the end, we got one of the best races of the year.

Verstappen overcame a penalty, contact with Russell, and multiple safety cars to take home the win and sing Viva Las Vegas on team radio. Verstappen had been one of the most critical voices of Las Vegas in recent days, but the race was good enough for him to partake in the festivities.

The long straights made it difficult for drivers to pull away from following cars, which led to multiple lap-long battles between almost every driver on the grid. Leclerc’s incredible last-lap overtake on Checo Perez to take second place is a brilliant example of how the track layout facilitated heart-stopping action, as he was able to stay within DRS and divebombed Perez with one corner to go.

Estaban Ocon and Lance Stroll took a surprising 4th and 5th place, while Sainz and Hamilton overcame lap 1 incidents to finish 6th and 7th. Russell ended up 8th after taking a 5-second penalty for causing a collision with Verstappen. Fernando Alonso finished 9th after a lap 1 spin, and Oscar Piastri came back from 19th to take the final point.

Luckily for F1, the weekend got better as it went on. The opening ceremony was forced, FP1 was a joke, FP2 was a tragedy - but qualifying and the race delivered. This weekend had its growing pains, but the race we’ve just witnessed will go a long way in rebuilding some goodwill with the fans and drivers.

Let’s hope that F1 will be able to iron out the issues and present us with a smoother weekend next year.

⚽ Euro 2024 Qualifiers

Group B

Netherlands 1-0 Ireland

France 14-0 Gibraltar

Group B is officially settled with the Netherlands’ victory and qualification for the Euro. France did not have any mercy and obliterated Gibraltar. Mbappe scored a hat trick, and 9 different players scored for France including young star Zaire Emery in his first game for the national team.

Group D

Armenia 1-1 Wales

Latvia 0-2 Croatia

Wales’ draw combined with Croatia’s win means that Croatia’s destiny is in its own hands. A win next round against Armenia at home would qualify it for the Euro. Wales will need to win against Turkey and hope Croatia loses.

Group I

Belarus 1-0 Andorra

Switzerland 1-1 Kosovo

Israel 1-2 Romania

Another done deal in Group I as Switzerland and Romania have qualified for the Euro. Israel needed a win and took an early lead but was unable to hold on to it. They will get another chance in the Nation’s League play-offs.

🏈 College Football Week 12

It is a rare week with absolutely no upsets in College Football. Everyone who needed to win to stay in the running for the College Football Playoff ended up winning.

Tennessee 10-38 Georgia

Georgia dominated Tennessee with a 38-10 win, extending their historic unbeaten streak in the SEC for three years. Carson Beck's impressive performance of 298 passing yards and three touchdowns led the Bulldogs. Despite an early touchdown by Tennessee's Jaylen Wright, Georgia's defense tightened up, limiting Tennessee's ground game. Notably, Georgia excelled on third downs, converting 9 out of 13 attempts, while Tennessee struggled with a 2-for-11 performance.

Oregon State 20-22 Washington

No. 5 Washington sealed their spot in the Pac-12 championship with a tight 22-20 win against No. 10 Oregon State in a rain-drenched game. Michael Penix Jr. led Washington with two touchdown passes and one rushing TD, while Rome Odunze caught two touchdowns for the Huskies. Damien Martinez ran for two touchdowns for Oregon State, who had their nine-game home winning streak snapped.

The game remained tense, with Oregon State narrowing the gap to 22-20 through a field goal. However, a failed fourth-down pass attempt sealed the Beavers' fate.

Kansas 27-31 Kansas State

Kansas State triumphed over Kansas in a thrilling Sunshine Showdown, extending their winning streak to 15 straight games in the historic rivalry's final clash at Memorial Stadium before renovations. The Wildcats secured the victory despite trailing by 11 points in the second half.

Will Howard's two touchdown passes and a crucial go-ahead score, coupled with D.J. Giddens' 102 rushing yards and a touchdown, helped Kansas State overcome setbacks and capitalize on two pivotal special teams blunders by Kansas.

🏀 NBA

Milwaukee Bucks 132-125 Dallas Mavericks

This game was everything it was expected to be, as all 4 superstars showed up and played one of their best games this season.

For the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 40 and was complemented by 27 points from Lillard. For the Mavs, Irving led with 39 points, with Doncic not far behind with 35 points.

Late in the fourth, the Mavs had an opportunity to take the lead but missed free throws from Doncic coupled with the Mavs’ inability to score from three in the final minutes decided the game. Nevertheless, this was a positive step for both teams as their dynamic duos are looking to hit their stride together.

Golden State Warriors 123-130 Oklahoma City Thunder

Golden State thought they had it after Andrew Wiggins signed his best game of the season with a three to seize the lead with 3 seconds left. Chet Holmgren thought otherwise.

Holmgren hit a game-tying three with zeros on the clock to send this game to overtime, but Shai Gilgeous Alexander was the star of the show. He scored 40, including 8 straight in overtime to lead the Thunder over the Warriors, 130-123.

The Warriors have now lost 6 straight games. Wiggins led the Warriors with 31 points, while Curry added 25.

Quick Notes

• Don’t sleep on the Timberwolves. Led by 29 from KAT, including the game-winner with 5 seconds to go, the Wolves defeated the Pelicans 121-120. They are now 9-3 and are bringing size back to the NBA.

• Maybe Wemby wasn’t all the Spurs needed. San Antonio drops its 8th straight game after starting the season 3-2, despite 19 points and 8 blocks from Wemby. The Spurs lost 120-108 to the lowly Grizzlies.

• The Heat let one slip away as the Bulls overcame a 22-1 start to steal the game. The Bulls led this game for less than a minute, but it was the only minute in the lead they needed to secure a 102-97 victory over the Heat. DeRozan led the Bulls with 23, while Butler had 25 for the Heat.

• Lonzo Ball keeps scoring 30+ a game but the Hornets keep losing, this time 122-108 to the Knicks. Brunson led the Knicks with 32. The Hornets are undoubtedly holding Ball back as he is stepping into superstar production territory.

🏈 NFL Week 11

The only game between teams with winning records this Sunday is the 6-3 Steelers with Kenny Pickett as QB, against the 6-3 Browns with rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson in at QB. Are you excited yet? Neither am I.

The real show this week is on Monday Night Football as the 8-1 Eagles take on the 7-2 Chiefs, but we’ll get to that one tomorrow. Let’s run through today’s slate of games.

Cleveland Browns (6-3) - Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)

This game is important to both teams to stay in the AFC North race, but especially to the Steelers who are somehow managing to win despite being outscored on the season. Without QB Deshaun Watson, the Browns’ season looks to be over. They’ll need magic from their rookie to contend this year.

Detroit Lions (7-2) - Chicago Bears (3-7)

This matchup is interesting solely because it is an NFC North rivalry game. The Bears don’t look like a team that can challenge the 7-2 Lions, but they’ll be delighted if they manage to ruin the Lions’ afternoon.

Green Bay Packers (3-6) - Los Angeles Chargers (4-5)

Green Bay isn’t going anywhere so far in QB Jordan Love’s first season, but that’s often how things go in the first year of a rookie. The Chargers always look like a more promising team than the results they’re delivering. They will need a very strong end of the season to make the playoffs in a stacked AFC conference.

Miami Dolphins (6-3) - Las Vegas Raiders (5-5)

The Dolphins have somewhat cooled down from their blazing start of the season, but Tyreek Hill is still aiming at the single-season receiving record. The Raiders look like a new team since coach McDaniels was fired and have an outside shot at making the postseason. This would be an incredible achievement for the Raiders in a tumultuous season.

Washington Commanders (4-6) - New York Giants (2-8)

There’s nothing to play for in this NFC East matchup as the banged-up Giants take on the league leader in passing, Sam Howell. Unfortunately, his strong performance hasn’t translated to victories, but this is another opportunity for him to build experience and perhaps make a late run this season.

Carolina Panthers (1-8) - Dallas Cowboys (6-3)

The Cowboys want to be taken seriously as a Super Bowl contender, so they need to win convincingly against the team with the NFL’s worst record. This hasn’t been the season rookie QB Bryce Young was hoping for, but he can hopefully learn from it and come back stronger.

Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3) - Tennessee Titans (3-6)

The Jags will be looking to bounce back in this AFC South matchup after a humiliating 34-3 loss to the San Fransisco 49ers last week. They have the tools to play better than that, as their 6-3 record indicates. Meanwhile, Will Levis will try to strengthen his hold on the starting QB position for the Titans.

Houston Texans (5-4) - Arizona Cardinals (2-8)

The QB matchup is intriguing, between Rookie of the Year favorite CJ Stroud and recently back from injury Kyler Murray. Both have shown sparks of greatness at times. Stroud is looking to lead the Texans to the playoff in his first season - something no one saw coming - while Murray will be focusing on building form and rapport with his team to hopefully come back stronger next year.

San Francisco 49ers (6-3) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)

The 49ers are coming off an impressive victory against the Jags, after starting the season 5-0 and subsequently losing 3 straight games. They have been inconsistent but they are still one of the most talented teams in the league, both on offense and defense. The Bucs are still suffering from post-Brady hungover with Mayfield in at QB.

Buffalo Bills (5-5) - New York Jets (4-5)

Whoever loses this game can probably wave bye-bye to their postseason hopes. The Jets and the Bills are known for not liking each other, and they’ve both been granted the opportunity to end their rivals’ season. Josh Allen looks lost at times with the Bills, and the Jets’ defense is one of the best in the league. The Jets’ offense, on the other hand, sometimes looks like it has nothing to offer.

Los Angeles Rams (3-6) - Seattle Seahawks (6-3)

The Rams are another underperforming but potentially dangerous on any given matchday. With Stafford back in at QB, they’ll be looking to surprise the Seahawks again after going into Seattle and taking the win in week 1. Seattle is a better team than it was at the start of the season, and this is the type of game they need to win to be seriously considered as a contender in the NFC.

⚽ Euro 2024 Qualifiers

Group A

Spain - Georgia

Scotland - Norway

With Spain and Scotland already qualified, these are exhibition matches more than anything else.

Group F

Belgium - Azerbaijan

Sweden - Estonia

Same here; Estonia is the only one still fighting for a playoff spot, while Sweden will look to bounce back from the 3-0 humiliating loss to Azerbaijan a few days ago.

Group G

Serbia - Bulgaria

Hungary - Montenegro

Finally a group with something at stake; Serbia needs to win to seal a place in the Euro 2024. Montenegro will need a win and a Serbian loss to make it.

Group J

Portugal - Iceland

Bosnia Herzegovina - Slovakia

Lichtenstein - Luxembourg

Is this the most boring Euro 2024 qualifiers day? It might be. Nothing to play for in Group J either.

🏀 NBA

Top Matchups

Cleveland Cavaliers (6-6) - Denver Nuggets (9-3)

We know the Nuggets are good. This is a chance for the Cavs, at full health, to show they have what it takes to beat a good team.

Dallas Mavericks (9-4) - Sacramento Kings (7-4)

Three of the game’s best point guards will be going to work as Doncic and Irving will look to slow down DeAaron Fox.

Los Angeles Lakers (7-6) - Houston Rockets (6-4)

Neither of these teams feels like a great team, but both started the season well and have surprising winning records.

Other Games

Brooklyn Nets (6-6) - Philadelphia 76ers (9-3)

Toronto Raptors (5-7) - Detroit Pistons (2-11)

Indiana Pacers (7-4) - Orlando Magic (7-5)

Memphis Grizzlies (3-9) - Boston Celtics (10-2)

Utah Jazz (4-8) - Phoenix Suns (6-6)

Portland Trail Blazers (3-9) - Oklahoma City Thunder (9-4)

🎾ATP Finals: Djokovic - Sinner

After losing to Sinner in the group matches, Djokovic will be attempting to become the third player in six years to avenge a group defeat in the championship match. Alexander Zverev reversed group losses to Daniil Medvedev (2021) and Djokovic (2018) to win the title match. Djokovic has accomplished the feat once before, rebounding from a group loss to Roger Federer to take the 2015 title.

Djokovic has played arguably his best game of the season against Alcaraz. Sinner will need to find more of that group stage magic to win if Djokovic continues to play like that.

❓Sports Trivia

The NBA finally fixed Kevin Durant’s height and now lists him as being 6”11. What was his previous official height?

🗣️ Quote Of The Day

“That’s fine, send them my regards”

Max Verstappen’s response to getting a 5-second penalty for an illegal overtake on Leclerc. Verstappen has been on fire this weekend, both on track and on the mic. What a guy.

⭐ Can’t Miss Moment

Holmgren hits a 3 to send the game to OT

Catch, turnaround, shoot, score. The Thunder ended up winning in OT.

🧮 Stat Of The Day

France Wins 14-0

It’s France’s biggest win ever. Granted, it was against Gibraltar, but it’s not every day you get to score 14 goals.

📽️ Video of the Day

Bruce Buffer and Checo Perez

This is peak comedy. Buffer gets in Perez’s face for the introduction, while Perez has no idea what’s happening or where he needs to go. F1 at its best. Watch this with sound.

Click HERE to watch.

Wrap Up

That was an AMAZING Saturday that totally makes up for a more chill Sunday. See you tomorrow.

❗Trivia answer: 6”9, which he obviously wasn’t. Unrelated, but KD says he tells women he’s 7”. Even tall guys lie about their height.