F1 SAYS GOODBYE | TMK #33

Today, on TMK:

Japanese, American, and French men try to prove their worth against the best in the world. Yuki, Sargeant, and Wemby - you’re up.

Headlines

Catch Up

• 🏁 F1 Abu Dhabi Qualifying

• ⚽ Top European Football

• 🏀 NBA

The Main Events

• 🏁 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

• ⚽ Top European Football

• 🏈 NFL Week 12

• 🏀 NBA

Extra Time:

• ❓ Sports Trivia

• 🗣️ Quote of the Day

• ⭐ Can’t Miss Moment

• 🧮 Stat of the Day

• 📽️ Video of the Day

Max Verstappen takes pole position for F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

• If (when?) he wins, he’ll officially surpass Sebastian Vettel and be the 3rd winningest driver in history.

Man City and Liverpool draw, 1-1

• Man City’s perfect record of 23 wins in 23 games at home in 2023 is officially ruined.

Michigan wins The Game, beats Ohio State 30-24

• It’s the third victory in a row for Michigan who won despite missing coach Harbaugh on the sidelines.

Archie Manning, Peyton and Eli’s nephew, leads Texas to W on debut

• Give it a couple of years and you’ll see him in the NFL.

🏁 F1 Abu Dhabi Qualifying

The final qualifying session of the 2023 season is behind us. Let’s check in on our main battles.

Verstappen qualified on pole and is mainly battling history. His goal to have the greatest season in Formula 1 history almost looks like a done deal.

Charles Leclerc surprised himself by qualifying on the front row, especially as Carlos Sainz went out in Q1 and will start 16th. Mercedes had a similar mixed-bag qualifying, with Russell in 4th and Hamilton in 11th. This is only the second time that Hamilton isn’t able to outqualify a teammate over a season.

The McLarens have done well, with Piastri qualifying in 3rd and Norris in 5th. Norris almost dropped the car on his final lap and wasn’t able to improve. McLaren’s fourth place in the constructors championship looks safe, as Alonso will start 7th and Stroll 13th for Aston Martin.

Yuki Tsunoda was the big surprise of this qualifying session and will start the race in 6th place. The Alpha Tauris are 7 points behind the Williams in the standings, so if Yuki can keep 6th in the race, they’ll have a chance. Ricciardo qualified 15th and the two Williams qualified in 14th and 20th. Logan Sargeant failed to put a time on the board as his two qualifying laps were invalidated due to track limits. Not great for a driver who hasn’t officially retained his seat for 2024.

Hulkenberg had a strong lap to start 8th, ahead of Perez in 9th. A Red Bull out-qualified by a Haas is the Perez special. I can’t see how he keeps his seat in 2024.

The Alpines of Gasly and Ocon will start in 10th and 12th respectively, and we’ll round up the grid with Magnussen in 17th, Bottas in 18th, and Zhou in 19th.

⚽ Top European Football

Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool

An entertaining but ultimately disappointing game between the top two teams in the Premier League.

Manchester City controlled the tempo for most of the game and looked like the better team. Jeremy’s Doku wing was on fire as seemingly almost all attacking play went through him. After a dreadful clearance by Alisson Nathan Ake passed two players and found Haaland between defenders, who gave City the lead with two touches.

Liverpool had its fair share of occasions in the first half but lacked aggressiveness. Darwin Nunez in particular had the ball in dangerous situations more than once and made absolutely nothing of it - save for one header that Edison parried. Mo Salah was nowhere to be found. Liverpool looked really bland in City’s box.

City controlled the game but never looked particularly close to a second goal. Foden tried a long-range shot that Alisson expertly stopped. Everyone seemed to lose their feet when it came to scoring. Everyone except Alexander Arnold.

One offensive touch, one shot, one goal. It’s not a surprise that the right-back scored on a day when Liverpool’s strikers looked lost.

The score reflects the action, and Liverpool earned that point. City will rue not being more aggressive in pursuit of the second goal.

Newcastle 4-1 Chelsea

Chelsea went from a 4-4 draw with Man City to getting demolished in the second half at St. James Park. Two minutes and two defensive mistakes - including a boneheaded blunder by Silva - is all it took for Newcastle to take control of the game. A second yellow for captain Reece James didn't help Chelsea.

Just when you think Chelsea may be getting their act together, they have arguably their worst half of the season.

Rayo Vallecano 1-1 FC Barcelona

Barcelona is going through a rough time, marked by injuries and a lack of identity under Xavi. The first half of this game completely went over Barca’s head, much like in their previous game against Alaves.

Barca came back with a stronger second half but it wasn’t enough to overcome a solid Rayo Vallecano side.

Barcelona is in crisis. Romeu took the place of the central midfielder in Gavi’s absence and looked out of place.

Werder Bremen 0-3 Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen is playing some of the best football in the world, both on offense and on defense. They allowed only one shot on goal yesterday and completely overwhelmed Werder Bremen for 90 minutes. They rightfully lead the Bundesliga.

They have a must-watch match next week against Borussia Dortmund.

🏀 NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder 123 - 127 Philadelphia 76ers

When the 76ers are at their best, they’re hard to stop. The Thunder did everything right; Chet Holmgren scored 33 points, SGA added 31.

But Embiid’s 35-11-9 line, Maxey’s 28 points, Harris’ 16, and Batum’s 14 would have been too much for almost any team in the league. Embiid was particularly efficient from the line, where he went 19 from 21.

Brooklyn Nets 112 - 97 Miami Heat

The Heat rested Butler and Adebayo, while Robinson was out with an injury. It’s not a surprise to see the Heat held to less than 100 points when its leading three are out. Caleb Martin - remember him? - and Jacquez Jr. led Miami’s scoring with 22 and 18 points, respectively.

The Nets took advantage of the shorthanded Heat behind Mikal Bridges’ 24 points. The Heat were never in the game.

Washington Wizards 108 - 136 Atlanta Hawks

The Wizards don’t have a lot to offer to begin with; take Poole out and all that’s realistically left is Kuzma. And Kyle Kuzma isn’t outscoring the Hawks.

This game was so out of reach for the Wizards that the Hawks gave minutes to their entire rotation. Trae Young scored 26 and added 10 assists, and the Hawks were +40 with him on the floor today.

Cleveland Cavaliers 115 - 121 Los Angeles Lakers

The good Anthony Davis showed up today, and the Lakers won. He scored 32 and added 13 rebounds and 3 blocks. LeBron added 22 points.

Mitchell had a dreadful shooting night for the Cavs, going 4-18 from the field. The Cavs did well to stay in the game despite Mitchell’s shooting, but two jumpers missed with less than 25 seconds to play sealed the W for the Lakers.

Utah Jazz 105 - 100 New Orleans Pelicans

The Utah Jazz found a way to win without Markkanen and Clarkson, their two best scorers.

The Pelicans rested Williamson and Ingram scored 26, but allowed the Jazz to score 37 in the 4th quarter. This is a game the Pelicans have to win if they want to be taken seriously.

LA Clippers 107 - 88 Dallas Mavericks

Can someone please help Luka Doncic? Doncic scored 30, Irving added 26, and the rest of the Mavs starting five scored 9 points. 9 points!

The Clippers didn’t need a good game to beat such an underperforming Mavs team. Paul George scored 24, while Kawhi Leonard and James Harden had 8 points each - and the Clippers still won by 20.

🏁 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Here are the main storylines ahead of the final race of the season:

• Will Verstappen win and overtake Vettel on the all-time winners list?

All Verstappen does is win. One more and he’ll become the driver with the 3rd most victories with 54, behind Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

• Can Ferrari beat Mercedes?

Leclerc qualified in 2nd, but Sainz is only 16th. Second place is worth 18 points, so a Mercedes would need to either finish 3rd, or finish 4th with the second car at least in 8th. Russell qualified 4th so he’ll be up to the task, and Hamilton can surely finish in the points. The real wildcard here is Sainz who needs to storm back to help his team.

• YUKIIII

Tsunoda qualified a beautiful 6th and will try to steal 7th place in the constructors away from Williams. He’ll need the race of his life with zero mistakes to succeed, and we haven’t seen much of that from him or from the team lately.

• Who will finish 4th in the drivers’ standings?

First, second, and third have been decided, so all we’re left with is fourth. It’ll have to do. Sainz and Alonso are level on points with 200, Norris is just behind with 195, and Leclerc has 188. After qualifying, it looks like the battle is on between Norris and Alonso.

Not much has been at stake in Formula 1 since Verstappen locked up both titles in Qatar, but this is the last race of the season and we’ll have to cope with 3 months of no Formula so we’ll take what we’re given and say THANK YOU.

⚽ Top European Football

Tottenham - Aston Villa

A month ago, the Spurs led the Premier League. A few injuries later, and they’re battling to keep 4th place against 5th place Aston Villa. Tottenham has suffered two consecutive defeats and will be hoping to avoid a third despite not being at full strength. Destiny Udogie should return but the absence of Cristian Romero and Yves Bissouma due to suspension leaves defensive gaps for Tottenham.

Aston Villa will be encouraged by Jacob Ramsey's recovery and the potential season debut of Alex Moreno. Villa has yet to be seriously tested this season and hasn’t played any top-tier team in the Premier League. We’ll find out today if it is legitimately contending for a top 4 spot.

Juventus - Inter Milan

The Derby D’Italia is back with a special #1 vs #2 edition. Italian football doesn’t get much better than this.

This is a pivotal moment in the title race, with only two points separating the two teams. Juventus, revitalized this season, has been on a remarkable run, losing just once, and is unbeaten at the Allianz Stadium. Riding a five-match winning streak and bolstered by recent victories, Juventus looks ready to take the fight to inter.

However, Inter arrives at the Allianz Stadium with an impressive record of their own, leading Serie A and boasting six consecutive victories across competitions. Their recent 2-0 win against Frosinone showcased their form, but facing a resurgent Juventus team will test Inter's title credentials.

🏈 NFL Week 12

The Good

Houston Texans (6-4) - Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3)

The battle for the AFC South is on. The Texans would tie the Jaguars with a win and hold the tiebreaker thanks to their head-to-head record.

This is a great matchup between two of the league’s best young quarterbacks this season - CJ Stroud for the Texans and Trevor Lawrence for the Jags. The Texans taking the AFC South would be the surprise of the season.

Philadelphia Eagles (9-1) - Buffalo Bills (6-5)

The Eagles lead the NFL but haven’t looked as dominant as their record would indicate. They’re coming off a victory against the Chiefs thanks mostly to the Chiefs shooting themselves in the foot.

The Bills are chasing the Dolphins in the AFC East and this is a must-win for them to have a shot at the division title. The AFC’s wildcard race is also set to be very competitive and the Bills have been too inconsistent this year to set themselves apart.

Los Angeles Chargers (4-6) - Baltimore Ravens (8-3)

The 2023 Ravens are must-watch football as one of the league’s most exciting offense and defense. Lamar Jackson will have to rely on his legs and Zay Flowers in the absence of star TE Mark Andrews.

The Chargers are all offense and boom or bust on defense. They rank second to last in defensive metrics this season, but there’s one thing they’re good at - creating turnovers.

Pressure will be key to limiting the Chargers offense - the Chargers have allowed the 2nd least sacks this season, while the Ravens are leading the league in sacks.

Las Vegas Raiders (5-6) - Kansas City Chiefs (7-3)

This is a game worth watching just to see how the Chiefs react following a bad offensive game, historically their strength under Mahomes. This is also an AFC West game, and we’ve had divisional surprises before like the Broncos shutting out the Chiefs a couple of weeks back.

The Raiders are playing to prove to the ownership that the fired coach McDaniels was indeed the problem. They’ve been playing with a lot more swag, letting Davante Adams do his thing.

The Mid

Indianapolis Colts (5-5) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6)

The Colts are holding on despite losing QB Anthony Richardson for the year. They’re sneakily 5-5 and are still somehow in the running for the AFC South crown.

The Bucs are also looking at challenging for the NFC South crown, only because every team playing in it is kind of terrible.

Atlanta Falcons (4-6) - New Orleans Saints (5-5)

This is the matchup for the NFC South lead. The Saints aren’t a bad team with a capable QB in Derek Carr and an above-average defense.

The Falcons’ pass game is struggling and Desmond Ridder has to do more to prove he is the future in Atlanta. They do have a surefire star in RB Robinson though.

Cincinnati Bengals (5-5) - Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)

This should have been a much better game than it’s going to be, but instead, we’re getting Kenny Pickett vs Jake Browning, who is making his NFL debut.

I honestly debated putting this game in The Ugly just for that, but both teams are still in the running in the ultra-competitive AFC North.

Denver Broncos (5-5) - Cleveland Browns (7-3)

Russell Wilson and the Broncos will try to continue their winning streak against a Browns team with the league’s best defense but a rookie QB at the helm.

The Browns on the other hand will try to continue to put pressure on the Ravens for the AFC North lead, despite starting Dorian Thompson Robinson at QB. The deciding factor in almost every Browns game is the pass rush, and this one won’t be any different.

The Ugly

Arizona Cardinals (2-9) - Los Angeles Rams (4-6)

The Cardinals haven’t looked terrible since Kyler Murray is back on the field. Murray is an entertaining player but the Cardinals squad is below par.

The Rams are in the middle of the pack in every statistic this season, both offensive and defensive. Aaron Donald is fun to watch and Stafford being back from injury should help.

Tennessee Titans (3-7) - Carolina Panthers (1-9)

The only reasons to watch this game are the rookie QBs. Will Levis for the Titans, Bryce Young for the Panthers. That’s it.

New York Giants (3-8) - New England Patriots (2-8)

Do yourself a favor and skip this one. Nothing interesting is happening here.

🏀 NBA

Milwaukee Bucks (11-5) - Portland Trail Blazers (4-11)

The struggling Trail Blazers face a daunting challenge against the Bucks, who are formidable at home. Jerami Grant leads the Blazers against Giannis Antetokounmpo's Bucks who are still looking for the best way to play together.

Boston Celtics (12-4) - Atlanta Hawks (8-7)

Trae Young's playmaking for the Hawks goes head-to-head with Jayson Tatum's scoring prowess for the Celtics. The Celtics should be the more complete team even without Porzingis, who is out with an injury.

New York Knicks (9-6) - Phoenix Suns (10-6)

Kevin Durant's Suns visit Madison Square Garden to face off against Jalen Brunson's Knicks. KD is listed as questionable to play; Devin Booker will have his hands full with the Knicks if KD doesn’t play.

Orlando Magic (11-5) - Charlotte Hornets (5-9)

LaMelo Ball is one fire, averaging 35 points over the past 4 games for the Hornets. They take on Paolo Banchero's Magic in a clash of young talent. The Hornet’s lackluster supporting cast will be put to the test against a very good Magic home team.

Memphis Grizzlies (3-12) - Minnesota Timberwolves (11-4)

The Timberwolves, led by Anthony Edwards, travel to Memphis to face Desmond Bane's Grizzlies. KAT and Gobert will be looking to reassert their size dominance after the last game’s dud. The Grizzlies have been struggling mightily without Ja Morant.

Brooklyn Nets (7-8) - Chicago Bulls (5-12)

Zach LaVine's Bulls go up against Mikal Bridges' Nets in what promises to be a closely contested game between two below-average teams. It is what it is. I expect this Bulls’ team to be blown apart by the trade deadline.

Cleveland Cavaliers (8-8) - Toronto Raptors (8-8)

Patrick Siakam’s Raptors meet Donovan Mitchell's Cavaliers in a matchup between evenly-matched teams. Both teams are aiming for the Eastern Conference Playoffs, and this game will be an early indication of who’s the better team.

San Antonio Spurs (3-13) vs. Denver Nuggets (10-6)

The matchup of the day is undeniably Wemby vs Jokic. Can Wemby’s impressive defense contain Jokic? The Nuggets have had a rough stretch of games without guard Jamal Murray. The Nuggets’ entire starting five is probable to play, so let’s hope they do.

❓Sports Trivia

Erling Haaland scored his 50 Premier League goal yesterday and did it in 48 games - the fastest to do so. But who is the fastest ever to reach 100 Premier League goals?

The answer is in the wrap-up.

🗣️ Quote Of The Day

“This was the worst game of our season so far”

Chelsea’s manager Pochettino had the wisdom to add “so far” to his critique of his player’s performance. Homer Simpsons vibes.

⭐ Can’t Miss Moment

4th and 31, Game on the line, Touchdown.

Alabama keeps its playoff hopes alive with an absolutely insane touchdown pass with 30 seconds to go in the game to secure an Iron Bowl victory.

🧮 Stat Of The Day

Francesco Camarda became the youngest ever to play in Serie A

The kid is 15 years and 8 months old and played a game for AC Milan. It’s absolutely wild how young players are getting.

📽️ Video of the Day

Celebrating Haaland’s Record

A 21-minute documentary of one of the most prolific goal scorers in the 21st century? And he’s only 23? Yes, please.

Click HERE to watch on YouTube.

Wrap Up

Not everyone enjoyed the international break, but this weekend absolutely makes up for the slow action of last weekend. Fireworks are going off everywhere. Enjoy today. See you tomorrow.

❗Trivia answer: Alan Shearer holds the record for the fewest games taken to reach 100 goals, doing so in 124 appearances. Haaland will be looking to break that record next.