Griner moved to forced labor camp, McConaughey/Reynolds eyeing team ownership, Astros-Phillies 2nd-least watched World Series ever, Japanese batting champ eyeing MLB, NFL injury rates same on grass/artificial turf
WNBA star Brittney Griner transferred to forced labor camp in Russia
WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was arrested in February 2021 for bringing cannabis oil through a Moscow airport and later sentenced to nine years in prison, has been transferred to a Russian forced labor camp, Fox reported.
According to her Russian legal team, the attorneys don't know where Griner is or where she is headed. US officials and her lawyers were not aware she had been moved until Tuesday, ESPN reported.
Russian penal colonies are known for having far harsher conditions than the Moscow jail where she has been detained since February.
Matthew McConaughey may buy in on ownership of NFL's Washington Commanders
Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey is reportedly exploring "joining or forming an investment group" with the intent of purchasing the Washington commanders, according to the Washington Post, CBSSports reported. McConaughey is a longtime fan of the team and has been seen on the sidelines many times. According to reports, McConaughey could join the group led by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, which allegedly also includes Jay-Z.
Ryan Reynolds considering buying NHL's Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are up for sale and, recently, actor Ryan Reynolds has expressed his interest in purchasing the team, USA Today reported.
Astros-Phillies 2nd-least watched World Series ever behind 2020
Interest in baseball's biggest contest is apparently dwindling. A new report says the 2022 World Series was the second least-watched on television in history, only behind the 2020 World Series in which the Dodgers beat the Rays in six games. The third-least watched series was the 2021 Braves-Astros contest that only had 1.3 percent more viewers than this year, ESPN reported. The most watched World Series was game seven of the 1975 World Series between the Red Sox and the Reds which was nearly 5 times the viewership of the 2022 World Series.
Japanese batting champ eyeing MLB
Masataka Yoshida, a 29-year-old left fielder, who plays with the Orix Buffaloes of NPB is about to be posted by his team soon, according to Jon Morosi of mlb.com, who quoted anonymous sources familiar with the matter, NBC Sports reported. He won the batting title in Japan in 2020 and 2021, and finished second in 2022. His averages over the three seasons are .327/.421/.539.
"Sources: Masataka Yoshida, two-time batting champ in NPB, likely to be posted by Orix Buffaloes in the next 2 weeks," Morosi tweeted. "Details are still being discussed, but it’s becoming increasingly likely that Yoshida, a left fielder, will play next season in @MLB."
NFL data shows recent injury rates same on grass/artificial turf
Data from an internal review by the NFL has shown that the recent rate of non-contact injuries to the knee, ankle, and foot are approximately the same on both natural and artificial plane surfaces, ESPN reported. Many players, agents and coaches have called on the league to convert all surfaces to grass after a series of high-profile injuries on artificial turf. But the NFL has no plans to do so, with the data supporting artificial turf doesn't play a factor in injuries.