Morgan Rielly held back tears after the Maple Leafs lost, and he was not the only one. The heartbroken players huddled in the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room, to the gut wrench blow taken by a fan base that has not held a Stanley Cup title since 1967, the downcast mood was enough to go around on Friday. They had lost an opportunity. The moment Nick Cousins forward to the Florida Panthers scored against the Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll at 15:32 of overtime to give the Panthers a 3-2 victory at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto sobered up to the reality of what had happened. See: NHL Expert Picks; Florida Panthers VS Toronto Maple Leafs Predictions Today Toronto’s season was over, they had been knocked out in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference Second Round, a series that most experts predicted that they would win. Now they must come to terms with the reality that major changes could happen to them, both to the roster and in the front office, after a hopeful postseason ended abruptly. The question now is: Will the nucleus of this roster, headed by Rielly and the “Core Four’’ of forwards John Tavares, Mitchell Marner, Auston Matthews and William Nylander remain intact? Rielly struggled to control his emotions when answering that question. “That’s not up to me to decide,” the defenseman said. “We were proud of our regular season and the things we were able to do during the course of it. “I love these guys … “ He paused for a few minutes as his eyes welled up. “I don’t want anything to change.” It may not be up to him to decide, not just because they failed again, but the manner in which they did. Guaranteed, they won their first Stanley Cup Playoff series in 19 years after winning the Tampa Bay Lightining in six games in the best-of-7 first round. But that series had some alarming underlying problems and they were brought to light when Maple Leafs faced the Panthers. Toronto went 1-5 at home in the playoffs after going 27-8-6 during the regular season. The team could not score more than two goals in any of its final seven playoff games after ending 11th in the NHL in goals (279) during the regular season. Matthews, who had 40 goals in the regular season, did not score any in the second round. Tavares who had 36 goals in the regular season, could not score goals either. Matter of fact, wuth Nylander’s two goals and Marner’s one goal in five games against Florida, the “Core Four’’ concluded with only three goals. But the situation is beyond the players. What’s next for Kyle Dubas who watched Toronto go 1-5 in playoff since he became general manager May 11, 2018? The same question can be asked about Sheldon Keefe. Since he became coach November 20, 2019, Toronto is 1-4 in postseason series.  Keefe made no excuses for his part. The team’s downfall, he said, began when the Maple Leafs lost the first three games against Florida, giving them “zero margin for error.’’ “It’s going to take time for the sting of this series to wear off,” he said. “This is a missed opportunity for our group. “You can’t take away anything from Florida. They did a great job. But we were in positions to win in Games 1, 2 and 3 and didn’t handle that well. So, that stings. “I love how our team didn’t lay down. Instead, [it was] the opposite of that in Game 4. The way the team came together, to me, was incredible progress for our group at that moment.” But, all their efforts were not enough. “I believe we had a team good enough to win the Stanley Cup,” Keefe said. “And we didn’t do that.” Dubas played his part before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 3 to bring in pieces that should have made the Maple Leafs a tough team to play against in the postseason. Forwards Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari came in from the St. Louis Blues; forward Sam Lafferty and defenseman Jake McCabe from the Chicago Blackhawks, and defenseman Luke Schenn joined from the Vancouver Canucks. In the end, they carried Toront to win one series, but not the four needed to arrive at the ultimate goal. Kyle was not offered an extension last summer, which meant he was in the last year of his contract.  So, what happens now? For Matthews, he has one year left on his contract. The Maple Leafs may start negotiating an extension with him on July 1. Will he take the offer? And, will Dubas still be the General Manager by then? The most thrilling question for htis team is” What happened that the offense, headed by the “Core Four’’, failed? Despite all the great appearances and performing well defensively in the series, blocking shots and delivering hits, Matthews was held to only two assists against the Panthers. “We dug ourselves in a hole there,” he said of the series. “And it’s all on us, shooting ourselves in the foot at times. We obviously were down 3-0, but I don’t think there was one second [when] we doubted if we took it one game at a time and we played to our ability, we could claw our way back.” But, as Matthewes said, “We couldn’t get the job done.” “It’s tough,” he said. “This is the tightest group I’ve played with in my seven years. Some really great teammates. Some really great people. “It stings, obviously, to go out like that and not get an opportunity to get another crack at it with all these guys.” A crack the Maple Leafs roster may never experience again.

Max Alves a Colorado Rapids player has been suspended, as the MLS begins an investigation into alleged unlawful sports gambling. According to a report by ESPN, the midfielder Alves is accused to have formed part of a group that accepted payments for fixing events during competitive matches. He is alleged to have approached Houston Dynamo player Zeca to join the scheme, with the League announcing that it will be investigating the accusations without mentioning those involved. A statement released by MLS read: “Major League Soccer is aware of the reports regarding alleged involvement by a current player and a former player in connection with unlawful sports gambling. The integrity of the game is critical to the league and MLS takes seriously these allegations and any contravention of the league’s integrity rules. The current player has been removed from team activities pending an investigation into this matter, which will begin promptly.” The Rapids chipped in their statement: “We are aware of the reports regarding a Colorado Rapids player in connection with unlawful sports gambling. We take matters of this nature seriously and seek at all times to protect the integrity of the game. The player has been removed from all team activities while MLS conducts an investigation into the matter.” While Alves has not been criminally charged, the authorities from Brazil’s Public Ministry in the state of Goias have charged 16 people with seven players arrested within that group. O Globo a Brazilian news outlet, claimed that Alves was paid 45,000 Brazilian Reais to get a yellow card in a match with the LA Galaxy in September 2022, with the caution collected within 60 seconds of his introduction as a second-half substitute in that contest. Max Alves who joined Colorado from Flamengo in January 2022, was said to have earned up to $12,000 in total from the gambling syndicate being investigated. He has not issued any comment on the accusations. The United States is tackling a series of gambling controversies after mobile betting was legitimized in many states in recent years. The NFL’s Detroit Lions and NCAA’s Iowa Hawkeyes are some of the prominent establishments implicated in this criminal activity.

The following two weeks will be like a midterm exam for the first semester of the Toronto Blue Jay’s regular season and Chris Bassitt just got straight As. Bassitt pitched the Blue Jays’ first nine-inning shutout in nearly eight years, dating back to Mark Buehrle on June 3, 2015. It had been 1,176 games since that masterpiece from Buehrle, and 880 games since Marcus Stroman threw the last nine-inning complete game for Toronto on April 23, 2017. Both were the longest droughts in Major Baseball history. Events like this are rare, but in Friday’s 3-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Rogers Centre, so was Bassit. “That’s the best version of Chris Bassitt,” said manager John Schneider. “It’s really unique to have a guy adjust on the fly in-game. The way he manipulates the ball, it’s really cool to watch him. Competing is a really big part of the game, and we knew that when we signed him. I think it was just really evident tonight that he didn’t want to back down from any challenge.” With Bassitt cutting through a solid Atlanta lineup over and over, the daily mental calculations went through the minds of Schneider and pitching coach Pete Walker. Schneider ran out to the pitch to speak to Bassitt in the top of the eighth with two outs, but that was no more than a quick check-in. With the numbers in a comfortable spot, there is still an inch-wide opening for the eye test to play a part in 2023. Toronto took a huge gamble on Chris Bassitt when they signed him and when the chance comes, they wager on the person as much as the pitcher. “He never quits and never gives in,” said George Springer. “He just has this way about him. He’s an extremely confident guy but a very, very humble man.” That was why it did not come as a surprise when Bassitt refused the credit after the win, downplaying the importance of a complete game along the way. As Springer and Schneider immediately pointed out, Atlanta’s lineup was scary. This is one of the reasons the Braves are off to one of the best beginnings in Major League Baseball and has brought destruction on the road, their .793 OPS as a team overall ranking second behind just the Rays. Even after achieving a feat that no current Blue Jays were present to witness the last time it occurred, Bassitt directed the praise somewhere else. “It was more so the offense,” said Bassitt, who hit the second shutout and second complete game of his career. “Obviously, we got a run early and we added a run in the seventh. One run, you’re playing with fire with the offense. Once it got to three, I’m not saying it was easy by any means with that lineup, but I could be more aggressive.” Bassitt extended a shout-out to his defense too, and it was well deserved. Kevin Keirmaier, Bo Bichette and Matt Chapman made standout plays infield, another part of the Blue Jay’s growth that was not there consistently a year ago. Bassitt stated that the club’s defense, was one of the things that made him join the Blue Jays. It allowed him to grip it, rip it and be confident with what was behind him. In their most recent away match, Toronto’s game was loose and messy at times. Friday took it back to early April when their defense and baserunning were the engines behind a tight zipped-up style of play. It was extremely frustrating for their opponents and that was what the Blue Jays wanted. “We didn’t barrel up too many balls, for sure,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “[Sean] Murphy had the lineout and Eddie [Rosario] had the double. But other than that, there wasn’t a lot of great contact. I think that’s just the second time this year we’ve been shut out. It was just a really well-pitched game against us.” There is no bad time for a shutout, but Friday was particularly significant for the Blue Jays. They opened a stretch of 17 games in 17 days, a run that included a series against the Braves, and Yankees. Orioles, Rays and Twins. A mental shift happened and it goes both ways. “Other teams are saying that it’s going to be a tough series when they come in here, too,” said Schneider. “It’s about understanding that and getting back to what we’re good at, which is having good at-bats, getting good starting pitching and making good defensive plays.” The schedule for upcoming matches is a roster for heavyweights, but with Bassitt’s performance and the Maple Leafs concluding their yearly playoff exit a few blocks away, the Blue Jays control Toronto again.

The Los Angeles Lakers began the season eight matches under .500 and are now four wins away from the NBA Finals. Los Angeles defeated the reigning champions Golden State Warriors 122-101 in Game 6 on Friday to move to the Western Conference finals. The No. 7-seeded Lakers will take a trip to Denver to play the Nuggets who are the West’s top seed in Game 1 on Tuesday. See: Nikola Jokic will not be suspended for scuffle with Phoenix Suns owner They began the season 2-10 under first-year coach Darvin Ham and changed the roster halfway through the year courtesy of an array of trades by Rob Pelinka vice president of basketball operations and general manager. The Lakers just became the fourth team in league history to be that many matches below .500 and reach the conference finals since conferences were established in the 1970-71 season, per Elias Sports Bureau. “I felt like if we ever had an opportunity to upgrade our roster and put some more balance around myself and [Anthony Davis], I felt like we could make a run,” LeBron James said, looking back at Los Angeles’ rocky start. The team’s run resumed Friday with a legendary performance from LeBron. James had 30 points on 10-for-14 shooting, 9 rebounds and 9 assists as he ended a personal streak of 18 straight playoff games scoring below 30 points. As Kareem Abdul Jabbar who James passed as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in February, sat in the second row at Crypto.com Arena, James joined Abdul-Jabbar as the only other 38-year-old player or older to hit up to 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in a playoff game. “I just wanted to come in and make some plays and be efficient and defend at a high level and help [Davis] rebound,” James said. “Help our team make winning plays. And I was able to make a few of them.” The same way the Lakers have done all postseason, Friday night was delivered as a powerful performance after a disappointing defeat. They leapt to a 27-10 lead with Ham’s starting lineup move – Dennis Schroder replaced Jarred Vanderbilt setting off an offensive jolt. Davis had to leave Game 5 early after an accidental shot to the side of the head but was locked in from the start, with nine of his 17 points and 10 of his 20 rebounds happening in the opening frame.  However, the Warriors supporting the current Finals MVP Stephen Curry, slashed it to five by the beginning of the second quarter. He scored 12 of his game-high 32 points in the opening frame, while Golden State could not find its footing against the Lakers’ defense (3-for-14 from 3). The Lakers increased the lead to 10 by halftime 56-45, with Austin Reaves’ half-court heave falling through the net to beat the second-quarter buzzer. Reaves concluded with 23 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds; he is one of the five Lakers in double figures. “It felt good,” Reaves said of his 54-foot make to end the half. “You don’t make many of those, but it did feel good when I shot it.” Los Angeles amped up the pressure to begin the third and hurriedly tipped its score to 19 with 7:35 left in the quarter, their biggest lead yet. Schroder committed his second technical foul and was removed after an altercation with Draymond Green, providing an opportunity for additional playing time for Game 4 star Lonnie Walker IV, who scored 8 of 13 points in the third. The Lakers led with 14 points into the fourth quarter and the Warriors slashed it to 11 before they responded with an 11-0 run to double their lead. Ham cleared the bench for the final minutes as Los Angeles supporters celebrated the 42nd conference finals berth in team history. Los Angeles is the second No.7 seed to advance to the conference finals since the beginning of seeding in 1984 joining the 1987 Seattle SuperSonics. “A challenging year to say the least, but at the end of the day, we kept powering through, our vibes stayed positive, once we righted the ship and switched out some pieces, we came together, and I’m just happy and thankful that I get to sit in this seat and enjoy the ride,” Ham said. The Lakers are 7-0 at home games this postseason, including the play-in tournament. They ended the Warriors’ streak of 28 straight playoff series with at least one away victory. This will be the 12th time James is making a finals appearance. His teams are 10-1, his only defeat was in 2009 from the Cleveland Cavaliers losing to Orlando Magic in six matches. Winning the Warriors got James his 41st postseason series win of his 20-year career, tying with Derek Fisher for the most all-time. Leaders of the Lakers do not seem to be done yet. When asked if the Lakers were now playing with house money, making it this far after a tough beginning, James baulked at the idea. “We’re trying to win every hand,” James said. Davis, who at James’ side as he had done all postseason, doubled down. “That’s y’all expectation,” Davis said. “Our expectations inside [the team] are way higher than showing up to the Western Conference finals.”

The 2023 NFL schedule has been released. And all compasses point to Week 1. Although the season’s opening matchup will not define a club’s campaign, it sets a precedent for them to have a progressive season. Last year, 10 of the last standing 14 postseason teams won in Week 1. Week 1 will kick off the first season where Monday Night Football games will be open for flex scheduling, starting from Week 12. To see the complete 18-week schedule, fans can click here. Below is a quick rundown of all the Week 1 matchups, beginning with the reigning Super Bowl champs waving their latest banner. To get more information on purchasing game tickets for the 2023 NFL schedule, click here. Read: AWS-powered 2023 NFL Schedule to be released on Thursday, May 11 Thursday, September 7th Detroit Lions AT Kansas City Chiefs Venue: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, Mo. Time: 8:20 p.m, ET How to watch: NBC The last clash between Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff was so loud it could be heard all around America. The NFL hopes to repeat history with Mahomes’ Super Bowl winners Kansas City Chiefs playing Goff’s upstart Detroit Lions as slated on the 2023 NFL schedule. Sunday, September 10th Carolina Panthers AT Atlanta Falcons Venue: Mercedes Benz Stadium | Atlanta Time: 1 p.m. ET How to watch: FOX Bryce Young’s first career start pits the No. 1 overall pick against a division rival on the road. Atlanta used the offseason to beef up their defense to stop players the ex-Heisman Trophy winner. Fans will also get a closer look at how Arthur Smith will apply running back Bijan Robinson in his offense. Houston Texans AT Baltimore Ravens Venue: M&T Bank Stadium | Baltimore Time: 1 p.m. ET How to watch: CBS After signing a huge new contract, Lamar Jackson gets to lead a new offense. With a lineup featuring Odell Beckham, first-round pick Zay Flowers, and Rashod Bateman, new Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken has all the pass catchers he needs to unleash Jackson’s arm of fury. Can DeMeco Ryan’s developing defense, headed by first-round pick Will Anderson Jr., keep up? CJ Stroud’s possible first start as a pro will be in hostile territory.  Cincinnati Bengals AT Cleveland Browns Venue: FirstEnergy Stadium | Cleveland Time: 1. p.m. ET. How to watch: CBS A battle brews in Ohio and will be trashed out in the kick-off of the 2023 season. Joe Burrow’s Bengals won consecutive AFC North titles and have enough ammo for a three-peat.  On the other hand, after Deshaun Watson had a challenging return late last season, Cleveland hopes the rust falls off its offense and they make a lasting impression. The Browns’ offense needs to deliver or Ja’Marr Chase and Co. could steal the opener against their defense that upgraded this offseason but is still a mystery box.  Jacksonville Jaguars AT Indianapolis Colts Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium | Indianapolis Colts Time: 1 p.m ET How to watch: FOX Trevor Lawrence and the AFC South champs travel northside to open the season against the division-rival Indianapolis, who could be launching rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson out of the gate. With Calvin Ridley joining Lawrence’s pass-catching corps, Jacksonville could build an iron-clad offense. Will new Colts coach Shane Steichen counter this attack with Richardson in Week 1 or bring on veteran Gardner Minshew? Tampa Bay Buccaneers AT Minnesota Vikings Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium | Minneapolis Time: 1. p.m ET How to watch: CBS The Buccaneers and Vikings battle at Minneapolis, warding off reports of regression in 2023. This matchup will have lots of wide receivers, Justin Jefferson and first-round pick Jordan Addison in purple and Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in pewter. Considering that the two clubs struggled with their defense a year ago, it may be a shootout. Most of the work rests on the quarterbacks, especially the Buccaneers, where Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask will fight for opening-day duties. Tennesse Titans AT New Orleans Saints Venue: Caesars Superdome | New Orleans When: 1 p.m. ET How to watch: CBS Derek Carr opens for the Saints in the Superdome, where he may get the ball running. If Michael Thomas is in good shape, New Orleans could enter this game guns blazing. Thomas, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed band together to create a stellar receiver trio for Carr to win at all levels.  The Saints lost out at the bulk up front this year, so if Derrick Henry stays with the Titans to start the season, it could be a big day for the King. San Francisco 49ers AT Pittsburgh Steelers Venue: Acrisure Stadium | Pittsburgh Time: 1. p.m. ET How to watch: FOX Kyle Shanahan was happy the 2023 NFL schedule did not put his team against the Philadelphia Eagles, but he will still be going to Pennsylvania for Week 1. But it could be a tough game, with both sides looking to establish the ground game early. The big question for the 49ers is if Brock Purdy will be ready to play in the season opener. For Pittsburgh, their reformed offensive line, including Broderick Jones’ first-round pick, will be tested against Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and others. Arizona Cardinals AT Washington Commanders Venue: FedEx Field | Landover, Md. Time: 1 p.m, ET How to watch: FOX Sam Howell wants to start the season under centre after an impressive Week 18 run last year. He was chosen to play against Arizona which has a questionable defense, which may be one of the worst defensive lines in the league. Kyler Murray is expected to miss the beginning of the season, so, Howell-Colt McCoy could open the season in Washington. Green Bay Packers AT Chicago Cubs Venue: Soldier Field | Chicago Time: 4:25 p.m. ET How to watch: FOX. Jordan Love will face a Cubs defense that had a challenging last season, but on paper, covered up some holes during offeseason. Justin Fields had the best moment as a passer last season against

The NBA will not suspend Denver Nuggets player Nikola Jokic for Game 5 against the Phoenix Suns. It announced on Monday that it fined Jokic the sum of $25,000 for slightly pushing Suns owner Mat Ishbia in Game 4 while he wanted to retrieve the ball in the crowd, but he will play Tuesday night in Denver with the series tied 2-2. See: Joel Embiid crowned 2022-23 NBA MVP over Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo Jokic committed a technical foul in the second quarter of Game 4 on Sunday night when he tried to snatch the ball from Ishbia, who was courtside and hit the Suns’ owner with his elbow. Ishbia addressed the situation on Twitter on Monday morning. “Great win for the Suns last night in an amazing series so far! That should be and is the only story,” Ishbia tweeted. “Suspending or fining anyone over last night’s incident would not be right. I have a lot of respect for Jokic and don’t want to see anything like that. Excited for game 5! Go Suns!” The scuffle started when Suns guard Josh Okogie landed into the courtside seats in an attempt to save a loose ball. He fell into a group of fans on the baseline that included Ishbia, who held the basketball. Jokic wanted to get the ball quickly, presumably so that the Nuggets could begin their offensive possession when he tried to grab it from Ishbia. The ball flew into the crowd, and then Jokic knocked back Ishbia with his elbow. Nikola Jokic defended his actions after a Suns VS Nuggets game in which he secured 53 points and 11 assists. “The fan put the hand on me first,” Jokic explained. “I thought the league was supposed to protect us. Maybe I am wrong. I know who he is, but he is a fan. Isn’t he?” Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Jokic was “going to get the ball and some fan is holding on to the ball like he wants to be part of the game.”

The National Football League announced on Monday that the 2023 NFL Schedule powered by AWS will be released on NFL Network, NFL.com, the NFL app and NFL+ on Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET. Prior to the release of the complete 2023 NFL schedule for the regular season, the following matches will be announced: International Games – Wednesday on NFL Network and ESPN. Black Friday Game – Wednesday via Amazon Select individual games – Wednesday on Fox & Friends and CBS Mornings. Select individual games – Thursday on Today Show and Good Morning America. See: The five most improved clubs of the 2023 NFL offseason NFL Network’s coverage will be complemented by Schedule Release ‘23 by Verizon at  8 p.m. ET, which details the 2023 NFL regular season schedule, division by division, analyzing the prominent matchups and prime-time games. Rich Eisen and Colleen Wolfe will host the three-hour show, alongside Maurice Jones-Drew and Emmanuel Sanders. Fans can live stream the NFL Network on multiple devices (smartphone, PC, tablet and connected TVs) via the NFL app or NFL.com/watch, the NFL Network app on smartphones and tablets for subscribers of partner NFL Network providers and for NFL+ subscribers. Players Only Schedule Release will highlight coverage on NFL+  at 8 p.m. ET, this will feature host Andrew Siciliano, analyst Daniel Jeremiah and running back Mark Ingram discussing the 2023 schedule. Los Angeles cornerback J.C. Jackson, New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu and defensive end Cam Jordan will be the guests. NFL GameDay View will provide extra coverage: Schedule Release presented by Verizon at 8 p.m. ET on the NFL Channel and YouTube, hosted by Patrick Claybob, Cynthia Frelund and Gregg Rosenthal. The NFL Channel is available on the NFL App on Mobile and CTV, NFL.com/NFLChannel, Roku, PlutoTV, Vizio WatchFree, Tubi, Peacock, LG, and Xumo. See also: 2023 NFL regular season: Eagles-Chiefs among top kickoff options NFL.com and NFL app will provide the full team-by-team and weekly schedules of all regular season games, including listing opponents, sites, and times. ESPN will run get a two-hour prime-time special highlighting the 2023 Monday Night Football schedule and surrounding the entire schedule release on Thursday, May 11 airing on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET. NFL Live’s Mina Kimes, Dan Orlovsky, and Marcus Spears, alongside Fiel Yates, will anchor the coverage with various guests expected to attend. Earlier in the day, NLF Live will reveal an exclusive Monday Night Football game at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN. Individual game tickets will be sold by the Official Ticketing Partner of the NFL Ticketmaster, once each game is announced. Tickets will also be sold through SeatGeek, a member of the NFL Ticket Network. Find more information on NFL.com/tickets. For the 2023 NFL schedule, the NFL will use Amazon Web Services (AWS) to power its schedule-making process. There are approximately a quadrillion possible schedule combinations on every NFL season and over 26,000 factors to consider like stadium availability, travel requirements, primetime games, competitive fairness and division rivalries. The NFL uses AWS to run high-performance computing workloads to find the best possible schedule each year. For more information, click here. Marriot Bonvoy, Marriot International’s award-winning travel program, and Courtyard by Marriott, the Official Hotel of the NFL, will transport fans to their favourite teams throughout the 2023 season. For the first time, the Marriott Bonvoy Moments experiences platform is offering one passionate NFL fan the chance to attend every regular season away game for their favourite team, with a two-night stay hosted by Courtyard by Marriott and roundtrip flights for every game. The “Ultimate NFL Experience’’ Moment auction will go live at moments.marriottbonvoy.com on Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET. Read: Isaiah Foskey Saints rookie DE wants an opportunity to learn from Cam Jordan Courtyard by Marriott will also help fans travelling for games to find accommodations in close proximity to their respective NFL stadium using a new hotel booking button on the NFL.com schedule page. The button will direct fans to recommendations for nearby Courtyard by Marriott hotels, or other hotels within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, during the specific game weekend they are attending.

There are some MLB rivalries that will last till the end of time. Cardinals and Cubs fans will go back and forth on 1-55 to yell at each other for years. Giants fans and Dodgers fans will never be best friends. New England parents will bar their children from marrying Yankees fans forever. Some rivalries are eternal. However, other rivals spring up, naturally, in the midst of heated competition, overt familiarity or just spite. And this is normal, everybody wants to win and they have that one club that is always stealing wins away from them. These quarrels will not stand the test of time like the Red Sox-Yankees’ bad blood, but in the moment, and over the course of a season, they are just as vicious. Long-standing MLB rivalries are something that comes to mind, now that MLB Network is celebrating Rivalry Week, which extends to this weekend with three intradivision clashes broadcasted: Dodgers – Padres (Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET), Yankees-Rays (Saturday, 4 p.m. ET) and Astros-Mariners (Saturday, 9:30 p.m. ET). The Twins and Guardians will open their series on Friday (7:10 p.m. ET) for an Apple TV+ doubleheader. Related: 2023 MLB monthly award winners for April announced Here is a list of the biggest pop-up MLB rivalries in every division today, with four of those matches listed. AL East: Yankees-Rays Two years ago, Neil Paine of FiveThirtyEight declared that Yankees and Rays were the one true rivals in the AL East and the rivalry got more intense since then. While Kevin Kiermaier is now in Toronto, the longtime Ray still gave a summary of why Tampa Bay and New York are the perfect rivals last season: “The Yankees, they’ve got the big payroll, the mega-superstars,” Kiermaier said. “And then you’ve got the Rays. The small payroll. Not a whole lot of household names, but a lot of above-average Major Leaguers. And guys who know how to win.” This is especially accurate this season, the Rays are off to a shaky start, and the Yankees are one game above .500 but still in last place. Include the Yankees’ Spring Training facility being sited in Tampa, and fans get the ideal 2023 rivalry. AL Central: Guardians – Twins AL Central shaking out over the last decade, Guardians – Twins are the only significant teams that could fit the MLB rivalries description. Since the Royals won the division (and the World Series) in 2015, these clubs have won six of the seven division titles. The Guardians won four and the Twins two. As the division falls apart around them, Minnesota is three games up on the Cleveland Guardians, and the Detroit Tigers are a distant third, five games back and things may be like this for a while. One of the interesting things about rivalries is that they are better when the rivals share similar traits: People always hate most what reminds them of themselves. This summarizes the Twins-Guardians rivalry briefly. AL West: Astros – Mariners There is an alternate reality where this rivalry does not happen: The Mariners, in their first postseason run in 20 years, are one out away from stealing home-field advantage from the despised, predatory Astros: they just need to get that last out.  Then Yordan Alvarez sends a home run into the throngs of screaming Houston fans, and in that moment, Houston was off, on their way to winning its second World Series title. Seattle with all their young talent, believes that their story has just started. But like everyone else, they must get through the Astros first. NL East: Braves-Mets Braves – Mets is not entirely a new feud. Chipper Jones did name his son Shea. But, apologies to the Philadelphia Phillies, these two teams are armed to the teeth and ready to clash for the next half-decade. Atlanta has a core group signed for years to come and looks prepared to secure another World Series. New York on the other hand are motivated to clinch the NL East mantle from the Braves and get their first championship victory since 1986. To know how heated this rivalry can become, eyes turn to the end of last season, where Atlanta swept the series from New York and won the division for the fifth consecutive year. And this is just the beginning for them. See: Mets’ Max Scherzer struggles in return from suspension, eager to ‘move forward’ NL Central: Brewers – Cardinals For this rivalry to be sustained, the Cardinals have to move out of the last position eventually. If this happens, these two sides will do the same dance they have done for the entire century. St. Louis’ success is well documented. But the problems they have given Milwaukee from 2011 (one of the best Brewers teams fell to the streaking Cardinals in the NLCS) to last year then the Brewers antagonized the Cardinals all season until Josh Hader’s trade sent the team downward. One entertaining thing about this division rivalry: is that they have gone against each other before in the 1982 World Series; the Cardinals also won that one. More MLB News: Robbie Ray likely to miss start of ‘24 due to Tommy John surgery Red Sox win Blue Jays 8-3 extend winning streak to 5 Chicago Cubs powering up? Matt Mervis called in to boost offense