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Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Here we go again: South Florida columnist calls out Connor McDavid for second straight year
During last year's Stanley Cup Final, there were some extremely interesting and dramatic storylines that played out over the course of a seven-game extravaganza. One of the more unexpected narratives came from a longtime, well respected South Florida sports columnist named Greg Cote. Advertisement Prior to the start of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, Cote wrote that Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid was 'overrated.' As one might imagine, it was universally disagreed with, which didn't seem to bother Cote one bit. In his original story, Cote wrote: 'Connor McDavid is overrated. Boom. He puts up big, impressive stats, yes. Fine. But should he really be called 'generational,' called the best player in the sport, when in nine seasons he has yet to lead his team to a Stanley Cup?' McDavid went on to record three goals and 11 points during the Final, capping off a postseason in which he racked up 42 points and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy. Advertisement He followed that ridiculousness up with his fifth straight 100-point season (it would be his ninth straight, but he finished with 97 points after playing just 64 games in the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season. As for this year's playoffs, McDavid has logged a more modest six goals and 26 points in 16 outings while leading his team back to the Final in two less games than it took last postseason. Apparently, none of that has impressed Cote. Not only did he double down on his 'overrated' take from last season, but he brought a certain South Florida sports legend into the conversation, just to further prove his point. Advertisement 'Is it true some nincompoop Miami columnist referred to McDavid as 'McOverrated' in last year's Final?' Yes, I did! (Who uses the word nincompoop anymore?) And guess what? The unkind nickname is even more of a snug fit now. 'McOverrated does not mean McDavid isn't great. He is. He has won three Hart (MVP) trophies, led the league in points five times. His combo of speed and stick-handling might be unmatched. But enough with the McJesus, next-Gretzky hyberbole. He isn't perfect. Nothing special defensively. Prone to turning the puck over. Oh, and this minor thing: NO CHAMPIONSHIPS. Zero Stanley Cups in his 10th NHL season. Tick-tock, Connor. Not sure about you Canadians, but here in the States we sort of a put a premium on winning it all. (It's why Dan Marino never really entered the greatest-QB-ever talk even though he shattered NFL passing records. Never won a Super Bowl.)' Painful Dan Marino memories aside, do we really want to poke the bear? Advertisement Again? LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Florida Panthers organization takes part in virtual 5K in support of Gaudreau family Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk Says This About Oilers Ahead Of Final If Stanley Cup Final rematch between Panthers, Oilers comes close to last year, we're in for a treat Paul Maurice Gives Panthers Massive Compliment Ahead Of Final Ticket prices for Stanley Cup Final start high, keep going up Photo caption: Jun 24, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) controls the puck as Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe (23) reaches to defend during the first period in game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Sparks' Kelsey Plum returns to Las Vegas, greeted with cheers and hugs
LAS VEGAS — Some fans held signs around Michelob Ultra Arena that read, 'Once an Ace, always an Ace' to welcome back Kelsey Plum. They cheered when minutes before Friday night's game Plum was shown on the video board. She smiled as the roars began and then hugged former teammate A'ja Wilson. Plum made her first appearance in Las Vegas since being sent to Los Angeles in a three-team trade in which the Aces landed Jewell Loyd from Seattle. 'It's going to be great to compete against them,' Plum said before the game. 'I've been on their team for so long. I feel like we know each other so well. It's really going to be a battle of the minds.' It wasn't quite the return Plum envisioned. The Aces beat the Sparks 96-81 and she finished with a team-high 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting. She was 1 of 7 from 3-point range, committed five turnovers and four fouls and finished with a minus-21 rating. Plum went flying in the second quarter and a foul was initially called on Las Vegas' Jackie Young, but the Aces challenged the call, which was reversed when the replay showed Plum wasn't pushed. She picked up a technical foul late in the third quarter after arguing a call. Plum pointed out the Sparks were playing their seventh game since May 16 and the Aces hadn't hit the court since Sunday. 'I was frustrated in myself,' Plum said after the game. 'I didn't have any legs. They did a great job defensively.' Plum was an instrumental part of the 2022 and 2023 Aces teams that won WNBA championships, the first team to repeat since the Sparks went back-to-back in 2001 and 2002. She was an All-Star the past three seasons, but the Aces are Wilson's team. As great as Plum was in Las Vegas, she was never going to get out of that shadow as long as three-time league MVP remained on the roster. In Los Angeles, Plum is, as Sparks coach Lynne Roberts called her, 'the head of the snake.' She entered this game averaging 25.2 points, behind only Minnesota's Napheesa Collier's 26.8. Plum, however, took exception that she's the face of the franchise. 'People get caught up in the 'face of,'' Plum said. 'That was not my intention. I think for me in LA, it was more going for a fresh start and an opportunity to be able to do it in a different way and have the ball in my hands a little bit more. I'm a dynamic player. I make plays. I can pass. I can score. So I just wanted a little bit more opportunity to do that. 'I'm trying to win games and affect winning. We've still got to do that at a high level, so that's really where my focus is on more than anything.' The Sparks are counting on her championship experience to help them back to that level. They entered this game 2-4 and haven't finished with a winning record since going 15-7 in 2020 in the COVID-shortened season. 'She's won everywhere she's been,' Roberts said. 'She was a key part of Vegas, their success. ... She's ready for that point in her career, and she's earned it.' The more immediate priority for Plum was beating her old club, saying the teams that are separated by just a four-hour drive was not a rivalry — yet. 'They've kicked our (butt),' Plum said. 'We'd need to win at least six or seven more matchups, respectfully, for it to be a rivalry. It's like the Giants and the Jets.'
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Sparks' Kelsey Plum returns to Las Vegas, greeted with cheers and hugs
Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Some fans held signs around Michelob Ultra Arena that read, 'Once an Ace, always an Ace" to welcome back Kelsey Plum. They cheered when minutes before Friday night's game Plum was shown on the video board. She smiled as the roars began and then hugged former teammate A'ja Wilson. Plum made her first appearance in Las Vegas since being sent to Los Angeles in a three-team trade in which the Aces landed Jewell Loyd from Seattle. 'It's going to be great to compete against them,' Plum said before the game. 'I've been on their team for so long. I feel like we know each other so well. It's really going to be a battle of the minds.' Plum was an instrumental part of the 2022 and 2023 Aces teams that won WNBA championships, the first team to repeat since the Sparks went back-to-back in 2001 and 2002. She was an All-Star the past three seasons, but the Aces are Wilson's team. As great as Plum was in Las Vegas, she was never going to get out of that shadow as long as three-time league MVP remained on the roster. In Los Angeles, Plum is, as Sparks coach Lynne Roberts called her, 'the head of the snake.' She entered this game averaging 25.2 points, behind only Minnesota's Napheesa Collier's 26.8. Plum, however, took exception that she's the face of the franchise. 'People get caught up in the 'face of,'' Plum said. "That was not my intention. I think for me in LA, it was more going for a fresh start and an opportunity to be able to do it in a different way and have the ball in my hands a little bit more. I'm a dynamic player. I make plays. I can pass. I can score. So I just wanted a little bit more opportunity to do that. 'I'm trying to win games and affect winning. We've still got to do that at a high level, so that's really where my focus is on more than anything.' The Sparks are counting on her championship experience to help them back to that level. They entered this game 2-4 and haven't finished with a winning record since going 15-7 in 2020 in the COVID-shortened season. 'She's won everywhere she's been,' Roberts said. 'She was a key part of Vegas, their success. ... She's ready for that point in her career, and she's earned it.' The more immediate priority for Plum was beating her old club, saying the teams that are separated by just a four-hour drive was not a rivalry — yet. 'They've kicked our (butt),' Plum said. 'We'd need to win at least six or seven more matchups, respectfully, for it to be a rivalry. It's like the Giants and the Jets.' ___ AP WNBA: recommended
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Sparks' Kelsey Plum returns to Las Vegas, greeted with cheers and hugs
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Some fans held signs around Michelob Ultra Arena that read, 'Once an Ace, always an Ace" to welcome back Kelsey Plum. They cheered when minutes before Friday night's game Plum was shown on the video board. She smiled as the roars began and then hugged former teammate A'ja Wilson. Plum made her first appearance in Las Vegas since being sent to Los Angeles in a three-team trade in which the Aces landed Jewell Loyd from Seattle. 'It's going to be great to compete against them,' Plum said before the game. 'I've been on their team for so long. I feel like we know each other so well. It's really going to be a battle of the minds.' Plum was an instrumental part of the 2022 and 2023 Aces teams that won WNBA championships, the first team to repeat since the Sparks went back-to-back in 2001 and 2002. She was an All-Star the past three seasons, but the Aces are Wilson's team. As great as Plum was in Las Vegas, she was never going to get out of that shadow as long as three-time league MVP remained on the roster. In Los Angeles, Plum is, as Sparks coach Lynne Roberts called her, 'the head of the snake.' She entered this game averaging 25.2 points, behind only Minnesota's Napheesa Collier's 26.8. Plum, however, took exception that she's the face of the franchise. 'People get caught up in the 'face of,'' Plum said. "That was not my intention. I think for me in LA, it was more going for a fresh start and an opportunity to be able to do it in a different way and have the ball in my hands a little bit more. I'm a dynamic player. I make plays. I can pass. I can score. So I just wanted a little bit more opportunity to do that. 'I'm trying to win games and affect winning. We've still got to do that at a high level, so that's really where my focus is on more than anything.' The Sparks are counting on her championship experience to help them back to that level. They entered this game 2-4 and haven't finished with a winning record since going 15-7 in 2020 in the COVID-shortened season. 'She's won everywhere she's been,' Roberts said. 'She was a key part of Vegas, their success. ... She's ready for that point in her career, and she's earned it.' 'They've kicked our (butt),' Plum said. 'We'd need to win at least six or seven more matchups, respectfully, for it to be a rivalry. It's like the Giants and the Jets.' ___
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sparks' Kelsey Plum returns to Las Vegas, greeted with cheers and hugs
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Some fans held signs around Michelob Ultra Arena that read, 'Once an Ace, always an Ace' to welcome back Kelsey Plum. They cheered when minutes before Friday night's game Plum was shown on the video board. She smiled as the roars began and then hugged former teammate A'ja Wilson. Plum made her first appearance in Las Vegas since being sent to Los Angeles in a three-team trade in which the Aces landed Jewell Loyd from Seattle. 'It's going to be great to compete against them,' Plum said before the game. 'I've been on their team for so long. I feel like we know each other so well. It's really going to be a battle of the minds.' Plum was an instrumental part of the 2022 and 2023 Aces teams that won WNBA championships, the first team to repeat since the Sparks went back-to-back in 2001 and 2002. She was an All-Star the past three seasons, but the Aces are Wilson's team. As great as Plum was in Las Vegas, she was never going to get out of that shadow as long as three-time league MVP remained on the roster. In Los Angeles, Plum is, as Sparks coach Lynne Roberts called her, 'the head of the snake.' She entered this game averaging 25.2 points, behind only Minnesota's Napheesa Collier's 26.8. Plum, however, took exception that she's the face of the franchise. 'People get caught up in the 'face of,'' Plum said. 'That was not my intention. I think for me in LA, it was more going for a fresh start and an opportunity to be able to do it in a different way and have the ball in my hands a little bit more. I'm a dynamic player. I make plays. I can pass. I can score. So I just wanted a little bit more opportunity to do that. 'I'm trying to win games and affect winning. We've still got to do that at a high level, so that's really where my focus is on more than anything.' The Sparks are counting on her championship experience to help them back to that level. They entered this game 2-4 and haven't finished with a winning record since going 15-7 in 2020 in the COVID-shortened season. 'She's won everywhere she's been,' Roberts said. 'She was a key part of Vegas, their success. … She's ready for that point in her career, and she's earned it.' The more immediate priority for Plum was beating her old club, saying the teams that are separated by just a four-hour drive was not a rivalry — yet. 'They've kicked our (butt),' Plum said. 'We'd need to win at least six or seven more matchups, respectfully, for it to be a rivalry. It's like the Giants and the Jets.' ___ AP WNBA:
