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Traina Thoughts: Take That For Data!; Justin Verlander practices tipping; more

Traina Thoughts: People love "Take That For Data!"; Justin Verlander practices tipping; more
Jimmy Traina|
Traina Thoughts: Take That For Data!; Justin Verlander practices tipping; more
Traina Thoughts: Take That For Data!; Justin Verlander practices tipping; more

The best of the Internet, plus musings by SI.com writer, Jimmy Traina.

1. It’s still very early, but the best performance of the NBA playoffs so far came from Grizzlies coach David Fizdale. 

After Memphis lost Game 2 to San Antonio, 96–82, Fizdale went off about the officiating, citing that the fact that the Grizzlies put up 19 shots in the paint and shot 6 free-throws while the Spurs shot 11 times in the paint and had 23 free-throws and that San Antonio guard Kawhi Leonard took more free-throws (19) than the entire Memphis team combined (15). Fizdale then added, “I know Pop’s [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] got pedigree and I’m a young rookie, but they’re not gonna rook us.” Fizdale then ended the glorious diatribe by simply stating, “Take that for data.”

Naturally, the Internet had fun with Fizdale’s work.

We had the standard Wikipedia page update and some wonderful tweets.

2. PLAYOFF THOUGHTS WITH BIZNASTY: Since I'm far from a hockey expert, I've called on a hockey player and one of the funniest human beings alive, Paul Bissonnette, to contribute his thoughts about the NHL playoffs from time to time. The man known to nearly a million followers on Twitter as BizNasty2point0, texted these takes on Tuesday:

* I love the Dart guy stuff.

Seems the way social media works, there's always a new fan to embrace each playoff. Last year, it was @soloucity. It's good to see Toronto fans, who have waited a long time to be this excited about playoff hockey, getting all its value. I mean, the guy loves the Leafs enough to paint his face.

* As a player, I know how invested we are in the game. In the Boston game (Game 3), there may have been a call that Bruins fans didn't agree with that led to the overtime goal. I HAVE NO OPINION ON THE CALL, SO DON'T PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH. But it still, to this day, amazes me that a fan would get so upset to throw garbage at the other team and refs. I have three feelings about this. 1. That's f----d up and rude. 2. How could you care that much about something that didn't directly affect your life. 3. Now I know why we as athletes make so much money. These people will go pull the away teams' hotel fire alarm so they can help their team win a f---ing sporting event. So they can go online and write a comment f--k you'ing another fan base for bragging rights. It's bananas. But like anything in life, we must take the good with the bad.

* I am most exited to see how the Leafs-Capitals series plays out because if Washington loses, what happens to probably one of, if not, the most dominant regular-season team in the last decade. Do you blow it up? These are the conversations already going on three games into playoffs. No shortage of drama in the NHL playoffs.

3. What a rough week for athletes off the field. Antonio Brown’s pregnant ex(?)- girlfriend used Instagram to tell the world the Steelers receiver left her for an Instagram model. Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony is separated and may have impregnated a dancer who works at a strip club. And Mets infielder Jose Reyes got exposed for living a “double life,” according to his ex-mistress.

4. If you’d like to see what the life of a pro athlete is like, check out these 10 homes owned by NHL players. 

5. Justin Verlander gave up nine runs and 11 hits over four innings against the Indians on Saturday. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said after that game that he didn’t know whether or not the right-hander was tipping his pitches. Based on this tweet from Monday, we know where Verlander stands on the issue.

6. Patriots fans still haven’t gotten over Deflategate. Check out what happened when ESPN tried to ask a guy on Twitter for permission to use a great photo he had tweeted from Monday’s Boston Marathon.

7. If case you missed it Monday, Stephen A. Smith went crazy on First Take, demanding that Knicks president Phil Jackson “get the hell out of New York City.” The rant was perfect timing for Vox, which put together this excellent, yet sad, piece on how CNN has become First Take.

8. Monday Night Raw closed last night with Braun Strowman trying to suplex The Big Show off the top rope, which caused the ring to collapse. To stay updated on important events like this, make sure to follow SI.com’s brand new Pro Wrestling Facebook page.

9. Boxing needs a star in the worst way. Could 10-year-old Jesselyn "JessZilla" Silva solve that problem? After watching the video below, it's definitely possible.

10. THE DAILY ROCK: Let’s remember when the Rock unleashed one of his best ever “IT DOESN’T MATTERS” on the Dudley Boyz.

Get the link to a new Traina's Thoughts each day by following on Twitter and/or liking on Facebook.

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Jimmy Traina
JIMMY TRAINA

Jimmy Traina is a staff writer and podcast host for Sports Illustrated. A 20-year veteran in the industry, he’s been covering the sports media landscape for seven years and writes a daily column, Traina Thoughts. Traina has hosted the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast since 2018, a show known for interviews with some of the most important and powerful people in sports media. He also was the creator and writer of SI’s Hot Clicks feature from 2007 to '13.

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