I am grateful I grew up in a time and a household where Hank Aaron, Billie Williams, Adrian Dantley and Walter Payton could be my heroes. I am grateful to grow old in a time where Mikaela Shiffrin, Simone Biles, Elena Delle Donne and Kate Georgiades are my heroes. (If you don’t know Georgiades, table whatever you’re doing and check out this highlight.)
March is Women’s History Month and Friday was International Women’s Day. So let’s celebrate women making history in sports. Ear ya go…
— Kal
🎿 Quote
“I can only do what I can do.”
— Mikaela Shiffrin, conceding the overall World Cup title this season
Source: AP Sports
Shiffrin, who has won more World Cup races (96) than any other human in history, crashed in a downhill race in January and suffered knee and leg injuries.
She returned to action this weekend in Åre, Sweden, announcing Friday that she would limit her races and skip the speed events (downhill & super-G) in these final few weeks of the season, thus eliminating her chance at a record-tying sixth overall alpine title.
So she’s taking it easy. Good for her.
Wait, she did what Sunday in her return after a six-week injury layoff? Won the slalom by 1.24 seconds! 😳
“This is an insane way to return,” Shiffrin said. Indeed. How Swede it is.
🏈 Story
Flag football gives female players sense of community, scholarship options and soon shot at Olympics
By Pat Graham, AP Sports
Flag football has a certain pull to it. Just ask Jo Overstreet, a former college basketball player who at 40 is on Team USA and hopes to be on the roster when the sport makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028.
“This is so big for women to be able to say, ‘I have a dream to play football’ — and to actually know that opportunity is really there,” Overstreet told the AP for this story. “Just saying that to myself now, I’m still in shock.”
🏀 Highlight
Thanks to Kamilla Cardoso’s first three-pointer of her college career Saturday, South Carolina’s women are still the only undefeated NCAA D1 basketball team.
Cardoso & Co made it 32-0 today, topping defending NCAA champ Louisiana State for the Southeastern Conference Tournament title. But she couldn’t celebrate on the court as she was ejected with 2:08 left for pushing LSU’s Flau'jae Johnson to the floor.
“I would like to extend my sincerest apologies for my actions during today's game,” Cardosa wrote on social media. “My behavior was not representative of who I am as a person or the South Carolina program, and I deeply regret any discomfort or inconvenience it may have caused. I take full responsibility for my actions and assure you that I am committed to conducting myself with the utmost respect and sportsmanship in the future.”
Highlight, lowlight, and a sincere apology. That’s a full 24 hours. I think her apology is the true highlight for me.
🏀 Stat
3,737
Career points scored by Caitlin Clark through Saturday, most in NCAA D1 history
Having trouble keeping track of which legends Clark has taken to the hoop recently? Ear ya go:
Passed Kelsey Plum in February for most Women’s D1 career scoring points (3,527)
Passed Pete Maravich last Sunday for most D1 career scoring points (3,667)
Passed Stephen Curry Friday for most three-pointers in a D1 season (162)
She capped off her historic week by leading Iowa to a come-from-behind, overtime victory over Nebraska, giving the Hawkeyes their third straight Big Ten tourney title.
🥎 Groaner
Why did Oklahoma Softball’s 71-game win streak come to an end in the eighth inning last Sunday against Louisiana?
They had to lose Sooner or later.
The longest winning streaks in NCAA D1 Softball history:
Oklahoma (2023-24): 71 games
Arizona (1996-97): 47
Oklahoma (2019): 41
Oklahoma (2020-21): 40
Oklahoma (2021-22): 40
The Sooners immediately started another streak, winning their last four by a combined total of 38-3. Once again it’s a beautiful day, and everything’s goin’ their way.
🇺🇳 Song
One Woman by 25 women (and a few men) from around the world
Eleven years ago the United Nations brought these women together to give us One Woman. Thank you, ladies! “Your victories lift us all.”
🕹️ Trivia
What video game just unveiled a female player mode?
Fortnight Experiences
Madden NFL 24
MLB The Show 24
NBA 2K24
Answer below.
It’s MLB The Show 24, which will roll out Road to the Show: Women Pave Their Way on March 19, allowing players to create a female player and play as her.
Aw shucks 🌽. That’s it for this week. Let’s each tell one woman how grateful we are they’re paving their way and making this world better. Let’s do it sooner, rather than later. RU game?