🏈 First things first
The NFL is less than a week away.
We survived the offseason. Fantasy rosters are drafted. Group chats are already talking trash. And Sundays are about to have plans again.
Quick Playbook update: now that football season is here, Fi's Playbook is moving to Tuesdays. Since NFL games run from Thursday through Monday night, your Tuesday edition can cover the full rundown of what happened, what mattered, and what everyone will be talking about.
Basically, your Tuesday sports cheat sheet. Starting September 8.
🏀 What happened this week
The Kawhi Leonard situation is… a lot.
The NBA found that the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard violated salary-cap circumvention rules through outside business opportunities and endorsement arrangements.
The punishment was massive: the Clippers were fined $30 million and lost five future first-round draft picks. Owner Steve Ballmer was suspended from team and league activities for one year, and Leonard was ordered to pay $700,000.
Why it matters: first-round picks are a major way teams add elite young talent. Losing one in every draft from 2029 through 2033 could affect the Clippers long after the fine is paid.
🏈 College football · 🏀 Team USA
Fall sports are officially rolling.
College football is back and the first packed weekend is here. You do not need to memorize 100 schools—just know that No. 11 LSU hosting Clemson on Saturday night is one of the early statement games.
The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup is underway in Berlin, and Team USA is chasing a fifth consecutive title. The Americans opened with a 94–60 win over China and face Italy next.
📺 What to watch this week
Four events to know.
🏀 USA VS. ITALY
Sunday, September 6 · 2:45 PM ET
TNT and HBO Max · Team USA's second group game at the FIBA Women's World Cup.🏈 CLEMSON AT LSU
Saturday, September 5 · 7:30 PM ET
ABC and the ESPN App · An early-season showcase under the lights in Baton Rouge.🎾 U.S. OPEN
All Labor Day weekend
ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and ESPN+ · The singles draws move from the third round into the Round of 16.🏈 PATRIOTS AT SEAHAWKS
Wednesday, September 9 · 8:20 PM ET
NBC, Peacock, and NFL+ · The defending champions host a Super Bowl rematch to open the NFL season.🚨 Sports chaos headlines
The Clippers got hammered. A $30 million fine, five first-round picks gone, and major suspensions make this far more than a slap on the wrist.
College football already has a marquee matchup. Clemson visits No. 11 LSU in primetime Saturday.
Naomi Osaka is moving on at the U.S. Open. She survived a three-set match against Katerina Siniakova to reach the third round.
September baseball has arrived. With roughly a month left in the regular season, Wild Card races are officially conversation material.
🛋️ Fi's couch report
Mock draft. Panic. Change strategy. Repeat.
“I have spent an unreasonable amount of time deciding which grown man will score imaginary points for me on Sundays.”
After mock drafts, real drafts, a family league, and a work league, I genuinely forgot which players I owned where.
And after all that research, I am sure one player I didn't draft will score 40 points in Week 1 while someone on my roster pulls a hamstring in warmups.
🤯 Sports fun fact
The NFL has 272 regular-season games before the playoffs even begin. There is about to be an absurd amount of football.
💬 One thing to bring up
I'm more interested to see how the Clippers recover from losing five first-round picks than the actual Kawhi punishment. Now you know.