Well Played

EDITOR’S NOTE

It's only Wednesday, and I've already stayed up late twice this week to watch basketball. My sleep score is wrecked, but I’m loving all the action. The NBA regular season kicked off yesterday, and the Eastern Conference looks so competitive that some all-star teams could miss the playoffs — consider this your heads up to get invested early. I also caught the Knicks' ring ceremony ahead of their game against Philly. The reigning champs may have lost, but a four-legged fan was a big winner at one of NYC's legendary Halloween dog costume contests over the weekend. Meanwhile, Kylie Kelce shared a video yesterday of herself cheering on the USWNT at last week’s friendly against Spain. Turns out, even she gets confused about how yellow and red cards work: "I don't know the rules, but I know you can't do that." With tonight's WNBA Finals Game 3 and the series tied 1-1, something tells me I won't make a dent in my sleep debt anytime soon. But that's what caffeine's for. Now, let's get to the rest of the sports headlines…

— Jordan Galloway / Editor / Katonah, NY

Let's Discuss

Nassar Judge Has a New Warning for Gymnastics

What's going on: Nearly a decade after former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar's arrest, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who sentenced him to up to 175 years in prison, says the sport still fails to protect athletes from abuse “in almost every way.” She issued the warning last week at an advocacy event held alongside the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in the Netherlands. To refresh your memory, more than 150 people, mostly young women and girls, came forward in 2018 to detail Nassar’s abuse under the guise of medical treatment. In 2021, an investigation found that the FBI had received complaints about Nassar years earlier but failed to act appropriately. Aquilina dismissed some of the sport’s subsequent reforms as “window dressing,” saying athletes still fear that reporting abuse could cost them their careers. “I don't think we're going to see a change in my lifetime,” she said. “I think it's going to take decades.”

The rules vs. reality: Gymnastics can't undo what happened to Nassar's victims. But it can do more to protect current and future athletes. Changes have been made, at least on paper. USA Gymnastics has improved reporting rules, introduced an Athlete Bill of Rights, and given gymnasts more say in leadership. Still, gaps remain. A Washington Post and ProPublica investigation found eight coaches suspended or banned by other organizations, including three gymnastics coaches who faced allegations of physical and emotional abuse, continued to work with children through affiliations with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), a youth athletics organization largely outside the US Center for SafeSport's oversight. The center investigates abuse allegations in Olympic and Paralympic sports, but most of its restrictions don't extend to independent organizations like the AAU. That means a coach barred from one program might still work with children elsewhere. It's a glaring gap in a system designed to protect young athletes, and one that raises questions about how much reform can accomplish when protections become blurry at organizational boundaries.

Despite the above: US Women Overcome Last-Minute Roster Shake-up to Reach World Gymnastics Team Final (NBC Sports)

Pick Six

🏎️ F1 driver Kimi Antonelli stopped by Spurs practice ahead of the US Grand Prix and found himself face-to-chest with Victor Wembanyama. Someone book Kimi a neck massage.

🎀 Trinity Rodman and Natalia Bryant reunited on the Victoria's Secret runway, but we're more interested in their childhood soccer days on the same team. Trinity scored five goals while Natalia collected bird feathers. We need the team photos.

🖤 Olympic stars Alysa Liu and Lindsey Vonn brought their black-tie best to the Academy Museum Gala. For two winter sports athletes, they know how to turn up the heat.

💘 Jennifer Lopez and Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein are rumored to be keeping things casual. We choose to believe.

⚽ Soccer couple Kristie Mewis and Sam Kerr shared their idea of a “wild Monday night.” We're here for the sock curls and the very relatable end-of-night realization.

💰 Chelsea Handler says she never cared much about being the only woman in the room. Now she's putting her money into women's sports. Her advice? Focus less on the men and more on each other.

In Our Rotation

Exciting news for Barry’s fans: YPB by Abercrombie just dropped activewear inspired by the iconic Red Room.

We found the ultimate grab-and-go quilted jacket for when you need to layer up, but don’t want to think about it.

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On Our Calendar

Wednesday, October 21

🎤 New episode of Well Played out

Cohosts Blake and Caroline talk about Angel Reese dominating the WNBA Finals and rate their favorite playoff seasons of any sport. (They’re not what you’d think.) Catch it on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Friday, October 23

⚾ World Series starts

Somebody's championship drought is about to end. The Brewers will face off against the Rays — and both want out of this club. Catch Game 1 at 8 pm ET on FOX.

Sunday, October 25

🏎️ F1 United States Grand Prix

Start your engines: F1 is back in the US for the first time since May, this time in Austin. All eyes will be on whether a certain Italian superstar can clinch the championship with five races still to go. Watch it on Apple TV at 4 pm ET.

Monday, October 26

⚽ Ballon d’Or award ceremony

NWSL superstars Temwa Chawinga, Rose Lavelle, and Barbra Banda are among the women up for the prestigious Ballon d'Or — aka the Soccer Oscars — and one of them is topping prediction lists. On the men's side, Spain’s Lamine Yamal is a favorite as well. Watch it live here.

Psst... See what else is happening this week so you never miss a moment.

Timeout...

How has Jalen Hurts's health become a player safety debate?

Our Well Played co-hosts and friends of the show tackle listener Qs.

Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is almost certainly out for the season after doctors found blood clots in both lungs. The diagnosis is alarming enough. The timeline? That's where things get complicated. After Hurts took a cleat to the calf on Oct. 4, doctors discovered a superficial blood clot in London, where the Eagles faced the Jaguars on Oct. 11. He got the medical green light, took every snap, and flew home with the team. Days later, tests revealed the clot had moved. So how did he get cleared for the field and a transatlantic flight? Coach Nick Sirianni and the NFL have defended the medical staff. Former Eagles center Jason Kelce noticed something unusual before kickoff, but also trusts the team's doctors. Not everyone is convinced the Eagles made the right call, though. The players' union wants a full investigation, which the group says the NFL didn’t plan to conduct. At least there's some good news: Hurts is expected to make a full recovery.

Featured Expert

Caroline Hendershot

Co-host of Well Played and reporter for the New York Jets

PS: Sound off on the sports stories keeping you up at night. Call Well Played at (828) 412-4825 to leave your questions, rants, or rule checks. We’d love to hear from you — and you could end up on next week's show.

In Our Rotation

Now’s a great time to stock up on hand sanitizer. This one doubles as skincare and actually smells good.

Keep grocery lists, workout plans, after-school activities, and errands all in one place with this editor-approved digital calendar.

Psst…love our recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram for more products, gifts, and services that are actually worth the hype (and the price tag).

No Notes

Tell Us

Which NFL quarterback just matched Tom Brady as the fastest to 100 regular-season wins?

A. Patrick Mahomes

B. Josh Allen

C. Joe Burrow

Does JLo have a new Cranky Boyfriend™?