Second thoughts
Sponsor stands by expecting mom Lewis
Former Arkansas Razorbacks golfer and LPGA star Stacy Lewis announced earlier this year that she was pregnant.
Lewis, who is due Nov. 3 with her first child, a girl, will have her entire contract this season fulfilled by her sponsor KPMG regardless of how many tournaments she plays.
This past weekend’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Kildeer, Ill., marked her 11th tournament of the 2018 season. She finished tied for 28th place at even par.
This week’s Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio, will be Lewis’ final tournament of the season.
Chicago Tribune columnist Shannon Ryan said KPMG’s decision on Lewis’ contract was the correct one.
“For expectant moms in America, the announcement of starting a family is met with joy but often can be a source of stress when it comes to their careers and financial stability,” Ryan wrote.
“For professional golfers, who rely on sponsors for much of their income, becoming pregnant and playing in fewer tournaments alters a contract designed to pay according to how often she plays.
“KPMG and Lewis are setting a good example. And it should set a new standard for female athletes.”
Taking his shot
Canadian rapper Drake, a wellknown Kentucky Wildcats fan, calls out former Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino in a song on his new record.
Drake released his latest album Scorpion on Friday. It contains a song titled “Sandra’s Rose,” in which Drake raps about “Louisville hush money for my young gunners, Rick Pitino, I take them to strip clubs and casinos.”
Pitino was fired by Louisville in October, three weeks after the school acknowledged that its men’s basketball program was being investigated as part of a federal corruption probe.
Pitino spent 16 seasons with the Cardinals, but his tenure was tarnished by several embarrassing off-court incidents, including an escort scandal that resulted in NCAA sanctions culminating in having the Cardinals vacate 123 wins and their 2013 national championship and 2012 Final Four banners.
Confident Giant
New York Giants rookie running back Saquon Barkley isn’t lacking for confidence.
When Barkley first met former Giants running back Tiki Barber — the team’s all-time leading rusher with 10,449 yards — he told him he was going to break his records.
How did Barber react?
“It is the first thing he said to me,” Barber told
NJ.com. “Of course
I like that. I told him, ‘If you break all my records, the
Giants are in good shape.’ It’s not a disrespect thing. He believes in himself.
That’s amazing.”
While Barber appreciates Barkley’s confidence, he warns Barkley about putting too much on himself early in his career.
“I’m not going to put that pressure on him,” Barber said. “I want him to be successful one game at a time, one year at a time. If he is and he stays healthy, I told him, ‘You’ll break them all.’ ”
She said it
From Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com:
“Japan advances over Senegal on ‘fair play points’? And people complain that the balk rule is weird.”
“Congratulations to Kevin Abel. 129-pitch, 2-hit shutout Thursday after 23 pitches Wednesday to win the College World Series for Oregon State. But six innings in MLB is a quality start.”