Epic US Open, No Sweeps in NHL or NBA and Blitz Offseason Reminder

Blitz Nation,

In case you missed it on Friday, we’re taking a short break after today’s letter for the first-ever Morning Blitz Offseason. Our goal is to take advantage of the lull in the sports calendar to recharge the batteries, evaluate the product and team, and gear up to come back better than ever.

A busy weekend of sports has concluded with one epic Father’s Day moment on Sunday at Pinehurst. It was a story of heartbreak and triumph that felt like a movie for golf fans.

Plus, there would be no sweeps in the NBA and Stanley Cup Finals. I’ll admit we left the Mavericks and Oilers for dead on Friday. With their backs against the wall, both trailing 3-0, they delivered Game 4 blowouts nobody saw coming.

The full note about the Blitz Offseason is below, along with some additional color details followed by Brysons win, and NBA nad NHL details from the weekend. Enjoy, and We’ll see you all very soon!

Here’s the full note from last Friday’s letter for more details:

👋 A Note From The Team at The Morning Blitz

Dear Blitzers,

As the NBA and NHL finals race (literally) toward their conclusions and the dog days of summer approach, we want to thank you for your unwavering support and enthusiasm. Our mission at The Blitz has always been to help create smarter sports fans and provide you with everything you need to know about the world of sports in 5 minutes or less every morning.

To ensure we continue to stay at the top of our game and provide you with our best content, we’re introducing the first-ever Morning Blitz Offseason. With the sports calendar going into hibernation mode, this short break will give us time to recharge, evaluate our product for the future, and strengthen our team.

Rest assured, the break will only be temporary. Look out for additional details in Monday’s letter, but for now, thank you so much for being part of our community.

Additional Details referred to on Friday:

The next three weeks, in particular, are relatively slow on the sports calendar outside of Drafts, Free Agency, and MLB All-Star. It’s likely the Blitz Offseason will run through the week of July 4th and be back a week or two before the start of the Paris Olympic Games.

While we are away, in addition to taking a quick break and resting up, we are committed to improving the Morning Blitz and looking to grow our team. If you know talented writers, salespeople, growth marketers, or brands interested in advertising, please reach out. We’re likely going to have part-time and contractor opportunities as well. We're excited about the future and can't wait to continue this journey with you.

If you have inquiries or questions or want to learn more about the opportunities above, contact us at [email protected]. If you want to join the team, put the area of interest in the subject line to “move to the top of the pile.”

What to Expect During Blitz Offseason

While there won’t be a daily letter until we return in full, we will periodically contact you via email and on social media, looking for optional feedback and input via surveys and other means that will allow us to improve. We’ll also share more details on specific roles as we have them!

Thank you once again for being a part of our community. Stay tuned for updates, and enjoy the break. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon!

GOLF ⛳️ —A Payne-Filled Pinehurst Finish

Bryson DeChambeau — Carried by Father’s Day & Payne Stewart — Makes 18th-Hole Sand Save to Win the U.S. Open By 1 Stroke

Some storylines write themselves. It was 1999 when SMU grad and flat-cap-wearing Payne Stewart hit the famous putt on Hole 18 to win the U.S. Open at Pinehurst by one stroke. Later that fall, Stewart was killed in an aviation accident, but his golf legacy transcends time thanks to that iconic clip.

Fast forward 25 years. Another flat-cap-wearing SMU grad, Bryson DeChambeau, began his Sunday quest for the U.S. Open Trophy at Pinehurst with a three-stroke lead. His play was head-and-shoulders above the competition through three rounds. His fan base is louder, too. But DeChambeau faltered throughout Sunday, slicing drives into the wire grass at every turn. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy was torching the first 13 holes en route to a two-stroke lead (a five-stroke swing). It was McIlroy (-8) and DeChambeau (-6) with just three holes to play. This fairytale looked over, but Rory bogeyed three of his last four holes, including two missed putts from inside four feet. The latter an earth-shattering collapse on the 18th. McIlroy (-5) entered the clubhouse five-under. But in the final group, 400 yards back, was DeChambeau (-6)… And he was on a mission.

DeChambeau’s 18th: For Payne & Dad

Another mis-hit drive carried Bryson into an unforgiving lie. He had no choice but to chip out from under a tree and into the fairway bunker. From 50-plus yards in a sand trap, one that no golfer had managed to get up and down from all weekend, DeChambeau did. He hit a gorgeous sandblast to within five feet and drilled a par-save to erase the pain for Payne and fathers everywhere. DeChambeau’s father passed away two years ago. It was his second U.S. Open win, the first since losing his dad. He grabbed the trophy, put on the Payne Stewart flat cap, and pointed to the sky as he shed a tear for his idol and father — on Father’s Day, no less. Watch DeChambeau’s Last 2 Shots

Heartbreak at another major for Rory McIlroy, but what a moment for Bryson DeChambeau.

🏀 Game 4: Doncic, Dallas, Domination

Mavericks Smash Celtics in Game 4 Head-Scratcher (122-84) to Extend NBA Finals

There would be no sweep in the NBA (or NHL) finales over the weekend. Not. Even. Close. The Mavericks showed us something we hadn’t seen through the first three games of the NBA Finals as Dallas dismantled Boston (122-84) with an epic performance in Game 4 on Friday. They led by as many as 48 before emptying the bench and settling for a 38-point win. Luka Doncic (29 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts) and Kyrie Irving (21 pts, 4 rebs, 6 asts) only needed 50 combined points (almost all in the first half) before both teams pulled the starters and lived to fight another day. Jayson Tatum (15 pts) was the C’s leading scorer — yikes.

Could this be a true momentum shift? Or are the Celtics just setting the stage for a celebration tonight at TD Garden?

A Rout for Finals History: The Dallas blowout was the third-largest in NBA Finals history. Only Bulls>Jazz (42 points, 1998) and Celtics>Lakers (39 points, 2008) saw bigger blowouts, but both of those were done by the team who won the title (not trailing 3-0).

STANLEY CUP FINALS 🏆 - Game 4: Historic Spoiler Oilers

Connor McDavid (4 Points) Makes History as Oilers Obliterate Panthers (8-1) in Do-Or-Die Game 4

Much like the NBA Finals’ Game 4, the team trailing (3-0) would not go quietly. The Oilers gave Edmonton (and Canada) fans something special Saturday night at Rogers Place, blasting the Panthers (8-1) in a ridiculous performance few saw coming. Connor McDavid (1 goal, three assists) spearheaded the blowout, while Dylan Holloway (2 goals, one assist) and Leon Draisaitl (2 assists) joined the fun. Goaltender Stuart Skinner (32 saves, .970%) was brilliant as the Oilers finally found a way past Sergei Bobrovsky. Edmonton thrashed Bob for five goals in 25 minutes before Florida swapped out their star goalie. Overall, this was just a complete stunner to send the Stanley Cup Finals back to Florida for Game 5.

McDavid Makes History: Connor McDavid’s first-ever goal in the Stanley Cup Finals was a cool moment, but his three assists gave him 32 for the playoffs and broke Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record for the most in a single postseason.

Let’s play more hockey!

Well be back with you all real son -

With Love,

The Morning Blitz Team