'Nightcaps' is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday–Friday on OutKick.com.
Over the hump and safely into a big Thursday filled with actual NFL football (kind of) and an MLB Field of Dreams game only the 1%ers can watch.
What a blessing. What a day! Are things starting to ramp up, or what? And who knows! Maybe by the end of this class, the WNBA will have figured out what a woman is.
I wouldn't hold your breath, but there's always a chance.
Welcome to a Thursday Nightcaps — the one where Pat Sajak, of all people, points out the lunacy in tonight's annual Field of Dreams game.
Pat Sajak! We usually only check in with Maggie Sajak in this class. I believe Pat's a first-timer. Welcome aboard!
What else? I've got a couple wild moments yesterday in the world of little league baseball, Apple TV's Tricia Whitaker enjoyed a Canadian cottage getaway and Lordy, did you guys have some steak takes on the heels of yesterday's class.
Well done. We'll dive in.
Take out a second mortgage, grab you a Netflix subscription and settle in for a Thursday 'Cap!
I think Major League Baseball does a lot of things right. Frankly, they're probably the best sport when it comes to doing things that make sense.
Look at the mess that is the WNBA right now and compare it to MLB. It's laughable.
The pitch clock was brilliant. I've come around on the ghost runner. ABS has very clearly worked. The Home Run Derby and the All-Star game are the two best exhibition events in sports (not a high bar, to be fair).
The Field of Dreams game has been a home run since its debut way back in 2021. It's perfect. Everything about it is perfect.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
This year — tonight — is the first year it won't be on Fox. Instead, it was scooped up by Netflix during last year's TV negotiations.
Yes, that means if you really want to watch some Phillies-Twins action tonight from Iowa, you're gonna have to pay up.
And when folks realize this... look out.
In fact, one already has:
Does it seem a bit ironic that MLB’s Field of Dreams game — which harkens back to a simpler, more bucolic time — is being streamed on Netflix?
You know what, Pat Sajak? You are 1000% right. What a rip-off! More importantly, what a vocabulary on 79-year-old Pat Sajak! Bucolic? I'm not sure I've ever seen that word in my life. Does Pat still have the fastball, or what?
Bucolic, by the way, is an adjective that means relating to the pleasant, peaceful aspects of the countryside, country life, or shepherds, according to the stupid AI bot that runs Google now.
Pat wasn't alone in his bewilderment, by the way:
I could go on and on. Nobody is happy. Is anyone ever happy?
For those still on the fence, a Netflix subscription costs $8.99 a month (with ads). If you really hate ads, you have to pony up a whopping $20 a month. And if you really hate ads AND regular 1080p HD, you have to pay $27 for the 4K version.
Thank God I'm a T-Mobile customer. Free MLB TV and Netflix included! What a deal.
(Not a promotion, but I wouldn't mind if it was.)
OK, let's keep this class moving ... from the big diamond to the little diamond! What a night we had in the Little League World Series regionals last night.
We had:
What a sport:
Thoughts? First impressions?
The coach who gave a sermon on the mound (come on, that's a good one!) is taking a little heat today because folks say he should've been out there giving a scouting report instead. Boots on the ground say the next three batters reached safely, and Arizona went on to lose.
Not great! For what it's worth, my little league coach used to tell me, "Zach, if you strike out, there are a billion people in China who will wake up tomorrow and won't care."
Decent advise for a 12-year-old, I reckon. But we also never got anywhere close to Williamsport, so perhaps we could've used some more motivation.
As for the coach who got tossed ... that's nothing. I grew up with a coach who used to get thrown out every week for arguing anything and everything under the sun. During one All-Star game in particular, he snuck back into the complex Bobby Valentine style and hung out behind the outfield fence.
That's called commitment. Loved Coach Tony.
OK, let's rapid-fire this Thursday class into a big Thursday night of preseason football. First up? Yesterday, I gave you my Mount Rushmore of Steaks to celebrate National Filet Mignon Day.
From Larry K in Iowa:
Anything that moos is my favorite meat. I grew up a meat and potatoes kid. Still am 7 decades later. Ribeyes and Kansas City strips are my favorites. My smoker will be fired up this weekend.
Thanks, Larry! Bring a couple over to the Field of Dreams game!
From Tom J. in Omaha:
I have two:
Ribeye on the bone — the bone must be there with no questions asked – it’s not the same eating a boneless ribeye.
Porterhouse — which you cannot go wrong, and it is of course two steaks in one on a big bone — so technically, number 2 and 3 would equal a porterhouse.
Thanks, Tom! Agree wholeheartedly on the bone-in Ribeye. Huge difference.
And, From Ryan N:
Agree with your steak rankings. Up until end of last year I never even considered ordering anything but a ribeye, but I’ve been on a filet tear so far this year. For me it’s more about portion control than anything else. I can’t be knocking down 14+ oz ribeyes all the time anymore.
It's football season, Ryan. Portion control, shmortion control! Let's get the ribeyes back in the rotation and worry about the waistline in January.
OK, that's it for today. Good work, everyone. Six NFL preseason games tonight and the Field of Dreams game for those who have a rich uncle who recently kicked the bucket.
Here's Apple TV's MLB girl, Tricia Whitaker, to get everyone ready.
See you tomorrow.
Best little league memories? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.