Sports Daily: Cool trophy, bro

Anyone else do that thing where you’re tired, so you turn off the game and get in bed — and then just stay up watching it on your phone anyway?

Definitely caught the last hour or so of the Braves crucial comeback win like that last night. We’ll discuss the game (plus the Dream, the Falcons and Atlanta United) momentarily.

But first: Hardware.

Quick links: Braves rally over Mets | Dream squander lead | Evaluating Atlanta United

CELEBRATING WITH THE BEST

Credit: Lynne Sladky/AP

Credit: Lynne Sladky/AP

The Florida Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup title last night, dispatching the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6. The Oklahoma City Thunder could win the NBA championship tomorrow.

Naturally, that means it’s time for me to rank the coolest trophies of the sports world. Please enjoy, then send an email to tell me I’m right (or offer your own list).

1️⃣ The Stanley Cup: Duh. It’s a 132-year-old silver bowl that they keep adding tiers to. They etch everyone’s name in it. And you get to hang out with it and do whatever weird stuff you want? Sign me up.

If I won a Stanley Cup, I’d strap some pool noodles and a saddle on ‘er and show off at my local aquatic center. Or maybe just fill it with cheese dip.

2️⃣ The green jacket: Is a piece of apparel really a trophy? Not sure. Is my Southern bias showing? Maybe.

Who cares. Augusta National’s green jacket (and the ceremony where the previous Masters champ puts it on the new winner) is iconic.

And the only award that’ll keep you warm in the winter.

3️⃣ The Heisman: I don’t know man … it just rules. Little blockheaded bronze guy is striking the fiercest football pose — and there’s something about one solitary person getting it every year, in such a team-oriented sport.

Extra points for being named after a former Georgia Tech coach and athletic director, but I could do with a few less “Heisman House” commercials.

4️⃣ Lombardi/Larry O’Brien: Had a hard time choosing between the NFL’s championship trophy and the NBA’s. So I’ve declared a tie.

Both are classically sleek and imminently wieldable — perfect for victory raises or big ol’ bear hugs. Not that our local teams would know anything about that.

5️⃣ English Premier League: Wild card! But have you seen this bad boy? It’s silver with gold lions and a crown on top — plus ribbons in the winning team’s colors hanging from the handles.

Just the right combination of elegance and flash, even if it feels a little monarchy-ish.

Want more? Here’s more.

Honorable mentions: The massive Indy 500 trophy, gold medals and fancy plates at Wimbledon.
Dishonorable mentions: The World Series trophy (flags? really?), World Cup trophy (too wrinkly) and WNBA championship trophy (sorry, just not good).

COMEBACK KIDS

Credit: Brynn Anderson/AP

Was last night’s rain-delayed comeback win over the Mets — three runs in the eighth, a walk-off sac fly in the 10th — the turning point of the Braves season?

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

But it was desperately needed … and about as good a way to kick off this crucial two-week stretch as one could imagine.

“It felt like a playoff game,” starter Spencer Schwellenbach said. “It was a late start, but the fans were awesome. It was loud. Even when we were behind they stayed behind us.”

Marcell Ozuna delivered the eighth-inning RBIs and Austin Riley won it with a fly out to deep center. Ronald Acuña Jr. kept Atlanta in it with his glove.

You love to see it.

⚾ On deck: Tonight’s game starts at 7:15 p.m. on FanDuel Sports. Chris Sale gets the start — and the first 15,000 folks at Truist Park get an Usher bobblehead.

⚾ All-Star notes: Snitker joins NL coaching staff; Ex-Braves to manage HBCU game; Quavo headlines celebrity softball

DREAM DETERRED

The Atlanta Dream couldn’t quite pull off their own big win, fumbling a 17-point lead over the defending champion New York Liberty en route to a 86-81 loss.

Victory would’ve sent the home team, now 8-4 on the season, to the title game of the in-season Commissioner’s Cup tournament.

The difference: Poor ball movement and too many turnovers doomed Atlanta in the second half.
The bright spot: Rookie Te-Hina Paopao kept on shining, matching her career-high 16 points while shooting 4-from-5 from three.
Up next: The Mystics, who Atlanta recently beat by 33 points, come to College Park on Friday.

THE BIG NUMBER: $284,131,702

That’s how much the Falcons are slated to spend on player salaries in 2025, according to one analysis — putting them ahead(?) of everyone else in the NFL.

At $40 million, Kirk Cousins is Atlanta’s highest paid player. Because of course he is.

UNITED AT MIDWAY

Credit: Daniel Varnado for the AJC

Atlanta United’s back at it a week from today, taking on the Columbus Crew up in Ohio (7:30 p.m. on Apple TV).

In the meantime: It’s roughly the midpoint of the MLS season, making it a good time for reflection — and beat writer Doug Roberson’s here with an evaluation of the Five Stripes’ first half.

😬 A solid summation: “The team is not scoring and it’s not stopping opponents from scoring.” That’s good, right?

ALSO INTERESTING

🤔 The Hawks have choices to make in the NBA draft, which begins a week from today. And beat writer Lauren Williams has a fresh look at who they might choose.

😏 Grayson’s Tyler Atkinson, the nation’s top linebacker recruit for the class of 2026, really enjoyed his recent visit to UGA.

🙄 Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles apparently won’t race Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill after all. Lame. But predictable.