If you live in the United Kingdom, you probably know the voice of Wayne Mardle. But at the beginning of the year, millions of people around the world suddenly got a taste of him calling the World Darts Championship final – a genuinely historic duel between Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands and Michael Smith of England. And Wayne’s commentary helped make it the most globally viral thing that’s pretty much ever happened to this admittedly strange game.

So, today, for everyone who watched that clip with awe (and maybe a little confusion too) we once again bring you Wayne Mardle himself, as he tells the glorious story of the darts game that was heard around the world.
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“I Can’t Speak!”: The Craziest Game in Darts History, Explained (ENCORE)

Wake up to the best sports story you'll hear all day. Monday through Friday, we bring you an inside look at the most interesting stories in sports, as told by ESPN's top reporters and insiders. The breaking news of SportsCenter. The deep dive storytelling of 30 for 30. Get the very best of ESPN. Daily. Hosted by Clinton Yates.

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After a 30 point win over the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, the New York Knicks are knocking on the door to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the year 2000.

But we’ve already seen locale shift the momentum in this series, and with Game Six set to tip off tonight in Indianapolis, it could be a tall order for Tom Thibodeau and company to put the Pacers down in six games.

So today, ESPN senior writer Chris Herring explains how the Knicks got to this point despite so many injuries, and tells us who has to do what to lock in a date with the Boston Celtics, and a shot at an NBA Finals appearance.
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Can Jalen Brunson Will the Knicks Past the Pacers?

The Nuggets and Timberwolves Western Conference Semifinals is truly a tale of two series. Just about a week ago, it looked like young phenom Anthony Edwards was going to lead the Timberwolves past the defending champion Nuggets to the promised land after starting the postseason with six-straight wins.

But then, the inevitable happened. And it came in the form of 6-foot-11 three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic reminding everyone in the league who the defending champions are.

With all these ups and downs we turn to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and he shares what he’s seeing and hearing behind the scenes in this roller coaster of a series.

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How Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets Got Their Groove Back

The latest move for Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball tournament and scouting service, is an expected multi-year memorabilia deal with Fanatics. While on the surface, the deal means Fanatics would produce and distribute trading cards and collectibles for Perfect Game athletes, it also raises agents’ concerns about amateur players’ rights, especially if they end up playing professionally. 

Brittany Ghiroli’s reporting on the impending deal for The Athletic revealed that young baseball players have already been signing their rights away to Perfect Game. She joins us today to discuss why Perfect Game and Fanatics’ marriage is potentially harmful for players and how these companies’ machinations impact amateur baseball more largely.
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Kids are Signing Their Likeness Away to Youth Baseball Giant Perfect Game

The 2024 WNBA season begins tonight, and you’ve probably heard that women’s basketball is having a moment. But with ratings and excitement skyrocketing around the college game, and an incoming rookie class stepping into the W, bringing along more social media followers than ever, the question is: has that moment turned into an era?

Hall of Famer and ESPN basketball analyst Rebecca Lobo is here to tell us how the game is evolving right before our eyes, and what Caitlin Clark and the rest of this rookie class has in store for them. Plus, she breaks down whether or not we’re heading for a rematch of super teams from New York and Las Vegas.
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Has Women's Basketball’s “Moment” Exploded into a New Era?

Formula 1 races seem to have everything – the pomp of an A-list party, exotic locations, excited fans, and global superstars on the grid. So what’s missing from this scene? Women behind the wheel.

Formula 1 hasn’t had a female driver qualify for a race in almost 50 years and as women’s sports continues to make great strides, the world of elite racing seems to be falling behind.

Today, ESPN’s Alyssa Roenigk brings the story of two drivers working together to break barriers in the world of motorsports one race at a time.

For more on this story, watch Roenigk in a new documentary that spotlights the women breaking barriers in motorsports for the Emmy-winning "In Real Life" series, premiering Sunday, June 2 at 8 p.m. Eastern, 7p.m. Central on Scripps News.
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“I Can’t Speak!”: The Craziest Game in Darts History, Explained (ENCORE)

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