The Sports Report: Women’s World Cup TV schedule

Hello everyone. My name is Houston Mitchell and let’s get right to the news.

Soccer

The Women’s World Cup starts Friday with host France taking on South Korea. We have put together a page that tells you basically all you need to know, which you can access by clicking here.

Let’s break down the basics. (Spoiler alert: the U.S. is going to win)

How the groups shape up, in predicted order of finish:

Group A

France

Norway

South Korea

Nigeria

Group A TV schedule (All Times Pacific)

Friday, France vs. South Korea, Noon, FS1

Saturday, Norway vs. Nigeria, Noon, Fox

Wednesday, Nigeria vs. South Korea, 6 a.m., FS1

Wednesday, France vs. Norway, Noon, Fox

Monday, June 17, Nigeria vs. France, Noon, Fox

Monday, June 17, South Korea vs. Norway, Noon, FS1

Group B

Germany

Spain

China

South Africa

Group B TV schedule (All Times Pacific)

Saturday, Germany vs. China, 6 a.m., FS1

Saturday, Spain vs. South Africa, 9 a.m., Fox

Wednesday, Germany vs. Spain, 9 a.m., Fox

Thursday, South Africa vs. China, Noon, Fox

Monday, June 17, South Africa vs. Germany, 9 a.m., Fox

Monday, June 17, China vs. Spain, 9 a.m., FS1

Group C

Australia

Italy

Brazil

Jamaica

Group C TV schedule (All Times Pacific)

Sunday, Australia vs. Italy, 4 a.m., FS1

Sunday, Brazil vs. Jamaica, 6:30 a.m., FS1

Thursday, Australia vs. Brazil, 9 a.m., Fox

Friday, June 14, Jamaica vs. Italy, 9 a.m., Fox

Tuesday, June 18, Jamaica vs. Australia, Noon, FS2

Tuesday, June 18, Italy vs. Brazil, FS1

Group D

England

Japan

Scotland

Argentina

Group D TV schedule (All Times Pacific)

Sunday, England vs. Scotland, 9 a.m., Fox

Monday, Argentina vs. Japan, 9 a.m., FS1

Friday, June 14, Japan vs. Scotland, 6 a.m., FS1

Friday, June 14, England vs. Argentina, Noon, Fox

Wednesday, June 19, Japan vs. England, Noon, FS1

Wednesday, June 19, Scotland vs. Argentina, Noon, FS2

Group E

Canada

Netherlands

New Zealand

Cameroon

Group E TV schedule (All Times Pacific)

Monday, Canada vs. Cameroon, Noon, FS1

Tuesday, Netherlands vs. New Zealand, 6 a.m., FS1

Saturday, June 15, Netherlands vs, Cameroon, 6 a.m., GS1

Saturday, June 15, Canada vs. New Zealand, Noon, FS2

Thursday, June 20, Netherlands vs. Canada, 9 a.m., Fox

Thursday, June 20, Cameroon vs. New Zealand, 9 a.m., FS1

Group F

United States

Sweden

Chile

Thailand

Group F TV schedule (All Times Pacific)

Tuesday, Chile vs. Sweden, 9 a.m., FS1

Tuesday, United States vs. Thailand, Noon, Fox

Sunday, June 16, Sweden vs. Thailand, 6 a.m., FS1

Sunday, June 16, United States vs. Chile, 9 a.m., Fox

Thursday, June 20, United States vs. Sweden, Noon, Fox

Thursday, June 20, Thailand vs. Chile, Noon, FS1

Rest of the schedule

Round of 16 matches take place from June 22-25.

Quarterfinal matches are from June 27-29

One semifinal match is on July 2 at Noon on Fox

The other semifinal is on July 3 at Noon on FS1

Third-place game is July 6 at 8 a.m. on Fox

Championship match is Sunday, July 7 at 8 a.m. on Fox.

USC

Former USC athletic director Pat Haden is under investigation as to whether he had knowledge or was involved in the college admissions bribery and cheating scheme carried out by William “Rick” Singer.

Haden released a statement Wednesday that said, “Like many people, I was introduced to Mr. Singer several years ago by a friend. I was unaware of his illegal activities and had no ongoing relationship with him whatsoever.”

Donnie Dixon Haden said his father-in-law had not “been contacted by or spoken to federal authorities.”

Great honor

OK, I’ll admit this is entirely self-serving, but if you knew the recipient as well as I do, you would understand. Sam Farmer, one of my colleagues here and one of the nicest people in the entire world, was announced as the 51st winner of the Dick McCann Award, presented by the Professional Football Writers of America to a reporter who has “made a long and distinguished contribution to pro football through coverage.”

Farmer will be honored during the 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Gold Jacket Dinner in Canton, Ohio, on Friday, Aug. 2, and presented with the award at the Enshrinement Ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 3 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Sam has covered the NFL for about 25 years and joined The Times in 2000. I could go on to list the many events he has covered and the awards he has won, but I’d rather tell you something that better illustrates what kind of person he is.

We have desk assistants/web producers who work in sports. They answer the phones and do a lot of “gopher” work, but are really the most valuable people in the department. I started out as one before there was even an internet. You can tell a lot about a reporter by the way they treat the desk assistants. All the desk assistants love Sam. Sam knows more about pro football than anyone I know, but we have one guy on our desk, Chuck Schilken, who is a gigantic Pittsburgh Steelers fan (we like him anyway). Whenever Sam is in the office, he will make sure to talk to Chuck for a minute or two about the Steelers, because he wants to get the input of a fan. He sits and listens and makes Chuck, or whoever he may be listening to, feel like they are the football expert. And it’s genuine. It’s truly a wonderful thing to witness. So I am honored to know him and thrilled he has received this well-deserved honor.

If you want to send Sam an email and congratulate him, just click here.

NBA Finals

The Toronto Raptors grabbed a pivotal road win in the NBA Finals by beating Golden State 123-109 on Wednesday night for a 2-1 series lead.

Steph Curry scored 47 points to go with eight rebounds and seven assists, but couldn’t do it all for the two-time defending champions, who were without starters Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson and key backup big man Kevon Looney because of injuries.

Thompson missed his first career playoff game after straining his left hamstring late in Game 2, while Looney is out the rest of the series after a cartilage fracture on his right side near the collarbone that also happened Sunday. Durant, a two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP, is still out because of a strained right calf.

Golden State hopes to get healthier by Game 4 on Friday night back at Oracle Arena.

NBA Finals schedule

All times Pacific

at Toronto 118, Golden State 109

Golden State 109, at Toronto 104

Toronto 123, at Golden State 109

Friday, Toronto at Golden State, 6 p.m., ABC

Mon., June 10, Golden State at Toronto, 6 p.m., ABC

*Thur., June 13, Toronto at Golden State, 6 p.m., ABC

*Sun, June 16, Golden State at Toronto, 5 p.m., ABC

*-if necessary

Stanley Cup Final results/schedule

All times Pacific

at Boston 4, St. Louis 2

St. Louis 3, at Boston 2 (OT)

Boston 7, at St. Louis 2

at St. Louis 4, Boston 2

Tonight, 5 p.m., St. Louis at Boston, NBC

Sunday, 5 p.m., Boston at St. Louis, NBC

*Wed. June 12, 5 p.m., St. Louis at Boston, NBC

*-if necessary

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Odds and ends

Dodgers lose to Arizona in extra innings…. Angels defeat the Oakland A’s…. Chris Steele will play for USC barring unforeseen circumstances, his father says…. Let’s meet the Dodgers’ draft picks…. Sports is the ultimate David vs. Goliath, and Andy Ruiz’s win is why we all still watch…. Bruins’ Stanley Cup push complicated by Zdeno Chara and Matt Grzelcyk injuries…. French Open: Rainout sinks schedule…. Let’s meet the Angels’ draft picks

Today’s local major sports schedule

(All times Pacific)

Oakland at Angels, 7 p.m., FSW, KLAA 830

Sparks at Connecticut, 4 p.m., Spectrum Sportsnet

Born on this date

1907: Baseball player Bill Dickey

1944: Track star Tommie Smith

1956: Tennis player Bjorn Borg

1961: NFL player Bill Bates

1965: NHL player Cam Neely

1975: NHL player Niklas Sundstrom

Died on this date

1999: Baseball player Eddie Stanky

2018: Baseball player/manager Red Schoendienst

And finally

John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the 1968 Olympics. Watch it here.

That concludes the newsletter for today. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, please email us here. If you want to subscribe, click here.