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It’s gone largely unreported, but Queen Elizabeth II died earlier this month at 96 years old. The media — especially the British tabloids — really dropped the ball on this one. On Monday, in the first state funeral since Winston Churchill kicked the bucket in 1965, the late monarch was laid to rest at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. You wouldn’t know it if you were watching British network Channel 5 this morning, however.

Entertainment Weekly reports that “Channel 5 is the only major broadcaster in the country not airing something related to the queen (Channel 4 aired a documentary about the coronation while others aired the funeral), instead offering options for children,” including Stuart Little, Sing, and The Emoji Movie.” The 2017 movie is one of the most soul-crushing animated movies of the 2010s, if not all time (and that’s even before its star was accused of sexual assault), with a sparkling six percent on Rotten Tomatoes. It also won Worst Picture at the Razzies, one of the few times that the Razzies got it right.

The day of the funeral is a national holiday/day of mourning in the United Kingdom, so it makes sense one TV station would want to give a viewing option to children home from school. But it’s particularly amusing that they would choose The Emoji Movie of all things.

At least the counter-programing will make for a good story at the pub.

“How did you say goodbye to the queen, god bless her soul?”
“I was watching the movie where Patrick Stewart voices a turd.”

(Via EW)

Lil Nas X launched his career with the relatively clean hit single “Old Town Road,” although the tune had kids around the world rapping about lean, boobies, and adultery for a solid few months. Since then, though, the rapper has embraced an edgier image, which has rubbed more conservative-minded folks the wrong way. A handful of them were seemingly speaking out about that outside of Nas’ Boston concert over the weekend, on Sunday, September 18.

A fan account for the rapper shared a video of a handful of people holding Christian-themed signs, with one of them speaking about related topics into a microphone, outside of Fenway Park, the concert venue. While the protestors didn’t seem to directly address Nas, the timing and topic of their message — as well as the location, in front of the Ipswich Street Garage near where fans were lining up to get into the show — all but confirms they were there in opposition of the rapper.

Nas was actually appreciative of this, though, as he shared the video and tweeted, “just told my team to send them pizza, this is really good promo!”

Fans shared additional photos and videos of the protestors, so find some of those below.

Multiple times per week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.

TIE: 10. The Serpent Queen (STARZ series also streaming on Hulu)

Following her sinister turn in the The Walking Dead universe, Samantha Mathis refuses to turn in a performance that’s less than compelling. And with public’s ongoing fascination with royals, it’s fitting that we’re now seeing a show that fully revolves around Catherine de’Medici (who received a salty portrayal in Reign but with not enough screentime) in both her younger and older years. She entered the French Royal Court as a teen and married a one of the Henrys, after which heir production became a top priority, and she learned the fine art of maneuvering to keep one’s head.

TIE: 10. Rick and Morty (Adult Swim series streaming on HBO Max & Hulu)

This adult-animation mainstay is guaranteed to be a hit throughout its run, and creator Dan Harmon is still chipping away at the mega-renewal that the series scored a handful of years back. This season abandons the multiverse (which should be at least briefly retired everywhere) concept in favor of a new hobby for the leading pair. So expect things to feel more grounded but still irreverent and full of bodily fluids and adventure, which will give you a much needed respite from our world today.

9. She-Hulk (Disney+ series)

This week’s episode (still starring Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters who Hulks out) gave a glimpse of a cameo that caused Marvel fans to sit up in their seats. This is all on top of sympathy for Steve Rogers’ chaste reputation and literal twerking moves from Megan Thee Stallion. Disney’s helming of the MCU isn’t as totally pristine as it used to be, and that’s a good thing. Now, can we get some more Wongers up in here, please?

8. Top Gun: Maverick (VOD)

Tom Cruise will literally do anything to inspire movie watching, and as Brian Grubb recently pointed out, that isn’t even a necessary set of life-risking moves on Tom’s behalf. Don’t try to stop him, though. He’s feeling the need for speed again, and Maverick returns to his former stomping grounds at the behest of Iceman. There’s some Jon Hamm and Miles Teller (as the son of Goose) and Jennifer Connelly to be seen, and this wouldn’t be a Top Gun sequel without slightly sensual beach volleyball. Tom knows how to blockbuster, alright.

7. Confess, Fletch (Paramount movie on Amazon and other PVOD outlets)

Jon Hamm steps into an iconic Chevy Chase role for a comedic turn that must be a wonderful break from his usual roles, which often involve playing sociopaths and manipulators. It’s a franchise revival/sequel that’s been in the making forever, but Superbad‘s Greg Mattola is on the scene, proving that this definitely won’t be a boring affair. And yes, this sequel carries the breezy tone that one would expect, even if Hamm takes a more understated approach to the lead role, so it’s either an upgrade or downgrade, depending on your audience POV.

6. The Sandman (Netflix series)

We still don’t know if Netflix will greenlight another season of this masterpiece of a comic book adaptation, and Neil Gaiman has been forthright about the show’s great expense being a key consideration for renewal. Whatever happens, at least we received a bonus episode of an arc that’s near and dear to source material fans, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste gave us an updated Death that feels like a trip to the (benevolent) afterlife. Tom Sturridge is pitch perfect as the gloriously-haired Morpheus, as is the rest of the principal cast, so let’s keep fingers crossed for more.

5. The White Lotus is back (HBO Max series streaming on HBO Max)

A post-Emmys boost put this show on radars for those who haven’t yet had the pleasure of watching Murray Bartlett as a passive-aggressive master of ceremonies for a luxury resort. Granted, his Armond is pushed to the brink, but he is a delight to witness, and a second season (with only Jennifer Coolidge as a cast constant) will soon arrive in a different setting. Aubrey Plaza joins the show as another privileged vacationer, and this social satire was a sleeper series that suddenly became a must watch near the end of Season 1. Get caught up before more chaos begins.

4. Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power (Amazon Prime series)

This ain’t your daddy’s Middle-earth, or is it? Jeff Bezos finally got his Game of Thrones-style epic, and Neil Gaiman did not write this show, which has riled up some anti-wokers, but overall, this show looks to be well worth the price tag so far. And it’s being released weekly, which means that you should have no problem juggling it alongside the other view epic-fantasy juggernauts going strong right now. J.R.R. Tolkien’s fabled Second Age finally made it to the screen, and a young Galadriel rules supreme.

3. Cobra Kai (Netflix series)

This franchise revival simply cannot be topped when it comes to harnessing the right degree of nostalgia and making it appealing for the younger generation. Season 5 still has show still has the “Eye of the Tiger,” and Terry Silver must be thwarted before he destroys the very soul of the Valley. Unfortunately, Miyagi-do is in a shambles, but hopefully, the grown-ups will get it together, or the kids will have to do it for them while Chozen keeps things lively.

2. The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu series)

Are you ready for one next-to-last rodeo in Gilead? Perhaps not, but the stellar performances (by Elizabeth Moss and Yvonne Strahovski, among others) will keep you going into the final crushing crescendo. Back when this show launched, we didn’t quite realize that society would keep turning toward the incarnation that Margaret Atwood predicted, and this season is as grim as ever, but maybe we’ll at least get more Kate Bush. Things kick off with June going toe-to-toe with her own identity while Serena, freshly widowed, rises into public view in Toronto. Reforms are afoot, so we’ll see whether this season destroys viewers in the end or gives a little hope.

1. House of the Dragon (HBO series on HBO Max)

How long can King Viserys I keep standing (and having sex scenes) before his whole body rots away? It’s not going great for his physical health, and he’s also losing it upstairs while attempting to solidify the Targaryen line of succession. If bitter rogue prince Daemon has anything to do with it, the whole house might go down in a blaze of scandal, but we already know that things don’t turn out well for these blonde wigs in the end. The Contender vs. Defenders are still lining up, and this week, the actors who portray two main characters will say goodbye as they’re replaced by slightly older versions. It’s a risk, but at least we’ll still have the show’s same dragons.

While performing last night in St. Louis as part of his Twelve Carat Toothache Tour, Post Malone took a wicked fall on stage and was immediately writhing in pain. He left the stage and emerged 15 minutes later explaining that he had cracked three ribs. Videos of the incident have since gone viral and while Post Malone miraculously returned to finish his set, he was clearly in pain as he winced his way through the final songs. So what actually happened and why did he fall? Why was there a large hole in the middle of the stage for him to fall in to begin with?

In an Instagram video posted by Malone’s manager Dre London, Posty is addressing the camera following his hospital visit and seems like he’s understandably on some pain meds. He begins graciously, thanking fans in St. Louis profusely before explaining why the hole was on stage and how he fell: “Whenever we do the acoustic part of the show, the guitars are on the guitar stand… and there’s this big ass hole, so I go around there and I turn the corner and bust my ass,” he said, detailing the fall. “[It] winded me pretty good. Got me pretty good. We just got back from the hospital and everything’s good. Everything’s good. They gave me some pain meds and everything so we can keep kicking ass on the tour.”

He finished the clip my telling fans in St. Louis that, “Next time I’m around this way, we’re gonna do a two hour show for you so we can make up for the couple missed songs that we missed.” He genuinely seemed concerned for the experience of his fans, which was endearing to watch.

In another post, London posted a picture of him and Malone and explained that despite how painful the fall looked, the medical diagnosis was actually of three bruised ribs, not cracked. “Post Malone didn’t break 3 ribs last nite thank god. We did X-rays @ hospital after the show & they declared he had bruised his ribs!,” he commented. Adding that, “In true Posty fashion loving his fans he finished the show! I truly don’t know any artist like him.”

The Twelve Carat Tootheache Tour continues tonight (September 18th) in Columbus and it’s safe to that fans in Ohio are ready to welcome a pain meds-laden Posty with open arms.

The winds of change are blowing on House of the Dragon this week (just ask Paddy Considine’s weak stomach).

Episode Five, “We Light The Way,” bids farewell to two main cast members, Milly Alcock who plays young Rhaenyra Targaryen, and Emily Carey who plays young Alicent Hightower. Both stars have delivered impressive performances, building a bloody sandbox for their successors to play in, and they use the show’s latest episode as a kind of dramatic swan song — one filled with scheming, betrayal, scorned lovers, and a nuptial gathering that could rival that infamous Red Wedding. Before we say goodbye, here’s where the show’s main players stand in the dwindling line for the Iron Throne.

The Pretenders

Criston Cole
Criston Cole is proof that even the most powerful woman in Westeros still has to deal with whiny, sh*t-stirring f*ckbois every now and then. The knight gets all up in his feels this week, throwing a bloody temper tantrum that ends up changing the course of history for the Targaryen dynasty. Rhaenyra’s betrothal to Laenor Velaryon spurs Criston to make a declaration while they’re returning to King’s Landing. He wants Rhaenyra to give up her crown, and her titles, and run away with him to Essos – swapping an arranged marriage for a love match and power for … oranges, or some such nonsense. The whole scene might have been romantic except for the fact that, as of this episode, the two have only hooked up once and, despite claiming he “knows” her, Criston has absolutely no clue as to what a woman like Rhaenyra truly wants. Here’s a hint bro, it ain’t oranges. When she refuses his proposal, Criston reveals his true motives for wanting to elope. He’s feeling guilty for breaking his chastity vows and hopes marriage might give him a path forward to becoming an honorable knight again. So, here we have yet another man who can’t stomach the consequences of his actions. Instead of going to therapy, Criston reveals his indiscretion to Alicent — who still thinks Rhaenyra got it on with her uncle in that brothel — before turning a man’s face into something resembling day-old spaghetti at his lover’s wedding feast. That man was Laenor’s paramour, and his grief forces Viserys to speed up the nuptials before House Velaryon can reconsider. So, while Rhaenyra and Laenor are exchanging vows next to bits of brain matter and blood with only their families as witnesses, Criston is trying to cut his d*ck off in the Godswood and being “saved” by Alicent. Ladies, let this be a lesson to us all: choose your side pieces widely.

Daemon Targaryen
We do hope they’re paying Matt Smith well on this show because Daemon “Positively Bereft” Targaryen is, once again, the best thing about this week’s episode. Now, do his ridiculous antics place him any closer to the Iron Throne? Of course not. But the man is so deranged that he truly believes he can sulk around the Vale, orchestrate his wife’s death, crash a royal wedding, and somehow, no one will call him out on his bullsh*t. It’s delicious to watch, even if the mental gymnastics this show is forcing fans to perform in order to support an incestuous groomer with homicidal leanings are worrying. Daemon, despite abandoning Rhaenyra in a pleasure den, seems even more obsessed with his niece, or at least, with her promised crown. He dispatches of his troublesome wife (RIP to Lady Rhea Royce, who, despite being unfavorably compared to a sheep by her husband, seemed like a pretty badass chick for the few minutes of screentime she was granted). He then shows up at the royal wedding without an invite, trying to cast doubt on Rhaenyra’s decision to marry her cousin, Laenor Velaryon. He’s unsuccessful, mostly because women hold grudges, and ruining her reputation so badly that she almost lost her birthright is a worthwhile grievance to nurse for a teenage girl, and before he can cause any more damage, a bloody brawl breaks out during the future Queen’s wedding feast. It’s clear Daemon is still intent on grasping for what power he can — he tells Lord Royce as much when he announces his intent to claim his dead wife’s inheritance — but he’s too obvious and aggressive in his tactics to make any headway this episode. But, gods love him, his scheming is a hell of a lot of fun to watch.

King Viserys Targaryen
After Viserys’ terrible mismanagement of the Daemon situation and his all-around spineless method of ruling the Seven Kingdoms, we have to admit that watching him spew his guts over the side of a ship brought us a small amount of pleasure. As likable as Paddy Considine is, we can all agree that Viserys is no dragon. He’s barely a king. And this week, his molting arm and failing health make him seem even more pathetic, weaker than in episodes past. He successfully binds House Targaryen and House Velaryon and he chooses a better hand in Lord Lyonel Strong, but he struggles to keep his court in line. Even his wife is seemingly unafraid to interrupt his wedding feast speech by practically declaring war on his House with her choice in dress. The saddest part about Viserys’ failing though is that he’s actually a decent human being. He loves his daughter, his brother, even his wife, and he values peace above glory, but, despite wishing to be tested on a battlefield, he can’t handle the true test of ruling – making hard decisions that might hurt the people you care about most. He’s so consumed with being well-liked, with not making enemies, that he’s inadvertently assured a future war between those closest to him. He’s just a less problematic Robert Baratheon at this point.

Otto Hightower
While the Targaryen clan sails to Driftmark, Otto Hightower spends his last remaining moments in King’s Landing berating his teenage daughter for being loyal to her childhood bestie and orchestrating a rift between the two women that will one day lead to unimaginable war and the deaths of thousands of innocents. So yeah, this guy is a real piece of work. Currently, Otto has lost most of his power. He’s certainly lost the ear of the king. But he’s got the backing of his house and the hurt feelings of his daughter on his side so we wouldn’t count this poor man’s Rasputin out just yet.

Corlys Velaryon
Corlys Velaryon continues to be his own worst enemy in this episode. The man has more money, more ships, and more political weight than anyone (Targaryens included) in Westeros and yet he’s constantly pulling petty sh*t like he does when Viserys comes to visit. (Although, props to him for making the king so desperate for his friendship that he’d sail through a tempest just to bribe him with his daughter’s hand in marriage.) Ambition, no matter how obvious, we can respect, but Corlys is the most irksome kind of social climber – the one who pretends to be above all of the mud-slinging, even when the dirt is clearly visible underneath his fingernails. We can’t help but think he’ll come to regret wanting a spot nearer that throne one day.

The Contenders

Rhaenyra Targaryen
We’re still a bit devastated that Milly Alcock is graduating from House of the Dragon because she has given depth and nuance to Rhaenyra in a way even George R.R. Martin’s original writings couldn’t. Her Rhaenyra is finally learning to play the Game of Thrones this week, making alliances through political marriages while pursuing her own desires on the side. She’s girlbossing her way to the Iron Throne, turning down hollow marriage proposals in favor of power, flirting with her bannermen at her wedding feast, and goading her uncle to put up or shut up when it comes to his attraction to her. Sure, the Criston Cole interlude was a bigger mishap than we initially thought – Rhaenyra clearly just wanted to blow off some steam after her night on the town, and her Kingsguard was the first warm body she found. Now her mewling boy toy may have cost her a friendship, a king consort, and the throne. But for most of the episode, she does everything right. She makes good with her father, she ensures her inheritance, and she rocks the hell out of a bejeweled hair-do. She even finds time to try out her best David Rose impression, substituting his “I like the wine, not the label” Queer allegory for musings on her preference for roast duck. “Each of us dines as we see fit” is now the en vogue way of opening up a marriage in medieval times. A politically savvy Queen and an LGBTQ+ ally? We have to stan.

Laenor Velaryon
Speaking of the Queer community, Laenor finally gets more than five minutes of screen time this episode which should’ve been a good thing. But this is George R.R. Martin we’re talking about so we can never really have good things. Laenor is older, wiser, and more battle-hardened after the war in the Step Stones. He’s also intelligent, good, and kind – qualities Daemon rightfullly suspects will bore Rhaenyra to death should they marry. Luckily, both view their union as political in nature, a kind of Friend With Benefits situation but with the “benefits” being the absolute power and House Velaryon’s rise in status – not sex. Laenor already has a boyfriend, and the two have plans to continue their relationship at court but, unfortunately, his lover is a bit loose-lipped. He may end the episode in mourning, but Laenor is now on the path to the Iron Throne, so he better toughen up quick.

Alicent Hightower
If Alicent Hightower wasn’t the resident Queen of Westeros, she’d probably be one of those nuns leading Cersei Lannister’s shame walk through Kings Landing. Has the girl been through it? Clearly. Her father has been banished from court, her husband has left her behind, and her best friend is keeping secrets from her. But, even with all of that, she’s too easily swayed, too easily deceived by people – namely Otto and Larys Strong – to be respected. And her obsession with Rhaenyra’s chastity is starting to get weird. Is it fueled by bitterness regarding her own situation? Is it the by-product of unrequited feelings? Is it some strange form of internalized patriarchy that Alicent believes she must gatekeep these misogynistic traditions, even if they oppress and abuse her own gender? Who knows? But she certainly takes a stand this episode, discovering Rhaenyra’s deception, making a fuss at the wedding feast, and allying herself with a scorned king’s guard. This is one medieval Karen we wouldn’t want to go up against.

Wound Watch

*Alexa, play Sheryl Crow’s ‘The First Cut Is The Deepest’

Sea sickness is one thing but there’s clearly more to Visery’s failing health than just a sensitive tummy and in this week’s episode, the king’s weak constitution goes downhill fast. He’s sweating, he’s coughing, he’s passing out in broad daylight … we’re starting to think that everyone in the Red Keep should take a Covid test, stat. But most concerning is his rotting limb. It’s clear his knick at the beginning of the season has festered and the infection has spread, causing entire sections of his arm to slough off. As far as metaphors go, it’s pretty gnarly.

Spoilers for House of the Dragon will be found below.

This week’s episode of the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, was a whopper. Not only did King Viserys I continue to decline, but the show bid farewell to two lead actors with a time jump coming before next week. This means that Rhaenyra will no longer be portrayed by Milly Alcock but by Emma D’Arcy, and Allicent’s baton will pass from Emily Carey to Olivia Cooke. Will the younger versions ever return in flashback mode? One can only hope, but for the moment, we’re here to talk about Episode 5, “We Light The Way,” and how the episode ended in a way that’s being compared to a key Game of Thrones episode. That would be Season 3, Episode 9, “The Rains of Castamere,” which is the famed “Red Wedding” episode, where Robb Stark lost his life and that of his unborn child, his betrothed, his mother, and much of his army.

Alright, so are the comparisons fair? In scale, they seem like an exaggeration (and this isn’t even the first Red Wedding comparison that has been made about this spinoff), but in terms of vibes and political fallout, the two events are comparable. Ser Criston ended up going ballistic upon Rhaenyra’s announced marriage to Laenor Velaryon. She rejected Criston’s proposal and suggested that they continue their carnal affairs, since she and Laenor had an agreement, but Criston wasn’t having it. During the lead-up to Rhaenyra’s wedding, Criston ended up beating the living hell (and life) out of Laenor’s gay lover. And this presumably led to Rhaenyra and Laenor skipping past the planned week of feasting and taking their vows straight away.

Our own Jessica Toomer has much more to say (including how wedding feasts are a bad idea in this universe) about the possible ramifications of this devastating turn of events, but one wonders what Allicent is plotting. Also, will Ser Criston’s actions jeopardize Rhaenyra’s ascent to the throne? And is it odd that Daemon’s murder of his wife is somehow not the most dynasty-devastating event of the week? Let’s get down to the “Red Wedding” comparisons on social media.

Some called it early from the promotional stills.

Yet when events began to play out (with heavy vibes), people couldn’t handle the stress.

It’s not exactly a promising start to a marriage, but that’s Westeros for you.

HBO’s House of the Dragon airs on Sundays at 9:00pm EST.

When the Dallas Cowboys lose, there is one thing you can always be certain of, and that is that Stephen A. Smith will post a reaction video taunting Cowboys fans.

There is no more preeminent Cowboys hater than Smith, who loves nothing more than to throw on his cowboy hat, pop a cigar in his mouth, and strut around making fun of the Dallas football team’s incompetence. This has been a running bit for years on ESPN’s First Take, but now they have someone who can match his energy from Dallas’ point of view in the form of Hall of Famer Michael Irvin.

Irvin has become a permanent fixture on Monday editions of First Take opposite Stephen A., and after last week’s debacle against the Bucs he had to sit there and watch Smith dance on the Cowboys grave after just one game. This Sunday, with the Bengals in town, Dallas was a touchdown underdog with Cooper Rush under center as Dak Prescott will miss several weeks after thumb surgery, and few had high hopes for a Cowboys win. However, Rush looked solid and the Dallas defense dominated again, leading the Cowboys to a rather shocking 20-17 win, allowing Irvin to turn the tables with his own reaction video targeted at Stephen A.

There are few people more excitable than Irvin, who loves nothing more than to get fired up about how Cowboys (or his Miami Hurricanes). This was the perfect spot for Irvin to strut his stuff and deliver a rather hilarious monologue about the “team of miracles” digging deep “when all hope is gone,” and making clear that he’s going to put on a show Monday morning opposite Stephen A. — who was not happy to see Dallas prosper.

Sunday was all about fourth quarter road comebacks in the NFL, as three teams blew double-digit leads in rather shocking fashion in the final quarter of play. The Browns blew a 13-point lead in the final 90 seconds to the Jets, of all teams, as Joe Flacco carved them up, with a successful onside kick inbetween Flacco TD passes to shock the Cleveland faithful. The Ravens joined their AFC North rivals in melting down late, as they saw a 21-point fourth quarter lead evaporate as Tua Tagovailoa went nuts, throwing four of his six touchdown passes in the final 15 minutes to lead Miami to a come from behind win.

The final fourth quarter melt came courtesy of the Las Vegas Raiders, who were dominating the Arizona Cardinals all game, leading 20-0 at one point, before seeing a 16-point lead evaporate in the fourth quarter thanks to some Kyler Murray magic. Murray, who struggled most of the game, came alive in the fourth to lead a pair of touchdown drives and convert two two-point conversions to tie the game and send it to overtime, including a scrambling TD on 4th down and goal as time expired, followed by a rocket to AJ Green on the two-point try.

From there, the Cardinals won the toss and moved it across the Raiders 40 on their opening possession of overtime, but had a big play taken away by a sensational hit from Duron Harmon, who popped Hollywood Brown on what should’ve been a big completion inside the 15 for the Cardinals, jarring the ball loose.

It was the Raiders turn to cross midfield and inch closer to field goal range, needing just a kick to win, and after barely recovering a fumble by Hunter Renfrow to get them into Cardinals territory, Renfrow once again got popped right on the ball by Isaiah Simmons and dropped it, with Byron Murphy eventually corralling it on the sideline and taking it all the way to the house for the game-winning touchdown.

There was a lengthy review on the play afterwards, not because there was any doubt about the fumble, but because Murphy came very close to pulling a DeSean Jackson and throwing the ball through the end zone before he got to the goal line.

It appears he was right there on the goal line when he threw it and there wasn’t a down the line angle (because why would there be a camera at that end zone when Arizona was on defense) to determine either way so the play stood as called and it was a walkoff touchdown for the Cardinals in the most improbable of fashion.

After winning both games at home, the Las Vegas Aces went on the road needing one win in Connecticut to lock up their first championship in franchise history, dating all the way back to their days as the Utah Starzz in the late 90s.

However, Game 3 proved it would be anything but easy as the Sun blew them out to force a Game 4 and avoid the sweep, and early on it was clear the game was going to be played at Connecticut’s preferred pace, as the two teams played slow and physical to a 30-28 halftime score, with the Aces on top.

In the third quarter, the Aces would push that lead to four, but could never fully pull away from the Sun, who continually clawed their way into the game with an answer to Vegas’ runs. The biggest of those came in the fourth quarter with a five-point possession to cut what was a 67-61 Vegas lead down to just one after Kelsey Plum was called for a flagrant foul for stepping under DeWanna Bonner on a three, giving her three free throws, which she made, followed by a bucket from Jonquel Jones to make it a one-point game.

Courtney Williams would then give the Sun a two point lead and it looked like the Aces might have been deflated by that sudden swing, until one of the more unlikely stars of the game, Riquna Williams, caught fire and carried Vegas to the win. Williams hit back-to-back threes to give the Aces a lead, followed by a tough long two to push the advantage to four with 53.2 seconds to play.

From that point, the Sun were unable to come up with an answer, as A’ja Wilson came up with a big steal on the ensuing inbound from Connecticut and Kelsey Plum put the dagger in on a turnaround in the paint to push the lead to six. Ultimately, the Aces would win with a 78-71 final score, and the celebration was on in Connecticut.

Chelsea Gray was deservedly awarded Finals MVP, averaging 18.3 points per game as she was consistently dominant, including a 20-point outing in Game 4 to help clinch the series. Plum had 15, including that dagger and some big fourth quarter buckets, Wilson had 11 points and 14 boards, and Young chipped in 13 points, but no one provided a bigger lift than Riquna Williams with 17 points off the bench including the eight straight in the closing minutes to keep the Aces in front.

For the Sun, it was a tough way to finish out another terrific season, but they were just outgunned by the team that had the WNBA’s Coach of the Year (Becky Hammon), Most Improved Player (Jackie Young), and MVP and DPOY (A’ja Wilson). The Aces were the story of the season in the WNBA and, fittingly, end the year on top, and now the question moving forward is who will challenge them next year to prevent a repeat from a deep, talented squad.

Five years ago, Arizona State made the rather stunning decision to hire former Jets head coach and, at the time, ESPN NFL analyst Herm Edwards as their head coach, promising a “new leadership model,” with Edwards acting as the CEO-type head coach overseeing the program.

Early returns were surprisingly positive, but recent years have been rather dreadful in Tempe, with the most recent result being a 30-21 home loss to Eastern Michigan in which the Eagles were the clearly better team on Saturday night. That was the final straw that sent Edwards packing from Arizona State for good, as was reported on Sunday evening (timed beautifully with the start of the Cardinals game).

Edwards leaves Arizona State with a 26-20 record, an NCAA recruiting scandal under his watch, and general uncertainty about where the program goes from here (despite never having a losing season until this 1-2 start). What comes next for Arizona State’s program is anyone’s guess, as they have plenty to figure out beyond just the head coach, but it’s not a job that’s impossible to succeed at and with uncertainty in the Pac-12 moving forward as USC and UCLA leave for the Big Ten, there’s plenty of reason to try and get this next hire right, right now.

The question is who will be the right fit and what their competition will be on the coaching market. We know Nebraska is looking to fill an opening and other Power Five programs will join them, with Auburn and Georgia Tech almost assuredly having vacancies during or after this season. Matt Rhule’s NFL tenure may come to an end and he’ll be a hot name, as would Kliff Kingsbury if the Cardinals continue to bottom out as he sits on the hot seat — and he wouldn’t even have to move to take over the Sun Devils.