LSU makes MLB Draft history, plus USMNT, USWNT both get big wins

Getty Images

This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.

Good morning to everyone but especially to...

THE MLB DRAFTEES

The first two rounds of the MLB Draft are in the books, and let's start at the top, because the team on top of college baseball was the team on top of the draft. Fresh off a national championship, LSU became the first school to produce the top two picks of a draft. Here's the top five, with grades and analysis from our R.J. Anderson.

1. Pirates: Paul Skenes, P, LSU -- "It's incredibly risky to take any pitcher No. 1 overall. ... Still, you can understand why the Pirates were enamored enough with Skenes to make him the pick. Grade: B"
2. Nationals: Dylan Crews, OF, LSU -- "Crews was considered to be the best overall player in the draft. The Nationals should be thrilled to get him at No. 2. Grade: A"
3. Tigers: Max Clark, CF, Franklin Community HS (IN) -- "He's a surefire center fielder with a strong arm. He also has legit offensive upside thanks to above-average bat speed from the left side. Grade: B"
4. Rangers: Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida -- "Langford would have been a good get at No. 1 most years, so landing him at No. 4 is a great value. Grade: A"
5. Twins: Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS (NC) -- "Jenkins was regarded as a safer bet to hit than Clark by scouts, though the latter is certain to offer more defensive and baserunning value. Grade: B"

You can see all first-round grades here and we're keeping up with every single pick -- yes, No. 1 through No. 614 -- right here.

Honorable mentions

Are we getting closer to a landing spot for DeAndre Hopkins? Or how about for Dalvin Cook?
Alabama added four-star 2024 defensive back Zabien Brown and also three-star linebacker Justin Okoronkwo from Germany.
Brittney Griner threw down her first dunk of the season.
Sepp Straka won the John Deere Classic.
William Byron won the rain-shortened Quaker State 400.

Not so honorable mentions

Randall Stephenson, a member of the PGA Tour policy board, resigned, citing concerns about the PGA Tour-Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund agreement.
Elena Delle Donne re-injured her left ankle.

USMNT tops Canada in shootout; USWNT wins send-off ⚽

They looked like they had won. They looked like they had lost. And then finally, on the last kick of the ball, they had indeed won.

The U.S. men's national team beat Canada 2-2 (3-2 in penalties) to advance to the Gold Cup semifinal.

In the 87th minute, Brandon Vazquez scored a header off a great ball from DeJuan Jones. But Steven Vitoria leveled things in stoppage time with a penalty kick.
Canada went ahead in the 109th minute off a stunning effort from Jacob Shaffelburg, whose deflected shot went in.
In the 114th minute, Dayne St. Clair parried away Gianluca Busio's strike, but the ball bounced off Canada defender Scott Kennedy and in for an own goal.

In the penalty shootout, Turner, who made no saves prior in the contest, had two huge stops, and when Charles-Andreas Brym's attempt hit the crossbar, it was over. Cade Cowell, Busio and Jesús Ferreira converted for the U.S. in the shootout.

The USMNT will face Panama on Wednesday.

As for the U.S. women, they left it close until late in their final match before the World Cup, but there's a reason late is better than never: After coming on at halftime, Trinity Rodman scored twice to help the USWNT beat Wales, 2-0.

In the 76th minute, Lynn Williams played a perfect through ball to Sophia Smith, who crossed to Rodman for an easy finish.
Then, in the 87th minute, it was all Rodman, pouncing on a loose ball and curling one in from outside the box.

The USWNT's World Cup opener is July 21 against Vietnam.

MLB weekend recap, plus Home Run Derby picks ⚾

With the MLB All-Star Break upon us, Power Rankings will be coming out later this week, but there was still plenty going on around baseball this weekend, led by a historic performance from an unlikely source.

Here are top storylines:

Matt Manning, Jason Foley and Alex Lange combined for a no-hitter for the Tigers against the Blue Jays. It's just the 20th combined no-no in MLB history.
The Yankees fired hitting coach Dillon Lawson.
Elly De La Cruz stole second. Then third. Then home. You have to see it to believe it.
The NL won the Futures Game.
Drew Rasmussen (elbow) is done for the year.
José Alvarado (elbow) and Dansby Swanson (heel) are on the IL.

Looking forward, we have the Home Run Derby tonight (here's how to watch it) -- and that means we have Home Run Derby best bets from Matt. Here's one of my favorites:

Snyder: "Most home runs in first round -- Luis Robert is a hulking man with light-tower power. He can hit the ball as hard as anyone even when his swing looks relatively effortless. I like the long odds here and we often see someone somewhat unexpectedly put on a show. THE PICK: Luis Robert (+850)"

Let's have some fun.

Bob Huggins threatens lawsuit, demands reinstatement as West Virginia head coach 🏀

According to West Virginia, Josh Eilert has been the men's head basketball coach for over three weeks. Just don't tell Eilert's predecessor, Bob Huggins.

In a stunning turn to a tumultuous offseason, the longtime Mountaineers head coach is threatening a lawsuit against the university and demanding to be reinstated as head coach.

Huggins, 69, was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence in Pittsburgh on June 16. He had a blood alcohol content of .210 -- nearly three times the legal limit -- and did not know where he was, among other frightening details.
That arrest came roughly a month after he used a homophobic slur to describe Xavier fans during a radio show.
One day after the arrest, Huggins submitted his letter of resignation to university president E. Gordon Gee and athletic director Wren Baker and announced his intentions to retire.
Eilert was named the interim coach a week later behind strong support from the players.

Now, however, things have been flipped on their head. Huggins' attorney, David A. Campbell, sent a letter to Gee that includes the following:

Huggins doesn't want litigation. He simply wants to be reinstated as head coach. However, Campbell threatens litigation if Huggins is not reinstated once he finishes his rehabilitation program.
Huggins' "resignation" is "incredibly based on a text message from Coach Huggins' wife."
The arrest "is now close to being fully resolved without charges."

West Virginia called the letter "completely factually inaccurate." The university also said Huggins met with staff and players to say he would no longer be the coach and that they "will not accept Mr. Huggins' revocation of his resignation, nor will it reinstate him..."

Northwestern reassessing Pat Fitzgerald's punishment after details about hazing emerge 🏈

NCAA Football: Northwestern at Iowa — USATSI

Northwestern is reassessing its punishment for head football coach Pat Fitzgerald after disturbing details emerged about hazing within the program.

An investigation into hazing began in January. An executive summary stated that hazing was present but the investigation team "did not discover sufficient evidence to believe that coaching staff knew about the ongoing hazing conduct."
Northwestern's student newspaper, The Daily Northwestern, spoke to two former players who claimed the hazing involved coerced sexual acts and implied that Fitzgerald knew about them.
University president Michael Schill released a statement late Saturday saying he will reassess Fitzgerald's punishment. Schill also spoke to the former player who came forward with the allegations.

I went to Northwestern and covered the team for several years. Pat Fitzgerald is Northwestern football. He was the star linebacker in the mid-1990s, at the height of Northwestern's improbable rise. He has been on staff since 2001 and head coach since 2006. Northwestern students, believe it or not, are not all the most sports-savvy, but they all know who Pat Fitzgerald is.

If he didn't know about the hazing, it's his fault: It's his program, the one he has prided himself on, the one he has espoused as one that prepares young men not for the next four years, but for the next 40. It clearly is not that under his stewardship. If he did know about the hazing, well, that's all the more damning. And if it's somewhere in the middle, that's still an utter failure, one that's simply unacceptable. Northwestern's next steps are absolutely crucial for the integrity of the program.