Standing O’s and Heck No’s

It’s that time of the week again. Here’s everything we loved and hated in sports:

Standing O

• Alayna Adams threw out the first pitch Thursday at the Tampa Bay Rays vs. Red Sox game in Florida, but it wasn’t your average toss. With her father serving in the Middle East, Alayna was given the opportunity through the U.S.O. A sweet video message played from her father played before she threw the baseball, but little did she know he was behind the catcher’s mask just feet away. After she threw the pitch, he revealed himself, igniting an incredibly touching reunion. Seriously, if you can watch this and not tear up…I don’t believe you. It was an awesome move on behalf of the Rays organization. 
• Boston teams still in season, you win. The Bruins and Red Sox have seriously turned it up this week, making Bostonians pretty darn happy. After a nail biter overtime win against the New York Rangers in Game 1, the Bruins had a decisive 5-2 victory Sunday, giving them the 2-0 lead after two home games before they head to New York’s Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4. They literally couldn’t be in a better position right now. And after a pretty rough patch, the Sox are on a four-game winning streak and are on track for a fifth if they come out on top Sunday against the Minnesota Twins.

Heck No

• John Tortorella, you are killing me. And all the New York hockey media, probably, but I can’t speak for them. The New York Rangers coach is, well, a jerk. I hear the rude things he says to media, and sometimes about his own players, from time to time, but the Rangers playing the Bruins in the Eastern Conference playoffs have put a spotlight on Tortorella for Boston fans. “Torts” loves to pick on the media, and while it can make for some laugh-inducing press conferences, I wouldn’t want to be a reporter in that room. Someone needs to give that man a cocktail and remind him that every reporter in that room is just trying to do their job. 
• Brittney Griner recently revealed that she was instructed by Baylor University head coach Kim Mulvey to keep her sexuality quiet. Mulkey apparently claimed that Griner coming out would inhibit her recruiting. Baylor University is a private Baptist school, but you have to hope that no one would do anything to hinder an athlete from expressing themselves publicly if they so choose. If Griner wanted to come out and was stopped by coaches and others at Baylor, shame on them.