The Houston Astros are the World Champions of Baseball. For the first time in the organization’s history, the Astros hoisted the World Series trophy last night after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 7.

With Houston’s first WS win, these teams are left standing on the wall at the middle school dance:

Chase Utley strike out in the 9th inning to cap off an ugly postseason to maybe end his career? He was 0-6 in the World Series and hitless in the entire playoffs.

The game was at Dodger Stadium, so naturally ticket prices skyrocketed:

Those six-second T-Mobile ads on FOX don’t seem as annoying after looking at that price, huh?

Houston Ace Justin Verlander earned his first World Series ring and will get a wedding band shortly too:

Apparently, another wedding is on the horizon for a fellow Astro as well:

Just a few months until pitchers and catchers report!

The Roundup:

The Sixers were in action last night as well, at home against the Atlanta Hawks. J.J. Redick returned and helped deliver a 119-109 victory for the home fans.

Robert Covington piloted the Philly offense with 22 points. Joel Embiid dropped 21 points in 30 (!!) minutes. Ben Simmons had 19 points including this:

The Sixers are now 4-4 on the season, .500 for the first time in 4 years.

Afterwards, Simmons riled up Embiid like a 5-year old who got the toy he wanted in his Happy Meal:

Off the court, Jahlil Okafor made it known on Wednesday that he wants out of Philly, by any means necessary:

“He said that he felt that if he bought me out, another team would be getting me for free,” Okafor said. “But that’s where we stand today because you waited so long to trade me. There’s nothing else to do. I’m not playing here and at the end of the season, I’m an unrestricted free agent. So I want to get on the court and play and produce.”

(Via NBC Sports Philadelphia)

Brett Brown states why Okafor is riding the bench.

And although Okafor was seen to be a big part of The Process, it isn’t dead just because his time as a Sixer is all but done, according to our Phil Keidel, who says  don’t put any stock in Eskin’s BS.

In media row at Sixers game, there will be one less person as well-known writer Jake Pavorsky left NJ.com yesterday to explore this thing called a social life.

Someone still in the media game, ESPN’s Jackie MacMullen, wrote a great feature on Joel Embiid yesterday. In part:

“Everybody’s got to stop being scared,” Embiid says. “I’m not made of glass.”’

Anderson understands why the sentiment irks his friend. Nobody wants to be known as the biggest gamble in sports simply because he has yet to prove he can remain upright.

“I don’t drive. All I really need is my video games and a big-ass TV.”

“Joel thinks he’s me sometimes — a 6-6 shooting guard,” Anderson says. “He thinks he can make acrobatic plays. And when you tell him after the game, ‘Be careful,’ he doesn’t want to hear that.”

The Sixers get above .500 when they host the Indiana Pacers on Friday night at 7pm.

The Chicago Blackhawks shutout the Flyers 3-0.

They went to work quick to get a 2-0 advantage:

https://twitter.com/CFJastrzembski/status/925897161769930752

In addition to the loss, the Flyers lost Radko Gudas, who left Wednesday night’s game early with an upper body injury.

Philly returns to the ice tonight at the St. Louis Blues. Puck drops at 8 p.m.

On the gridiron, the Eagles defense’s job got a lot easier on Sunday now as the Broncos announce that Brock Osweiler is starting.

The sports books rightfully responded to this news:

The latest Crossing BroadCast dropped yesterday morning and talked Jay Ajayi.

Sunday’s Eagles game is on CBS, with Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts on the call.

Fox Sports 1’s Nick Wright (who?) is the second dumbest talking head on TV, behind Skip Bayless. This is why.

Papa John’s says sales are down. The reason? NFL anthem protests, so they say:

“The NFL has hurt us,” company founder and CEO John Schnatter said. “We are disappointed the NFL and its leadership did not resolve this.”

Executives said the company has pulled much of its NFL television advertising and that the NFL has responded by giving the company additional future spots. Later in the day, a spokesman clarified that the spots themselves weren’t being pulled, just the NFL shield or “official sponsor” designation on those spots.

“Leadership starts at the top, and this is an example of poor leadership,” Schnatter said, noting he thought the issue had been “nipped in the bud” a year and a half ago.

A-Rod texted Jennifer Lopez from the bathroom during their first date. Baller move? Context:

“I didn’t know if it was a date,” Rodriguez says. “Maybe we were seeing each other at night because of her work schedule. I went in uneasy, not knowing her situation.”

He continues: “It would be incredibly productive for me to sit with one of the smartest, greatest women in the world, especially for a guy like me who is coming through tough times, rehabbing himself, re-establishing himself to folks out there. I thought it would be a win-win no matter what.”

Then: “She told me around the third or fourth inning that she was single,” he says. “I had to get up and go re-adjust my thoughts. I went to the bathroom and got enough courage to send her a text.”

“So I’m sitting there and he’s walking back, and I get a text,” Lopez continues. “It says . . . ” She looks significantly at Rodriguez. “You can tell her!” he says. “ ‘You look sexy AF,’ ” she tells me. They both laugh. “And then it took a turn,” Lopez says. “The fire alarm went off, and we had to evacuate.” I laugh, thinking she’s being metaphorical. “No, really,” she says. “The fire alarm went off!”

Former 97.5 The Fanatic Program Director has landed on his feet, on the west coast.

Comcast Spectacor is getting into esports.

In non-sports news…

A guy caught got getting oral from a woman on a plane, who was 20-years older than him. They never meet before boarding the plane.

A University of Hartford student put her roommate’s toothbrush up her own ass.