- First Whistle
- Posts
- Pope Leo’s Secret Sports Obsession: A Divine Twist to This Week’s Sports Drama
Pope Leo’s Secret Sports Obsession: A Divine Twist to This Week’s Sports Drama

👋 Hey FirstFans!
This week, the sports world’s gone fully superstitious. A Pope with a White Sox hat, Spike Lee praying for a Knicks miracle, and MLB stars refusing to switch positions. In the NBA, superstars are stumbling while Ant-Man keeps flexing. NASCAR legends are spilling old secrets, and in the W, Angel Reese is everywhere — courtside, the Met Gala, and maybe your favorite NBA player’s DMs. Let’s get into it!
Today’s WOW moments from sports world!
⚾️ WHITE SOX GET POPE’S SUPPORT
🏀 KNICKS GET DIVINE INTERVENTION?
👗 WNBA REPPED AT MET GALA
🏎️ HEART IN HORSEPOWER
Pope Picks White Sox, Devers Blasts Management, and Shelton Fired
Thursday was a classic case of good news, bad news for the Chicago White Sox. The bad news? A humbling 10–0 beatdown courtesy of the Kansas City Royals. The good news? They just picked up the most famous fan on the planet.
When Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV on Thursday, his brother John made sure to clear up some early (and frankly scandalous) rumors — no, the new pope is not a Cubs fan. John confirmed that His Holiness is a lifelong White Sox supporter, having grown up on the South Side. Some divine detective work surfaced a photo of a young Robert Prevost at the 2005 World Series, casually chatting on a cell phone in the background while the Sox were on their way to a sweep of the Astros. Chicago’s had its share of high-profile supporters over the years, but a pope? That’s next-level. And for a fanbase desperate for a miracle, it might be right on time.
Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.
Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.
Elsewhere in the league, the drama is heating up in Boston. Rafael Devers, already miffed earlier this season after being asked to slide into the DH role following the arrival of Alex Bregman, is now flat-out refusing to play first base. With Triston Casas out for the year, the Red Sox tried to plug Devers into the lineup at 1B, and he wasn’t having it. He also took a shot at management for springing another position switch on him after the earlier DH saga. One thing’s for sure — Boston’s clubhouse might need a mediator more than a manager right now.
Speaking of managers, the Pittsburgh Pirates made an early-season move, firing Derek Shelton after a rough 12–26 start. No word yet on who’ll take over, but safe to say the Pirates are looking for a spark before this season gets completely away from them.
And finally, a bit of good news: the fan who fell down the stands last week is said to be awake and responsive. A welcome update after what was a scary moment for everyone at the ballpark.
🏀Superstars Stumble, Knicks Sees Divine Intervention, and LeBron Speaks His Mind
The Denver Nuggets won Game 1 in the dying seconds to get a 1-0 series lead. They knew the Oklahoma City Thunder would respond, but they never expected them to literally ‘punked’ the Nuggets, leading them by almost 50 points for much of the game.
Jokic was not the only superstar to get a hit on his chin. Jayson Tatum was next up as his disastrous drive to attempt the game-winning shot ended up costing them the game. Fans are questioning his status as a top player in the league.
This was the second straight loss for the Celtics, who were up by 20 points in both games against the New York Knicks. Knicks superfan Spike Lee believes it is a blessing from above. Villanova grad Robert Prevost becoming the Pope has Lee believing the Villanova boys will win the Knicks a title.
A third superstar, Anthony Edwards, also had a miserable Game 1, where he scored just 1 point in the first half. They won Game 2 convincingly, but it was without Stephen Curry, who is nursing a hamstring injury.
Even Edwards had a serious scare early in this game after Trayce Jackson-Davis stepped on his ankle. There is a concern that these injuries could mar this series. LeBron James appeared on Mind the Game podcast to talk about his knee injury while also reiterating the Lakers’ belief in head coach JJ Redick, despite his questionable decisions.
🥊 FS QUICK HITS
👗 Angel Reese Runs the Met Gala and the Court, While Caitlin Clark Keeps It Low-Key
The WNBA preseason continues, and the story of the past few days was how Chicago Sky superstar Angel Reese managed four days of her schedule. She started with a convincing performance in their first preseason game on May 3rd .
She then followed that up with team practices before leaving for New York on May 4th . The following morning, she slayed the Met Gala for the second year running. Then her associates threw a birthday party, which ended up brewing some dating rumors with another NBA star.

Then she flew back to Chicago the next morning, practiced with the team, and played their second preseason game against the Minnesota Lynx. She again performed admirably to prove that she can multitask and still perform at her best.
At least she is not as shy as Caitlin Clark, who was embarrassed when reporters asked her about her fashion statement heading into year 2. The Indiana Fever star wants to concentrate on what she does best, one of them being helping charities in any way she can.
🏁 NASCAR Roundup: Boo Birds, Old Regrets, and Penske Brotherhood
Joey Logano’s been catching boos for years, and Kevin Harvick finally explained why. On his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick said the hate goes back to Logano’s early NASCAR days — the run-ins, the bold comments, and a reputation that stuck. Even though Logano’s mellowed out, fans haven’t forgotten. The good news for Joey? He doesn’t care. He’s confident, outspoken, and still not afraid to stir things up when needed.
Another legend reflecting on the past was Tony Stewart. On Kenny Conversation, the three-time Cup champ admitted he wasn’t exactly the nicest guy in the garage during his driving days. Stewart was so locked in on winning that he ignored everything else, including people. “I was not a good person to people,” Stewart confessed. No sugarcoating, just classic Smoke honesty.
On the track, Logano hit a milestone at Texas Motor Speedway, earning career win No. 37 and breaking his tie with Brad Keselowski. After the race, Logano gave Keselowski a ton of credit for his career at Team Penske. It was Brad who convinced Roger Penske to sign Joey back in 2013, and the two remain tight to this day.
Say what you will about NASCAR rivalries, but every now and then, there’s a little heart in the horsepower.
Thank you folks for reading our newsletter! Will see you in the next edition with more exciting highlights from the sports world curated for you! 🙏