One thing women's sports never seem to run short on: moments. Starting with Paige Bueckers, who delivered an incredible shot, then somehow topped it with what she did immediately after. (The Dallas Wings social team deserves overtime for that caption.) Hers ties Sabrina Ionescu’s iconic bucket for the top reasons we’d never challenge WNBA players to a game of HORSE. But what really got us were the two teen gymnasts who owned the all-around podium at the Pan American Championships, helping Team USA take gold. Finally, just in time for the weekend, the NWSL returns for the Challenge Cup — which means my favorite teams and players are back together and on their socials. The Washington Spirit cooked when it asked players to name foods people only pretend to like. The best part may be Trinity Rodman's answer… her face says it all. Now, let's get to the rest of the headlines…
— Mallory Simon / Writer / New York, New York
Let's Discuss
A Different Goal
What’s going on: Before his team’s debut World Cup match, Belgian player Jérémy Doku knew his first child might arrive during the tournament — and he planned to be there. “No father would want to miss that,” he told the media. Not everyone agreed. During FIFA coverage, a former Belgian player joked Doku would be a “spare wheel” in the delivery room. (How do you say “huge eye roll” in Flemish?) A French TV presenter went further, calling childbirth “a disgusting moment” and saying fathers are “completely useless” during labor. Both she and her network later apologized, but the comments sparked a wider debate about fatherhood, work, and what athletes owe fans vs. family. On Monday, Belgium announced Doku and his partner welcomed a healthy baby boy with a fitting name, and his dad rejoined his team this week.
Our take: It’s not surprising Doku wanted to be in the delivery room — what's bananas to us is that some still see dads as spectators during childbirth and early parenthood. Doku’s choice challenged that view on a global stage, though he's not the first: England's Fabian Delph left the 2018 World Cup for his daughter's birth. Rudy Gobert missed an NBA playoff game to welcome his child. Andy Murray once said he'd leave the Australian Open without hesitation if his wife went into labor. But this latest controversy highlights a divide between sports fans who believe athletes should sacrifice it all for the game and those who don’t believe winning is everything. We know which side we’re on.
