Ball Girl #113: Haunting stats and thirst traps

Broncos pick six, LeBron struggles and Tom's out fishing

In case you didn’t get the memo: Ball Girl is back!

Your sports bestie is back, three times a week in your inbox with all the tea. And soon, even more entertainment on TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify (hard launch incoming shortly). TLDR, we’re becoming the Kardashians of sports news: we’re freakin’ everywhere. Whether you're here for the touchdowns, the drama, or just to have something new to talk about at the water cooler, we got you.

🏈 NFL

  • Jameis Throws for 497 Yards... But Broncos Defense Throws Shade
    Jameis Winston, iconic Browns QB, almost pulled off the win against rookie QB Bo Nix and the Broncos on Monday night. But Bo Nix’ed those dreams. Jk it was more like the Broncos defense that shut things down. Jameis threw for an unbelievable 497 yards… but the Broncos forced three interceptions, including two pick sixes. Add in a solid performance from Bo, and the Broncos remain in the hunt for a wild card playoff spot. Meanwhile, we’re all rooting for Jameis & hoping he keeps the amazing energy coming.

🏀 NBA

  • Who Hurt You, LeBron?
    LeBron James has been struggling more than a girl trying to figure out if her Hinge match just likes her or "like likes" her. His Lakers got stomped by the Timberwolves, 109-80. LeBron scored only 10 points and missed 19 straight threes. Forget ghosts from Christmas past; LeBron’s being haunted by his own shooting stats. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s big guys — Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid — ate up the Lakers' defense like it's a post-game buffet. Will the Lakers figure it out or continue to give off those "it's not you, it's me" vibes? Stay tuned.

  • Scottie Barnes Puts the League on Notice
    Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors) dropped a casual 35 points in a 122-111 win over the Indiana Pacers, proving he’s that guy. Toronto is killing it at home (6-4), but their road record is messier than your eyeliner after a night out (1-11). For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton did his best with 30 points, but Indiana committed 21 turnovers — basically handing Toronto the game like it was a Secret Santa gift no one wanted. Indy, you’ve got to clean up this energy.

🏒NHL

  • Pittsburgh Penguins – Ice, Ice Maybe?
    The Penguins (11-12-4) blew a 4-1 lead against the Panthers, but Bryan Rust saved the day in OT, scoring the game-winner. Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk turned the third period into his personal highlight reel, hitting 600 career points with two goals and two assists. That’s main character energy if we’ve ever seen it. Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry made 37 saves and probably needs a spa day after all that work. Pittsburgh’s fourth-straight win has them looking feisty — finally.

  • Kaprizov Keeps It Cool in OT Thriller
    Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild) said, “hold my beer,” scoring the OT winner to lead the Wild (17-4-4) to a 3-2 comeback win over the Canucks. With 23 seconds left in OT, Kaprizov netted his 16th goal this season, which basically cements his status as the guy you’d swipe right on instantly. The Wild are sitting pretty at the top of the NHL, while Vancouver (13-7-4) got a power-play goal from defenseman Quinn Hughes but ultimately fell short. Take notes, Canucks: it’s not about how you start; it’s how you finish.

💬 Gossip

  • Brady’s Thirst Trap Era Begins
    Tom Brady might be retired, but he’s still playing the game. The seven-time Super Bowl champ posted shirtless fishing pics from sunny Florida, and we can’t help but wonder: was this directed at Gisele? While the Buffalo Bills celebrated a snowy 35-10 win, Brady was busy showing off his “look how good I’m doing” energy. Honestly, Tom, it feels like the only thing you’re fishing for is compliments.

That’s all the sports news for today, queens. Happy hump day and see you Friday!