Sports this 'n' that

 Basketball season is officially over in New York City after the Brooklyn Nets were swept out of the NBA playoffs by Boston in four straight, the clincher coming on Monday. However, that ain't the story du jour.

ESPN's resident bloviator, Screamin' A. Cosell (Stephen A. Smith) lambasted Brooklyn's Ben Simmons prior to game 4. Simmons, who'd been injured all season, and despite this was traded to Brooklyn for James Harden, was reportedly going to make his Nets debut, but then was pulled, not cleared to play.

Would Simmons have made a difference had he played? For now, we'll never know. Even Smith's pal, Oscar & Grammy winner Jamie Foxx, roasted Smith on Twitter for his blatant stupidity.

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No one expected the Atlanta Braves to be tied for 3rd in the NL East as we are in the final week of April, but there they are, tied with Washington, 5 1/2 game in arrears of the Mets. The defending champions will visit Citi Field for the first time this season next week.

As for the Mets, who are the only team in the division above .500 at 13-5 after rallying for five runs in the 9th to beat St. Louis Monday, they'll play Joe Girardi's last place Phillies this weekend. For the Phils' sake, they have to hope El Cubano Rudo (Angel Hernandez) isn't working the series.

Check out that incredible 9th inning rally in the Mets-Cardinals game, though. This was cray-cray.

SNY was caught coming out of commercial during a pitching change when Brandon Nimmo hit the game-clinching homer off TJ McFarland. Too many ads, man...........

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What's in a name? When it comes to WWE these days, you leave your ring name that you've used for years on the indie circuit and/or your real name at the door, per Vince McMahon.

It's all about trademarks with the 76 year old McMahon, who issued a lame edict last week after some of his changes were instituted. Take for example newly crowned US champion (Austin) Theory, who dropped the first name prior to winning the title. I had joked on message boards that this decision was the product of McMahon's PTSD in relation to Stone Cold Steve Austin kicking in again after Wrestlemania three weeks ago, but it isn't.

For another example, consider Tommaso Ciampa (Tommaso Whitney), who had his name shortened to Ciampa as he turned heel Monday, attacking the returning Mustafa Ali after Ali beat The Miz. 

McMahon's edict is the product of the old man being more hellbent than usual about controlling his property, if you will. What he again fails to realize is that wrestlers like Ciampa & Theory do have fan followings from the indie circuits (i.e. Evolve, Ring of Honor), and the fan base isn't digging the changes. Others, such as Shinsuke Nakamura, Randy Orton, and Roman Reigns, have been grandfathered, if you will, so there won't be any abrupt changes.

In all honesty, it's a waste of trademark expenses. And the old man will change his mind again before the year is out. Trust me.