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    • The mistake that sealed the World Series, plus more debate over fan interference
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    The mistake that sealed the World Series, plus more debate over fan interference

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    The Pulse Newsletter đź“Ł | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse straight to your inbox.

    Happy Halloween! Don’t scare any Yankees fans today. They’ve been through enough.

    rings: The golden era of the Dodgers begins

    Before we get to the accolades and the history, I want to focus on one moment from last night’s World Series finale. It’s a game practiced at all levels of baseball, and it’s now the game that will haunt Yankees fans forever:

    A simple mistake – Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rizzo are on different pages as to who covered first base – is the difference between the Dodgers winning a ring last night and the series moving back to Los Angeles for Game 6:

    • The blunder allowed for one run, and the Dodgers scored four more runs in that fifth inningwhich was about to end with the Yankees leading 5-0, but instead ended with the score tied at 5-5. New York also produced two more errors in the inning. All five runs were unearned. That’s not what championship teams do.
    • The lead changed hands twice more in this game, but a Dodgers victory was still palpable fait accompli after the fifth. A shaky pitching day for LA ended with Blake Treinen and Walker Buehler crushing Yankee dreams in the eighth and ninth with some of the gutsiest performances I’ve seen in years.

    I was about 10 years old when I watched this, and I had no interest whatsoever. Shout-out to gray hairs on both coasts. Two more thoughts on this Dodgers title:

    • This is the time when we think about traveling. Freddie Freeman is a two-time champion and World Series MVP, three years after he and the Atlanta Braves failed to agree on a deal following his first title. Mookie Betts has now won two championships since the Red Sox decided he wasn’t in their plans. Those two accounted for four of the Dodgers’ seven runs last night.
    • And what about Shohei Ohtani? The most talented player in the world was injured during this series, but his first year with the Dodgers includes his first playoff trip and ends with a ring and a presumptive MVP award. Not bad.

    For the Yankees, those mistakes will overshadow Aaron Judge’s rebounding play at the plate (late) and Giancarlo Stanton’s continued playoff heroics. All for nothing. Now the front office will be concerned about Juan Soto’s free agency.

    For the Dodgers, champions of two of the last five World Series? This is a golden age, period.

    Make sure you read The excitementwhich has been fantastic during this playoff run, for more later this morning.

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    Lions WR is under investigation
    Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is the subject of a police investigation, officials confirmed yesterday, regarding a traffic stop in which he was pulled over. According to bodycam footage, officers told Williams during the stop that he would be arrested for illegally carrying a concealed weapon – before releasing him. That’s what the Detroit police said The Athletics “New information” has come to light, which prompted the investigation. Our full report is here.

    Bryce Young has to start over
    A day after we reported Bryce Young’s return, the Panthers’ second-year quarterback is Carolina’s starter again, the team announced, even though Andy Dalton is healthy. Panthers coach Dave Canales noted that Young’s role as starter does not guarantee the future. Young showed some signs of life last weekend, starting in place of the injured Dalton, throwing for 224 yards and two touchdowns in a loss.

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    Fan interference, ranked: The glove snatch goes down in history – and shame

    Nearly two days later, I’m still stunned by the Yankees fan who tried to rip Mookie Betts’ glove off his hand on Tuesday. The two boys involved were banned for Game 5Incidentally.

    But it sparked a broader conversation: Where does this rank on baseball fans’ list of all-time blunders? Zach Powell has put together some other notable ones:

    • The Bartman incident2003 NLCS
    • Jeffrey Maier’s home run grab1996 ALCS
    • Red Sox fan waves to Gary Sheffield2005
    • Astros fan interferes with BettsALCS 2018

    Where’s Tuesday’s brouhaha? I say #2, only under Bartman.

    • Bartman’s involvement had a profound impact on the serieswhich Chicago was going to lose. If Moises Alou had caught the ball, I think the Cubs’ former World Series drought would probably be over much sooner. Sorry, Cubs fans.

    Most of these elderly people – apart from the situation in Sheffield – are understandable. Fans try to catch a ball. In Maier’s case, he caught it, and the Yankees went on to win the World Series. No regrets.

    But Maier himself couldn’t believe Tuesday’s affair. It got the Pulse Brain Trust thinking: What is the appropriate long-term punishment for the perpetrators? Banned for life? A year?

    So it’s up to you, in our next Pulse Poll. These two fans should be:

    • Banned for life. You can’t do that.
    • A year makes sense.
    • 1-5 years.
    • No punishment.

    Make your voice heard here.

    Watch and listen

    đź“ş NFL: Texans at Jets
    8:15 PM ET on Prime Video
    Remember, 6-2 Houston is an underdog here, which is either silly or an all-time “Vegas knows it” moment. Is this the moment the Jets (2-6) finally put together a good game? It may be too late. Or…just watch another collapse. Interesting television, anyway.

    đź“ş NBA: Sunbathing at Clippers
    10:30 PM ET on NBA TV
    I’m mainly here for Phoenix, which should be a contender in the stacked Western Conference this year — but the Clips were intriguing even without Kawhi Leonard. Plus, we get to check out Kevin Durant coming face to face with the Wall again.

    Buy tickets for these types of games here.

    🎧 “Rates and barrels” broke down last night’s epic season finale. Listen here.

    Pulse choices

    Read this story about the beautiful relationship between Walter Paytonthe star that recedes, and Matt Suheyhis fearsome full-back, and how they were close until the literal end. It’s worth it this morning.

    Jeff Howe spoke to executives from around the league about that of Anthony Richardson banking. They were floored.

    Wait, the 49ers could act Brock Purdy? Mike Sando tells us why in his weekly Pick Six columnwhich is always a must-read.

    College basketball is also back. Our prospect expert Sam Vecenie has a few best bets for this season. Get to Alabama early, folks.

    Peter Baugh does a fantastic one Halloween story on the goalkeeper mask designer who helped create Hannibal Lecter an all-time villain – and costume.

    A really nice idea: Win a free year The Athletics by winning our inauguration College Football Playoff Bracket Challenge. Enter your 12 teams here and profit if you’re right.

    Most clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Our story about Rudy Gay’s retirement. Pour one out.

    Most read on the website yesterday: The inside story about the ouster of Erik ten Hag – and the pursuit of Ruben Amorim – at Manchester United. Read it here.

    đź“« Do you love the wrist? Also check out The Athletic’s other newsletters.

    (Top photo: Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)

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