Sports Conversation Starters for Your Workweek

It didn't take long for everyone in Major League Baseball to become losers. Less than five games into the regular season every team had suffered at least one loss. 

And everyone knew it was going to happen. 

There is not a single MLB team that plans, expects or hopes to finish the season a perfect 162-0. The goal isn't perfection is consistency. 

Apply the same approach to your conversations and the focus becomes your willingness to show up, engage and interact. Conversations don't have to be "perfect" to make an impact. Just get started and commit to making connections in small talk. 

These sports topics can help this week.

MLB

Konnor Griffen, No. 1 overall prospect in baseball, made his big league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 19-year-old shortstop is the first teenage position player in the majors since Juan Soto debuted in 2018.

College Hoops

UCLA captured the first women's basketball title in school history by blowing out South Carolina. The 28-point margin of victory was the third largest in a Division I women's championship final.  

The men's NCAA Tournament Champion will be decided Monday between No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 UConn. Michigan is looking for its first national championship since 1989. UConn is playing in the title game for the third time in four years. 

NBA

The NBA playoffs start in two weeks and the status of NBA leading scorer Luka Doncic is in question. He has already been ruled out for the rest of the regular season with a hamstring injury and the LA Lakers haven't given a timeline for his possible return in the playoffs. The Lakers will also be without guard Austin Reaves who suffered an oblique injury Saturday that will keep him out of games for 4-6 weeks.

PGA

The Masters takes place this week in Augusta. Nine of the top 12 favorites haven't played in the last three weeks, including World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler who missed time for the birth of his second child. He is still the betting favorite to win. Rory McIlroy is the defending Masters champion. 

NHL

The Buffalo Sabres clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2011. The 14-year playoff drought was the longest in NHL history and it was the second longest streak among the four major North American sports. The Sabres were second behind the New York Jets of the NFL. The Jets have not made the playoffs since 2010. 

Meanwhile, there will be a new Stanley Cup champion this year after defending two-time defending champion Florida was eliminated from playoff contention.