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- Out of Bounds, Vol. 82
What a time to be an American sports fan 🇺🇸
Jack Hughes delivers the Golden Goal for USA Hockey two years after Steph Curry’s Golden Dagger for USA Basketball?
Special.
Today’s Lineup
✝️ Villanova to Play Notre Dame in Rome
Pope Leo’s alma mater will open next season near the Vatican.
🟠 Jeremy Sochan Dyes Hair Knicks Colors
Plus, some other legends who rocked their team colors on their head.
💪 Nikola Topic Officially Beat Cancer!
The Serbian guard made his NBA debut after a torn ACL and chemotherapy.
✝️ Villanova Playing Notre Dame Near Vatican
Villanova grads in the basketball world: Jalen Brunson, Kyle Lowry, and… Pope Leo?
We assume so, as the college basketball season will tip off in historic fashion next year when Villanova and Notre Dame face off in Rome on Nov. 1, 2026. The 2 Catholic schools will play at the 3,500-seat Palazzetto delloSport only a few miles from Vatican City 🤯
We know Pope Leo XIV graduated Villanova in 1977... but with the NCAA rules these days he may get an extra year of eligibility if he wants to suit up for the Wildcats 😂
We need to get a Jalen Brunson x Pope Leo meet up at St. Patrick’s Cathedral
The doubleheader, which also includes the women’s teams, will air nationally on Fox and is expected to showcase college basketball’s expanding global footprint while offering student-athletes a once-in-a-lifetime international experience 🌍
We wonder if that becomes part of the recruiting pitch next year: good basketball culture, an NIL check, and a chance to meet the Vicar of Christ 😭
Do you think Pope Leo will attend the game?Right now its unclear of the Pontiff will be present. |
🟠 Jeremy Sochan Dyes Hair Knicks Colors
Within days of joining the New York Knicks, Jeremy Sochan showed up with his hair colored bright orange and blue, matching the franchise’s iconic palette and signaling his fresh start in the Big Apple 🍎
Sochan has a quirky game as a high-feel wing who can’t really shoot the rock, and his hair matches that quirkiness. The Polish Baylor grad uses his hair to express himself 🎨
“Sometimes there have been meanings towards it. But other times, it’s really just having fun… and bring people together for it”
We feel like guys who do this put everything on the line for their city. Marcus Smart comes to mind with his shock of green hair as he laid out for loose balls and got under opponents’ skin back in Boston. And we never knew the deeper meaning behind it until now ❤️
And of course, the OG is Dennis Rodman who dyed his hair bold colors and patterns to reflect his rebellious personality and stand out as his fame grew in the early 90s 😵💫
Who rocked the dyed hair look the best? |
💪 Nikola Topic Officially Beat Cancer!
The best story in the NBA right now is easily Nikola Topic ❤️
The Serbian guard, selected 12th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, lost his entire rookie season while recovering from a torn ACL, only to face an even bigger battle when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer during the 2025 preseason 🙏
After undergoing a procedure in October followed by chemotherapy, Topic slowly rebuilt his strength and conditioning, determined to make it back to the court 💪
In his first appearance, Topic logged meaningful minutes and scored his first points, earning a standing ovation and the admiration of teammates and coaches who knew everything he had overcome just to get there 🙌
This is a reason why sports are so great. To work so hard at something and finally see the fruits of that labor is beautiful. We’re rooting for you, Nikola!
Signing Off
The Winter Olympics are coming to a close, as is this newsletter. We’ll miss watching the games in the country that produced Pablo Prigioni 🇮🇹
And we’ll see you next time ✌️
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In your best Mike Breen impression, what did you think of today's newsletter? |
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