Best Sports Moments From ‘The Sopranos’ on the Show’s 25th Anniversary

Also in Traina Thoughts: NBA coach goes off; Charles Barkley’s Diet Coke consumption is shocking; Chiefs player to buy Peacock for fans; and more.

1. It was 25 years ago today, Jan. 10, 1999, that the greatest show in the history of television, The Sopranos, debuted on HBO.

It was on the debut episode that A.J. Soprano delivered one of the most memorable lines of the entire series.

Sports played a significant role throughout The Sopranos' run, especially card games.

There was no more unforgettable sports moment, though, than Uncle Junior taunting Tony about not having the makings of a varsity athlete.

The funniest sports moment came in Season 1, when Silvio got kicked out of his daughter’s soccer game after arguing with the referee.

Not to be outdone, Janice got arrested at her stepdaughter’s soccer game after taking down another mom.

Sports betting was also highlighted in several episodes, with Tony famously blowing up at Carmella for not letting him wager more money on a “sure thing.”

The show also featured Christopher having some major issues as a bookie.

We also saw Tony lose a bet and then lose his cool in a scene every single person who has ever dabbled in sports gambling can relate to, but I have to link to it instead of embed it because it takes place at the Bada Bing.

2. Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajaković gave us an all-time postgame press conference Tuesday when he destroyed the refs for giving the Lakers 23 free throws in the fourth quarter and the Raptors two.

Rajaković’s best line? 

“They came to win tonight? If that’s the case, just let us know, so we don’t show up for the game. Just give them a win. But that was not fair tonight.”

3. We told you Tuesday that Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu was not happy about his team’s wild-card game Saturday against the Dolphins airing exclusively on Peacock. 

So Omenihu has decided to hook up Chiefs fans.

Alright Chiefs Kingdom, I saw the comments and want y’all to be able to watch us play…So, I’m giving away 90 3-month Peacock memberships! To enter to win, reply to this tweet with why you should get picked. Picking winners Friday!

— Charles Omenihu (@charless_94) January 10, 2024

 4. Charles Barkley told Stephen Colbert on Tuesday that he’s currently trying to kick his soda habit, which consists of the NBA analyst downing between 15 and 20 Diet Cokes A DAY!

5. The Michigan Wolverines–Washington Huskies national title game Monday drew 25.05 million viewers for ESPN. It was the most-watched national title game since 2020.

Interestingly, Michigan’s semifinal game against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl drew 27.2 million viewers.

6. The latest SI Media With Jimmy Traina is an all–Traina Thoughts edition with Sal Licata. Topics discussed include the controversial ending of the Detroit Lions–Dallas Cowboys game, the ridiculous takes that followed and how the NFL has handled the situation; huge ratings for the Alabama-Michigan college football semifinal and the ridiculous start time for the Washington–Texas Longhorns semifinal; the best play-by-play person in college football; The Rock’s return to Monday Night Raw and how he set up a future match with Roman Reigns; a review of The Iron Claw; the Aaron Rodgers–Jimmy Kimmel feud; Ian Ziering’s fight with a biker gang; why SiriusXM’s new app is a disaster; and much more.

You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google.

You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Sports Illustrated’s YouTube channel.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: Technically, I could’ve maybe squeezed this into the lead item about The Sopranos and sports since Pie-O-My was a racehorse, but this scene was so good I wanted it to stand out on its own.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.