Every morning, I send an email to my sports-averse coworkers detailing the biggest events in the sports world that day. This is to help them better converse with the sport-obsessed among us. I will publish this email every morning as the Bias Bulletin.

Clark Kent Has A Backache

-Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard was, for a while, regarded as an affable, talented, unmatched physical specimen. Now, only the last two are relevant. Yesterday, his agent announced that Howard will miss the remainder of the NBA season (including the playoffs) as well as the Summer Olympics, leaving the United States team with a large hole at the Center position. Now, Howard is out with a herniated disk in his back. And a herniated disk is certainly nothing to scoff at. But Howard, over the course of the previous year, has done himself no favors by playing a near constant game of “I want to stay (in Orlando)!” “I want to leave Orlando!” “I love my coach.” “I hate my coach and I want him fired!” In short, harsh words, he’s been a drama queen, who distracted from a good basketball team and managed to make it worse by damaging its chemistry. Many are now questioning whether Howard is essentially quitting on his team, just days before the NBA playoffs begin, rather than try to play through the injury as others have done. We’ll, of course, never know the severity of Howard’s injury. The only guarantee in this story is that Orlando’s playoff run will not last very long without Howard. They are currently lined up to play the Indiana Pacers in the first round. The Pacers, of course, feature a rapidly improving 7’1” Roy Hibbert. With no size inside, the Magic are poised to make a quick and quiet exit.

100 Years and All We’ve Got Is This Manager That We Hate

–Today, the Boston Red Sox will celebrate the 100^th anniversary of Fenway Park. The stage is set for some incredible drama, some unintentional comedy, and an immense quantity of awkwardness. The Red Sox have invited back a bevy of former players (including, according to his Twitter feed, Jose Canseco). Pedro Martinez will be there. Carl Yastrzemski, Nomar, Jim Rice. Legends in Boston sports. But no appearance will cause more drama and awkwardness than the return of former manager Terry Francona to Fenway Park. By now, everyone knows that someone in the organization dragged Francona’s name through the mud on his way out of town. Now, the team is floundering. And the appearance of the most successful manager, perhaps, in the franchise’s history, will do nothing but continue to stir the pot (as well as the emotions of Red Sox Nation). Oh, yeah, and the Yankees are in town.

Capital Performance

-Missing their best player, yet desperately needing a win, the Washington Capitals defeated the Boston Bruins last night to even their best-of-7 series at two games apiece. Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, a playoff neophyte, gave the Capitals a veteran performance last night, stopping 44 shots, en route to a 2-1 victory. The Capitals took a 2-1 lead late in the second period on a power play goal by Alexander Semin and were able to hold the Bruins scoreless in the third period. The teams will continue their series with a pivotal fifth game on Saturday in Boston. The winner of that game can wrap up the series on Sunday night in Washington.

Your Daily Washington Nationals Update

After all of those wonderful things I said yesterday, the Nationals were blown out last night, as the Houston Astros managed to salvage one game from the four-game series. Washington starter Edwin Jackson didn’t get the “starting” thing quite right yesterday, as he surrendered 5 runs in the first inning (including 3 triples). Jackson recovered well, just in time for Tom Gorzelanny to come in, pitch two inning of relief, and surrender 6 runs.

The 11-4 loss was only Washington’s fourth of the season. They now enter a 3-game weekend series with the Miami Marlins. Game 1 pits Marlins starter and resident insane person Carlos Zambrano against Ross Detweiler. Stephen Strasburg will start for Washington on Saturday against Anibal Sanchez. And the series will wrap up on Sunday with perhaps the best pitching matchup of the series, as Josh Johnson and Gio Gonzalez will square off.

Also of note, the Nationals will begin a series at Los Angeles next Friday. The tentative pitching matchup in that game is Stephen Strasburg vs. Clayton Kershaw. Appointment viewing. Even a week away.

Games of the Weekend

MLB: New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox (Tonight/7:05)

NHL: Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins (Saturday/3:00)

NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers (Sunday/3:30)

Soccer: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid (Saturday/2:30 p.m.)

Enjoy your weekend!