I always liked Kevin Pillar and what he brought to the table as a baseball player, but his take on the fight between the Los Angeles Angels and the Atlanta Braves is way off base, as I explain in this video.

Here are some other thoughts on this second Friday in April:

• MLB released its latest city connect uniforms. What do you think? I like the Orioles, as long as you are asking:

• Dodger Stadium opened on this date in 1962. The defending NL champion Reds beat the Dodgers, 6-3, before 52,564 fans. The game featured five future managers. Eddie Kasko, Cookie Rojas and Frank Robinson were in the Reds lineup, while Maury Wills and Frank Howard played for the Dodgers. Once considered the Taj Mahal of baseball, the stadium is now the third oldest in MLB. Only Fenway Park and Wrigley Field are older. The park recently underwent a half billion dollar renovation to bring it up to 21st Century standards.

• To those who like to disparage the WNBA, as a league that has a minimal fanbase, well everyone is entitled to their opinion. The league, however, is a big deal and all you need do is look at what the cost is to buy a franchise. That is a measuring stick. That said, check the upgrade of the Indiana Fever’s practice digs, beginning with this entrance:

• Cable-TV maybe near life-support, but the NCAA men’s national championship basketball game between Michigan and UConn was the highest rated in seven years. The game was televised on TBS, a cable tv-only outlet.

• The U.S. Justice Department’s investigation of the NFL is an attention grabber, as the government examines whether a shift to streaming is another money grab. My take? It’s a money grab and nothing is going to happen.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. As always, thank you for subscribing and have a fabulous Friday!

DAN

The Masters tees off today. Now you know spring has officially arrived.

In the video I talk about the following:

• The golfers to watch

• Why picking a winner is a challenge

• The Norman-Faldo feud has returned

Here are some other thoughts on this second Thursday in April:

• The Masters has a no cell phone policy and they mean it.

• Word is golfer Mark Calcavecchia was kicked off the Augusta National grounds, because he had a cell phone. Rules are rules.

• Scottie Scheffler may be the world’s number one ranked golfer, but he came in third in total earnings last year, behind Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy. Don’t feel sorry for any of them, however, as they each brought in $80M over the last year.

• We brought you Dawn Staley’s statement in yesterday’s newsletter, so in the interest of fair play, Geno Auriemma issued his second statement in the aftermath of last Friday night’s fiasco, and this time he mentioned Dawn by name:

• The NCAA men’s basketball national championship game between Michigan and UConn brought in 14.2M viewers, according to reports.

• Best of luck to my Richmond, VA compadres in the opening of their brand new ballpark, CarMax Park. The new digs for the Eastern League’s Richmond Flying Squirrels opened on Tuesday night, in front of a sellout crowd. Altoona furnished the opposition:

• And speaking of the Eastern League, how about the Portland Sea Dogs opener against New Hampshire on Tuesday night? New Hampshire, Toronto’s AA affiliate, scored eight runs without benefit of a hit with two outs, as part of a 10-run inning against the Red Sox affiliate. Walks and wild pitches were the culprits in the inning of all innings.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. As always, thank you for subscribing and have a terrific Thursday!

DAN

Michigan is the national champion in men’s college basketball. How did I do in my bracket? I break it down in the video. Below is the bracket.

Here are some other thoughts on this second Wednesday in April:

• South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley says “It is time to turn the page,” following Geno Auriemma’s dust-up with her in Friday night’s semifinal game against UConn. Below is the statement:

• To be honest, I liked my solution better. Geno needed to invite Dawn up to his Italian restaurant in Manchester, CT. The two could have broken bread, had dinner with some of Geno’s branded wine and then met the media, as they departed from the restaurant. The story would have played much better IMHO.

• Speaking of dinner…The champion’s dinner at the Master’s was last night, hosted by defending champion Rory McIlroy. Word is elk was on the menu. Wonder how this dinner tradition started? Glad you asked. Ben Hogan was the catalyst. Below is the invite letter he sent out for the first dinner:

• Word is more than 2,000 players have entered the transfer portal for college basketball next season. To think, I am old enough to remember when college athletes went to school to get an education.

• Can we stop with the comments about the Big 10 trifecta? Yes, the winners of the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball titles and the college football national championship were all from the Big 10 Conference. A qualifier needs to be added, however. The Big 10 now has 18 members, including four former Pac 12 schools. In fact, the winner of the women’s hoop title, UCLA, was a member of the Pac 12.

• UCLA’s dismantling of South Carolina in the women’s national championship game drew almost 10M viewers on ABC. The 9.8M viewers drew a 3.9 rating on Easter Sunday.

• Two weeks into the MLB season and my pick of the Cubs to win the NL Central does not look good. One injury after another is decimating the lineup. The latest player to go down is one of the Cubbies top pitchers, Cade Horton, who finished runner up in last season’s NL Rookie of the Year voting. Horton will miss the season, after suffering damage to his ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He will go under the knife soon, but what type of surgery has not been determined. He did have Tommy John surgery in 2021, while a freshman at Oklahoma.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a wonderful Wednesday!

DAN

The Geno Auriemma meltdown against coach Dawn Staley at Friday night’s NCAA women’s semifinal game against South Carolina will not die down. Here is my solution on how the issue can be settled. Among the suggestions:

• Food

• Wine

• Common interests

• Tremendous photo op

It is all there for the taking, as long as Geno makes the first move.

Here are some other thoughts on this first Tuesday in April:

• The Michigan Spartans held off the UConn Huskies last night, 69-63, to win the NCAA men’s basketball national championship. Michigan pulled ahead in the first-half and UConn had to play catch-up the rest of the way. Connecticut cut the lead to four points inside of a minute, but the Spartans were able to hold off the charge.

• We can now put the Dan Hurley-to-North Carolina rumors to rest. The Tar Heels new men’s hoops coach will be Michael Malone, the former coach of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets. When last seen, Malone was fired days before the Nuggets were about to go to the NBA playoffs. However, his track record includes an NBA title, which he won in 2022-23.

• John Ourand of Puck News is reporting more layoffs are coming to ESPN. The changing media landscape, i.e. cord-cutting, etc., is leading to the workforce shrinkage. According to Ourand, ESPN has lost 40 percent of its cable and satellite subscribers in the last 10 years. Do not look for the bleeding to stop anytime soon. That is why these sports leagues and the networks that carry them are fretting. A dwindling subscriber base means reduced revenue.

• The Mets have moved their night games tonight and tomorrow against Arizona to day games, because of the cold weather forecast. The White Sox have moved their game against the Orioles tonight to this afternoon because of similar weather. The Yankees did not move the start of their 7:05 game tonight. Apparently it gets colder at Citi Field than Yankee Stadium. BTW, maybe there was a reason teams in the northeast and midwest did not schedule night games until late April or early May back in the day.

• Don’t look now but the Red Sox are 2-8, after dropping an 8-6 decision to Milwaukee at Fenway Park last night. As the Sox continued to falter, fans once again broke out chanting “sell the team.” Red Sox management is vowing to stay the course.

• Bring on the Masters, my favorite golf tournament. And speaking of favorites, Scottie Scheffler is the favorite to win another green jacket. I will have my pick later this week.

• So New York Giant defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who has had a solid career with the Giants but is coming off of a down year, wants to be traded because the team will not renegotiate his contract. Lawrence is entering the third year of a four-year $90M deal. Lawrence says he will not attend the Giants offseason workout program that starts today. I say trade him for a first round draft pick.

• Juan Soto going on the 10-day injured list with a calf strain is not good news for the New York Mets. Soto rarely misses time due to injury and especially not for this length. When you read 10-day IL figure his absence from the lineup will be longer than that. The Mets do not have a lethal lineup, I do not care how hot Mark Vientos is at the moment. Soto being sidelined will have its impact on the Mets, for sure.

• You know it is the first, full week of April. The sports websites clamoring for content are overwhelming readers with the upcoming NFL draft. Can you blame them? There is plenty of material and the NFL is in the news 24/7, even when games are not being played. The draft in particular is a big story generator. Expect many pieces in the next three weeks.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. As always, thank you for being a subscriber and have a terrific Tuesday!

DAN

As predicted in the newsletter last week, the rumblings about North Carolina going after UConn basketball coach Dan Hurley are growing. Is it just smoke and mirrors or is there something to it? I break it down, along with a look at tonight’s national championship game between UConn and Michigan, in the podcast.

Here are some other thoughts on this Easter Monday:

• Note the start of the tonight’s championship game. It will tip-off at 8:50 PM-ET, 30 minutes earlier than the former tip-off time.

• I do not want to pile on UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, following his horrendous display against South Carolina coach Dawn Staley at the end of Friday’s semifinal game, however: the fact he issued a written, blanket apology to the South Carolina staff and team, without mentioning Staley by name, smacks as nothing more than a damage-control-press release compiled by the UConn PR department. Auriemma needed to personally say, “I am sorry to coach Dawn Staley and her staff, team and program.” He did not. The reaction on social media was the same, as many thought it was a half-hearted mea culpa.

• The fact the UConn men defeated Illinois to advance to tonight’s championship game, along with UCLA annihilating Staley’s South Carolina team, 79-51, in yesterday’s women’s national championship game are the two biggest favors Auriemma could have received over the weekend. It has essentially relegated his meltdown to the back burner. Make no mistake, however, Auriemma’s lukewarm apology is percolating below the surface, as evidenced by this:

• Michael Voepel, who covers women’s college basketball for ESPN, writes that “Of the 12 times a team has defeated UConn in the semis, only three have then won the championship.”

• There may be more annoying things than the incessant organ music and sound effects that blare after every pitch, during a game at Yankee Stadium; it’s just that I haven’t found them yet. Give me the days of organist Eddie Layton.

• I have written in previous newsletters, I did not think the Red Sox were a playoff team, however, even I did not think their shortcomings would be exposed this soon.

• Yes, I did predict the Pittsburgh Pirates would be a wild card team this year. They are off to a splendid 6-3 start, after sweeping the Orioles this weekend. Then again, I picked the Orioles to make the playoffs too. I know this is a very small sample size, but April baseball is fun.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a magnificent Monday.

DAN

NFL owners are meeting in Phoenix this week and the big push is on to add an 18th game to the regular season. Among the items I discuss in the podcast:

• Why the owners want to add another game

• How the addition of another game helps the Super Bowl

• Why the NFLPA just might be open to an expanded schedule

• How an extra game would expand the NFL’s international footprint

Here are some other thoughts on this April Fool’s Day:

• If you do not think the NFL is serious about this 18th game, think again. The league is changing its “short-week” game policy, as explained here.

• The UConn-Duke Elite Eight NCAA tournament game on Sunday proved to be a ratings hit, averaging 13.4M viewers on CBS, up 15 percent over last year’s Michigan St. - Auburn game in the same time frame. The audience peaked at 18.9M.

• Tiger Woods says he is stepping away from the game, following his motor vehicle accident last week that led to a DUI arrest. Here is his announcement on X:

• The Milwaukee Brewers are figuring out how to be a small market team. As they have done with previous prospects, the Brewers are working on a deal with prospect Cooper Pratt, who has never played an MLB game, worth $50.75M over eight years. If it comes to pass, the Brewers will once again have a top player under wraps for years to come.

• More changes to the NFL television policy all in the name of making more money for the league. Those Monday Night Football doubleheaders - five per season - are being dropped. But do not think the league will return those games to Sunday. The NFL is looking to sell the games as a package. Of course!

• By the way, expect another NFL tripleheader on Christmas Day. Netflix will carry the first two games and Fox the third game.

• Did referee Roger Ayers’ interaction with UConn coach Dan Hurley at the end of Sunday’s win over Duke cost him a Final Four assignment? Here is the story.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and enjoy your April Fool’s Day!

DAN

I am afraid the newly-employed ABS system in MLB is turning out to be more of a hinderance than a positive, putting the umpires in an almost untenable position. I explain it in the video and podcast.

Here are some other thoughts on the last Monday in March:

• Just when you think the legendary UConn men’s basketball program cannot top itself, bang! A freshman from basketball-steeped Indiana, in fact “Indiana Mr. Basketball” last season, Braylon Mullins, buries a three-point basket from about 31 feet away with 0.4 seconds left, and number two seed Connecticut rallies to beat number one seed Duke, 73-72, to advance to the Final Four in, where else? Indiana. Duke becomes the first number one seed, leading by 15 or more points at halftime, to lose in tournament history. It was a historic comeback - down 19 points - by the Huskies, the second largest in Elite Eight history. Only Louisville trailed by more (20) in 2005. And chew on these numbers. UConn was 1-for-18 from three-point range, until making 4-of-their-last-5 three-point shots. And Mullins? He was 0-for-4 from beyond the arc, until bagging the shot that was heard around Connecticut and beyond.

UConn will play Illinois in the first game of Saturday night’s Final Four at 6:09, followed by Arizona vs. Michigan. Fasten your seatbelts.

• Congratulations to the UConn women’s basketball team, whose victory over Notre Dame yesterday, sent the top seeded Huskies to their 25th Final Four in program history. The defending national champs are 38-0 on the season and have won 53 straight, dating back to last season. UConn will play the winner of tonight’s TCU-South Carolina contest in the semi-final game on Friday.

• Speaking of which, it is supposed to be made official today that the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun will be sold to the owners of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, with the franchise shifting to Houston next season. The timing could not be worse. With both UConn basketball programs once again commanding national attention, the NBA and its surrogate WNBA, are going to announce they are leaving the basketball center of the universe. What fools!

• So, as we enter the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four, two of my four teams are still alive, including Michigan, the team I picked to win it all. I had Duke, Arizona, Michigan and Florida going to the Final Four. UConn stunned Duke last night (See above) and Florida, the defending national champs, were bumped off, getting upset by Iowa in the second round, 73-72, the same result as the Duke ouster. My overall record for the tournament, including the First Four round, is 46-18. I will take it.

• When do the Dan Hurley to North Carolina rumors start?

• Kudos to Gary Woodland for winning the Texas Children’s Houston Open yesterday. He finished with a record-low 259 total score for four rounds. Woodland, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, underwent an operation for a brain lesion in September of 2023. Recently, he opened up to the world about his diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. And his friendship with Amy Bockerstette, who has Down syndrome, is inspirational. After sinking the putt to clinch the tournament, an emotional Woodland hugged his wife, tears streaming down. The victory qualified him for The Masters in a couple of weeks. Here’s to more victories for Woodland, on and off the course.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. As always, thank you for subscribing and have a marvelous Monday!

DAN

Did the great Willie Mays almost become the manager of the New York Yankees? I explain it all in the video.

Here are some other thoughts on this last Friday in March:

• Talk about a busy sports Friday. There are some Sweet 16 games that are off the charts tonight, including a doubleheader out of Washington, D.C. St. John’s plays Duke in the first game of the men’s tournament, followed by UConn vs. Michigan St. Then you have all of the baseball, NBA, NHL, golf and much more. It is going to be a late night.

• Pirates fans need not worry about pitching ace Paul Skenes being lifted after 37 pitches in the first inning of yesterday’s Opening Day loss to the Mets, 11-7. If Oneil Cruz, a converted shortstop playing center field, had not botched a couple of balls hit at him, Skenes would have been out of the jam. When these things happen on Opening Day, the coverage is overblown, particularly in this social media-crazed world, where every baseball game of a 162-game season is treated like the seventh game of the World Series.

• Word is, when each Dodgers player arrived at his locker in the clubhouse yesterday, he found a $4,000 watch, a gift from teammate Shohei Ohtani, with a note, “Let’s three-peat.” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also gifted each of his players a bottle of Traveler whiskey.

• To these sports-TV critics going after Netflix for promoting its programming, during the Opening Night telecast between the Yankees and the Giants, I have one question. What did you think Netflix was going to do? They have plunked down $150M over three years to televise two baseball games and the MLB home run derby contest. Did you not think they were going to promote Netflix? That is the idea behind these streaming services outlaying big bucks to carry sporting events. Baseball fans and critics, who tuned in - I was not one of them, choosing to listen on the radio - thinking they were going to get a baseball telecast, need to take off the blinders.

• Draw any conclusions you want about the Opening Day baseball results, but I am one who doesn’t even start looking at the standings until May.

• So much for actor Bill Murray being a regular at UConn men’s basketball games. Murray’s son, Luke, has been an assistant coach on Dan Hurley’s staff. Yesterday the genie was out of the bottle, with word Boston College has hired Luke Murray to be its next men’s basketball coach, meaning his dad will now become a regular in Beantown.

• Well, that didn’t last long. Will Wade managed to coach the NC State men’s hoop team for one season, before returning to LSU. Word is LSU was willing to not only offer Wade more money to coach but give him more NIL dough than the Wolfpack. Wade was fired for cause by LSU four years ago, but now he returns. Welcome to college sports in 2026.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and have fabulous Friday!

DAN

How is my tournament bracket doing? I break it down in the video and audio podcast.

Here are some other thoughts on this last Tuesday in March:

• The undefeated UConn women’s basketball team continues its dominance. The defending national champs destroyed Syracuse last night, 98-45, in the second round of the NCAA tournament, on legendary coach Geno Auriemma’s 72nd birthday. The Huskies had a 53-point lead at the half. UConn is going to the Sweet 16 for a Division I record 32nd consecutive season. A number one seed, the Huskies will play number 4 seed North Carolina on Friday.

• Well all those clickbait stories that came at the end of the NFL season, highlighting the end of Travis Kelce’s career were a bit premature now, weren’t they? Kelce, who was going to be a free agent after 13 seasons with the Chiefs, has inked a three-year deal worth $54.7M to stay put in Kansas City.

• The ticket site TickPick (Who knew?) reports Opening Day game tickets for the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks are selling at an average purchase price of $392 on the resale market. Heck, that is more than twice the subscription price for an all-season pass on MLB.tv.

• It will be interesting to see how highly-touted Mets prospect Carson Benge does, after a strong spring training that has earned him a big league roster spot. I saw Benge at AA Binghamton last year, and he looked like the real deal.

• Talk about a natural fit. New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice has signed a deal with Ben’s Original Rice. As someone wrote on X, “What took so long?”

• NESN, the cable and streaming home of the Boston Red Sox, has announced a complete technical overhaul of its telecasts, including a new graphics package. Unfortunately, I will not be able to see it, as my cable company (Optimum) and NESN have failed to come to an agreement to continue carrying the channel. My cable bill, hasn’t dropped, however.

• Jessi Pierce, 37, a renowned hockey writer, covering the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, and her three young children, died in a house fire on Saturday. Say a prayer. According to The Athletic, Pierce’s husband Mike Hinrichs was out of town at the time of the fire, which remains under investigation.

• Nielsen is reporting CBS and TNT Sports shattered ratings records for the first day of the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament on Thursday. The 16 games televised that day averaged 9.8M viewers per game, up six percent from last season.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you so much for subscribing and have terrific Tuesday!

DAN

Another MLB season launches this week. In the video and podcast I provide my picks and World Series winner for 2026.

Here are some other thoughts on this second-to-last Sunday in March:

• Tom Izzo continues his remarkable career as Michigan St. men’s basketball coach. The Spartans ousted Louisville in the NCAA tournament yesterday with a 77-69 win. Michigan St. will play the winner of the UConn-UCLA game in the upcoming Sweet 16. That contest will be played in Washington, D.C. This marks the 17th time Izzo has taken the Spartans to the Sweet 16 in his 31 seasons as their head coach.

• For the record Izzo makes $7.2M per year as Michigan St. coach

• In case you are wondering, UConn WBB coach Geno Auriemma holds the record, having coached his team to 30 consecutive Sweet 16 appearances. He got a jump on number 31 yesterday, as the Huskies tripped up the UTSA Roadrunners in first round action, 90-52, before a sold out Gampel Pavilion.

• Several reports are indicating Hubert Davis’ days as North Carolina men’s basketball coach may be coming to an end, after the Tar Heels were bounced by VCU in the first round of the tournament on Thursday.

• I’m hoping New York Giants FB Cam Skattebo will think twice, before opening his mouth the next time he does an interview. Appearing on a podcast this week, Skattebo called CTE fake and asthma an “excuse.” His comments generated a firestorm and he walked them back with an apology on X. “I sincerely apologize to anyone that was offended by my remarks, and I assure you that I’ll be more mindful and respectful going forward.” Now let’s see how many of these websites, that ran Skattebo’s mindless comments, run a story about his apology.

• The New York media is making a big deal of how newly acquired pitching ace Freddy Peralta and the Mets have failed to reach agreement on a contract extension. The Mets picked up Peralta in an offseason trade with Milwaukee. Unless Mets owner Steve Cohen was going to offer Peralta one of his investment firms, Peralta was never going to sign an extension. With his pitching ability, he is more than willing to take a chance on a huge payday entering free agency, following the season.

• And while we are at it, can we stop with the Aaron Judge stories about him not being Mr. Clutch, because he did not come through in the WBC championship game against Venezuela. This is baseball, where even the best go 0-for-4 in the big spotlight. Quit trying to tie a football mentality to baseball just to generate clicks and produce content.

  That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Have a splendid Sunday and thank you for your support! It means a lot!

  DAN

An architectural firm is making a pitch to keep the Bears in Chicago. I break it down in the video and podcast.

Here are some other thoughts on the second-to-last Saturday of March:

• Front Office Sports is reporting the owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, Tom Dundon, has all the marbles in place to take over majority ownership of the Portland Trail Blazers. We now live in a world of the mega owner. Years ago, a person or entity would be satisfied to own one team. No more. Now it is about owning two or more clubs,.

• We now live in an era dominated by social media and streaming. In an exclusive story, Sports Business Journal is reporting the defending national champion UConn women’s basketball team has forged a deal with Overtime that now includes a media studio on campus. The UConn players are filming video and producing more content and distributing it via Overtime. The material includes much branding and mucho money. Welcome to 2026.

• The collective bargaining deal reached between the WNBA and WNBPA has been signed and includes eventual expansion of the regular season schedule to 52 games.

• Legacy media continues to fade into the sunset. The latest casualty is CBS radio news. The parent company of CBS, Paramount, announced yesterday that CBS radio news will no longer exist after May 22, 2026. Before television, there was CBS radio news, and during World War II, Edward R. Murrow started the CBS Radio News Roundup, reporting on the war even before Pearl Harbor. He would have anchors stationed in capitols throughout Europe, providing updates on the war, including William L. Shirer in Berlin. Shirer would later right several books, including the second best selling book of all time, after the Bible, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Shirer wrote that book at a farmhouse he purchased in my home town of Torrington, CT. Now the once proud CBS Radio network, is soon to be no more. Nothing lasts forever.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you so much for subscribing and have a superb Saturday!

DAN

The World Baseball Classic turned out to be a grand slam this year and now there is talk of moving the WBC to the summer. Is this a good idea? I break it down in the video and podcast.

Here are some other thoughts as we wander through March:

• March Madness is in full swing, as VCU stunned North Carolina in a first round game last night, winning 82-78 in OT. The win was especially delicious for coach Phil Martelli Jr. (son of the legendary coach Phil Martelli), who is in his first season as the coach of the Rams. I can assure you, they were dancing in the streets of Richmond, after this one. Meanwhile, many brackets have been busted, following the dramatic comeback victory, mine included.

• Number One seed Duke was not going to lose to Siena, though the Blue Devils trailed by double digits at the half and rallied for a 71-65 win. But, although Siena deserves credit for giving Duke a run for its money, it does give me pause for concern, as I have Duke as one of my Final Four teams. We shall see.

• I’m liking these coaches wearing ties and jackets in this tournament, although the two coaches I saw donned in such attire were witnesses to their teams’ losses. I’m guessing this won’t start a trend.

• That smile you see emanating from Park Ave. in NYC is that of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. The TV numbers for the WBC championship game Tuesday night between eventual winner Venezuela and the U.S. went through the roof. An audience of 10.23M watched on Fox and Fox Deportes. Not only was that a record for the WBC, but outside of the World Series, it is likely no MLB postseason game will attract those numbers this fall.

• That is going to be quite a crowded quarterback room for the Minnesota Vikings now that Carson Wentz has returned to the team. He will be joining Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.

• Longtime Mets radio voice Howie Rose announced his retirement, effective at the end of this season. Rose, 72, grew up a Mets fan in Queens. He started out calling Mets games on television in 1987 and has been the club’s lead radio voice since the early 2000s. In a video released on social media, Rose said the perfect ending to his career would be a ride down the Canyon of Heroes, followed by being the MC for the Mets World Championship celebration in front of city hall.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a fantastic Friday!

DAN

If you are a college basketball fan, it does not get any better than this. Now that the preliminaries (First Four) are out of the way, the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament swings into full gear today. I break it all down in the video and podcast.

Here are some other thoughts on this Thursday after St. Patrick’s Day:

• Now that labor peace seems to be at hand for the WNBA, how soon before the stories crop up about this being the last season for the Connecticut Sun in the Nutmeg State? I’ll bet before the weekend is out, one of the local media outlets will be reporting on this story.

• By the way, here is the statement released by the WNBPA about the deal reached with the owners:

• The winner of the previous year’s Masters gets to pick the menu for the champions’ dinner, held at Augusta, during Masters week. Here is Rory McIlroy’s choice:

• Justin Ishbia, who will take over majority ownership of the Chicago White Sox in the early 2030s, is on the verge of buying a 47-acre rail yard from Amtrak, near the southwest corner of the Loop, according to reports. Word is that will be the location of a new stadium for the White Sox, who are determined to once again prove there is more than one MLB team in the Windy City.

• Sportico has come out with the latest valuation of MLB franchises and the Yankees are still the most valuable club at $9.4B. The two-time defending champion Dodgers come in second at $9.04B. The least valued big league club is the Miami Marlins at $1.45B.

• Speaking of the Dodgers, they have released the Opening Day menu at Dodgers Stadium and it includes bone marrow tacos. I don’t think so.

Enjoy your March Madness Thursday and thank you for reading the newsletter. It means a lot.

DAN

Venezuela has won its first WBC title in its first appearance in the finals, with a thrilling 3-2 win over the U.S. in Miami. In a game dominated by pitching, the U.S. trailed 2-0 in the last of the eighth, before Bryce Harper slugged a dramatic two-run homer. Venezuela came right back in the ninth, as Eugenio Suárez broke the deadlock with an RBI-double.

Major League Baseball is considering more rules changes to improve pace-of-play, and once again the minor leagues are serving as the testing ground for the proposals. I break it down in the video and podcast.

Here are some other thoughts one week before the opening of the MLB season:

• I had a Division I men’s college basketball coach tell me, if his team was on the bubble, he would much rather be in the NCAA Tournament’s First Four rather than a number 15 seed, because it gave his program more exposure. It is tough to disagree with that. Think about it. You have eight teams vying to play in the first round on Thursday or Friday as the lowest seed, yet on Tuesday and Wednesday nights (Each night has two games), your school is showcased as the only game in town on national TV. On Thursday or Friday your team is lost in the mix. If your goal, as a coach, is to gain your program notoriety, taking that first step on the Tuesday or Wednesday before the first round of the tournament, is not the worst scenario.

• Sportico is reporting Shohei Ohtani is getting $125M this season just from sponsors. What a world.

• UConn women’s basketball is a huge revenue generator, according to the Sports Business Journal. SBJ reported the 2025 program produced $8.5M of total revenue, a 7% increase from 2024 and almost double from 2023. Cha-ching!

• The WBC semifinal between the U.S. and Dominican Republic may have been opposite the Academy Awards and on second tier cable TV channels (FS1 and Fox Deportes), but the game shattered WBC ratings nonetheless. The numbers show the average audience for the game on Sunday night was 7.37M. That figure marks one of the ten largest baseball audiences of the last year, including MLB’s 2025 post season. It will be interesting to see what last night’s numbers for the WBC finale between the U.S. and Venezuela produced.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you so much for being a subscriber and have a wonderful Wednesday!

DAN

If there is a way to make money, the multibillion dollar Dodgers will unearth it, even if it means an end around so as not to corrupt an iconic name. It leaves you to wonder if the Yankees and Red Sox will be next. I break it down in the video and podcast.

Here are some other thoughts on this St. Patrick’s Day, 2026:

• Yes, I have already gotten the jump, having a delicious corned beef sandwich yesterday. Will have another one today.

• As the U.S. prepares to play in tonight’s WBC final against either Italy or Venezuela, Aaron Judge is correct to say the WBC is “Bigger and better than the World Series.” Judge mentioned how passionate the fans are, as one of the reasons he believes this, and he is correct. Even though some players on teams such as Venezuela, Italy, Mexico, etc. may be from the United States, they have ties to the other teams. Plus, baseball in countries such as Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, is hugely popular. The format of the WBC itself, lends to the excitement. Once a team emerges from pool play, it is win or go home. Every game, from the quarterfinals through the semifinals and the finals, is the seventh game of the World Series. That is why there is so much excitement and that is why television ratings for the WBC have been strong. Enjoy tonight’s finish.

• I have filled out my NCAA men’s tournament bracket:

• Check this out. An 81-year-old man wants to tryout for the Savannah Bananas:

• Turns out the NCAA selection committee found a compromise by picking Miami of Ohio to participate in the play-in round of the men’s basketball tournament. Miami was 30-0, before losing in the first round of the MAC Tournament last Thursday against Massachusetts. Normally, only the winner of a mid-major conference tournament advances.

• Rumblings are the NBA will launch the process of adding two expansion teams with Las Vegas and Seattle the front runners. If the NBA returns to Seattle, I hope the team resurrects the Supersonics name.

• Do you like the pitch clock in MLB? I do. But batters have found a way to slow the game down a bit, by being permitted a stoppage in play once, during each at bat. I have always thought this should not be permitted, and in fact, it has become customary for batters to request a time out during each at bat and that has added to the average time of games. Well, MLB is going back to the minor leagues as a testing ground again this season with numerous changes, including the time out request, during an at bat. In low-A ball this season, batters will not be allowed to request a time out, unless there is a special circumstance and in AA ball (Where I broadcast with the Hartford Yard Goats) hitters will still be permitted the one time out request per at bat, but the minute they step out of the box the pitch clock starts again, whereas before it did not. And pitchers will be permitted just one throw to a base, not two, before a balk is called if the runner is not picked off. Bring it on!

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a splendid St. Patrick’s Day!

DAN

Anyone who thought the Kansas City Chiefs would go into rebuild mode and wait a couple of years before returning to contending status, is sadly mistaken. The Chiefs are in it to win it, off their latest free agent signing, as I discuss in the video.

Congratulations to Bill White:

The former St. Louis Cardinals great (He also played for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies), New York Yankees broadcaster (He, Phil Rizzuto and Frank Messer made quite the broadcast team) and first minority to become a league president (He was president of the National League), has received a well-earned, might I add overdue recognition.

Here are some other thoughts on the second Tuesday in March:

• Here is another reason why MLB is making a major mistake if both sides go to the mattresses in their next labor negotiations. ESPN reports record ratings for spring training baseball games. Translation? Fans are yearning for baseball. Now is not the time to upset the apple cart. Get a labor deal done and embrace the fans’ enthusiasm for a sport that is on the upswing.

• I still say Mark DeRosa will manage a MLB club someday. He checks all the boxes.

• USA vs. Japan in the WBC. Judge vs. Ohtani. Now you’re talking the perfect prelude to the launch of the 2026 MLB season.

• Tua Tagovailoa to the Falcons. Not surprised the much-maligned Dolphins QB hooked on with another NFL team. Call it blind loyalty, but I still think he can be a successful NFL quarterback.

• In case you are wondering, the New York Football Giants signed punter Jordan Stout to a record, three-year, $12.3M deal.

• Let the New York to Tennessee train begin. Former Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson and TE Daniel Bellinger head to Tennessee, reuniting with Giants head coach Brian Daboll, now the Titans OC. Also going to Tennessee is ex-Giant CB Cor’Dale Flott.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and have a terrific Tuesday!

DAN

In the video and podcast, I wrap up my preview on the MLB season with a review of the American and National League eastern divisions. Enjoy!

Here are some other thoughts on the first Saturday in March:

• Fans are apparently embracing the Buffalo Bills new stadium. Michael Petro of the Buffalo News reports the Bills have raised almost $260M in Personal Seat Licenses. PSLs are when you plunk down big money to have the right to buy a season ticket. The $260M is 15 percent more than what the Bills had projected.

• Ouch! Caleb Wilson, a star freshman for the North Carolina Tar Heels, will miss the rest of the season, following surgery on his right thumb. Wilson broke the thumb in practice on Thursday - Are you ready for this? - while dunking the basketball. UNC faces rival Duke tonight at 6:30 ET on ESPN.

• Of the more than 14,000 fans who responded to a poll on The Athletic website, 68 percent support a salary cap and salary floor in MLB. Bruce Meyer, interim director of the MLBPA had a predictable response to the result: “We’re very cognizant of the fans, and actually think a salary-cap system is worse for fans, because it basically prevents teams that want to make their team better from doing so.” Buckle up. It is going to be a long ride into oblivion, once the current owners-players agreement expires on Dec. 1, 2026.

• It appears as if the AFC champion New England Patriots are out to rebuild their offensive line and it does not involve a left tackle (Will Campbell). ESPN is reporting the Patriots have traded center Garrett Bradbury to the Chicago Bears for their 2027 fifth-round pick. Bradbury signed a two-year deal with the Pats last March and started all 17 regular-season games and all four playoff games for New England. Word is left guard Jared Wilson will play center in 2026.

• Several reports indicate that unless the Las Vegas Raiders can trade QB Geno Smith, they will release him when the new league year begins next Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. And not a minute sooner. Meanwhile, the websites are having a field day, speculating Smith’s possible return to the New York Jets. Next week could be an interesting one in the NFL.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and have a wonderful weekend!

DAN

Continuing my preview of the upcoming MLB season, I look at the central divisions in both the American and National Leagues.

Here are some other thoughts on the first Friday in March:

• This is about the time of year I begin to pay attention to the NBA and word is Jayson Tatum could be returning to the Boston Celtics tonight against Dallas. You recall Tatum was supposed to miss the entire season, after going down with a torn Achilles last May. His recovery, however, has been quicker than expected and if he returns and is a force, the Celtics will be a force too. Put it this way, Tatum’s return is not good news for the New York Knicks.

• Several reports indicate Providence College men’s basketball coach Kim English has been told he will be out, after this season. English owns a 42-50 record in three seasons as Friars coach, unacceptable at that basketball-crazed school. Rumors are swirling that Richard Pitino could be in line to succeed English. Pitino says he is happy at Xavier. Remember, his dad, Rick Pitino, once coached at Providence.

• There is something about the Arnold Palmer Invitational that gets the golf juices flowing. You know the Players Championship is next and before you know it, here comes the Masters. Bring it on!

• The NFL’s new league year does not start until Mar. 11 but reports are the Buffalo Bills have acquired WR DJ Moore and a 2026 fifth round draft pick from the Chicago Bears for their 2026 second-round pick. The Bills are in it to win it next season, and picking up Moore is a worthwhile gamble.

• The owner of the Carolina Hurricanes is selling 12.5% of his NHL franchise. Tom Dundon needs the dough because he is leading a group to purchase the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers. The Hurricanes are valued a $2.66B.

• Then there is Lin Bin, Chinese billionaire, who made his fortune as co-founder of the consumer electronics firm Xiaomi. Reports are he is buying a one-percent stake in the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins are valued at $12.5B. Yikes!

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber. It means so much!

DAN

As promised, I begin my look at MLB’s teams and how they will perform in the 2026 season, which launches three weeks from today. The first video examines the western division clubs in both the American and National Leagues. There is one correction I would like to make. In passing, I stated the Seattle Mariners lost to the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS in seven games. That, of course, was incorrect. The Mariners lost to the Blue Jays in seven, in what was an exciting championship series.

Here are some other thoughts on the first Wednesday in March:

• The NFL’s deadline to slap a franchise or transition tag on players arrived at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday and the Colts QB Daniel Jones snagged $37.83M for being listed with a transition tag. Jones becomes the first QB to receive a transition tag since Jeff George of the Falcons in 1996.

• So what’s the difference between a franchise or transition tag? Glad you asked. Jones can still negotiate a contract with other teams, but the Colts get the chance to match that offer. Had Jones been franchise tagged, any team that wanted to sign him would have to give up two first-round draft picks to the Colts.

• Not surprised the Cardinals parted ways with QB Kyle Murray. Could the New York Jets be in Murray’s future?

• What is it with these ballplayers? Reports indicate that Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and faces an 80-game suspension. Where are the agents for these players? I know you cannot be with these guys 24/7, but it amazes me how much of this nonsense still happens.

• Then there is Jurickson Profar. The Atlanta Braves outfielder is staring at a 162-game suspension for a second PED violation, according to sources. Profar missed 80 games in 2025 for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

• It just didn’t work out for New Britain, CT native Tory Verdi. The University of Pittsburgh fired their women’s basketball coach Tuesday. Verdi had landed the high-profile Pittsburgh job, after turning around the University of Massachusetts women’s hoops program. Verdi was nothing but gracious to me in the two years I broadcast the UMass women’s games. Here’s wishing him nothing but the best.

• In case you are wondering, the World Baseball Classic gets underway tomorrow. Here is the schedule:

Enjoy!

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Have a wonderful Wednesday and thank you for being a subscriber!

DAN

Spring training is in full swing and in 22 days, another MLB season will be upon us. My baseball preview begins this week, as I explain the video.

Here are some other thoughts on the first Tuesday in March:

• The World Baseball Classic gets underway this week. Count me among the supporters. The WBC has its critics, fearful that players could be hurt in this high-profile exhibition series and cost their team during the regular season. However, I am a fan of the WBC. Why? Well it brings some meaning to the exhibition season. I am old enough to remember, when even during the Grapefruit League and Cactus League games, teams played for keeps. Now, the regulars play a couple or three innings of an exhibition game and they are out of there. At least with the WBC, even though pitchers are limited to pitch counts, the games have some meaning. So I am a fan, pure and simple, and I cannot wait for the games to start.

• I am sensing some movement in labor talks between the WNBA and the players association. The clock is ticking for them to get an agreement. The WNBA mentions Mar. 10 as a cutoff date, before the upcoming season could be impacted. This coming week should tell the story as to whether there will be a lockout or strike.

• Has anyone checked out the Miami of Ohio men’s basketball team? Ranked number 19 in the nation, they own a 29-0 record and are 16-0 in the Mid-American Conference. Sportico just posted a graph on how the team’s attendance has grown leaps-and-bounds, as the team’s undefeated streak continues:

The RedHawks host Toledo tonight.

• All-you-can-eat for $29. That is the promotion the St. Louis Cardinals are running this season in an effort to boost attendance. The Cards are not the first to offer such a deal. The Arizona Diamondbacks are among the clubs that have presented all-you-can-eat promotions. Hey, if I’m a Cardinals fan, with the price of food today, I’m bringing a doggie bag to the park.

• The latest AP Women’s College Basketball poll has UConn remaining at number one; unanimously, I might add. The Huskies are 31-0 and have won 47-straight, dating back to last season. Will they repeat as national champions? Nothing is for certain, but you have to like their chances.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and have a terrific Tuesday!

DAN