Good morning, all! Happy Saturday!
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
