Good morning, all! I hope your weekend - for many a three-day break - is off to a terrific start!
Before we get to the headline story here are the highlights from the above video:
My Picks for Kicks Week 6 segment. So far I am 12-14 on the season and my record is against the spread
A big win for the New York Giants
The Athletic poll on whether the Yankees should fire VP-GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone
Cubs-Brewers huge game tonight
Some other thoughts, beginning with the lead:
I have been writing about the big-time money being thrown into college sports and in particular how a private equity group or groups could invest billions in the Big 10. Well numerous reports are now claiming an investment fund for the University of California pension system is behind wanting to pour $2.4B in “immediate cash” into the Big 10 Conference. Each member school would be handed $140M upfront. So what does this have to do with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun?
The Sun franchise, owned by the Mohegan Indian Tribe, is up for sale. The WNBA is doing everything possible to move the franchise out of Connecticut and peddle it to Houston, where the owner of the NBA’s Rockets, with deep pockets, wants to relocate the franchise. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has said not so fast, and he wants the state to step in and buy a portion of the Sun to keep the team from moving. He is suggesting that money from the state pension fund be used to purchase part of the franchise. I am not a fan of using state money to buy a professional sports team, and I am not sure Connecticut state employees are either, especially when it comes to their pension fund. But my point is, if the group that manages the University of California’s pension fund is about to pony up two billion for the Big 10, might that set the precedent for the state of Connecticut to do the same with the Sun? Watch this story very carefully.
Even the New York Giants best-game-in-years win over Philadelphia cannot go without some controversy. The team is under investigation, including coach Brian Daboll, and could face a hefty fine, for allegedly violating the NFL’s concussion protocol. After getting hit hard on one play Thursday night, Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart went into the medical tent, but moments later Daboll could be seen in the nationally televised game, looking into the tent. Daboll then got into a heated discussion on the sideline with the team doctor. Daboll said on Friday he was not trying to influence an early return by Dart and that his player’s health was his top priority. Giants owner John Mara issued a statement calling Daboll’s visit to the tent as “inappropriate” and that he is a firm supporter of the league’s concussion protocol.
That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for your support and have a great Saturday!
DAN
