Good morning all, and a happy Halloween Eve!
The NFL is hotter than ever, as its ratings soar. I give a quick update in the video.
Here are some other thoughts as I contemplate a Game 6 on Halloween:
The Yankees YES network has given the heave-ho to long time broadcaster and former big league player John Flaherty, who had been broadcasting for the network for 20 years. Flaherty told The Athletic the move did not come as a shock, as the team’s network did not pick up an option in his contract in August. He departed on an upbeat note, thanking the Yankees for allowing him to be at the microphone for two decades.
Also gone from YES are two other former players-turned-broadcasters, Jeff Nelson and Dave Valle. The Yankees want to focus on three of their higher profile analysts in former Yankees Paul O’Neill, David Cone and Joe Girardi, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. Play-by-play man Michael Kay is slotted to broadcast 135 games in 2026.
Derek Shelton, fired as Pittsburgh Pirates manager midway through this past season, will be back in the dugout, managing the Minnesota Twins, according to reports. Shelton was the Twins bench coach in 2018 and 2019 under Rocco Baldelli, who was fired at the end of the season by the Twins.
The NBA players association is hopping mad, now that the league has announced it will withhold the paychecks of player Terry Rozier and coach Chauncey Billups, following their arrests last week on gambling-related charges. The checks will be placed in escrow, until their cases are resolved, but that could take years. Rozier makes $26M a year and his first paycheck of the season was due this week. The association is filing a grievance.
The Baltimore Ravens are 7.5-point favorites against Miami, as Week 9 of the NFL season kicks-off tonight. I was 3-2 on my Week 8 picks. Look for Picks for Kicks in Friday’s newsletter.
As always, thank you for subscribing to the newsletter and have terrific Thursday!
DAN
