Good morning, all. I hope your week is off to a terrific start!
The week did not start well for the Notre Dame football team. The Fighting Irish were left out of the 12-team College Football Playoff by the selection committee on Sunday, despite a 10-2 record. So upset was Notre Dame, the school announced it will snub all bowl game invites. I explain it all in the above video.
Here are some other thoughts, as I feel for Don Mattingly not making the Hall of Fame:
Jeff Kent, who played for six MLB clubs and hit more home runs than any second baseman in history, has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. Kent was named on 14 of 16 ballots. Twelve votes were needed to gain enshrinement.
Kent was very gracious in his comments, during his interview on MLB-TV, crediting manager Dusty Baker for turning around his career, when he played for the Giants.
I’ll be honest, I thought Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy would get in, but they were only named on six ballots. Carlos Delgado came in second with nine votes. Steroids-era players Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Gary Sheffield each received less than five votes, as did Fernando Valenzuela.
Some players just cannot catch a break. QB Daniel Jones, run out of New York by the Giants and their fans, seemingly turned his career around this season, leading the Indianapolis Colts to an 8-4 start. However, Jones injured his Achilles in the Colts loss to Jacksonville on Sunday and it is feared he is done for the season.
Also a tough day for Washington QB Jayden Daniels. Out since Week 9 with a dislocated left elbow, Daniels injured the same elbow, when he fell on it in the third quarter. The Commanders were shutout by the Vikings, 31-0.
UConn introduces its new football coach today. Jason Candle, who had considerable success at the University of Toledo, gets a six-year deal.
By the way, UConn will play in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl for the second straight season, going up against Army on Dec. 27 at 2:15 p.m. on ESPN.
Speaking of the Hall of Fame and UConn, the Huskies honored Hall of Famer Sue Bird on Sunday, retiring her uniform number 10.
I am hearing and reading how we view sports within the next few years will be totally different than how we watch events today. The technology is making such tremendous strides, for example, we will be taken right inside a quarterback’s helmet and have the same view he does, when scrambling, dropping back for a pass, getting sacked, etc. Our world is changing.
The rumors are in full swing at the baseball winter meetings. Love the headlines. This team is interested in a certain player, etc. My favorite is “The Mets are interested in Tarik Skubal.” Who isn’t interested in Tarik Skubal?
That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a marvelous Monday!
DAN
