Storied rivalry ends. Playoffs blamed
Chiefs to Kansas. McNeil to A’s
Good morning, all! It is two days before Christmas, and all through the house... Well, you get the idea!
The storied rivalry between Notre Dame and USC is over. Word broke on Monday that the two sides have failed to reach a new two-year deal to continue the series that dates back eight decades.
Apparently USC decided to ditch the rivalry because of the late date in the season the game is played. The school determined a loss that late in the season would penalize its chances of making the College Football Playoffs.
What a shame. In 1988 I was at the LA Coliseum to watch USC-ND. The number one Fighting Irish against the number two Trojans. Imagine securing tickets to a game with such implications, before there was a playoff system? I can still see Tony Rice at the QB helm for the Fighting Irish, breaking off a long TD run. (Turned out to be 65 yards) Notre Dame won the game, 27-10. What an atmosphere. The historic Coliseum. The placed packed. ND-USC. Number one vs. number two. The roar of the crowd. We had seats on the west side of the coliseum near the 30-yard line.
Notre Dame-USC. No more. At least for now. Once again we are reminded that nothing lasts forever.
Here are some other thoughts as we knock on the door to Christmas:
Well, the Kansas City Chiefs are moving to Kansas. This should not be a surprise, not when the state is about to pony up 60 percent of the cost for the stadium and mix-use development surrounding it. In case you are wondering, taxpayers in Kansas City, MO rejected a tax hike to finance cost of new stadia for the Chiefs and Royals. As noble as a taxpayers’ stand on using the public’s money to underwrite a private, money-making sports franchise may be, there is always some other government entity, be it city or state, to snatch that franchise away and pick up a handsome part of the cost. In other words, a franchise such as the Chiefs, has the leverage.
Jeff McNeil to the Athletics for a 17-year old pitching prospect? I have to admit, this one caught me by surprise. That the Mets traded McNeil, a former batting champ, is not surprising. They are breaking up the core of Alonso-McNeil-Nimmo. That all they received was a teen pitching prospect does surprise me. By the way, the Mets are also kicking in millions to help cover McNeil’s contract. They must really wanted him out of New York.
Bobby Petrino to North Carolina as Bill Belichick’s OC? Doesn’t sound to me like Belichick is about to take off for the NFL, but that won’t stop the clickbait mavens from writing about Belichick’s departure.
I admit it. The Patriots are for real. I will not pick against them the rest of the season in my Picks for Kicks segment.
The more you read about the Michigan football program the more you shake your head on how this storied program had become a cesspool. You have to wonder if Michigan AD Warde Manuel, the former AD at UConn, will be made the fall guy in all of this.
This is a rather indepth story, so here is the link, rather than me going into the details. The bottom line is, the bottom line. These regional sports networks are in trouble. Big trouble. Why? The younger generation with the disposal income is cutting the cord. If this continues, these sports leagues, I am talking all of them, and the mega salaries that go to the players, will be in big trouble. There is no way a system that relies on streaming revenue solely, can survive. You now have a situation where a London-based company might be needed to rescue a system in decay. Maybe that’s why the big market Yankees are holding back on signing high profile free agents. Just sayin.’
That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and may you have a terrific Tuesday!
DAN