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Bar Chat

02/05/2024

Just Waiting For the Super Bowl

Add-on posted early Tuesday a.m.

Super Bowl

Nothing to say at this point. The 49ers are favored by 1.5, over/under 47.5.

Usher could be a terrific halftime act.  His new album, “Coming Home,” is being released this week, with a ton of buzz, a new sound, and we’ll see what he’s got.

It was unfortunate that Patrick Mahomes Sr. was arrested in Tyler, Texas, Saturday, on a charge of DWI for what we’re learning is like the fifth time (it’s more than the three listed in most articles), which is not good…at all.  His son won’t treat this as a distraction, and dad won’t make it one, even though he was granted permission to travel to the game.

Otherwise, let’s play it.

--The New York Giants finally hired a defensive coordinator after parting ways with Wink Martindale.  Coach Brian Daboll interviewed eight candidates, at least, before settling on Shane Bowen, who for three years was the DC of the Titans.  He’s just 37.

But there is already non-stop talk on the local sports radio airwaves that Daboll is history if he starts out, say, 1-5 next season, with Bill Belichick waiting in the wings.

--One passing to talk about…Richard (Rich) Caster, the terrific former tight end for the Jets, and a number of other teams, who died this past weekend after a long illness, his family said.

Caster, born in Mobile, Ala., (home to Hank Aaron, Cleon Jones, and Tommie Agee, among others; Agee was born nearby, but went to high school in Mobile) attended Jackson State, and was then a second-round draft pick of the Jets in 1970.  He caught 322 passes for 5,515 yards and 45 touchdowns in his NFL career.

But 245 of those receptions were with the Jets, 1970-77, for an 18.1 average and 36 touchdowns, plus three Pro-Bowl appearances.

Caster was unique, 6’5”, 228, but with wide receiver speed, and while his gross numbers don’t seem that impressive in terms of receptions, this was a time before Air Coryell took off and the air game changed forever.  Focus on the 18.1 average for a tight end.

Coach Weeb Ewbank actually switched Caster from wide receiver to tight end because of his uniqueness…size and 4.5 speed.  Caster would say that teams would try to cover him with a linebacker and he ran away from most of them.

In Week 2 of the 1972 season, Caster caught three of Joe Namath’s six touchdown passes and finished with six receptions for 204 yards in New York’s 44-34 victory over Johnny Unitas and the Colts.

He was so much fun to watch…those Jets were a lot of fun because of Namath…a true gunslinger, the Jets often lining up Caster, Eddie “the Flea” Bell, and Jerome Barkum.

RIP, Rich Caster…great memories.  And you were good.

--In the college ranks, Bill O’Brien is leaving Ohio State, where he was named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach just three weeks ago, Jan. 18, to become head coach at Boston College.

O’Brien had been New England’s offensive coordinator, but he has a son with a rare brain condition who has been treated in the Boston area.

College Basketball

--New AP Top 25 poll (records thru Sunday)….

1. UConn (45) 20-2
2. Purdue (16) 21-2
3. North Carolina 18-4
4. Kansas 18-4
5. Houston 19-3
6. Tennessee 16-5
7. Marquette 17-5
8. Arizona 17-5
9. Duke 16-5
10. Illinois 17-5
11. Wisconsin 16-6
12. Auburn 18-4
13. Baylor 16-5
14. Iowa State 16-5
15. South Carolina 19-3…up 11!  First time in rankings in seven years.
16. Alabama 16-6
17. Kentucky 15-6
18. Dayton 18-3
19. Creighton 16-6
20. Florida Atlantic 18-4
21. BYU 16-5
22. Utah State 19-3
23. Texas Tech 16-5
24. San Diego State 17-5
25. New Mexico 18-4

--Monday night…it happened again, a top-10 going down on the road, 4 Kansas (18-5, 6-4) lost at Kansas State in Manhattan, KS, 75-70, Tylor Perry with 26 for the Wildcats, 15-8, 5-5.  K-State had lost four straight coming in.

In an important ACC contest, Virginia was its usual self on defense, stifling Miami 60-38 in Charlottesville, the Hurricanes shooting 14 of 49 from the field, 2 of 20 from 3.  The Cavs are 18-5, 9-3; Miami fell to 15-7, 6-6.

NBA

--After posting Sunday afternoon, a lot of stories broke in the following hours, including that Joel Embiid was having surgery on his torn left meniscus, the team announced, meaning he will be out for an extended period of time…how long, no one is saying, but certainly multiple weeks.

Embiid has never played 70 games in a season.  Contrast that with Nikola Jokic, who played 72+ his first seven seasons and 69 last year. Just sayin’.

Philadelphia hosted Dallas Monday night, and lost, 118-102.

The trade deadline is Thursday. Will the Sixers make a move?

--Will the Knicks?  That’s the talk here in New York.  I’m of the belief the Knicks don’t need to do anything, assuming Julius Randle is back within a month, and OG Anunoby doesn’t have a recurring elbow issue.  Their bench looks solid, and there is a chance center Mitchell Robinson is back in say 4-6 weeks.

But if they can add a complimentary piece, especially a guard, fine. They just don’t need to go for broke.

The Knicks are playing without both Randle and OG again tonight, Tuesday, at home against the Grizzlies.  OG is seemingly day-to-day, while the Knicks won’t be giving any updates on Randle and his rehab for at least another week.

--It was kind of ironic I wrote Sunday afternoon of the Knicks broadcast combination of Mike Breen and Walt “Clyde” Frazier, and then Monday’s New York Post had a big profile by Peter Botte on the pair, who became broadcast partners on Feb. 5, 1999 – as in now 25 years.

Frazier, 78, thought maybe they’d last 12 years, and then he’d retire.

Golf Balls

--Late Sunday night the PGA Tour canceled the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which was a real shame, but awesome for Wyndham Clark, who picked up the $3.6 million first-place check for his third tour win, first since last June’s U.S. Open.

“The storm affecting the Monterey Peninsula throughout the day Sunday is forecast to continue into the early hours of Monday with very strong winds. Although conditions are forecast to improve through the morning Monday, after consultation with Monterey County emergency authorities, who have implemented a Shelter in Place order until early tomorrow morning for the greater Pebble Beach community, and out of an abundance of caution for the safety of all constituents, there will be no play on Monday.  Therefore, in accordance with the PGA Tour Regulations the tournament results will be final through the conclusion of 54 holes.”

“Our regulations say we need to make every effort to play 72 holes, which includes playing on Monday,” PGA Tour chief referee Gary Young said after Saturday’s round.

Ludvig Aberg picked up $2.16 million for finishing second, and Matthieu Pavon followed up his win last week at the Farmers Insurance Open with third place at Pebble, worth $1.36 million.

Clark is in the field for this week’s WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, always an entertaining event, and terrific lead-in for the Super Bowl, especially for those of us who don’t want to watch a four-hour pregame show.

But I’m worried about the following week, and the Genesis Invitational at Riviera in Los Angeles, with all the very serious weather issues that area has experienced.  The course can be made playable, and after this Wednesday, the L.A. area has a long stretch of decent weather until the event begins, but then more rain.

It’s all about access, and the surrounding canyons, mudslides and the like.

Actually, the forecast for Phoenix this week is not good, with flood alerts today through Wednesday, at least, in the area due to the same atmospheric river.  This could be a Monday finish.  Nightmare for the Tour.

--Meanwhile, I posted before the finale of the LIV Golf event in Mexico and Joaquin Niemann overcame a two-stroke penalty, darkness and Sergio Garcia to win for the first time on the circuit, Niemann winning on the fourth playoff hole.

After I posted around 4:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, I did flip LIV on for about five minutes, and of course the first thing I saw was a big sign on a tee box… “Golf But Louder,” as the music droned on in the background.

LIV had the stage to itself, though, and we’ll see if their ratings are finally measurable in the U.S. this year.

--Rory McIlroy was not happy with Jordan Spieth’s comments about the Saudi Public Investment Fund.  On Wednesday, as I wrote last time, Spieth said the PIF were not necessarily needed for the PGA Tour anymore given the $3 billion investment by SSG.

McIlroy and Spieth then had over an hour-long phone call, Rory telling SI.com that the Saudis “wouldn’t have been too happy” about Spieth’s comments, and he had a “frank discussion” with Jordan.  McIlroy said not having PIF as a partner is “not an option” for golf.

“They are still sitting out there with hundreds of billions of dollars, if not trillions, that they’re gonna pour into sport. If I were PIF and I was hearing that coming from here, the day after doing this SSG deal, it wouldn’t have made me too happy, I guess?”

MLB

The Royals signed star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to the largest contract in franchise history, extending him for 11 years, with three additional team options that could keep him in a Royals uniform through the 2037 season.

The 11-year deal is worth about $288 million, with an additional $89 million possible if all three options are exercised.

Witt has the ability to opt out each year from 2030 to 2033.

Witt, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, had a breakout year in 2023, his first full season as Kansas City’s everyday shortstop.  He hit .276, with 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases – and finished seventh in the AL MVP voting.

Stuff

--A huge story that broke hours after I posted Sunday was the announcement that the World Cup 2026 finale was going to be at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands, here in beautiful New Jersey.  This is a massive deal.

We knew it was between AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, or here, but “Jerry World” is getting its fair share of matches, like nine of them, including a semifinal.

The U.S. is playing its three group-stage matches in SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California (two of them) and one in Seattle at Lumen Field.

It’s going to be one big party across America, and Canada and Mexico as well, those two nations also hosting matches.

Among the other cities in the U.S. that will see hordes descend on their hotels, bars, and restaurants, all good, are Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.

Additionally, Toronto and Vancouver, B.C., are major sites, as well as Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterey, Mexico.

--Picture you are a huge soccer fan in Hong Kong and you have a chance to see Lionel Messi in person.  You pay up for that opportunity, and then he sits on the bench with a hamstring injury, as his team, Inter Miami, squared off against Hong Kong XI.  Spectators chanted “refund,” and the Hong Kong government said match organizers were facing a reduction in funding.

Messi said after that it was just an unfortunate circumstance that he was hurt.

--I watched the first two hours of the Grammy Awards, women sweeping the big prizes.

Taylor Swift became the first artist to win the Grammys’ top prize four times in taking album of the year for “Midnights” – Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon with three wins in the category.  Swift earlier announced she was releasing her new 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” on April 19.

Miley Cyrus won for record of the year and best pop solo performance for Flowers, her first-ever Grammys, and she told us she may have forgotten to wear underwear.

--Lastly, we learned overnight that country music legend Toby Keith died after a battle with stomach cancer.  He was just 62.

“Toby Keith passed peacefully…surrounded by his family.  He fought his fight with grace and courage,” a statement on his website said.

Ketih, a former rodeo hand, oil rigger and semipro football player who became a rowdy king of country music, singing patriotic anthems, drinking songs and odes to cowboy culture, sold more than 40 million records.

Over a more than 30-year career, he released hits including “Who’s Your Daddy” and “Made in America.”

A brawny singer-songwriter with an Oklahoma twang, Keith cultivated a persona as “the big, bad outlaw who hides a big, soft heart,” as music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewin once put it.  He was cantankerous, self-deprecating and sensitive, the Washington Post’s Harrison Smith wrote, “recording mournful ballads about heartbreak and desire, as well as party songs about raising hell, drinking whiskey from a paper cup and getting high with his friend Willie Nelson.”

His biggest crossover hit, “Red Solo Cup” (2011), was a goofy ode to the humble plastic drinking vessel – “the best receptacle for barbecues, tailgates, fairs and festivals” – which reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Keith also saluted the flag and the troops in hits like “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” (2002), a post-9/11 morale raiser, and the aforementioned “Made in America” (2011), a celebration of buying American-made goods and raising your children on “King James and Uncle Sam.”

Keith had 42 Top 10 country hits, including 20 No. 1s.  By the late 2000s, he was bringing in nearly $50 million a year, aided by business ventures that included a restaurant chain, a liquor brand, a Nashville record label and a stake in Big Machine Records, the label that signed Taylor Swift.

He fought often with the Nashville establishment over his music and image, and that’s a reason why he received only three Country Music Association awards out of 28 nominations.

But as he told the Washington Post, “The secret in this business is to make enough people hate you enough to get them to talk about you.”

I will be posting the next Bar Chat immediately after the Super Bowl on Sunday.

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[Posted early Sunday p.m., with play suspended at Pebble Beach…see below.]

Add-on up top by noon, Tuesday.

Kansas City Chiefs Quiz: Another old man quiz, for us, err, old men.  How many starters on the Super Bowl IV Chiefs-winning defense can you name?  [1969 season, Chiefs 23, Vikings 7.]  Answer below.

NFL

--As we await the Super Bowl, gotta clean up the coaching changes since my Add-on.

Head coaching jobs are hard to come by, just 32 in the NFL, and so when someone turns a job down, eyebrows are raised.  And such was the case with Ben Johnson, the highly coveted offensive coordinator for the Lions, who opted to stay in Detroit rather than pursue the coaching vacancies with Washington and Seattle.

Some stories have Johnson, just 37, asking for way too much money, and perhaps that’s the case.  He did interview with Atlanta, Carolina and the Chargers before those jobs were filled by Raheem Morris, Dave Canales and Jim Harbaugh, respectively.

But I do think he was weighing the opportunity to win a Super Bowl in Detroit, give it one more season.  After all, if Detroit ever does produce a champion, you’d want to be part of that.

As for the job Johnson has done with the Lions, just look at Jared Goff and his career revival.  The last two seasons, Goff has 59 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions.

--Houston’s Bobby Slowik also decided to return to his OC role, after interviewing with Washington.

The Commanders then hired Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, 53, who replaces Ron Rivera.

Quinn has 21 years of NFL coaching experience, including as head coach of the Falcons, leading Atlanta to the Super Bowl in his second season, only to blow a 28-3 third-quarter lead to the Patriots in overtime, the worst loss in SB history.

After Atlanta fired Quinn early in the 2020 season (43-42 regular season, two playoffs), he became the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator.

--Seattle then hired Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who is just 36, thus becoming the NFL’s youngest head coach. 

Macdonald had a terrific two-year run in Baltimore heading the defense.  He started his coaching career with the Ravens in 2014 and in 2021, he was Michigan’s defensive coordinator, before returning to Baltimore.

The Seahawks got a good one. 

--Meanwhile, Jeff Hafley left the head-coaching job at Boston College, where he was 22-26 in four seasons and clearly going to be fired after this coming season, to get back into the NFL as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator. 

Hafley had coached defensive backs with Tampa Bay, Cleveland and San Francisco, before heading into the college ranks.

The hiring came out of the blue as not one media outlet reported Head Coach Matt LaFleur had interviewed Hafley. He replaces Joe Barry, who was fired after the Packers’ playoff loss to the 49ers.

For their part, Boston College is left high and dry having to select a new coach this late, plus the team has lost key parts to graduation.

--We note the passing of former Auburn football legend, and NFLer, receiver Terry Beasley, 73, whose passing was confirmed by the football program Wednesday evening.  His death is being initially investigated as a possible suicide (self-inflicted gunshot).

Moody, Alabama Police Chief Reece Smith told the Montgomery Advertiser on Thursday: “He’s been a resident here since I’ve been here. I know he’s had some struggles over the years with stuff from the NFL.”

Those of us of a certain age remember Beasley hooking up with Auburn quarterback Pat Sullivan in Beasley’s three seasons at the school, 1969-71, shattering the record books for a receiver and helping Sullivan win the Heisman Trophy in 1971.  Sullivan died in 2019 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Beasley’s 2,507 receiving yards and 29 touchdown catches are still both program records, astoundingly.  He’s one of two Auburn receivers to ever register a 1,000-yard season, 52-1,051-11 in 1970.

[Pat Sullivan, equally shockingly given the advancements in offense in the college game, is still Auburn’s career leader in touchdown passes with 53.]

Auburn, thanks to the combination of Beasley and Sullivan, finished 8-3, 9-2, and 9-2 in their three seasons together.

Beasley was selected in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the 49ers, but he only caught 38 passes over three seasons with San Francisco before leaving the league.

Beasley would later sue the NFL, after suffering at least 19 concussions during his career, according to a 2013 article from AL.com, and he suffered from CTE after his playing career ended.

NBA

--The Knicks are the talk of New York.  They finished 14-2 in January, and after Tuesday’s 118-103 win over Utah (Donte DiVincenzo with 33, including a career-high nine 3s, Jalen Brunson, 29, and Josh Hart* a triple-double, 10-10-10), the Knicks then beat Indiana, 109-105, Thursday, in a game they had no business winning, playing a third straight game without both OG Anunoby and Julius Randle.

DiVincenzo was just 8 of 26 from the field, the Knicks 8 of 38 (21.1%) from 3, but newly-named All-Star Jalen Brunson did what we’ve become accustomed to seeing him do, take over, scoring 40 points, winning streak nine.

OG continued to sit with his right inflamed-elbow, while Knicks fans received some good news concerning Randle and his dislocated right shoulder.  He is expected to be out just weeks and is rehabbing rather than going under the knife for season-ending surgery.

*Mike Breen, doing the game with Walt “Clyde” Frazier, commented that Hart “will sleep well.  He’s exhausted,” Hart known for giving his all every single game.

To which Frazier, 78 years old and still highly entertaining and informative, said, “I wanted to be ‘almost exhausted,’ Mike.  I had to go out after.”

That’s why we so love Clyde.  He was Mr. Cool, along with Broadway Joe Namath.  They both loved the New York nightlife and the women.

Clyde, then realizing a few younger viewers might not understand what he meant, quickly interjected, “Just kidding, folks!”

So, Saturday, the Lakers came into town.  L.A. shocked the Celtics in Boston on Thursday, 114-105, playing without both Anthony Davis and LeBron, who clearly wanted to be fresh for the Garden, and the Knicks did not play well down the stretch, frittering away an 86-80 lead after three quarters to get outscored in the fourth, 33-19, the Lakers (26-25) coming out on top, 113-105, New York falling to 32-18.

LeBron had 24 points, playing 40 minutes, but A.D. was awesome; only 12 points, but 18 rebounds, five assists, and 4 blocks, including an incredible moment where he had two blocks back-to-back that was as good a sequence on defense as you’ll ever see.

--Philadelphia has lost star Joel Embiid for at least a few games, his latest injury a lateral meniscus left knee injury (a displaced flap of the meniscus…yikes), that has cost him a number of games already.  He has already missed 15 on the season and can only miss 17 before becoming ineligible for MVP and other season-ending honors.

The new 65-game minimum is causing consternation in some corners across the league, but it’s a good rule!  Makes sense.  No different than 162 innings to win the ERA title in baseball for example.  Suck it up, you overpaid NBA brats.

Anyway, Philadelphia, sans Embiid, beat the Jazz in Utah on Thursday night, 127-124, as another All-Star first-timer, Tyrese Maxey, pumped in a career-high 51.

Philadelphia then hosted Brooklyn Saturday evening and the Nets (20-28), behind Cam Thomas’ 40 points, beat the Sixers 136-121.

--Milwaukee (33-16) beat Dallas 129-117 in Big D, Saturday, the first win for coach Doc Rivers after two losses, Giannis 48 points and 10 assists.  Luka Doncic had 40 for the Mavs (26-23).

--One more…Steph Curry scored 60 Saturday night in Atlanta, but the Warriors lost to the Hawks, 141-134, in overtime.  Curry was 22 of 38 from the field, 10 of 23 from 3, 6 of 6 from the foul line.

Eastern Conference standings thru Saturday….

Boston 37-12…--
Milwaukee 33-16…4
Cleveland 31-16…5
Knicks 32-18…5.5
Philadelphia 30-18…6.5
Indiana 27-23…10.5

--The Houston Rockets, looking to the future, acquired center Steven Adams, who hasn’t played since Jan. 22, 2023, due to a knee injury, from Memphis in exchange for Victor Oladipo and three second-round picks.

Adams is expected to be healthy for 2024-25 and will provide Houston with a strong interior presence and a great role model for rising star big man Alperen Sengun.

Memphis, after Ja Morant’s season-ending injury, is 18-31 and re-loading.

College Basketball Review

--More upsets in the top ten….

Tuesday, 3 North Carolina (17-4, 9-1) suffered its first ACC loss at lowly Georgia Tech (10-11, 3-7), 74-73.

And South Carolina (18-3, 6-2) got its second top-10 win of the season, beating 5 Tennessee (15-5, 5-2) in Knoxville, 63-59, despite Dalton Knecht’s 31 for the Vols, six straight games of 25+ for him as he makes his case for first-team All-America.

The Gamecocks upset Kentucky the week before.

Wednesday, Florida (15-6, 5-3) beat 10 Kentucky (15-5, 5-3) in Lexington, 94-91 in overtime.  Incredibly, the Gators’ first top-10 road win since 2003, losing their previous 19 entering Wednesday.  [Wake Forest beat Florida earlier in the season, so this enhances our resume a bit.]

But then the Deacs (13-7, 5-4) suffered what could be a devastating loss at Pitt (13-8, 4-6), 77-72, once again falling apart on the road at crunch time after taking a 37-27 halftime lead.

Wake committed another 15 turnovers and shot only 6 of 22 from 3. 

Wake is 11-0 at home, 2-7 on the road, including 1-4 in ACC play.  We absolutely now must beat Syracuse at home, Saturday, and Georgia Tech on the road next Tuesday or we are toast.

Thursday, another top-10 road loss…6 Wisconsin (16-5, 8-2) lost at Nebraska (16-6, 6-5), 80-72.

--On to a big Saturday, three matchups of top-ten teams….

First off, No. 1 UConn moved to 20-2, 10-1, with a 77-64 win over St. John’s (13-9, 5-6) at the Garden before a full house, just what Johnnie’s coach Rick Pitino wanted to see, though at least half the crowd was rooting for UConn.

8 Kansas (18-4, 6-3) defeated 4 Houston (19-3, 6-3) in Lawrence, All-American Hunter Dickinson with 20 points and 8 rebounds.

3 North Carolina (18-4, 10-1) rebounded from its embarrassing loss to Georgia Tech by slaying 7 Duke (16-5, 7-3) in Chapel Hill, Armando Bacot with 25 points and 10 boards, the Tar Heels committing just five turnovers.

And 5 Tennessee (16-5, 6-2) had a big road win at 10 Kentucky (15-6, 5-4), 103-92, even though Dalton Knecht was held to just 15 points.  The thing is, Vols point guard Zakai Zeigler had his best game of the season, 26 points, 13 assists…rather awesome.

And Wake Forest did it again at home, blasting Syracuse (14-8, 5-6) 99-70, as the Deacs (14-7, 6-4) were a sizzling 66.0% from the field, 12 of 19 from three.

12-0 at home, 2-7 on the road.  If they don’t beat Georgia Tech on the road this Tuesday, I’m committing hari-kari…though I do want to see the Super Bowl, so I may have to delay my plans…or Wake could just make things easy and freakin’ win the game!

ACC Standings thru Saturday…

UNC 10-1
Virginia 8-3
Duke 7-3
NC State 7-4
Florida State 6-4
Wake 6-4
Miami 6-5

--Sunday, we had 2 Purdue at 6 Wisconsin, a big-time matchup in Madison, and the Boilermakers are 21-2, 10-2, after a 75-69 win over the Badgers (16-6, 8-3), some questionable officiating against Wisconsin at the end.  The two teams combined to shoot 6 of 30 from 3, Purdue star Zach Edey largely held in check, 18 points, 13 rebounds, double- and triple-teamed.

Purdue is not making the Sweet Sixteen, so says moi.

--Back to Rick Pitino, after the UConn game, he had some thoughts on the NCAA, after a reporter asked about the renewed rivalry with the Huskies as he rebuilds the St. John’s program.

“The enforcement staff needs to go away,” Pitino said.  “We need to stop all the hypocrisy of NIL. We need to stop it. Because they can’t stop it. Whether I’m for it or against it doesn’t matter.

“They are professional athletes. Get professionally paid. It’s not going away.  You can’t try to get loopholes, because they take you to court. That’s why I say – so I’m not knocking the enforcement staff – they’re going to get taken to court every time they try to make a rule. So it’s a tough time in college basketball right now.  And for us, you can’t really build programs and a culture because everybody leaves.”

Of course Pitino is right.  College basketball and football are a mess, and, yes, it’s why college coaches are beginning to flee for the NFL or NBA, if given the opportunity.

I commented during Bowl season that you had to feel sorry for some of the coaches who were battling the transfer portal, NIL demands, and high school recruitment, while they were supposed to be preparing their football teams for a big game for the program.

I’m going to be real curious to see how Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes, an early master of the transfer portal, does this offseason because our three big portal additions for 2023-24 all have at least another year of eligibility (and are not ready for the NBA).  Will they stay?  Or transfer again?

Wake did receive another very generous, $5 million donation from our big alum, Mit (sic) Shah, specifically for hoops and NIL, and at least two of the three transfers received enough money that they were able to move their families to Winston-Salem, so you wouldn’t think they’d leave.

But after a while, personally, I can’t spend much time on the topic.  I have other stuff to do.  For me, it boils down to you still have to play the games, regardless of who you have, or what issues your school has, and it’s why we watch.

--In Women’s hoops, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark became the Big Ten’s all-time leading scorer, Wednesday, and second all-time on the Division I leaderboard, scoring 35 points in a blowout win over Northwestern, which gave Clark 3,424 career points, trailing Kelsey Plum’s all-time mark by 103.  [Plum played at Washington, 2013-2017, and is now on the Las Vegas Aces…I had to look all this up, of course.]

Clark then had 38 (3,462) in Iowa’s 93-85 win over Maryland yesterday before a sellout crowd of 17,500.

Clark has her sights on Pete Maravich’s record 3,667 points for the NCAA title of all-time leading scorer for both men and women.

--Friday night, USC freshman guard JuJu Watkins set a school record with 51 points, second-most in a Pac-12 game behind, Kelsey Plum, as the 15th-ranked Trojans upset 4 Stanford, 67-58.

Fifty-one of 68 points is rather strong, I think you’d agree.   I saw a lot of clips, and she has a great step-back mid-range shot.

MLB

--Baltimore owner John Angelos agreed to sell the Orioles to private equity billionaires David Rubenstein and Mike Arougheti in a deal valuing the club at $1.725 billion.  A timetable for when the deal will close is unclear, but MLB owners will discuss the sale next week when they meet in Orlando.

It is expected that Rubenstein, the co-founder and co-chairman of the private equity powerhouse the Carlyle Group, will serve as the ownership group’s decision maker.  Baltimore fans should be ecstatic.

The Angelos’ family’s patriarch, Peter, 94, remained steadfast in his desire for the franchise to be sold upon his death, leaving fans in a state of limbo.

Rubenstein has local ties.  He’s a Baltimore native and well-known D.C. philanthropist worth an estimated $3.8 billion, according to Forbes.  Arougheti is worth $1.8 billion.

Rubenstein and Arougheti initially will buy 40 percent of the club and the rest following Peter Angelos’ death.  That move allows the Angelos family to save millions in capital gains taxes that would be significantly higher if Peter Angelos was alive.

Peter bought the team and became majority owner in 1993, purchasing the franchise from New York venture capitalist Eli Jacobs, along with a group of investors, for $173 million.

Angelos was a Baltimore native who started his own law firm where he made his fortune, but his tenure was controversial as he became incredibly hands-on.  But he’s been a recluse the past decade.

On the field, the Orioles pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Brewers, acquiring former Cy Young award-winning pitcher Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee receiving shortstop Joey Ortiz, left-handed reliever DL Hall, and a competitive balance round draft pick.

Burns, just 29, is 45-27, 3.26, winning the Cy Young in 2021 with Milwaukee, where he has spent his six seasons.  He’s a three-time All-Star, top of the rotation right-hander.

Ortiz and Hall are both 25 and have promise, and the draft pick is the 34th overall selection.

Golf Balls

--As I noted in my Add-on, news just breaking at that time, the PGA Tour is receiving a $3 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group in a deal that will give players access to more than $1.5 billion as equity owners in the new for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises.

The tour is still negotiating with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which was not part of the deal.  The tour said its partnership with SSG allows for a co-investment from PIF, subject to regulatory approval.

“By making PGA Tour members of their league, we strengthen the collective investment of our players in the success of the PGA Tour,” Commissioner Jay Monahan said.

The unique equity program in golf would give some 200 players access to initial grants.  Starting next year, PGA Tour Enterprises would make recurring grants for future players.

Details are still sketchy, but the initial grants would be based on career accomplishments, recent achievements and PGA Tour status.  The grants would vest over time.

SSG, as I’ve noted, is led by Fenway Sports Group and includes owners Marc Attanasio (Milwaukee Brewers), Arthur Blank (Atlanta Falcons), Steve Cohen (New York Mets), Wyc Grousbeck (Boston Celtics), Tom Werner and John Henry (Boston Red Sox), and Marc Lasry (Milwaukee Bucks).

“Our enthusiasm for this new venture stems from a very deep respect for this remarkable game and a firm belief in the expansive growth potential of the PGA Tour,” said Henry, the principal owner of Fenway Sports and manager of SSG.

SSG is investing an initial $1.5 billion into PGA Tour Enterprises and will concentrate on maximizing revenue for the benefit of the players and on finding opportunities to enhance golf across the world.  Another $1.5 billion would go toward PGA Tour business.

The deal was unanimously approved by the PGA Tour board, which includes six players – Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth, Webb Simpson and Peter Malnati.

“It was incredibly important for us to create opportunities for the players of today and in the future to be more invested in their organization, both financially and strategically,” the player directors said in a joint statement.  “This not only further strengthens the tour from a business perspective, but it also encourages the players to be fully invested in continuing to deliver – and further enhance – the best in golf to our fans.

“We are looking forward to this next chapter and an even brighter future.”

Spieth said in a press conference ahead of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am:

“Obviously having some big guns behind us, some backup and the strategy that this group offers was actually something that was very important when we were looking at it,” Spieth said.  “So, to have I think it’s like 200 years of sports-owning experience, the idea they can help navigate in our future how content will be consumed when our next media deals are up, stuff like that, to have these partners in perpetuity, I don’t think that can be overlooked.  You talk about the funding, but really the strategies that they can have in navigating that space will be very important.”

Veteran Matt Kuchar when asked about the new deal and whether it was a positive, said, “I like to think yes, I guess time will tell.  I think there’s a lot of opportunity and a lot of potential good that can come from this.”

Yes, time will tell.  We need details, and players need specifics on what it means for them.  Spieth said details on the grants (stock) will be explained to players over the next 30 days.

Spieth also said of a potential PIF investment, “I don’t think it’s needed.”

--On the course, weather was going to be a big issue heading into the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, with California getting slammed by numerous storms, but they managed to get the first two rounds in…Belgium’s Thomas Detry, Ludvig Aberg, and Scottie Scheffler tied for the lead after 36.

Then yesterday, as the worst weather prepared to roll in, the forecast for Sunday horrendous, it was all about reigning U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark.

We picked up the coverage following college hoops with Clark -10 thru 11, and then he had a terrific bogey, yes, an amazing bogey, on No. 12, before going on to shoot an all-time Pebble Beach record 60, -12.

But would there be a fourth round?  After three we had….

Clark -17
Aberg -16…we learned this week his name is pronounced ‘O-bear,’ the ‘g’ silent.
Matthieu Pavon -15…last week’s winner.

There was talk of calling it after 54, and Sunday’s weather forecast proved to be accurate, but as I go to post, they are going to attempt to finish it off Monday.

This was a big blow for the PGA Tour, because today’s barren sports calendar would have had Pebble getting a lot of eyeballs, a missed opportunity.  [No, I’m not watching LIV.]

--Nick Dunlap turned pro just four days after becoming the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event, the American Express, and I have to admit, I thought following his initial comments he would stay at Alabama for their golf season, still being able to play in the majors, and then turn pro before the U.S. Open.  So I was wrong.

Dunlap was paired with CNBC’s Joe Kernen in the Pro-Am the first two days and that couldn’t have helped Dunlap’s game, the two finishing last in that competition, Dunlap himself tied for last at +6 among the 80 golfers. [And still last after three.]

--Meanwhile, the LIV Golf season started this weekend in Mayakoba, Mexico, the debut for Jon Rahm.  His team (not that I give a flying leap about this), LIV’s 13th, consists of Tyrrell Hatton, 19-year-old Caleb Surratt and Kieran Vincent, who qualified for the 2024 season via LIV’s December promotions event.  They will be called “Legion XIII,” so knock yourself out…rush out to buy a Legion XIII shirt.

“We’ve come a long way in a short period of time and are extremely proud of the team and brand we are building,” Rahm said in a LIV Golf release.  “As we were developing the team’s brand it became clear that I wanted to fight alongside a group of guys who aligned perfectly with what the team stands for.”

Good for you, Jon.

Joaquin Niemann had a first-round 59 and after two was at -13.*

Dean Burmeister and Rahm were second at -9.

Phil Mickelson was +8, or 21 shots behind the leader after 36 holes.

*But then Saturday night, upon review of the tape, Niemann was assessed a two-stroke penalty for an improper drop off a cart path, so his lead was two, not four, entering Sunday’s play.

I’m posting about halfway through the third and final round, Niemann and Burmeister tied at -11, Phil Mickelson +14.

--Here’s a bummer for golf fans.  Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer won’t be competing at Augusta this spring, or anywhere else for a while, after he announced Friday that he tore his Achilles tendon and needed surgery.

Langer, 66, said last month he planned to make his final appearance in this tournament this year.  This really sucks.  He would have received a very warm sendoff, a golfer admired as highly as anyone in the sport.

Last year, Langer set the all-time record for victories on the PGA Tour Champions when he won for the 46th time, surpassing Hale Irwin.

NHL

--New Jersey Devils center Michael McLeod and Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart were charged with sexual assault in London, Ontario on Tuesday, as a report surfaced that four NHL players were directed to surrender to police in the same case.  Another former NHL player who was playing professionally in Switzerland, turned himself in to London Police as well.

All five players were members of Canada’s World Juniors team.  The London Police department launched an investigation in 2022 after TSN reported that Hockey Canada had settled a lawsuit with a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by eight members of that team after a gala celebrating their gold medal win at the World Junior Championship. That incident allegedly occurred in 2018.

The Globe and Mail was first to report on the pending charges last week, which prompted the players to step away from their teams.

For now, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said there is no reason for the NHL to suspend the players until their court cases and investigations play out.

Premier League

Arsenal defeated Liverpool today, 3-1, to move to within two points of the lead, though Manchester City has two games in hand.

Liverpool’s normally reliable keeper Allison with two egregious errors leading to two of the Gunners’ goals.

Manchester United defeated West Ham 3-0, while yesterday, Tottenham managed only a 2-2 draw with Everton.

Standings…played / points

1. Liverpool…23 / 51
2. Arsenal…23 / 49
3. City…21 / 46
4. Aston Villa…23 / 46 …Champions League line
5. Tottenham…23 / 44

Stuff

--They held the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials yesterday in Orlando, Florida, and Fiona O’Keefe, running in her first marathon, easily won the race in a U.S. Olympic trials record of 2 hours 22 minutes 10 seconds.  Emily Sisson, the American record holder, finished second in 2:22:42, 32 seconds behind, which is a lot, and Dakotah Lindwurm was a surprise third-place finisher. 

So all three head to Paris. 

Molly Seidel, who claimed bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021, withdrew two days before the trials because of an injury.

On the men’s side, Conner Mantz edged out friend and training partner Clayton Young, but third-place finisher, Leonard Korir, does not yet have a qualifying time and needs to pick one up in the next five months to punch his ticket to the Summer Games.

--Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton made waves this week when he said he is leaving Mercedes after the 2024 season to drive for Ferrari, an announcement that helped boost Ferrari shares 10%.

It’s a big gamble for Hamilton, as Ferrari hasn’t won an F1 title since 2007 and Kimi Raikkonen, who beat then-rookie Hamilton by a single point.

Of course, these days Red Bull and Max Verstappen totally dominate the sport. Boringly so.

--The charred remains of a stolen Jackie Robinson bronze statue were found Tuesday inside a trash can at a Wichita, Kansas park, police said.

Fire crews were called to the scene Tuesday morning and made the discovery after putting out the flames.

Before Tuesday’s upsetting find, officials had offered the thieves a chance to return the statue “no questions asked.”

BUT…Major League Baseball announced all 30 clubs will contribute to putting up a new statue at the baseball fields in McAdams Park.

--We note the passing of former NFL and Canadian Football linebacker, turned actor, Carl Weathers, who rose to fame playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, as well as facing off against Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore.”  He was 76 and his family said he died “peacefully in his sleep.”

After playing college football at San Diego State – majoring in theater – Weathers played one season for the Oakland Raiders, 1970*, and then two years in the CFL before finishing up his studies.

*He’s listed in profootballreference.com as playing one game in 1971 for Oakland, as well, but no stats.

Just a few years later he read for the part opposite a novice, Sylvester Stallone, and “Rocky” came to fruition.

“It puts you on the map and makes your career, so to speak. But that’s a one-off, so you’ve got to follow it up with something.  Fortunately, those movies kept coming, and Apollo Creed became more and more in people’s consciousness and welcome in their lives, and it was just the right guy at the right time,” he told The Daily Beast in 2017.

Most recently, Weather starred in the Disney+ hit “The Mandalorian.”

Creed, who appeared in the first four “Rocky” movies, memorably died in the ring of 1984’s “Rocky IV,” going toe-to-toe with the hulking, steroid-using Soviet Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren.

A bloodied Creed collapses in the ring after taking a vicious beating, twitches and is cradled by Rocky as he dies, inevitably setting up a fight between Drago and Rocky.

But Creed’s son, Adonis Creed (played by Michael B. Jordan), would lead his own boxing trilogy starting in 2015.

Adam Sandler, co-star in “Happy Gilmore,” wrote on Instagram and X:

“A truly great man. Great dad. Great actor. Great athlete. So much fun to be around always.

“Smart as hell.  Loyal as hell. Funny as hell.  Loved his sons more than anything.  What a guy!!”

Arnold Schwarzenegger, also on Instagram:

“Carl Weathers will always be a legend. An extraordinary athlete, a fantastic actor, and a great person. We couldn’t have made Predator without him.  And we certainly wouldn’t have had such a wonderful time making it.”

Sylvester Stallone posted an emotional video:

“Today is an incredibly sad day for me.  I’m so torn up, I can’t even tell you.  It’s a horrible loss…he was magic.  I never could have accomplished what we did with ‘Rocky’ without him.”

RIP.

Top 3 songs for the week 2/6/71:  #1 “Knock Three Times” (Dawn)  #2 “One Bad Apple” (The Osmonds)  #3 “My Sweet Lord” (George Harrison)…and…#4 “Lonely Days” (Bee Gees)  #5 “Rose Garden” (Lynn Anderson) #6 “I Hear You Knocking” (Dave Edmunds)  #7 “Groove Me” (King Floyd)  #8 “Your Song” (Elton John…his best…)  #9 “One Less Bell To Answer” (The 5th  Dimension…beautiful, sad, tune…)  #10 “If I Were Your Woman” (Gladys Knight & The Pips…B week…)

Kansas City Chiefs Quiz Answer:  Here is something amazing.  The following eleven starters for the Chiefs defense in Super Bowl IV also started all 14 regular season games!

DE Aaron Brown, DE Jerry Mays, DT Buck Buchanan, DT Curley Culp, LB Bobby Bell, MLB Willie Lanier, LB Jim Lynch, CB Emmitt Thomas, CB Jim Marsalis, S Johnny Robinson, S Jim Kearney.

[Lanier, Bell, Buchanan, Culp, Thomas and Robinson would all become Hall of Famers.]

The game was a yawner (K.C. outgaining Minnesota 273-239), but hugely important in proving that the Jets’ win over the Colts the year before was no fluke for the AFL.

Len Dawson was quarterback for the Chiefs, 12/17, 142, 1-1, but the clinching 46-yard TD pass to Otis Taylor.

Jan Stenerud kicked three field goals for K.C.

[Stenerud and Dawson were also later elected to the Hall of Fame, along with coach Hank Stram and owner Lamar Hunt.]

Joe Kapp and Gary Cuozo combined to throw three interceptions for the Vikings.

Brief Add-on up top Tuesday by noon.

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