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Bar Chat

01/20/2025

NFL Playoffs

Add-on Tuesday a.m.

CFP

The longest season in college football history finally ended last night, with Ohio State picking up its first national title since 2014, 34-23 over Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish started things off with a rather staggering 18-play, 75 yard opening drive that chewed up a whopping 9:45, quarterback Riley Leonard, who had 34 yards on nine carries in the drive, taking it in from the one, 7-0.  It was the longest drive by total plays in championship game history.

But then the Buckeyes scored on their next four possessions, and added a field goal, and it was 31-7 midway through the third quarter, game over...until it wasn’t.

Notre Dame fought back with two long scoring drives of its own, two Leonard to receiver Jaden Greathouse TD passes, converting for two points each time, and it was suddenly 31-23, 4:15 left in the game.

But Ohio State QB Will Howard (17/21, 231, 2-0), seemingly just trying to run off as much time as possible off the clock to leave it up to the Buckeyes’ defense to close it out, hooked up with freshman superstar receiver Jeremiah Smith on a gorgeous pinpoint 56-yard pass up the right sideline that would basically seal the deal, kicker Jayden Fielding with a 33-yard field goal for the final margin.

For Howard, the senior transfer from Kansas State, it was his finest pass of the season when it mattered most, while he had a playoff record with 13 completions in a row to open the game.  He also rushed for 57 yards on 16 carries.

Quinshon Judkins, a transfer from Mississippi, chipped in with 100 yards on 11 carries, including a 70-yard scamper, two TDs, and a third touchdown receiving.

Notre Dame was hurt bigly when at 31-15, kicker Mitch Jeter doinked a 27-yard field goal attempt off the left upright.

Ohio State outgained ND 445-308.

At last Buckeyes coach Ryan Day can exhale, after coming under intense scrutiny for the team’s losing streak against Michigan, including the stunning 13-10 clunker on Nov. 30.  Good for him.

Great season for Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame.

NFL Playoffs

Championship Sunday is set, and weather is not looking like an issue this time.

Commanders at Eagles, 3:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Bills at Chiefs, 6:30 p.m. ET on CBS

Certainly intriguing...Jayden Daniels, Saquon Barkley, and another Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen matchup, Allen 0-3 against Mahomes in the playoffs.

But after I posted Sunday, like the rest of you I settled in for Baltimore at Buffalo in the wicked cold and snow, the Ravens with a deeply disappointing 27-25 loss, Lamar Jackson falling to Josh Allen, one of whom is the league’s MVP this season, the votes submitted prior to the game.

Lamar outplayed Josh, 18/25, 254, 2-1, 114.4 to Allen’s 16/22, 127, 0-0, 86.7, but Jackson had two turnovers including a fumble, Allen had none and he rushed for two TDs.

Baltimore had three turnovers overall and for Ravens fans, this game is unfortunately going to be best remembered for tight end Mark Andrews’ fourth-quarter miscues.

Andrews had the ball punched out after a 16-yard reception that would have put the Ravens in Buffalo territory, and then with 1:33 left, dropped a two-point conversion attempt from Jackson that would have tied it at 27-27.

“There’s nobody that has more heart and cares more and fights more than Mark,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in defense of the three-time Pro Bowler.  “We wouldn’t be here without Mark Andrews.”

Jackson couldn’t hold back his frustration with himself as he spoke to reporters after.  He fumbled in the second quarter, allowing Von Miller to recover the ball and run it back to the Baltimore 24-yard line, setting up a touchdown that broke a 7-7 tie.  And he threw an interception in the first quarter with the game even at seven.

“Every time we in situations like this, turnovers play a factor. Penalties play a factor,” Jackson said.  “Tonight, the turnovers, we can’t have that s--- an that’s why we lost the game.  As you can see, we’re moving the ball wonderfully, it’s [just] hold onto the f—king ball.  I’m sorry for my language, but this s--- is annoying.  I’m tired of this s---.”

Jackson now has a postseason record of 3-5, despite the fact the Ravens outgained the Bills 416-273.  Allen is 7-5.  But Jackson also has 11 turnovers in his eight games, Allen just six in 12 contests.

--Ben Johnson, the Lions’ highly sought offensive coordinator, took the Bears’ coaching job.  While everyone with a job opening was seemingly after him, it was thought he might go to Las Vegas, but the Bears have a QB talent in Caleb Williams...the Raiders don’t. 

College Basketball

--New AP Top 25 poll, Monday, records a/o Sunday.

1. Auburn 17-1 (62...unanimous)
2. Duke 16-2
3. Iowa State 15-2
4. Alabama 15-3
5. Florida 16-2
6. Tennessee 16-2
7. Houston 14-3
8. Michigan State 16-2
9. Kentucky 14-4
10. Marquette 15-3
11. Purdue 15-4
12. Kansas 13-4
13. Texas A&M 14-4
14. Mississippi State 15-3
15. Oregon 15-3
16. Ole Miss 15-3
17. Illinois 13-5
18. Wisconsin 15-3
19. UConn 13-5
20. St. John’s 16-3
21. Michigan 14-4
22. Missouri 15-3
23. West Virginia 13-4
24. Memphis 14-4
25. Louisville 14-5

Yippee....Wake Forest received 2 votes, No. 37.  It’s a start. Then again, we must beat North Carolina Tuesday.

--Rutgers (10-9, 3-5) lost at Penn State (13-6, 3-5) Monday, 80-72.

NBA

--The Knicks have always played a matinee on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Garden, a nice sports break for us fans, and New York (28-16) had an important 119-110 win over Atlanta (22-20) and nemesis Trae Young, as Jalen Brunson poured in 34 points.

Karl-Anthony Towns returned for the Knicks and while his injured thumb hurt his shooting, just 5 of 18, 13 points, he did contribute 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

MLB

--I missed that the Dodgers not only signed Roki Sasaki, but Sunday they also inked stud reliever Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million deal.

This is getting beyond absurd.  The Dodgers’ rotation is potentially awesome.  And the bullpen can be equally so, Scott added to the likes of Michael Kopech, Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia and Ryan Brasier, among other high-leverage arms.

--Jeff Torborg died at the age of 83 at his home in Westfield, NJ.  Torborg was born in the same town I was, Plainfield, NJ.  He grew up in Westfield, starred at Rutgers and was a backup catcher in the big leagues from 1964-73, all ten seasons with the Dodgers and Angels.  Torborg, who hit only .214 in his career, did pick up a World Series ring with the ’65 Dodgers.

But his claim to fame on the playing field was that he caught three no-hitters, including Sandy Koufax’s perfect game in 1965, Bill Singer (L.A.) in 1970, and then Nolan Ryan’s first no-hitter in 1973 with the Angels.

Torborg then transitioned to managing, taking the helm at five clubs, 11 years, 634-718, no postseason appearances.

But he did have a successful 3-year run with the White Sox, including being selected Manager of the Year in 1990, 94-68.

His then made his way to the Mets in 1992 and was a rather dreadful 72-90, fired the next season with the team at 13-25, replaced by Dallas Green.  The 1992 team earned the moniker “The Worst Team Money Could Buy,” the title of a book written by Bob Klapisch and John Harper about that squad.

The Mets began that season having the No. 1 payroll in baseball, $45 million, following the high-profile free agent signing of Bobby Bonilla.  Other highly paid players on the team were Bret Saberhagen, Vince Coleman and Eddie Murray.

Mets longtime announcer Howie Rose tweeted this story upon Torborg’s passing:

“Very sad to hear of the passing of former Mets manager Jeff Torborg.  Extremely nice man with a good sense of humor.  Upon seeing the busts of Mets Hall of Famers in Shea’s Diamond Club, he said, ‘They should have one of me, I was the biggest bust they ever had!’ RIP”

Another popular Torborg tale: While managing in Cleveland, Torborg went to the mound to yank pitcher Jim Kern from the game. When Kern told Torborg that he wasn’t tired, Torborg replied, “I know, Jim, but the outfielders are.”

Torborg was also a member of the Yankees coaching staff from 1979-88 before joining the White Sox.

--The new Hall of Fame inductees will be named Tuesday evening.

Golf Balls

--Sepp Straka did wrap up his third PGA Tour title after I posted, winning The American Express in La Quinta by two strokes over Justin Thomas, an important result for JT as he seeks to get back to the ‘elite’ level.

Aussie Open

I have to admit I haven’t followed it that closely, the time difference not helping, but one thing that has stood out is Novak Djokovic’s battle with the Aussie press and some fans.

But 7 Djokovic is in the quarters early Tuesday morning, New York time, against 3 Carlos Alcaraz.

Also on the men’s side in the quarters, American Tommy Paul (12) is up against 2 Alexander Zverez.

Wednesday, American Ben Shelton (21) faces unseeded Lorenzo Sonego.

On the women’s side, 3 Coco Gauff was in the quarterfinals against 11 Paula Bedosa Monday. [Gauff lost.]

Wednesday, American Emma Navarro (8) goes up against 2 Iga Swiatek, while 19 Madison Keys is squaring off with 28 Elina Svitolina.

Next Bar Chat, Sunday, after Commanders vs. Eagles.

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[Posted Sunday p.m., prior to Bills-Ravens]

Add-on early Tues. a.m.

College Basketball / UCLA Quiz: Lew Alcindor/Kareem left after the 1968-69 season and John Wooden kept winning.  1) Name the core four Bruins who were on both the 1969-70 and 1970-71 national champions. 2) Who did UCLA beat in the title game each of those seasons?  Answers below.

NFL

Three of the four playoff games this weekend were going to have ‘weather’ of some kind to deal with, perfect for the rest of us watching from the comfort of our homes, adult beverage of your choice at hand (surgeon general be damned), pizza probably close by.

And in the first one, in 8-degree windchill conditions at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs (16-2) prevailed over the Texans (10-8) 23-14, as Patrick Mahomes (16/25, 177, 1-0, 98.2) improved to 16-3 in the playoffs*, Travis Kelce with a big game, seven receptions for 117 yards and a score.

*It’s incredible how Mahomes has now reached the AFC Championship Game in all seven seasons as a starting quarterback.

Houston did themselves in with some key mistakes, including on the opening kickoff, when the Chiefs’ Nikko Remigio took it 63 yards before being tackled by Texans cornerback Kris Boyd, who was then flagged on the play for throwing his helmet after forcing a fumble, thinking Houston had recovered.

But K.C. recovered, and with the penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, the Chiefs then converted it into an early field goal from Harrison Butker.

Boyd, in celebratory mode, not knowing the Texans hadn’t recovered the ball, shoved Houston special teams coordinator Frank Ross, which looked poor on television, but the two were good shortly thereafter...only the damage had been done.

There were also two highly questionable penalties on Houston for roughing Patrick Mahomes, both B.S. calls, with Troy Aikman saying on one unnecessary roughness penalty, “Oh, come on – I mean, he’s a runner,” Aikman said.  “I could not disagree with that one more. He barely gets hit.”

Actually, on the play, the two Houston defenders converging on Mahomes bashed into each other, not the QB.

Anyway, afterwards, Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans said with a laugh: “We knew coming into this game, it was us versus everybody.  When I say everybody, it’s everybody, all of – everybody, whatever, the naysayers, the doubt, everybody we had to go against today.  With that, knowing going into this game what we were up against, we can’t make the mistakes that we made.  We had a lot of self-inflicted mistakes that happened.”

The Texans were called for eight penalties for 82 yards, quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked eight times, and kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed an extra point and missed two field goals (one was blocked).

The Texans actually outgained the Chiefs 336-212, becoming the first team to outgain an opponent by more than 100 yards, commit zero turnovers and lose a postseason game.  Previous such teams were 49-0 in the playoffs, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

There was another side story...the line on the game was 9.5, Chiefs.  K.C. took a late safety for the final 9-point margin.  The safety was really unnecessary, it seemed.  But yet another reason not to bet on sporting events. 

--In the nightcap, no weather issues...because it was indoors, and Washington (13-5) pulled off a huge upset, defeating the top-seeded Lions (15-3) 45-31...heartbreak for Lions fans as rookie phenom Jayden Daniels was superb for the Commanders, 22/31, 299, 2-0, 122.9, while the Lions’ Jared Goff was putrid, 3 interceptions and a fumble, Detroit with five turnovers overall to the Commanders’ zero.  That was the game.  The Lions racked up 521 yards of offense, but mistakes and an injury-riddled defense spelled a stunning ending to a great season.

Washington is in their first NFC title game since 1991, the year they won their last Super Bowl, awaiting the winner of the Rams-Eagles. Imagine, they were 4-13 last season.

Daniels said after, “It feels good.  It’s a surreal moment, just for the Washington fan base, the whole DMV [District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia].  It’s just an awesome feeling.

Daniels will be the sixth rookie QB since the 1970 merger to start a conference championship game.  He has a chance to become the first to win it.

For Detroit, a bitter ending, and head coach Dan Campbell was emotional afterwards.

“We just didn’t get it done,” Campbell said.  “It’ll be something that I’m going to be, you know, I’m going to have a lot of time here to really look at it, think about it, and figure it out. How do we improve? What do we need to fix?  The whats, the whys, the hows, all of it.”

Then he said:

“It’s hard.  You know, when you lose.  When you lose these games, man.  It’s like the players,” pausing to collect himself and fighting back tears.  “What they put into it.  A lot of people don’t know what they go through.  You have to get up, bodies beat to shit.  You know, mentally stay locked in and do those things.  Long season.”

--Today, in the first game, Rams-Eagles in Philadelphia, it started out with big plays, Jalen Hurts with a 44-yard touchdown run impersonation of Lamar Jackson, but with a missed extra point; the Rams coming back with a 67-yard touchdown drive, Stafford to Higbee for the score....they made their XP, 7-6.

Then Saquon Barkley ripped off a 62-yard TD run of his own, 13-7, Rams followed with a field goal...and it was 13-10 at the half...the Eagles with 171 yards rushing as the snow was intensifying.  Highly entertaining.

L.A.’s Joshua Karty kicked a 34-yard field goal to make it 13-13, 7:37 in the third.

Philadelphia’s Jake Elliott kicks a terrific 44-yarder into the wind for a 16-13 lead.

But then Rams punter Ethan Evans pins the Eagles down on their 5-yard line, and a few plays later, Hurts is sacked in the endzone for a safety, 16-15.  Just fascinating stuff as the snow gets heavier.

And immediately, the Rams’ Kyren Williams coughs it up on a run play, Eagles recover and take it down inside the 10, weather deteriorating further, and after an illegal procedure penalty, Elliott nails a 23-yarder in as tough conditions as a kicker can have...19-15.  [That would make for a fascinating Super Bowl Box, I can’t help but add.]

And Elliott hits a 37-yard FD, 22-15 with 6:18 to play, conditions abysmal.  Can Stafford and L.A. generate a drive?  No. And then after a punt....

Barkley takes it 78 yards!  Unbelievable.  [Giants fans are just thrilled.]  Barkley 24-196-2.  [Ironically, after hitting three clutch field goals, Jake Elliott misses his second PAT...28-15.]

The Rams and Stafford then quickly take it down 70 yards for a score, 28-22, 2:48 left...and it ain’t over...boys and girls.

The Rams hold the Eagles, Wake Forest’s Kobi Turner with a huge sack, and L.A. gets the ball back with a chance to win it!

And after a spectacular 37-yard pass from Stafford to Nacua, the Eagles defense stops the Rams and Philly wins it...28-22.  A terrific game.

Barkley ends up 26-205-2, an all-time performance ... Philadelphia hosting Washington next week.  Wow.

--Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has said he doesn’t plan on leaving the franchise in any scenario.  “Save your time,” he said when asked about any potential suitor trading for him.

After ending the season with five straight losses, Tomlin conceded there would be “changes” in the organization.  Number one decision will be what to do at quarterback, with both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields on expiring contracts.  The Steelers signed Skylar Thompson, formerly of the Dolphins, on Tuesday.

Wilson said Monday “the plan” is to be in Pittsburgh in 2025, but later admitted he hadn’t met with the Steelers yet to begin those discussions.

Tomlin said he likes both Fields and Wilson and said he believes in Fields if Wilson opts to depart in free agency.

CFP

--As we await Monday’s national championship game, Notre Dame vs. Ohio State, football fans will be looking for the “middle eight.”  That’s the final four minutes of the second quarter and the first four minutes of the third.

As the Wall Street Journal’s Jared Diamond noted, it was Bill Belichick who was one of the first coaches to recognize the importance of the middle eight, “making it a cornerstone of his game-management strategy.  He used it as a way to keep Peyton Manning off the field for as long as possible.

“The statistics bear out the middle eight’s significance: This season in college football, the team that won the middle eight went on to win the game nearly 70% of the time, according to Stats Perform.

“And no team was better at doing that than Notre Dame.  The Fighting Irish outscored their opponents 148-17 in the middle eight this season, a point differential of 131 – the best in the country by a wide margin.”

In the quarterfinals against Georgia, Notre Dame tallied 17 points in the span of 54 seconds during the middle eight.  Before the barrage, the game was 3-3.

--IF Notre Dame wins, Eastern Michigan has a claim it is better.

You see, Northern Illinois handed the Fighting Irish their only loss, 16-14.

But Northern Illinois lost to Buffalo, which lost to Western Michigan, which lost to Central Michigan, which lost to the Eastern Michigan Eagles.

And so it goes....

--Former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck received a reported $3 million to transfer to Miami (another report I saw said $4 million), roughly double the $1.6 million Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward earned through Miami’s collective, according to FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman.

Beck entered the 2024 season having been pegged as the first quarterback taken off the board in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but his uneven season at Georgia, with 12 interceptions and then a UCL injury in the SEC Championship Game that required surgery, caused Beck’s stock to plummet.

So it was natural for Beck to return, but it wasn’t Georgia.  He entered the portal and was immediately snapped up.

--Texas QB Quinn Ewers, on the other hand, who was rumored to be heading to the portal and mega-riches, instead announced Wednesday he was declaring for the NFL Draft, forgoing his final year of eligibility.

Ewers is listed as the No. 5 quarterback on ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board of prospects, behind Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Ole Miss’s Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe.

I am totally underwhelmed with all five...though I’d take Dart.

So now Arch Manning gets to shine at Texas next season.  I hope he does well.

College Basketball

--Earlier this week, Tuesday, 21 Ole Miss (15-2, 4-0) stunned 4 Alabama (14-3, 3-1) in Tuscaloosa, 74-64, the Rebels forcing 21 turnovers.  Ole Miss had entered the night 0-34 all-time on the road against top-five teams. It had also lost 16 straight against top-five teams overall.

Wednesday, 2 Iowa State (15-1, 5-0) had a terrific 74-57 win over 9 Kansas (12-4, 3-2), the Cyclones staking their case for No. 1.

--Saturday, we had a few upsets....

No. 1 Auburn (17-1, 5-0) held on to beat 23 Georgia (14-4, 2-3) 70-69 on the road, doing so again without star Johni Broome.  Tahaad Pettiford had 24 off the bench for the Tigers.

But Georgia was 9 of 20 from the free throw line!  So, yes, Auburn should have gone down.

Speaking of which, 2 Iowa State (15-2, 5-1) fell to West Virginia (13-5, 4-2) in Morgantown, 64-57, the Cyclones 1 of 17 from three!

3 Duke (16-2, 7-0) will be moving up one notch, 88-63 at Boston College (9-9, 1-6), as Cooper Flagg, 28 points, had 75 fans from his hometown in Maine, this being the closest he will have to a home game in his lone season in Durham.

4 Alabama (15-3, 4-1) had an important road win at 8 Kentucky (14-4, 3-2), 102-97, as Grant Nelson had 25 points and 11 rebounds for Bama, while Mark Sears had 24 points and 9 assists.

Former Demon Deacon Andrew Carr, who has played well for the Wildcats, was in foul trouble from the beginning, playing only 18 minutes with 4 points.

5 Florida (16-2, 3-2) beat Texas (12-6, 1-4) 84-60.

6 Tennessee (16-2, 3-2) lost at Vanderbilt (15-3, 3-2) 76-75, as the Vols missed a free throw that would have sent the game into overtime.

And Xavier (12-7, 4-4) upset 7 Marquette (15-3, 6-1) on the road, 59-57.

--In other games of note, 14 UConn (13-5, 5-2) lost at home to Creighton (12-6, 5-2) 68-63.

And in the Battle of Mississippi, Part One, 15 Mississippi State (15-3, 3-2) edged 21 Ole Miss (15-3, 4-1) 84-81 in Starkville.  The return matchup is Feb. 15.

--Wake Forest (13-4, 5-1) had a nice home win on Wednesday against Stanford (11-6, 3-3), 80-67, Hunter Sallis with 30, his sixth consecutive 20-point game, which is pretty good.  Cameron Hildreth, who had 31 for the Deacs the game before, was 1 for 12 from the field, but 10 of 10 from the foul line.

And then Saturday, the Deacs improved to 14-4, 6-1...the latter figure good for fourth in the ACC, 72-63 at Virginia Tech (8-10, 3-4), Sallis with 24 and Hildreth 21 to carry Wake.

Massive week for the Deacs coming up, two home games...North Carolina Tuesday, Duke Saturday.  Season is over if they do not beat Carolina, in terms of any March Madness potential.  Then we’ll worry about the Dookies.

The Duke game was supposed to mark the broadcasting return of Dick Vitale, but the day after he and ESPN announced it, Vitale suffered a bad fall at home so the 85-year-old will be recovering for a while.  It’s a sad part of the aging process.

--St. John’s should crack the Top 25 on Monday after a 79-51 blowout of Seton Hall (6-12, 1-6), Rick Pitino’s Johnnies (16-3, 7-1).

The game marked the return of former Seton Hall star Kadary Richmond, who got the NIL money from St. John’s, and Richmond (12 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists) was booed every time he touched the ball...some fans yelling out “traitor!”

--Rutgers (10-8, 3-4) had an important road win at Nebraska (12-5, 2-4) on Thursday as they try to salvage the season...and make sure they even qualify for the Big Ten conference tournament.  Another road game Monday at Penn State.

NBA

--In the Game of the Week, the Thunder (34-6) got their revenge on the Cavaliers (34-6) with a 134-114 win in their return showdown on Thursday, Cleveland having won the first a week earlier, 129-122.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 40 points in 29 minutes for OKC.

--Wednesday, the Knicks went to Philadelphia to play the Sixers and New York was without Karl-Anthony Towns, who has a bone chip in his sprained right thumb.

But the Knicks beat the Joel Embiid-less Sixers 125-119 in overtime, Jalen Brunson with 38, and Josh Hart with a superb triple-double, 10-17-12, plus four steals.

[The first Knick ever to tally at least 17 rebounds, 12 assists and 4 steals in a game, and just the fifth player in NBA history, joining Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook, Draymond Green and Fat Lever, according to sportsreference.com.  If you’re thinking Oscar Robertson must have done it, ‘steals’ didn’t become an official statistic until 1973-74.]

Hart is only 6’4” and yet he’s averaging 9.5 rebounds per game!  He’s the only guard in the top 20 in the league in rebounding.

Did I tell you I’m a huge fan of the lad?  What, only 42 times before, you say?  He just needs to stop whining to the officials, and he’s trying.

But then the Knicks (27-16) lost at home to the Timberwolves (22-19), Friday, 116-99, as Towns was out again, and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards went wild, 36 points, 8 of 13 from three.  New York needs KAT back!

Julius Randle was ineffective for the T’Wolves in his Garden return, just eight points (though +20).

--Cleveland moved to 35-6 with a 124-117 win at Minnesota (22-20) on Saturday.

MLB

--There are many who believe the ‘fix was in’ when it came to Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki and the Dodgers, who signed him to a $6.5 million minor league contract (signing bonus).

The rich get richer, as the 23-year-old with the 100-mph fastball is added to a superb rotation that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw and eventually Shohei Ohtani (assuming they all stay healthy, and all have had their issues), plus Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May.

Sasaki heard bids from 20 teams but everyone knew he would sign with L.A.

[The money involved is low because he is joining MLB before he turns 25 and before he played six professional seasons in Japan, which means he is classified as an international amateur and limited to a minor league contract, which caps both the signing bonus and initial salary he can receive along with the transfer fee paid to his Japanese club.  He will be eligible for arbitration after the 2027 season and free agency after 2030.]

--The Mets originally were reported to have offered Pete Alonso a three-year, $90 million deal, which he and agent Scott Boras turned down.

But the other day it was reported that the real contract was in the three-year, $68 million-$70 million range, which Alonso and Co. rejected, Mets GM David Stearns holding the line, not believing the one-dimensional Alonso is worth more, especially more years, which Pete seeks.

I don’t disagree.  I’ll take him back as a fan for three years, but no more.

Meanwhile, Stearns is going after relievers and signed a terrific setup man, the Braves’ A.J. Minter, to a 2-year, $22 million deal.  Love it.  Minter is a quality lefty with nasty stuff and a history of success.  He had a little injury last season but we’re assuming he’s now healthy.

And the Mets re-signed outfielder Jesse Winker, a great bench piece, for one year, $7.5 million.

Additionally, having been one of the Sasaki suitors, they signed what baseball people believe was the second best available international free agent, 17-year-old shortstop Elian Pena out of the Dominican Republic, who is said to be already a terrific hitter.  In about four years we’ll have a good idea if this was a spectacular move for the Metsies, maybe a year sooner.

--The Baseball Hall of Fame vote comes in on Tuesday, with first-timer Ichiro Suzuki a lock.

Personally, I only care about Billy Wagner, the superb lefty reliever, who is in his final year of eligibility and finished just shy last year in the balloting.

Andruw Jones (61.6% last year, 8th year on the ballot this go around) and Carlos Beltran (57.1%, 3rd year) will inch closer. 

The Athletic’s Jayson Stark listed his ballot – ten names – and he included the Mets’ David Wright, which while a fan, I just don’t see.  It will be interesting nonetheless to see what percentage Wright gets after just 6.2% his first year of eligibility.

--Remembering Bob Uecker....

[I wrote the following on Uecker, who died this week at the age of 90, way back on 7/31/2003, in conjunction with his being honored by the Hall of Fame at that time.]

Born on January 26, 1935, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Bob Uecker was brought up by the Milwaukee Braves baseball team in 1962, hitting .250 in 64 at bats. It would be the highlight of this catcher’s playing career, though we have to note he did club 7 home runs in 1966 for the Phillies, but it was with a batting average of .208.

Overall, Uecker finished up at an even .200 for his career, with 14 homers and 74 RBI in 731 at bats as he managed to hang around for most of six seasons, retiring after the ’67 campaign.

But then Ueck found success as a broadcaster and company pitchman (think Miller-Lite and “front row”) and this past weekend he was awarded with the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence at the same ceremony honoring new inductees Eddie Murray and Gary Carter.  Suffice it to say, Uecker stole the show with his remarks, some of which follow.

“I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Actually, I was born in Illinois.  My mother and father were on an oleomargarine run to Chicago back in 1934 because we couldn’t get colored margarine in Wisconsin.

“On the way home, my mother was with child, me, and the pain started and my dad pulled off into an exit area, and that’s where the event took place.

“It was a nativity-type setting, an exit light shining down and three truck drivers there. One was carrying butter, one had frankfurters, and the other guy was a retired baseball scout who told my folks that I probably had a chance to play somewhere down the line.

“I remember it being very cold, it was January. I didn’t weigh very much, I think the birth certificate says 10 ounces.  I was immediately wrapped in swaddling clothes and put in the back of a Chevy without a heater. And that was the start of this Cinderella story that you’re hearing today.”

And this, concerning the first ball his father gave him:

“It was a football.  I was very young, and he didn’t know a lot about it.  He came from the old country.  We tried to pass it and throw it and kick it, and we couldn’t do it.

“It was very discouraging for him and for me.  We almost quit, and finally we had a nice-enough neighbor who came over and put some air in it.”

On his first contract:

“I signed for $3,000 with the Braves of Milwaukee, which I’m sure a lot of you know, and my old man didn’t have that kind of money to put out.  But the Braves took it.  I remember sitting around our kitchen table counting all this money, coins out of jars, and I’m telling my dad, ‘Let’s forget this, I don’t want to play.’

“He said, ‘No, you are going to play baseball.  We’re going to have you make some money, and we’re going to live real good.’  So I signed.”

About playing for manager Gene Mauch and a pending trade:

“I’d be sitting there and he’d say, ‘Grab a bat and stop this rally.’

“Or he’d send me up there without a bat and tell me to try for a walk. Or you look down at the third-base coach for a sign and have him turn his back on you.

“But you know what?  Things like that never bothered me.  I’ve set records that will never be equaled, .200 lifetime batting average in the major leagues, which tied me with another sports great averaging 200 or better for a 10-year period, Don Carter, one of our top bowlers.  And I did that without playing every game.”

On catching knuckleball pitchers:

“The key is to wait until it stopped rolling and then just pick it up.”

About his family:

“I’d take my kids to a game, and they’d want to come home with a different player.”

“And my two boys are just like me.  In their championship Little League game, one of them struck out three times, the other one allowed the winning run to score, and they lost the championship.  I couldn’t have been more proud.”

And more comments:

“In St. Louis, where I won a World Series for them in 1964, (GM) Bing Devine came to me before the Series and said, ‘We would like to do something for you.  We would like to inject you with hepatitis.  We need to bring an infielder up.

“Next season, when they presented the rings, it was something you never forget.  They threw mine out to left field and when I found it in the grass in the fifth inning, I was awed.  I had endorsement contracts where they paid me to not let anybody ever see me using their stuff.”

“I am honored.  But I still think I should have gone in as a player.”

[Source: AP / New York Post]

Of course, there have been other Uecker quotes over the years.

“Anybody with ability can play in the big leagues.  But to be able to trick people year in and year out the way I did, I think that was a much greater feat.”

On a Little League game involving his 14-year-old:

“He struck out three times and lost the game for his team when a ball went through his legs at third base.  Parents were throwing things at our car and swearing at us as we left the parking lot.  Gosh, I was proud. A chip off the old block.”

And:

“I set records that never will be equaled – in fact, I hope 90 percent of them don’t even get printed.”

“Philadelphia is such a bad city that when a plane lands there, nobody gets off, everybody gets on.  Even if you win a rowing race in Philly, they boo you unless you go over the rapids.”

“Philly fans are so mean that one Easter Sunday, when the players staged an Easter egg hunt for their kids, the fans booed the kids who didn’t find any eggs.”

“The highlight of my baseball career came in Philadelphia’s Connie Mack Stadium when I saw a fan fall out of the upper deck. When he got up and walked away the crowd booed.”

“One time, I got pulled over at 4:00 AM.  I was fined $75 for being intoxicated and $400 for being with the Phillies.”

“Winning and losing is nothing.  Going out and prowling the streets after the game is what I liked.  You’d get half in the bag and wake up the next morning with a bird in your room – that’s what baseball is all about.”

[Source: “Baseball’s Greatest Quotations,” Paul Dickson]

From an obituary in the Associated Press, Ueck “got his big break off the field after opening for Don Rickles at Al Hirt’s nightclub in Atlanta in 1969. That performance caught Hirt’s attention, and the musician set him up to appear on ‘The Tonight Show’ with Johnny Carson.  He became one of Carson’s favorite guests, making more than 100 appearances.”

Carson was the one who dubbed Uecker “Mr. Baseball,” and the name stuck.

Golf Balls

--Prior to this week’s PGA Tour event, The American Express in La Quinta, California, the PGA Tour announced it would relocate the Genesis Invitational slated for Feb. 13-16 at Riviera Country Club due to the Los Angeles fires that threatened the course.  But the Tour has yet to announce where.

Personally, I’d keep it simple and go back to Torrey Pines, which they play next week.  The place is set up already for an event, and it’s an extraordinary circumstance.  Golf fans wouldn’t complain, players wouldn’t, and anyone who did is a [cue Jeff Spicoli].

Meanwhile, heading into today’s final round in La Quinta....

Sepp Straka -23
Charley Hoffman -19
Jason Day -19
Justin Lower -19
Patrick Cantlay -18
Justin Thomas -17

Hoffman, 48, hasn’t won since the 2016 Texas Valero Open.

And as I post, Straka is 4-up late on JT, Sepp looking for win No. 3, more in my Add-on.

--Tyrell Hatton won his eighth DP World Tour event today, the Dubai Desert Classic, by one stroke over New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier.

The win is critical for Hatton of LIV Golf since LIV events don’t qualify for world ranking points.  He needs the points in order to make the Ryder Cup team.  He has qualified for three of the four majors this year.

--PGA Tour loyalist Rory McIlroy publicly advised friend and fellow Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin against going to LIV Golf.

The two hail from the same town in Northern Ireland, and McIlroy has been a bit of a mentor to McKibbin, who is just 22.

But despite earning his PGA Tour card for the 2025 season on the final day of competition in the DP World Tour, McKibbin is reportedly planning on joining LIV.

McIlroy said he advised McKibbin not to do it. “I said to him, ‘If I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you’re thinking of making.’”

Addressing the media at the Dubai Desert Classic, McIlroy added: “I think what he potentially is sacrificing and giving up access to majors, potential Ryder Cup spot depending on how he would play...if I were in his position and I had his potential, which I think I have been before, I wouldn’t make that decision.”

--But speaking of LIV, as it enters its third official season next month, the league has a new broadcasting agreement with Fox Sports...a huge deal for LIV. It’s a multiyear media rights agreement with coverage on various Fox outlets beginning with the first tournament of the season in February.

Either Fox or FS1 will air over half of LIV’s events while select rounds will land on FS2 and other Fox outlets.

This drastically increases LIV’s exposure and when the event goes up against a PGA Tour event, oh, the ratings comparisons will be fascinating.

Premier League

--Going back to Tuesday, surprising Nottingham played Liverpool to a 1-1 draw in an exciting contest, while on Wednesday, Arsenal defeated Tottenham 2-1.

Saturday, Liverpool beat Brentford, 2-0, and Arsenal and Aston Villa played to a 2-2 draw.

Today, Nottingham had an early 3-0 lead over cellar-dweller Southampton but had to hold on late, 3-2.  Manchester City continued its mini-resurgence, 6-0 over Ipswich, to vault to fourth.  Tottenham had a bad 3-2 loss at Everton.

The Table...21/22 of 38 played...played – points

1. Liverpool...21 – 50
2. Arsenal...22 – 44
3. Nottingham Forest...22 – 44
4. Man City...22 – 38
5. Newcastle...22 – 38
6. Chelsea...21 – 37
7. Bournemouth...22 – 37
8. Aston Villa...22 – 36

NHL

--Thursday, Alex Ovechkin scored the 874th goal of his career, putting him just 21 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894.  Ovechkin scored the only goal of the game in overtime, the Capitals beating the Ottawa Senators 1-0.

Ovechkin failed to score Saturday in a 4-1 Caps win over the Penguins.

--The Rangers, have had their godawful stretch, have now improved to 6-1-2 in January, the latest a 1-0 shootout win yesterday over Columbus, New York 22-20-3 and resurrecting their playoff hopes.

Reminder....they started out 12-4-1, and then were 16-19-1....as in a 4-15 stretch, turmoil all around.

The Rangers are at Montreal tonight after I post.

Stuff

--Mikaela Shiffrin is back on snow and skiing regularly again at home in Colorado, but when she’ll return from her puncture wound to her side remains “a moving target” and won’t be announced for another 7 to 10 days, U.S. Ski Team head coach Paul Kristofic said.

Shiffrin crashed on Nov. 30 in Killington, Vermont, as she was chasing her record-extending 100th World Cup win.

The women’s giant slalom and slalom at the upcoming world championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, are less than a month away on Feb. 13 and 15.

And then you have the World Cup finals in Sun Valley, Idaho, at the end of March.

--My neighbor and old friend, Michael C., was a Fordham alum and involved in Digger Phelps big hoops team, 1970-71; the one that went 26-3, made the NCAAs, and launched Phelps’ career at Notre Dame.

So Michael told me the other day that Rose Hill Gym was celebrating its 100th anniversary this past week and in looking up the history of it, among the nuggets you see are that the Beach Boys had a concert there in 1966, with the Lovin’ Spoonful on the bill, Simon and Garfunkel performed two concerts at Rose Hill the same year, and in 1967, Diana Ross & The Supremes performed, with Gladys Knight & The Pips opening.

Understand, this is a 3,200-seat gym and these acts were at the height of their popularity.  I just find this fascinating.

Michael wasn’t in school then, but as a student he then saw Jefferson Airplane and the Kinks at Rose Hill, though he mentioned at Fillmore East (the place, back in the day), he saw Santana, Traffic, Derek and the Dominos (Clapton), Frank Zappa (with special guests John and Yoko), Mountain and others.

More importantly, Rose Hill Gym is the oldest continuous Division I venue.  [Hinkle Fieldhouse was completed in 1928, in case you were thinking, ‘Hold on there, Editor.’  The Palestra opened in 1927.]

Top 3 songs for the week 1/17/70: #1 “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” (B.J. Thomas)  #2 “Venus” (The Shocking Blue) #3 “I Want You Back” (The Jackson 5)...and...#4 “Someday We’ll Be Together” (Diana Ross & The Supremes)  #5 “Whole Lotta Love” (Led Zeppelin)  #6 “Leaving On A Jet Plane” (Peter, Paul and Mary)  #7 “Don’t Cry Daddy” (Elvis Presley)  #8 “Jam Up Jelly Tight” (Tommy Roe)  #9 “Down On The Corner” (Creedence Clearwater Revival)  #10 “Midnight Cowboy” (Ferrante & Teicher...A- week...)

College Basketball / UCLA Quiz Answers: 1) Core four on both the 1969-70 and 1970-71 national title teams...forwards Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe, guard Henry Bibby and center Steve Patterson.  [John Vallely was a starting guard on the 69-70 team.  Terry Schofield, Kenny Booker and Larry Farmer were key pieces on the 70-71 squad.]  2) UCLA beat Jacksonville and Artis Gilmore in 1970 for the title, 80-69, and Villanova and Howard Porter in 1971, 68-62. 

Bill Walton then arrived in 1971.

Wicks had a good 10-year run in the NBA and was Rookie of the Year for Portland.  Rowe was solid for 8 seasons in the league.  Bibby played 9 seasons as a good backup guard. And Steve Patterson played five years in the NBA.

Brief Add-on up top by Tuesday a.m. Enjoy the national championship game.

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