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12/04/2023

Michigan vs. Alabama; Texas vs. Washington

Add-on posted early Tues. p.m.

NFL

--Pretty amazing when you look at the wild card picture.

AFC: Steelers (7-5), Browns (7-6), Colts (7-5)

Close behind: Texans (7-5), Broncos (6-6), Bills (6-6), Bengals (6-6)

NFC: Cowboys (9-3), Vikings (6-6), Packers (6-6)

Close behind: Rams (6-6), Seahawks (6-6), Bucs (5-7), Saints (5-7)

--Green Bay pulled into a WC position with a 27-19 win over the Chiefs (8-4), Patrick Mahomes (21/33, 210, 1-1, 79.1) outplayed by Jordan Love (25/36, 267, 3-0, 118.6), Love continuing his fine play.

Mahomes has 22 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, his 95.1 PR the worst of his career.

--The Steelers have lost quarterback Kenny Pickett to a high-ankle sprain and he is expected to miss 2-4 weeks, Pickett hurt in Pittsburgh’s dismal 24-10 loss to the 3-10 Cardinals Sunday.

--And then on Monday night, in Cincinnati’s surprising 34-31 overtime win in Jacksonville (8-4), the Bengals without Joe Burrow for the season, Jake Browning stepped in and was terrific.

Browning, the 27-year-old rookie out of the University of Washington, was 32/37, 354, 1-0, 115.5, as the Bengals pulled off the upset.  Browning also had a touchdown rushing.  He became just the 10th quarterback ever with at least 350 yards passing on at least an 85% completion percentage in a game.

The Jaguars not only lost the game, but lost QB Trevor Lawrence to an ugly-looking ankle injury, though initial reports are it’s a sprain.  Lawrence was able to use crutches postgame.  He’s never missed a game in his three-year career.

C.J. Beathard was at least 9 of 10 for 63 yards in place of Lawrence, who left early in the fourth quarter.

Evan McPherson’s 48-yarder ended the game in OT.

--In the late game Sunday, the 49ers moved to 9-3 with a signature win at Philadelphia (10-2), Brock Purdy nearly perfect again, 19/27, 314, 4-0, 148.8.

Yup, Purdy’s issues during his 3-game losing streak are long a thing of the past.  In 3 of his last four games, all wins, his passer rating has been 148 or better, including his El Perfecto of 158.3 against Tampa Bay.

--The Athletic first reported early Monday that Jets quarterback Zach Wilson said he was reluctant to play again this season, and for good reason.  He’s not going to be part of the team next year, so why risk injury, plus the Jets don’t exactly have the offensive line or weapons to help him succeed.

But this is the NFL, Kid!  If you’re told to play, you play.

So later Monday, Jets coach Robert Saleh said that wasn’t the case and that if Wilson was named to come back and start after the Tim Boyle experiment failed badly, he would be ready.

Wilson supposedly went to Saleh around 3 p.m. ET on Monday and expressed a desire to start.  No doubt the report had something to do with his approaching the coach.

Tuesday morning, New York sports talk radio excoriated both Wilson and the Jets’ organization.

By the way, the Jets have only 10 touchdowns in their first 12 games – the fewest since the Bengals did the same in 1993, according to ESPN.

--Pete M. noted that in the case of his Patriots, they have lost their last three by the following….

10-6, 10-7, 6-0…the first team in the Super Bowl era to go winless in a 3-game stretch in which they allowed no more than 10 points in any game.  Yes, the very definition of “pathetic”!

In the Jets’ 5-game losing streak, New York has scored 6, 12, 6, 13, and 8 points.

The Jets are at New England, Jan. 7, in a highly anticipated season finale. We’ll need an over/under on the crowd.

--Back to the Steelers, this Thursday night they take on the Pats in Pittsburgh, the over/under as I go to post 30.5, which would be the lowest since Pats-Bengals in 1993.  [2-11 New England beat 1-12 Cincinnati by a score of 7-2 in that game.]

This is what happens when you match up Mac Jones/Bailey Zappe vs. Pickett’s backup, Mitch Trubisky.

--Tyreek Hill had the 8th game of his career Sunday with 150+ receiving yards and 2+ TDs in Miami’s win over the Commanders, which moved him into a tie with Don Maynard for the 2nd most all time.  No. 1 is Jerry Rice with a staggering 17.

Maynard and Hill are alone at eight.  No one has seven.

--One player who has six 150+, 2 TD games, is Mike Evans.

Evans passed 1,000 yards for Tampa Bay on Sunday in the 21-18 win over the Panthers, thus exceeding 1,000 yards for a 10th straight season, Jerry Rice the only one with more at eleven. 

Overall, Rice had 14 seasons of at least 1,000 yards and Evans is now tied with Randy Moss for second at 10.

--I have to note that in the Rams’ 36-19 win over the Browns, Wake Forest’s Kobie Turner continued his superb rookie campaign at defensive tackle for LA., Turner with 1.5 sacks, 3.5 over the last two weeks, and becoming a real fan favorite.  I did not see this coming.  Turner was solid in his grad transfer year with the Deacs, but far from spectacular.  However, scouts saw enough to make him a third-round draft pick and it’s paying off.

College Football Review

--Caleb Williams informed USC he will not be playing in the Holiday Bowl against Louisville.  While he has until Jan. 15 to officially declare for the NFL draft, he said last month it would be unlikely he would sit out of the bowl game if he planned to return to college.  Backup quarterback Miller Moss will get the shot.

--As The Athletic pointed out this morning, over 1,000 college football players entered the transfer portal, Monday, shattering last year’s one-day record of 775.  This is equivalent to about 7 percent of all D1 football players.

I sure as hell am not trying to keep up, though I’ll look later today to see who else Wake Forest lost.

But it being all about quarterbacks, Washington State’s Cameron Ward, Ohio State’s Kyle McCord and Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel put their names in Monday, adding to Duke’s Riley Leonard, Oregon State’s DJ Uiagalelei and Kansas State’s Will Howard.  Most of them will get seven-figure NIL deals.

--Not for nuthin’ but I nailed the four finalists headed to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremonies this Saturday (8 p.m., ESPN)…Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr., Jayden Daniels, and Marvin Harrison Jr.  The first three were all transfers.

--As for the bowl games, on paper, the other New Year’s Six games are intriguing, Ohio State-Missouri, Penn State-Ole Miss, Florida State-Georgia, Oregon-Liberty, but who is going to be on the field after all the portal/NFL draft movement?

One thing we know, new stars will be born and some fans will thus have hope for 2024.

Rutgers gets a nice matchup for the Pinstripe Bowl (New York) against Miami.

I like Oklahoma-Arizona (even with no Dillon Gabriel), Dec. 28, but the freakin’ game begins at 9:15 ET!

--Lastly, as for the omission of Florida State in the playoffs, I’m already tired of the topic.  The Selection Committee did the right thing.  As the Washington Post’s Jerry Brewer put it, Mr. Brewer supporting FSU’s case:

“For their flawless 13-0 records, Michigan and Washington earned the top two seeds. A pair of 12-1 teams, Texas and Alabama completed the field. It was insufficient for such a loaded season. Seven Power Five squads finished with no more than a single loss.  Georgia (12-1), the two-time defending champion, couldn’t get in after losing for the first time in 30 contest during the SEC championship game against Alabama.  Ohio State (11-1) was locked out after losing a one-score game at Michigan. Throw in Oregon (11-2) – which appeared as complete as any team in the nation but lost two three-point decisions to Washington – and it would have been a captivating eight-team postseason showcase.

“Instead, we’re left to debate another beauty pageant rather than an authentic tournament.  And Florida State (13-0) was judged as pretty ugly.”

Look, we had a terrific college football season in terms of the top eight.  You saw how it didn’t move like the final five-six weeks, historic consistency in excellence.  Once Alabama’s Jalen Milroe ‘got his mind right,’ as the warden in ‘Cool Hand Luke’ would have said, Bama was as good as anyone.  I can’t stand Alabama…but I’m a pretty good college football fan.

I already stated my case against FSU.  It sucks for them.  I feel for the players and their fans.  But only four teams could make it and the committee picked the four best…today. 

We move on.  And now we hope these two semifinal matchups pan out as we expect them to.

--In the FCS (I-AA) quarterfinals this coming weekend we have….

Furman (10-2) at Montana (11-1); Villanova (10-2) at South Dakota State (12-0); North Dakota State (10-3) at South Dakota (10-2); UAlbany (10-3) at Idaho (9-3).

This last one is being played at Idaho’s unique dome stadium in Moscow, ID (more like a massive auditorium with a high ceiling), where I attended a game a number of years ago.  I’ll never forget the godawful, long drive after the night contest all the way back to Spokane, Washington, on an unlit highway, black ice…but here I am!

MLB

--With the Winter Meetings underway, the rumor mill is flying, except in the case of the highly secretive negotiations for Shohei Ohtani, who is now expected to command a contract that reaches $600 million, which is beyond absurd, when there is no certainty what kind of pitcher he’ll be in 2025, in all likelihood unavailable to pitch all of 2024 after Tommy John surgery.

That said, Ohtani will no doubt sign with the Giants or Dodgers, Seattle apparently out of the bidding, though Toronto is now in the mix.  The Mets and Yankees not part of this one.

But both New York teams are very much part of the Yoshinobu Yamamoto negotiations.

And a number of teams have reached out to the Padres concerning a trade for Juan Soto, but San Diego still has the rights to him for 2024, which will cost them $30 million in the arbitration process.

ESPN’s Buster Olney says a Soto trade, if it comes about, will be late January/early February.  The Yankees are definitely interested.

--Jim Leyland, the longtime manager who guided the Florida Marlins to the 1997 World Series title, with two A.L. pennants while managing the Detroit Tigers afterwards, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, being named on 15 of 16 ballots (12 required for enshrinement).

Lou Piniella was one short, named on 11 ballots.  Executive Bill White was listed on 10.

Leyland will become the 23rd person to be inducted into the Hall as manager and the first since 2014, when Joe Torre, Tony LaRussa and Bobby Cox were enshrined.

Leyland was asked to sum up what he tried to impart to his players over the years.

“I tried to impress upon them what it was to be a professional and how tough this game is to play,” he said. “And I told them almost every day how good they were.”

Leyland landed his first big-league job with the Pirates in 1986 and went on to win 1,769 games over a 22-year big league career that ended in 2013 with the Tigers.  He ranks 18th on the all-time managerial list.

Only Hall of Famer Joe McCarthy won more games among managers who never made the big leagues as a player.

Leyland was named Manager of the Year three times, twice in the National League (1990 and 1992) and once in the American League (2006).

--The Braves acquired Seattle outfielder Jarred Kelenic in a multi-player transaction Sunday, which Mets fans will now have to watch closely because Kelenic was once our prized prospect who was then part of the deal to acquire Edwin Diaz.

Kelenic has been a disappointment in his three seasons, 11 homers and 49 RBIS in 105 games last season for Seattle, .253 BA, .746 OPS.  But he has all the tools, still just 24, and we’re expecting he will now torment the Mets for years to come.

NBA

--In Monday’s In-Season Tournament quarterfinals, the Pacers advanced, 122-112 over the Celtics, rising superstar Tyrese Haliburton with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.

Indiana will face the winner of tonight’s Knicks-Bucks game.

The Pelicans took out the Kings, 127-117, Brandon Ingram with 30.  New Orleans will face the winner of Suns-Lakers.

--I have to go back to Saturday, Dallas playing Oklahoma City.  The Mavs’ Luka Doncic had 36 points, 18 assists and 15 rebounds, alas in a losing effort, 126-120.  But Doncic was the first to amass this stat line since Oscar Robertson.

The Mavericks had a 30-0 run in the game, taking them from down 24 points to up six midway through the fourth.

College Basketball

--New AP Poll…records thru Sunday…

1. Arizona (59) 7-0
2. Kansas (1) 7-1
3. Houston (3) 8-0
4. Purdue 7-1
5. UConn 7-1
6. Baylor 8-0
7. Gonzaga 6-1
8. Marquette 6-2
9. North Carolina 7-1
10. Creighton 7-1
11. Florida Atlantic 7-1
12. Texas 6-1
13. Colorado State 8-0…up 7

18. James Madison 8-0
22. Duke 5-3…down 15!*
24. Clemson 7-0

Northwestern didn’t crack the Top 25 despite beating Purdue…No. 29 if you carry out the votes.

*I haven’t seen any Tyrese Proctor injury update as I post.

Two big games Tuesday night…11 FAU at 20 Illinois, 9 North Carolina vs. 5 UConn, both at Madison Square Garden as part of the Jimmy V Classic.

Stuff

--Florida State won the NCAA Women’s National Soccer Championship, the program’s fourth title – all coming since 2014.  FSU beat Stanford on Monday night, finishing the season at 22-0-1, the first undefeated champion in over a decade.

--After 65 years, Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” finally made it to No. 1 – beating out Mariah Carey, no less.

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” which Lee recorded in 1958, when she was just 13, has been a standard for years, but in recent years, streaming playlists have given it a boost, sending the song to No. 2 multiple times, though until now it was always held from the top by Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which has hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart each holiday season for the last four years.

But Lee, now 78, has made a push in recent years, including a new music video and TikTok account.

“Rockin’” is credited with 34.9 million streams for the week, while “All I Want for Christmas” had 32.4 million.

Next Bar Chat, Sunday p.m.

-----

Posted early Sunday p.m., prior to late NFL games….

Add-on up top by Tues. evening….

College Football Playoff Quiz: For the first three CFP Championships, name the QBs in the title games.  You get some help.  2014-15 (Ohio State over Oregon); 2015-16 (Alabama over Clemson); 2016-17 (Clemson over Alabama).  Answers below.

College Football Review

Comments written prior to release of final CFP Rankings….

Heading into this week’s action, the rankings were:

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. Washington
4. Florida State
5. Oregon
6. Ohio State
7. Texas
8. Alabama

So Friday night, it was Oregon vs. Washington for the final Pac-12 Championship and a CFP berth.

The Ducks fell behind 20-3, only to get a late touchdown at the end of the half to cut it to 20-10.  What was clear, though, is that the Huskies were winning the line of scrimmage.  Dillon Johnson, for example, would rush for 152 yards on 28 carries, while the OU run game was non-existent, save for a 44-yard run by quarterback Bo Nix.

But there we were in the fourth quarter, 24-20 Oregon, after 21 unanswered points!  That’s when Michael Penix Jr. and Johnson decided to try to close things out, with two touchdown drives, 34-24, 2:44 to play.

Nix then did his thing, a 63-yard TD pass to Traeshon Holden, 34-31, still 2:14 left.

All the Ducks needed was a stop, but the defense couldn’t come up with one, Dillon Johnson an 18-yard run on 3rd-and-9 that wrapped it up.

Just another great game between these two, Washington having won the first contest 36-33.

“We didn’t play well enough to win,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said after.  “We didn’t have their number; they had ours.”

Bo Nix was solid, but unspectacular, 21/34, 239, 3-1, with 69 yards rushing, while fellow Heisman candidate Michael Penix Jr. was 27/39, 319, 1-1.

Nix was rather despondent when asked about his bowl game status, Oregon no doubt in a New Year’s Six contest.

“I’m just trying to get over that loss, I’m not thinking about anything else,” he said. “I think that’s why I’m in shock because I’m expecting a game next week and I’m expecting another opponent.  It’s tough when you’re used to go, go, go, and then when it ends it happens very quickly.”

As OU linebacker Jeff Bassa said postgame about the upcoming bowl game, “Obviously, there’s going to be guys that make decisions to leave and go into the NFL,” he said.  “And then there’s going to be guys that are going to leave and head into the portal.”

Both Nix and Penix should be among the four finalists for the Heisman in New York next Saturday, along with Jayden Daniels and Marvin Harrison Jr., says moi.  It’s still Bo Nix for the win!

Reminder, the ballots have to be in tomorrow, results announced later Monday.

For the Huskies, they become the first Pac-12 team to reach the playoff since the Huskies did so under former coach Chris Petersen in 2016.

--Also Friday night, 24 Liberty completed a perfect 13-0 season with a 49-35 win over New Mexico State (10-4) in the Conference USA championship, as Flames quarterback Kaidon Slater put on his best Jayden Daniels imitation…20/25, 319, 2-0 passing; 12 carries for 165 and a score on the ground. Pretty impressive. Former Demon Deacon Quinton Cooley had 71 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns to supplement Slater.

So Liberty put pressure on the Selection Committee in terms of the Group of Five, New Year’s Six bid.  The thing is, Liberty hasn’t played anybody.

--On to Saturday…7 Texas (12-1) took care of business in its final Big 12 Championship before heading off to the SEC, 49-21 over 18 Oklahoma State (9-4).

This game was never in doubt, 35-14 at the half, as quarterback Quinn Ewers went on to have his finest, and best-ever Big 12 Championship effort, 35/46, 452, 4-1, the Longhorns outgaining the Cowboys 662-281, holding the nation’s leading rusher, Ollie Gordon, to just 34 yards on 13 carries.

It was exactly the kind of dominating performance Texas needed for the Selection Committee.  Texas then sat back to see what would happen in the biggie, 8 Alabama vs. No. 1 Georgia.

--And Alabama (12-1) prevailed, 27-24, snapping Georgia’s 29-game winning streak, and creating chaos, depending on results later in the evening.

It was 27-17 Bama after a 75-yard touchdown drive with 5:47 to play, Georgia and quarterback Carson Beck drove it 75 to cut it to 27-24, 2:52 to play, the Bulldogs needing a stop, but Bama QB Jalen Milroe had two big runs, two first downs, and the Crimson Tide ran out the clock.

Milroe was far from spectacular, 13/23, 192, 2-0, but he got the job done when it mattered.

So at this point, to me, both Alabama and Texas deserved to make the playoffs, along with Washington and Michigan, assuming the Wolverines took care of 16 Iowa, which they then did, 26-0, in a painful game to watch, Michigan outgaining Iowa by 213-155, 12-7 in first downs, the two quarterbacks, J.J. McCarthy and the Hawkeyes’ Deacon Hill throwing it a combined 62 times for all of 267 yards.

But 2 Michigan, soon to be No. 1, is deservedly playoff bound.

--Which left 4 Florida State vs. 14 Louisville for the ACC title, and playing with their third-string quarterback, Brock Glenn, the Seminoles won it 16-6, in another incredibly boring contest, FSU outgaining Louisville 219-188, Glenn 8 for 21 for 55 yards.

I can’t help but add that Cardinals QB Jack Plummer was hideous, 14/36, 111, 0-1.  Yes, the Seminole defense had something to do with it, but this is not a top signal-caller, hasn’t been all season.

--So this left us with undefeateds Michigan, Washington and Florida State, along with Texas and Alabama.  The Selection Committee would have to pick four, and every single knowing football fan, save for those in Tallahassee (and even most of them know), that the Final Four has to be….

1. Michigan
2. Washington
3. Texas
4. Alabama

This is the only conclusion the committee can reach, and it sets up two outstanding semifinals.

But an undefeated Power 5 school has never been omitted from the playoffs.

Florida State, though, wouldn’t have a chance against Michigan, even with backup QB Tate Rodemaker, who would be back by then.  Plus no one ever said Rodemaker was any good. He’s barely played.

I’ll be pissed if the committee doesn’t do the right thing, for the sport and for the fans.  Now we wait….

And it’s in….

1. Michigan
2. Washington
3. Texas
4. Alabama

5. Florida State
6. Georgia

The committee did the right thing, and for so many of us, this was easy.  Yes, FSU is a different team without Jordan Travis.

Look at what Seminole receivers Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson did against Louisville last night.  Coleman, a first-round draft pick next spring, had four receptions for 19 yards, while Wilson, probably playing on Sundays himself, had two for 21.

You know what this reminds me of?  The drop-off Wake Forest had when they lost Sam Hartman to Notre Dame.  His replacements, literally until the last week of the season, could not connect with virtually the same group of receivers as Hartman had last year!

Hartman threw 38 touchdown passes for the Deacs in 2022, 18 to Jahmal Banks and Taylor Morin (9 each).

This season, Wake’s QBs had 14 TDs, Banks and Morin combined for 6.

This is what Florida State was facing when Jordan Travis went down.

The debate is over.

Instead, as college football fans, celebrate that we potentially have two outstanding games coming up.

--The AP Poll was released just prior to the CFP final six and….

1. Michigan (51)
2. Washington (11)
3. Texas
4. Florida State…1358 points
5. Alabama…1329
6. Georgia
7. Ohio State
8. Oregon

17. SMU
18. Liberty

Shockingly, Michigan is No. 1 in the AP for the first time since they won their last national championship in 1997.

--So, the CFP folks have to come up with a Group of Five pick for the New Year’s Six bowls, and it should be SMU, now 11-2 after defeating 22 Tulane (11-2) for the AAC championship.

SMU’s two losses were to Oklahoma and TCU and it has reeled off nine straight.  It deserves the bid over Liberty, but I can see the committee going either way….

…and it’s Liberty!

--The New Year’s Six….

Dec. 29…Cotton…9 Missouri vs. 7 Ohio State
Dec. 30…Peach…11 Ole Miss vs. 10 Penn State
Dec. 30…Orange…6 Georgia vs. 5 Florida State
Jan. 1…Fiesta…23 Liberty vs. 8 Oregon

Jan. 1…Rose…4 Alabama vs. 1 Michigan…5:00 PM ET
Jan. 1…Sugar…3 Texas vs. 2 Washington…8:45 PM

Now we wait to see, in the case of the first four of the New Year’s Six, which players decide to show up…specifically Marvin Harrison Jr. and Bo Nix.  Highly unlikely.

But I’m super pissed the Sugar Bowl is starting at 8:45, which will end up being 9:00.  This is absurd…who the hell is going to stay up for this?  I know what I’ll be doing.  Watching the first half and if the game is good…taking a nap and hoping to wake up with 10:00 to play.

And it’s a school night!

I’ll go through the other bowl games, as necessary, in my Add-on, Tuesday.

--Troy completed its second straight terrific season under coach Jon Sumrall (who will be moving up to a Power 5 job shortly), winning the Sun Belt Championship, 49-23 over Appalachian State (8-5).

The Trojans are 11-2, after going 12-2 last year.

--Indiana hired James Madison coach Curt Cignetti as its next head football coach, replacing Tom Allen, who was 33-49 with two bowl appearances in seven seasons.

Cignetti was 52-9 in five seasons with JMU, 14-8 at Elon and 53-17 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

--Oregon State promoted defensive coordinator Trent Bray to head coach.  Bray was the Beavers’ DC for 2 ½ seasons and has been with the program for 10 overall.

Michigan State hired former Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith for the same position.

As for Oregon State and Washington State and the 2024 season, they are finalizing a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West that will provide the two with games for at least next season while providing time for the two schools to sort out the collapse of the Pac-12 and what to do with its assets.  They also need to figure out a media rights deal for themselves.

--Duke starting quarterback Riley Leonard entered the transfer portal Wednesday, after playing in just seven games this season due to toe and ankle injuries.

With Duke head coach Mike Elko going to Texas A&M, this is zero surprise and ESPN is reporting Leonard could go to Notre Dame to replace Sam Hartman.

Until his injury, Leonard was surging on the 2024 NFL Draft board.  He’s a tremendous athlete.

--Speaking of the portal, I went through it this morning and Wake Forest is losing a ton of key offensive players.  But every school is going through this mess.   I was happy, however, to see quarterback Mitch Griffis enter the portal, and very unhappy that QB Santino Marucci did as well.  As Charlie Brown would have said, “Drat!”

--Caleb Williams told the Los Angeles Times it’s “a game-time decision” whether he declares for the NFL, the deadline for his decision being Jan. 15.  I would doubt he plays in USC’s bowl game, regardless of whether he has made his mind up to return by then.

--Deion Sanders, coach of a 4-8 football team, was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year.

The Buffaloes had one of the worst defenses in the nation, allowing 453.3 yards and 34.8 points per game, and their offense nosedived after a thrilling start, failing to reach 20 points in four of their final five games.  None of their four victories came against a team that finished with a winning record.  Only one team in the nation committed more penalties than Colorado.

And yet there he is, with this once esteemed honor.

Given SI’s recent artificial intelligence scandal, there were many jokes about whether the honor was bestowed by the same AI that had written consumer product reviews for the publication, bylined by fake writers.  Or whether the honor was decided upon in September.

SI’s Pat Forde, in the accompanying article, wrote that Deion was being lauded for his “paradigm-shifting, precedent-shattering work” and for his galvanizing effect on the school (applications to Colorado have skyrocketed, particularly from African American students, and the Buffaloes sold out every football game for the first time).

It should have gone to Lionel Messi.

Meanwhile, Deion has lost three assistant coaches and had three top recruits de-commit.  Like I said a while back, all kinds of rumblings in Boulder.

NFL

--Thursday night, Dallas improved to 9-3 with their 14th straight win at home, 41-35 over the Seahawks (6-6).  The Cowboys were down 35-27 in the fourth before rallying for two field goals and a touchdown pass from Dak Prescott.

I said last week that Prescott was a definite MVP candidate and after another sterling game (29/41, 299, 3-0, 115.8) he is right there, certainly top three.  In fact, according to BetMGM, Dak is second behind just Jalen Hurts.

Next Sunday night is a biggie, a rematch with Hurts’ Eagles, who won the first meeting 28-23.

In defeat, Geno Smtih threw three touchdowns to D.K. Metcalf (6-134-3), including a 73-yarder.  But it’s Seattle’s third straight loss to drop them to .500.

Dallas’ Brandon Aubrey kicked four field goals to extend the 28-year-old rookie’s NFL record to 26 consecutive makes to start a career.

--Aaron Rodgers was cleared to practice, but most of us do not want him to play, and he won’t, unless the Jets suddenly reel off a winning streak.

But Thursday, Rodgers, watching from the sideline, threw his weight of support behind the Jets keeping their much-criticized leadership in place…GM Joe Douglas, head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

“I feel like the recipe is in place to be really successful, whether it’s finishing up this year or starting fresh next year,” Rodgers said.  “I feel like with those guys in a position of leadership, this team can get to where it wants to go.”

Rodgers called it a “trap question” when asked if his return next season – instead of retirement – is tied to owner Woody Johnson not making changes.

Well, my Jets were godawful today, losing 13-8 to the Falcons (6-6), despite the defense holding Atlanta to 194 yards of total offense.

At 4-8, Me thinks Mr. Rodgers will still be in his lair, in Upper Montclair, views of Gotham from his windows as he plots his future, dark thoughts no doubt seeping into his brain.

--Among today’s other early games, we had a thriller in Foxborough, the Chargers moving to 5-7 with a 6-0 win over the Patriots, 2-10.  Justin Herbert threw a 3-hitter, 8 Ks, 2 walks. 

The Dolphins are 9-3 following a more conventional game, 45-15 over the Comanches, 4-9. Tyreek Hill was 4-152-2 in the first half but wasn’t needed in the second.

Comanche Chief Iron Jacket was ineffective.

Detroit is 9-3 after holding on to beat the Saints (5-7) 33-28, the Lions up 24-7 at the half.

Houston (7-5) picked up a big win over Denver (6-6), 22-17, as C.J. Stroud threw for 274 yards, 191 of them going to Nico Collins.  Russell Wilson turned into “Bad Russell,” 3 interceptions.

The Colts (7-5) had a huge win in OT just now over the Titans (4-8), 31-28, Gardner Minshew taking his team 75 yards for the win in Nashville.

--Bills linebacker Von Miller turned himself in to police in a Dallas suburb on Thursday after he was charged in a warrant with domestic violence against the mother of his children, who is pregnant, police said.

Dallas police confirmed that the 34-year-old Miller surrendered to police to face a charge of third-degree felony assault of a pregnant woman, which is punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Miller was freed after posting a $5,000 bond.

The alleged assault occurred on Wednesday, according to a police affidavit in which officers wrote that Miller twice put his hands on the neck of the woman, pulled a chunk of her hair and threw her onto a couch.  The woman was treated for minor injuries, including bruising on her neck, police said.

The Bills are on a bye week, the team saying it is gathering information.

Miller is an eight-time Pro Bowler, who signed a six-year, $120 million contract with the Bills in 2022 after winning the Super Bowl with the Rams.  He has 123.5 career sacks.

College Basketball

--Going back to Tuesday, after I last posted, 12 Kentucky defeated 8 Miami in the ACC/SEC Challenge, 95-73.

Wednesday, Arkansas upset 7 Duke 80-75, while 17 North Carolina defeated 10 Tennessee, 100-92, and Virginia upset 14 Texas A&M, 59-47.

Two weeks earlier, Arkansas had lost at home to UNC-Greensboro.

Wake Forest picked up a badly needed win over a solid Florida team, 82-71, finally beating a Power 6 school.

But then we had the biggie at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas, Friday night…the last two NCAA champions, UConn visiting Kansas, and the No. 5 Jayhawks prevailed in a thriller, 69-65 over 4 UConn in the Big East/Big 12 Battle.

There were more than 30 NBA scouts credentialed for the game, as Kansas (7-1), the preseason No. 1, overcame a brilliant offensive performance from UConn guard Tristen Newton, who had a game- and career-high 31 points, the Huskies picking up their first loss, now 7-1.

Hunter Dickinson had 15 points and 9 rebounds for Kansas, the atmosphere at the best place to watch a college basketball game, “nuts,” as Dickinson put it.  “Phog Allen, it’s a different environment.  There’s a reason why coach Self has so many wins and so few losses out there,” he added.

But also Friday, Northwestern knocked off No. 1 Purdue, the second year in a row the Wildcats have pulled this off, 92-88, as Ty Berry hit two clutch free throws with 6.1 seconds left to seal it in overtime.

Northwestern had hit a field goal with three seconds left in regulation to put them up by two, but Purdue responded on a lob in from the sideline to Zach Edey to force OT.  Edey finished with 35 points and 14 rebounds.

Wildcat guard Boo Buie, a true star, had 31 points and 9 assists.

Northwestern, 6-1, will be ranked after this.  Purdue suffered its first loss, 7-1, as they shot just 5 of 19 from 3.

Saturday, we had more upsets.  3 Marquette fell to 6-2, losing to Wisconsin (6-2), 75-64.

7 Duke (5-3) lost at Georgia Tech (4-2), 72-68, and also lost potential All-American guard Tyrese Proctor to an ankle injury, extent not known at this point.

UNC-Wilmington (6-2) pulled off a shocker in Lexington, defeating 12 Kentucky (6-2) 80-73.  The Seahawks were 18.5-point underdogs.

And 18 Villanova (6-3) lost to Drexel (5-3) 57-55.

So a further shakeup in the polls come Monday.

20 Colorado State (8-0) is going to move up at least 3 spots after good wins over Colorado and Washington.

Just saying “Colorado State” is kind of cool.

Pete M.’s Colgate Red Raiders (4-4) failed to cover the 23.5-point spread at No. 2 Arizona yesterday, 82-55.

Actually, I’m expecting Colgate’s very experienced club to make the Big Dance come March.

--Bronny James has returned to practice for USC, four months after he suffered cardiac arrest during a practice session.  Whenever he debuts, father LeBron has said he’ll skip a Lakers game if there is a conflict.

NBA

--Love it or hate it, the NBA’s In-Season Tournament is now in the knockout stage:

West

Suns (wild card) at Lakers
Pelicans at Kings

East

Knicks (wild card) at Bucks
Celtics at Pacers

All four teams that went 4-0 in the group stage are hosting quarterfinal games.

Of course, as a Knicks fan, I love it!

Games are Monday and Tuesday, the only contests on the schedule.

Quarterfinal losers take home $50,000; the semifinal losers $100,000; the runners-up $200,000; and the champions $500,000.

Many of the players have talked of divvying up any $dollars earned with the other members of the team, or assistant coaches, not making the money most of them do.

--Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is selling a majority stake in the franchise to casino magnate Miriam Adelson (widow of Sheldon Adelson) and her family, a bombshell transaction few saw coming. Cuban will retain shares and, crucially, stay in charge of basketball operations.

Cuban wants to partner with Adelson (and her affiliated casino company, the Las Vegas Sands) to build a new arena with gambling operations attached.

Cuban bought the Mavs in 2000 for $285 million.  The franchise, for the purposes of the deal, is valued at $3.5 billion, Cuban retaining a minority stake.

--Maverick Carter, the longtime manager and business partner of LeBron James, admitted to betting on NBA games through an illegal bookie, according to federal law enforcement records reviewed by the Washington Post.

Carter made the admission during a November 2021 interview with federal agents investigating bookie Wayne Nix, who has since pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his role running a sprawling sports-betting ring.  Carter told agents he “could not remember placing any bets on the Lakers,” according to a summary of the interview.

NBA policies bar players, team and league officials from gambling on NBA games, but the league does not have purview over business managers or agents.

MLB

--The Winter Meetings commence Monday in Nashville, so let the fun begin.  Either this week, or most likely shortly thereafter, we should learn where Shohei Ohtani and Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto are signing, and whether the Padres will be trading Juan Soto (or they’ll wait to see where they are at next season’s trade date).

Us Mets fans want Yamamoto in the worst way, but I’d settle for the other two Japanese pitchers that are available, if we got them both.  Because, boys and girls, we desperately need pitching!

Golf Balls

--In a press conference ahead of his Hero World Challenge, Tiger Woods addressed reporters for the first time in nearly eight months – having gone through fusion surgery on his right ankle that kept him out of golf, the PGA Tour’s shocking agreement with the backers of LIV Golf and his decision to join the PGA Tour board for the first time in his career.

Woods was most candid about his frustration that he and other players were blindsided by the secret negotiations by Commissioner Jay Monahan and two high-profile board members that led to the agreement announced June 6 with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

But Tiger expressed faith in Monahan as one reason he then agreed to join the board, “what he can do going forward and what can’t happen again.”

Tiger was vague on details, as board negotiations are private.

“All the parties are talking and we’re aggressively working on trying to get a deal done,” he said.  “We’re all trying to make sure that the process is better, too.  So the implementation of governance is one of the main topics (along) with getting the deal done, but making sure it’s done the right way.”

“I am confident a deal will get done in some way,” Woods said.  “Whether that comes Dec. 31 or is pushed back, all sides understand we’re working together.”

As to his health, Tiger said: “I don’t have any of the ankle pain that I had with the hardware that’s been placed in my foot. That’s all gone.  The other parts of my body, my knee hurts, my back. The forces go somewhere else.  Just like when I had my back fused, the forces have to go somewhere.  So it’s up the chain.”

Regarding 2024, Tiger sounded optimistic, like a schedule of playing once a month.  It was thus surmised that perhaps Riviera in February, The Players in March, and the majors in April, May, June and July.

--As for the tournament itself, after Tiger’s third round, Saturday, he said “I’m very excited how the week’s turned out,” saying his body recovered each day better than he expected, which has him optimistic looking ahead.  Great to hear.

Today, after round four, he said he was hurting, but thought the potential schedule of one tournament a month was doable, Tiger 75-70-71-72 for the event, even-par.

Will Zalatoris, playing his first competitive golf since back surgery, struggled mightily…81-68-79-71.

Scottie Scheffler ended up winning the 20-man event by 3 over Sepp Straka.

--Luke Donald is returning as European Ryder Cup captain, leading his team to Bethpage Black in 2025.  It is going to be nuts there.

--Back to the negotiations between the PGA Tour and PIF, commissioner Monahan said this week at the New York Times Dealbook Summit that he was going to meet this coming week with Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

“We’re having conversations with multiple parties,” Monahan said.  “The deadline for our conversations with PIF, as you know, is a firm target.  I’ll be with Yasir next week. And we continue to advance our conversations. And I think it’s pretty well known that there’s a large number of other interested parties that we’re also pushing to think about.”

Those other parties reportedly include Fenway Sports Group and KKR & Co. investment firm co-founder Henry Kravis, with others in the wings.

Monahan said ideally the Tour would end up with a combined deal that not only includes PIF but also another co-investor.

The commissioner also spoke openly about his mental health issues from last June and all the pressures, and why he had to step away for a while.

“And I knew the perception was that I was running away from a fight.  And that was excruciating. That hurt me to my core.”

Premier League

Saturday, Arsenal beat the Wolves 2-1 to stay on top; Newcastle defeated Manchester United 1-0; and Everton picked up a win on the road, 1-0, at Nottingham, as they struggle to return from their 10-point penalty.

Today, Liverpool needed two late goals to pull out a 4-3 win at home over Fulham; while Tottenham picked up a great point at Manchester City, 3-3.  In this one, the Spurs’ Son Heung-min became the first in 24 years to score a goal and an own goal in the opening 10 minutes of a PL match.

Standings after 14 of 38

1. Arsenal…33 points
2. Liverpool…31
3. Man City…30
4. Aston Villa…29
5. Tottenham…27
6. Newcastle…26

Stuff

--NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship is down to a Final Four (this year in Louisville).

Clemson vs. West Virginia; Notre Dame vs. Oregon State

--In FIS Alpine World Cup action this weekend in Tremblant, Canada, Mikaela Shiffrin picked up two thirds in giant slalom races, both won by Federica Brignone of Italy.

Meanwhile, the men have literally had five of their first six races of the season postponed due to heavy snow and wind.  Snow has been in short supply in recent years on the circuit, so at least this is kind of a positive, but this will really jam up the schedule for the boys later on.

The men lost all three races this weekend in Beaver Creek, Colorado, due to the snows you are hearing about.

--Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor died Friday, and she makes Bar Chat for a famous incident in 1985 with then-Redskins running back John Riggins at a black-tie event in Washington.

As the oft-told story goes, O’Connor and Riggins, who was intoxicated, were seated together at the annual “Salute to Congress” event.

Riggins recalled that he had been drinking beers with a friend most of the afternoon, ordered a double scotch upon his arrival at the event, and then opted to pass on dinner.  Then-Virginia Gov. Chuck Robb told the NFL Network that Riggins proceeded to knock over two bottles of red wine at their table.  And somewhere along the way came the now-famous interaction with then-Justice O’Connor.

“Come on Sandy, baby, loosen up,” Riggins told her.  “You’re too tight.”

Riggins has said they were told that O’Connor would need to leave the event early, and he was simply trying to keep the party rolling.

O’Connor ended up leaving early all the same, though she appeared to get a kick out of the exchange, referencing it at the start of a speech at Pepperdine University Law School a few days later, to raucous laughter.  And The Washingtonian reported that, when Riggins turned to acting and made his debut in a play, O’Connor showed up “and presented him with a dozen roses.”

Riggins told Roll Call that he even considered O’Connor a friend, despite the embarrassing encounter.

“I was already thinking that this is going to be on my tombstone, and that’s what she said to me,” Riggins noted.   “We’re linked together for life – which is good for me, but not so good for her.” [Tom Schad / USA TODAY]

--Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s right-hand man for nearly 50 years, had some Bar Chat worthy advice.

Munger, who died at the age of 99, once noted that when he was assigned to Nome, Alaska, as part of his military service during World War II, he developed a talent that would serve him well.

“Playing poker in the Army and as a young lawyer honed my business skills,” Munger told Janet Lowe in her 2000 book, “Damn Right! Behind the Scenes with Berkshire Hathway Billionaire Charlie Munger.”

“What you have to learn is to fold early when the odds are against you,” he said, “or if you have a big edge, back it heavily, because you don’t get a big edge often, so seize it when it does come.”

I also liked how Munger liked to say he had a black belt in chutzpah.

--Depressing news on the wildlife front.  The North American wolverine is endangered, with just 300 surviving in the contiguous U.S., according to reports this week.  They live in fragmented, isolated groups at high elevations in the northern Rocky Mountains.  They need mountain snowpack and it’s shrinking.  [The population in Alaska is stable.]

“Wolverine” being a solid top ten on the All-Species List, “Man” down to 848.

--We note the passing of singer and songwriter Shane MacGowan, 65.  He was best known as the frontman of The Pogues, whose single “Fairytale of New York” has become a Christmas staple.

MacGowan died of pneumonia, but had been in poor health for years.

Irish President Michael D. Higgins said in a statement that MacGowan would be remembered “as one of music’s greatest lyricists.”

After opening for The Clash on their 1984 tour, The Pogues rose to prominence with hits such as Dark Streets of London.  Their second album, Rum, Sodomy & the Lash, produced by Elvis Costello, showcased MacGowan’s obvious songwriting talents through songs like The Old Main Drag.

They grew in popularity over the next 10 years, releasing popular singles such as The Irish Rover with The Dubliners, and a cover of Ewan MacColl’s Dirty Old Town.

Their third album, If I Should Fall from Grace with God, featured one of their biggest hits, the duet Fairytale of New York alongside Kirsty MacColl, who died aged 41 in 2000 in a jet-ski incident.

In 1991, MacGowan was removed from The Pogues due to concerns over how his unreliability, hard-partying and erratic behavior created difficulties for the band.

Top 3 songs for the week 12/6/80: #1 “Lady” (Kenny Rogers)  #2 “More Than I Can Say” (Leo Sayer)  #3 “Another One Bites The Dust” (Queen)…and…#4 “Woman In Love” (Barbra Streisand)  #5 “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” (Stevie Wonder)  #6 “(Just Like) Starting Over” (John Lennon)  #7 “Love On The Rocks” (Neil Diamond) #8 “Hungry Heart” (Bruce Springsteen)  #9 “I’m Coming Out” (Diana Ross)  #10 “Dreaming” (Cliff Richard…C- week…)

College Football Playoff Quiz Answers:

2014-15…Ohio State 42…Oregon 20…Cardale Jones, Marcus Mariota…Ezekiel Elliott 36 carries for 246 yards and 4 touchdowns.

2015-16…Alabama 45…Clemson 40…Jake Coker, Deshaun Watson…Derrick Henry 36 carries for 158 yards and 3 touchdowns, O.J. Howard 5 receptions for 208 yards and 2 TDs.

2016-17…Clemson 35…Alabama 31…Deshaun Watson, Jalen Hurts…Hunter Renfroe had 10 receptions for 92 yards and 2 touchdown receptions for a second straight year, cementing his big-game reputation.

But Deshaun Watson threw for 405 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2016, and then 420 yards and 3 TDs in 2017…Renfroe catching the winning 2-yard TD pass with 0:01 left on the clock in the latter.

Brief Add-on up top by Tuesday evening….



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Bar Chat

12/04/2023

Michigan vs. Alabama; Texas vs. Washington

Add-on posted early Tues. p.m.

NFL

--Pretty amazing when you look at the wild card picture.

AFC: Steelers (7-5), Browns (7-6), Colts (7-5)

Close behind: Texans (7-5), Broncos (6-6), Bills (6-6), Bengals (6-6)

NFC: Cowboys (9-3), Vikings (6-6), Packers (6-6)

Close behind: Rams (6-6), Seahawks (6-6), Bucs (5-7), Saints (5-7)

--Green Bay pulled into a WC position with a 27-19 win over the Chiefs (8-4), Patrick Mahomes (21/33, 210, 1-1, 79.1) outplayed by Jordan Love (25/36, 267, 3-0, 118.6), Love continuing his fine play.

Mahomes has 22 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, his 95.1 PR the worst of his career.

--The Steelers have lost quarterback Kenny Pickett to a high-ankle sprain and he is expected to miss 2-4 weeks, Pickett hurt in Pittsburgh’s dismal 24-10 loss to the 3-10 Cardinals Sunday.

--And then on Monday night, in Cincinnati’s surprising 34-31 overtime win in Jacksonville (8-4), the Bengals without Joe Burrow for the season, Jake Browning stepped in and was terrific.

Browning, the 27-year-old rookie out of the University of Washington, was 32/37, 354, 1-0, 115.5, as the Bengals pulled off the upset.  Browning also had a touchdown rushing.  He became just the 10th quarterback ever with at least 350 yards passing on at least an 85% completion percentage in a game.

The Jaguars not only lost the game, but lost QB Trevor Lawrence to an ugly-looking ankle injury, though initial reports are it’s a sprain.  Lawrence was able to use crutches postgame.  He’s never missed a game in his three-year career.

C.J. Beathard was at least 9 of 10 for 63 yards in place of Lawrence, who left early in the fourth quarter.

Evan McPherson’s 48-yarder ended the game in OT.

--In the late game Sunday, the 49ers moved to 9-3 with a signature win at Philadelphia (10-2), Brock Purdy nearly perfect again, 19/27, 314, 4-0, 148.8.

Yup, Purdy’s issues during his 3-game losing streak are long a thing of the past.  In 3 of his last four games, all wins, his passer rating has been 148 or better, including his El Perfecto of 158.3 against Tampa Bay.

--The Athletic first reported early Monday that Jets quarterback Zach Wilson said he was reluctant to play again this season, and for good reason.  He’s not going to be part of the team next year, so why risk injury, plus the Jets don’t exactly have the offensive line or weapons to help him succeed.

But this is the NFL, Kid!  If you’re told to play, you play.

So later Monday, Jets coach Robert Saleh said that wasn’t the case and that if Wilson was named to come back and start after the Tim Boyle experiment failed badly, he would be ready.

Wilson supposedly went to Saleh around 3 p.m. ET on Monday and expressed a desire to start.  No doubt the report had something to do with his approaching the coach.

Tuesday morning, New York sports talk radio excoriated both Wilson and the Jets’ organization.

By the way, the Jets have only 10 touchdowns in their first 12 games – the fewest since the Bengals did the same in 1993, according to ESPN.

--Pete M. noted that in the case of his Patriots, they have lost their last three by the following….

10-6, 10-7, 6-0…the first team in the Super Bowl era to go winless in a 3-game stretch in which they allowed no more than 10 points in any game.  Yes, the very definition of “pathetic”!

In the Jets’ 5-game losing streak, New York has scored 6, 12, 6, 13, and 8 points.

The Jets are at New England, Jan. 7, in a highly anticipated season finale. We’ll need an over/under on the crowd.

--Back to the Steelers, this Thursday night they take on the Pats in Pittsburgh, the over/under as I go to post 30.5, which would be the lowest since Pats-Bengals in 1993.  [2-11 New England beat 1-12 Cincinnati by a score of 7-2 in that game.]

This is what happens when you match up Mac Jones/Bailey Zappe vs. Pickett’s backup, Mitch Trubisky.

--Tyreek Hill had the 8th game of his career Sunday with 150+ receiving yards and 2+ TDs in Miami’s win over the Commanders, which moved him into a tie with Don Maynard for the 2nd most all time.  No. 1 is Jerry Rice with a staggering 17.

Maynard and Hill are alone at eight.  No one has seven.

--One player who has six 150+, 2 TD games, is Mike Evans.

Evans passed 1,000 yards for Tampa Bay on Sunday in the 21-18 win over the Panthers, thus exceeding 1,000 yards for a 10th straight season, Jerry Rice the only one with more at eleven. 

Overall, Rice had 14 seasons of at least 1,000 yards and Evans is now tied with Randy Moss for second at 10.

--I have to note that in the Rams’ 36-19 win over the Browns, Wake Forest’s Kobie Turner continued his superb rookie campaign at defensive tackle for LA., Turner with 1.5 sacks, 3.5 over the last two weeks, and becoming a real fan favorite.  I did not see this coming.  Turner was solid in his grad transfer year with the Deacs, but far from spectacular.  However, scouts saw enough to make him a third-round draft pick and it’s paying off.

College Football Review

--Caleb Williams informed USC he will not be playing in the Holiday Bowl against Louisville.  While he has until Jan. 15 to officially declare for the NFL draft, he said last month it would be unlikely he would sit out of the bowl game if he planned to return to college.  Backup quarterback Miller Moss will get the shot.

--As The Athletic pointed out this morning, over 1,000 college football players entered the transfer portal, Monday, shattering last year’s one-day record of 775.  This is equivalent to about 7 percent of all D1 football players.

I sure as hell am not trying to keep up, though I’ll look later today to see who else Wake Forest lost.

But it being all about quarterbacks, Washington State’s Cameron Ward, Ohio State’s Kyle McCord and Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel put their names in Monday, adding to Duke’s Riley Leonard, Oregon State’s DJ Uiagalelei and Kansas State’s Will Howard.  Most of them will get seven-figure NIL deals.

--Not for nuthin’ but I nailed the four finalists headed to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremonies this Saturday (8 p.m., ESPN)…Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr., Jayden Daniels, and Marvin Harrison Jr.  The first three were all transfers.

--As for the bowl games, on paper, the other New Year’s Six games are intriguing, Ohio State-Missouri, Penn State-Ole Miss, Florida State-Georgia, Oregon-Liberty, but who is going to be on the field after all the portal/NFL draft movement?

One thing we know, new stars will be born and some fans will thus have hope for 2024.

Rutgers gets a nice matchup for the Pinstripe Bowl (New York) against Miami.

I like Oklahoma-Arizona (even with no Dillon Gabriel), Dec. 28, but the freakin’ game begins at 9:15 ET!

--Lastly, as for the omission of Florida State in the playoffs, I’m already tired of the topic.  The Selection Committee did the right thing.  As the Washington Post’s Jerry Brewer put it, Mr. Brewer supporting FSU’s case:

“For their flawless 13-0 records, Michigan and Washington earned the top two seeds. A pair of 12-1 teams, Texas and Alabama completed the field. It was insufficient for such a loaded season. Seven Power Five squads finished with no more than a single loss.  Georgia (12-1), the two-time defending champion, couldn’t get in after losing for the first time in 30 contest during the SEC championship game against Alabama.  Ohio State (11-1) was locked out after losing a one-score game at Michigan. Throw in Oregon (11-2) – which appeared as complete as any team in the nation but lost two three-point decisions to Washington – and it would have been a captivating eight-team postseason showcase.

“Instead, we’re left to debate another beauty pageant rather than an authentic tournament.  And Florida State (13-0) was judged as pretty ugly.”

Look, we had a terrific college football season in terms of the top eight.  You saw how it didn’t move like the final five-six weeks, historic consistency in excellence.  Once Alabama’s Jalen Milroe ‘got his mind right,’ as the warden in ‘Cool Hand Luke’ would have said, Bama was as good as anyone.  I can’t stand Alabama…but I’m a pretty good college football fan.

I already stated my case against FSU.  It sucks for them.  I feel for the players and their fans.  But only four teams could make it and the committee picked the four best…today. 

We move on.  And now we hope these two semifinal matchups pan out as we expect them to.

--In the FCS (I-AA) quarterfinals this coming weekend we have….

Furman (10-2) at Montana (11-1); Villanova (10-2) at South Dakota State (12-0); North Dakota State (10-3) at South Dakota (10-2); UAlbany (10-3) at Idaho (9-3).

This last one is being played at Idaho’s unique dome stadium in Moscow, ID (more like a massive auditorium with a high ceiling), where I attended a game a number of years ago.  I’ll never forget the godawful, long drive after the night contest all the way back to Spokane, Washington, on an unlit highway, black ice…but here I am!

MLB

--With the Winter Meetings underway, the rumor mill is flying, except in the case of the highly secretive negotiations for Shohei Ohtani, who is now expected to command a contract that reaches $600 million, which is beyond absurd, when there is no certainty what kind of pitcher he’ll be in 2025, in all likelihood unavailable to pitch all of 2024 after Tommy John surgery.

That said, Ohtani will no doubt sign with the Giants or Dodgers, Seattle apparently out of the bidding, though Toronto is now in the mix.  The Mets and Yankees not part of this one.

But both New York teams are very much part of the Yoshinobu Yamamoto negotiations.

And a number of teams have reached out to the Padres concerning a trade for Juan Soto, but San Diego still has the rights to him for 2024, which will cost them $30 million in the arbitration process.

ESPN’s Buster Olney says a Soto trade, if it comes about, will be late January/early February.  The Yankees are definitely interested.

--Jim Leyland, the longtime manager who guided the Florida Marlins to the 1997 World Series title, with two A.L. pennants while managing the Detroit Tigers afterwards, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, being named on 15 of 16 ballots (12 required for enshrinement).

Lou Piniella was one short, named on 11 ballots.  Executive Bill White was listed on 10.

Leyland will become the 23rd person to be inducted into the Hall as manager and the first since 2014, when Joe Torre, Tony LaRussa and Bobby Cox were enshrined.

Leyland was asked to sum up what he tried to impart to his players over the years.

“I tried to impress upon them what it was to be a professional and how tough this game is to play,” he said. “And I told them almost every day how good they were.”

Leyland landed his first big-league job with the Pirates in 1986 and went on to win 1,769 games over a 22-year big league career that ended in 2013 with the Tigers.  He ranks 18th on the all-time managerial list.

Only Hall of Famer Joe McCarthy won more games among managers who never made the big leagues as a player.

Leyland was named Manager of the Year three times, twice in the National League (1990 and 1992) and once in the American League (2006).

--The Braves acquired Seattle outfielder Jarred Kelenic in a multi-player transaction Sunday, which Mets fans will now have to watch closely because Kelenic was once our prized prospect who was then part of the deal to acquire Edwin Diaz.

Kelenic has been a disappointment in his three seasons, 11 homers and 49 RBIS in 105 games last season for Seattle, .253 BA, .746 OPS.  But he has all the tools, still just 24, and we’re expecting he will now torment the Mets for years to come.

NBA

--In Monday’s In-Season Tournament quarterfinals, the Pacers advanced, 122-112 over the Celtics, rising superstar Tyrese Haliburton with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.

Indiana will face the winner of tonight’s Knicks-Bucks game.

The Pelicans took out the Kings, 127-117, Brandon Ingram with 30.  New Orleans will face the winner of Suns-Lakers.

--I have to go back to Saturday, Dallas playing Oklahoma City.  The Mavs’ Luka Doncic had 36 points, 18 assists and 15 rebounds, alas in a losing effort, 126-120.  But Doncic was the first to amass this stat line since Oscar Robertson.

The Mavericks had a 30-0 run in the game, taking them from down 24 points to up six midway through the fourth.

College Basketball

--New AP Poll…records thru Sunday…

1. Arizona (59) 7-0
2. Kansas (1) 7-1
3. Houston (3) 8-0
4. Purdue 7-1
5. UConn 7-1
6. Baylor 8-0
7. Gonzaga 6-1
8. Marquette 6-2
9. North Carolina 7-1
10. Creighton 7-1
11. Florida Atlantic 7-1
12. Texas 6-1
13. Colorado State 8-0…up 7

18. James Madison 8-0
22. Duke 5-3…down 15!*
24. Clemson 7-0

Northwestern didn’t crack the Top 25 despite beating Purdue…No. 29 if you carry out the votes.

*I haven’t seen any Tyrese Proctor injury update as I post.

Two big games Tuesday night…11 FAU at 20 Illinois, 9 North Carolina vs. 5 UConn, both at Madison Square Garden as part of the Jimmy V Classic.

Stuff

--Florida State won the NCAA Women’s National Soccer Championship, the program’s fourth title – all coming since 2014.  FSU beat Stanford on Monday night, finishing the season at 22-0-1, the first undefeated champion in over a decade.

--After 65 years, Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” finally made it to No. 1 – beating out Mariah Carey, no less.

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” which Lee recorded in 1958, when she was just 13, has been a standard for years, but in recent years, streaming playlists have given it a boost, sending the song to No. 2 multiple times, though until now it was always held from the top by Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which has hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart each holiday season for the last four years.

But Lee, now 78, has made a push in recent years, including a new music video and TikTok account.

“Rockin’” is credited with 34.9 million streams for the week, while “All I Want for Christmas” had 32.4 million.

Next Bar Chat, Sunday p.m.

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Posted early Sunday p.m., prior to late NFL games….

Add-on up top by Tues. evening….

College Football Playoff Quiz: For the first three CFP Championships, name the QBs in the title games.  You get some help.  2014-15 (Ohio State over Oregon); 2015-16 (Alabama over Clemson); 2016-17 (Clemson over Alabama).  Answers below.

College Football Review

Comments written prior to release of final CFP Rankings….

Heading into this week’s action, the rankings were:

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. Washington
4. Florida State
5. Oregon
6. Ohio State
7. Texas
8. Alabama

So Friday night, it was Oregon vs. Washington for the final Pac-12 Championship and a CFP berth.

The Ducks fell behind 20-3, only to get a late touchdown at the end of the half to cut it to 20-10.  What was clear, though, is that the Huskies were winning the line of scrimmage.  Dillon Johnson, for example, would rush for 152 yards on 28 carries, while the OU run game was non-existent, save for a 44-yard run by quarterback Bo Nix.

But there we were in the fourth quarter, 24-20 Oregon, after 21 unanswered points!  That’s when Michael Penix Jr. and Johnson decided to try to close things out, with two touchdown drives, 34-24, 2:44 to play.

Nix then did his thing, a 63-yard TD pass to Traeshon Holden, 34-31, still 2:14 left.

All the Ducks needed was a stop, but the defense couldn’t come up with one, Dillon Johnson an 18-yard run on 3rd-and-9 that wrapped it up.

Just another great game between these two, Washington having won the first contest 36-33.

“We didn’t play well enough to win,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said after.  “We didn’t have their number; they had ours.”

Bo Nix was solid, but unspectacular, 21/34, 239, 3-1, with 69 yards rushing, while fellow Heisman candidate Michael Penix Jr. was 27/39, 319, 1-1.

Nix was rather despondent when asked about his bowl game status, Oregon no doubt in a New Year’s Six contest.

“I’m just trying to get over that loss, I’m not thinking about anything else,” he said. “I think that’s why I’m in shock because I’m expecting a game next week and I’m expecting another opponent.  It’s tough when you’re used to go, go, go, and then when it ends it happens very quickly.”

As OU linebacker Jeff Bassa said postgame about the upcoming bowl game, “Obviously, there’s going to be guys that make decisions to leave and go into the NFL,” he said.  “And then there’s going to be guys that are going to leave and head into the portal.”

Both Nix and Penix should be among the four finalists for the Heisman in New York next Saturday, along with Jayden Daniels and Marvin Harrison Jr., says moi.  It’s still Bo Nix for the win!

Reminder, the ballots have to be in tomorrow, results announced later Monday.

For the Huskies, they become the first Pac-12 team to reach the playoff since the Huskies did so under former coach Chris Petersen in 2016.

--Also Friday night, 24 Liberty completed a perfect 13-0 season with a 49-35 win over New Mexico State (10-4) in the Conference USA championship, as Flames quarterback Kaidon Slater put on his best Jayden Daniels imitation…20/25, 319, 2-0 passing; 12 carries for 165 and a score on the ground. Pretty impressive. Former Demon Deacon Quinton Cooley had 71 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns to supplement Slater.

So Liberty put pressure on the Selection Committee in terms of the Group of Five, New Year’s Six bid.  The thing is, Liberty hasn’t played anybody.

--On to Saturday…7 Texas (12-1) took care of business in its final Big 12 Championship before heading off to the SEC, 49-21 over 18 Oklahoma State (9-4).

This game was never in doubt, 35-14 at the half, as quarterback Quinn Ewers went on to have his finest, and best-ever Big 12 Championship effort, 35/46, 452, 4-1, the Longhorns outgaining the Cowboys 662-281, holding the nation’s leading rusher, Ollie Gordon, to just 34 yards on 13 carries.

It was exactly the kind of dominating performance Texas needed for the Selection Committee.  Texas then sat back to see what would happen in the biggie, 8 Alabama vs. No. 1 Georgia.

--And Alabama (12-1) prevailed, 27-24, snapping Georgia’s 29-game winning streak, and creating chaos, depending on results later in the evening.

It was 27-17 Bama after a 75-yard touchdown drive with 5:47 to play, Georgia and quarterback Carson Beck drove it 75 to cut it to 27-24, 2:52 to play, the Bulldogs needing a stop, but Bama QB Jalen Milroe had two big runs, two first downs, and the Crimson Tide ran out the clock.

Milroe was far from spectacular, 13/23, 192, 2-0, but he got the job done when it mattered.

So at this point, to me, both Alabama and Texas deserved to make the playoffs, along with Washington and Michigan, assuming the Wolverines took care of 16 Iowa, which they then did, 26-0, in a painful game to watch, Michigan outgaining Iowa by 213-155, 12-7 in first downs, the two quarterbacks, J.J. McCarthy and the Hawkeyes’ Deacon Hill throwing it a combined 62 times for all of 267 yards.

But 2 Michigan, soon to be No. 1, is deservedly playoff bound.

--Which left 4 Florida State vs. 14 Louisville for the ACC title, and playing with their third-string quarterback, Brock Glenn, the Seminoles won it 16-6, in another incredibly boring contest, FSU outgaining Louisville 219-188, Glenn 8 for 21 for 55 yards.

I can’t help but add that Cardinals QB Jack Plummer was hideous, 14/36, 111, 0-1.  Yes, the Seminole defense had something to do with it, but this is not a top signal-caller, hasn’t been all season.

--So this left us with undefeateds Michigan, Washington and Florida State, along with Texas and Alabama.  The Selection Committee would have to pick four, and every single knowing football fan, save for those in Tallahassee (and even most of them know), that the Final Four has to be….

1. Michigan
2. Washington
3. Texas
4. Alabama

This is the only conclusion the committee can reach, and it sets up two outstanding semifinals.

But an undefeated Power 5 school has never been omitted from the playoffs.

Florida State, though, wouldn’t have a chance against Michigan, even with backup QB Tate Rodemaker, who would be back by then.  Plus no one ever said Rodemaker was any good. He’s barely played.

I’ll be pissed if the committee doesn’t do the right thing, for the sport and for the fans.  Now we wait….

And it’s in….

1. Michigan
2. Washington
3. Texas
4. Alabama

5. Florida State
6. Georgia

The committee did the right thing, and for so many of us, this was easy.  Yes, FSU is a different team without Jordan Travis.

Look at what Seminole receivers Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson did against Louisville last night.  Coleman, a first-round draft pick next spring, had four receptions for 19 yards, while Wilson, probably playing on Sundays himself, had two for 21.

You know what this reminds me of?  The drop-off Wake Forest had when they lost Sam Hartman to Notre Dame.  His replacements, literally until the last week of the season, could not connect with virtually the same group of receivers as Hartman had last year!

Hartman threw 38 touchdown passes for the Deacs in 2022, 18 to Jahmal Banks and Taylor Morin (9 each).

This season, Wake’s QBs had 14 TDs, Banks and Morin combined for 6.

This is what Florida State was facing when Jordan Travis went down.

The debate is over.

Instead, as college football fans, celebrate that we potentially have two outstanding games coming up.

--The AP Poll was released just prior to the CFP final six and….

1. Michigan (51)
2. Washington (11)
3. Texas
4. Florida State…1358 points
5. Alabama…1329
6. Georgia
7. Ohio State
8. Oregon

17. SMU
18. Liberty

Shockingly, Michigan is No. 1 in the AP for the first time since they won their last national championship in 1997.

--So, the CFP folks have to come up with a Group of Five pick for the New Year’s Six bowls, and it should be SMU, now 11-2 after defeating 22 Tulane (11-2) for the AAC championship.

SMU’s two losses were to Oklahoma and TCU and it has reeled off nine straight.  It deserves the bid over Liberty, but I can see the committee going either way….

…and it’s Liberty!

--The New Year’s Six….

Dec. 29…Cotton…9 Missouri vs. 7 Ohio State
Dec. 30…Peach…11 Ole Miss vs. 10 Penn State
Dec. 30…Orange…6 Georgia vs. 5 Florida State
Jan. 1…Fiesta…23 Liberty vs. 8 Oregon

Jan. 1…Rose…4 Alabama vs. 1 Michigan…5:00 PM ET
Jan. 1…Sugar…3 Texas vs. 2 Washington…8:45 PM

Now we wait to see, in the case of the first four of the New Year’s Six, which players decide to show up…specifically Marvin Harrison Jr. and Bo Nix.  Highly unlikely.

But I’m super pissed the Sugar Bowl is starting at 8:45, which will end up being 9:00.  This is absurd…who the hell is going to stay up for this?  I know what I’ll be doing.  Watching the first half and if the game is good…taking a nap and hoping to wake up with 10:00 to play.

And it’s a school night!

I’ll go through the other bowl games, as necessary, in my Add-on, Tuesday.

--Troy completed its second straight terrific season under coach Jon Sumrall (who will be moving up to a Power 5 job shortly), winning the Sun Belt Championship, 49-23 over Appalachian State (8-5).

The Trojans are 11-2, after going 12-2 last year.

--Indiana hired James Madison coach Curt Cignetti as its next head football coach, replacing Tom Allen, who was 33-49 with two bowl appearances in seven seasons.

Cignetti was 52-9 in five seasons with JMU, 14-8 at Elon and 53-17 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

--Oregon State promoted defensive coordinator Trent Bray to head coach.  Bray was the Beavers’ DC for 2 ½ seasons and has been with the program for 10 overall.

Michigan State hired former Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith for the same position.

As for Oregon State and Washington State and the 2024 season, they are finalizing a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West that will provide the two with games for at least next season while providing time for the two schools to sort out the collapse of the Pac-12 and what to do with its assets.  They also need to figure out a media rights deal for themselves.

--Duke starting quarterback Riley Leonard entered the transfer portal Wednesday, after playing in just seven games this season due to toe and ankle injuries.

With Duke head coach Mike Elko going to Texas A&M, this is zero surprise and ESPN is reporting Leonard could go to Notre Dame to replace Sam Hartman.

Until his injury, Leonard was surging on the 2024 NFL Draft board.  He’s a tremendous athlete.

--Speaking of the portal, I went through it this morning and Wake Forest is losing a ton of key offensive players.  But every school is going through this mess.   I was happy, however, to see quarterback Mitch Griffis enter the portal, and very unhappy that QB Santino Marucci did as well.  As Charlie Brown would have said, “Drat!”

--Caleb Williams told the Los Angeles Times it’s “a game-time decision” whether he declares for the NFL, the deadline for his decision being Jan. 15.  I would doubt he plays in USC’s bowl game, regardless of whether he has made his mind up to return by then.

--Deion Sanders, coach of a 4-8 football team, was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year.

The Buffaloes had one of the worst defenses in the nation, allowing 453.3 yards and 34.8 points per game, and their offense nosedived after a thrilling start, failing to reach 20 points in four of their final five games.  None of their four victories came against a team that finished with a winning record.  Only one team in the nation committed more penalties than Colorado.

And yet there he is, with this once esteemed honor.

Given SI’s recent artificial intelligence scandal, there were many jokes about whether the honor was bestowed by the same AI that had written consumer product reviews for the publication, bylined by fake writers.  Or whether the honor was decided upon in September.

SI’s Pat Forde, in the accompanying article, wrote that Deion was being lauded for his “paradigm-shifting, precedent-shattering work” and for his galvanizing effect on the school (applications to Colorado have skyrocketed, particularly from African American students, and the Buffaloes sold out every football game for the first time).

It should have gone to Lionel Messi.

Meanwhile, Deion has lost three assistant coaches and had three top recruits de-commit.  Like I said a while back, all kinds of rumblings in Boulder.

NFL

--Thursday night, Dallas improved to 9-3 with their 14th straight win at home, 41-35 over the Seahawks (6-6).  The Cowboys were down 35-27 in the fourth before rallying for two field goals and a touchdown pass from Dak Prescott.

I said last week that Prescott was a definite MVP candidate and after another sterling game (29/41, 299, 3-0, 115.8) he is right there, certainly top three.  In fact, according to BetMGM, Dak is second behind just Jalen Hurts.

Next Sunday night is a biggie, a rematch with Hurts’ Eagles, who won the first meeting 28-23.

In defeat, Geno Smtih threw three touchdowns to D.K. Metcalf (6-134-3), including a 73-yarder.  But it’s Seattle’s third straight loss to drop them to .500.

Dallas’ Brandon Aubrey kicked four field goals to extend the 28-year-old rookie’s NFL record to 26 consecutive makes to start a career.

--Aaron Rodgers was cleared to practice, but most of us do not want him to play, and he won’t, unless the Jets suddenly reel off a winning streak.

But Thursday, Rodgers, watching from the sideline, threw his weight of support behind the Jets keeping their much-criticized leadership in place…GM Joe Douglas, head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

“I feel like the recipe is in place to be really successful, whether it’s finishing up this year or starting fresh next year,” Rodgers said.  “I feel like with those guys in a position of leadership, this team can get to where it wants to go.”

Rodgers called it a “trap question” when asked if his return next season – instead of retirement – is tied to owner Woody Johnson not making changes.

Well, my Jets were godawful today, losing 13-8 to the Falcons (6-6), despite the defense holding Atlanta to 194 yards of total offense.

At 4-8, Me thinks Mr. Rodgers will still be in his lair, in Upper Montclair, views of Gotham from his windows as he plots his future, dark thoughts no doubt seeping into his brain.

--Among today’s other early games, we had a thriller in Foxborough, the Chargers moving to 5-7 with a 6-0 win over the Patriots, 2-10.  Justin Herbert threw a 3-hitter, 8 Ks, 2 walks. 

The Dolphins are 9-3 following a more conventional game, 45-15 over the Comanches, 4-9. Tyreek Hill was 4-152-2 in the first half but wasn’t needed in the second.

Comanche Chief Iron Jacket was ineffective.

Detroit is 9-3 after holding on to beat the Saints (5-7) 33-28, the Lions up 24-7 at the half.

Houston (7-5) picked up a big win over Denver (6-6), 22-17, as C.J. Stroud threw for 274 yards, 191 of them going to Nico Collins.  Russell Wilson turned into “Bad Russell,” 3 interceptions.

The Colts (7-5) had a huge win in OT just now over the Titans (4-8), 31-28, Gardner Minshew taking his team 75 yards for the win in Nashville.

--Bills linebacker Von Miller turned himself in to police in a Dallas suburb on Thursday after he was charged in a warrant with domestic violence against the mother of his children, who is pregnant, police said.

Dallas police confirmed that the 34-year-old Miller surrendered to police to face a charge of third-degree felony assault of a pregnant woman, which is punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Miller was freed after posting a $5,000 bond.

The alleged assault occurred on Wednesday, according to a police affidavit in which officers wrote that Miller twice put his hands on the neck of the woman, pulled a chunk of her hair and threw her onto a couch.  The woman was treated for minor injuries, including bruising on her neck, police said.

The Bills are on a bye week, the team saying it is gathering information.

Miller is an eight-time Pro Bowler, who signed a six-year, $120 million contract with the Bills in 2022 after winning the Super Bowl with the Rams.  He has 123.5 career sacks.

College Basketball

--Going back to Tuesday, after I last posted, 12 Kentucky defeated 8 Miami in the ACC/SEC Challenge, 95-73.

Wednesday, Arkansas upset 7 Duke 80-75, while 17 North Carolina defeated 10 Tennessee, 100-92, and Virginia upset 14 Texas A&M, 59-47.

Two weeks earlier, Arkansas had lost at home to UNC-Greensboro.

Wake Forest picked up a badly needed win over a solid Florida team, 82-71, finally beating a Power 6 school.

But then we had the biggie at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas, Friday night…the last two NCAA champions, UConn visiting Kansas, and the No. 5 Jayhawks prevailed in a thriller, 69-65 over 4 UConn in the Big East/Big 12 Battle.

There were more than 30 NBA scouts credentialed for the game, as Kansas (7-1), the preseason No. 1, overcame a brilliant offensive performance from UConn guard Tristen Newton, who had a game- and career-high 31 points, the Huskies picking up their first loss, now 7-1.

Hunter Dickinson had 15 points and 9 rebounds for Kansas, the atmosphere at the best place to watch a college basketball game, “nuts,” as Dickinson put it.  “Phog Allen, it’s a different environment.  There’s a reason why coach Self has so many wins and so few losses out there,” he added.

But also Friday, Northwestern knocked off No. 1 Purdue, the second year in a row the Wildcats have pulled this off, 92-88, as Ty Berry hit two clutch free throws with 6.1 seconds left to seal it in overtime.

Northwestern had hit a field goal with three seconds left in regulation to put them up by two, but Purdue responded on a lob in from the sideline to Zach Edey to force OT.  Edey finished with 35 points and 14 rebounds.

Wildcat guard Boo Buie, a true star, had 31 points and 9 assists.

Northwestern, 6-1, will be ranked after this.  Purdue suffered its first loss, 7-1, as they shot just 5 of 19 from 3.

Saturday, we had more upsets.  3 Marquette fell to 6-2, losing to Wisconsin (6-2), 75-64.

7 Duke (5-3) lost at Georgia Tech (4-2), 72-68, and also lost potential All-American guard Tyrese Proctor to an ankle injury, extent not known at this point.

UNC-Wilmington (6-2) pulled off a shocker in Lexington, defeating 12 Kentucky (6-2) 80-73.  The Seahawks were 18.5-point underdogs.

And 18 Villanova (6-3) lost to Drexel (5-3) 57-55.

So a further shakeup in the polls come Monday.

20 Colorado State (8-0) is going to move up at least 3 spots after good wins over Colorado and Washington.

Just saying “Colorado State” is kind of cool.

Pete M.’s Colgate Red Raiders (4-4) failed to cover the 23.5-point spread at No. 2 Arizona yesterday, 82-55.

Actually, I’m expecting Colgate’s very experienced club to make the Big Dance come March.

--Bronny James has returned to practice for USC, four months after he suffered cardiac arrest during a practice session.  Whenever he debuts, father LeBron has said he’ll skip a Lakers game if there is a conflict.

NBA

--Love it or hate it, the NBA’s In-Season Tournament is now in the knockout stage:

West

Suns (wild card) at Lakers
Pelicans at Kings

East

Knicks (wild card) at Bucks
Celtics at Pacers

All four teams that went 4-0 in the group stage are hosting quarterfinal games.

Of course, as a Knicks fan, I love it!

Games are Monday and Tuesday, the only contests on the schedule.

Quarterfinal losers take home $50,000; the semifinal losers $100,000; the runners-up $200,000; and the champions $500,000.

Many of the players have talked of divvying up any $dollars earned with the other members of the team, or assistant coaches, not making the money most of them do.

--Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is selling a majority stake in the franchise to casino magnate Miriam Adelson (widow of Sheldon Adelson) and her family, a bombshell transaction few saw coming. Cuban will retain shares and, crucially, stay in charge of basketball operations.

Cuban wants to partner with Adelson (and her affiliated casino company, the Las Vegas Sands) to build a new arena with gambling operations attached.

Cuban bought the Mavs in 2000 for $285 million.  The franchise, for the purposes of the deal, is valued at $3.5 billion, Cuban retaining a minority stake.

--Maverick Carter, the longtime manager and business partner of LeBron James, admitted to betting on NBA games through an illegal bookie, according to federal law enforcement records reviewed by the Washington Post.

Carter made the admission during a November 2021 interview with federal agents investigating bookie Wayne Nix, who has since pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his role running a sprawling sports-betting ring.  Carter told agents he “could not remember placing any bets on the Lakers,” according to a summary of the interview.

NBA policies bar players, team and league officials from gambling on NBA games, but the league does not have purview over business managers or agents.

MLB

--The Winter Meetings commence Monday in Nashville, so let the fun begin.  Either this week, or most likely shortly thereafter, we should learn where Shohei Ohtani and Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto are signing, and whether the Padres will be trading Juan Soto (or they’ll wait to see where they are at next season’s trade date).

Us Mets fans want Yamamoto in the worst way, but I’d settle for the other two Japanese pitchers that are available, if we got them both.  Because, boys and girls, we desperately need pitching!

Golf Balls

--In a press conference ahead of his Hero World Challenge, Tiger Woods addressed reporters for the first time in nearly eight months – having gone through fusion surgery on his right ankle that kept him out of golf, the PGA Tour’s shocking agreement with the backers of LIV Golf and his decision to join the PGA Tour board for the first time in his career.

Woods was most candid about his frustration that he and other players were blindsided by the secret negotiations by Commissioner Jay Monahan and two high-profile board members that led to the agreement announced June 6 with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

But Tiger expressed faith in Monahan as one reason he then agreed to join the board, “what he can do going forward and what can’t happen again.”

Tiger was vague on details, as board negotiations are private.

“All the parties are talking and we’re aggressively working on trying to get a deal done,” he said.  “We’re all trying to make sure that the process is better, too.  So the implementation of governance is one of the main topics (along) with getting the deal done, but making sure it’s done the right way.”

“I am confident a deal will get done in some way,” Woods said.  “Whether that comes Dec. 31 or is pushed back, all sides understand we’re working together.”

As to his health, Tiger said: “I don’t have any of the ankle pain that I had with the hardware that’s been placed in my foot. That’s all gone.  The other parts of my body, my knee hurts, my back. The forces go somewhere else.  Just like when I had my back fused, the forces have to go somewhere.  So it’s up the chain.”

Regarding 2024, Tiger sounded optimistic, like a schedule of playing once a month.  It was thus surmised that perhaps Riviera in February, The Players in March, and the majors in April, May, June and July.

--As for the tournament itself, after Tiger’s third round, Saturday, he said “I’m very excited how the week’s turned out,” saying his body recovered each day better than he expected, which has him optimistic looking ahead.  Great to hear.

Today, after round four, he said he was hurting, but thought the potential schedule of one tournament a month was doable, Tiger 75-70-71-72 for the event, even-par.

Will Zalatoris, playing his first competitive golf since back surgery, struggled mightily…81-68-79-71.

Scottie Scheffler ended up winning the 20-man event by 3 over Sepp Straka.

--Luke Donald is returning as European Ryder Cup captain, leading his team to Bethpage Black in 2025.  It is going to be nuts there.

--Back to the negotiations between the PGA Tour and PIF, commissioner Monahan said this week at the New York Times Dealbook Summit that he was going to meet this coming week with Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

“We’re having conversations with multiple parties,” Monahan said.  “The deadline for our conversations with PIF, as you know, is a firm target.  I’ll be with Yasir next week. And we continue to advance our conversations. And I think it’s pretty well known that there’s a large number of other interested parties that we’re also pushing to think about.”

Those other parties reportedly include Fenway Sports Group and KKR & Co. investment firm co-founder Henry Kravis, with others in the wings.

Monahan said ideally the Tour would end up with a combined deal that not only includes PIF but also another co-investor.

The commissioner also spoke openly about his mental health issues from last June and all the pressures, and why he had to step away for a while.

“And I knew the perception was that I was running away from a fight.  And that was excruciating. That hurt me to my core.”

Premier League

Saturday, Arsenal beat the Wolves 2-1 to stay on top; Newcastle defeated Manchester United 1-0; and Everton picked up a win on the road, 1-0, at Nottingham, as they struggle to return from their 10-point penalty.

Today, Liverpool needed two late goals to pull out a 4-3 win at home over Fulham; while Tottenham picked up a great point at Manchester City, 3-3.  In this one, the Spurs’ Son Heung-min became the first in 24 years to score a goal and an own goal in the opening 10 minutes of a PL match.

Standings after 14 of 38

1. Arsenal…33 points
2. Liverpool…31
3. Man City…30
4. Aston Villa…29
5. Tottenham…27
6. Newcastle…26

Stuff

--NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship is down to a Final Four (this year in Louisville).

Clemson vs. West Virginia; Notre Dame vs. Oregon State

--In FIS Alpine World Cup action this weekend in Tremblant, Canada, Mikaela Shiffrin picked up two thirds in giant slalom races, both won by Federica Brignone of Italy.

Meanwhile, the men have literally had five of their first six races of the season postponed due to heavy snow and wind.  Snow has been in short supply in recent years on the circuit, so at least this is kind of a positive, but this will really jam up the schedule for the boys later on.

The men lost all three races this weekend in Beaver Creek, Colorado, due to the snows you are hearing about.

--Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor died Friday, and she makes Bar Chat for a famous incident in 1985 with then-Redskins running back John Riggins at a black-tie event in Washington.

As the oft-told story goes, O’Connor and Riggins, who was intoxicated, were seated together at the annual “Salute to Congress” event.

Riggins recalled that he had been drinking beers with a friend most of the afternoon, ordered a double scotch upon his arrival at the event, and then opted to pass on dinner.  Then-Virginia Gov. Chuck Robb told the NFL Network that Riggins proceeded to knock over two bottles of red wine at their table.  And somewhere along the way came the now-famous interaction with then-Justice O’Connor.

“Come on Sandy, baby, loosen up,” Riggins told her.  “You’re too tight.”

Riggins has said they were told that O’Connor would need to leave the event early, and he was simply trying to keep the party rolling.

O’Connor ended up leaving early all the same, though she appeared to get a kick out of the exchange, referencing it at the start of a speech at Pepperdine University Law School a few days later, to raucous laughter.  And The Washingtonian reported that, when Riggins turned to acting and made his debut in a play, O’Connor showed up “and presented him with a dozen roses.”

Riggins told Roll Call that he even considered O’Connor a friend, despite the embarrassing encounter.

“I was already thinking that this is going to be on my tombstone, and that’s what she said to me,” Riggins noted.   “We’re linked together for life – which is good for me, but not so good for her.” [Tom Schad / USA TODAY]

--Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s right-hand man for nearly 50 years, had some Bar Chat worthy advice.

Munger, who died at the age of 99, once noted that when he was assigned to Nome, Alaska, as part of his military service during World War II, he developed a talent that would serve him well.

“Playing poker in the Army and as a young lawyer honed my business skills,” Munger told Janet Lowe in her 2000 book, “Damn Right! Behind the Scenes with Berkshire Hathway Billionaire Charlie Munger.”

“What you have to learn is to fold early when the odds are against you,” he said, “or if you have a big edge, back it heavily, because you don’t get a big edge often, so seize it when it does come.”

I also liked how Munger liked to say he had a black belt in chutzpah.

--Depressing news on the wildlife front.  The North American wolverine is endangered, with just 300 surviving in the contiguous U.S., according to reports this week.  They live in fragmented, isolated groups at high elevations in the northern Rocky Mountains.  They need mountain snowpack and it’s shrinking.  [The population in Alaska is stable.]

“Wolverine” being a solid top ten on the All-Species List, “Man” down to 848.

--We note the passing of singer and songwriter Shane MacGowan, 65.  He was best known as the frontman of The Pogues, whose single “Fairytale of New York” has become a Christmas staple.

MacGowan died of pneumonia, but had been in poor health for years.

Irish President Michael D. Higgins said in a statement that MacGowan would be remembered “as one of music’s greatest lyricists.”

After opening for The Clash on their 1984 tour, The Pogues rose to prominence with hits such as Dark Streets of London.  Their second album, Rum, Sodomy & the Lash, produced by Elvis Costello, showcased MacGowan’s obvious songwriting talents through songs like The Old Main Drag.

They grew in popularity over the next 10 years, releasing popular singles such as The Irish Rover with The Dubliners, and a cover of Ewan MacColl’s Dirty Old Town.

Their third album, If I Should Fall from Grace with God, featured one of their biggest hits, the duet Fairytale of New York alongside Kirsty MacColl, who died aged 41 in 2000 in a jet-ski incident.

In 1991, MacGowan was removed from The Pogues due to concerns over how his unreliability, hard-partying and erratic behavior created difficulties for the band.

Top 3 songs for the week 12/6/80: #1 “Lady” (Kenny Rogers)  #2 “More Than I Can Say” (Leo Sayer)  #3 “Another One Bites The Dust” (Queen)…and…#4 “Woman In Love” (Barbra Streisand)  #5 “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” (Stevie Wonder)  #6 “(Just Like) Starting Over” (John Lennon)  #7 “Love On The Rocks” (Neil Diamond) #8 “Hungry Heart” (Bruce Springsteen)  #9 “I’m Coming Out” (Diana Ross)  #10 “Dreaming” (Cliff Richard…C- week…)

College Football Playoff Quiz Answers:

2014-15…Ohio State 42…Oregon 20…Cardale Jones, Marcus Mariota…Ezekiel Elliott 36 carries for 246 yards and 4 touchdowns.

2015-16…Alabama 45…Clemson 40…Jake Coker, Deshaun Watson…Derrick Henry 36 carries for 158 yards and 3 touchdowns, O.J. Howard 5 receptions for 208 yards and 2 TDs.

2016-17…Clemson 35…Alabama 31…Deshaun Watson, Jalen Hurts…Hunter Renfroe had 10 receptions for 92 yards and 2 touchdown receptions for a second straight year, cementing his big-game reputation.

But Deshaun Watson threw for 405 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2016, and then 420 yards and 3 TDs in 2017…Renfroe catching the winning 2-yard TD pass with 0:01 left on the clock in the latter.

Brief Add-on up top by Tuesday evening….