Winners of the week
The final of the World Cup. Oh, it’s a sports event. It’s amazing. It’s edge-of-your-seat excitement. It’s the rarest of rare sports moments when two of the all-time greats collide on the biggest stage of their respective sports and deliver with all the best performances. Consider that Federer-Nadal Wimbledon marathon for example. Interesting and one of those potential, “Where are you during playtime?” you know.
Leo Messi. Admittedly I was very tempted to go. How can it get better than that? Winning the World Cup to express gratitude to the GOAT? And now you’re the face of the world of the game — whether it’s at FIFA or the evangelist’s chair. What an end.
Sports fans. Holy buckets what week, what Sunday. If you haven’t had the time or desire to be a total couch potato since the NFL took over the World Cup, there’s a family golf activity to be had on the side, and there’s even some college hoops. and other NFL. Well, you missed an amazing sports viewing party.
Bengals, Bills and Chiefs. Yes, those are the only three bids allowed for an AFC Super Bowl berth over the next half-decade. All three of these QBs are eligible for one of your 53 15-percent paychecks. Because Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are those types of guys. And if you like a team with one of those guys, you get a chance every Sunday, no matter how bad you play in the first half.
Weeks have fallen
The World Cup over the leaders and cheaters. Yes, Sunday is magical. The theater was top notch and the athletics was top notch. The LIV is also a sports wash with a drop in the sports faucet. But let’s forget about that — and still blast Mickelson and Norman and the others who took Saudi money — because you cried on Sunday? Smart. So if Mickelson shoots a 59 to win on Sunday, does LIV have any aces? (Side question: Have you noticed that golf is talking less about the murderous Saudis and washing the sport — Cheers to the Chinese Olympics — and more about Greg Norman’s passing? Seriously, Norman posted here and now I think the PGA powers that be know how expensive the bidding war is for talent.) And one more soccer thing: Guys, this is not a springboard for sports fans like me to turn to. to soccer instead of 1980 US hockey game. Please don’t expect football to compete with the NFL in terms of popularity. Sunday was almost perfect. But let me speak for the majority of America and make it clear: You will see in four years.
The entire NFC South. Detroit Lions looks like the Lions will win and lose the final Wildcard spot on the tiebreakers, and a 6-11 NFC South champion will enter the dance. Of course the 6-11 NFC champion could be the Minnesota Vikings in the first game, so there’s that.
SEC rings. The league hit some studs this week. And the tusks fought. Alabama and Kentucky lost by double digits to Gonzaga and UCLA. (Side note: Alabama’s Brandon Miller is the best SEC basketball player since Anthony Davis. And healthy.) UT lost at Arizona (not covered). Auburn was just coming off a three-point loss at USC. That said, barring a sudden collapse, all eight of those teams will hear his name called on Selection Sunday. Heck, if I were to rank those teams 1-8 right now, Kentucky would probably be 8.
The Lakers. Heck, the biggest names in the NBA in the West. But especially the Lakers. Less than a week from Christmas Day the NBA will be the main focus. Now, without Anthony Davis, who has been out for weeks (again) with a lower leg/ankle injury (again), LeBron is the Lakers and a James Gang is hurting badly. Add in a Steph-less Golden State, and arguably the NBA’s two most popular franchises will be tough to watch. Additionally, the NFL has chosen three NFL games for Christmas Day next Sunday. Good luck with that NBA.
NBC executives. Hey, the cost of sports coverage is in the real deal. For a number of reasons, not the least of which was that the bean counters found during the pandemic that sending people physically to these events was very expensive. In addition, the above functions in addition to most of the speakers worked in the most extreme cases of calling the function from a location that is not close to being effective, but not again at a very close price. NBC has reportedly pulled longtime golf anchors Gary Koch and Roger Maltbie, and their Sunday broadcasts will be the inspiration for most of the news. Well, when the game’s greatest players — really, all-time greats like Tiger and Jack — give you a pep talk from your former employer, well, that’s a no-brainer in my book.
The heroes go back
There are many options for this third party.
The World Cup is very exciting and entertaining. College football is very exciting this week. The NFL has always been terrible. Below is a quiz with two sports stars.
But Saturday’s news that many of you dreaded landed upon us when Dansby Swanson took a seven-year, $177 million contract from the Cubs.
The angles here are fantastic.
Yes, the numbers and money are more than the Braves let on. Heck, seeing the mega-deals signed by Trae Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa the writing was on the wall a week ago if we’re being honest.
But, how much? Yes, that’s an easy question for someone who makes the average American salary, but how much value is there for Dansby to retire to speak for the Braves, that guy in the press box on the sideline of the descendants of the Harry-Skip. -Is Chip Carey’s pedigree calling the game?
How much does the store cost? Because the reality is that over the next three to five years, the Braves will be built to win it all (if possible) and the Cubs will be lucky to rebuild to make the playoffs.
Hey, I know how to take the money and run to the Windy City. That’s the way the world is, and athletics is no different. Honestly, this is Dansby’s last monster job, so do what you can while you can.
But those questions about Dansby popped into my mind at the thought of the signing.
Now there are questions about the Braves, who for the second straight season will let their no-nonsense starter go to the NL playoff market because of more dollars.
And I think it’s understandable that the Cubs paid more for Swanson who was fantastic in 2022 but far more in most areas (especially defensively) than he did in his previous season in Atlanta.
The Braves are built to win now, and pitching and fielding a shortstop is a risk in the NL East that has turned into a three-way powerhouse race.
The Braves said in 2022 they wanted to top the eight-year payroll and reinvest the cash flow provided by The Battery and Truist Park into on-field revenue. .
And yet, here we are, the Braves are giving a big name player a chance because the player won’t sign a professional contract with the club. The Braves front office probably thought Swanson would be interested in some of those questions we discussed above.
But when it became clear that he wouldn’t do it, it was obvious that they wouldn’t budge either. (Side question: In all the talk about friendships and co-players, when can we expect the same kind of action? Asking for a few million friends.)
Surely all signs point to this. The Braves have signed a slew of long-term deals to everyone from corner outfielders to closers to center fielders.
However, there was silence about Swanson.
I know math. Swanson’s one-year tenure in the ATL puts him in the top tier at his position. Next year is next year.
This deal brings Swanson to 37 years old and I can spend the rest of the Christmas holiday trying to remember a middle hitter making $25 million a year.
And I got it. From both sides, really.
Still, it’s sad on so many levels. For Braves fans and Braves fans who loved Swanson.
And it’s easy to see who you’re happy with.
This and that
— Yes, between picking at least one bowl game every weekend — and some of those baseball games are pretty fun — and offering plenty of locks in the Game of the Day of Friday, after the movements and the shaking. finished 9-8 across four sports. Better than stabbing yourself in the face with a sharp stick, right? Unofficially, we’ve had close to 80 bowl games, which is great.
— “Avatar 2” dropped over the weekend. No, I didn’t see it, but many people did. It may not be the same as the original “Avatar” but it is something else. Here’s more on the $134 million opening weekend that says “Yeah, but” in more ways than one.
— Everything about the end of the Pats-Raiders game is true. The dog called. The bond account. The worst side in the history of sides. All. If Belichick’s reign falls because of this, four days before the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Conception, will the Unimaginable Lateral be the worst play in NFL history?
— You know the rules. Here’s Paschall on some college football.
Today’s question
Winners and losers of the week. Go
For Multiple Choice Monday, well, or a choice, you have to explain what you do.
So, I’ve watched more of the PNC parent-child golf thing made for TV than you. I like watching golf on TV. I am old. And clean.
But here’s the question: If Charlie Woods and Brony James had a corporation that you could buy stock for future income, who would you buy it from?
For the first time, he reached seven figures in NIL career. Heck, Nike is the only one worth it as their world famous platforms are named 2 and 3 on the list of stars that made Nike the sportswear mega-monster.
Will he face the big questions about the ceiling of their skills and how much the descendants want billion dollar jobs to sacrifice and work in order not to be like their father?
That is why the question is directed in the above manner. If you could buy stock and collect a profit for everything Charlie and Brony got, where would you invest?
For today, December 19, let’s review. And before that, yes, for the rest of the week, we’ll be serving up some bowl updates and bringing up some Christmas chats as well.
“A Christmas Carol” was published on this day in 1843. The Dickens classic may have created more than one theme I think, you know? How many movies and shows have been like “Ghosts of Christmas past, et al.” program?
And we will go once more. Is Scrooge the famous literary villain — even if (Spoiler) he turns the corner at the end — out?
Heck, let’s widen the net. Rushmore of the most famous and intelligent literary figures of all time. Go
