Let’s get to it, we have a jam-packed weekend, which includes the Harlem Globetrotters coming to town.
Side question for the group, especially those around my age or younger: When you were a kid, didn’t you think the Globetrotters could beat any NBA team? Also, how did the Globetrotters get on Gilligan’s island and get off but the seven castaways were still there? Discuss.
Let’s check this week’s Rushmores:
Rushmore of pipes: corn cob, stove pipe, rusty pipes and Pipe-I the Sailorman.
Rushmore of “Hotel” in songs or movie titles: Heartbreak, California, Transylvania and Rwanda with a load of apologies to “She Was A Hotel Detective” by They Might Be Giants.
Rushmore of Black SEC quarterbacks: Cam Newton, Chris Leak, Dak Prescott and Tee Martin. (Holloway is right there, too, along with Woodson, and Bryce Young will be knocking someone off sooner rather than later).
Rushmore of best NFL games ever: Sunday’s Bills-Chiefs, Dolphins-Chargers in the Kellen Winslow game, Giants-Colts in the 1958 championship and the Ice Bowl.
And let the games – and the gamesmanship – begin, because there is more than a little bit of double- and triple-talk in this hush, hush on the QT letter Mayor Tim Kelly sent to the governor looking for north of $20 million from the state to help fund a new Lookouts Stadium. Wowser.
And remember earlier this week when we discussed what does the word ‘significant’ means in terms of snowfall in the Northeast? Well, Jason Freier, the Lookouts majority owner, saying the Lookouts would pay for a “significant” portion of the new facility also is quite nebulous, right? And of all the phrase-spinning in this excellent story from TFP aces Mike Pare and Andy Sher, there are two that jump off the page to me.
First, Mayor Kelly said of a new facility: “The Lookouts expect a significant increase in attendance and tax revenues, nearly 25% of which comes from out-of-state attendees.” Well no duh on the first part. Every new stadium everywhere ever has witnessed a significant (?) attendance increase. But as for 25% being from out of town, that’s a little disingenuous since a) the stadium would be a ground-rule double from the Georgia state line and b) considering our proximity and location, wouldn’t you guess that 25% of downtown activity is from out of state at any given time?
Second, Kelly was quoted as saying, “will be used by the Lookouts and for many other events throughout the year.” OK, but currently AT&T is hardly a hub of civic activity. What else would go there?
Lots more to come on this for sure.
Today’s A2 column about the world’s largest cast-iron skillet heading to South Pitt.
To the bag.
From Chas
For Friday’s bag: UK has 2,343 wins, Kansas a mere 2,340. Kentucky is 8-11 overall in College GameDay games, having beaten KU and UT in 2019 and lost to Auburn in 2020. How will they fare tomorrow against the Jayhawks?
Chas –
I think Kentucky is very good – although I’m not sure that opinion matters since I have not seen them in person – with TyTy on the floor.
Heck, his absence may generate some meaningful Player of the Year support considering without him they were something like minus-18 against Auburn (up 9 when he got hurt, lost by 9 without him) and lost to LSU when Washington missed a large chunk of that game down the stretch with cramps.
(Rest easy, Oscar’s numbers will make him the PoY frontrunner, but Washington looks to be more valuable.)
It’s pretty simple for me: If Washington plays and is at least 80%, UK rolls KU. No Washington will be no bueno and Saturday will be blue for Big Blue.
That said, watching Auburn struggle this week at Missouri should serve as a reminder of how big a chore the Kentuckys and the Dukes and the Kansases carry by being everyone’s Super Bowl in every conference road game. For most of the leagues, it’s the biggest crowd and the best environment when those powerhouses come to town.
How Auburn adjusts to being that for the next five weeks will be interesting to watch.
From Scott
Jay,
When I was growing up, the Baseball Hall of Fame was the residence of immortality. In my peak years of childhood fandom (~1994-2002), here were the names of those inducted: Carlton, Schmidt, Niekro, Sutton, Yount, Brett, Ryan, Fisk, Perez, Winfield, Puckett, Ozzie. This culminated after my senior year of high school when we went to Ozzie’s HOF induction in Cooperstown.
Now, baseball is dumb. Ted Simmons, Harold Baines, even Edgar Martinez. Today’s vote confirmed that the HOF officially is a joke, and here’s the stat that says why: Barry Bonds 260 votes, Roger Clemens 257. You either vote them both in, or neither. Any other alternative is entirely unacceptable and undermines the integrity of the election.
So, here’s my question. Thirty years from now, is baseball even a Top 4 sport in America? It’s clearly no longer America’s Pastime, but it feels like it’s dying – labor stoppage, slow pace of play, Manfred the buffoon, aging fan base, punishing a fan base over “voting rights,” etc.
What does baseball look like in 2050, and where does it rank then in popularity among American sports?
Scott –
Wow, look at the big brain on Brad. And Scott.
What a great and layered question with so much to get to, but the short answer is determined by this question: If MLB is not having this conversation at least once a month and in relation to every big decision on its horizon, then the answer is no.
The Hall is a joke now. I completely agree. And forever, I was the lone holdout of all the people I know who grew up fighting for jersey No. 3 in every sport because of Dale Murphy on whether Murph was a Hall of Famer. I always said no. He was great, but not a Hall of Famer like Schmidt or Carlton or the guys that popped off the screen when you got one game a week on TV or the guys who you would never trade their baseball card because you knew they were Hall of Famers.
But sweet buckets of free passes and pass the biscuits, if Harold Baines is in the Hall, Dale Murphy should start a sit-in, because there was no GM in the sport – or kid who spent 25 cents on a pack of Topps – who would have traded Dale Murphy for Harold Baines. Or Edgar Martinez. Or half the dudes who are getting passes these days.
Scott Rolen? Really?
But to your bigger question – is baseball a top-four sport in 2050 – the path relies on a couple of things.
First, baseball has done a nice job of integrating the party. The modern big-league stadiums are hubs in entertainment districts, and that maximizes crowds and enjoyment on warm nights out. (Side note: Peddling that aspect would be way more impactful to me than Kelly and the Lookouts saying the Foundry area is our city’s smile without its front teeth. I can’t recall driving that way on I-24 coming into town and thinking, “What an eyesore.” Mainly because I’m driving and secondarily because the river and the traffic get most of my attention. And if you think the Foundry is a toothless grin, wait until the river of expletives comes raining down during the multiyear nightmare the construction and reconstruction of that area will be.)
Status is about money. And in short, I think baseball will be a top-four sport because frankly, I’m not sure what can pass it.
Baseball has botched its regional TV deals. That hurts the owners and the visibility. Can it be corrected? I don’t know.
Baseball has been ahead of the curve in streaming ideas. That helps, but like comparing online ads to newspaper ads, the old way is more lucrative, but the new way is going to take over. Being ahead of the curve is fine, but baseball needs to make sure it stays there.
Baseball’s pace has always been a topic, but I’m not sure it can be fixed in a noticeable manner. Sure, maybe they shave 10 minutes to the average, but if a game is 2:55 rather than 3:05, does that matter?
A big thing for baseball’s long-term connection to the public and draw new fans will be maximizing betting opportunities. You can bet on which golfer will win which hole later today at Torrey Pines. Baseball needs in-game props like Freddie Freeman will get a hit in his next at-bat. (Now, which team Freddie will be playing for is another discussion entirely.)
A top-four sport in 2050? My answer is yes, but it certainly is not because I have confidence in baseball growing or evolving or especially not because Rob Manfred is going to do anything I would call clever or wise.
It’s because I don’t see anything that can crack it.
We know football is 1 and 2 – NFL and college – then there is the NBA and MLB with college hoops leading the rest.
What’s going to displace MLB? College hoops is content just being about the tournament, so not really. NHL? No. How long have we heard that soccer’s coming? Since I was at Auburn and still on track to graduate on time. (“Lots of people go to college for seven years.” “Yeah, they’re called doctors.” “Shut up Richard.”)
Great question my man.
From Jay (to you all) –
Reverse for the group. Let’s add to the Murphy List, and looking for nominations, but if Harold Baines and Ted Simmons – neither finished more than sixth in the MVP voting – are in the Hall, how many players can we list that had better careers than those two without adding the performance-enhancing drugs users.
Murphy is there. Garvey may be. Andruw Jones is 100% there. So is Schilling, but he got voted out because of his political views, which is a whole different kettle of fish. Mattingly is on it. Who else?
From Mrs. Sportsfan –
Poor Mr. Doocy. In 2017, Sen. John McCain called his question re: McCain’s relationship with Trump dumb and stupid. At least, McCain focused on the behavior and not the person.
The question to ponder: does Doocy need to improve the quality of his questions, or does he purposefully ask such questions in order to receive attention/publicity for himself and/or the network for whom he works? Because he certainly got the attention! Who knows…
Have a good day!
PS – One more thing, have you ever done a Rushmore of which president in recent history has acted the most presidential? That may get touchy real quick.
Mrs. Sportsfan –
You guys are awesome today.
Absolutely, Mr. Doocy needs to improve the questions he asks. But that’s a huge room needed for that team picture, Mrs. SF. Think how many in-game interviews have featured the most cringeworthy and inane questions ever.
Mic holder: “Uh Coach Saban, were you happy your team scored right before the half to take a 42-3 lead into the locker room?”
The Dark Lord: “Uh, yeah.”
Mic holder, with a smile: “Thanks, coach.”
And of course, the interviewers are looking for exposure every bit as much as they are looking for answers. Heck, the all-timer may be the millions of dollars Clay Travis has made after making a name for himself by asking Tim Tebow if he was a virgin.
As for the P.S., what exactly does acting presidential look like is a great way to start the second part of your question.
Because JFK looked and sounded presidential, but he was extremely overrated – how we didn’t get into a nuclear conflict on his watch is anyone’s guess – as a governmental leader and went through more women than the house red on $5 wine night at Tony’s.
FDR was presidential in a lot of ways, but in the end looked feeble.
Heck, remember when Chevy Chase made national headlines for mocking Gerald Ford for falling down? Yeah, times have changed in terms of satire and making fun of the president, huh?
And then think back historically, because Thomas Jefferson was one of the greatest Americans to ever draw breath, but now his statue in NYC is being taken down and they are putting up statues of George Floyd.
Among the recent folks who have resided at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., I guess Obama seemed the most ‘presidential’ in overall demeanor, and W throwing out that first pitch of the 2001 World Series in NYC felt like the most presidential moment of my adult life.
In truth, I don’t think I know what presidential means anymore.
Have a great weekend friends.
Staff file photo / Jay Greeson