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There are some days that I wrestle with what to write. Hey, you do this every weekday for almost 14 years, and there can be slow times, you know?
Today is assuredly not one of those days. And it includes a ton of dichotomies in the winners and losers.
Weekend winners
Women's college basketball, in general. What a weekend. A terrific crowd for the title game. Great drama. Great stars. And TV ratings that will reset every single record. Sunday's game may break the 20 million viewer mark.
Dawn Staley in particular. Staley was very open about religion, even through the criticism before and after her South Carolina Gamecocks wrapped the 10th perfect season with a natty Sunday against mega-star Caitlin Clark. But unlike so many jealous nellies, Staley was forever gracious about the role Clark has played in the avalanche of attention the women's game has received this season by comparison. Staley from the championship podium: "I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport. She carried a heavy load for our sport. It just is not going to stop here on a collegiate tour but when she is the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, she's going to lift that league up as well. So Caitlin Clark, if you're out there, you are one of the GOATs of our game. We appreciate you." Also, did I mention Staley is 109-3 over the last three seasons with two nattys and COVID in 2021 likely cost her a third?
The Braves. What a line up. Holy Schnikes. Atlanta swept the defending NL champs, and when your worst hitter stats wise in a 6-2 start is Ronald Acuña Jr., again, Holy Schnikes. And add the name Jarred Kelenic to the list of Alex Anthopoulos steals over the years. Acquired from Seattle, the former top-five overall pick, Kelenic is killing it. He only went 1-for-3 Sunday to DROP his average to .579.
Golf. It's Masters week. And that in and of itself makes all of us winners.
Science folks. Did you hear that there is an eclipse today? No, seriously. This afternoon, and wear the glasses or it will melt your face like the climatic scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
Weekend losers
Women's basketball. What is with all the anti-Clark blowback from the talking heads who are saying she will be humbled in the WNBA? I personally hope she averages 30 next year. And while we are here, it's really tough to accept all the UConn analysts — hey, this is the most women's hoops I've watched — not to be jelly and bitter after the UConn loss, but it's a bad look for a game that really needs to make the most of all this exposure to non-regular fans. Yes, looking at you Dianna Taurasi. The sport must use this springboard, and it will not have the Clark factor next year. It's paramount, and when you have conflicted referees and mismeasured 3-point lines in the most watched tournament in your history, yeah that's not good.
The Braves. Any able bodied starting pitcher (Trevor Bauer?) to the white courtesy phone. The offense is all-time elite. The pitching staff after Spencer Strider blew his arm out over the weekend and will miss the rest of the season, is less than mediocre.
Golf. The divide really was stinging Sunday. Two dudes I have never heard off won on the PGA Tour and the LIV heading into Masters week. Please let this be a good Masters. Also, in the most golf thing ever because the game is a cruel, cruel mistress, Denny McCarthey birdies seven straight holes and shoot 28 on the back 9 Sunday in San Antonio to force a playoff then chili-dips a wedge from 100 yards and hits it 75 yards into creek to lose.
Morgan Wallen. I love old-school country music. I play Willie and Waylon and Cash and Kris multiple times a week across my commutes. Maybe that's why I like Morgan Wallen, because his self-destructive lifestyle would fit right in with those fellas back in the day. Wallen is a hit machine, but he got arrested over the weekend in Nashville.
MLBPA. Yes, the rash of arm injuries is scary, but the pitch clock is not to blame, people. And it's disingenuous to even suggest it in my mind. Hey, you know what is to blame? Dude's with amazing velocity who throw 92 mph sliders and cutters. The arm is not designed to work like that. Moreover, I think pitch limits is actually counterintuitive to arm health in a lot of ways. So there's that.
Bonkers news
So, UK was not overly keen on paying John Calipari $33 million to leave.
Also, UK's BBN fan base was not overly keen on Calipari returning considering his late winner, early spring under-achievements in recent years.
So, Coach Cal made it easy, and with no buyout according to The Athletic, Cal is headed to Arkansas for a monster deal.
Wow. Just wow.
(Side question: May need to check with Paschall, but has the biggest star power football coach and basketball coach left his SEC post in the same year like Cal and Nick Saban have in recent months?)
And going to Arkansas makes the Hogs-Cats game easily the most anticipated regular-season game in years.
Let's explore some of the tangents, direct and indirect.
— Arkansas fans are giddy. Going from Eric Musselman to Cal is a monster upgrade in terms of profile and recruiting.
— This coaching search will be nuts. Think of the names already being tossed around like UConn's Dan Hurley, CBS analyst and former Villanova coach Jay Wright and even Billy Donovan of the NBA.
— I think all three of those dudes say no — yes, even to Kentucky — which leads us to another round of SEC-on-SEC pilfering. If Arkansas lures Cal (or UK lets Cal walk and saves the buyout, depending on who you ask), the top two targets are in the state of Alabama, right?
Nate Oats (buyout in excess of $18 million) or Bruce Pearl ($7 million buyout) will assuredly get calls if those big three above do not get a call.
But what about this name to really through a wrench in the works.
Rick Pitino.
Buckle up Bluegrass. This could be nuts.
This and that
— Tennessee has hired Kim Caldwell as its next women's hoops coach. Good luck, Coach, the sport is better when the Lady Vols brand is strong.
— Why is Biden force feeding the student loan forgiveness plans on America? Is he trying to fuel the runaway train that is Trump? That feels so much like a second-term initiative, no?
— William Byron won the NASCAR race in Martinsville, and there is a strong argument to be made that he may be the best "go fast, turn left" dude on the planet right now.
— Auburn has its spring game, and while you can never truly tell too much about a spring, well, the reports were less than stellar. AU's best offensive player is its kicker. So there's that. Vader, bet the under on AU's win total.
— You know the rules. Here's Paschall over the weekend with his latest UT football update.
— UConn-Purdue got at it for the NCAA title tonight. Let's go Huskies.
Today's questions
Weekend winners and losers. Go.
As for multiple choice Monday, who will be the next Kentucky basketball coach?
— Nate Oats.
— Bruce Pearl.
— Billy Donovan.
— Dan Hurley.
— Other (and specify).
As for today, it was 50 years ago today that I attended my first MLB game. I don't remember a thing about it, even though Hank Aaron hit home run 715 in that one at old Fulton County Stadium.
There was a time when the Babe's home run record was thought to be unbeatable.
Rushmore of unbreakable records in American professional team sports. Go.