Game on
No, not that way.
But the game is on to be in position to host sporting events.
Florida's state leadership has deemed the WWE as an essential business. (Again, the issue of WWE being more vital than church gatherings in the eyes of the government is something we can wrestle with another day.)
Beyond the original comedy value of that comes the clear implications of that decision.
Quite bluntly, Florida is telling sporting and entertainment entities that the Sunshine State is open for BID-ness.
Like now. And that will certainly attract the attention from other leagues who have to be feeling the reeling from lost revenue. (Side question: Couldn't you conceivably have a very watchable golf tournament in Florida by next weekend considering a) the number of PGA players that live in Florida and the Georgia and Hilton Head-area islands?)
(Side question on the side question: Couldn't you then have a series of tournaments considering the number of PGA-worthy courses in proximity and driving distance? Speaking of which, there are reports of the PGA Tour looking at an early June return at Colonial in Texas.)
Draft on
I love the draft. You know this.
I am stoked about the NFL draft, which starts next Thursday. Heck, I even know the WNBA draft is Friday.
Hey, I love the draft. You know this. I do not love the draft that much. Sorry ladies.
(Tangent alert: Shouldn't the WNBA try to figure out every way possible to get in the public view right now? The WNBA draft includes the most well-known non-UConn player since Pat Summitt was prominently involved in college hoops with Sabrina Ionescu assuredly going No. 1 overall. And considering her connection to Kobe and the emotion of this cursed start to 2020, there is a place to tell a compelling story right now, no? Take your shot WNBA, especially since your sport is less-dependent on ticket sales and fans in seats as any of them.)
Where were we? Oh yeah, the draft. I love the draft. You know this.
Two monster questions:
First, anyone have any suggestions for potential categories in our annual Dodging the Draft While Feeling the Draft and Drinking a Draught Draft Doohickey. (Side point: With the Masters contest cancelled and the Madness of March waved, the draft doohickey is now the longest running contest around these parts. Starting with the questions about whether Cam Newton would go No. 1 in 2011 - he did - this is the 10 straight year with a 5-at-10 draft contest. We love the draft. You know this.)
Fire away if you have a thought. Enter in the comments or email me at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.
Some of the samples we're kicking around include
> Second quarterback picked:
> First team to trade back:
> Number of SEC players in round one:
> Number of wide receivers in round one:
> Falcons first pick (or maybe the Titans first pick):
Discuss.
Second, considering the gaping void in the sports world right now, shouldn't we expand the draft contest beyond round 1? (Also, we are planning on a Title marathon during round 1 next Thursday. Good times.)
NASCAR's wreck grows
Kyle Larson has been fired from Chip Ganassi racing. Our question from True or False Tuesday about Larson's future seems to be rather clear.
And as ABankston noted, how much will NASCAR wear this?
Because this went from a time of invention and creativity from the iRacing platforms for NASCAR that arguably gave the entire sport the most momentum it has had since Dale Sr. crashed.
Yes, if Larson's N-bomb had been uttered amid a full April sports calendar, it would have been a big story. The N-word always carries a headline because it allows everyone to take an easy stance collectively in a matter as layered and complex as race.
We all - well, everyone other than Kyle that is - you simply can never use that word. Ever. Heck, Mike Leach got in hot water, lost a defensive lineman and put down the Twitter for posting a picture of a noose.
So we all can collectively condemn Larson for it because it's right. And it's easy and non-confrontational on a topic that is filled with controversy. (Heck, Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman wants to fight Kyle Larson for charity. I'll admit - I'd pay to watch Stroman beat the brakes off of Larson. Wouldn't you?)
But the bigger picture circles around NASCAR as a whole now.
Again, this completely redirected any positive momentum from the iRacing efforts, which is extremely unfortunate. And we'll all be shocked if the iRacing continues right, considering this is the second hot-headed response from a gamer that has affected his career in two weeks?
But NASCAR dealing with a racist tag it has tried to shed for decades as it craves and starves for new fans from regions outside the deep South could not happen at a more critical time. NASCAR is dependent on sponsorships, and everyone from the gas guy to the car owner has to give sponsors reason to stay rather than easy excuses to leave.
That fact has been true in the struggles of NASCAR. It will be even more critical in the days, weeks and months to come as our uncertain economy wobbles during the fight against and the recovery from the Corona.
Larson's diction is never acceptable for any of us. His timing could never have been much worse for NASCAR as a whole.
This and that
- We discussed Cincinnati dropping its men's soccer program because of cost concerns. We also mentioned that it will not be the only school to cut a program in the weeks and months to come. And Katie bar the door if football is shortened or cancelled. (Side question: How strong must Katie be, because she's always the one we ask to bar the door? We can't get a Karl on a Kenny to bar the door every now and then?) Well, the Group of Five conferences sent a letter to NCAA head goof in charge Mark Emmert seeking relief from regulations that certainly would allow them to cut other sports. And considering the Title IX issues with almost every school, almost all of the future cuts unless there are changes in the federal law will be men's sports.
- OK, want some good news from the Corona? Apparently, medical experts agree that because of the timing, the 49ers losing the Super Bowl in February saved thousands of people from catching the Corona. Because if the 49ers had one, there's no telling how many folks would have celebrated in the San Francisco area, which at that time was a Corona hotspot even if folks didn't know it.
- Last Sunday replay of Tiger's 2019 Masters Sunday was the most watched sports event since everything was cancelled. The 2.16 million viewers that watched Woods' 15th major easily bested the previous No. 1, the "Elway to Marino" 30-for-30, which had 1.42 million viewers.
- At the other end of the spectrum, the H-O-R-S-E challenge over the weekend drew fewer than 700,000 viewers on Sunday. So there's that.
- Right about the time that you think the Corona news has hit the absolute basement in terms of insanity, comes the story that top U.S. intelligence officials are exploring theories that this is a bioweapon that escaped from a Chinese lab.
- Excellent work here from TFP local government ace Sarah Grace Taylor on how Hamilton County did not send out alerts during the storms and tornado Sunday night. (I did not know the sirens are reserved for nuclear issues.)
- You know the rules, TFP college football guru David Paschall writes about college football, we read and link Paschall's words on college football. Today he looks at the transfer portal and the discussion about the one-time, go-anywhere transfer rule being pondered by conference and NCAA leaders.
Today's questions
Which way Wednesday starts this way:
Which sports-related event have you watched the most during the shutdown?
Which sport has been hurt the most during this shutdown?
Which show are you currently enjoying the most during your quarantine?
Discuss.
As for this day, April 15, who would have possibly imagined that Tax Day is like nowhere in the top 10 of bad days in April, right?
On this day in 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. We'll say it: That 0-for-3 was the most important day in the history of sports, and on the short list of important days in the history of our country. Unless you're Kyle Larson of course, then it was just another post-WW II Tuesday.
Thirty years ago today, "In Living Color" premiered on Fox. It was 65 years ago today that Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's. It also was 55 years ago today that the NFL changed the penalty flag from white to bright yellow.
On this day in 1912, the Titanic sunk at 2:27 a.m. (Hey Rose, there was room on that plank for Leo.)
Titanic is far left on the most overrated movies ever right? What else is on the Rushmore of most overrated movies?