Spring training with feeling
Of course Major League Baseball is trying to put on an authoritative face as a countermeasure to the cheating scandal that has been the talk of the game for months.
The details coming have hard rules in place that will "limit" the number of folks with access to the clubhouse and the dugout and will "limit" access to TV and phone use during games.
Buckets, the Houston Astros commit the biggest organized game fix since the Black Sox and Rob Manfred and his leadership team are going to put them all in timeout. No visitors, no TV, no phone.
Those silly teenagers. What's next, no car privileges?
Of course the details of these "crack" security measures also include banning "engineered substances" pitchers are using to doctor the ball.
Which begs the question of, "Isn't doctoring the ball already illegal?"
That's the big issue, right, because baseball has long embraced cheating until it's too much cheating, which in a lot of ways is like embracing being a little bit pregnant or embracing giving some extra benefits and cash to college recruits but not cars or houses.
(Side note: Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was mic-ed up in a spring training game in Arizona on Monday and offered this zinger at the Astros during an at-bat: "I'm doing some math in my head about where he is going to throw. - Someone bang for me." Good times. Side note on the side note: I am all here for the mic-ed up segments of ESPN's all-access games with MLB players like that one. The added insight and access in a slow game is a true aspect that would, you know, actually attract viewers. Which means of course it will die on the vine and somehow be "against the traditions of the game." Unlike cheating, which is part of the fiber of baseball, apparently.)
Feeling the Draft
I love the draft. You know this.
With the combine in the rearview and the free agency and franchise tag periods on the immediate horizon, let's re-assess.
First, there were a slew of Mock Drafts released. Todd McShay, who bet Mel Kiper $5,000 (winnings to be donated to the V Foundation in the other's name) that Jordan Love will go ahead of Justin Herbert, has his third guess at the first round. (It's ESPN+, so there's that.)
The telling parts of the first 10 picks were three QBs, three OLs and four big-time defensive freaks - Chase Young at 2, Jeff Okudah at 3, Isaiah Simmons at 4 and Derrick Brown at 7.
There are also whispers and wonderings about when the run on WRs starts and if any of the fast-rising RBs will move into round one.
And I'm here for all of it. You know this.
Well, I'm also here for the 2021 hanging images of a super-talented draft board, especially at 1.
Because, if you are a team looking at a QB sooner rather than later - even if one is needed now - what does the looming legend of Lawrence (as in Trevor, Clemson dude QB) do to your draft board?
While Lawrence is an easy 1 on the 2021 big board, the rest of the top-10 projections are filled with some big-time difference makers.
According to that ranking, Lawrence is 1, Justin Fields is 2, Oregon tackle Penei Sewell is 3, LSU WR Ja'Marr Chase is 4, and Bama CB Patrick Surtain is 5.
Giddy up.
Super Tuesday
Well, here we are. Super Tuesday, and the stakes are higher today than yesterday. (Yes, there was no Moniker Monday. Not Super Eve or the Super Day before the Really Super Day.)
Today, voters in 14 states, including Alabama and Tennessee, go to the polls and the outcome of the Democratic nomination process could be all but decided.
Bernie Sanders, everyone's favorite Larry David-lookalike, is the clear front-runner.
That's in large part because his base is stronger and more passionate in a splintered six-candidate field.
Now that field is down to three (plus Bloomberg) as Mayor Pete and Amy Klobuchar have dropped out of the chase to run against Donald Trump.
Both Pete and Klobuchar announced their support for Joe Biden, who has reversed a disastrous start and now heads into Super Tuesday with some super momentum.
Those moderate Democrats each claimed that their decision was in large part to give the Democrats the best chance to beat Donald Trump, and clearly that best chance is not Sanders, a socialist who is extremely popular with his base, but whose free-spending, high-taxing ways would galvanize the Republicans even more than Hillary did four years ago.
Yes, the reversal is stunning, considering that Biden was a disappointing fourth in Iowa and stumbling on his words and sentiments as much as he was in the polls. That led to a fifth in New Hampshire and a distant second in Nevada.
A strong showing in South Carolina, and Mayor Pete and Feisty Amy dropping out, and now Biden is again the betting favorite, according to ElectionBettingOdds.com. That site has Biden's chance to win the Democratic primary at 49.8 percent, up more than 23 percent, and Sanders' odds at 37.7 percent, which is down 12.6 percent.
(Side note: I saw those odds on a screenshot sent out from Brit Hume's social media account. Hume, the Fox News personality, took said screen shot on a computer with several tabs up, including one that read "Sexy Vixen Vinyl." So there's that. Good morning to you too, Brit.)
This and that
- Clemson continues to crush it on five-star recruits. Here's details on the top 247sports.com Class of 2021 prospect from California, no less, getting a Clemson tattoo. Dabo doing work gang.
- Prayers to everyone in Nashville after those tornadoes hit last night. Also, Donelson Christian Academy was all but destroyed according to the videos I've seen on social media.
- Very interesting story in today's TFP from ace education reporter Meghan Mangrum on the facilities report that is set to be released today. The big takeaways: It will ask for close to $1 billion in new funds for the project; a third of the county's school buildings were graded as poor or unsatisfactory. And the only for-sure thing after today, the parents at whichever schools are listed for closure will have kittens about it.
- College hoops picks went 1-1 Monday night because, well, we're kind of in the win-one, lose-one holding pattern than allows entertainment houses to build really nice houses and entertainment brokers to drive really nice cars. We won on Duke laying the 12 and lost on Baylor, which won in overtime but not by enough. That's 41-29 on the season, gang, which is 58.6 percent. Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, I suppose.
- Is there anything more polite and downright cute than a pro golf squabble? This is not Justin Thomas getting his knickers in a knot at a fan, though. This is pro players taking offense to Paul Azinger apparently dissing the European Tour, while all the European players do everything they can to play as often as possible on the PGA, and Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood getting their pints pinched. Add Ryder Cup bigwig Thomas Bjorn, too. Let's settle this the gentlemanly way. Wedges at 20 paces.
- Speaking of golf, and I meant to include this on Monday, but did anyone see the blooper from the Honda Classic in which the dude on the mic at the first tee offered, "Now on the tee, Luke McDonald," rather than "Luke Donald" on Saturday? Egad man, this is not the Kiwanis Four Ball at Moc Bend. And if you are Luke's playing partner and don't call him "Mac" for the rest of the round, well, I don't want to know you.
Today's questions
True or false, it's Tuesday. That's a gimme.
True or false, Chipper Jones is going to be aces as an ESPN baseball analyst.
True or false, you are worried about the coronavirus.
True or false, Joe Biden will be the Democratic frontrunner after tonight.
You know the drill, answer some T or F, leave some T or F.
As for today, March 3, let's review.
On this day in 1991 Rodney King was beaten by L.A. police officers.
On this day in 1985, the TV show "Moonlighting" with a young Bruce Willis debuted.
Alexander Graham Bell was born on this day in 1847.
Today is also 3/3. Rushmore of "3," and be creative.