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03/11/2024

Approaching March Madness

Add-on posted early Tuesday a.m.

College Basketball

--New AP Top 25 Poll, records thru Sunday....

1. Houston (52) 28-3
2. UConn (6) 28-3
3. Purdue (4) 28-3
4. North Carolina 25-6
5. Tennessee 24-7
6. Arizona 24-7
7. Iowa State 24-7
8. Creighton 23-8
9. Kentucky 23-8...liking them more and more w/ Reed Sheppard come tourney time
10. Marquette 23-8
11. Duke 24-7
12. Auburn 24-7
13. Illinois 23-8
14. Baylor 22-9
15. South Carolina 25-6
16. Kansas 22-9
17. Gonzaga 24-6
18. Utah State 26-5
19. Alabama 21-10
20. BYU 22-9
21. Saint Mary’s 24-7
22. Washington State 23-8
23. Nevada 26-6
24. Dayton 24-6
25. Texas Tech 22-9

--As Wake Forest prepares for its first ACC Tournament game on Wednesday against the winner of Georgia Tech-Notre Dame, there is a minor distraction, though most of the players probably don’t care, and that’s Damari Monsanto.

Monsanto came back after midseason, having finally recovered from last season’s Achilles injury.  He came out like a house a fire, hitting his first four shots from three in a game against Louisville, but overall was 17 of 50 from three off the bench, including 5 of his last 24.  While he played 20 minutes just once in 11 games, he was a major hindrance.

So he didn’t play the last three games, including Saturday’s win over Clemson, Senior Night, and the sixth-year senior was nowhere to be found.  He didn’t participate in the pre-game festivities and left out the back door of the Coliseum as the team was hitting the court to start the game.

Clearly, Steve Forbes, who coached Monsanto at East Tennessee State and brought him to Wake, had tired of his antics, though Forbes said he hadn’t practiced since the Notre Dame game because of a knee injury.

“It’s going to be hard for him to play if he can’t practice,” Forbes said when asked if Monsanto was still on the team.

It’s a sad ending for a dynamic, and mercurial, player who never understood he wasn’t quite as good as he himself thought he was.  That said, he could play in Europe and carve out a career.  I wish him well, but he was zero help down the stretch and it hurt us a lot.

--Monday, James Madison, 31-3, won the Sun Belt Conference Championship and the NCAA bid, beating Arkansas State 91-71.  The Dukes clearly can win a game in the Big Dance.

And Samford won the Southern Conference Championship, defeating East Tennessee State 76-69.

--The ACC’s First Team, as selected by the coaches and 60 media members consisted of:

RJ Davis, North Carolina...Player of the Year
PJ Hall, Clemson
Kyle Filipowski, Duke
Hunter Sallis, Wake
Blake Hinson, Pitt

NBA

--Sunday night after I posted, the Knicks took on the Sixers in the first of a home-and-home, and it was an unmitigated disaster, the Knicks falling 79-73, 26 of 80 from the floor, 32.5%, and 9 of 40 from 3; Jalen Brunson 6-22, 1-9.  New York had 19 turnovers.

Philadelphia (36-28) was hardly great itself, 31 of 80 from the field.  I feel for the fans who paid a ton of money for the lowest scoring game of the season.

Mike Vaccaro / New York Post

“This was dreck from the start, and it only got worse from there. It was sloppy from the start, and it only got more unsightly from there.

“Circle this one.  Use red, permanent ink.  In a month’s time, check back, and see if the Knicks’ 79-73 loss to the 76ers marks rock bottom of the season that could become a turning point to getting serious again about fighting for playoff position.

“Right now, it could go either way.”

For all the Knicks injuries, Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, 60-plus points per game between the two of them, with the Sixers 0-7 without the duo this year.

New York in falling to 37-27, has gone 4-9 amidst all their issues, and after Tuesday’s return tilt with Philadelphia, hits the road, heading west for games against Portland, Sacramento, Golden State and Denver.  It’s a potential disaster looming, even as O.G. Anunoby is set to return, probably Tuesday night.

--LeBron James made his return, Sunday night, after sitting out a game with his latest ankle issue and he scored 29 points, playing 38 minutes, as the Lakers had an important 120-109 win over the Wolves (44-21), L.A. 36-30.

But the story was really Anthony Davis, who had a first-ever 25-25-5-5 game...27 points, 25 rebounds, 5 assists, and 7 steals, plus 3 blocks. As in first-ever in NBA recorded history.

NFL

As I say every year, I am not in any way trying to keep up with every move in free agency.  I’m also parochial, first and foremost, and focused on the bigger names.

With the league year officially beginning Wednesday, we know of the following....

--Saquon Barkley is signing with the Eagles, a 3-year deal worth $37.75 million, $26 million guaranteed.

This is the right move for Saquon, and the Eagles, as well as the Giants.

Philadelphia is picking up a running back who could be clutch come playoff time, and he is a high-quality presence in the locker room, respected by all.  He’s a Company Man, through and through.

But there is no way, as I wrote last time, the Giants should have paid anything near this for a guy whose position, and numbers, can be filled for a fraction of what he will now receive.  Like in the draft in the middle rounds.

The difference with the Eagles, or Cowboys, or other good teams Saquon was associated with during this process, is that those looking to win a Super Bowl, now, need guys like Saquon.

Meanwhile, it’s true, Giants GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll need to produce in 2024 to keep their jobs, but no one will be putting Super Bowl-type pressure on them.  They need to have a winning season, period.  Even then, Bill Belichick could be in charge in 2025 and there might not be anything Schoen and Daboll can do to prevent that.

Philadelphia also had to move after running back D’Andre Swift signed with the Bears on a similar 3-year, $24.5 million deal.

And the Eagles are signing Jets defensive end Bryce Huff to a 3-year, $51 million deal.  Huff, 26 next month, had a career-best 10 sacks and the best pressure rate in the NFL. I don’t get some of the money paid these days, but Huff is good...and could be a real star.

--The Giants then agreed to terms with Texans running back Devin Singletary on a 3-year, $16.5 million deal.  He’ll be 27 next September, three straight 800+ yard rushing seasons, 4.6 avg. per carry for his five-year career...great move!

--Since it’s all about the Giants, they lost a solid starter at safety, Xavier McKinney, to the Packers, four years, $68 million.  New York wanted to bring him back, but not at $17 million per.  He’s good...but not at that price.

--But then the Giants signed Carolina defensive end Brian Burns, a 2-time Pro Bowl edge rusher, to a mammoth five-year, $150 million, after giving the Panthers a 2024 second round pick and a 2025 fifth rounder.  He’ll be 26 in April.

--The Jets made a move they should have made a year earlier, signing veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor to back up Aaron Rodgers for a reported two years, Taylor with 13 years in the league, including the last two seasons with the Giants. 

And the Jets agreed to a two-year contract with former Ravens guard John Simpson and are signing former 49ers defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.

--The Steelers are signing Russell Wilson to a one-year deal at the veteran’s minimum of $1.21 million while Denver pays the remainder of his $39 million salary.  Which means one thing.  Steelers training camp at Saint Vincent’s will be very interesting, Wilson going against Kenny Pickett, while it seems Mason Rudolph is headed elsewhere. 

Wilson could work out well.  Or he might not.  No one can tell you today.

But at the bars in the Steel City, they’ll be debating whether Pittsburgh should have traded for Justin Fields instead.

--Baker Mayfield agreed to a three-year, $100 million deal to stay in Tampa Bay with $50 million guaranteed.  Good for him. 

“I wanted a chance to come back,” Mayfield said, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “I love coach (Todd) Bowles and the staff.  I’m happy to be here and I want to win more in the postseason.”

It’s time for Progressive to do commercials with him again!  They were hilarious.

--Kirk Cousins is signing with the Falcons for four years, $180 million, according to the NFL Network, which includes $100 million guaranteed and a $50 million signing bonus.  Perfect situation for Cousins and Atlanta, new regime, young talent, and a great owner. [See also Mason Rudolph for a potential spot in Minnesota, though the Vikings are signing Sam Darnold to a one-year contract.]

--The Patriots are trading Mac Jones to the Jaguars for a bag of donuts, i.e., a sixth-round pick.  The guy was a first-round selection three years ago.

--I think Cleveland came up with a real steal in acquiring wide receiver Jerry Jeudy from Denver for a fifth- and sixth-rounder.

Jeudy, a No. 15 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has been seen as a disappointment, and he’s had some injuries, but he still has 211 receptions for a 14.5 average in his four seasons with the Broncos. To me, it’s a classic case of a needed change in scenery.

--Running back Josh Jacobs reached a four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers, after Green Bay unceremoniously cut ties with long-time back Aaron Jones.  Jones will be a sweet pickup for someone as he becomes a free agent.

MLB

--Yankees fans are on pins and needles as I post...Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole had an MRI Monday on his elbow due to the fact he hasn’t been recovering well from his exhibition game appearances.  If he needs surgery, the season is over for the Yanks...period.

But then there is the issue with Aaron Judge, who essentially has been shut down without any apparent injury...just that he’s sort of ‘beat up’ from the spring action thus far.  Goodness gracious.

--I wrote about Boston starter Lucas Giolito last time. It seems indeed he could be out for the season after surgery on his right elbow today, Tuesday.

College Baseball

--Baseball America Top 25 a/o Sunday’s play (records aren’t important at this stage of the season, as conference play has just begun).

1. Arkansas
2. LSU
3. Duke...up from 12!
4. Oregon State
5. Texas A&M
6. Tennessee
7. Wake Forest...down from No. 1...drat!
8. Vanderbilt
9. Clemson
10. Florida

14. North Carolina
15. Virginia
16. N.C. State
21. Florida State
22. Coastal Carolina

So I went to post Sunday around 6:00 p.m., telling you that Wake was losing to Duke in the rubber game of our 3-game series, 9-2.  It was over, so said moi.

But then Wake rallied to cut it to 9-8, and had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, only to come up short, and Duke won it 10-8, thus taking the series 2-1.

It was the first ACC series that Wake has lost since May 2022.  And here’s a tidbit for Dookies.  Their bullpen didn’t allow a single run in the last three innings of each of our three games.  As they said on “Hee-Haw,” “Saa-lute!”

Wake has a tough road game at Coastal Carolina today, Tuesday, and I do not expect the Deacs to prevail with their pitching staff having had a rough weekend.  As in no fresh arms.

Golf Balls

--After I posted, 40-year-old Brice Garnett picked up his second career PGA Tour title by winning the Puerto Rico Open in a playoff with Erik Barnes. Garnett thus earned a trip to the Tour Championship, as well as the PGA Championship in May.

Stuff

--Christopher Bell had an emotional win for Joe Gibbs Racing in Phoenix Sunday.

The unexpected death of the team’s vice chairman and owner Joe Gibbs’ son happened in Phoenix two years ago. And last fall, a mechanical issue spoiled Bell’s NASCAR Cup Series championship hopes at the same track.

In 2022, hours after Ty Gibbs won a Xfinity season championship for his grandfather’s team, vice chairman Coy Gibbs was found dead in his hotel room.  Ty’s father was 49.

Sunday was Bell’s seventh career Cup Series victory.  Ty Gibbs finished third for his career-best finish.

--Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal points out that with the super three-team race for the English Premier League title, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City separated by one point with 10 matches to play, City, winners of the five of the past six seasons, plays its best down the stretch.

“Over the final 10 games of the past two seasons, City has 15 wins, four draws, and just one defeat.”

--The bodies of five missing skiers were found in the Swiss Alps, local authorities said as they still searched for a sixth person.

A huge search and rescue operation was launched Saturday after the group went missing near the Tete Blanche mountain, the group having set off from Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn, on a ski tour towards Arolla along the Swiss-Italian border.  The group then hit severe weather, very heavy snow that shut access to some villages down below, and heavy winds with deadly windchills.

--Millie’s in Staten Island, New York, hosted a meatball eating contest this weekend and the winner (who received a check for $1,000) scarfed down 18 in four minutes.  That doesn’t sound like a lot, actually, but they are a half-pound each...eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, Locatelli cheese and 100% prime ground beef.

I’m drooling.

--And we note the passing of singer-songwriter Eric Carmen, 74.  Carmen is best known for his 1976 #2 hit song “All By Myself,” as well as the #4 “Hungry Eyes,” from the 1987 movie classic “Dirty Dancing.”

But Carmen first rose to stardom as lead singer of the Raspberries, with the 1972 #5 “Go All The Way.”  This last one was banned by the BBC in the UK for sexually suggestive lyrics.

Next Bar Chat, Sunday p.m., following the Tour Championship.  And the release of the NCAA brackets.

-----

[Posted early Sunday p.m.]

Brief Add-on up top by noon, Tuesday.

NCAA Basketball Tournament Quiz: A few weeks ago I had a quiz on schools with the most Final Fours.  1) Name the seven schools with 40 or more tournament bids since the first one in 1939.  2) Name the three schools, eligible since 1939, to never receive a bid (there used to be a fourth, St. Francis of Brooklyn, but it recently shelved its basketball program, along with all other sports).  Answers below.

College Basketball Review

--Since I last posted Tuesday morning, there were no upsets in the top ten through Friday, 3 Purdue with a big win at 12 Illinois on Tuesday, 77-71, to clinch the Big Ten regular-season title for a second consecutive season, the Boilermakers 27-3, 16-3; the Illini 22-8, 13-6.

But also Tuesday, Wake Forest, desperately needing a win against Georgia Tech, officially saw its NCAA hopes go up in flames, losing at home, 70-69, after inexplicably falling behind 14-0, and 26-7, to start the game.

Wake clawed back the rest of the way, Cameron Hildreth with eleven straight points in the second half, before Hunter Sallis finally took over, Sallis with 22, but the Deacs in the second half also missed three uncontested layups, missed two critical free throws, and then after we finally took our first lead, 69-68 with 18.8 seconds to go, the referees missed an obvious traveling call. Georgia Tech then got the ball under the Wake basket with 3.8 to play and engineered a scoring opportunity down low for the win.  Another crushing defeat.

At 18-12, 10-9, we’re NIT bound.

Hunter Sallis, supposed NBA draft pick, has come up very small except for that final stretch, going 2 for 13 from 3 his last three contests, all losses.

--On to Saturday, and we did have some upsets....

But first, No. 1 Houston destroyed 14 Kansas, 76-46, the Cougars 28-3, 15-3; the Jayhawks now 22-9, 10-8, losers of three of four.  The terrific Houston defense held Kansas to 3 of 21 from 3, and forced 18 turnovers.

15 Kentucky (23-8, 13-5) upset 4 Tennessee (24-7, 14-4) on the road, 85-81, as the amazing freshman Reed Sheppard, already a folk hero in his home state, had 27 points, 7 of 10 from 3. The kid is hitting 52.6% from beyond the arc.

USC (14-17, 8-12) shocked 5 Arizona (24-7, 15-5) in Los Angeles.

Kansas State (18-13, 8-10) pulled off a big win over 6 Iowa State (24-7, 13-5), 65-58, in Manhattan, KS.

In a huge one for the ACC regular-season title, 7 North Carolina (25-6, 17-3) beat 9 Duke (24-7, 15-5), 84-79 in Cameron Indoor Stadium, as Cormac Ryan scored a career-high 31 points, 6 of 8 from 3. Ryan is something like 35 years old, having started out in Stanford, 2018-19.  [I was just informed he’s only 25.]

Duke’s Kyle Filipowski denied he intentionally tripped North Carolina’s Harrison Ingram during the first half.  Shades of Grayson Allen.  Filipowski, you’ll recall, almost died in a furious stampede at Wake Forest, only to miraculously play three days later. 

And speaking of the Deacs, we broke our three-game losing streak, 81-76 over Clemson (21-10, 11-9), as Hunter Sallis had 22 again, Wake shooting 58% from the field.

We’re 19-13, 11-9, heading into ACC Tournament play, Wednesday, against the winner of Notre Dame-Georgia Tech, both of whom dealt us deadly blows down the stretch in terms of our hopes for an NCAA bid.  Wake would have to win at least two to get back into the conversation.

ACC Standings

North Carolina 17-3
Duke 15-5
Virginia 13-7
Pitt 12-8...clutch, captured final double-bye slot with an 81-73 win over NC State
Clemson 11-9
Syracuse 11-9
Wake Forest 11-9

One more Saturday contest... St. John’s won its fifth straight since the now famous Rick Pitino meltdown, 86-78 over a pesky Georgetown team, the Hoyas a pathetic 9-22, 2-18.  The Johnnies improved to 19-12, 11-9, and now are suddenly very much in the NCAA conversation, with a huge Big East Tournament matchup with Seton Hall on Thursday, the Pirates 20-11, 13-7.

--Today, Longwood humiliated UNC Asheville for the Big South Conference Championship and the NCAA bid, 85-59.  Asheville finished second in the regular season to High Point, 12-4, and Longwood (Farmville, Virginia, in case you didn’t know) was just 6-10.

But ya throw the records out the window come tournament time, boys and girls.

--Wednesday, Duke received another top recruit for its 2024 class, that could go on as the highest-rated ever, 7-foot-2 South Sudanese center Khaman Maluach, who might be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Maluach is being called the next Victor Wembanyama and at 17 years old, he might not be finished growing!

In 2025, his competition for the No. 1 overall selection in the draft could be fellow Duke recruit Cooper Flagg, the Maine wunderkind also headed to Duke, along with four other players ranked in the top-20 by 247Sports.

This sucks...wrote the editor, Wake alum.

--We had a big high school moment in the New Jersey State Boys basketball tournament, the Group 2 semifinal game between Manasquan and perennial power Camden.  Manasquan hit a last-second buzzer-beater at the end of Tuesday’s game to seemingly defeat Camden and advance to the championship game.

However, the basket was taken away after the officials huddled and ruled that the last-second shot by Griffin Linstra didn’t leave his hands in time, instead handing Camden a 46-45 win.

Outrage over the call only intensified after replays off of cellphones showed the ball clearly left Linstra’s hands before time expired, and the basket should have counted.

But state rules say video can not be used in high school basketball games to decide calls and an Ocean County Superior Court judge denied Manasquan’s filing on Thursday to postpone the Group 2 championship game.

It sucks...but the court made the right decision, even as the referees admit they blew it.

Just understand, this would have been an upset for the ages. But as us old folks know, life isn’t always fair, and if this is the worst thing that happens in Griffin Linstra’s life, or his teammates, they are lucky dudes.

NBA

--Boston entered play Tuesday night at Cleveland with a 48-12 record, but the Cavs edged the Celtics 105-104, outscoring them 34-17 in the fourth quarter, reserve Dean Wade with 20 of the 34, and Boston’s 11-game winning streak was over.

And the Celts lost Thursday at Denver (43-20), 115-109, as both teams were horrid from 3, a combined 15 for 59.  So Boston fell to 48-14.

But on Saturday, they defeated the Suns (37-27), 117-107, despite Kevin Durant’s 45 points.  So make it 49-14.

--The Knicks lost to the Hawks in desultory fashion at the Garden on Tuesday, 116-100, falling to 36-26, and then had a critical three-game stretch against Orlando, and home-and home against Philadelphia.

New York was without Jalen Brunson on Tuesday due to his knee contusion, but he returned Friday night against Orlando, scoring 26, as the Knicks (37-26) had a huge 98-74 win, Precious Achiuwa, the throw-in in the O.G. Anunoby trade with Toronto, had 15 points, 14 rebounds, and a career-high five blocks.  The guy has been terrific with all the injuries.

So the Knicks square off against the Sixers, tonight and Tuesday night, both at the Garden.

Eastern Conference Standings thru Saturday....

Boston 49-14
Cleveland 41-22...8
Milwaukee 41-23...8.5
New York 37-26...12
Orlando 37-27...12.5
Miami 35-28...14
Philadelphia 35-28...14
Indiana 35-29...14.5

What a race for the 4-6 slots to avoid the play-in games.

--LeBron James exited Wednesday’s loss to the Kings, 130-120, with another ankle issue.  He was in visible pain but said afterwards, “I’ll be alright.”  He’s been dealing with ankle injuries all season, but has remained remarkably durable.  He had played in 56 of 64 games following Wednesday, averaging 35 minutes per contest.

LeBron then missed Friday’s game against the Bucks, but D’Angelo Russell helped fill the void, 44 points on 17 of 25 shooting (9 of 12 from 3), plus nine assists. as the Lakers defeated Milwaukee 123-122.  Big win for L.A.

--Minnesota suffered a huge blow when they learned Karl-Anthony Towns is out indefinitely with a torn meniscus in his left knee. Towns was averaging 22.1 points per game, 8.4 rebounds.

--Luka Doncic became the first NBA player to record six consecutive 30-point triple-doubles as the Mavericks beat the Pistons in Detroit on Saturday night, 142-124.

Doncic finished with 39 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds, eclipsing Russell Westbrook’s mark of five straight 30-pint triple-doubles.

--The Washington Wizards lost their 16th consecutive game on Wednesday, 119-109 to Orlando, tying a franchise record.  They should have kept the name Washington Bullets.

But Friday they snapped the streak, 112-100 over Charlotte (15-48), to move to 10-53!

--The incredible saga of Ben Simmons and the Nets continues.  Simmons won’t play again this season due to a nerve impingement in his lower back.

The oft-injured guard has missed 47 games this season and after he misses the next 20, he will have played in a whopping 57 of 195 total games since the Nets acquired him at the 2022 trade deadline.

Over those three seasons, Simmons has made $103.3 million, or $1.82 million per game played.

In his four seasons in Philadelphia before he was traded to the Nets, he was a three-time All-Star, averaging 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists.

In his 57 games with Brooklyn, he was 6.7, 6.7, 6.0.

NFL / College Football

--Here in the New York area, prior to the draft and free agency, it’s been about Saquon Barkley and his imminent move to sign with someone other than the Giants, who didn’t tag him a second time at what would have been $12 million.  No is crying for Saquon, who last season wanted a long-term contract and instead the Giants paid him $11 million (including the $10.1 million tag).  As in Saquon has done just fine and he isn’t on the front lines in Ukraine with no ammunition.

Saquon has been with the Giants six seasons, 5,211 yards, a 4.3 average, but two of his last three campaigns he’s averaged under 4.0 per carry and running backs are a dime a dozen in the NFL.  He’s no longer a difference maker like he was his rookie year, when he rushed for 1,307 yards and a 5.0 average, the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

It’s best for all sides for Saquon to move on.

NFL free agency begins Wednesday, March 13, with the start of the new league year.

--And prior to free agency, the Kansas City Chiefs avoided same with All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who would have become an unrestricted FA.

Jones agreed to a five-year deal with K.C. that would pay him a staggering $160 million over five seasons, $95 million in guaranteed money, according to reports.

The $32 million-per-season average would surpass the $31.7 million average in Aaron Donald’s three-year, $95 million deal with the Rams as the highest ever for an NFL defensive tackle.

Jones has amassed 75.5 career sacks and has won three Super Bowl titles with the franchise.  He had 10.5 sacks last season.

--Nick Saban, in comments to ESPN that made a splash, says the current climate around college athletics made it difficult for him to get the same buy-in from players that had previously helped his program sustain dominance from year to year.

Those pushing for calls for “guardrails” around NIL payments and the current transfer free-for-all need to take notice, as Dan Wolken of USA TODAY Sports pointed out.

“I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I’m going to play because they’re thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?” Saban said.  “Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field.”

“So I’m saying to myself, ‘Maybe this doesn’t work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it’s all about how much money can I make as a college player? I’m not saying that’s bad.  I’m not saying it’s wrong, I’m just saying that’s never been what we were all about, and it’s not why we had success through the years.”

--Somewhat related to the above...we have the “historic” union vote at Dartmouth, so it’s being called...the men’s basketball team voting to unionize, 13-2.

As Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post notes:

“By voting to unionize, the basketball players are now represented by Service Employees International Union Local 560, which already represents some workers employed by the school. For now, with Dartmouth already filing an appeal Tuesday on the initial ruling that the athletes are employees of the school, the players can collectively bargain with the school over pay, practice hours and other working conditions. This comes a month after Laura A. Sacks, a regional director for the National Labor Relations Board, ruled the players are employees of Dartmouth under the National Labor Relations Act and could therefore hold an election.”

A Dartmouth spokesperson wrote in a statement Tuesday immediately after the ballot count went public: “We always negotiate in good faith and have deep respect for our 1,500 union colleagues, including the members of SEIU Local 560.  In this isolated circumstance, however, the students on the men’s basketball team are not in any way employed by Dartmouth.  For Ivy League students who are varsity athletes, academics are of primary importance, and athletic pursuit is part of the educational experience.

“Classifying these students as employees simply because they play basketball is as unprecedented as it is inaccurate.  We, therefore, do not believe unionization is appropriate.”

I watched some of the members of the hoops team talk to reporters after the vote and here’s what America needs to understand.  They suck!  Dartmouth hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since the 1958-59 season!  They are 6-21 this season, 2-12 in the Ivy League, and haven’t finished over .500 in the conference since 1998-99!

What could possibly make them think they deserved to be paid?!  They aren’t playing before crowds of 10,000, with lots of gate receipts.  In fact, picking a random home game where I knew the students would be on campus, Feb. 24 against Princeton, the attendance was 937.

Don’t waste sports fans’ time with this B.S., you pampered ‘elites’ who don’t have a clue about the real world.

NCAA President Charlie Baker, an unwavering opponent of athletes becoming employees, essentially promised the NLRB process will play out for well over a year. 

Jesse Dougherty:

“In 2014, when an NLRB regional director ruled Northwestern’s football players were employees, the board took about 16 months to deliberate on the school’s appeal.  The NLRB eventually dismissed the players’ petition, saying that because it only has jurisdiction over private schools, Northwestern unionizing would have created an uneven labor environment in the Big Ten.  Northwestern is the only private school in the conference.”

--The University of Colorado Boulder is reporting a record number of applicants for the fall 2024 semester and a 50.5% increase in Black applicants – both of which are no doubt partly due to the “Prime Effect” of hiring Deion Sanders, despite their 4-8 season.  All good...and the Buffaloes will be better next season.

--Fox Sports will feature a Friday prime-time college football game on its broadcast network each week beginning this season.  The games will emanate from the Big Ten, Big 12 and the Mountain West.  The full college football network schedule doesn’t come out until May.

MLB

--The Dodgers are moving Mookie Betts from the outfield to shortstop, where Betts said he hasn’t played since high school, due to Gavin Lux’ fielding woes this spring training.

Lux had a solid 2022, batting.276, .745 OPS, and was seen as a fixture once he came back from a 2023 season-long injury.  But he can’t make the throw from short, so they are moving him to second.

For all the stories about L.A. winning 110+ games and the World Series, this is a big deal.  Fielding woes can crop up at the worst time in the playoffs.  L.A. will find a real shortstop. Amed Rosario, whom the Dodgers had at the end of last season, would have been a good fit.

--Boston finished last in the AL East in 2023, 78-84, just as they had done in 2022, so their spoiled fans, with four World Series titles in 20 years are impatient.  In the offseason the team then went out and signed starter Lucas Giolito to a two-year, $38.5 million contract, despite the fact he had 4.88 ERA for three teams in 2023.

Giolito does, however, give whoever he is pitching for innings, 184 in 33 starts last year, and that’s worth something in this everyone gets a trophy world.

Alas, Giolito is potentially out for the season with a partially torn UCL and a flexor strain in his right elbow.

The Red Sox are really, really gonna suck this season.

--In College Baseball, we had the first big weekend conference series in the ACC, 12 Duke at No. 1 Wake Forest, and in Friday’s opener, the matchup of two probable first-round draft picks, Duke’s Jonathan Santucci vs. Wake’s Josh Hartle was a bust; Santucci giving up 5 earned in 2 2/3, Hartle 6 earned in 3 2/3, as Duke prevailed 8-5.

In Saturday’s game, another probable first-rounder, Wake’s Chase Burns, threw six innings of one-run ball, striking out 14, as the Deacs rebounded 6-3.

But for Wake fans, the big mystery is the slump that slugger Nick Kurtz is in.  In 14 games, Kurtz is batting. 234 with just two home runs and six RBIs.  He does have 20 walks, so his on-base percentage is a hefty .471, but this is a guy who some in the preseason had as the No. 1 overall selection in the upcoming draft!

Kurtz was hurt in the super regionals last year and had a poor College World Series, as did virtually every other Wake hitter, but he doesn’t appear to still be injured.

The thing is, Wake is going nowhere without him.

Today’s rubber match is wrapping up after I post today, BUT, Duke is up 9-2 in the fifth! Ugh.

Golf Balls

--At the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Bay Hill, a signature event, we had an intriguing leaderboard after 36 holes....

Shane Lowry -7
Hideki Matsuyama -7
Russell Henley -7
Brian Harman -7
Wyndham Clark -7
Scottie Scheffler -7

And Will Zalatoris, the only golfer at -6

In the third round, Zalatoris took over, getting it to -11 thru 13 before stumbling badly down the stretch, and so after three rounds....

Scheffler -9
Lowry -9
Clark -8
Zalatoris -7
Henley -7
Matsuyama -7

Rory McIlroy -5 after a back-nine 30 on Saturday.

Should be fascinating.

Well, it wasn’t fascinating at all, but while a runaway doesn’t make for drama, it was hugely important for the tour that Scottie Scheffler finally capture win No. 7.  It’s nice to see some young guys breaking through, but golf needs dominant figures.  And Scheffler’s putting is back.

By the way, I think it was Rory who suggested Scheffler go to a mallet putter, so I’m sure Scottie will buy Rory a dinner or two.

Scheffler -15
Clark -10
Lowry -9
Henley -7
Zalatoris -7

Speaking of Rory, after making things interesting on Saturday, he started off +4 and was out of it immediately, finishing T21.

On to The Players Championship.

--One of those missing the cut, only eleven did in this limited field tournament, was Tommy Fleetwood, who in his second round had a 10 on the par-5 sixth hole, after three balls in the lake.

And then on Saturday, Jake Knapp had a 12 on the same hole!  The record is 18, by John Daly.

--In the alternate field event in Puerto Rico we have a playoff between Brice Garnett and Erik Barnes as I go to post.

Ryan McCormick made his second straight cut, a very good sign, but finished T58.

Bill Haas, though, missed the cut.

--Abraham Ancer won the LIV Golf tournament in Hong Kong, beating Cameron Smith and Paul Casey in a playoff.

Joaquin Niemann continued his hot play finishing a stroke behind the leaders.

Anthony Kim finished 50th, out of 54, 16 shots back (54 holes), but did shoot a 5-under in his final round, his first round out of six under par in his comeback.

Phil Mickelson was 53rd, 21 back.

--Tiger Woods is not teeing it up at the Players Championship next week.  He had previously said he hoped to play about one tournament a month as he continues to recover from fusion surgery in April, and now there is a good chance Tiger doesn’t play until the Masters, April 11-14.

--Alex Miceli / SI.com

“Two hundred seventy-four days have passed since PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia sat side-by-side on CNBC and announced a landmark ‘framework agreement’ that was to be the basis of a new cooperation between the two groups.

“That new cooperation now seems like a pipe dream as the PGA Tour has its newly found billions and the PIF has continued to grab marquee players like Masters champion Jon Rahm, Englishman Tyrrell Hatton and DP World Tour Player of the Year Adrian Meronk.

“Now LIV CEO Greg Norman is throwing another rock at golf’s glass house by dropping LIV’s Official World Golf Ranking application because, as he wrote in a letter to his players, OWGR ‘has shown little willingness to productively work with us.’

“It had become clear to LIV hierarchy that any concession the OWGR offered would not accurately determine LIV players’ position in the rankings or adequately value their performance against players on other Tours.

“Norman’s letter may seem a bit tepid, but it’s ultimately a covert statement that Al-Rumayyan is not interested in standing pat until LIV and its players are respected for what they have accomplished and continue to accomplish for the game of golf.

“And LIV is preparing to exist for the long haul.

“DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said in an interview with the Times of London that he’s’ convinced the game will at some point be unified, but the timeframe is extremely fluid.

“ ‘Whether it be in six months, a year, two years or 10 years, I think people are coming to the realization that a collective product is in the best interest of global golf,’ Pelley said.  ‘It is the only way growth and prize funds continue at this level. It is inevitable.’

“Since the PGA Tour announced its $3 billion deal with the Strategic Sports Group, the ball has been in the PIF and LIV’s court.

“Except when you oversee a $750 billion fund, as Al-Rumayyan does, you have little need for acquiescence and can wait almost anyone out in order to get the terms you want.

“So as the PGA Tour Policy Board believes its deal puts them in a superior position, it does little to facilitate a deal with LIV.

“At the same time, the PIF is emboldened in the belief that the deals for Rahm, Hatton and Meronk represent a clear path to others, be it Hideki Matsuyama, Viktor Hovland or other ‘name’ players – and those potential future signees could be the straw that breaks the PGA Tour’s back....

“Players that jumped to LIV are not interested in rejoining the PGA Tour and while they may want to make a one-off appearance at the Memorial or Riviera, they are happy with the professional life they picked in joining LIV.

“One of the mistakes players on the PGA Tour make is thinking those former members are itching to come back. They are not, so instead of thinking of the fines and penalties that should be imposed upon a return, maybe Tour players should value LIV players’ games and how they could prop up the mediocre fields in non-signature events.

“So now we wait. No movement appears imminent, but Monahan will be grilled at next week’s Players Championship about LIV and the framework agreement’s progress.

“Then next month, the season’s first major will commence in Augusta, where last year’s leaderboard had a significant LIV presence and the winner later joined them.

“A Masters win by a current LIV player will force the other majors to figure out what to do with the 54-hole league, perhaps speeding up LIV’s acceptance.

“It’s that acceptance that LIV craves and if it comes to fruition, the possibility of a PGA Tour deal will seem even farther away than it already does.”

--Webb Simpson, who is on the PGA Tour Policy Board as a player director, admitted this week at Bay Hill that he once felt LIV and the PGA tours could exist playing on separate paths, but not so much anymore.

To push away from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia would be risky.

“Very dangerous,” Simpson said Thursday following his first round at the Bay Hill Club.  “I think we’re in a position where we want to do the right deal. We don’t want to just do a deal because we’re afraid that the LIV tour might recruit more players.  That’s certainly a fear.  But I think it’s obvious.  The writing is on the wall.  We’re not in a position where we need to do a deal for money.  We need to do a deal for the good of the game.  And for the health of the PGA Tour long-term. That’s my hope.”

Simpson acknowledged he has no idea what the new endeavor will look like but that he wants to see progress toward getting the game back together.

“One thing I’m certain of is fans, players, media, sponsors alike all feel strongly that the game is divided,” Simpson said. “The game has been divided for a year and a half now.  The game misses the personalities of LIV.  I think the game misses the personalities of LIV and the PGA Tour playing together.  I miss a lot of my buddies out there – Charles Howell, Bubba Watson to name a couple.

“I don’t know what they (LIV and the PIF) want.  I don’t know what the players playing for LIV want. I think they’re very happy where they are. I think they’re very happy with the decisions they’ve made.  But I’ve heard from enough people who have grown a little distasteful with the current state of golf.  Not pointing blame at LIV or the PGA Tour or anyone.

“When you come to big tournaments like the Arnold Palmer Invitational, you want to know the guy who won beat most or all of the best players.  Right now the PGA Tour still has more great players, but LIV has great players as well.  I just think for the health of the game and longevity and for what fans are used to seeing...” the two have to come together.

--On a better topic, making the game simpler for us schleps, golf’s two governing bodies released a draft of modern rules Wednesday aimed at bringing some common sense to a complicated sport.

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club and the U.S. Golf Association spent more than five years trying to simplify the rules of golf without stripping the centuries-old game of its traditions and fundamentals of fair play.  It’s the most comprehensive overhaul since the first set of rules was published in 1744.

The number of rules is being reduced from 34 to 24 and in many cases penalties have been rescinded.  Such as players no longer will be assessed a one-shot penalty if their golf ball accidentally moves, if their club touches the ground while in a hazard or even if a putt strikes a flagstick that is not being tended.

But hand wedges are still illegal, ditto the side kick when no one is looking, or suddenly ‘finding’ your ball when everyone you are playing with knows it is 40 yards into the woods.

Premier League

--What a race for the title we have.  Yesterday, Arsenal beat Brentford 2-1, and then the Gunners sat back and watched today’s titanic battle between Liverpool and Manchester City, and with Jurgen Klopp’s team missing five starters due to injury, Liverpool played its hearts out and was dominating in the second half, but in the end it was a 1-1 draw, just what Arsenal wanted.

In another biggie for the fourth and final Champions League slot, Tottenham blitzed Aston Villa on the road, 4-0.

So, the table, 27/28 of 38 played...played – points....

1. Arsenal...28 – 64 ...up 7 in goal differential
2. Liverpool...28 – 64
3. Man City...28 – 63
4. Aston Villa...28 – 55
5. Tottenham...27 – 53 ...game in hand
6. Manchester United...28 – 47

That, sports fans, is a title race.

Stuff

--Mikaela Shiffrin took her time coming back from her bad fall weeks ago, and it paid off.  She captured win No. 96 in the slalom in Are, Sweden this weekend.  Remarkable.  First race back, a win.

--Mike Tyson is returning to the ring to face Jake Paul on July 20 at AT&T Stadium, in an event that will air live on Netflix.  The fight is an exhibition, though the specifics are unclear.  Tyson will be 58 when the bout is held.

--A woman was injured in a bear attack in Butler Township, Pa., Tuesday night while letting her dog outside.  Pennsylvania game commission employees were quick to respond and killed the mother bear and tranquilized her three yearling cubs, authorities said.

The 55-year-old woman was attacked behind her home and suffered injuries to an arm and her face, neck and head.  Butler Township Police Chief John Hays told the Butler Eagle he believes there was some kind of interaction between the bears and the woman’s dog, which was uninjured.  The woman was lucky there happened to be an officer nearby who could respond quickly.

The adult bear was found nearby with its three cubs in a tree and was killed after she “continued with her aggression,” police said. The yearlings were tranquilized and will be released elsewhere if rabies is not detected in the sow, a Game Commission spokesperson said in a statement.

--The booth where Tony Soprano was last seen eating onion rings and listening to “Don’t Stop Believin’” in the finale sold for $82,600 at auction, and Holsten’s already completed their renovation.  I look forward to returning sometime in the summer.

The booth was first installed in 1973.  In the early 2000s, co-owner Christopher Carley said an HBO location scout asked to check out the restaurant for a possible scene in “The Sopranos.”  Carley, already a fan of the show was excited, but he didn’t hear from HBO until the end of 2006, after the show’s producers had decided to film the final scene there.

It was March 2007 when the restaurant closed for a few days as about 120 crew and cast members filled the place.  Carley makes an appearance as an employee flipping burgers (and boy, as I mentioned before, the burgers there are great, ditto the onion rings and milkshakes).

Top 3 songs for the week 3/8/75:  #1 “Have You Never Been Mellow” (Olivia Newton-John)  #2 “Black Water” (The Doobie Brothers)  #3 “My Eyes Adored You” (Frankie Valli)...and...#4 “Lady Marmalade” (LaBelle)  #5 “Lonely People” (America)  #6 “Lady” (Styx)  #7 “Best Of My Love” (The Eagles)  #8 “Lovin’ You” (Minnie Riperton...chirp chirp...cheap cheap...) #9 “Pick Up The Pieces” (AWB)   #10 “Can’t Get It Out Of My Head” (Electric Light Orchestra...not an awful week...B+...)

NCAA Basketball Tournament Quiz: 1) Seven schools with 40 or more tournament bids...Kentucky, 60; North Carolina, 52; Kansas, 51; UCLA, 50; Duke, 45; Indiana, 41; Villanova, 40.  [Louisville, 39; Notre Dame, Syracuse and Texas with 37.]  2) The only three schools to be eligible since 1939 and never play in the tournament are Army, The Citadel, and William & Mary.  [Bob Knight, while coach at Army in 1968, turned down an NCAA bid for the NIT.]

I’ll have a brief Add-on up top by noon, Tuesday.



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Bar Chat

03/11/2024

Approaching March Madness

Add-on posted early Tuesday a.m.

College Basketball

--New AP Top 25 Poll, records thru Sunday....

1. Houston (52) 28-3
2. UConn (6) 28-3
3. Purdue (4) 28-3
4. North Carolina 25-6
5. Tennessee 24-7
6. Arizona 24-7
7. Iowa State 24-7
8. Creighton 23-8
9. Kentucky 23-8...liking them more and more w/ Reed Sheppard come tourney time
10. Marquette 23-8
11. Duke 24-7
12. Auburn 24-7
13. Illinois 23-8
14. Baylor 22-9
15. South Carolina 25-6
16. Kansas 22-9
17. Gonzaga 24-6
18. Utah State 26-5
19. Alabama 21-10
20. BYU 22-9
21. Saint Mary’s 24-7
22. Washington State 23-8
23. Nevada 26-6
24. Dayton 24-6
25. Texas Tech 22-9

--As Wake Forest prepares for its first ACC Tournament game on Wednesday against the winner of Georgia Tech-Notre Dame, there is a minor distraction, though most of the players probably don’t care, and that’s Damari Monsanto.

Monsanto came back after midseason, having finally recovered from last season’s Achilles injury.  He came out like a house a fire, hitting his first four shots from three in a game against Louisville, but overall was 17 of 50 from three off the bench, including 5 of his last 24.  While he played 20 minutes just once in 11 games, he was a major hindrance.

So he didn’t play the last three games, including Saturday’s win over Clemson, Senior Night, and the sixth-year senior was nowhere to be found.  He didn’t participate in the pre-game festivities and left out the back door of the Coliseum as the team was hitting the court to start the game.

Clearly, Steve Forbes, who coached Monsanto at East Tennessee State and brought him to Wake, had tired of his antics, though Forbes said he hadn’t practiced since the Notre Dame game because of a knee injury.

“It’s going to be hard for him to play if he can’t practice,” Forbes said when asked if Monsanto was still on the team.

It’s a sad ending for a dynamic, and mercurial, player who never understood he wasn’t quite as good as he himself thought he was.  That said, he could play in Europe and carve out a career.  I wish him well, but he was zero help down the stretch and it hurt us a lot.

--Monday, James Madison, 31-3, won the Sun Belt Conference Championship and the NCAA bid, beating Arkansas State 91-71.  The Dukes clearly can win a game in the Big Dance.

And Samford won the Southern Conference Championship, defeating East Tennessee State 76-69.

--The ACC’s First Team, as selected by the coaches and 60 media members consisted of:

RJ Davis, North Carolina...Player of the Year
PJ Hall, Clemson
Kyle Filipowski, Duke
Hunter Sallis, Wake
Blake Hinson, Pitt

NBA

--Sunday night after I posted, the Knicks took on the Sixers in the first of a home-and-home, and it was an unmitigated disaster, the Knicks falling 79-73, 26 of 80 from the floor, 32.5%, and 9 of 40 from 3; Jalen Brunson 6-22, 1-9.  New York had 19 turnovers.

Philadelphia (36-28) was hardly great itself, 31 of 80 from the field.  I feel for the fans who paid a ton of money for the lowest scoring game of the season.

Mike Vaccaro / New York Post

“This was dreck from the start, and it only got worse from there. It was sloppy from the start, and it only got more unsightly from there.

“Circle this one.  Use red, permanent ink.  In a month’s time, check back, and see if the Knicks’ 79-73 loss to the 76ers marks rock bottom of the season that could become a turning point to getting serious again about fighting for playoff position.

“Right now, it could go either way.”

For all the Knicks injuries, Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, 60-plus points per game between the two of them, with the Sixers 0-7 without the duo this year.

New York in falling to 37-27, has gone 4-9 amidst all their issues, and after Tuesday’s return tilt with Philadelphia, hits the road, heading west for games against Portland, Sacramento, Golden State and Denver.  It’s a potential disaster looming, even as O.G. Anunoby is set to return, probably Tuesday night.

--LeBron James made his return, Sunday night, after sitting out a game with his latest ankle issue and he scored 29 points, playing 38 minutes, as the Lakers had an important 120-109 win over the Wolves (44-21), L.A. 36-30.

But the story was really Anthony Davis, who had a first-ever 25-25-5-5 game...27 points, 25 rebounds, 5 assists, and 7 steals, plus 3 blocks. As in first-ever in NBA recorded history.

NFL

As I say every year, I am not in any way trying to keep up with every move in free agency.  I’m also parochial, first and foremost, and focused on the bigger names.

With the league year officially beginning Wednesday, we know of the following....

--Saquon Barkley is signing with the Eagles, a 3-year deal worth $37.75 million, $26 million guaranteed.

This is the right move for Saquon, and the Eagles, as well as the Giants.

Philadelphia is picking up a running back who could be clutch come playoff time, and he is a high-quality presence in the locker room, respected by all.  He’s a Company Man, through and through.

But there is no way, as I wrote last time, the Giants should have paid anything near this for a guy whose position, and numbers, can be filled for a fraction of what he will now receive.  Like in the draft in the middle rounds.

The difference with the Eagles, or Cowboys, or other good teams Saquon was associated with during this process, is that those looking to win a Super Bowl, now, need guys like Saquon.

Meanwhile, it’s true, Giants GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll need to produce in 2024 to keep their jobs, but no one will be putting Super Bowl-type pressure on them.  They need to have a winning season, period.  Even then, Bill Belichick could be in charge in 2025 and there might not be anything Schoen and Daboll can do to prevent that.

Philadelphia also had to move after running back D’Andre Swift signed with the Bears on a similar 3-year, $24.5 million deal.

And the Eagles are signing Jets defensive end Bryce Huff to a 3-year, $51 million deal.  Huff, 26 next month, had a career-best 10 sacks and the best pressure rate in the NFL. I don’t get some of the money paid these days, but Huff is good...and could be a real star.

--The Giants then agreed to terms with Texans running back Devin Singletary on a 3-year, $16.5 million deal.  He’ll be 27 next September, three straight 800+ yard rushing seasons, 4.6 avg. per carry for his five-year career...great move!

--Since it’s all about the Giants, they lost a solid starter at safety, Xavier McKinney, to the Packers, four years, $68 million.  New York wanted to bring him back, but not at $17 million per.  He’s good...but not at that price.

--But then the Giants signed Carolina defensive end Brian Burns, a 2-time Pro Bowl edge rusher, to a mammoth five-year, $150 million, after giving the Panthers a 2024 second round pick and a 2025 fifth rounder.  He’ll be 26 in April.

--The Jets made a move they should have made a year earlier, signing veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor to back up Aaron Rodgers for a reported two years, Taylor with 13 years in the league, including the last two seasons with the Giants. 

And the Jets agreed to a two-year contract with former Ravens guard John Simpson and are signing former 49ers defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.

--The Steelers are signing Russell Wilson to a one-year deal at the veteran’s minimum of $1.21 million while Denver pays the remainder of his $39 million salary.  Which means one thing.  Steelers training camp at Saint Vincent’s will be very interesting, Wilson going against Kenny Pickett, while it seems Mason Rudolph is headed elsewhere. 

Wilson could work out well.  Or he might not.  No one can tell you today.

But at the bars in the Steel City, they’ll be debating whether Pittsburgh should have traded for Justin Fields instead.

--Baker Mayfield agreed to a three-year, $100 million deal to stay in Tampa Bay with $50 million guaranteed.  Good for him. 

“I wanted a chance to come back,” Mayfield said, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “I love coach (Todd) Bowles and the staff.  I’m happy to be here and I want to win more in the postseason.”

It’s time for Progressive to do commercials with him again!  They were hilarious.

--Kirk Cousins is signing with the Falcons for four years, $180 million, according to the NFL Network, which includes $100 million guaranteed and a $50 million signing bonus.  Perfect situation for Cousins and Atlanta, new regime, young talent, and a great owner. [See also Mason Rudolph for a potential spot in Minnesota, though the Vikings are signing Sam Darnold to a one-year contract.]

--The Patriots are trading Mac Jones to the Jaguars for a bag of donuts, i.e., a sixth-round pick.  The guy was a first-round selection three years ago.

--I think Cleveland came up with a real steal in acquiring wide receiver Jerry Jeudy from Denver for a fifth- and sixth-rounder.

Jeudy, a No. 15 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has been seen as a disappointment, and he’s had some injuries, but he still has 211 receptions for a 14.5 average in his four seasons with the Broncos. To me, it’s a classic case of a needed change in scenery.

--Running back Josh Jacobs reached a four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers, after Green Bay unceremoniously cut ties with long-time back Aaron Jones.  Jones will be a sweet pickup for someone as he becomes a free agent.

MLB

--Yankees fans are on pins and needles as I post...Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole had an MRI Monday on his elbow due to the fact he hasn’t been recovering well from his exhibition game appearances.  If he needs surgery, the season is over for the Yanks...period.

But then there is the issue with Aaron Judge, who essentially has been shut down without any apparent injury...just that he’s sort of ‘beat up’ from the spring action thus far.  Goodness gracious.

--I wrote about Boston starter Lucas Giolito last time. It seems indeed he could be out for the season after surgery on his right elbow today, Tuesday.

College Baseball

--Baseball America Top 25 a/o Sunday’s play (records aren’t important at this stage of the season, as conference play has just begun).

1. Arkansas
2. LSU
3. Duke...up from 12!
4. Oregon State
5. Texas A&M
6. Tennessee
7. Wake Forest...down from No. 1...drat!
8. Vanderbilt
9. Clemson
10. Florida

14. North Carolina
15. Virginia
16. N.C. State
21. Florida State
22. Coastal Carolina

So I went to post Sunday around 6:00 p.m., telling you that Wake was losing to Duke in the rubber game of our 3-game series, 9-2.  It was over, so said moi.

But then Wake rallied to cut it to 9-8, and had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, only to come up short, and Duke won it 10-8, thus taking the series 2-1.

It was the first ACC series that Wake has lost since May 2022.  And here’s a tidbit for Dookies.  Their bullpen didn’t allow a single run in the last three innings of each of our three games.  As they said on “Hee-Haw,” “Saa-lute!”

Wake has a tough road game at Coastal Carolina today, Tuesday, and I do not expect the Deacs to prevail with their pitching staff having had a rough weekend.  As in no fresh arms.

Golf Balls

--After I posted, 40-year-old Brice Garnett picked up his second career PGA Tour title by winning the Puerto Rico Open in a playoff with Erik Barnes. Garnett thus earned a trip to the Tour Championship, as well as the PGA Championship in May.

Stuff

--Christopher Bell had an emotional win for Joe Gibbs Racing in Phoenix Sunday.

The unexpected death of the team’s vice chairman and owner Joe Gibbs’ son happened in Phoenix two years ago. And last fall, a mechanical issue spoiled Bell’s NASCAR Cup Series championship hopes at the same track.

In 2022, hours after Ty Gibbs won a Xfinity season championship for his grandfather’s team, vice chairman Coy Gibbs was found dead in his hotel room.  Ty’s father was 49.

Sunday was Bell’s seventh career Cup Series victory.  Ty Gibbs finished third for his career-best finish.

--Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal points out that with the super three-team race for the English Premier League title, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City separated by one point with 10 matches to play, City, winners of the five of the past six seasons, plays its best down the stretch.

“Over the final 10 games of the past two seasons, City has 15 wins, four draws, and just one defeat.”

--The bodies of five missing skiers were found in the Swiss Alps, local authorities said as they still searched for a sixth person.

A huge search and rescue operation was launched Saturday after the group went missing near the Tete Blanche mountain, the group having set off from Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn, on a ski tour towards Arolla along the Swiss-Italian border.  The group then hit severe weather, very heavy snow that shut access to some villages down below, and heavy winds with deadly windchills.

--Millie’s in Staten Island, New York, hosted a meatball eating contest this weekend and the winner (who received a check for $1,000) scarfed down 18 in four minutes.  That doesn’t sound like a lot, actually, but they are a half-pound each...eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, Locatelli cheese and 100% prime ground beef.

I’m drooling.

--And we note the passing of singer-songwriter Eric Carmen, 74.  Carmen is best known for his 1976 #2 hit song “All By Myself,” as well as the #4 “Hungry Eyes,” from the 1987 movie classic “Dirty Dancing.”

But Carmen first rose to stardom as lead singer of the Raspberries, with the 1972 #5 “Go All The Way.”  This last one was banned by the BBC in the UK for sexually suggestive lyrics.

Next Bar Chat, Sunday p.m., following the Tour Championship.  And the release of the NCAA brackets.

-----

[Posted early Sunday p.m.]

Brief Add-on up top by noon, Tuesday.

NCAA Basketball Tournament Quiz: A few weeks ago I had a quiz on schools with the most Final Fours.  1) Name the seven schools with 40 or more tournament bids since the first one in 1939.  2) Name the three schools, eligible since 1939, to never receive a bid (there used to be a fourth, St. Francis of Brooklyn, but it recently shelved its basketball program, along with all other sports).  Answers below.

College Basketball Review

--Since I last posted Tuesday morning, there were no upsets in the top ten through Friday, 3 Purdue with a big win at 12 Illinois on Tuesday, 77-71, to clinch the Big Ten regular-season title for a second consecutive season, the Boilermakers 27-3, 16-3; the Illini 22-8, 13-6.

But also Tuesday, Wake Forest, desperately needing a win against Georgia Tech, officially saw its NCAA hopes go up in flames, losing at home, 70-69, after inexplicably falling behind 14-0, and 26-7, to start the game.

Wake clawed back the rest of the way, Cameron Hildreth with eleven straight points in the second half, before Hunter Sallis finally took over, Sallis with 22, but the Deacs in the second half also missed three uncontested layups, missed two critical free throws, and then after we finally took our first lead, 69-68 with 18.8 seconds to go, the referees missed an obvious traveling call. Georgia Tech then got the ball under the Wake basket with 3.8 to play and engineered a scoring opportunity down low for the win.  Another crushing defeat.

At 18-12, 10-9, we’re NIT bound.

Hunter Sallis, supposed NBA draft pick, has come up very small except for that final stretch, going 2 for 13 from 3 his last three contests, all losses.

--On to Saturday, and we did have some upsets....

But first, No. 1 Houston destroyed 14 Kansas, 76-46, the Cougars 28-3, 15-3; the Jayhawks now 22-9, 10-8, losers of three of four.  The terrific Houston defense held Kansas to 3 of 21 from 3, and forced 18 turnovers.

15 Kentucky (23-8, 13-5) upset 4 Tennessee (24-7, 14-4) on the road, 85-81, as the amazing freshman Reed Sheppard, already a folk hero in his home state, had 27 points, 7 of 10 from 3. The kid is hitting 52.6% from beyond the arc.

USC (14-17, 8-12) shocked 5 Arizona (24-7, 15-5) in Los Angeles.

Kansas State (18-13, 8-10) pulled off a big win over 6 Iowa State (24-7, 13-5), 65-58, in Manhattan, KS.

In a huge one for the ACC regular-season title, 7 North Carolina (25-6, 17-3) beat 9 Duke (24-7, 15-5), 84-79 in Cameron Indoor Stadium, as Cormac Ryan scored a career-high 31 points, 6 of 8 from 3. Ryan is something like 35 years old, having started out in Stanford, 2018-19.  [I was just informed he’s only 25.]

Duke’s Kyle Filipowski denied he intentionally tripped North Carolina’s Harrison Ingram during the first half.  Shades of Grayson Allen.  Filipowski, you’ll recall, almost died in a furious stampede at Wake Forest, only to miraculously play three days later. 

And speaking of the Deacs, we broke our three-game losing streak, 81-76 over Clemson (21-10, 11-9), as Hunter Sallis had 22 again, Wake shooting 58% from the field.

We’re 19-13, 11-9, heading into ACC Tournament play, Wednesday, against the winner of Notre Dame-Georgia Tech, both of whom dealt us deadly blows down the stretch in terms of our hopes for an NCAA bid.  Wake would have to win at least two to get back into the conversation.

ACC Standings

North Carolina 17-3
Duke 15-5
Virginia 13-7
Pitt 12-8...clutch, captured final double-bye slot with an 81-73 win over NC State
Clemson 11-9
Syracuse 11-9
Wake Forest 11-9

One more Saturday contest... St. John’s won its fifth straight since the now famous Rick Pitino meltdown, 86-78 over a pesky Georgetown team, the Hoyas a pathetic 9-22, 2-18.  The Johnnies improved to 19-12, 11-9, and now are suddenly very much in the NCAA conversation, with a huge Big East Tournament matchup with Seton Hall on Thursday, the Pirates 20-11, 13-7.

--Today, Longwood humiliated UNC Asheville for the Big South Conference Championship and the NCAA bid, 85-59.  Asheville finished second in the regular season to High Point, 12-4, and Longwood (Farmville, Virginia, in case you didn’t know) was just 6-10.

But ya throw the records out the window come tournament time, boys and girls.

--Wednesday, Duke received another top recruit for its 2024 class, that could go on as the highest-rated ever, 7-foot-2 South Sudanese center Khaman Maluach, who might be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Maluach is being called the next Victor Wembanyama and at 17 years old, he might not be finished growing!

In 2025, his competition for the No. 1 overall selection in the draft could be fellow Duke recruit Cooper Flagg, the Maine wunderkind also headed to Duke, along with four other players ranked in the top-20 by 247Sports.

This sucks...wrote the editor, Wake alum.

--We had a big high school moment in the New Jersey State Boys basketball tournament, the Group 2 semifinal game between Manasquan and perennial power Camden.  Manasquan hit a last-second buzzer-beater at the end of Tuesday’s game to seemingly defeat Camden and advance to the championship game.

However, the basket was taken away after the officials huddled and ruled that the last-second shot by Griffin Linstra didn’t leave his hands in time, instead handing Camden a 46-45 win.

Outrage over the call only intensified after replays off of cellphones showed the ball clearly left Linstra’s hands before time expired, and the basket should have counted.

But state rules say video can not be used in high school basketball games to decide calls and an Ocean County Superior Court judge denied Manasquan’s filing on Thursday to postpone the Group 2 championship game.

It sucks...but the court made the right decision, even as the referees admit they blew it.

Just understand, this would have been an upset for the ages. But as us old folks know, life isn’t always fair, and if this is the worst thing that happens in Griffin Linstra’s life, or his teammates, they are lucky dudes.

NBA

--Boston entered play Tuesday night at Cleveland with a 48-12 record, but the Cavs edged the Celtics 105-104, outscoring them 34-17 in the fourth quarter, reserve Dean Wade with 20 of the 34, and Boston’s 11-game winning streak was over.

And the Celts lost Thursday at Denver (43-20), 115-109, as both teams were horrid from 3, a combined 15 for 59.  So Boston fell to 48-14.

But on Saturday, they defeated the Suns (37-27), 117-107, despite Kevin Durant’s 45 points.  So make it 49-14.

--The Knicks lost to the Hawks in desultory fashion at the Garden on Tuesday, 116-100, falling to 36-26, and then had a critical three-game stretch against Orlando, and home-and home against Philadelphia.

New York was without Jalen Brunson on Tuesday due to his knee contusion, but he returned Friday night against Orlando, scoring 26, as the Knicks (37-26) had a huge 98-74 win, Precious Achiuwa, the throw-in in the O.G. Anunoby trade with Toronto, had 15 points, 14 rebounds, and a career-high five blocks.  The guy has been terrific with all the injuries.

So the Knicks square off against the Sixers, tonight and Tuesday night, both at the Garden.

Eastern Conference Standings thru Saturday....

Boston 49-14
Cleveland 41-22...8
Milwaukee 41-23...8.5
New York 37-26...12
Orlando 37-27...12.5
Miami 35-28...14
Philadelphia 35-28...14
Indiana 35-29...14.5

What a race for the 4-6 slots to avoid the play-in games.

--LeBron James exited Wednesday’s loss to the Kings, 130-120, with another ankle issue.  He was in visible pain but said afterwards, “I’ll be alright.”  He’s been dealing with ankle injuries all season, but has remained remarkably durable.  He had played in 56 of 64 games following Wednesday, averaging 35 minutes per contest.

LeBron then missed Friday’s game against the Bucks, but D’Angelo Russell helped fill the void, 44 points on 17 of 25 shooting (9 of 12 from 3), plus nine assists. as the Lakers defeated Milwaukee 123-122.  Big win for L.A.

--Minnesota suffered a huge blow when they learned Karl-Anthony Towns is out indefinitely with a torn meniscus in his left knee. Towns was averaging 22.1 points per game, 8.4 rebounds.

--Luka Doncic became the first NBA player to record six consecutive 30-point triple-doubles as the Mavericks beat the Pistons in Detroit on Saturday night, 142-124.

Doncic finished with 39 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds, eclipsing Russell Westbrook’s mark of five straight 30-pint triple-doubles.

--The Washington Wizards lost their 16th consecutive game on Wednesday, 119-109 to Orlando, tying a franchise record.  They should have kept the name Washington Bullets.

But Friday they snapped the streak, 112-100 over Charlotte (15-48), to move to 10-53!

--The incredible saga of Ben Simmons and the Nets continues.  Simmons won’t play again this season due to a nerve impingement in his lower back.

The oft-injured guard has missed 47 games this season and after he misses the next 20, he will have played in a whopping 57 of 195 total games since the Nets acquired him at the 2022 trade deadline.

Over those three seasons, Simmons has made $103.3 million, or $1.82 million per game played.

In his four seasons in Philadelphia before he was traded to the Nets, he was a three-time All-Star, averaging 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists.

In his 57 games with Brooklyn, he was 6.7, 6.7, 6.0.

NFL / College Football

--Here in the New York area, prior to the draft and free agency, it’s been about Saquon Barkley and his imminent move to sign with someone other than the Giants, who didn’t tag him a second time at what would have been $12 million.  No is crying for Saquon, who last season wanted a long-term contract and instead the Giants paid him $11 million (including the $10.1 million tag).  As in Saquon has done just fine and he isn’t on the front lines in Ukraine with no ammunition.

Saquon has been with the Giants six seasons, 5,211 yards, a 4.3 average, but two of his last three campaigns he’s averaged under 4.0 per carry and running backs are a dime a dozen in the NFL.  He’s no longer a difference maker like he was his rookie year, when he rushed for 1,307 yards and a 5.0 average, the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

It’s best for all sides for Saquon to move on.

NFL free agency begins Wednesday, March 13, with the start of the new league year.

--And prior to free agency, the Kansas City Chiefs avoided same with All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who would have become an unrestricted FA.

Jones agreed to a five-year deal with K.C. that would pay him a staggering $160 million over five seasons, $95 million in guaranteed money, according to reports.

The $32 million-per-season average would surpass the $31.7 million average in Aaron Donald’s three-year, $95 million deal with the Rams as the highest ever for an NFL defensive tackle.

Jones has amassed 75.5 career sacks and has won three Super Bowl titles with the franchise.  He had 10.5 sacks last season.

--Nick Saban, in comments to ESPN that made a splash, says the current climate around college athletics made it difficult for him to get the same buy-in from players that had previously helped his program sustain dominance from year to year.

Those pushing for calls for “guardrails” around NIL payments and the current transfer free-for-all need to take notice, as Dan Wolken of USA TODAY Sports pointed out.

“I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I’m going to play because they’re thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?” Saban said.  “Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field.”

“So I’m saying to myself, ‘Maybe this doesn’t work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it’s all about how much money can I make as a college player? I’m not saying that’s bad.  I’m not saying it’s wrong, I’m just saying that’s never been what we were all about, and it’s not why we had success through the years.”

--Somewhat related to the above...we have the “historic” union vote at Dartmouth, so it’s being called...the men’s basketball team voting to unionize, 13-2.

As Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post notes:

“By voting to unionize, the basketball players are now represented by Service Employees International Union Local 560, which already represents some workers employed by the school. For now, with Dartmouth already filing an appeal Tuesday on the initial ruling that the athletes are employees of the school, the players can collectively bargain with the school over pay, practice hours and other working conditions. This comes a month after Laura A. Sacks, a regional director for the National Labor Relations Board, ruled the players are employees of Dartmouth under the National Labor Relations Act and could therefore hold an election.”

A Dartmouth spokesperson wrote in a statement Tuesday immediately after the ballot count went public: “We always negotiate in good faith and have deep respect for our 1,500 union colleagues, including the members of SEIU Local 560.  In this isolated circumstance, however, the students on the men’s basketball team are not in any way employed by Dartmouth.  For Ivy League students who are varsity athletes, academics are of primary importance, and athletic pursuit is part of the educational experience.

“Classifying these students as employees simply because they play basketball is as unprecedented as it is inaccurate.  We, therefore, do not believe unionization is appropriate.”

I watched some of the members of the hoops team talk to reporters after the vote and here’s what America needs to understand.  They suck!  Dartmouth hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since the 1958-59 season!  They are 6-21 this season, 2-12 in the Ivy League, and haven’t finished over .500 in the conference since 1998-99!

What could possibly make them think they deserved to be paid?!  They aren’t playing before crowds of 10,000, with lots of gate receipts.  In fact, picking a random home game where I knew the students would be on campus, Feb. 24 against Princeton, the attendance was 937.

Don’t waste sports fans’ time with this B.S., you pampered ‘elites’ who don’t have a clue about the real world.

NCAA President Charlie Baker, an unwavering opponent of athletes becoming employees, essentially promised the NLRB process will play out for well over a year. 

Jesse Dougherty:

“In 2014, when an NLRB regional director ruled Northwestern’s football players were employees, the board took about 16 months to deliberate on the school’s appeal.  The NLRB eventually dismissed the players’ petition, saying that because it only has jurisdiction over private schools, Northwestern unionizing would have created an uneven labor environment in the Big Ten.  Northwestern is the only private school in the conference.”

--The University of Colorado Boulder is reporting a record number of applicants for the fall 2024 semester and a 50.5% increase in Black applicants – both of which are no doubt partly due to the “Prime Effect” of hiring Deion Sanders, despite their 4-8 season.  All good...and the Buffaloes will be better next season.

--Fox Sports will feature a Friday prime-time college football game on its broadcast network each week beginning this season.  The games will emanate from the Big Ten, Big 12 and the Mountain West.  The full college football network schedule doesn’t come out until May.

MLB

--The Dodgers are moving Mookie Betts from the outfield to shortstop, where Betts said he hasn’t played since high school, due to Gavin Lux’ fielding woes this spring training.

Lux had a solid 2022, batting.276, .745 OPS, and was seen as a fixture once he came back from a 2023 season-long injury.  But he can’t make the throw from short, so they are moving him to second.

For all the stories about L.A. winning 110+ games and the World Series, this is a big deal.  Fielding woes can crop up at the worst time in the playoffs.  L.A. will find a real shortstop. Amed Rosario, whom the Dodgers had at the end of last season, would have been a good fit.

--Boston finished last in the AL East in 2023, 78-84, just as they had done in 2022, so their spoiled fans, with four World Series titles in 20 years are impatient.  In the offseason the team then went out and signed starter Lucas Giolito to a two-year, $38.5 million contract, despite the fact he had 4.88 ERA for three teams in 2023.

Giolito does, however, give whoever he is pitching for innings, 184 in 33 starts last year, and that’s worth something in this everyone gets a trophy world.

Alas, Giolito is potentially out for the season with a partially torn UCL and a flexor strain in his right elbow.

The Red Sox are really, really gonna suck this season.

--In College Baseball, we had the first big weekend conference series in the ACC, 12 Duke at No. 1 Wake Forest, and in Friday’s opener, the matchup of two probable first-round draft picks, Duke’s Jonathan Santucci vs. Wake’s Josh Hartle was a bust; Santucci giving up 5 earned in 2 2/3, Hartle 6 earned in 3 2/3, as Duke prevailed 8-5.

In Saturday’s game, another probable first-rounder, Wake’s Chase Burns, threw six innings of one-run ball, striking out 14, as the Deacs rebounded 6-3.

But for Wake fans, the big mystery is the slump that slugger Nick Kurtz is in.  In 14 games, Kurtz is batting. 234 with just two home runs and six RBIs.  He does have 20 walks, so his on-base percentage is a hefty .471, but this is a guy who some in the preseason had as the No. 1 overall selection in the upcoming draft!

Kurtz was hurt in the super regionals last year and had a poor College World Series, as did virtually every other Wake hitter, but he doesn’t appear to still be injured.

The thing is, Wake is going nowhere without him.

Today’s rubber match is wrapping up after I post today, BUT, Duke is up 9-2 in the fifth! Ugh.

Golf Balls

--At the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Bay Hill, a signature event, we had an intriguing leaderboard after 36 holes....

Shane Lowry -7
Hideki Matsuyama -7
Russell Henley -7
Brian Harman -7
Wyndham Clark -7
Scottie Scheffler -7

And Will Zalatoris, the only golfer at -6

In the third round, Zalatoris took over, getting it to -11 thru 13 before stumbling badly down the stretch, and so after three rounds....

Scheffler -9
Lowry -9
Clark -8
Zalatoris -7
Henley -7
Matsuyama -7

Rory McIlroy -5 after a back-nine 30 on Saturday.

Should be fascinating.

Well, it wasn’t fascinating at all, but while a runaway doesn’t make for drama, it was hugely important for the tour that Scottie Scheffler finally capture win No. 7.  It’s nice to see some young guys breaking through, but golf needs dominant figures.  And Scheffler’s putting is back.

By the way, I think it was Rory who suggested Scheffler go to a mallet putter, so I’m sure Scottie will buy Rory a dinner or two.

Scheffler -15
Clark -10
Lowry -9
Henley -7
Zalatoris -7

Speaking of Rory, after making things interesting on Saturday, he started off +4 and was out of it immediately, finishing T21.

On to The Players Championship.

--One of those missing the cut, only eleven did in this limited field tournament, was Tommy Fleetwood, who in his second round had a 10 on the par-5 sixth hole, after three balls in the lake.

And then on Saturday, Jake Knapp had a 12 on the same hole!  The record is 18, by John Daly.

--In the alternate field event in Puerto Rico we have a playoff between Brice Garnett and Erik Barnes as I go to post.

Ryan McCormick made his second straight cut, a very good sign, but finished T58.

Bill Haas, though, missed the cut.

--Abraham Ancer won the LIV Golf tournament in Hong Kong, beating Cameron Smith and Paul Casey in a playoff.

Joaquin Niemann continued his hot play finishing a stroke behind the leaders.

Anthony Kim finished 50th, out of 54, 16 shots back (54 holes), but did shoot a 5-under in his final round, his first round out of six under par in his comeback.

Phil Mickelson was 53rd, 21 back.

--Tiger Woods is not teeing it up at the Players Championship next week.  He had previously said he hoped to play about one tournament a month as he continues to recover from fusion surgery in April, and now there is a good chance Tiger doesn’t play until the Masters, April 11-14.

--Alex Miceli / SI.com

“Two hundred seventy-four days have passed since PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia sat side-by-side on CNBC and announced a landmark ‘framework agreement’ that was to be the basis of a new cooperation between the two groups.

“That new cooperation now seems like a pipe dream as the PGA Tour has its newly found billions and the PIF has continued to grab marquee players like Masters champion Jon Rahm, Englishman Tyrrell Hatton and DP World Tour Player of the Year Adrian Meronk.

“Now LIV CEO Greg Norman is throwing another rock at golf’s glass house by dropping LIV’s Official World Golf Ranking application because, as he wrote in a letter to his players, OWGR ‘has shown little willingness to productively work with us.’

“It had become clear to LIV hierarchy that any concession the OWGR offered would not accurately determine LIV players’ position in the rankings or adequately value their performance against players on other Tours.

“Norman’s letter may seem a bit tepid, but it’s ultimately a covert statement that Al-Rumayyan is not interested in standing pat until LIV and its players are respected for what they have accomplished and continue to accomplish for the game of golf.

“And LIV is preparing to exist for the long haul.

“DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said in an interview with the Times of London that he’s’ convinced the game will at some point be unified, but the timeframe is extremely fluid.

“ ‘Whether it be in six months, a year, two years or 10 years, I think people are coming to the realization that a collective product is in the best interest of global golf,’ Pelley said.  ‘It is the only way growth and prize funds continue at this level. It is inevitable.’

“Since the PGA Tour announced its $3 billion deal with the Strategic Sports Group, the ball has been in the PIF and LIV’s court.

“Except when you oversee a $750 billion fund, as Al-Rumayyan does, you have little need for acquiescence and can wait almost anyone out in order to get the terms you want.

“So as the PGA Tour Policy Board believes its deal puts them in a superior position, it does little to facilitate a deal with LIV.

“At the same time, the PIF is emboldened in the belief that the deals for Rahm, Hatton and Meronk represent a clear path to others, be it Hideki Matsuyama, Viktor Hovland or other ‘name’ players – and those potential future signees could be the straw that breaks the PGA Tour’s back....

“Players that jumped to LIV are not interested in rejoining the PGA Tour and while they may want to make a one-off appearance at the Memorial or Riviera, they are happy with the professional life they picked in joining LIV.

“One of the mistakes players on the PGA Tour make is thinking those former members are itching to come back. They are not, so instead of thinking of the fines and penalties that should be imposed upon a return, maybe Tour players should value LIV players’ games and how they could prop up the mediocre fields in non-signature events.

“So now we wait. No movement appears imminent, but Monahan will be grilled at next week’s Players Championship about LIV and the framework agreement’s progress.

“Then next month, the season’s first major will commence in Augusta, where last year’s leaderboard had a significant LIV presence and the winner later joined them.

“A Masters win by a current LIV player will force the other majors to figure out what to do with the 54-hole league, perhaps speeding up LIV’s acceptance.

“It’s that acceptance that LIV craves and if it comes to fruition, the possibility of a PGA Tour deal will seem even farther away than it already does.”

--Webb Simpson, who is on the PGA Tour Policy Board as a player director, admitted this week at Bay Hill that he once felt LIV and the PGA tours could exist playing on separate paths, but not so much anymore.

To push away from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia would be risky.

“Very dangerous,” Simpson said Thursday following his first round at the Bay Hill Club.  “I think we’re in a position where we want to do the right deal. We don’t want to just do a deal because we’re afraid that the LIV tour might recruit more players.  That’s certainly a fear.  But I think it’s obvious.  The writing is on the wall.  We’re not in a position where we need to do a deal for money.  We need to do a deal for the good of the game.  And for the health of the PGA Tour long-term. That’s my hope.”

Simpson acknowledged he has no idea what the new endeavor will look like but that he wants to see progress toward getting the game back together.

“One thing I’m certain of is fans, players, media, sponsors alike all feel strongly that the game is divided,” Simpson said. “The game has been divided for a year and a half now.  The game misses the personalities of LIV.  I think the game misses the personalities of LIV and the PGA Tour playing together.  I miss a lot of my buddies out there – Charles Howell, Bubba Watson to name a couple.

“I don’t know what they (LIV and the PIF) want.  I don’t know what the players playing for LIV want. I think they’re very happy where they are. I think they’re very happy with the decisions they’ve made.  But I’ve heard from enough people who have grown a little distasteful with the current state of golf.  Not pointing blame at LIV or the PGA Tour or anyone.

“When you come to big tournaments like the Arnold Palmer Invitational, you want to know the guy who won beat most or all of the best players.  Right now the PGA Tour still has more great players, but LIV has great players as well.  I just think for the health of the game and longevity and for what fans are used to seeing...” the two have to come together.

--On a better topic, making the game simpler for us schleps, golf’s two governing bodies released a draft of modern rules Wednesday aimed at bringing some common sense to a complicated sport.

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club and the U.S. Golf Association spent more than five years trying to simplify the rules of golf without stripping the centuries-old game of its traditions and fundamentals of fair play.  It’s the most comprehensive overhaul since the first set of rules was published in 1744.

The number of rules is being reduced from 34 to 24 and in many cases penalties have been rescinded.  Such as players no longer will be assessed a one-shot penalty if their golf ball accidentally moves, if their club touches the ground while in a hazard or even if a putt strikes a flagstick that is not being tended.

But hand wedges are still illegal, ditto the side kick when no one is looking, or suddenly ‘finding’ your ball when everyone you are playing with knows it is 40 yards into the woods.

Premier League

--What a race for the title we have.  Yesterday, Arsenal beat Brentford 2-1, and then the Gunners sat back and watched today’s titanic battle between Liverpool and Manchester City, and with Jurgen Klopp’s team missing five starters due to injury, Liverpool played its hearts out and was dominating in the second half, but in the end it was a 1-1 draw, just what Arsenal wanted.

In another biggie for the fourth and final Champions League slot, Tottenham blitzed Aston Villa on the road, 4-0.

So, the table, 27/28 of 38 played...played – points....

1. Arsenal...28 – 64 ...up 7 in goal differential
2. Liverpool...28 – 64
3. Man City...28 – 63
4. Aston Villa...28 – 55
5. Tottenham...27 – 53 ...game in hand
6. Manchester United...28 – 47

That, sports fans, is a title race.

Stuff

--Mikaela Shiffrin took her time coming back from her bad fall weeks ago, and it paid off.  She captured win No. 96 in the slalom in Are, Sweden this weekend.  Remarkable.  First race back, a win.

--Mike Tyson is returning to the ring to face Jake Paul on July 20 at AT&T Stadium, in an event that will air live on Netflix.  The fight is an exhibition, though the specifics are unclear.  Tyson will be 58 when the bout is held.

--A woman was injured in a bear attack in Butler Township, Pa., Tuesday night while letting her dog outside.  Pennsylvania game commission employees were quick to respond and killed the mother bear and tranquilized her three yearling cubs, authorities said.

The 55-year-old woman was attacked behind her home and suffered injuries to an arm and her face, neck and head.  Butler Township Police Chief John Hays told the Butler Eagle he believes there was some kind of interaction between the bears and the woman’s dog, which was uninjured.  The woman was lucky there happened to be an officer nearby who could respond quickly.

The adult bear was found nearby with its three cubs in a tree and was killed after she “continued with her aggression,” police said. The yearlings were tranquilized and will be released elsewhere if rabies is not detected in the sow, a Game Commission spokesperson said in a statement.

--The booth where Tony Soprano was last seen eating onion rings and listening to “Don’t Stop Believin’” in the finale sold for $82,600 at auction, and Holsten’s already completed their renovation.  I look forward to returning sometime in the summer.

The booth was first installed in 1973.  In the early 2000s, co-owner Christopher Carley said an HBO location scout asked to check out the restaurant for a possible scene in “The Sopranos.”  Carley, already a fan of the show was excited, but he didn’t hear from HBO until the end of 2006, after the show’s producers had decided to film the final scene there.

It was March 2007 when the restaurant closed for a few days as about 120 crew and cast members filled the place.  Carley makes an appearance as an employee flipping burgers (and boy, as I mentioned before, the burgers there are great, ditto the onion rings and milkshakes).

Top 3 songs for the week 3/8/75:  #1 “Have You Never Been Mellow” (Olivia Newton-John)  #2 “Black Water” (The Doobie Brothers)  #3 “My Eyes Adored You” (Frankie Valli)...and...#4 “Lady Marmalade” (LaBelle)  #5 “Lonely People” (America)  #6 “Lady” (Styx)  #7 “Best Of My Love” (The Eagles)  #8 “Lovin’ You” (Minnie Riperton...chirp chirp...cheap cheap...) #9 “Pick Up The Pieces” (AWB)   #10 “Can’t Get It Out Of My Head” (Electric Light Orchestra...not an awful week...B+...)

NCAA Basketball Tournament Quiz: 1) Seven schools with 40 or more tournament bids...Kentucky, 60; North Carolina, 52; Kansas, 51; UCLA, 50; Duke, 45; Indiana, 41; Villanova, 40.  [Louisville, 39; Notre Dame, Syracuse and Texas with 37.]  2) The only three schools to be eligible since 1939 and never play in the tournament are Army, The Citadel, and William & Mary.  [Bob Knight, while coach at Army in 1968, turned down an NCAA bid for the NIT.]

I’ll have a brief Add-on up top by noon, Tuesday.