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Bar Chat

12/30/2024

Talkin' Football...and the Bar Chat Awards...

Add-on posted Monday night....

NFL

--In late games after I posted, Sam Darnold threw three touchdown passes, with a personal-best 377 yards as the Vikings moved to 14-2 with a 27-25 win over the Packers (11-5).  It was 27-10 heading to the fourth quarter and Green Bay rallied for two late scores to make it close.

The Packers’ five losses are all against the Vikings (2), Lions (2) and the Eagles.

What a year for Darnold...35 touchdown passes, 12 INTs, and a 106.4 PR.

Sunday night, the Commanders (11-5) dealt the Falcons (8-8) a costly loss, 30-24 in overtime, after Atlanta and Michael Penix Jr. tied it up at 1:19 in regulation.  So now Atlanta needs help to make the postseason.

Washington’s Jayden Daniels threw for three touchdowns, while rushing for 127 yards on 16 carries, setting the rookie record for most rushing yards in a season with 864, besting Robert Griffin III – who had 815, also for Washington, in 2012

NFL Standings

AFC

1. Kansas City 15-1
2. Buffalo 13-3
3. Baltimore 11-5
4. Houston 9-7
5. Pittsburgh 10-6
6. L.A. Chargers 10—6
7. Denver 9-7
8. Miami 8-8
9. Cincinnati 8-8

NFC

1. Minnesota 14-2
2, Philadelphia 13-3
3. L.A. Rams 10-6
4. Tampa Bay 9-7
5. Detroit 13-2
6. Washington 11-5
7. Green Bay 11-5
8. Seattle 9-7...eliminated
9. Atlanta 8-8

--In the AFC, it’s all about Denver-Kansas City.  The Chiefs will rest Patrick Mahomes and other starters (they better!), so the Broncos can wrap up a playoff berth with a win.

But if Denver stumbles, that opens the door for Miami and Cincinnati.  Miami plays the Jets  and look for Tyrod Taylor to see early action if Aaron Rodgers stumbles out of the gate.  Taylor could energize the Jets.

We’ll know where Cincinnati stands Saturday night, when they take on the Steelers in Pittsburgh. So should the Bengals win, that at least makes Denver-K.C. more interesting.

--In the NFC, it’s all about Minnesota at Detroit, next Sunday night, for the overall No. 1 seed and the critical bye.  The loser gets bumped back all the way to the No. 5 seed.  [Winning or losing the Monday Night game tonight against San Fran has no impact on next week for the Lions.]

And then you have Atlanta and Tampa Bay.  The Falcons play the Panthers, at the same time the Bucs host the Saints.  Atlanta will be scoreboard watching, but needing to take care of business first.

--As for the No. 1 pick in the draft, a lot of Giants fans are unhappy because of their win Sunday, but you can’t tell Drew Lock and Malik Nabers not to try.  Lock wants a job in the NFL next year, and Nabers wants stats.

So you have....

New England 3-13...has the No. 1 as of today...Travis Hunter?
Cleveland 3-13
Tennessee 3-13
NY Giants 3-13
Chicago 4-12
Carolina 4-12
NY Jets 4-12
Las Vegas 4-12
Jacksonville 4-12

--Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett made NFL history by becoming the first player to tally at least 14 sacks in four consecutive seasons, with two sacks Sunday against Miami.  [Seven straight seasons with double digits.]

--The Jets had 16 accepted penalties in their 40-14 loss to the Bills, the most they have had since Dec. 23, 2018; tied for third-most in franchise history.

The Jets now lead the NFL with 131 accepted penalties this season.

College Football

All about the CFP quarterfinals, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  With no competition from the NFL, the stage is theirs, and the ratings should be strong.

NBA

--The Knicks took on the Wizards again in Washington tonight, their third game in four days, fourth in six, and won their eighth straight, now 23-10, 126-106, Josh Hart with a triple-double, 23-15-10.  He is so much fun to watch!  Love the guy.

--Kind of funny that LeBron James and Tiger Woods have the same birthday, Dec. 30, Tiger now 49, LeBron turning 40 today. [And I learned from Mike Breen tonight, watching the Knicks, that Sandy Koufax also shares the same b’day, Koufax turning 89.]

--The San Antonio Spurs were in New York last week to take on the Knicks Christmas Day, and then the Nets, Friday, and I should have mentioned in my Sunday Bar Chat that it was really cool on Saturday when Victor Wembanyama, with the team staying in New York, decided he would go to Washington Square Park, in the East Village, to play chess with the locals!

The park is known for this, with tables and chess boards, and you can just sit down and play a stranger, and occasionally, perhaps, a grandmaster.  The late Bobby Fischer was said to drop in for games incognito.  But then he was a mysterious individual who could easily get away with it – and not 7’3”.

Wembanyama had been posting days before that he might be at the park, and so at 9:30 a.m., there he was.

“The man’s extremely humble,’ said Max Haskell, a 25-year-old local boy who has lived in Russia and the U.K., and when he saw a social media post, he tore over to the park and got to play the Frenchman.

But very cool.  And imagine, Victor sat there, playing in the rain!  He had one win and two losses as a crowd of roughly two dozen fans braved the weather.

“I was just feeling like it,” Wembanyama said afterward.  “That’s enough of a reason.”

So a belated Good Guy Award to Victor.

College Basketball

--The new AP Poll was released today but I’m not bothering to post it because there was no change in the Top Ten because there were only two games that mattered in the week, through Sunday.  UCLA beat Gonzaga, so the Bruins did move up 7 to No. 15, while Gonzaga fell 5 to No. 19.

And Memphis is back in the Top 25 at No. 21 after beating Ole Miss, which fell 8 to No. 24.

The schedule explodes with full force next Saturday as conference play really gets going and dominates the action the next ten weeks until March Madness.

--Tonight, Rutgers (8-5) had an important win against a solid Columbia team (11-2), 91-64, as future lottery pick Dylan Harper had a triple-double, 16-11-12.

Next Bar Chat Sunday p.m. 

Enjoy the football...Happy New Year, gang!

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[Posted Sunday p.m., prior to late NFL games]

Brief Add-on up top late Monday p.m.

College Football Quiz: It’s pretty amazing Notre Dame last won a national title in 1988.  Name the QB, two running backs with over 600 (the QB also had over 600 rushing), and a single wide receiver.  And name the coach.  Answers below.

NFL

--The two Christmas Day games on Wednesday were hardly scintillating.

The Chiefs (15-1) clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 29-10 win over the Steelers (10-6), who have lost three in a row, though to the Eagles (27-13), Ravens (34-17) and now the Chiefs.

Lest you feel too sorry for Pittsburgh, earlier in the season they had wins over the Raiders, Jets, and Giants in successive weeks.

Anyway, Patrick Mahomes was terrific, despite his high ankle sprain, 29/38, 320, 3-0, 127.1, and Travis Kelce had eight receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown.

So with the No. 1 seed clinched, the Chiefs can sit their starters in the regular-season finale against Denver if they choose.

In the nightcap, the Ravens (11-5) beat the Texans (9-7) 31-2, as Lamar Jackson became the NFL’s most prolific quarterback when it comes to the ground game, passing Michael Vick’s career rushing yards record by a quarterback, 6,109.  Jackson did it in 41 fewer games than Vick (143 to 102).  He finished the contest with 87 yards on four carries, including a 48-yard touchdown run.

Derrick Henry rumbled for 147 yards on 27 carries with a touchdown, hiking his season yardage total to 1,783, with a 5.8 average, the best of his 9-year career.  I’d say he’s not yet washed up.

--Thursday night, Seattle (9-7) stayed alive with a stupefyingly boring 6-3 victory over the Bears (4-12), Chicago’s 10th straight loss.

Seattle outgained Chicago 265-179. Needless to say, this was the lowest-scoring game of the season.

The Seahawks now needed the Cardinals to beat the Rams Saturday night to set up a Week 18 matchup for the NFC West crown.

--And Saturday, the Rams (10-6) beat the Cardinals (7-9) 13-9, Kyler Murray intercepted late in the end zone on a rather spectacular play by L.A.’s Ahkello Witherspoon.  Seattle is barely holding on, needing lots of help.

Also Saturday, the Chargers (10-6) clinched a wild card berth with a 40-7 win over the Patriots (3-13) in Foxborough, outgaining the Pats 428-181.

And Cincinnati (8-8) is still in the hunt, if barely, 30-24 in overtime over the Broncos (9-7).

Joe Burrow had another spectacular game, 39/49, 412, 3-0, 122.1, with Tee Higgins catching 11 for 131 and the three TDs, including the decider in OT.

Burrow has at least 250 yards and three touchdowns in eight consecutive games, extending his NFL record.  He has 42 touchdown passes on the season vs. just 8 interceptions.

The Broncos need to beat Kansas City next week (and remember, the Chiefs should be resting a lot of key players, including Patrick Mahomes) to secure a wild card berth, which would eliminate Cincinnati.

--Sunday...The Jets were without outstanding rookie left tackle Olu Fashanu, who missed the final two games due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

The 2024 first-round pick out of Penn State gave up just one sack all season in 15 games, including seven starts.

And, not that it mattered, but after the Jets (4-12) were down to the Bills (13-3) 12-0 at the half, Buffalo blew them out, 40-14.

Aaron Rodgers was pathetic, 12/18, 112, 0-2, 44.0, before being benched for Tyrod Taylor, who led New York on two meaningless touchdown drives, after the score was 40-0.

Josh Allen, in his MVP push, threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another, the Bills clinching the No. 2 seed.

--Saquon Barkley entered Sunday’s game against the Cowboys with 1,838 yards rushing, just 268 yards away from breaking Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards set in 1984.

Dickerson was open about not rooting for Saquon.

“I don’t think he’ll break it.  But if he breaks it, he breaks it. Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not.  I don’t pull no punches on that,” Dickerson told the Los Angeles Times on Thursday.  “But I’m not whining about it.  He had 17 games to do it?  Football is football.  That’s the way I look at it.  If he’s fortunate to get over 2,000 yards and get the record, it’s a great record to have.”

And the Eagles (13-3) beat Dallas (7-9) 41-7.  Barkley was removed from the game in the fourth quarter, after 31 carries for 167 yards...giving him 2,005.  He thus needs 101 next week to surpass Dickerson, but in one more game (17 vs. 16).

But how much will Saquon play? As I write, Philadelphia is still in the race for the No. 1 seed, and the Eagles play the Giants in their finale.  To be continued....

--Tampa Bay (9-7) now awaits Falcons (8-7) vs. Commanders (10-5), as the Bucs battle with Atlanta for the NFC South crown, Baker Mayfield with five touchdown passes in a 48-14 over Carolina (4-12).

--The Giants (3-13) won their first home game of the season, 45-33 over the Colts (7-9), eliminating Indy, as out of nowhere, Drew Lock had the best game of his career, 17/23, 309, 4-0, 155.3, for New York.

Malik Nabers also had a career day, 7 receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns.

Lock may have earned himself another one-year, $7 million contract to be a backup for someone next season.

--Teddy Bridgewater, still just 32, is coming out of retirement to join the Lions for the rest of the season, after leading his alma mater, Miami Northwestern high school, to a Florida state championship as their head coach.

Bridgewater will back up Jared Goff.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Thursday he had been in contact with Bridgewater “for a while” and that a reunion was always a possibility.

“It just brings a level of professionalism, veteran presence, somebody that’s great for our team, he’s great for the position,” Campbell said.

Bridgewater said he’ll be returning to high school in February.

The Lions play the 49ers on Monday night.

--Netflix scored with its two games on Christmas, an average of 24.3 million viewers watched the Ravens and Texans – with viewership peaking at over 27 million for Beyonce’s halftime performance – and an average of 24.1 million for the 1 p.m. game between the Chiefs and Steelers.

The two games thus now hold the distinction of being the most-streamed games in NFL history.

The NBA’s five-game slate on Christmas Day averaged about 5.25 million viewers across ABC, ESPN and its platforms, according to the league and Nielsen, its best Christmas Day viewership in five years. 

Lakers-Warriors had the biggest average audience at 7.76 million, which peaked at 8.32 million at 10:30 p.m. on the East Coast.

“I love the NFL,” LeBron James jokingly said in his postgame interview Wednesday night.  “But Christmas is our day.”

The NFL’s three games on CBS, Fox and ESPN/ABC last year averaged 28.68 million viewers.

Going back to last Saturday, a pair of NFL games drew a larger viewing audience than college football for the rollout of the sport’s 12-team playoff.

The playoff game between SMU and Penn State averaged 6.4 million viewers on TNT networks, compared with the Texans-Chiefs game on NBC, which averaged 15.5 million viewers.

Later, Clemson-Texas drew 8.6 million viewers on TNT, compared with 15.4 million for Steelers-Ravens on Fox.

But the Indiana-Notre Dame Friday night game drew 13.4 million, while Tennessee-Ohio State Saturday night did 14.3 million, both with no competing NFL contests.

The overall average of 10.6 million viewers was higher than all but four college games this season.

--We note the passing of former Eagles great, linebacker Bill Bergey, who died Wednesday at the age of 79 after a long battle with cancer.

Bergey was a second round draft pick out of Arkansas State by Cincinnati, where he played for five seasons before being traded to Philadelphia for two first-round picks and a second-rounder in the summer of 1974.

Bergey then flourished with the Eagles, becoming a first-team All-Pro in 1974 and ’75, and second-team from 1976-78, as the Eagles went from being a hapless team to a Super Bowl contender under coach Dick Vermeil.

In his final NFL season in 1980, Bergey helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl for the first time in team history with the highlight being an NFC championship victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

The Eagles then lost to the Raiders in the Super Bowl and that was the final game of Bergey’s carer.

College Football

--I didn’t care about most of the bowl games, it’s tough to in this portal era, but in most cases, it’s more about the school, the name, not the players.

Thursday....

Pitt started the season 7-0 and finishes 7-6. What a disaster, as they fell to Toledo (8-5) 48-46 in six overtimes.

Rutgers (7-6) finished another disappointing season, blowing a 34-17 lead against Kansas State (9-4) and falling 44-41.  Dylan Edwards shined for the Wildcats, the 5’9”, 167 lb. running back with 18 carries for 196 yards and two touchdowns, including a 65-yard TD run, as well as having a touchdown receiving.

Arkansas State (8-5) beat Bowling Green (7-6) 38-31, which I only mention because NFL prospect, tight end Harold Fannin Jr., had 17 catches for 213 yards, finishing the season with 117 for 1,555 yards and ten touchdowns.  Pretty, pretty good.

Friday....

21 Syracuse finished a very solid season at 10-3, 52-35 over a Washington State (8-5) squad in a bit of turmoil, with all the coaches and key players leaving.  For the Cuse, Kyle McCord finished his college career in fine fashion, 24/34, 453, 5-0.

Navy finished 10-3 as well, 21-20 over Oklahoma (6-7), the Midshipmen stopping a 2-point conversion with 0:06 left.

Navy’s Blake Horvath had 18 carries for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

USC (7-6) finished the year on a positive note, 35-31 over Texas A&M (8-5).  Down 24-7 in the third, the game was back and forth the final 4:30, with the Trojans scoring the winning TD on Jayden Malava’s fourth touchdown pass of the game.

Saturday....

18 Iowa State (11-3) completed its best season ever, 42-41 over 13 Miami (10-3).

This one ended up being controversial because Miami’s Cam Ward, who threw three touchdown passes in the first half to set the Division I – FBS and FCS – record for most touchdown passes at 158, besting Case Keenum’s 155, then sat down in the second half!

At first blush you could say, well, Ward, headed to the NFL, a top-ten pick next spring, at least played.

But then you’re like, what the hell does this say about the state of college football, and Ward’s character?!

After the game, Miami coach Mario Cristobal was asked about the decision for Ward to sit.

“All meetings with players, and decisions like that, we made them in private, we keep them in private,” he said after the loss in a news conference that did not include Ward.  “So, I’ll prefer not to answer any questions as it relates to that.  But I know he played his best while he was in there.”

Dan Wolken / USA TODAY

“We all understand what college football era we’re in.

“Get what you can while you can.  The players have the power.  Loyalty? Pfft.

“Most of this stuff is fine.  A decade ago, some people wanted to act like the sport would collapse if NFL-bound players opted out of meaningless bowl games. Now, you’re pleasantly surprised when they opt in. We adjust and the world keeps spinning.

“Still, what happened Saturday with Miami quarterback Cam Ward doesn’t sit right.

“Leading up to the game, Ward – a Heisman Trophy finalist – said he was playing. And he kept his word.  But what he didn’t say is that he was only playing for the first half.

“Just long enough to throw three touchdown passes, giving him 158 for his career and an NCAA Div. 1 record that Case Keenum held since 2011.

“And then Ward shut it down while his Miami teammates battled on, losing 42-41 to Iowa Sate.

“Is it the world’s worst sin?  No, of course not.

“Ward has a right to play or not to play.  He was the main reason Miami won 10 games and came very close to making the College Football Playoff....

“Still.

“The way Ward handled this makes it seem like he only cared about breaking the record, then removed himself once he got it.

“That’s not a good look for Ward, for Miami or for the sport.  And Mario Cristobal, the head coach, should not have allowed it.

“Either play the game and try to help your team win or stay home....

“I don’t want to be too harsh on Ward....

“(He) earned the right to exit on his terms.  And if he had simply opted out of the bowl game, nobody would have complained.

“Record chasing is part of sports, but it’s unseemly when an athlete sacrifices team success in the process.

“And when Miami got the ball back with 56 seconds left needing a field goal to win the game, it sure would have been nice for Ward to make himself available to lead his team down the field.

“Instead, sophomore backup Emory Williams got swallowed up and couldn’t advance the ball past the 50-yard line.

“Ward couldn’t have known the game would come down to that, but it’s clear he never intended to treat this last opportunity to play college football with the respect it deserved.  Instead, he used it as a vehicle to put his name in the record books.

“Congratulations to Ward on that Pyrrhic victory while he forever owns this loss for his team.”

Meanwhile, in the other good matchup Saturday, 17 BYU finished 11-2, defeating 23 Colorado (9-4) 36-14.

This one was highly-touted because CU’s Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter were playing when they could have sat, these two probable top-five picks in the draft, but Sanders was so-so, Hunter did play well (4 receptions for 106 and a touchdown, with four tackles), but the Cougars wanted it more.

Nonetheless, good on Sanders and Hunter.

Nebraska (7-6) defeated Boston College (7-6) in the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium, 20-15, an important win for coach Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers.

Army (12-2) beat Louisiana Tech (5-8) 27-6, when the Black Knights should have had an entertaining game against Marshall, only Marshall pulled out, bitching it didn’t have enough players due to the transfer portal, which wasn’t the case.

Also....UConn (9-4) defeated North Carolina (6-7) 27-14, and East Carolina (8-5) beat North Carolina State (6-7) 26-21.

You sense a pattern?  The ACC is 1-9 in postseason games, including SMU and Clemson being eliminated from the Playoff.  Only Syracuse won.

--New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day we have the CFP quarterfinals, and it should be good.

New Year’s Eve...Penn State vs. Boise State

New Year’s Day...Texas vs. Arizona State, 1:00 p.m. ET, Oregon vs. Ohio State, 5:00 p.m., Notre Dame vs. Georgia, 8:45 p.m.

Yes, this last one just bothers the hell out of me because I know I’ll be asleep at halftime.  It won’t start until after 9:00 p.m.  Georgia will be without star quarterback Carson Beck, replaced by sophomore Gunner Stockton, who will be making his first career start. Just a little pressure on the lad.

Beck had surgery Monday to repair his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), which was performed by famous surgeon Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles.  He is expected to make a full recovery and “is expected to begin throwing spring of 2025,” the school added.  The NFL Draft is April 24-26, so it will be interesting if he’s throwing by then.

Saturday, Beck formally declared for same.

--Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post on “Why this CFP has been especially lucrative for Notre Dame.”

“What’s a College Football Playoff first-round win worth in 2024?

“Most answers are abstract, hard or even impossible to measure. But there also are concrete performance incentives for every conference with a team in the 12-team field tied to how many of their teams make it and how many games they win. The conferences earn $4 million per team that makes the CFP, then $4 million per team in the quarterfinals, $6 million per team in the semifinals and $6 million per team in the championship game.  The conferences decide how to distribute that money – among all their member schools or only to some – meaning one program is probably cashing in more than all the others this month.

“Yes, that would be Notre Dame.

“Because the Fighting Irish are independent in football, they have earned $8 million in CFP payouts and don’t have to share any of it.  The first $4 million came with earning the seventh seed.  The second $4 million came with beating 10th-seeded Indiana on Friday.  With two more wins, Notre Dame would earn a total of $20 million in CFP payouts, the maximum for one program.  Rest easy, then, if you were worried about the Irish’s bottom line.

“The performance-based incentive system is in place through 2025.  After that, the CFP will switch to preset distributions of the money: 29 percent for the SEC, 29 percent for the Big Ten, about 17.1 percent for the ACC, 14.7 percent for the Big 12 and roughly 10 percent for Notre Dame and the Group of Five conferences.”

Again, it’s up to the conferences to decide how to distribute the money, and, for example, the ACC is giving Clemson and SMU the $4 million each earned for gaining a spot in the 12-team field.

--How is NIL changing the college sports landscape?  Try Tulane redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah, who had a strong year, throwing for 2,723 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions while leading the Green Wave to a 9-4 record.

Mensah entered the transfer portal Dec. 8, amid rumors his coach, Jon Sumrall, could be on the move to another job, and Mensah has ended up at Duke for a reported...get this...$8 million over two years.  A $4 million annual average would make him the highest-paid player in college football history, unofficially.

This is Duke!

BYU is expected to pay top hoops recruit AJ Dybantsa over $5 million for likely one year of his services in 2025-26.

Wake Forest reportedly is paying Hunter Sallis $2 million this season, well worth it for both since Sallis opted to return to Wake rather than be a likely second-round NBA draft pick.

Speaking of the Deacs, following the resignation of football coach Dave Clawson, who spent the entire year bitching about the lack of NIL resources, the Board of Trustees, according to a good friend in the know, says ‘they get it...and have vowed to be competitive’ in this realm, regarding football in particular.

College Basketball

--The season finally got back into shape, sort of, on Saturday, following long breaks for exams and then Christmas, though most of the best teams eased their way back into competition with lesser opponents.

Memphis (10-3) did have an important win over 16 Ole Miss (11-2) yesterday, 87-70.

And 22 UCLA (11-2) edged 14 Gonzaga (9-4) 65-62.

--Miami coach Jim Larranaga, just two years removed from taking the Hurricanes to their first Final Four in 2023, stepped down Thursday, amid Miami’s 4-8 start, their worst in over 30 years.

After the Final Four run, the team went just 15-17 last season, and finished with 10 straight losses. 

As part of a statement, Larranaga, 75, said, “I owe it to our student-athletes, our staff and the University of Miami to make this move now when my heart is simply no longer in the game... The University needs a new leader of the program, one who is both adept at and embracing of the new world of intercollegiate athletics.”

In 13-plus seasons in Miami, he became the winningest coach in school history, with a 274-174 mark.  He had famously coached George Mason to a memorable Final Four with the 11th-seeded Patriots in 2006.

In a press conference, Larranaga expressed frustration with the NIL landscape and said that was a factor in his decision.  He said he was “exhausted” and cited a lack of transparency as a major issue.

It’s the same reason, or similar excuses, given for the departures of the likes of Virginia’s Tony Bennett, Duke’s Coach K, North Carolina’s Roy Williams and Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, who have all retired in the past four years as well.

NBA

--The NBA got the commercial it was looking for with a stirring opener for the Christmas Day lineup, the Knicks (20-10) with a thoroughly entertaining, frankly terrific regular season NBA contest, 117-114 over the Spurs (15-15) at the Garden.

San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama made his Christmas Day debut with 42 points, 18 rebounds, and four blocks.

But New York’s Mikal Bridges had his best game as a Knick, 41 points, 17 of 25 from the field, 6 of 9 from three, to offset the 7 for 23 shooting of Jalen Brunson, and Karl-Atnhony Towns’ subpar 21 points, 9 rebounds.

Then there is New York’s Josh Hart, aka Mr. Fixit.  Whatever is required, Hart does it, all the dirty work, selflessly.  In this one, 12 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.

Hart then led the Knicks’ 108-85 win over the severely undermanned Magic (19-14) in Orlando Friday night, 23 points, 13 rebounds.

The Knicks then went to Washington for two against the Wizards, Saturday and Monday.

And last night, the Knicks (22-10) outlasted a spunky Wizards (5-24) team, 136-132 in overtime behind Jalen Brunson’s 55 points, including 16 of 17 from the foul line.

--Luka Doncic is out an estimated four weeks after suffering a calf injury in the Mavericks’ 105-99 Christmas Day loss to the T’Wolves.

--The Lakers acquired Dorian Finney-Smith, a terrific role player and solid defender, plus Shake Milton, from Brooklyn for D’Angelo Russell and draft picks.

Russell’s only All-Star appearance was in Brooklyn years ago.

Brooklyn has 31 draft picks the next seven years...15 first-rounders and 16 second-rounders, as well as over $60 million in cap space.

--Back to the NBA and its Christmas Day television ratings, this was a highlight of an otherwise dismal season, following the league’s signing of an 11-year, $76 billion broadcast contract(s) this year.

The ratings are down, and most folks blame the proliferation of 3-point shooting for the decline in enthusiasm among us viewers.

Viewership among the 18-to-34-year-olds demographic is down 30 percent over the past five years – which is also the demographic most likely to opt out of the cable bundle.  [Streaming now accounts for nearly half – 42 percent – of all TV consumption.]

I’m lucky. I have the Knicks, who have been very entertaining the past two seasons, and I really don’t miss a game, believe it or not, unless it’s on the west coast, just like my loyalty to the Mets.

As in I watched every minute of the last three Knicks games, over college football and the NFL.

MLB

--The top pitcher on the free agent market, Corbin Burnes, agreed to a six-year, $210 million deal late Friday night with the Diamondbacks.  The contract has an opt out after two years.

The four-time All-Star joins an Arizona team that’s one year removed from winning the NL pennant.  And he joins a loaded rotation, including Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and Jordan Montgomery. 

Burnes has been durable, pitching 193 innings or more the past three seasons, and was NL Cy Young Award winner in 2021 with Milwaukee. 

He has a 60-36, 3.19 ERA career mark.

--The Dodgers re-signed slugging outfielder Teoscar Hernandez to a three-year, $66 million contract.

--Infielder Gleyber Torres signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Tigers, after seven rather inconsistent seasons with the Yankees.  The 28-year-old seemed destined for superstardom when he hit 38 home runs and drove in 90 in 2019 at the age of 22, but he never approached those numbers again.  Yankees fans grew increasingly frustrated with his often poor play in the infield and equally poor decision-making on the basepaths.

But for Detroit, this could be a good pickup for a year.

--First baseman Pete Alonso is no doubt extremely frustrated that the market for his talents appears rather muted, the Mets clearly open to a deal to bring him back, but only on their terms, and not a mega, long-term deal.

The Mets reportedly offered Alonso a seven-year, $158 million extension during the 2023 season, which he declined, and then he played out his contract last season, hitting only 34 home runs with a .788 OPS, easily the lowest production of his career and he’s 30 years old.

That said, most fans want him back.  Count me in, too, but only because we didn’t sign Christian Walker, who would have been a bridge to the kid I think is the future, Ryan Clifford, now in the minors.

Premier League

--The holiday crush continued, with eight games on Boxing Day, per tradition.

Manchester City managed only a 1-1 draw at home against Everton as their massive, historically bad streak of ineffectiveness continues.

Chelsea suffered a bad home loss to Fulham, 2-1.

Shocking Nottingham Forest beat Tottenham 1-0.

Newcastle blitzed Aston Villa 3-0.

And Liverpool beat Leicester City 3-1.

Friday, Arsenal was less than inspiring in its 1-0 win at home against Ipswich.

Sunday, Man City finally won, 2-0 over lowly Leicester City, just their second PL win in 10 matches.

Nottingham Forest defeated Everton 2-0.

And Liverpool blasted West Ham 5-0.

Standings...played – points....

1. Liverpool...18 – 45
2. Nottingham...19 – 37
3. Arsenal...18 – 36
4. Chelsea...18 – 35
5. Man City...19 – 31
6. Bournemouth...19 – 30

NHL

--Alex Ovechkin returned for the Capitals Saturday night after being out since Nov. 18 (missing 16 games) with a fractured left fibula, thus resuming his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s career goal record of 894.

And in a good 5-2 win over the Maple Leafs in Toronto, Ovechkin scored an empty netter with 3:23 remaining, bringing him to 869, just 26 shy of breaking Gretzky’s mark.

--The New York Rangers’ incredible swoon continued yesterday in Tampa, falling to the Lightning (20-11-2) 6-2.

After a 12-4-1 start, the Rangers are 4-14-0...16-18-1 overall.  Their fans, including moi, can only shake their heads.  Every single player is at fault.  It’s a total shitshow, boys and girls.

Stuff

--Scottie Scheffler is going to miss the first event of 2025, The Sentry Championship at Kapalua after having surgery on his right hand. 

The Tour announced the news in a statement Friday afternoon, which included comments from Scheffler’s manager.

“On Christmas Day while preparing dinner, Scottie sustained a puncture wound to the palm of his right hand from a broken glass. Small glass fragments remained in the palm which required surgery.  He has been told that he should be back to 100 percent in three to four weeks.  Unfortunately, he will have to withdraw from The Sentry.  His next scheduled tournament is The American Express,” said Blake Smith in the release.

--Sports broadcaster Greg Gumbel died from cancer at the age of 78, his family announced Thursday.

Gumbel was one of the good ones, highly likeable, as he worked for decades for CBS Sports (and a stint at NBC), a fixture on NFL and college basketball telecasts.

In 2001, he became the first black sports announcer to do play-by-play for the Super Bowl.

In a statement, his family said that “he leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcasting industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten.”

The statement added that Gumbel “passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer.

“Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace and positivity.”

Originally from New Orleans, Gumbel grew up in Chicago and first joined CBS in 1989 after having spent years working at New York Knicks and Yankees games for the MSG Network.

Jim Nantz referred to Gumbel as “broadcasting royalty.”

“He was as selfless a broadcaster as anyone in the industry has ever known,” he said.  “Our careers intersected for nearly 35 years, and he was a consummate teammate and friend.”

“He really was one of the greats,” another long-time colleague Lesley Visser told CBS News.  “He just had a light touch, he had a wit about him and everyone loved working with him.”

“Greg had an innate dignity that he brought to the table,” she added.

Gumbel had two stints as the host of the popular “NFL Today” pre-game, halftime and post-game show, including three Super Bowls in 1992, 2013 and 2016.

He also became a fixture on college basketball, and when he missed the NCAA tournament this past March due to unspecified health issues, it was the first tournament he had missed since 1997.

*CBS’ NFL Today had a terrific obit today you can easily find on YouTube, a reminder of all he did.

Top 3 songs for the week 12/31/66:  #1 “I’m A Believer” (The Monkees)  #2 “Snoopy vs. The Red Baron” (The Royal Guardsmen) #3 “Winchester Cathedral” (The New Vaudeville Band)...#4 “That’s Life” (Frank Sinatra)  #5 “Sugar Town” (Nancy Sinatra...just a tad of nepotism here...)  #6 “Mellow Yellow” (Donovan)  #7 “Tell It Like It Is” (Aaron Neville)  #8 “(I Know) I’m Losing You” (The Temptations)  #9 “A Place In The Sun” (Stevie Wonder)  #10 “Good Thing” (Paul Revere & The Raiders...surprisingly mediocre, ‘B’ week, for the 60s...#10 best on the list...)

College Football Quiz Answers: 1988 Notre Dame national champs, 12-0. [Stats only for 11 games.]

Coach Lou Holtz.  QB Tony Rice (8 touchdown passes and 7 interceptions, but a team-leading 700 yards rushing plus 9 TDs).  Running backs: Tony Brooks, 117-667-2, and Mark Green, 135-646-7.  Receivers: Ricky Watters, 15-286-2, and Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, 12-331-2, 27.6 average.  Green had 14 catches for 155.

Yup, this was a running team, 258 yards per game.

Notre Dame started off the season No. 13 in the AP Poll and beat then-9 Michigan in the opener, 19-17.

The Fighting Irish had a huge one, Oct. 15 against No. 1 Miami and prevailed 31-30*.  They then beat No. 2 USC in the regular-season finale, 27-10.

And in the Fiesta Bowl, wrapped up the title with a 34-21 victory over 3 West Virginia, which was led by QB Major Harris.

Ricky Watters went on to have an outstanding NFL career with the 49ers, Eagles and Seahawks...10,643 yards rushing and 467 receptions.  One of the best 2-way backs in NFL history, frankly.

Rocket Ismail also had some good seasons, particularly with Carolina and Dallas.

Mark R., ND alum, no doubt got all the above.

*The game against Miami was the “Game of the Year,” billed as “Catholics vs. Convicts.”  The win was secured when DB Pat Terrell knocked down a 2-point conversion pass from Miami QB Steve Walsh (31/50, 424, 4-3) to FB Shannon Crowell with 45 seconds left.  Terrell had scored on an INT return for a 21-7 lead in the second quarter.  LB Frank Stams (2 forced fumbles, 8 tackles) was another standout on ‘D’ for ND, Miami with 7 turnovers.

The win by the Fighting Irish ended Miami’s 36-game regular season win streak.

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And now...the Annual Bar Chat Awards, with your host, Ryan Seacrest!

“What does this gig pay, Editor?”

“Nothing.  But you get even more exposure than you already have, Ryan.”

“I’m outta here....you’re a jerk.”

Well, there goes Ryan.

--A Dirtball award goes to the idiots who stole the Jackie Robinson statue in a public park in Wichita, Kansas. [The statue was replaced, and a man sentenced to 15 years in prison, though mostly because of an arrest for a burglary after.]

--Baltimore Ravens receiver Zay Flowers is an Idiot for his taunting penalty and fumble at the goal line in the 2024 conference championship game.

--A Lifetime Subscription to Bar Chat for the fisherman who survived treading water for 23 hours off the coast of New Zealand last January.  Will Fransen was spotted due to the reflection from his wristwatch.

He was pulled overboard without a life jacket on Jan. 2 while attempting to reel in a marlin in waters off the country’s North Island.

--A-Hole hardware for Chicago Bulls fans, who during a celebration of their inaugural class for the organization’s new Ring of Honor, loudly booed Jerry Krause, the former Chicago GM who died in 2017.  His widow was at the ceremony and visibly emotional at the reception.

Former Bulls forward Stacey King, an analyst with NBC Sports Chicago, said when play resumed that the fans were classless, and that “it was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

--More Dirtball hardware for Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for his hit on Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence.

--Good Girl Award to golfer Nelly Korda, who after a disastrous finish to the AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrews, rather than lock herself in her hotel room, she went to the legendary Dunvegan Pub for a pint.  That’s character.

--Dirtball of the Year to Sean Diddy Combs and the overwhelming evidence against him.

--A-Hole hardware for Joel Embiid and his body of work, including against the Knicks in last year’s playoffs.

--A Jerk of the Year mention to umpire Hunter Wendelstedt, who last April 22 tossed Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who didn’t say anything.  It was a fan behind the dugout.

Actually, we’ll toss in Idiot and A-Hole trophies, since it all costs the same re shipping.

--Speaking of Idiots...a Lifetime Idiot of the Year plaque to Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, banned for life by the NBA for manipulating his participation in a game to influence the outcome of a bet, plus he bet on NBA games.

This was incredibly egregious and involved Porter informing someone he knew to be an NBA bettor about his health status, and another person associated with Porter put $80,000 on a parlay prop on “Unders” for Porter in the game to win $1.1 million.

He “limited his own game participation to influence the outcome of one or more bets on his performance in at least one Raptors game,” according to the NBA, and in one game, a March 20 home game Toronto lost 123-89, finished that game with zero points and two rebounds, missing his lone field-goal attempt, when the betting line was for far more production.

The $80,000 bet was frozen and not paid out due to the suspicious activity, the league said.

--Idiot hardware for defensive end Hasson Reddick, who lost $millions in an irrational holdout with the New York Jets.  He eventually came back at a reduced contract, but this was one of the more nonsensical acts of its kind in NFL history.

--A-Hole hardware to the South Shore (Staten Island) Little League coach, who will go nameless to save him from further shame, but it’s Bob L., for telling a website that Aaron Judge didn’t interact with his players at the Little League World Series when they called to him from their seats during the Little League Classic, Yankees-Tigers.

“How about turning around or wave to New York and the kids that think you’re a hero,” Bob L. told the site.  “They are the ones who pay your salary.”

It was a totally bizarre claim to make against one of the truly good people on the planet...Aaron Judge...who always goes out of his way to do the right thing with the fans, especially the kids.

The Yankees overall were furious, and rightfully so.

--Lifetime D--- Status to Oakland A’s owner John Fisher.  ‘Nuff said.

--Animal of the Year?  One guess...Dog...for his continued lifetime of service, as exemplified by military working dog Dasty, a male Dutch shepherd, who was recently reunited with Army Sgt. Michael Fletcher, after saying goodbye to his good friend and partner following years together working in Afghanistan.

Dasty was just your typical bomb-sniffing dog, that Fletcher would guide toward areas where he wanted the dog to search for same.

As I read in a piece in Army Times by Riley Ceder recently:

“Even as his bond with Dasty grew, the objective of their working relationship was never lost on Fletcher.

“ ‘The Army teaches you to look at them like tools, right, tools for war,’ Fletcher said. ‘They even have serial numbers.’

“The goal was to save lives, he said.  If a military dog had to make the ultimate sacrifice, it would.”

Dasty was a pro and saved lives.

“Fletcher remembers Dasty standing stoically as bullets whizzed past them.

“On another occasion, their vehicle rolled over. While Fletcher and his fellow service members were waiting for help, Dasty stood proudly on the window of the wrecked car, smiling as though nothing had happened.”

In 2022, Fletcher returned to the States, and Dasty eventually retired and through a program, the two are now reunited in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

To all the hero dogs, including when disaster strikes and the need to find survivors (and, sadly, bodies) is critical, we salute you.  Treat yourself to a good steak.

And as Johnny Mac long ago said, remember, there are no rescue cats.

--Finally, a Bar Chat Lifetime Achievement Award to golfer Bernhard Langer.

The 67-year-old missed nearly four months of the Champions Tour golf season due to a torn Achilles last February, that cost him his annual appearance at The Masters, a tradition unlike any other...on CBS...

Langer then won the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.  The 18th consecutive year he has won at least one tournament on the senior circuit.  [For the record, and to avoid confusion, Steven Alker won the season long Charles Schwab Cup.]

Bernhard and his son then also won the PNC Championship last week.  Again, he’s 67!  Goodness gracious.

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And we remember those we lost in the world of sports this year, including....

Baseball’s Willie Mays, Pete Rose, Fernando Valenzuela, and Rickey Henderson...

As well as Lefty Driesell, Roman Gabriel, O.J. Simpson, Bill Walton, Jerry West, “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, Al Attles, Dikembe Mutombo, Bobby Allison, Lou Carnesecca.

And a special prayer for someone we lost far, far too soon, NHL star Johnny Gaudreau.

In the world of entertainment...Dame Maggie Smith, James Earl Jones, Donald Sutherland, Phil Donahue, Bob Newhart, Richard Lewis, Chita Rivera...

And from the music world...Kris Kristofferson, Toby Keith, Dickey Betts, Duane Eddy, Quincy Jones, Eric Carmen, Steve Lawrence, Jack Jones, Liam Payne, Sergio Mendes....

Very brief Add-on up top, Monday evening.

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