The college football bowl season is WAY over-crowded. Too many piss-poor, sub-.500 teams competing. That's for sure.
Add to that the growing number of players who either sit out because they are A) turning pro or B) entering the transfer portal.
It's damn frustrating. Especially when you're part of the Capitol One Bowl Mania pick 'em contest. But I digress.
I certainly understand college players skipping the game to concentrate on turning pro or switching campuses. Why risk injury? But it sure takes the luster off of the bowl games.
That's why the Wisconsin Badgers won't be facing LSU's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Jayden Daniels, on New Year's Day. And why there will be at least 6 Wisconsin starters missing from the lineup.
No surprise that the Milwaukee took away some of the outfield logjam this week by sending Tyrone Taylor, and pitcher Adrian Houser (both in their early 30s), to the New York Mets for a young pitching prospect, Coleman Crow, who is coming off Tommy John surgery.
The Milwaukee outfield is pretty crowded with Christian Yelich (who, I think, will see more and more DH time), Garrett Mitchell (coming off injury), Sal Frelich and Joey Wiemer. Toss in Jackson Chourio, whom the team signed to an 8-year contract worth $82 million. This for a 19-year-old guy who has only played SIX games at the Triple A level of baseball. Risky, but in the long term might be a blessing. He's a talent that comes along once in a while. Might as well invest and watch him grow.
Next up on the Brewer checklist -- what to do with pitcher Corbin Burns. Keep him until his contract runs out at the end of the 2024 season, trade him now during the "Hot Stove" part of baseball's offseason or hang onto him, see how competitive the team is and then trade him at the deadline. It would, after all, be better to part with Burnsie and get something for him rather than have him walk and the club get bupkis.
No matter what the decision, I doubt we will see Burns in Brewer blue after the 2024 season ends.
Saw that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recently fell and broke a hip. Loved that guy while he was a Milwaukee Buck, respected him as a Laker and didn't begrudge him wanting to leave the Midwest for the West Coast. That skyhook of his was unstoppable. And it seems that Giannis has taken over as the franchise leader in points and rebounds (passing Kareem) and in assists. If they stay healthy, I think the Bucks are headed for another championship.
Green Bay Packer defensive coordinator Joe Barry continues to be under fire due to the squad's failures this season. Perhaps we need to look behind Barry and head coach Matt Lafleuer, and lay the blame more at the feet of team president & chief operating officer Mark Murphy. It was Murphy, after all, who restructured things at 1265 Lombardi Avenue to include his office more in the football operations.
Perhaps it is Murphy, not Lafleur, calling the shots on keeping Barry around.
Still, with all the internal sniping that has come out this week (De'Vondre Campbell's cryptic text message, then refusal to explain), the continued absence of Jaire Alexander, one of the highest paid cornerbacks in the league, etc,, all seem to point to a cancer festering in the offices and lockerroom. Granted, I don't have insight here other than looking in and formulating a theory. But if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, well it must be a duck.
No comments:
Post a Comment