Welcome to 2025.
I hope your 2024 was OK, and that you and yours are doing well. Obviously, I've been a little silent here for the last couple of months. And yes, there is an explanation for that other than just being lazy. The wife had a medical procedure and I've been working from home and doubling as caregiver. A full time job both.
Since we last wrote a LOT of sportsy stuff has happened.
1. The First (expanded) College Football Playoff has been, as expected, somewhat of a dud. Fans of the SEC have argued that the reason for this is the exclusion of 9-3 SEC teams from the playoffs in favor of teams from other conferences with better overall records. This argument totally ignores the fact that almost all of the semi-final games of the 4-team CFP were also crap. There were years that the SEC was arguably the most dominant conference in College Football. That has not been the case these last two years and the CFP Committee did a pretty good job IMO. Altering the formula to include more SEC teams going forward (which is the SEC's goal, not getting the "best" teams) will only weaken the CFP going forward. We're getting closer and closer to the B1G and SEC leaving all of the other conferences behind anyway, so this is probably all a moot point.
On another note: It could help to decouple the CFP from ESPN and spread the games around between ESPN, Fox and CBS. Not going to happen for a while due to contracts, but the CFP should consider it.
2. Strangely, the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs also was, largely, a dud. Clearly the answer is that they should have invited more SEC teams....
I kid here but the real problem, for the NFL, is that they have a very evident top tier of teams, and then some good teams, and then everyone else. Kansas City, Detroit, Buffalo, Baltimore are clearly the top tier. Houston and LA have proven themselves as the cream of the 2nd tier, with the remaining playoff teams falling in line. Then you have Cincinnati and Miami(?) along with a handful of other teams that could compete if they shore up some things. Then everyone else.
Regardless, in today's NFL you need a coach and a quarterback or you have nothing. Granted, you have to put together other pieces to be really great, but if you don't have those two things in place (and, possibly, a top flight-running back) then you are not going to be very successful.
3. Golf is back. (good) So is Tomorrow's Golf League (pending). I watched the premier of the TGL and was a little unenthused. Maybe Tiger playing tonight will add some buzz? Having a competitive matchup might help as well. That said, watching the green undulate and change is only going to go so far, as are the weird-assed hole designs that they created.
In the end, exciting golf (I know, it sounds like an oxymoron but it's not) is about shot making. Great shots make for great golf. Another thing they're going to be missing is Mother Nature herself. Bad lies, wind, rain, the elements, all make for challenging golf courses which is something the TGL is never going to be able to replicate. From what I can see, there will be no awful lies in the TGL and that's a problem for them.
4. College Basketball is much better than NBA basketball right now and it's not close. The Association has a problem. I'm not going to say much about this right now but might have more to say later. Let's just leave it at this: NBA basketball is a slog right now with a few notable exceptions. TV ratings are backing this up.
5. In the debate over "junk fees" it appears that the resorts are winning. Politicians have made some noise about them, but most of the ones who got riled up lost the last election cycle.
6. Speaking of 'junk'. I saw an ad last night, running in Texas, calling for an election related to "allowing destination resorts in Texas." It shows just how bad things are for casino resorts that they cannot even call themselves what they are. Even worse, Texas already has "destination resorts" in the form of the Gaylord, Great Wolf Lodge and Kahlahari. What Texas does not have, and I don't believe they're going to get as long as the current leadership is in place, are "Casino Resorts". That said it's not going to do any favors to the casinos to continue to try and hide what they are. Normalizing the debate around this means that, first, you must admit what you are. The continued subterfuge just adds credibility to the naysayers arguments that the casinos cannot be trusted.
7. I would be remiss if I did not add a note of condolence and encouragement to the people of LA who are currently living out a real-time Dante's Inferno. From the horrific images to the tragic loss of life to the first responders who are doing everything they can despite being hamstrung by prior public policy decisions. Y'all hang in there and we'll be praying that you get some dying winds and sustained rain soon.
8. RIP to Jimmy Carter. He was a devoted husband and father by all accounts. Here's wishing his loved ones peace and comfort.
9. After watching the NFL Wild Card games I noticed a few items that went unaddressed by the pundits on TV. First, the Houston Texans defense was much improved, probably, because of the return to active play of Al-Shaair. That seemed to be a bigger issue than people thought. Second, NFL officiating has been just about as bad as it's ever been all year long. It got worse in the playoffs. Something needs to be done to address this. Third, if we're going to really make use of reviews the decisions need to be removed from the officials on the field. Have the command center make the final decisions.
With that, we will end this. I wish all of you, or the few of you still reading this, good health, wealth and happiness during this new year.
