Football Is Back

  College football is in its second week. The NFL starts this week. MLB races have just over 20 games left. It’s the ideal scenario for me to remain optimistic. By the time the MLB playoffs happen in October, some of that optimism could be dashed. 

Let’s begin with the colleges. In this era of Name-Image-Likeness generating pay to play (it sounds so corrupt), it was appropriate that Oklahoma State Head Coach Mike Gundy called out Oregon for paying “ a lot of money for their team.” He continued, saying that maybe for non-conference games, like this week’s matchup between the Cowboys and the University of Oregon in Eugene, should really among the teams which spend more than the $7 million OK State paid out last year—alluding to the Ducks’ budget for players being over $40 million last season. Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning retorted that to be competitive, you have to spend the money. 

Besides spicing up a non-traditional game, this epitomizes the state of college football among the big boys. Sure, Oregon gets significant money from Nike, the home state mega international shoe and apparel brand. 

But don’t shed tears for the Cowboys. T. Boone Pickens took his hedge fund money and gave it to his alma mater before he died in 2019. $165 million for football wasn’t chump change. 

This is more about the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference versus the Big 12. Oklahoma State has been left in the lurch by in-state rival Oklahoma, which, along with its bigger traditional rival, the University of Texas, bolted for the greener ($) pastures of the SEC. Instead of playing the Sooners and the boys from Austin, OK State is left to play Baylor, Arizona, Houston, Cincinnati, Texas Tech, Kansas, Kansas State, UCF and now ending the season with Iowa State instead of OU in the Bedlam Series. 

Of course, the end of the series can actually boost the playoff chances for OK State not having to lock horns with the Longhorns or battle the Sooners. And conversely, the rugged SEC schedule could thwart the chances of OU making the 12 team field. Which is why a larger playoff including more schools is on the horizon. Start counting the dollars, SEC and Big Ten members. Too bad, Big 12 and the ACC. You just are after thoughts. 

And for the record, Iowa and Iowa State are managing to play this weekend. Oregon State and Oregon play on September 20. Washington and Washington State meet on the same day. Tradition can still remain alive when there is a will and a way. 

Other games of significance include South Florida at Florida in the fourth-ever meeting between the schools; UF has won all three previous contests. This could be an upset special given the way the Bulls manhandled Boise State in its opener last week. Michigan and Oklahoma tangle in Norman in a Big Ten-SEC battle. Arizona State travels to Starkville to take on Mississippi State. 

East Tennessee State, led by former Michigan QB Cade Mc Namara, visits Knoxville to take on Tennessee. ETSU beat up on Murray State last week while Syracuse gave the Vols a tussle and the team lost some key players to injury. I’m not saying ETSU will win, but this is a game to watch the score. 

Most of the Division III schools open up this weekend. Of note is the rivalry between RPI and WPI. At stake is the Transit Trophy. Not the ones involving buses or trains. It’s the tool used for surveying. After all, these are two engineerings schools. 

St. John Fisher, a notable DIII football power, travels to New Jersey to meet a solid FDU-Florham squad. Wheaton and Mount Union, two ranked teams, square off on Saturday, with playoff implications on the first weekend. 

Franklin and Marshall heads to Annville, PA to meet Lebanon Valley College. Trotting out a new head coach (the former head man is now at Cortland), the Diplomats have had an edge in this series, winning 34 while losing only 9. 

Rain will impact the F&M game as wells the opener between Dallas and Philadelphia in Philly. Dallas is now minus Micah Parsons, whose talent is going to help Green Bay in a very tough NFC Central. Jerry Jones has managed to keep the Cowboys relevant and in the news—even if the franchise’s last Super Bowl was a mere 30 years ago. 

However, relevancy and remaining newsworthy does not win championships. Going toe-to-toe with the defending Super Bowl champions on the road in a divisional matchup isn’t necessarily a formula for success. 

That is kind of the same circumstance the New York Giants find themselves in Sunday in Washington. Giants QB Russell Wilson better bring his “A” game with him. The Commanders are considered a worthy contender for the NFC East title and maybe even to make it to the Super Bowl.

In Brazil, two unlikely teams meet in an important divisional game. Kansas City, the perennial AFC West winner, the team which brings you media stars Patrick Mahomes and the newly-engaged Travis Kelce, opens up far away from Arrowhead.

Their opponent is the Los Angeles Chargers, coached by college football pariah Jim Harbaugh. LAC needs a win badly. KC cannot necessarily afford to lose early. 

The revamped New York Jets host Pittsburgh on Sunday. Aaron Rodgers makes an immediate return to Met Life Stadium, wearing black, white and gold instead of green and white. 

Could Rodgers has revenge on his mind, given how acrimonious his divorce from the Jets went? Does he have enough left in the tank to be solid and lead the Steelers in a division where Cincinnati and Baltimore reside?

Meanwhile, is former NYJ player Aaron Glenn, who seemingly bleeds green, the right man to lead the Jets back to the playoffs, ending the NFL-longest drought of 14 years and counting? Is new QB Justin Fields, himself smarting from perceived mistreatment in Pittsburgh last season, ready to take NYJ to the next level?

How good are the Bills, Ravens or Bengals in the AFC? Are Detroit and Minnesota each taking a step back in the NFC Central while the Bears are ascending? How much better or worse are Denver, Las Vegas, Miami and Houston in the AFC? Will Matthew Stafford’s back hold up enough for the Rams in a crowded NFC West where the 49’ers are the favorites but Arizona and Seattle are talented? This is why they play the games—if not just for the revenue and gambling. 

As much as the Jets haven’t made the playoffs in the agonizing 14 seasons, the plight of other teams seems worse. Imagine if you are a Cardinals fan—the last time the franchise won a title was in 1947 when they were in Chicago 77 seasons ago (poor St. Louis Cardinals fans might have gotten redemption when the Rams won the Super Bowl while in St. Louis). Detroit last won in 1957; Tennessee (nee Houston) won the AFL crown in 1961 and the then-San Diego Chargers won the AFL in 1963; fellow AFL franchise Buffalo has been waiting since 1965 for a champion. Cleveland fans have been waiting on a championships since 1964. 

Then there’s the case of the Minnesota Vikings. The team won the NFC championship in 1969 while there were two independent leagues. Unfortunately for the Vikes, they lost to Kansas City in the Super Bowl. They get an asterisk. 

With all that takes place on the field, with the new innovations for first down markings, it’s going to be a long season starting now. Not to worry—Taylor Swift might be the performer in the Super Bowl—if Commissioner Roger Goodell can keep a secret. Imagine Kelce and crew getting there one more time and Swift rocking the house at halftime—that’s a major PR coup for the NFL or the kind of thoughts conspiracy theorists run with. 

Quickly, regarding baseball. The New York Yankees woke up from their funk, only to mar their chances to overtake Toronto with a bad bullpen game (too much reliance on analytics by Manager Aaron Boone) coupled with horrible ball and strike calls by the umpire going against NYY in a Wednesday night loss in Houston. Reliance on the home run will only get this team so far if the bullpen fails repeatedly. 

Boston suffered a big blow with the loss of rookie sensation Roman Anthony for the season. Given the troubling circumstances surrounding the departure of Rafael Devers to San Francisco (he caused a brawl while enamored with a home run he hit against Colorado) and the lack of any real star power, Alex Cora has done a great job guiding this team. He may not win AL Manager of the Year only because Toronto’s John Schneider is piloting a division leader, but he’s one heck of a field general. 

The New York Mets slugged their way to two victories in three games at AL Central-leading Detroit. In case nobody has noticed, Juan Soto has re-emerged; his .255 batting average is climbing and he has slugged 37 homers while driving in 91 runs. There is some serious pop in the NYM lineup with Pete Alonso (33 Hr 113 RBI) along with Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo. If the pitching can hold up and the amazing rookie Nolan McLean continues to perform (4-0 1.37 ERA with 28 K’s and 7 BB), don’t shut the door on this team.

Not necessarily much Wild Card drama. Texas seems to be making a late push, trailing Seattle by 1.5 games. San Francisco will have trouble overcoming a four game deficit for the last NL spot. 

Even the pennant races aren’t red hot. The Yankees and Red Sox have to play better to catch Toronto. Houston has a nice lead over Seattle. Detroit will be among the first to clinch a division. While the Brewers lead over the Cubs has shrunken to 5.5 games, it would take a miracle for Milwaukee not to win the NL Central. Philadelphia is solid in the NL East. San Diego needs some luck to catch the Dodgers. 

M.V.P. races are a bit interesting. Will it be Judge or the Big Dumper, Cal Raleigh, in the American League? Can Kyle Schwarber (49 HR 119 RBI) actually dethrone Shohei Ohtani (46 HR 87 RBI) in the National League? It’s not who is the best player—it’s who is most important to his team’s success. 

And I forgot the US Open. Where Novak Djokovic has made a record 53 Grand Slam semi-finals appearances. Defeating Carlos Alcaraz and then Jannik Sinner as a likely Finals opponent will be hard to accomplish. 

There is plenty of star power in the women’s semi-finals. Aryna Sabalenka meets Jessica Pegula while Naomi Osaka plays NJ native Amanda Anisimova. 

Could be good matches in both draws. If you have time to watch them. Or any baseball.

That’s because football is back.