Get ready for NFL dog and pony show

Judge injury a wake-up call

Good morning, all and happy Saturday! The injury to Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is a wake-up call that plays right into the hands of owners. I explain why in the video/commentary. My apologies for the video cutting off part of my head. Remembering D-Day Eighty-two years ago today, Allied Expeditionary forces landed on the beaches of Normandy. Eleven months later Nazi Germany surrendered. 4,414 Allied soldiers died in the invasion. Thousands more were wounded. Not many MLB players were involved in the initial invasion, but one famous player was: Yogi Berra. He was a 19-year-old Navy Gunner’s Mate, part of a six-man crew on a 36-foot Navy rocket boat better known as a LCS (Landing Craft Support boat). Berra and his crew were under heavy enemy fire. During his service in World War II, Berra earned a Purple Heart, a Distinguished Unit Citation, two battle stars and a European Theatre of Operations ribbon. The Bears a step closer to leaving Chicago and Illinois It would seem all but a given the Chicago Bears are going to pull up stakes and not only leave Chicago but the entire state of Illinois for greener pastures in next door Indiana. The team’s board of directors voted Thursday to proceed with plans for a stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana. I’m guessing if the Bears depart Illinois, that great Chicago Bears fan, Abe Lincoln, will be rolling over in his grave. Here are some other thoughts on this first Saturday in June: * The Stanley Cup Final has the elements of being a classic, following Carolina’s overtime, 4-3 win over Vegas on Thursday night. Game three is tonight in Las Vegas. The series is tied, 1-1. * The third leg of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, the Belmont, is at Saratoga today. The Belmont track in New York is still undergoing a massive renovation. There used to be a time when I got into horse racing but these days I do not even pay attention. If you are watching the race, enjoy and I hope your horse wins. * A subscriber to this newsletter from the San Francisco area tells me the chatter in those parts has fans discussing a Rafael Devers-to-Yankees trade. Now that would add some spice to “the Greatest Rivalry in Sports.” * Since I wrote the SF Giants are in need of massive changes, they have scored 30 runs in their last two games, beating Milwaukee on Thursday, 12-9, and clobbering the Cubs yesterday, 18-3. They are still 12 games under .500 (26-38). * And what of the Cubs, who lost yet again? They fall to 33-31. Once in first place in the NL Central, they keep alternating in the cellar with the Cincinnati Reds. It is not a stretch to say highly-paid manager Craig Counsell, in the third year of a $40M contract, is on the hot seat. It would not surprise me if Counsell was shown the door, if the Cubs swoon continues. That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Have a sensational weekend and thank you for being a subscriber! DAN This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danonsports.com/subscribe [https://www.danonsports.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

College sports out of control?

Good morning, all! TGIF! Big time college sports is out of control with millions being doled out to “student-athletes,” players switching schools yearly and coaches seemingly doing the same. Does a bipartisan bill in the Congress tame this schizophrenic environment? I break it down in the video/audio commentary. You be the Judge The Yankees are in big trouble, if Aaron Judge is out for any period. The bruise near his right shoulder, or is it his rib cage, seems to be getting bigger with each passing report. The fact is, the Yankees have not been specific about the injury that has sidelined their captain since Tuesday, but it doesn’t sound good. Without Judge, who was in a slump for the last three weeks of May, the mediocre Yankees offense is nearly impotent. They just lost two-of-three at home to Cleveland, scoring a total of 10 runs. The reality is, even with Judge in the lineup - obviously we now know he was playing hurt - the offense was stagnant. Without Judge, even though Ben Rice and others have their moments, the Yankees offense is lacking consistent firepower. Their starting pitching might be the best in the American League, but without a more balanced offense, they are going to lose more one-run games than win them. The next few weeks could be very interesting. Not the same The Yankees will host the Red Sox in a three-game series, starting tonight. The media is already building this up, once again, as “the greatest rivalry in sports.” It is all manufactured hype. The Red Sox are in last place and the Yankees are battling for first. Come talk to me, when these two teams are fighting for the ultimate prize. When you see a jammed Yankee Stadium tonight - and most New Yorkers will be watching the Knicks and San Antonio in Game 2 of the NBA Finals - remember it never used to be that way. Before Thurman Munson became the Yankees catcher and Carlton Fisk the Red Sox backstop in the early 1970s, Yankees-Red Sox was not even a big draw at their respective ballparks. Case in point. 60 years ago this past Wednesday, the Yankees lambasted the Red Sox at Fenway Park, 15-5. The big story was the fact 27,000 fans attended the game. The media could not believe such a “big” crowd was in attendance to watch a Friday night game. After all, many times, when the Yankees and Red Sox met, crowds were lucky to surpass 15,000 for a game at either Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park. There was no rivalry back then. The Babe Ruth-to-the-Yankees story was not a big deal. It was the Yankees and Red Sox, two American League teams from cities 217 miles apart, just playing a three-game series. The rivalry was yet to be born, even though these clubs did play some important games. But the truth be told, it was rare when both the Yankees and Red Sox were in a tight pennant race together. Times change, but remember it wasn’t always this way. I know. I lived it. Yankees-Red Sox was no big deal. And if it wasn’t for social media and the hype that goes with everything in this day-and-age, this series would be no big deal too. The last place Red Sox are fighting to survive in the mediocre American League, while the Yankees are attempting to save the bottom from dropping out of their offense. Enjoy the games this weekend, but remember Yankees-Red Sox isn’t always what they tell you it is. Loving the book I live and die by the website retrosheet.org [https://www.retrosheet.org/#]. Just about every box score and play-by-play description of every game that has been played in MLB is on the website. Now there is a book out about the origin of Retrosheet, entitled How Retrosheet Saved Baseball History. It’s just 10 bucks, if you download it to your Kindle. And if you are a baseball numbers nerd like I can be at times, you’ll thank me later, especially since the book, believe it or not, is more than the numbers that tell the story about the game. That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and have a fantastic Friday! DAN This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danonsports.com/subscribe [https://www.danonsports.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Trade is not a given

Good morning, all and happy Thursday! It’s two months before MLB’s trade deadline and the “insiders” say the Detroit Tigers will trade ace Tarik Skubal. But will they? I offer some perspective in the video/audio commentary. Some other thoughts on the first Thursday in June: * Following owners meetings in New York yesterday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred let it be known the owners are insistent on a salary cap. The MLBPA is just as insistent on no salary cap. If neither side budges, it is going to be a long, cold winter. Sad! * NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has declined an invitation from the U.S. House Judiciary Committee to testify on the NFL’s television contracts. Now this thing could get interesting. * Russell Wilson has officially retired from the NFL and will join CBS as an NFL game analyst. My hunch is he will do a superb job. * As I hunker down to watch Game 1 of NBA Finals, it would not surprise me if this series does not go seven games. Let’s say Knicks in six. That has a nice ring to it. I know San Antonio is a 2-1 favorite, but wasn’t OKC supposed to win the Western Conference? * I see Gerrit Cole has not lost his penchant for throwing the gopher ball. * Game two of Stanley Cup Finals is tonight in Carolina, with Vegas up 1-0. If the series is anything like Tuesday night’s 5-4 win, this could be a record, ratings winner. * Something has got to give with the San Francisco Giants. They cannot go on like this. * The next time you watch a MLB game, with a shot from the grass behind the pitcher’s mound, think Hartford Yard Goats. MLB chose Dunkin’ Park and a series of Yard Goats games last season to test these mini cams, before sanctioning their placement on national and local MLB telecasts. That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. As always, thank you for subscribing and have a terrific Thursday! DAN This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danonsports.com/subscribe [https://www.danonsports.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Get ready for NFL dog and pony show

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been summoned to appear before the U.S. House Judiciary committee next week to explain why the NFL is funneling more of its games to streaming services. As I explain in the video/audio podcast, expect a dog and pony show. Here are some other thoughts on this first hump day of June: * The NBA Finals start tonight in San Antonio between the Spurs and New York Knicks. San Antonio is the overwhelming favorite but that’s why they play the games. We shall see. * The Stanley Cup Finals started last night with the Vegas Golden Knights taking on the Carolina Hurricanes. * Yesterday I wrote how the media downplayed the passing of Lou Gehrig, when news of his death broke. I posted some pictures of the New York Daily News. Well, upon further research, I cannot say the same about the Chicago Tribune, which was all over the story the day after Gehrig’s death: * Meanwhile, Yankees TV broadcaster Michael Kay told an interesting story, during last night’s Yankees game against Cleveland that still has be scratching my head. Kay said he heard that the day Gehrig pulled himself out of the lineup in Detroit, ending his then record 2,136 consecutive game playing streak, Gehrig and the “Voice of the Yankees,” Mel Allen, took a long walk around Detroit later in the day. How could this be? The Yankees broadcasters did not travel with the club back then. Road games were recreated back at a New York radio station. Allen broadcast the home games of the Yankees and the New York Giants in 1939. Cannot see how he was in Detroit that day, but hey, it makes for a great story. * Here’s another great story that, using one of Mel’s favorite phrases, “Is a matter of actual fact.” Entering last night’s game against the Minnesota Twins, the Chicago White Sox had already won 32 games. Two years ago, they did not win their 32nd game of the season, until September, when their record was 32-109. A team can rebuild, making the right moves. * Somehow you knew the New England Patriots were going to get A.J. Brown, didn’t you? * The Yankees are famous for downplaying major injuries, but somehow I am thinking Aaron Judge could be out a long time, now that he has been sidelined with a bone bruise near his right shoulder. The Yankees are saying Judge is “day-to-day.” In the words of the great Vin Scully: “Aren’t we all.” That is going to do it for today newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and have wonderful Wednesday! DAN This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danonsports.com/subscribe [https://www.danonsports.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

What the NBA needs to do

Good morning, all and happy Sunday! The NBA Finals start on Wednesday and with the New York Knicks as participants ratings should be good. But the NBA needs to undertake some changes, as I outline in my commentary. Some other thoughts for the last Sunday in May: * I do not believe it’s the last Sunday of the fifth month. Last night, broadcasting the Yard Goats game, I was bundled up like it was March. Wind chills were in the 30s. Ridiculous. * You are lying if you had the Chicago White Sox 10 games better than the Detroit Tigers at the end of May. * I don’t know which team is in more trouble, the San Francisco Giants or the Boston Red Sox. What is going on here? That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing! DAN This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.danonsports.com/subscribe [https://www.danonsports.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]