Day 497

• In just recent days, bans against transgender athletes in Louisiana, Arkansas, and West Virginia have all been overturned by judges.
• Yermin Mercedes has retired from baseball, and Tony La Russa and telling other teams to plunk him appears to be responsible!
• A state agency in California has formally sued Activision-Blizzard over sexual harassment of female employees and unequal pay.  I'd like to welcome the state of California to the video-game culture of this century.  You will not enjoy your stay.   
• The NFL has joined the SEC's lead -- and added that any forfeited games, the offending team will not be paid for those games either!
• On the other side of the equation is DeAndre Hopkins, who believes he has the Constitutional right to infect people, and, hence, may retire from the league, rather than take the vaccine.
• The insider-trading case has closed against Mychal Kendricks:  One day in jail (today), three years probation, 300 hours service, $100,000 fine.  He has already been suspended for this offense by the NFL (8 games in 2018).  Did not play in the 2020 season, but because he has already served an NFL penalty for this, could be signed, free and ready to go, as soon as tomorrow.
• Another example of the end of the NCAA because of NIL:  Mikey Williams, seen as a top-100 prospect for 2023, has already signed a potential multimillion-dollar deal with Excel Sports Management for Name, Image, and Likeness.  Many believe he is so beyond his high-school peers, a shoe deal is in order.
• Greg Knapp, a coach for the Jets, died of his injuries in a bicycling accident, according to a statement from the family.