Yeah, me too. And we can do this in both sports and non-sports editions (the anti-trans bigoted blabbermouthing by the White Right, I will consider non-sports) either today or in the next few days.
But one has to wonder if we have much of a future as we've gone on with all this happening:
- The explosion of legalized sports betting has had predictable results.
- A gambling ring exposed on the Detroit Lions (causing four suspensions and three firings on the roster and any number of firings of the team staff)
- At least three others this year banned from the NFL for betting outside parameters.
- The exposition that it appears that the coach of the University of Alabama baseball team may have thrown multiple games, and given inside information (at minimum!) to bettor friends while doing so.
- Major betting scandals with at least two other schools (both in Iowa, no less!), one which could possibly involve over a hundred current and former athletes!
- An XFL quarterback briefly fired for the belief he had actually given the team's playbook to the other team! Literally!!
- An MLS player suspended for illegal betting...
And the worst part of all this is that all of these actions COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN PREDICTED. It's one of the reasons that the liberal state of California (which could otherwise use the money!) rejected the entire concept of sports betting by a factor of no less than 3 to 1 in the November, 2022 referendums -- regardless of whether the betting was limited to Indian casinos and racetracks or not!
- Unsportsmanlike conduct has exploded across the breadth of American sports.
- As of the writing of this post, Close Call Sports has chronicled no fewer than fifty-two MLB ejections in the 2023 season so far -- a pace that, which kept, would result in over 200 by the end of the season.
- Reports across the country of injurious incidents, including catchers intentionally accused of trying to bean batters in softball, sucker punches in the handshake lines...
- It appears that a number of the major sanctioning bodies are in full support of this, with either badly-minimized penalties (NHL!) or none at all (NASCAR!!).
- At least one incident involving an MVP candidate vs. the owner of the other team in the NBA. Which has thankfully been resolved -- the two were clowning with each other pre-game of the next game.
It's not only the fact that a lot of this is increasing, but the fact that it appears nothing is willing to be done. Some people believe, for example, that the MLB situation cannot be resolved (I've proposed a unilateral increase in the fines by the Commissioner under Best Interests Of Baseball -- many have replied that would be a CBA issue!). But it's clear that there's a definite uptick in this type of conduct.
- At what point do some of these ownership/going concern questions in the major sports get answered?
- The A's are 9-33 on the season so far. The current site for their Las Vegas move has been scuttled and two more are being examined.
- Attendance last night for the 4-0 three-hit loss to the Rangers? TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED FORTY NINE.
- It appears a bill to approve some site in Las Vegas for a new A's stadium is going to be put up in the next 24 hours.
- In 19 home games, the A's are the only MLB team to average less than 10,000. Only Miami, otherwise, has averaged less than 15,000.
- At the present rate, the A's would not reach the current home fan total of the Dodgers (the #1 attendance team -- and it isn't close!), even if another 10-15 games were added at the stadium. And that's a total of the Dodgers in less than 20 games of their own!
- The continuing saga of the Washington Commanders and whether we will actually ever get Dan Snyder out of the NFL...
- What is the eventual fate of the Phoenix Coyotes -- run out of their own arena and now having to play in a college arena? There is apparently a special election which might move them to Tempe, word on that coming next week.
How much more before a complete *SNAP* moment, and that's just in sports?
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