NFL Needs A Good Super Bowl To Save Their Season! No More Pro Bowl & Concussion Talk. Kyrie Era In BK & Future/NBA Turned WWE? NHL's Ratings Plunge/2nd Half Preview/Isles: All In On Horvat
February is in full swing. Although the sports world is a little light at the moment, I have some interesting nuggets to provoke some thought as the latest podcast has arrived. On deck:
(2:48) After a brief explanation of how I'm a little (sports) cranky this morning, Super Bowl week has arrived. There isn't much to discuss at the moment. PROGRAMMING NOTE: I'll delve into my preview of the game with analysis and a prediction on Friday's podcast as I'll postpone it by a day. The few takes I'll have on the NFL are the following: how the league needs a good to great game to punctuate a rather lackluster season. The scenario regarding concussions in the sport as they went up 18% compared to last year. And the Pro Bowl? The Pro Bowl! How I did not spend one nanosecond watching this flag football exhibition as I hope you did the same!
(13:09) The Kyrie Irving tenure/saga is now officially over. He requested a trade last Friday since the organization wasn't going to re-sign him to a long term extension. The Brooklyn Nets ship him and another player to Dallas for a couple of players and three draft picks. Did the front office do the right thing? How will this chapter of Nets history be remembered? What does Kyrie's future look like in Dallas? Or elsewhere? What about Kevin Durant? What do you think he's feeling after hitching his wagon to Brooklyn with Kyrie? As for what's happened on the court, we've had a couple of incidents that's reminiscent of WWE? Thursday night, Cavaliers Donovan Mitchell gets into it with Grizzlies Dillon Brooks (NBA's Public Enemy #1 at the moment) as the latter was suspended for a game. A night later, Magic's Mo Bamba and Timberwolves Austin Rivers got into a scrum to where they were both suspended (four games for Bamba, three for Rivers) for their actions. Steph Curry will be on the shelf until at least after the All-Star Break. He suffered partial tears to ligaments in his knee on Saturday night vs. the Mavericks. Even with this injury, I think the Warriors are toast this year.
(34:20) The All-Star Break in the NHL has come and gone. I'll share why I did not watch or get into this version of the game in South Florida. I'll explain a couple of reasons why viewership is down more than 20%, even WITH games being broadcast on ESPN/ABC & TNT. I'll preview the 'second half' as the East is top heavy at the moment (i.e. Bruins & Hurricanes) while out West it's as wide open as we've seen in some time. Plus, the Islanders not only get the goal scorer they desperately need (i.e. Bo Horvat) but they've signed him to a long term deal. Is there a lot of pressure for the new acquisition to not only succeed, but to fulfill his large contract?
(50:40) Purdue is the latest team in the nation to get bounced from the ranks of being #1 as this unpredictable, topsy-turvy college basketball season (which is one I'd rather have, than to have the usual North Carolina, Duke and Kentucky ruling the top of the sport) continues to surprise us, day in and day out.
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Intro/outro music by Cyklonus.