Sorry Bryce, I think you are wrong.

This week Bryce Harper tweeted out his plan to save baseball this year. Here we brake it down on why I think it will not work, even though a lot think it will.

Two divisions. An East and West, like in the NBA
MLB has 30 teams. As it is on a normal season, there is always an inter-league game. With an East and West we have to rely on the map. Using the Rocky Mountains that is 8 West and 22 East. Using the Mississippi River, 13 West and 17 East. The 3 division system MLB is looking at is the best.

135 games in 138 days vs the 80 game format MLB is looking at.
Bryce has the season going from July 1 - Nov 15. Every other Monday off and the Sunday before that a double header. The Double Header games will be 7 innings.
Also expanding the roster to 30.
You are asking for injury here. The pitching rotation, as he prepossess, would be 6 or 7.
Egos will not let this happen.

 Playoffs to be like the College World Series. Double Elimination 10 team, round robin format.
 No. Baseball needs fans. Don't confuse them with a new format. Also, enough new rules coming in next full season, lets not confuse things for the fans. Baseball fans are like a good Lutheran, they do not like change.
Before the World Series have an All Star Game and HR contest. No players will want to take part in this. Season is over. Need to rest up and heal up.

Finally start the next couple of seasons late because of this one going long. May first and then April one the year after. This is why no one will take part in the All Star Game or HR Derby.

Sorry Bryce, this will not work. You didn't even touch player salaries. Good luck on them playing without a full seasons pay.

I do hope some agreement is reached and we get some kind of season.

-Andy

WNBA

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the WNBA is postponing the start of the regular season originally scheduled for May 15. The WNBA continues to scenario plan regarding new dates and will provide updates accordingly.

The league was founded on April 22, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association (NBA), and league play started in 1997. The regular season is played from May to September, with the All Star game being played midway through the season in July (except in Olympic years) and the WNBA Finals at the end of September until the beginning of October

This years draft was the highest rated in 16 years. Not sure if that is showing growth in the league or just the thirst for sports by the viewing audience. 

With the exception of 2015, the rating for the WNBA playoffs have been on the rise. 

The WNBA is not able to support itself. During the mid-2000s, the NBA spent more than $10 million per year to keep the WNBA financially solvent. In 2007, teams were estimated to be losing $1.5 million to $2 million a year.

The league has begun to do better financially in recent years. In December 2010, Donna Orender said that the league had its first-ever "cash flow positive" team (Connecticut Sun) for the 2010 season.In 2011, three teams were profitable, and in 2013, six of the league's 12 teams reported a profit.The league has also signed extended television contracts with ESPN and sponsorship agreements with Boost Mobile.

On June 1, 2009, the Phoenix Mercury was the first team in WNBA history to announce a marquee sponsorship. The team secured a partnership with LifeLock to brand their jerseys and warm-ups. It was the first branded jersey in WNBA history. Following the expiration of the LifeLock deal, the Mercury secured a new uniform sponsorship deal with Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort on February 3, 2014. 

All teams now have sponsorship on the uniforms. 

I personally enjoy the WNBA. I hope it returns and that this pandemic does not cause the league to fold. The players play for love of the game, not to make the highlights on Sports Center. Yes, some of these athletes play in other country's in the off season, where they make a lot more money then here in the US. The sport is more popular overseas and therefore the higher pay.   

-Andy 

NFL Draft Review

NFL Draft – Comparisons             

Each team in the NFL gets seven draft picks in the annual draft each April.   Most team will take their 

seven picks and fill the team’s needs by position to get their roster ready for the new season.   Some 

team will use the draft as an opportunity to wheel-and-deal to get many more draft picks or trade away 

multiple draft picks to get a high-end player.

The New Orleans Saints traded away multiple draft picks and landed just three top players in the draft. 

In the seventh round they selected a Quarterback and ended up with only four picks in the entire draft.

In quite the opposite fashion, the Minnesota Vikings ended up with 15 draft picks in the draft.  By 

trading away some top picks, they are able to add multiple lower level picks including multiple picks in 

the First Round (2), the Fourth Round (3), the Fifth Round (2), the Sixth Round (2), and an amazing 

FOUR picks in the Seventh Round alone!  By getting eight picks in the final three rounds, this is a great 

way to pick up talent and a relatively cheap way.   

Salaries for the team’s draft picks are for the most part pre-determined by round. The bottom three 

rounds are very cheap, and you can pick up great talent down there.  The Vikings General Manager 

Rick Spielman likes to keep things interesting on Draft Day and is known for this wheeling-and-dealing 

to load up on talent.  

The Vikings also got some exceptional players in the early rounds. By trading Stephon Diggs to the 

Buffalo Bills in the offseason, the Vikings received the Bill’s #1 draft pick.The Vikings selected Justin 

Jefferson, a receiver from LSU, which will be a much cheaper version of an explosive play-maker 

and should be an immediate starter for the Vikings.

The Vikings also loaded up with five defensive backs, which is more than the entire Saints Draft 

Class of four.

Dan

WWE Annual Release Party

April 17, 2020

Every year, the week after WrestleMania, WWE releases a good amount of the talent. This goes for the SuperStars (Wrestlers), Producers, Referees and other staff. 
Some say this year was a little heavy because of the COVID 19 and shows being cancelled. Might be. But business is business. AEW is coming on strong as competition. NWA is off to a good start/reboot. And ROH, TNA and other indie organizations are doing well. Don't forget about New Japan and IWPG. 

Here is a list of some of the talent released this week. The Revival Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder Rusev, The O.C. (Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson), Drake Maverick, Curt Hawkins, Zack Ryder, Heath Slater, No Way Jose, Sarah Logan, Mike Kanellis, Maria Kanellis, Aiden English, EC3, Lio Rush, Eric Young, Primo Colon, Epico Colon, Erick Rowan, Deonna Purrazzo (NXT), Aleksandar Jaksic (NXT), MJ Jenkins (NXT), Josiah Williams (NXT), Mike Chioda (Referee)
WWE also released produces Kurt Angle, Lance Storm, Mike Rotunda (IRS), Sarah Stock, Dave Finlay (Fit Finlay), Shane Helms (Hurricane), Pat Buck, Shawn Daivari, Scott Armstrong

You will see most of these names later this year show up on other shows. Most have a 90 no compete clause in the release. With no one working and no shows scheduled for the spring, the clock is still ticking. 

Even in the good financial years, WWE makes these cuts. So not really a surprise. The names are about 80% if what you would guess. Always a few surprises. 

-Andy 

Album Review "Break Like The Wind" by Spinal Tap

Album Review "Break Like The Wind" by Spinal Tap 1982

Spinal Tap is made up of

"David St. Hubbins" (Michael McKean) - you may also know him as 

Lenny Kosnowski in Laverne & Shirley or Chuck McGill on Better Call Saul

"Nigel Tufnel" (Christopher Guest) - you may remember him as 

Harlan Pepper in Best of Show"Derek Smalls" (Harry Shearer) - In 1989, he joined the cast of the animated sitcom The Simpsons; he provides voices for characters including Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, Reverend Lovejoy, Kent Brockman, Dr. Hibbert and more. 

This the the follow up to the 1984 Spinal Tap album. The songs include a range of genres, from the glam metal anthem "Bitch School" down to the skiffle satire of "All the Way Home". The title, and the album's title track, is a double entendre that combines and confuses the idiom "make like the wind" (also possibly a reference to the Christopher Cross song "Ride Like the Wind", famously covered by British heavy metal band Saxon) with "break wind", a euphemism for flatulence or farting. 

Originally, the CD was packaged in an 18-inch "extra-long box", as a satire against the controversial packaging policy of longboxes which was increasingly criticized as unnecessary and wasteful.

Other artists to appear on the album are  

Jeff Beck – guitar on "Break Like the Wind"

Cher – co-lead vocals on "Just Begin Again"

Joe Satriani – guitar on "Break Like the Wind"

Slash – guitar on "Break Like the Wind"

Timothy B. Schmit – background vocals on "Christmas with the Devil" and "Cash On Delivery"

Dweezil Zappa – guitar solo on "Diva Fever"

The album does not list a track 13, but there is one. 

Is is a rock album or comedy album? Yes. Serious music and very good guitar by the 3 members. Not really a "Weird Al" of rock, no parody songs. 

You need to listen for yourself. Enjoy the music and have a good time 

-Andy 

Letters for High School Seniors

March 20, 2020

With the Carnivorous, Minnesota State High School League has cancelled all spring sports.

This is the last thing a high school senior wants to end their career. No last game at home. No final game against your rival. No chance at the state tournament.

Not to mention the other person goals. For example in baseball. A chance for the school record in Home Runs or Strike Outs for a pitcher. A chance to win over a scout to go to college. Or to finally letter in the sport.

That brings me to my point. I think that school and the Minnesota State High School League should letter all seniors this season. It is the least that can be done. The student has lost the season and a little compensation would be nice. The letter is a goal all student athletes strive for.

Is it doing any harm to award them the letter. No.

I have heard some colleges are thinking of giving students another year of eligibility. Nice for the college athlete. Can't think of one student that wants to go back to high school for another year.

Small price to pay to make up for a lost season.

-Andy

Too old for the NBA

March 5, 2020

I enjoy watching basketball. High School and College. But the NBA has turned me off.

The game is fine, but the player attitudes are the part I don't like. That and the marketing. That is where I think I might be too old for the NBA. Which is fine. Aim for your demographics. I am just not in that group anymore. I can live with that.

I still will follow and watch the game. I just flip channels a lot more during the commercials now then I use to. I don't always get back to the games as fast because, well, I don't have a good reason. Maybe a little bit of they are not looking for me to come back. I am in the 35-54 White Male category. Not one that is high on the list. This group is not buying the shirts, shoes or other items that are advertised during programming. Not a lot of those people are switching over to MASH reruns like I am.

Advertising is a big part in sports. I understand that. I remember watching all the ads and wanting most of it. Maybe with age, you feel less connected with today's players and the ads don't interest you.

I remember watching sports with my parents and having to explain ads to them.

The game is fine. The interest in fading. Seems like the players today are more money orientated and not team orientated. And that is, again, a generation thing.  I remember guys staying with teams and not not asking for a trade every year. Sure you want to win and get a championship, but why not build one where you are? Get skilled players and work with them.

Again, just an old man ranting

-Andy