Does all the things must be about cash?
Nicely, sure, I suppose, particularly if you happen to’re one of many tv networks shelling out humongous quantities of money for rights to televise big-time faculty soccer.
If in case you have adopted sports activities at everywhere in the previous few many years, you already understand that TV is the first power driving sports activities on this nation. The networks, primarily ESPN, CBS and Fox set recreation occasions for the most important sports activities. The facility gained by these entities over time has both ruined sports activities, or improved it considerably, relying in your perspective.
There isn’t any finish in sight with regards to simply how a lot cash the networks can pay to carry us MLB, the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, main golf and tennis tournaments, and many others., and many others., and many others. That’s merely the skilled aspect of the coin.
The networks additionally rule the collegiate world of sports activities, particularly soccer and basketball. The results of the almighty greenback being thrown round to our establishments of upper studying is what we’re seeing immediately.
Faculties are scrambling to see simply how a lot of the windfall they will accumulate, which suggests we’re going to see UCLA and Southern Cal becoming a member of the Massive 10,
Oklahoma and Texas leaping to the Southeastern Convention, and on and on and on.
Is that this good for faculty sports activities?
That is dependent upon who you ask.
Relating to soccer, it ought to produce extra thrilling matchups, so the followers can be appeased. Coaches is probably not fairly so thrilled, particularly in the event that they must knock heads with top-flight competitors week after week.
The scholar-athletes (a time period for use moderately loosely) who play soccer will take pleasure in the brand new challenges they may face, and journey gained’t be that a lot of a difficulty as a result of they play as soon as every week, and D-1 faculty soccer powers take pleasure in touring on constitution flights.
It’s the opposite sports activities that can have a tough time with journey as a result of their schedules are simply the other of soccer. As an example, basketball is performed in the course of the week, weekends, and at odd occasions, as a result of, effectively, tv dictates once they tip off.
The identical goes for baseball, softball, volleyball, and the numerous different so-called Olympic sports activities performed at schools and universities throughout the nation.
The answer might in the end be that soccer is performed in a single convention, and the opposite sports activities performed in one other.
Nevertheless it shakes out will lead to some confusion amongst sports activities followers, who’re already making an attempt to determine what convention their favourite workforce performs on this week.
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FRIDAY NIGHTS UNDER THE LIGHTS – Getting again to true beginner soccer, the highschool season kicks off in earnest Friday night, with all 4 native groups in motion.
The Mason County Royals open in Flatwoods, the place they are going to be dealing with the Russell Crimson Devils in an intriguing pairing. The 2 colleges haven’t met on the gridiron since they have been Class 3A rivals 4 years in the past. Russell claimed a 49-13 victory on August 23, 2019 in Maysville that night.
A lot has modified since, particularly while you take a peek at what the 2 completed final 12 months.
The Royals had one of the vital memorable seasons in class historical past, successful 13 video games in a row earlier than falling on the street to Bardstown within the Class 3A state semifinals.
Alternatively, the Crimson Devils struggled to an uncharacteristic 2-9 file a 12 months in the past. I wouldn’t anticipate Russell to remain down lengthy, and they are going to be searching for a significant bounce again marketing campaign this fall.
Mason County strikes up a category to 4A this season, and though coach Joe Wynn misplaced plenty of firepower from final 12 months’s workforce, they nonetheless seem formidable, with
quarterback Keshaun Thomas main the way in which. Thomas handed for two,188 yards and 24 scores a 12 months in the past.
Fleming County (7-5 final 12 months) opens its season at Henry Clay, a 6-A faculty in Lexington.
Coach Invoice Spencer is aware of the Panthers are carrying a goal on their collective backs, as they’re picked to win District 6 by the so-called consultants. Fleming returns a number of of their prime weapons from final 12 months, together with working again Austin Trent, quarterback Nate Ruark and receiver Landon Johnson. Trent seems to repeat because the district participant of the 12 months after working for 1,788 yards and 19 touchdowns final 12 months.
The Blue Devils completed 3-8 final 12 months towards a powerful schedule and so they return main receiver Jackson Kreutzer from final 12 months’s squad.
Lewis County, which completed 6-5 in coach Gene Peterson’s first 12 months main the Lions, opens at house towards Nicholas County, a faculty that includes a brand new head coach. Daniel Clouse can be main the Blue Jackets after transferring over from Bracken County.
It’s the primary assembly between the 2 since September 11, 2020, when the Blue Jackets rushed for 378 yards in a 44-0 victory in Carlisle.
Nicholas County, a Class A faculty, completed 7-4 final 12 months.
Lewis County returns quarterback Ayden Cooper, who threw for 1,378 yards and 20 touchdowns final 12 months.
Bracken County, which put collectively a 7-3 season final 12 months in Class A, strikes as much as Class 2A below new head coach Steven Tarter.
The Polar Bears will entertain Pendleton County of their lidlifter on Friday evening. It marks the primary assembly between the 2 because the Wildcats gained 57-0 in Brooksville on September 6, 2019. It ought to be a special story this time. Pendleton County was 0-10 final season and 1-10 in 2021.
Bracken can be led by sophomore working again Dalton Tarter, who ran for 447 yards on simply 70 carries a 12 months in the past.
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REDS RETURN HOME – As of the writing of this column, the Cincinnati Reds are sitting three and a half video games behind the NL Central main Milwaukee Brewers, however only a recreation behind the Miami Marlins for the ultimate Wild Card spot.
On the threat of repeating myself, it’s actually exceptional what this younger group has completed up to now, contemplating they have been 62-100 simply final 12 months. The Reds gained their 62nd recreation of the season on Sunday evening, once they got here from behind to defeat the Pirates within the Metal Metropolis 6-5 in 10 innings.
Not that the Reds are with out flaws, however most groups not named the Atlanta Braves have areas of concern.
On the commerce deadline, the Reds had a chance to handle a few downside areas (beginning and reduction pitching) however selected not to take action.
That might nonetheless come again to chunk them within the you-know-what, however one other space of concern has sprung up in current weeks, and that might be the shortage of hitting, particularly with runners in scoring place.
We should bear in mind that is an especially younger workforce, and so they’ve been taking part in with out a few key cogs within the lineup with Jonathan India and Jake Fraley not anticipated to return till subsequent month.
The Reds are banking on their return to kind as quickly as potential and so they’re additionally hoping the cavalry will come to the rescue for the drained pitching arms, when Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Tejay Antone, and Vladimir Gutierrez come again.
Even with the current downturn for the Reds, they continue to be in place to compete for the postseason and that positive as heck beats what’s been taking place for the franchise lately.
The subsequent couple of weeks will show to be telling.
Following a quick two-game set towards Cleveland which started Tuesday evening within the battle for the all-important (tongue planted firmly in cheek) Ohio Cup, the Reds host
the Toronto Blue Jays for 3 video games this weekend earlier than embarking on a 10-game Western sojourn.
The street journey will take them to Los Angeles to face the slumping Angels for 3 video games, to Phoenix to fulfill the Diamondbacks for 4, and wrap up in San Francisco for 3 towards the Giants.
On September 1st, the Reds will return to GABP for a four-game revenge sequence versus the Chicago Cubs, adopted by three video games towards the Seattle Mariners, and three extra towards St. Louis.
The canine days of baseball are about to start in earnest, so buckle up because the Reds try and preserve hope alive for his or her rabid fanbase.
In spite of everything, it could possibly be lots worse; you could possibly be a fan of the last-place New York Yankees.
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“Don’t half together with your illusions. When they’re gone, you should still exist, however you might have ceased to stay.” — Mark Twain
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“Soccer isn’t a contact sport; it’s a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport.” – Vince Lombardi