Will the Pro Bowl become a thing of the past? The NFL has decided, after 70 years, to discontinue the all-star exhibition pitting the AFC against the NFC. The game has changed over the years and evolved into a more or less flag football game with no tackling or touching. The money had once been a more meaningful amount to players before the mega-million dollar salaries, and the trip to Hawaii was something they looked forward to. So what happened? Is there something different on the horizon?
Will Jimmy Garoppolo of the 49ers have the upper hand against the Rams on his home turf after a challenging game last week?
Saudi Arabia is planning to put the LIV on Fox and is willing to spend a lot of money to do so. Where does this fit in with the PGA? Has the game of golf been fractured? Is the enmity between the PGA and the LIV significant enough that a Ryder Cup-type of competition would be a meaningful and profitable route to pursue at some point in time? Should the network and players consider the politics of the Saudis when signing on with the LIV, or is it all about the paycheck?
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is planning to enact some new rules in baseball. Since it is the only major league sport that doesn’t have a play clock, will the majors adopt the timer clock used in the minors for pitchers next year? Can the changes ahead encourage more stolen bases, which would have upped the number of bases Dodger legend Maury Wills, who recently passed away, could have captured if introduced during his playing days? Are there too many analytics and too much overthinking for what is, at its core, a simple game? Is Manfred trying to reinvent the wheel or enhance the enjoyment for fans?
Should Craig Kimbrel continue to be the Dodgers’ closer? Management has said he will be the closing pitcher, but then they say he won’t. What’s behind the conflicting statements? Would he do better as a long reliever or in a setup role, and who would be the team’s alternative?
Email Fred and Art with questions and comments at sportsfred@aol.com
