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Did you feel that cooler breeze today? Six months of stifling Southern heat and humidity featuring temperatures of 90 degrees or above will finally take the bench – for a few days.
I am planning to break-out my old-school blade push mower (remember the kind with those spinning blades?) this afternoon.
It’s my way of celebrating a late season mowing day without being overly concerned about getting a heat stroke in the process.
Sports changes are happening rapidly in mid-October, too. Let’s jump right in!
Ding, Dong, the Dodgers are dead!
The Milwaukee Brewers rudely dispatched the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers with a comeback 6-4 win Thursday night.
Did anyone predict a 4-0 Milwaukee sweep of the Dodgers? I didn’t think so.
The Milwaukee Brewers are heading into their first World Series since 1982. They will represent the National League against either Cleveland or Tampa Bay of the American League.
Did you know that Milwaukee’s last World Series appearance came as an American League team?
That’s right!
This franchise actually began in 1969 as the expansion Seattle Pilots of the American League.
Unfortunately, the Seattle franchise found itself in bankruptcy court during Year #1. Major League Baseball quickly jumped to the rescue. It was moved to Wisconsin and became the re-branded Milwaukee Brewers of the American League in 1970.
The Brewers eventually migrated to the National League in 1998 as part of a realignment to balance the number of teams in the American and National Leagues.
Welcome back to the World Series, Brew Crew!
Meanwhile, LIV Golf’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy is moving along quickly
I reported last week that the agent for LIV Golf’s top player had advised that his client was negotiating an exit agreement with the league.
Jon Rahm got his wish this week. LIV Golf granted his release.
Rahm signed with LIV three years ago for an estimated $300 million. Media reports this week state that the 31-year old Spaniard will be walking away from about $100 million remaining under his LIV contract in order to secure his release.
Don’t cry for Jon Rahm!
My Jethro Bodine 6th grade math skills confirm that LIV has already paid him $200 million under his contract.
Add another $80 million for Jon Rahm’s golf tournament earnings on the LIV Golf tour the past three seasons.
Rahm would have earned a relatively small percentage of that sizable total if he remained a top talent on the PGA Tour over the same three year period.
Good luck trying to Rahm’s attorney in trying to negotiate even a small percentage of the remaining $100 million of unsecured debt which is part of LIV Golf’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Indications are that Jon Rahm and dozens of other top LIV golfers want to migrate to the DP World (European) Tour beginning in 2027.
That is because of Wednesday’s news that the New Jersey-based US bankruptcy court rejected the LIV Golf contracts of 19 more golfers.
Those contract cancellations included 2-time US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau (whose deal with LIV Golf was already ending December 31, 2026). Other top names whose contracts were tossed overboard included Australia’s Cam Smith (2022 Open Championship winner) along with former Masters winners Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson.
Post-bankruptcy LIV 2.0 has conditionally secured $300 million in backing from private equity firm BC Partners to finance a reboot in 2027. However, the league’s new financial partner apparently does not have to part with their money unless LIV 2.0 is able to keep enough top golfers under contract for next year and beyond.
The US Bankruptcy Court just made most of the top LIV Golf stars free agents. Will enough top names be willing to stick around for LIV 2.0 in 2027?
We should know more by the end of October. LIV Golf 2.0 is looking rather unlikely at this point.
New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson spoke out about her team’s lousy performance
The Saints just completed a three game home stand. They returned from two season opening games on the road at 1-1.
The New Orleans Saints then dropped three consecutive home games in ugly fashion to limp out of town with a 1-4 record.
New Orleans travels to play the rejuvenated New York Giants (3-1-1) on Sunday afternoon in The Meadowlands.
The Saints have now lost 14 of their last 19 home games since early in the 2024 NFL season.
WhoDat fans were particularly incensed after Atlanta embarrassed the Dome Team two weeks ago.
That occurred during a nationally televised Monday Night Football game. The Saints were celebrating the 20th anniversary of the reopening of the Louisiana Superdome following the devastating floods and winds of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
After an emotional 15-minute pregame ceremony which had the Superdome rocking just like in 2006, those Dirty Birds of Atlanta routed the Saints 45-24.
The Minnesota Vikings followed suit one week later. New Orleans could muster just 144 yards of total offense last Sunday as the Vikings sailed to an easy 23-13 victory. Minnesota controlled the clock for an incredible 40 minutes last Sunday compared to just 20 for the home standing Saints.
Regional automobile dealer Tom Benson purchased the New Orleans Saints football franchise in 1985 for just $64 million. It is now worth over $8 billion.
Tom Benson passed away in 2018 at age 90. His wife Gayle has remained in charge of the family businesses.
Mrs. Benson (now 79 years old) has stayed in the background after becoming owner of the New Orleans Saints. She has trusted the Benson family’s long-time management team to continue running the football team.
Team president (and New Orleans native) Dennis Lauscha and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis have been key members of that executive team for more than a decade.
Gayle Benson was so upset about the recent trifecta of home losses and ugly play that she finally spoke out this week about the sorry state of her football franchise.
She declared, “I will not make excuses, and I will not accept this level of performance as our standard. I am committed to making the decisions necessary to improve this team. Words will not restore our fans’ confidence.”
Tip to Mrs. Benson – Hall-of-Fame quarterback and Saints legend Drew Brees might be a terrific choice if you are planning to clean house anytime soon!
College Football – James Madison is leaving the Sun Belt for the American Athletic Conference
The winds of change arrived in Harrisonburg, Virginia this week, too.
James Madison University announced on Monday that they are leaving the Sun Belt Conference.
The Dukes plan to become a member of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) by no later than the summer of 2028.
Prominent football members of the AAC include Tulane, Army, Navy, Memphis, and East Carolina.
JMU was a long-time and quite successful member of the FCS (smaller college group). The Dukes moved up up to the FBS by joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2022.
Then-football coach Curt Cignetti led James Madison to 8-3 and 11-2 records during the school’s first two Sun Belt seasons. Cignetti then left for Indiana and led the Hoosiers to their first national championship in football last year.
It will cost $23 million for James Madison to buy a spot in the AAC.
Another $5 million is going to be needed to pay the Sun Belt for the right to exit JMU’s current conference.
This isn’t a knock on the AAC, but I don’t see the Dukes’ future conference as being a significant upgrade over the Sun Belt. Last year’s AAC champion (North Texas) was dispatched to the mid-level New Mexico Bowl to play San Diego State.
Is that really worth spending $28 million?
Western Kentucky University is likely already waving its famous red towel trying to replace James Madison in the Sun Belt.
The Hilltoppers have wanted to leave Conference USA for years. They were passed-over recently in favor of Louisiana Tech (another former C-USA member).
Another intriguing choice to replace James Madison in the Sun Belt Conference might be current FCS member Tarleton State.
This fast-growing Texas school has an enrollment of about 21,000 students. It is located in Stephenville, Texas (less than 70 miles southwest of Fort Worth).
The Texans want to move up into the FBS level ASAP and have been seeking an opening with a solid conference. Tarleton State is part of the Texas A&M system – which is well known for having deep financial pockets.
Enjoy your weekend and the cooler weather!