Deal or no deal
Of course the biggest news of this trading deadline discourse was always going to be about Shohei Ohtani.
Well, this news qualifies. The Angels have pulled Ohtani off the trading block. In fact, they have become buyers in the trade market, dealing prospects to the White Sox for righty Lucas Giolito.
But the deadline is looming and the struggling Braves are in center stage.
If the Angels in fact are pulling Ohtani off the table — or maybe it's a PR stunt to get more bang for their buck — the conversation turns to Alex Anthopoulos and the Atlanta vision.
Truth be told, it's pretty clear the Braves were never a player in the Ohtani sweepstakes. If ownership was not going to pay Freddie Freeman his sticker price, there's no way they want in on the half-a-billion-dollar commitment it will take to keep Shohei long-term.
And that's OK.
The Braves' process has been productive and despite the hurt feelings when Freddie and Dansby Swanson left, it's impossible not to give Anthopoulos and crew every benefit of the doubt.
Which leads us back to the here and now. (Copyright, Kenny Chesney. Yeah, like he needs any extra coin.)
Atlanta is scuffling, losers of seven of its last 10. It's scored three or fewer runs three times in the past five games, compared to scoring more than three runs in 24 of its previous 26 before this tailspin.
But Atlanta is also still the class of the NL, so additions are likely more along the lines of tweaks than blockbusters.
(Side question: How great was it to walk into the Blockbuster back in the day with the Christmas Eve-like hope that the newest release would be in stock? Side question on the side question: When said new release was not on the shelf, were you the fastest walking version of you headed to the "just returned" shelf at the checkout? Yes and yes. If you know, you know.)
There are relievers to be had. There are rental starting pitchers on the market. There are positional bats to be acquired. That's all well and good, I suppose, and again, I will trust AA. We all should.
But this is the moment, big picture, that every fan should want something dramatic.
The Braves are World Series favorites currently. Yes for those of us a certain age, that sentence still sounds a touch surreal when we recall way more of the Camp-Mahler days than the Glavine-Smoltz glory years.
And windows like this are ever fleeting. You build to contend for titles, but when you are in the mix — and considered the front-runner by almost everyone — you have to make a statement.
Which leads us back to the unicorn in these discussions. If you were the Braves, would you call and offer Michael Harris II (and more) and his long-term team friendly deal for two months of Shohei?
Harris and Braden Shewmake and a couple of pitchers we've never heard of maybe?
What about dealing Harris — who was great last year and will win a Gold Glove in center at some point but is still erratic at the plate — for a bona fide top-tier starting pitcher?
Harris for Scherzer? Harris (and more) to San Diego for Blake Snell and Josh Hader?
It's impossible to doubt AA at this point, and considering today's social media landscape, that's the ultimate praise.
But the conversation has to be not if but when. Not whether but who. Not maybe but now.
The Braves have a championship within their grasp.
Add the extra hands that can grab it.
OK, moving along
Colorado is holding a special meeting today and all signs point toward the Buffaloes heading to the Big 12.
It also comes with the news that Oregon has its head on swivel, too.
If you had "Pac-12 being cooked" on your bingo card, well, you win.
Also, is it a testament to the supreme star power of Deion Sanders that in the course of the past 10 months, the perception has flipped from, "Who cares if Colorado flips?" to, "My goodness, the Big 12 landed Colorado," in the grand scheme of things?
Say what?
So all of the debates and the scuttlebut about the NIL stuff is starting to gain steam because it's the off-season and it's the "media days" season.
Well, here's the greatest example of the hypocrisy of every attempt to "control" NIL.
"There's got to be a lid on it, right? I think everybody wants to play under the same rules. National Football League, they have a salary cap. I think you want to have some type of salary cap. This is what you are allowed to spend, but you can't have universities that maybe have 75,000 students, those guys are all former alumnus at some point. When you have 16,000, all that thing is going to — it's going to matter.
"I think there's got to be a lid on the thing. There's got to be some type of, if you are going to leave the portal open, there has to be a salary cap so people can't just go overspend."
So, the unattributed quote from a Power Five conference coach is complete and total BS.
Now know that it is from Pat Narduzzi. Do you know where Pat Narduzzi coaches? Did you know that he made well north of $5.6 million last year to coach Pitt to a second-place finish in the ACC Coastal Division.
And this blowhard wants to cap the earning potential of the players that have made him more money than he could have ever dreamed of?
For shame, Pat Narschuzzie.
At what point do the folks that are making tens of millions (if not more) realize that capping the earning powers of the mostly Black players doing the life-risking efforts on Saturdays is legally and morally reprehensible?
Discuss.
This and that
— OK, I'll ask it. And I will say it with the caveats of a) I have been around way more female sports than any of you considering my 26 years in covering sports at all levels and I have a very athletic 13-year-old daughter, and b) I love my country. But does anyone else find this USWNT more than a little bit irritating? Discuss.
— Hey, how did we tippy-toe into a world where the Detroit Lions are the betting favorite to win the NFC North?
— Auburn swiped a five-star LB recruit away from Georgia. I don't know his name. I don't know if Georgia told him to look elsewhere. I don't know if he will be at Alabama State in 18 months. What I do is the following: Auburn winning recruiting battles with Georgia and Alabama is a great thing for my alma mater. Also, it's funny that it was not that long ago my UGA buddies would be asking in mocking tone, "How much did he get paid?" and now that question is more informatory because of the above-reference NIL.
— Sinéad O'Connor bought the farm. She was 56. Here's the obit on the singer, but when anyone says "Sinéad O'Connor," all you can think about is the SNL stunt, right?
— You know the rules. Here's Paschall with a very good story on a Georgia lineman who has had a trying off-season.
Today's questions
It's one of those anything-goes Thursday, friends. Or the very popular AGT as the kids like to text.
We have more than a few today.
Got sucked into a couple of movies that I've seen a lot of times last night and wanted to get some feedback on this important question: What movie do you always stop on when it is on TV?
Last night "Moneyball" reeled me in, and I've only seen it 30-plus times.
(Side question on the first AGT question: Is there a more sneaky "It's dusty in here" moment than when Brad Pitt/Billy Beane is playing the tape of the song his daughter is singing? Egad. Like "Steel Magnolias" meets "Beaches" for those of us lucky enough to have a daughter.)
Would you deal Michael Harris (and more) for two months of Shohei?
Today is national Scotch day. Scotch the drink, friend or foe? Do you say Scotch tape or something else when wrapping Christmas presents?
Is Zach Grienke a Hall of Famer — I think yes, especially with today's sadly sliding standards — but is he hurting his candidacy by still playing? Grienke is 1-11 in 20 starts with a plus-5 ERA this year.
As for today, July 27, let's review.
Bugs Bunny debuted on this day in 1940.
Rushmore of cartoon catch-phrases, because "What's up Doc?" has to be a pick, right?