Often we learn ideas, changes, surprises for from what we hear with our friends, family, scuttlebutt with others, etc.  Soooo….here’s the Sports Version….DID YOU HEAR ABOUT…

… We know that the Blues are losing…currently they are 9-12-1 for the season. Their 19 points put them in a tie for 6^th place in the Conference. Jordan Bennington looks to me like he’s in ”shell shock” lately. The Blues need improvement up & down the lineup…DID YOU HEAR ABOUT the rumors that Bennington may be on the trade block? Recently, he has allowed goals that he had snatched in previous years & earlier this year. Clearly, the Blues aren’t going to make the playoffs this year …and unless several of these “young” guys improve quickly…where is this team going? We already know! THIS JUST IN ON SUNDAY MORNING…Blues Fire HC Drew Bannister and hire Jim Montgomery. Well… unless Montgomery is a magician or can reshape the roster, the Blues will have the same result. I really do think that Montgomery will “push” to part with some veteran Blues—Parayko, Justin Faulk, Nathen Walker. This veteran coach will probably have much more input about reshaping the roster. The rookie coach, Bannister, didn’t seem to have much input. He looked rather dejected to me during the recent games that I watched (can’t watch the whole game—Blues weren’t real entertaining to me)

…I have to admit my initial thoughts on Deion Sanders as Colorado’s HC wasn’t too keen. His brash confidence seemed to border cockiness (some might say…extreme cockiness) with no head coaching experience. Remember, he told all the returning players that none of them should come back to Colorado. Their days were done!  But… DID YOU HEAR ABOUT what’s going on in Colorado football this season?  Colorado is 8-3 was nationally ranked last week at #16! They have an outside chance of making the top 12 (that will be the NCAA championship tournament). One of his sons (it takes courage to start your son, right off the bat, but Deion has never lacked confidence (or cockiness)!!), Shedeur Sanders is the QB. Shedeur has passed for 3,488 yards, 30 touchdowns, completion rate of 73.4% with 7 Interceptions. He’s ranked 3^rd best QB by several professional scouts.  Soooo…you really do have to hand it to Deion for his coaching accomplishments thus far in 2024. How long will he remain at Colorado?

….Moving to the NFL level, DID YOU HEAR ABOUT the surprise team of the NFL– the Detroit Lions. Since the year 2000, the Lions have won 10 games or more twice (2011 & 2014) before the arrival of HC Dan Campbell. Campbell arrived in 2021. His ’21 season was 3-13-1. Even by 2022, things were changing as they leaped past .500 with a 9-8 record. Last year, the Lions posted a 12-5 record. 12 wins was the most since 1991 when they also won 12 games. This year, the Lions sit in 1^st place in their division with a sparkling 9-1 record. They are 1^st in Points scored this year, 3^rd in total offensive yards, the defense is 5^th is points allowed against them.  Campbell is known for his extremely high level of energy, his aggressive play calling, and interactions with the media.  His aggressiveness is demonstrated by his willingness to “go for it” on 4^th down. Dan Campbell has attempted around 133 fourth down plays, converting roughly 52.6% of them, which translates to around 70 successful first downs on fourth down attempts; making the Lions one of the most aggressive teams in the league when it comes to going for it on fourth down. Many times those 4^th down, 1^st downs, have led to touchdowns instead of Field Goals. His team is fun to watch. Check ‘em out next time that they’re on StL TV. It’s cool to see a NFL Coach “break” some of the unwritten rules of the NFL.

….DID YOU HEAR ABOUT the rarity of TWO left-handed pitchers winning the Cy Young in a year. This Year, LHPs Chris Sale & Tarik Skubal won the Cy Young.  It’s only the 3^rd time that 2 lefties have won it in the same year.   The other years were—the last time was 2002 when Barry Zito   ( A’s) and Randy Johnson of the D-backs won the Cy Young.  The only other time was 1977 when Sparky Lyle( NYY) and Steve Carlton (Phillies) won the Cy Young Award. Carlton won 4 Cy Young awards in 1972, 1977, 1980 and 1982. Speaking of Carlton….Sooo…why did the Cardinals trade Carlton?   Following another salary dispute(they’d had a few !), Cardinals owner Gussie Busch ordered Carlton traded. The Cardinals were offering $55,000 and Carlton wanted $65,000.  Carlton was a 7-year big league veteran that winter and was coming off a 20-9 season for St. Louis.  He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on February 26, 1972 for Rick Wise, just before the 1972 season. Soooo…the Cards missed out on 4 Cy Young years over $10,000!! Carlton was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1994 in his first year of eligibility with 95.82% of the Baseball Writers’ Association. Gussie really blew that one—he saved $10,000 and lost several years of a HOF pitcher in a Cardinal uniform!!!

…DID YOU HEAR ABOUT Ryan Helsley’s Awards? He received the Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award and a spot on the ALL-MLB 1^st Team. Helsley (now 30 years old) converted an MLB high-49 saves in only 53 chances. That was an NL Best Save percentage (92.5%). His 49 saves established a Cardinal record as he pushed aside Trevor Rosenthal’s 2015 record of 48 saves.

…DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE ARMY FOOTBALL TEAM? Army was 9-0 as they prepared for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (9-1). Shockingly, Notre Dame’s one loss was to N. Illinois 16-14! Since that time Notre Dame has scored 312 points in their last 7 games. #6 rated Notre Dame easily handled #19 Army, 49-14, to bring to a screeching halt to the thoughts of an undefeated season for Army. With Army’s loss coming hours after No. 5 Indiana lost to No. 2 Ohio State, No. 1 Oregon is the only undefeated team in the country as we head into the final week of the regular season.

…While the win over Army was impressive, ND’s ranking probably will not be impacted. It’s very probably that ND will be in the post-season NCAA Football playoffs. What exact spot? Who knows. Meanwhile, if there was ANY thoughts of Army making the playoffs, that dream is been blown up.

In fact, the Irish were so comfortable with their 28-point lead in the 3rd quarter that their starting QB, Riley Leonard, got pulled in that quarter for backup QB Steve Angeli. Leonard helped call plays from the sideline with Angeli in the game as the backup got some game reps.

…DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE BIGGEST SHOCKER OF THE WEEK IN THE NCAA-Football. Oklahoma not only beat Alabama…they crushed them 24-3. The game marked the first time since 2011 that Alabama  didn’t score at least one touchdown in  GAME. The loss also became the Crimson Tide’s third loss on the season. Alabama hasn’t lost three games in a season since 2010. I hope that 1^st year Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer hasn’t bought a house in Tuscaloosa, Alabama! Their last losing season was 2006. HC Mike Shula was fired after that 2006 season! It’s been a strange season….Alabama beat highly ranked, Georgia, but now has lost to two rather average teams–Vanderbilt and Oklahoma in 2024!!

…DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS STRANGE WEEK?…It’s a bad year for Head Coaches of teams known as the Owls. Rice, Florida Atlantic, Kennesaw State and Temple, all 4 programs with Owl nicknames are all looking for new head coaches! Meaning that each of those schools has already fired their guys in the past month. Thank Goodness my weekly article, the Buzz, isn’t named the OWL 😊

…DID YOU HEAR ABOUT 2 DRAGONS FACING EACH OTHER ON THE COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL TURF! Yes, on Saturday 2 Dragon grads faced each other when Mizzou played Mississippi State.  WR Kevin Coleman was playing for Mississippi State while Running Back Jamal Roberts was playing for Mizzou. How about that? By my last count 11 or more SM grads are playing college football.

…DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE SPECIAL MOMENT IN THE NBA?  This past week, LaBron James and his son Bronny James took the floor together. It was the 1^st time in NBA history that a Father/Son combo had ever done so!! They checked in with 4 min-ish left in the 1^st half. Meanwhile, their opponents, The Celtics scored 74 points by the half-time buzzer. Logical question…how old are LaBron and Bronny?  Well, LeBron is 39 years old & Bronny is 20. Now, I haven’t watched an entire NBA game for decades. When I do take a peek, I’m amazed the depth of the shots from the basket.  It almost seems to me that the players are closer to the half-court line than they are to the basket!!! Also, it’s very clear that the NBA players are phenomenal athletes & basketball players.                                                                      …DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE SPECIAL ENDING?  No…not to this Buzz but in the Arizona St-BYU game. The tight finish was capped by a bizarre final minute, including a premature field storming by Arizona State’s fans. Javan Robinson’s interception with 1:04 left looked as if it would close it out for Arizona State, but the Sun Devils stalled on the next offensive drive. Leavitt threw the ball out of bounds on 4th down and Arizona State’s student section — believing the game was over — rushed the field. But, shockingly to me, the officials ruled that there was 1 second left and BYU had a shot at the Hail Mary attempt. The field was cleared of the fans (surprisingly to me…in an orderly fashion) for the final play which was an incomplete pass!                                                                                          …Now my ending isn’t that unique but…Thank YOU for your read!  I (and others) always enjoy your comments/thoughts on any part of the Buzz… especially when you disagree with me sooo… let ‘em fly and send them on in!  Have a super week! Bob