Every August…the HEAT IS ON in St. Louis…It’s also true in the Sports World. Take a look around the sports world where the HEAT IS ON…
…the Milwaukee Brewers are turning the HEAT on the entire division! Sitting in 1st place with an incredible 79-45 record. They’ve won 63.7% of their games.
…in Seattle the HEAT IS ON for him but still a secret to many sports fans! Cal Raleigh(Seattle Catcher) is belting out home runs. He has 47 round-trippers already as we sit here on Aug 19. It really shouldn’t be a complete surprise, he banged out 34 home runs last year with 102 rbi’s. In 2023, it was 30 round trippers- so he has over 100 home runs in 3 years! In his first full year, it was 22 dingers! It seems to me that he’s escaped the usual “Home Run” crowd that incessantly hang on the coattails of HR sluggers as the HEAT increases as they think there may be the biggest record of them all— a new HR King!
…still getting HEAT as his team sits in 1st place by 5.5 games and expectations have been raised for him, yet, living up to those high expectations, Kyle Schwarber is also having a tremendous season. Schwarber already has 45 HR, 109 RBIs. He shockingly has 10 stolen bases as he holds a .249 average. His OPS (on base + slugging %) is a terrific .944
…the HEAT IS ON several collegiate football coaches. Sure…all the big-time, highly paid football coaches have SOME pressure but circumstances lead to lots of Pre-Season HEAT on some of them…take a look…Brent Venable—Oklahoma (hasn’t EVERY OU Coach had pressure since Bud Wilkenson left decades ago? Venable starts his 4th Season as head of the Sooners. His record raises eye-brows—He has 1 winning season that was sandwiched between two 6-7 seasons and he’s 0-3 in bowl games. OU was 2-6 in their 1st season in the SEC (last year) and 6-7 overall, while their big rival, Texas won the conference holding 7-1 record. Unless there’s a dramatic “turn around” by OU, I think that this year will be “it” for Venable.
–Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer posted a 9-4 mark in his first season in Tuscaloosa. But the spoiled Crimson Tide fans seem to expect EVERY coach to win like Bear Bryant. Apparently, rumors make it sound like he must make the College Football Playoff to keep his job! Give me and Coach DeBoer a break…!! Times have changed (like the ease of transferring & NIL $$) since the Bear was on the sidelines. But…the HEAT WILL ALWAYS BE ON @ Bama!!
…Mizzou’s Football schedule might come under some HEAT. They are coming off of a 10 game winning season. So, one might expect, that they would elevate the strength of their schedule to get some premier non-conference wins on their 2025 schedule. However, their non-league schedule is tailored made to ensure a 10 win season and get into a “top 10” level bowl. But.. not to make them a national contender. Will non-conference wins over Kansas, Central Arkansas, Louisiana (not Louisana State), & U Mass REALLY help them prepare for wins over quality teams or move them up the Top 10 poll? No way! It’s just an easy way to chalk up an easy win with, probably, no serious injuries, against over-matched teams. If Mizzou REALLY wants to be a “player” with the Big Boys…schedule like a “BIG BOY”!
…Another situation that might turn the HEAT ON at Mizzou is the battle for the starting QB position. As we approach our 1st cupcake..oops..non-league game…Mizzou is intending to split time at the QB position between Sam Horn & Beau Pribula.
…Sam Horn has signed with the Dodgers but has their approval to play football. The Dodgers selected Horn in the 17th round of the MLB draft July 14. He was rated as the 128th-best prospect in this year’s class by MLB.com, but Horn notified MLB teams ahead of the draft of his intention to continue playing football. My thoughts are…why would Horn take the chance of getting hurt in his 2nd sport—Football, while a possible baseball career is on his horizon?? However, It really is only a POSSIBLE career being the 128th pick of the draft doesn’t automatically open the MLB door for anyone.
…The other QB arriving @ MU is Beau Pribula. Pribula transferred to Mizzou in late 2024. Pribula is a dual-threat QB but known more for his athleticism and running ability than passing. He reportedly accepted a substantial name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal of $1.5 million to attend Mizzou. Sooo…does that mean that Coach Drink has an obligation to play him? If not…what does that do to his relationship with the Alumni/Football Boosters?
… So we have 2 QB’s each one receiving money either from an MLB team or NIL money! Pribula transferred out of Penn State—here are his stats for his career: He completed 26 of 35 passes for 275 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for a total of 604 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023 and 2024 combined, indicating a larger role in the running game in 2024. His passing stats are very limited. It makes me think that he played primarily in “mop up” time not the 1st, 2nd or 3rd quarters. I don’t see how Coach Drink keeps them both happy.
…Why would MU supporters spend money for a back-up transfer with Horn already committed. The fact that Pribula left Penn State when many college football analysts think Penn State could battle for the national title, seems strange to me. If my team had a decent chance of winning the national title, I’d be “all in”…not transferring out. The HEAT IS ON both Quarterbacks AND Coach Drink. This is a no win-win deal for Coach Drink AND/OR Mizzou from my angle.
…Staying with college football, the HEAT IS ON Texas. For the first time in Longhorn history, the Texas Longhorns own the No. 1 position in the preseason AP Top 25 voting. Ahead of #2 Penn State by only 5 points in the closest preseason vote since 1998. #3 –Ohio State, #4– Clemson and at #5, Georgia follows these top 4 teams. It’s hard to believe that Texas, with its long-time powerful program has NEVER been picked as the #1 team in the Pre-season.
…I think the HEAT is on LARS NOOTBAAR. A fan favorite, I guess because of the cheer “NOOT, NOOT, NOOT. In my eyes, Nootbar is an average MLB player. He’s not GREAT in any physical category—strength, speed, quickness, size. His lifetime batting average is .243. In 2025, Noot holds these batting marks, .244, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 4 SB. I know that fans LUV NOOT…I think he must be a very nice guy.
…But, on the field, when I compare him to Nolan Gorman who is NOT a fan favorite because he strikes out frequently, I have a different impression. To me, strike outs really only matter if there are runners on base. If no one is on base…an out is an out no matter how it happens. Both of these batters strike out a lot! Comparing the two players right now in 2025, Noot holds these stats: 378 AB, 13 HR, 96 strikeouts, .713-OPS, .235-avg. Gorman’s stats are: 251 AB, 12 HR, 38 RBI’s, 88 strikeouts, OPS .734, Avg .223.
…Nootbaar will be 28 years old on Sept 8th, Gorman is 25 years of age. Nootbaar went to arbitration to win his $2.95m contract last winter. Gorman’s salary is $782,900. So…Gorman is just above the required minimum of $740,000. You’d be saving over $2m with this move. I’d be going with Gorman daily. We already know what Nootbaar can do as a “regular”…now let’s see what Gorman could do as a “regular”.
…Thanks for your read! The HEAT ISN’T ON YOU to write a comment…but I hope you will. Bob
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