Well, the game was entertaining for a half but Tampa Bay was just too good. SU congratulates long-time subscribers Mark L. (Bucs 34-24 and Jeff – Bucs 28-17) for being closest on the predicted scores for the game. So, what happened out there?

1. Todd Bowles’ defensive strategy was pretty much perfect. The Bucs pressured Mahomes on almost every pass play and he was running for his life – especially as the game wore on. You could also see that his turf toe was hampering some of his movement although he got off some passes that no other NFL QB ever does.
2. Brady was efficient and took what the defense gave him. The only mistake was not trying the QB sneak on 3rd or 4th down in the 2nd quarter but Tampa Bay ended up scoring on the next possession so no harm done. He was basically untouched in the pocket. I can’t even recall him scrambling on any pass play. Credit to his offensive line which also opened up holes for the running backs.
3. A lot of outrage on Twitter and by the half-time crew about the pass interference calls in the 2nd quarter against KC but holding and grabbing are holding and grabbing. I must say the one in the end zone in the last few seconds of the first half was likely an uncatchable pass but it did not change the outcome of the game. The call on the long pass to Evans was legit and he could have caught that one. Tony Romo suggested perhaps it might not have been catchable. Btw, he had a pretty mediocre night.
4. You can see why it’s so hard to repeat in the NFL vs. other sports. So much comes down to player health. The Chiefs’ offensive line was down 2 players and it showed big time. Tampa Bay played all of its playoff games on the road and if there are fans in the stands, you wonder if that’s even possible in most seasons.
5. SU liked some of the stats that Romo was throwing out there about the probability of scoring a touchdown on a drive based on the number of penalties on the defense. Some type of table would have been interesting to see as I had never heard of that before. Missed opportunity.
6. I must say that luxury suite where the Brady clan was watching the game was quite crowded at the end of the game. I believe both of his parents already had COVID but SU did not see a lot of masks in there and certainly no social distancing.

Bottom line: the game did not live up to the hype but Tom Brady solidified his hold on the GOAT. At 43, it’s just not that easy. SU is glad the NFL made it through the season and the quality of play was equal to any other season.

Any surprises for you?

We have made it to the big game. Pretty amazing all things considered. SU was happy to see Tampa Bay make it to the Super Bowl and they will have some degree of home field advantage in a partially filled stadium. But let’s be real – not a big factor and Kansas City has no problem playing on the “road.”

As in the past, SU invites everyone to weigh in with their prediction for the outcome of the game. There is your chance for fame and glory, and of course, a chance to win the SU logoed sport bag. I will get things started. History says it’s just hard to win back-to-back Super Bowls. The Chiefs had to come from behind late last year to win. They are the favorites here and deservedly so. A very likable team and fun to watch. SU says that their running game is a bit lacking this year and that may be a factor. It all comes down to whether the Bucs can keep Mahomes in the pocket and not allow him to scamper for first downs on 3rd down and long. SU likes Brady playing in the warm weather and their offense is legit. Whether Antonio Brown plays is unimportant – he is a luxury – and they have plenty of weapons. SU will go with Tampa Bay 30 – 27 as they win late. The floor is open for you to make your game calls and SU will acknowledge the winner on Monday.

Did you see the Trevor Bauer free agent contract with the Dodgers? Whoa. $40 million in 2021 and then $45 million in 2022. The third year is $17 million but he has an opt out after year #2 so it’s really a 2-year, $85 million contract. The Dodgers are the new Yankees – no limit to the budget. SU says he is a bit of a head case – you have to wonder how this one will play out.

Tanaka returning to Japan. The Yankees got the maximum they could have hoped out of his 7-year deal with them and SU understands why they let him go. He still has that torn tendon in his pitching arm and you don’t know when that will go. Great guy in the clubhouse – he will be missed there and he was excellent in the post-season.

The Athletic had an article this week about the Yankees’ all right-handed line-up this week. Right now, it’s just Aaron Hicks and we know he is injured for half the season every year. Didi Gregorius is returning to the Phillies for 2-years at $14 million per season. Yankees are all in on Gleyber Torres at shortstop. Not loving that.

SU is struggling with the NBA – I just can’t seem to get into this season after really enjoying the bubble in 2020. Too many games canceled, too many players out for COVID related reasons. And I watch anything. The players seem tired after a shortened off-season. And enough of Kyrie Irving. He needs to boycott the media – no one needs to hear what he has to say.

The NCAAs need to be played in a bubble. SU says you don’t need the conference tournaments which only increase the risk of top teams having COVID cases. Finish the regular season and go right to March Madness. They want to expand the field – fine – knock yourself out.

I think I need baseball to start on time. Or an early spring. Where is that ground hog?

Make your Super Bowl picks. Fame and fortune await.

Congratulations to the NFL for getting this season to the Super Bowl. Let’s admit it – that wasn’t a given back in September. Interesting games yesterday – SU’s take:

• SU still does not understand Green Bay’s logic late in the 4th quarter to not go for the touchdown there and settle for the field goal. You have Aaron Rodgers at QB who is having an MVP season. You are not guaranteed to get the ball back again, and even if you do, you may have to go 60 – 70 yards with about 30 seconds and no timeouts. SU says the better play is try for the touchdown on 4th down, and if you don’t make it, you still have 3 timeouts, the 2-minute warning and the Bucs inside the 10-yard line. SU would question if the analytics guide even says you kick the field goal there. Rodgers did not exactly support the coach in his post-game comments.
• While Brady had 3 interceptions in the 2nd half, SU felt that most of them were equivalent to a punt on 3rd down. None were deep inside Tampa Bay territory. As Brady was on the SU fantasy team this year, I must say that I have been rooting for him in the playoffs. It’s a great story – you have to admit it whether you like him or not.
• Kansas City will be tough to beat in the Super Bowl but Tampa Bay’s defense has played progressively better each round of the playoffs. They are well coached. Should be a competitive game. SU says the “home field” in Tampa is overblown as in most Super Bowls, the crowd is made up of business partners and not the locals. At a reduced level, not sure it’s a factor but makes for a nice story.

The Yankees are making a bid for an all-recovery starting rotation in 2021. You have Severino coming back from Tommy John surgery, this new guy from the Pirates who has had Tommy John twice, and Kluber who has a different arm problem. Cashman is rolling the dice as he has some youngsters waiting in the wings to pick up the slack if anyone falters physically. I mean, that never happens with the Yankees right? Paging James Paxton.

What is going on in the NBA? You can never watch a game with a full line-up available. SU is not clear if it’s a case of resting your stars or COVID exposure. I watch the Miami Heat games and they always have 2-3 starters out every game. Just strange.

SU was bummed to see Michigan shut down all sports for 2 weeks due to COVID. They are a projected #1 seed in the NCAAs and tremendously fun to watch. Juwan Howard is making a name for himself as a coach and the NBA will be going after him in a couple of years for sure. They don’t have the best players but they are as unselfish of a team that you will ever see. They all buy into the system – make the extra pass – and play tough defense.

The men’s and women’s tennis tours are quarantining in Australia. Pretty tough. 4 weeks in their hotels with no practice time on the courts. Players are worried about injury once they emerge and the tournament starts. The players are getting abused in the Australian media for complaining but SU gets it.

Recent home Neflix/Amazon viewing:

1. Bridgerton – on Netflix. SU says OK – got better towards the end
2. Night Manager – that was really good. One season.
3. Tiger Woods documentary on HBO – part 1 was good, part 2 was enough already. Too much on the women although I guess there were so many, you needed the time to cover them all.
4. Big Sky (ABC) – started out well – got a little too contrived for me

Per usual, feel free to share other selections with the intergalactic subscriber base.

The anxiety level of Yankee fans has been on the rise for weeks now as the stand-off with DJ LeMahieu extended into 2021. Finally, we get word of the 6-year, $90 million contract that seems reasonable to SU although 6 years is a long time. On a normal team with normal contracts, you would say, no problem, once LeMahieu hits 35 or 36 years old, we will slide him into the DH spot. But NO – that will be occupied by Giancarlo Stanton who is signed for the next 27 years, and is already in the DH role at 30 years old. Anyway, the Yankees did what was necessary for 2021 and beyond and locked up their best and most versatile player.

Then, last night we learned about the signing of former Indians’ pitcher, Corey Kluber, to a 1-year deal. He is coming back from injury and this is a bit of a gamble. Apparently, he has looked good throwing to other teams and $11 million by baseball pitching standards is not a payroll breaker for the Yankees. But SU does wonder how durable he will be on a team with a bad track record for these types of pitchers (see Paxton). If he can regain some of his past form, he can be a stud. However, it does appear that signing Kluber means we say good bye to Tanaka which would be too bad. I mean, will Kluber be that much better than Tanaka for one year? Hard to see that. The Yankees have some youngsters ready to make their move and I am fine with letting them fill in the open spots for the start of the season.

There is still time to sign Didi Gregorius. No indication that they will do that but as written here many times before, they sure need a left-handed bat in the line-up.

So, Urban Meyer does make the move to the NFL after all. SU had predicted this for many years although I am surprised it took this long. I don’t like him but he is an excellent coach and I think he will be successful in Jacksonville. Smart move by the Jaguars.

SU notes that since I wrote about the NY Knicks, they have lost every game. I will go back to not commenting on them. Now, as for the Brooklyn Nets, SU is very disappointed. I was starting to watch them and you could see the role players emerging as the season unfolded. Now, they lose LeVert and Jarrett Allen, draft picks and other players. And Kyrie Irving is acting nuttier than usual this season. He’s a great one-on-one player but so high maintenance. SU does not see how this line up will work and I hate watching James Harden. Unwatchable. But I will keep an eye on LeVert in Indiana.

SU is still admittedly a bit shaken this Friday morning after watching the developments from Wednesday in Washington. It was quite a spectacle watching the “very fine people” inside the Capitol wearing their Auschwitz sweatshirts and 6MWE (“6 Million Wasn’t Enough”) shirts. Thank goodness for social media and video. And to think some thought the big problem in the country was NFL players kneeling for the National Anthem? Looks like we have bigger problems.

SU knows that the subscriber base does not want me to veer into this area (#sticktosports) but you wonder if once we get past COVID will we see even more security at sports events in the future? If a player speaks out about some issue (and you can expect to see a lot more of that going forward as the stars in particular are feeling empowered to do just that), will there be more mobs like we saw in Washington forcing their way into a stadium or an arena? If the goal is to be noticed, a televised sports event is certainly a likely target. Just a sad time in our country.

On a more positive note, SU loves the move by the Mets yesterday to trade for Lindor and Carrasco from the Indians. I am not familiar with the players that the Mets gave up but with Lindor being a free agent after 2021, it probably was not a lot. Lindor is still young and signing him to a long-term deal makes a lot of sense. He is also a charismatic guy and he will love NY and NY will love him. SU is a Yankee fan, of course, but the Mets are the hot team in MLB going into this coming season, and they are certainly the more interesting team in NY. I mean, they even have left-handed hitters in the line up. What a concept!

Lots of excitement about your New York Knicks! Full disclosure, I have not watched a full game yet this year but what I have seen is a team that plays hard and gets after it on defense. They are a very likeable team and there is no superstar that you have to cater to for shots each game. SU is going to start tuning in for sure.

Time for NFL predictions. This weekend’s games are interesting as home field no longer means anything with no fans in the stands. Normally, you would expect the favorites to win these games in the first round with probably one upset. SU says keep an eye on the Ravens-Titans game. Both are high scoring and SU feels like the winner will go on a playoff run and make it to the Super Bowl which means beating KC along the way. In the NFC, Green Bay has been dominant and if they can get some cold weather in Green Bay over the next few weeks, that is a big advantage even with no fans in the stands. SU likes Tampa Bay – my pick to make it to the Super Bowl in their home stadium.

Of course, just getting these games played in a pandemic may be seen as a win for the NFL at this point. Anyone have some interesting Super Bowl predictions that go beyond KC vs. Green Bay which is the consensus pick at this point?

Full disclosure: SU watched the Michigan – Northwestern basketball game last night and then The Night Manager on Netflix afterwards (very good, by the way. Enjoying this show a lot). I was following the score of the Eagles – WFT game but did not turn it on. I did watch the Giants – Dallas game that afternoon in its entirety.

I know A LOT of people are pissed off this morning that the Eagles pulled the starting QB and put in the never-used 3rd stringer in the 4th quarter of a close game. Apparently, this guy was horrible and that was the game.

SU says that you need to take care of business and not rely on others on the last game of the season. This happens all the time in baseball when you need a team to lose and the opponent ends up resting their regulars and starting some minor leaguer in their MLB debut. Same thing in the NBA. You need some other team to lose and they are playing the Lakers on the last game of the year. But the Lakers rest LeBron and Davis and that is that. Is it fair? Probably not. The Giants were 6-10 and should have beaten the Eagles in Philly except they mistakenly threw a pass to Evan Engram (as in All Pro Engram which is beyond me) to clinch the game in the final minutes, and of course, he dropped it.

Now, NBC put this game on Sunday night figuring the Eagles might actually try their hardest right until the end. If they had known that Pederson was going to do this, they may have swapped out for another game. It was a bad look for the NFL for sure. The Eagles ended up with the #6 pick in the draft vs. #9 by losing.

The Giants should be super motivated to play the Eagles next season. Of course, they should have been super motivated this year and won that first game. But coaches have long memories and those games next season should be fun and interesting.

OK, Giant fans, let’s hear from you. Are you outraged? Was this a travesty? The floor is open.

SU caught the documentary on CC Sabathia on HBO a few days ago. I thought it was very well done and went deep on Sabathia’s alcohol addiction which he kept out of the media for most of his career. He is very frank in the show. Pretty amazing that the media did not pick up on it as he talked about basically binge drinking between starts for a number of years.

It’s definitely worth checking out. CC is a good guy and was well-respected by his peers in the clubhouse. Possible future managerial material? Not clear he has the interest but something to watch.

SU stumbled across this article this morning on http://www.espn.com on Gary Sanchez:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30588020/i-know-why-playing-gary-sanchez-getting-benched-playoffs-future-new-york-yankees

Sanchez was interviewed down in the DR where he is playing winter ball and getting ready for the 2021 season. The upshot here is that he didn’t know why he was benched in the playoffs this year. So, first of all, he hit .148 this season, played his usual bad defense and refused to hit to right field. Other than that, all good. But if you read the article, he sat down with Aaron Boone at the end of the season and they talked it out. And he still doesn’t understand? Sanchez is a good guy basically – he is not a troublemaker in the clubhouse and trying to catch guys like Chapman and Britten can’t be easy with the movement on their pitches. But SU says he needs to step up and be accountable. No one hits .148 and plays regularly other than you. He says he struck out 3 times in game 2 vs. the Rays but felt good. It’s not good enough – especially in New York.

SU understands that baseball is all about strikeouts and home runs now. I suppose Sanchez feels that if he hits 30 home runs, hits .220 and strikes out 150 times, that’s fine. The Yankee brass need to make it clear that Sanchez needs to make contact and should only hit to right field. Do that and we can tolerate the defensive lapses. He needs your help.

SU caught Michael Kay on one of the Hot Stove shows. He is advocating for some radical changes to baseball. For example, how about if you strike out 2 times you have to come out of the game? Jack Curry countered that fans pay to come see Aaron Judge and he strikes out a ton. They would not be happy to see him come out after 2 at bats when he could still be a hero later in the game with a home run. SU likes the out of the box thinking and baseball needs to speed up the action or just have any action. Watching strikeouts and the occasional home run just doesn’t cut it. Hitting to the opposite field, bunting for hits, stealing bases is fun to the fan. It may not be the analytics approach anymore – and there is the rub.

Same issue in the NBA. Some of the 3-point shooters are so good that you are better off driving and dishing to the likes of Duncan Robinson to launch 3-pointers at a 48% make rate vs. taking mid-range jumpers or driving to the basket. SU likes the high scoring games and getting shots up in less than 15 seconds. It is true that some games become 3-point contests and you have 25% shooters hoisting up ugly looking shots so it’s not for every player and every team. But I am OK with this style of play if the pace is fast and teams mix in the drives of course. The days of the post up big man are gone from the game today as you have players like Durant who are 6-10 playing like guards.

The NFL playoffs are going to be great. There just aren’t any truly dominant teams this year. Green Bay is peaking and you can make the case they are that team – especially with games played at their field in January. Kansas City is amazing on offense but not on defense. Btw, the Giants can win the Division and host a playoff game at 6-10 if they beat Dallas and Washington loses this coming weekend. That is a disgrace. Too bad they didn’t seem interested in playing yesterday or perhaps that is just who they are. Dallas is starting to find its way on offense now and could actually be a force if they make the playoffs. SU will entertain playoff predictions a week from today.

Finally, SU has watched several NBA games so far. The quality of play from the same teams is very uneven over the course of a few days. SU says do not underestimate the impact of the pandemic on the players who are no doubt restricted to their hotels on the road. The bubble in Orlando was one thing but at least they set it up with various distractions. I wonder how this season will unfold for teams traveling around the country in the winter.

Happy to hear what everyone has to say as we near the end of 2020. Thank goodness.

Before SU comments on baseball and the lack of action on the free agency front, I have got to weigh in on James Harden. First of all, he has finally reported to training camp and it’s clear he did not step up to the salad bar during his time off. Either that or he has outgrown his warm-up outfit. It’s not a good look if you are looking to be traded. And SU says buyer beware – he’s in his early 30s now and for an NBA team to get him, you have to match salaries which means a combination of contracts of other over paid players and no doubt some studs plus draft picks. He will only deteriorate from here on out as he gets older and remember, he has never won a championship.

Actually, Harden reminds me of Giancarlo Stanton. You over-pay to get him and then your roster is hamstrung from there on out. SU did have a laugh out loud moment this morning when I read that Brian Cashman said that Stanton is a “beast.” Sure, he had a few good games in the playoffs but he can’t stay healthy. Cashman says the goal for 2021 is to keep him healthy. I mean, you only play him at DH – what else are you supposed to do? Have a designated runner for him once he gets on base? Sorry, SU just warming up for the 2021 MLB season. I know he’ll be here for the next 23 years.

A few tidbits from Yankee land in the hot stove arena:

1. Didi Gregorius has professed his love of New York and would love to return if they move on from DJ LeMahieu. He is a perfect fit for the Yankees. In the perfect world (and we don’t live in one), you move Stanton and DH Voit. LeMahieu plays first base, Torres returns to 2nd base (he is not a great shortstop) and Didi plays short for a few years. They desperately need the left-handed bat in the line up. But it will never happen. But Cashman should keep an eye on Didi in case they can’t reach a deal on LeMahieu.
2. Apparently, the Yankees are $25 million apart on LeMahieu. Sounds like $5 million a year for a 5-year deal. SU says he is the best player on the team – and not sure it’s that close. When you are already paying $30 million+ a year for Stanton for 10 years, now you want to be fiscally conservative?
3. Cashman is high on Hicks. SU says move on from that. Until he learns to hit to the opposite field left-handed, why is a .220 hitter who walks a little so great?
4. Cashman wants to bring back Gardner – yet again. SU says Gardner holds back Frazier’s development. Give Frazier a shot for a full-time job in 2021.
5. The Yankees are committed to Sanchez in 2021 apparently. Hard to be believe he is 28 years old now. Time flies when you are striking out and chasing balls back to the backstop.
6. Tanaka needs to come back for 1-2 years. No-brainer. And Hal has to have a heart-to-heart conversation with German who has to show some contrition for what he did which apparently was very bad. He could be a difference maker but his head needs to be right and he needs to show he’s a good guy – which apparently is not the case.
7. Say what you want, but the all right-handed line up is just dumb. It’s not a winning formula. You can make the playoffs and hit a ton of home runs in the regular season but sooner or later, you will get mowed down in the playoffs. As in every year.
8. The Mets have a new GM who is highly regarded in MLB circles. SU likes the way Cohen is biding his time and not jumping. I still feel the Mets are the Club to watch going forward in 2021 and the competition for the back page of the NY tabloids (is that still a thing?) is going to be great.

That’s all I got for this morning. I know Yankee fans are feeling LeMahieu anxiety but I can’t believe the team will be out-bid there. But that only gets you to the status quo of 2020 – not good enough. Oh, they did sign Adam Warren to a minor league deal – he is coming off Tommy John surgery.

Anyone have some inside scoop?

Let’s face it: right now, the NFL is the only game in town and football is limping to the end of the season due to COVID. College football has been less than inspiring – especially for Michigan fans who will escape this week without having to play Ohio State. That would have been devastating. SU has watched enough games this year and teams like Michigan State who beat Michigan are not good, so you are what your record says you are and 2-4 is about right.

The Big Ten will find a way to let Ohio State play in the Big Ten championship game against upstart Northwestern and that is appropriate. It’s a COVID season – just change the rules and go with the flow. No one will object. I guess we can hope for Ohio State, Notre Dame, Alabama and Clemson for the BCS playoffs. But it’s been a crappy year for college football – so few good games each weekend.

SU is excited about the NY Giants. They come to play every week and have a legit defense. They are going nowhere with Colt McCoy at QB and hopefully Daniel Jones can return soon although a bad hamstring in cold weather is not what you want as Joe Girardi would say.

SU is anxious for baseball free agency to pick up speed. The Yankees are apparently all in on DJ LeMahieu and you have to assume that will be it for the Bombers this off season. Just not enough money to go around for anyone else. SU is encouraged that German will return (if Steinbrenner will have him which is not clear) and they should be able to get Tanaka for a 1-year deal. Michael Kay doesn’t think so but where is he going to go? He likes it here and he’s been solid. They will pick up Gary Sanchez’s option and try one more year for him to hit to right field and block pitches in the dirt. SU says he goes 0 for 2 there. That ship has sailed. But the Yankees will be terrified to ship him off for nothing and then have him dominate for some other team.

SU predicts the Mets will strike first in free agency and set the market. And that time is coming soon.

One thing about the NFL this year: there are no dominant teams. Pittsburgh was an unimpressive undefeated team and Seattle was exposed vs. the Giants. That actually means a more entertaining post-season with no home field advantage given the absence of fans. No reason a team should not win on the road. Kansas City is still the most fun team to watch plus Green Bay at home in the cold could be their ticket to roll. SU is not a Tom Brady fan per se but it would be great to see him make a playoff run with Tampa Bay. He is still a bit uncomfortable but the pieces are there on offense for him.

SU is ready to go all in on college hoops but I think the season is going to be derailed by COVID and soon.

To fill the void, SU recommends:

1. The Man in the High Castle on Amazon. Excellent – although a bit scary. Half way through.
2. The Crown. I got through it although I dozed off during almost every episode. Very subtle, not a lot of action, but interesting.
3. Queens Gambit. That was excellent. Makes you want to dust off the chess set.

If you have anything else to recommend as we enter the winter months in COVID, the floor is yours.