After a three-year G League stint, London Johnson has committed to playing college basketball for Louisville. How can this be? But the NCAA has determined that the $40,000 or so paid to most NBA G-Leaguers is for living expenses and doesn’t constitute a traditional pro contract. The concept of what makes a pro is being reimagined, which explains the young European pros on college teams. A strange new world.
In protest: C’mon now, we’re not going to allow the NCAA to further pervert the spirit of collegiate athletics without a loud bellyache, are we? For that, we turn to Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. “To me it’s ridiculous,” he said. “To me it’s embarrassing. I listen to people talk about how kids changed. Kids aren’t the problem, we’re the problem.”
Football foibles: At Norfolk State, Michael Vick fired members of his defensive staff, while Old Dominion has lost its last two games by a combined 60 points. When does basketball season begin?
Beyond the blue tent: Not to belabor the point, but most NFL results are decided as much by the injury report — who is or isn’t available — as anything a coach can put in the game plan. Take the Commanders, please.
Proved wrong: In another episode of Misadventures in Sports Prognostication, back in March the Blue Jays were picked to be also-rans.
Future watch: After his NLCS-clinching slugging and pitching tour de force, Shohei Ohtani is his own tough act to follow.
Overtalk: On TV, teams are always coming off “disappointing” losses. Except very rarely — and never with the pros — is there any other kind?
Breaking ground: Another frontier is being crossed with the start of the Women’s Pro Baseball League next spring in New York, Boston, L.A., San Francisco and cities yet to be announced. Former Little League star and Hampton University softball player Mo’ne Davis has signed up for the challenge.
The heights: With 40 points and 15 rebounds in only 30 minutes of the Spurs’ opening-game victory, Victor Wembanyama has already set the bar very high for the rest of the league. There’s speculation that Wemby is taller than his listed 7-feet-4. Whatever he is, he made the Mavericks’ big men look like Muggsy Bogues.
Does it all: Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic is coming off a season in which he became the first center — and only the third NBA player — to average a triple-double for an entire season. I would have thought Wilt Chamberlain averaged a trip-dub, but no.
What’s to come: With the Celtics losing Jayson Tatum and the Pacers Tyrese Haliburton — both to Achilles injuries — the NBA East is wide open for the Knicks and Cavaliers. Maybe even the Pistons will make a run. But the best, flashiest ball is played in the West.
Let it be: Roger Goodell addressing — trying to pacify — the shrieking mob over Bad Bunny’s selection for the Super Bowl halftime show is a poor use of his bully pulpit. Better to ignore the haters.
Idle thought: With the NBA facing a new gambling scandal, what do you want to bet Adam Silver wishes he could change places with Goodell?
Missed opportunity: An NFL with more imagination would have brought Aaron Rodgers back to Green Bay for Sunday night’s Packers-Steelers game.
Over it: Can we agree that we’ve heard enough for a while — I’d prefer it be forever — about Bill Belichick?
Bob Molinaro is a former Virginian-Pilot sports columnist. His Weekly Briefing runs Fridays in The Pilot and Daily Press. He can be reached at bob5molinaro@gmail.com and via Twitter@BobMolinaro.
