News is out that Kirby Smart is near a contract extension with Georgia, and…well, of course he is. The guy just won the national championship, he’s pulling in recruiting classes right there with the best in the country, this thing is working in Athens. And I…hadn’t really noticed?
So much of the response to Smart and Georgia breaking through this January was focused on just that: Georgia finally broke through. Little of the response was focused on what it means for Georgia and Smart as a pair. Of course he’ll get a contract extension. Of course he’s the guy now at Georgia for a long, long time. Of course, of course, of course. But five months ago…was it of course?
When Alabama trounced Georgia in the SEC Championship, there was a not-this-again sensation surrounding the UGA program. For four years—every one of them after they nearly took down Bama at the end of their breakout 2017 campaign—Georgia entered the season with the country prepared for them to be the best team in the country, and for four years—every one of them after Kirby Smart fell moments short of the life-changing, program-changing win that would have made everything after it gravy—Georgia had, until five months ago, fallen short. They got smoked in Baton Rouge. They couldn’t handle Bama in the rematch. They lost to Texas in the Sugar Bowl. They fell at home to eventual four-win South Carolina. They got blown out of the water by Joe Burrow. Alabama beat them up in Tuscaloosa. Florida beat them up in Jacksonville. Alabama beat them up in Atlanta.
This wasn’t every big game—Georgia won plenty of high-profile matchups over that stretch, too—but they were a program that was not turning the corner, and as they prepared to play Michigan in the Orange Bowl as the lower-ranked team, there was a sense that even if they did the expected and pounded the Wolverines into the suburban Miami night, they were not yet there. Then, January 10th happened. Georgia and Smart did the previously undone. For the first time since 1980, Georgia was national champion, and we all kind of accepted it. We had, after all, been waiting for this. We’d been ready for it for four years.
But what I don’t think we were ready for is where this placed Kirby Smart in the hierarchy, because as that game faded into the rearview, the familiar figures resumed control of our headlines. Far from the Southeast of this country myself, I’ve heard more about Nick Saban this offseason than Kirby Smart. I’ve heard more about Dabo Swinney than Kirby Smart. I’ve heard more about Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley and Jim Harbaugh and Jimbo Fisher this offseason than Kirby Smart. I’ve heard more about Urban Meyer this offseason than Kirby Smart.
And yet in the hierarchy of college football coaches, Smart is no lower than third, right? Arguably second? Does he have the upper leg on Swinney, in terms of accomplishments both accomplished and expected? In the Playground Rankings, this is the question, but our habit hasn’t yet gotten there in the actual conversation. Which is a flaw in our collective consciousness.
Nico Hoerner Is Back
The Cubs got Nico Hoerner back, which is a good thing. That absence being short at a time when the Cubs really want to get him continuous at-bats at the Major League level, both for his development and their evaluation of him, is a relief.
Going on the IL in the prisoner exchange is Yan Gomes, sidelined with the oblique injury which made him a scratch on Tuesday. Elsewhere in the league, Giancarlo Stanton did end up going on the IL himself with that calf injury, which is being called a strain.
Raise the Flagler
Baylor’s getting Adam Flagler back, as the guard has exited the NBA Draft. Still a few days left for that all to sift out, and then I would think the transfer matching process would accelerate again, but I could be wrong about all sorts of things, especially those involving a fairly new process that I haven’t previously followed with great attention to detail.
Also exiting the Draft is Nathan Mensah, who will return to San Diego State. Big man, big retention for the Aztecs, who are expected to be solid again but not 2019-20 good.
The Celtics Won the East (Probably)
This series is over, right? The Heat aren’t healthy, Boston gets Game 6 at home, these playoffs haven’t gone entirely according to script but you can count on NBA chalk to a higher degree than in any of the other Big Four leagues? That’s my takeaway from last night, and from Miami’s continued struggles to score enough points to keep up.
I would also assume that the Warriors will finish off the Mavericks tonight like a kid at Thanksgiving licking his plate after his first slice of pumpkin pie.
The Avalanche Have Not Yet Won Their Series
The Avalanche are on Choke Watch after losing to the Blues last night, a game it looked like the Avalanche had won two or three times. Now, that series goes back to St. Louis, St. Louis has won one without Jordan Binnington, and the Avalanche are still the favorites, but the NHL’s a lot less predictable than the NBA. Basketball is just a less random game than hockey. You never see a hockey moneyline as wide as tonight’s in Warriors/Mavericks.
On the ice this evening, the Hurricanes try to stay perfect at home on the postseason while the Rangers try to break their serve and gain the upper hand. The Rangers have been written off twice now this postseason, and they’ve at least returned to competitiveness both times, and this is a little out of my lane but in hockey, I think that can matter.
After that, we get what could be the finale of Oilers/Flames in Calgary. The Oilers are trying to close it out on the road, with a potential Game 6 in Edmonton in their pocket before they even have to think about a do-or-die Game 7. Obviously, though, we’re all thinking about it. The pressure is on the Oilers, and it won’t be that high if they lose tonight, but you always want to win eliminate-your-opponent games in sports that aren’t professional basketball, where in a lot of cases you can afford to lose ‘em.
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Viewing schedule, today/tonight (second screen rotation in italics):
- 12:35 PM EDT: Cubs @ Reds, Steele vs. Greene (MLB TV)
- 6:40 PM EDT: Yankees @ Rays, Cortes vs. Yarbrough (MLB TV)
- 7:00 PM EDT: Rangers @ Hurricanes, Game 5 (ESPN)
- 7:20 PM EDT: Phillies @ Braves, Nola vs. Wright (ESPN+/MLB TV)
- 7:45 PM EDT: Brewers @ Cardinals, Lauer vs. Wainwright (MLB TV)
- 9:00 PM EDT: Mavericks @ Warriors, Game 5 (TNT)
- 9:30 PM EDT: Oilers @ Flames, Game 5 (ESPN)
- 9:38 PM EDT: Blue Jays @ Angels, Ryu vs. Ohtani (MLB TV)
