The Landscape

2021-0116 Every 24… 832 AM It's a marvelous day for a sports fan! I was up at 430 AM, as I am each day, and by the time I finished evacuating my bowels, there was already a Premier League score to check. The Wolves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) bested the West Bromwich Albion Football Club in both nickname competition and in the South County derby this morning. At 700 AM, two more matches began and NBC Sports is treating us to Brighton Hove Albion hosting Leeds. Soccer is such a slow version of hockey! As the NHL season begins its fourth day, a ten-game slate awaits, beginning at 1000 AM PST. Of course, I anticipate the Rangers vs Islanders matchup at 400 PM with some concern. The other New York City team beat up on us Thursday in a shutout, so I'm still looking for the first Rangers goal of the year. The Capitols scored six in their first outing and Colorado put eight goals on St. Louis last night, punishing them for winning on Thursday. The Knights of Vegas and McJesus' Oilers both scored five in their openers on Thursday, off to hot starts, following dominant seasons last year. There should be six games in the Association today, with only one covid postponement, but things happen quickly and surprisingly in the NBA. With smaller rosters, it seems there's greater opportunity for the virus protocols to cause postponed games when a team gets a rash of the virus or guys can't keep the protocols. The NBA has issued even more restrictive protocols regarding players' exposure outside the arenas. After a few weeks, Boston sits atop the Eastern Conference but has played two less games than the Bucks (9-4) and Sixers (9-4), who have one more win than the Celtics (8-3), but also one more loss. The LeBrons (11-3) are dominant so far in the Western Conference and have somehow played 14 games to everybody else's 11, 12 or 13. Lebron wins at everything… Today, the UFC is back with its first card of the New Year. Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar headline Fight Night on ESPN. They're simulcasting the main card on ABC, as they do whatever they can to draw viewers. God knows basketball isn't cutting it. The prelims on ESPN+ subscription service begin early in the day- 900 AM on the best coast. While I follow this sport with regularity and nearly always put in a DraftKings lineup, I can't usually remember the fighters, even though I've seen most of them fight before. I have a recollection of Joaquin Buckley knocking some dude out with a spinning kick, and he's fighting today, so maybe that'll be extra exciting! Today also gifts us two NFL Divisional Playoffs. At 125 PM, the Packers host the Rams in a game that I hope is dominated by Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsay. Years ago, I would make futures wagers on Green Bay winning the NFC for about three seasons. They never came through, so, today I hope they're upset by the California kids. At 515 PM, the Ravens play in Buffalo. I've got this game as part of a teaser to make the Bills +3.5 dogs. I expect them to win outright, so hopefully, it works out. It looks like the Ravens have become one-dimensional in their offense, while the Bills seem to have gained some offensive facets over the course of the season. I think their defenses negate each other in the competitive balance, so Buffalo should win in front of a small percentage of their fans. The real battle today, though, is how I'm going to balance giving attention to my bride and three children as this huge day of sports viewing rolls out. I fear my true feelings may unfold in surprising ways. This is where discipline breeds flexibility. This is when rubber meets asphalt. This is a place for other cliches. This is bakesHere. ACQUIRE as NEEDED (daily) Saturday, January 16