Sports ‘n Stuff 10/29/22

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh earned a huge win on Saturday with a 45-23 win over OSU  in Columbus. Not only did the Wolverines clinch a second consecutive appearance in the Big Ten championship game, Harbaugh also received a hefty bonus.

USA Today reports Harbaugh will receive $500,000 for winning the Big Ten East and reaching the conference title game. Harbaugh did the same last year, when he beat the Buckeyes for the first time as Michigan’s head coach. Harbaugh will receive a $1 million bonus is Michigan beats Purdue in the Big Ten title game, plus another $500,000 bonus if the Wolverines are selected for the College Football Playoff.

After last season’s success, Harbaugh and Michigan renegotiated his contract that brought his base salary up to approximately $8 million after he took a pay cut in the prior season. 

Last season, Harbaugh didn’t keep all the bonus money he earned. After defeating Ohio State to end the regular season, Harbaugh distributed his $500,000 bonus among members of the Michigan athletic department who had to take pay cuts during the pandemic.

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit shared where he would place the Buckeyes in his top six teams after their loss to Michigan heading into conference championship week and the newest slate of CFP rankings that will be released on Nov. 29. 

Herbstreit dropped Ohio State from No. 2 to No. 6. He kept UGA at No. 1 and moved up Michigan to No. 2. 

To Herbstreit, Michigan bulldozing Ohio State in “The Game” was a disappointing way to lose with CFP title implications on the line. Meanwhile, Alabama’s two losses this season were by a combined four points.

Even though the latest coaches poll shows the Ohio State Buckeyes ranking #5…with the USC Trojans at #4…ESPN still has the Buckeyes with an 88% chance of making it into the tournament. They also have Georgia at 99%, Michigan at 97%, TCU at 83%, Alabama at 14%, and USC at 12%.

Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, one of 38 defendants being sued by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, filed a motion through his lawyers Monday in Mississippi judicial court to dismiss the complaint against himself and Favre Enterprises.

According to a Mississippi state audit, at least $77 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families were diverted from the poorest people in America’s poorest state toward rich and powerful Mississippians. If charged and proven guilty this would make Brett Favre  the anti-Robin Hood. Stealing from the poor and giving to the rich. 

So far, Six people have been arrested in the case, five of whom have pleaded guilty to state charges. 

Favre has not been charged criminally but was named in the civil suit on May 9.

Police in Oklahoma arrested a man on Saturday, after a family game of “Monopoly” turned violent.  The man pulled a gun on his stepfather and stepsister. 

I guess he wanted to steal Boardwalk….Thankfully no one was injured.

He was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and was sent to the Tulsa County jail or shall we say, didn’t pass go and went directly to jail? 

This bears repeating, Going into Sunday’s game vs. the Browns, Tom Brady was 218-0 “when leading in the final two minutes of regulation by 7-plus points.” That includes the postseason. On Sunday, the game was tied with a touchdown pass to David Njoku with 32-seconds left in regulation. The win in OT made Brady 218-1.

Undermanned Cavs were beaten by the Raptors last night 100-88. Cavs were without Jarrett Allen and Kevin Love and shot a lousy 38% from the field and even worse 18% from 3pt.

Won’t win too many games in the NBA shooting that bad. On a good note, Cleveland only gave up 100 points.

Cavs back in action at home tomorrow night to take on the 76ers.

The weekly NBA Power Rankings have the Celtics at #1 followed by the Bucks, Pheonix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers who will play 11 of their next 14 games at home are at #4!

Today is Tuesday November 29, 2022… 26 days till Christmas… 32 days until New Year’s Eve.

Today in Sports and Pop Culture History

132 years ago – In 1890, the first Army – Navy Football Game was played at West Point.  Navy defeated Army by a score of 24-to-zero.

63 years ago – In 1959, the Grammys aired on TV for the first time.   Bobby Darin won Best New Artist and Record of the Year for “Mack the Knife.”

1992 – Jerry Rice caught his 100th NFL touchdown pass. Ended his career with 197 TD receptions. Is Jerry Rice the GOAT? He leads in almost every statistical category for catches, yardage, TD’s.

Celebrity Birthdays today

Jerry “The King” Lawler is 73.  Brilliant WWE announcer.  In September of 2012 he had a near-fatal ON-AIR heart attack during “Monday Night Raw”

Funnyman/TV personality Howie Mandel is 67

Russell Wilson is 34.  Denver Broncos quarterback who married Ciara.

Today we honor The late sportscaster Vin Scully (1927 – 2022)…he would have been 95 (His 67 seasons with the Dodgers, started in Brooklyn in 1950 and ended in 2016 with his retirement)