Blogs by Hof

Copyright USA Today Images / Sports Illustrated 2023 Georgia Bulldogs over UT-Martin, 48-7. Ole Miss Rebels over Mercer, 73-7 Oregon Ducks over Portland State, 81-7 Georgia, Ole Miss, and Oregon are all Top 25 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The Bulldogs were crowned National Champions for the 2022-2023 season.  So why in the world are they playing little Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams for an easy win, and why are FCS teams lying down to be steamrolled by perennial powerhouses? Wouldn't it be more beneficial for both to stay within their leagues so they can have a better representation come playoff time? Money For small schools like UT-Martin, Mercer, and Portland State, the reasons for the above questions are simple: money, money, and more money. For one or two easy wins and to find their rhythm, FBS schools will pay FCS to play them on the large school's home field. According to an article on Redshirt Sports , Tarleton State in Texas took o...

Copyright 2023 / Stephen Brashear / USA TODAY Sports As one of the oldest organized national sports leagues in the United States, dating back to the birth of the  National League in 1876 , Major League Baseball  (MLB)  has a rich history tied to its teams, players, ballparks, and traditions. Perhaps the most overlooked - and perhaps the driest - tradition in the MLB is the names of some of the teams themselves. Since the early 1900s, teams in baseball have adopted nicknames to go along with their cities. Many were named after coaches or players, such as the Cleveland Naps (now the Guardians) named after star player Nap Lajoie. Others have taken on monikers based on geography (Colorado Rockies), uniform color (Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs), regional wildlife (Florida/Miami Marlins), or a variety of other reasons for which one might give a name to a team. I often see rankings for  which MLB team has the best nickname , but rarely do they remove from account the tradition of...