The Bible tells us that no man can serve two masters. Which begs to ask when was the last time LA Lakers coach Luke Walton, not that far removed from his playing career, mind you, actually read the Bible?
You see, Walton hasn't completely relegated rookie Lonzo Ball to the bench despite Ball's recent struggles. Yes, Ball has been benched in the 4th quarter of recent games, but a stronger message would be sent if Ball didn't start until he got out of his funk.
While Walton has acknowledged, along with the rest of the planet, that Ball might be just a wee bit distracted by his brother LiAngelo's legal problems, the easiest solution for all concerned is to sit Lonzo for a few games and get him some extra practice time. Players do that all the time when they're slumping.
Unfortunately, Walton may be just keeping the rookie in the starting lineup to appease LaVar Ball, and that is not in the best interests of the team, much less the Ball family. The elder Ball will be happy as long as his son continues to make headlines, regardless of how well he's done on a given night, because it'll extend his 15 minutes that much longer.
Translated, this wouldn't play well in New York or any other market.
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Section II is now down to 4 teams in the running for state titles.
Class A champ Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake had an uncharacteristically bad game on Friday in Middletown, dropping a 34-19 decision to Section I champ Yorktown, which won their sectional title by beating defending state champion Somers last month. The Huskers forced three Spartan fumbles, and played a more aggressive, ball-hawking defense. They were clearly the better, hungrier team, hungrier especially since their sectional title was their first in 19 years.
Class D champ Cambridge punched its ticket back to Syracuse by thumping Millbrook, 56-8. Ouch! No truth to the rumor that Millbrook was offering cases of bread to their supporters after the game.
Holy Trinity (Class C), Glens Falls (B), and Troy (AA) play today.
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While the World Series champion Houston Astros were shut out of Gold Glove awards the other day, batting champ Jose Altuve was named American League MVP on Thursday, beating AL Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge of the Yankees by a comfortable margin. Altuve, who earned his first commercial endorsement this season (5 Hour Energy) wasn't quite a unanimous selection. Then again, neither was Miami's Giancarlo Stanton, who beat out Cincinnati's Joey Votto for NL MVP. And the Marlins new ownership, which includes ex-Yankee Derek Jeter, wants to shop Stanton? Oy.
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Less than a week before tomorrow night's Survivor Series, WWE parted company with James Ellsworth earlier this week. Ellsworth (real name: James Morris) was another indy star signed by the company, but unlike the likes of Kevin Owens and Apollo Crews, Ellsworth went from rent-a-jobber to cult favorite underdog to manager/heat leech for women's Money in the Bank winner Carmella, all in the space of a year.
What may have finally written the coda to Ellsworth's run was this ill-advised skit in England on the November 7 Smackdown, right before his intergender challenge match vs. Ireland's Becky Lynch.
Translated, Ellsworth was set up to fail. On the final 5 dates of the fall European tour, Lynch and the rest of the women on the Smackdown roster ganged up on Ellsworth when he tried to make amends with Carmella, who turned on him after he lost to Lynch. The above promo was the touchstone, as Ellsworth, thanks to WWE's moronic writers, played the male chauvinist card, not realizing he was offending his on-air partner indirectly. One more reason WWE needs to lose the Hollywood rejects, especially if they're not being taught anything about what I call Wrestling Semantics 101.
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