Sports this 'n' that

LaMelo Ball might as well give up any hope of playing in college.

Ball, the son of La Loudmouth (LaVar Ball), and his SPIRE Institute team were recently removed from a pending tournament because an officer, Alan Foster, with La Loudmouth's company, demanded a $10,000 appearance fee for SPIRE.

SAY WHAT? GET OUT!

Foster was reported as a "consultant", per Yahoo! Sports, but what consultant worth his salt would make exorbitant demands worthy of that other licensed con artist, Scott Boras? All La Loudmouth is interested in is profiting off his sons, regardless of whether they're pros (Lonzo) or ex-amateurs (LaMelo & LiAngelo), and doesn't care about rules. He should. LaMelo & LiAngelo will never see the inside of a college gym unless they're paying customers.

I wonder if the Harlem Globetrotters are hiring........
=========================================
The other shoe dropped for Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray on Tuesday with the announcement that he will, in fact, declare for the NFL draft. Boras can't be too happy with that, but I'd not be surprised if he's replaced by someone who would have a better grasp on things grounded in reality.

Murray is aiming to be the first two-sport star in the pros since Deion Sanders & Brian Jordan in the 90's. Well, unless you count Boston's Mookie Betts as a card carrying member of the Pro Bowlers' Association..........
=========================================
Apparently, WWE Chairman/CEO/head lunatic Vince McMahon thinks he has to fill the slippers of his late friend, Hugh Hefner, too.

The 73 year old McMahon has turned back the clock in recent weeks. Seeing as how most of his writers are experienced in writing for daytime soap operas, McMahon decided, for the second time in a year, to take a married couple on his roster, and put them through an emotional wringer for no other reason than to juice flailing ratings.

Last summer, it was Bulgarian-born Rusev and his wife, Lana (actress C. J. Parker-Perry, "Pitch Perfect"), involved in a feud with Rusev's former tag team partner, Aiden English, who hasn't been seen much of late. Now, it is Naomi (Trinity Fatu, Total Divas), and husband Jimmy Uso, dealing with Mandy Rose (Tough Enough graduate Andrea Saccomanno) trying to break them up in the name of jealousy & envy. So far, it isn't working, and Rose's acting in these skits is not up to par. Let's say she doesn't move the meter at this desk, and leave it at that.

That's all been on Smackdown, and McMahon figures, he might as well get this out of the way before the series changes networks in October from USA to Fox, where the emphasis will change to athletic competition, whether McMahon likes it or not.

Over on Monday Night Raw, Alexa Bliss (Lexi Kaufman) was caught in a "gotcha" moment for less than a minute Monday. Seems she was in the middle of a wardrobe change, didn't answer the knock on her dressing room door in a timely fashion, and a courier carrying a latte let himself in. Bliss had to hastily cover her bare breasts.

The only winners there are millions of young boys 16-up, but, reality, guys. Alexa is already spoken for (engaged to WWE cruiser champ Buddy Murphy of Australia).

In this case, I honestly feel sorry for Alexa. I really do. These skits are threatening to send the "women's revolution" in the company skidding back about 10-15 years, but McMahon doesn't care. All he wants is to get more eyeballs on his product.

Well, here's more reality. People will watch if you give them what you promised last month. Fresh matches and feuds, as long as you can take the time to get people interested in the parties involved. There are an infinite number of stories to be told, but it seems McMahon and his scribblers keep reaching into the recycling bin for old material to be updated, rebooted, and reimagined.
========================================
Come Sunday, we'll know who will advance to the Super Bowl. However, nothing is certain.

In the AFC, they're expecting freezing temperatures in Kansas City for the 2nd straight week. That actually could swing the advantage to New England, since the stat nerds will remind that the Patriots excel in such conditions. However, this is a revenge game for the Chiefs after New England blew them out of the yard earlier this season. I've got an idea of what the league wants to see on February 3, and it doesn't involve New England. Not when you have a shiny new marketing toy (Patrick Mahomes) to showcase on the biggest of stages. It's not exactly going to be a passing of the torch. Tom Brady doesn't know when to say when, but it seems he'll soon lose Rob Gronkowski, who's hearing the warnings from his body.

In the NFC, the New Orleans Saints & Los Angeles Rams, once upon a time rivals in the NFC West, engaged in one of the best games of the season, topped only by Rams-Chiefs. This could go either way, too, but I think that if the NFL plays it right, this year's Super Bowl will be about their youth movement, with Jared Goff at QB for the Rams opposite Mahomes. The Saints won the first meeting, so this is another revenge game

Final picks on Saturday.