Sports this 'n' that

For all of the hype surrounding Saturday's Ohio St.-Penn St. game, you'd think the Nittany Lions, at the time ranked 8th according to the College Football Playoff rankings, didn't stand a chance. The oddsmakers, proving again they're not always right, installed the Buckeyes as an 181/2 point home favorite in Columbus.

What happens? Ohio St. has to rally in the second half after giving up two third quarter turnovers to put down Penn St., 28-17. What that result says is that despite the return of defensive star Chase Young after a 2 game suspension, the Buckeyes may actually be vulnerable going into their annual regular season closing game with Michigan next Saturday. Regardless of the result of that game, though, Ohio St. is assured of a spot in the Big 10 title game the following week.
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Later that night, Oklahoma punched its ticket to the Big 12 title game, and, like Ohio St., sweated it out vs. Texas Christian, winning, 28-24. The Sooners will have a rematch vs. Baylor, whom they beat 8 days ago, in the title game. Vulnerable? I think so.
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Here's an idea for ESPN to justify the phat salary extension they gave Screamin' A. Cosell (Stephen A. Smith). Buy the rights to the old radio & TV comedy game show, It Pays to be Ignorant, last seen during the 1973-4 season in syndication. It fits Smith like a glove. Just sayin'.
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WWE's latest NXT: Takeover event, the third annual War Games, came & went Saturday night, but the only one from either Raw or Smackdown to show up was former NXT champion Kevin Owens, whom Triple H was attempting to recruit just 5 days earlier before being ambushed by the Undisputed Era. Despite keeping the identity of the last man on Tomasso Ciampa's team a secret, viewers should've connected the dots.

As it is, NXT champ Adam Cole will sell being banged up going into a title defense tonight at Survivor Series vs. Pete Dunne. Owens, on the other hand, could see his teammates from last night on the opposite side, since he's scheduled to be a part of Raw's men's team in a 3-way elimination tag. Expect shenanigans.
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A high school wrestler in California who was named the captain of his school's team, won't be able to go to the mat any time soon.

Brett Winters, born without tibia bones in both legs, had his prosthetic legs stolen the other day, and while one leg was recovered, the process of getting a new set of legs fitted on Winters will take up virtually the entire season

The average fan's reaction?



Commentators on Yahoo! are assuming an envious or jealous teammate stole the legs out of spite. Just the same, it's a bush league move. There are others, however, who feel Winters shouldn't be on the team anyway because of his disability. That, though, reeks of a lack of sensitivity.

Impact Wrestling recently did an angle where a guest referee, another double amputee, worked a match, and after the match ended, did some moves, including a 450 splash off the top rope, onto the defeated heel wrestler. WWE had Zach Gowen on their roster, a single amputee, for a few months in 2003, but never really gave him a chance to shine.

Now, you tell me if Winters deserves to continue his mat career.