Sports this 'n' that

The XFL 2.0 won't exactly sell out every game, even though some of the teams play in NFL stadiums.

However, the league is more popular the second time around. No silly nicknames, just quality talent on the field, and the games average under three hours!

Saturday's game between St. Louis & Seattle wrapped just in time for Fox to switch out to Major League Soccer (more on that in a moment), but otherwise, the average game is usually over with time to spare, and no concerns about overruns. Here's some highlights from the Battlehawks-Dragons game:



Fox NFL Sunday anchor Curt Menefee has acquitted himself as a play-by-play man, partnered with college game analyst Joel Klatt. Fox's 'B' team, which had a week off already, consists of Kevin Burkhardt and newly retired NFL tight end Greg Olson. Over on ESPN/ABC, the teams are Steve Levy and Greg McElroy (Saturdays) and Tom Hart & Joey Galloway (Sundays). As with Klatt, the game analysts also cover college football, with Galloway the most high profile of the lot, as he's been both a studio & game analyst since retiring from the NFL

Yes, it's worth watching, but the only major complaint is the lack of franchises in non-NFL cities. St. Louis, for example, welcomed back pro football with open arms after the NFL Rams moved back to Los Angeles, and are the only city that doesn't have an NFL team presently. Two East teams, the Guardians and Vipers, share home field with their NFL counterparts (Giants/Jets & Bucs). The Dragons play at CenturyLink Field, home of the Seahawks. You get the idea.

The three-tiered extra point system has been a hit with fans, as it makes the games less predictable, and more exciting. On kickoffs, the teams wait until the returner catches the ball before a play can be made, which is mostly for safety reasons.

Now, if only Vince McMahon can finally figure out the WWE's ills, we'd be all happier.
=================================
Major League Soccer's expansion moves into the Southeast this season. A franchise will debut in Miami next weekend, but on Saturday, all eyes were on Nashville.

As part of Fox's deal with WWE, Hall of Famer and native son of Tennessee Jeff Jarrett recorded a voice-over introduction for the Nashville squad, but it was for naught, as Nashville lost their opener to Atlanta.
====================================
It's only March, but they're panicking in the Bronx. Again.

Yankee slugger Giancarlo Stanton is out indefinitely with a calf injury. Again. Homegrown pitching ace Luis Severino will miss the season with Tommy John surgery. James Paxton is on the IL, and out until June. The Yanks should get Domingo German back from suspension around the same time. The big question with the Yankees now is whether or not Aaron Boone's Bombers can recover, like they did last year, and still make the playoffs. Stay tuned.
=====================================
After getting rudely booted off AXS-TV at the end of last year, New Japan Pro Wrestling is looking for a new American TV partner. May we suggest ESPN?
=====================================
While the scandal-scarred Houston Astros are in Florida for spring training, Minute Maid Park was rocking with the Shriners' College Classic over the weekend. The games were streamed live on YouTube, which provided an alternative to MLB Network's preseason marathons.

On Saturday, it was a clash between Baylor (Big 12) and LSU (SEC) that was the highlight of the night, especially, as you'll see in this highlight package, when Nick Lofton hit one out of the building.....



And that's with an aluminum bat, folks. Too bad Baseball Tonight hasn't started it season yet.......