Shrinkage is Good

To paraphrase the great Jerry Seinfeld, "Everyone knows about shrinkage."  Well, if they don't, they should.  But I am referring to shrinkage in a sports context, of course.  Since the NBA is now front and center in the sports world I will stick to them for the moment.  But make no mistake, every sports league needs to experience some shrinkage.  In case you haven't noticed, and judging by the ratings, you haven't, the product in the NBA isn't all that great.  In fact, currently one franchise has lost a record 25 straight games.  Should the Cavs lose tonight they would set the mark for consecutive losses by any professional sports team...in history.  Now, the interesting thing is who the Cavs play tonight, the Los Angeles Clippers.  Yes Virginia, there is a second team in L.A., it's just that nobody cares.  So let's start on the court of Quicken Loans Arena tonight, eliminate both those franchises, and imagine how much better the NBA product would start to become.  Let's be honest about the Cavs, there is no real history to that franchise.  They have never won an NBA title and have only ever been to one NBA Finals.  Now that Lebron has shown he doesn't even want to play in his hometown and the owner looks like a buffoon to any future free agents, why bother keeping the team in existence?  Neither the Cavs or the city of Cleveland offer anything to the NBA or its fans.  Same goes for the Clippers.  Los Angeles has the Lakers, so cut the Clippers and 90% of America wouldn't know the difference.  This would get the league down to 28 teams, but that isn't enough, we need to cut two more.  Toronto, despite the size of the market, is next up.  Honestly, nobody wants to play there and nobody is lining up to visit Toronto in the winter to watch basketball.  That eliminates two teams in the east and one in the west, so the final cut will be New Orleans.  This is a city that has hard times, but I'm done feeling sorry for them.  Even the coach of the Saints doesn't want his family living there or his kids going to school there.  Sometimes a place is just a hell hole that doesn't deserve professional sports teams.  The Jazz got out when they could and now it is time to eliminate the Hornets.  Just imagine, with those four teams gone, how much better the play would become.  Once the players on those teams that are good enough supplant the crappy players on other teams, we may see some good play once again.  Be a leader David Stern and make something good happen in professional sports!!

So rivalry was good to us, as we were 2-0 this past week to bring the overall record to 11-12-1.  The first play will be on Saturday.  I am sticking with the Lightning as they will be playing on three days rest.  Also on Saturday the Buckeyes travel to Madison to battle Wisconsin.  Ohio State is the last undefeated team but Wisconsin is undefeated at home.  They survived the look ahead game at Iowa this past week and will be primed to take down the #1 team in the country.  Quick, someone tell me the last time one school was #1 in both football and basketball in the same season and lost to the same school to lost that ranking???   I am not sure it has ever happened.  That being said, I will take the Badgers.  I expect them to actually be a slight favorite in this game, but I will be quite interested in what the oddsmakers make the line.  Good luck, and remember, never bet what you can't afford to lose.