An Honest
Day’s Word
THIS and that to chew on over lunch: Last weekend of the
WAC as we know itNow this is a great time of year.
Baseball's playoffs are under way, college football is in the middle of the great rivalry games, the NFL is getting serious, the NHL is playing its first games and the NBA is holding training camp.
The Braves have lost home-field advantage, Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen are trading trash like its June, an Arena League quarterback has the Rams - the Rams? - undefeated and the Rainbows are 4-1.
It just doesn't get any better, does it?
Well, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Enjoy the weekend, Western Athletic Conference fans, because come Monday, it might not be all right. That's the day Conference USA is expected to decide whether to invite Southern Methodist and Texas Christian into its league.
Speculation by those fairly well-placed in the WAC is that the Ponies and the Horned Frogs will bolt when asked.
It's a little funny, too, because as it stands now, the teams that would be left in the WAC should the DFW Twins skeedaddle are the ones playing decent football.
San Jose State is coming off a thumping of Stanford and the Rainbows are the most surprising team in the nation.
Shoots, the way SMU played against Hawaii, it's a wonder the football team hasn't been run out of Texas, let alone the WAC. And TCU, after playing Arizona tough, has been a serious bust.
On the other hand, changing conferences isn't about this year or even next year, it's about what happens when the college football shakeout happens after the 2001 season when the major television packages are redone.
So, with that in mind, don't be at all surprised to find out Monday morning that SMU and TCU are out of the WAC.
On to the baseball playoffs.
By the time most of you read this, today's games will be nearly over. But let's handicap the Division Series through the Fall Classic, shall we?
In the American League, I'll take the Yankees over the Rangers. New York just plays the game too well to be beaten by a team that is one-dimensional. The Rangers can score runs faster than most teams, but their 5.06 team ERA will be their undoing.
Boston has Pedro Martinez, the best pitcher in either league this season. When you have that, you can win any series.
Cleveland is Texas north. Great hitters, so-so pitchers. The Red Sox will take it, going away.
In the AL Championship Series: New York over Boston. Joe Torre knows how to get his guys to play when the money is on the line. Despite Boston's slightly lower team ERA, I like the Yankees. Surely, the names Babe Ruth and Bucky Dent mean something, huh?
Sorry Red Sox fans. You'll get 'em next century.
Over in the National League, I like the Astros over the Braves. Ken Caminiti's three-run homer was exactly why Houston got him back in its lineup. He's tough and he's a perfect fit in that lineup behind Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell. Ask the Braves; just when you think you're out of trouble, BANG! Three-run homer.
I'll take the Mets over the Diamondbacks. Mike Piazza is a superstar and makes all the money, but Edgardo Alfonzo is the MVP, as he proved again last night with his grand slam to win the game in the ninth inning.
Houston will have too much pitching for the Metropolitans in the NLCS.
As for the World Series, it's foolish to pick against the Yankees, but I'll do it anyway.
The Astros staggered to the finish line this season, but they're going to win it all.
Too many arms and it's Texas' year. The Stars, Spurs and Astros make it a hat trick.
