NEWSLETTER
I thought ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ was a really bizarre mix of a bunch of shows – and strangely titled – but, in the end, I really enjoyed it. Just some laid back Star-Wars-universe fun, in my opinion.
• While we await the official announcement that Major League Spring Training, one of the hallmarks of arriving spring, has been delayed, another hallmark is here today: college baseball is back! The very first games of the year are today, with a couple D3 match-ups: Cal Lutheran against Piedmont, and Widener versus Kean. Nope, I don’t know a lick about any of those teams. But it’s the start!
• Your more familiar teams in D1 get underway next Friday, and ESPN just announced their broadcast schedule. It’s a LOT, and with the Cubs picking 7th in the first round this year, we might have a lot of opportunities to actually watch draft candidates:
College baseball on ESPN is back for the 2022 season!
⚾️ 200+ televised games & 2,000+ on digital platforms
⚾️ Celebration of the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's first MLB game
⚾️ Exclusive home of the Road to OmahaFull details: https://t.co/BhtGVBOrDc | #NCAABaseball pic.twitter.com/ndsWTp5Faa
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) February 9, 2022
• A good reminder for whenever Spring Training rolls around:
I learned a valuable lesson. Once you’re that good, spring training means nothing aside from getting the reps you need to flip the switch when the lights turn on.
— Robert Stock (@RobertStock6) February 10, 2022
• When it comes to established veterans, unless there is a physical/health issue, their results in Spring Training mean absolutely nothing. They are not predictive of anything. Again, unless it’s a question of health. For guys who are fighting for a spot and/or who are young and still trying to establish themselves, various studies have indicated there is a SLIGHT correlation between Spring Training performance and regular season results. So, on those types, you do pay a little more attention to how they’re looking and how they’re performing.
• Keep all that in mind if and when we get a dramatically shortened Spring Training, too. I tend to think it’s going to hurt the unestablished guys most, because they have much less of a foundation for getting where they need to get more quickly.
• If you are looking for Super Bowl betting promos, we’re gathering them all here. This is basically the biggest time of year to get the promos, so if you’re into it at all, make sure to check it out. For example, the Caesars Promo Code will get you up to $1500 in deposit bonuses and $616 in free Super Bowl bets.
• I haven’t been into a ton of the evergreen, lockout content in the baseball world, but I do enjoy this one from Joon Lee: the top 20 baseball uniforms of all-time. That is not to say I agree with his list, necessarily, but I do think it’s fun to look back at various teams’ jerseys from certain eras. The Cubs do show up on the list at number seven, though not for any particular period – for their classic pinstripe look in general:
What makes it so great: From the logo to the pinstripes, this is one of the classics. The Cubs have worn a variation of their current jersey since 1957. All the “lovable losers” who wore this uniform during the Cubs’ 108-year World Series title drought — and the players who wore it when finally winning it all in 2016 — makes it part of the fabric of baseball lore.
What today’s uniform designers could learn from it: A timeless logo goes a long way — especially if you can keep it fresh without losing its essence. The Cubs’ rounded C dates back to the turn of the last century, though after an angular iteration dominated for a few decades, a more modern version appeared in 1937. By 1979, it had slowly evolved into what we see today, with its thicker outlines. The home uniforms have gone through a handful of small tweaks throughout the Cubs’ history, but the logo persists as the constant that makes these memorable.
• Totally agree with all of that, which is why a version of the classic pinstripe with the rounded C logo should and will always be a primary part of the rotation. But, like I’ve said before, I do want to see more throwbacks incorporated on a semi-regular basis. The Cubs have some absolutely fantastic looks from early in the 20th century and they need to use them!
• Speaking of classic Cubs looks:
I can hear my childhood summers in this photo. pic.twitter.com/AU1k1XL280
— Daily Random Cub (@DailyRandomCub) February 10, 2022
• And speaking of seeing guys in Cubs uniforms:
https://twitter.com/STR0/status/1491498053638914048
• The NBA Trade Deadline is this afternoon, and the Chicago Bulls are in kind of a weird spot, having played so well this year, but also having relatively little trade capital AND a slew of injuries that they need to cover (but who are also expected back late in the year). It’s just kind of a mixed bag of inputs, and I’m really curious to see what they do today, if anything. Follow along if you’re into it – our Bulls coverage is here.
