December 26, 2022

Issue No. 465

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from the entire Team at Sports Today!

Carlos Correa was a Giants, Briefly

Within a few hours, Carlos Correa switched his long-term allegiance from the San Francisco Giants to the New York Mets. (Photo: ESPN)

Believe It

Or Not

by Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Last week the Giants were a couple of hours away in a press conference at Oracle Park from announcing their new shortstop, two-time All-Star Carlos Correa, and to show everybody they can play with the big boys with a 13-year contract for $350 million. His physical test was not something the Giants liked. There was a disagreement between Correa and his agent Scott Boras about the test by the Giants doctors. Correa and the Giants never signed the contract.

So....the best agent in the world, Scott Boras, called his buddy Steve Cohen, the owner of the New York Mets, who has more money than God, and told him, "You want Correa for Christmas"? Cohen said YES, And today Carlos Correa is a New York Met, for around a $315 million multi-year deal.

The Giants struck out this off-season with two of the biggest free agents, first Aaron Judge and now Carlos Correa. So, Brandon Crawford will be playing shortstop again for the Giants, until he needs a wheelchair.

And that's the way the ball bounces...

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Publisher: Christopher Weills

Marketing Director: Robert Moselle

Director of Sales: Ann Cooke

Staff Photographers: Jeff Bayer, Alex Ho, Ed Jay, Ron Sellers, Darren Yamashita, Rich Yee. Kenny Karst (retired).

Contributors: Steve Chain, Harvey Cohen, Andy Dolich, Pete Elman, Rob Flammia, Bruce Macgowan, Robert Moselle, Dave Newhouse, Howard Pearlstein, Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, T. Buff, Shelia Young

Social Media: Applications invited via email. Please include resume.

Website: www.UltimateSportsGuide.net

San Francisco 49ers 37

Washington Commanders 20

Saturday / December 24, 2022

Ray-Ray McCloud III finishes off a 71-yard TD run...

Hip Hip Hor-RAY-RAY

The major offensive first-half highlight was Ray-Ray McCloud III's electric 71-yard TD run in the 2nd Quarter, (7-0, SF), on the heels of a valiant goal line stand by the Niners.

On the Niners' first drive, Shanahan's decision to go for a TD instead of a sure FG from the 10 had backfired, as the play was botched from the start. After tough defense by both teams, the Commanders capitalized on an "interception" of a tipped pass, and with 27 seconds left in the half scored on a pass into the back of the end-zone for a TD. (7-7 Halftime score.) Brock Purdy was 4/9 and 55 yards in the first half.

In the 3rd Quarter, in what would be "A Tale of Two Halves," the Purdy we have come to expect emerged and threw a classic, 34-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle, who had an extraordinary

game. (14-7, SF.)

With 5:27 left in the 3rd, the Commanders went for it on a 4th and 1 from their own 35 and once more were stuffed by the Niner-D. Aiyuk and Kittle immediately pounced with key catches, the latter a 33-yard catch/run touchdown. (21-7, SF.) The Commanders came right back, with an impressive long pass to McLaurin, then a 3-yard pass to him for a score. (21-14, SF, end of 3rd.) And we had ourselves a Game!

Washington's kickoff to SF featured one of the many Commanders' "Unnecessary Toughness" penalties, and this one enhanced the Niners' field position. The dynamic Aiyuk turned a short pass into a race to the 6-yard line, which would end with a 49ers field goal. (24-14, SF.)

After the Niners' kickoff, Bosa delivered a body-blow on Heinicke who coughed it up. A mighty Jordan Willis plucked the ball out of the air and #75 outfought a group of Commanders for control. After a Purdy run, it was time for a 26-yard Robbie Gould FG. (27-14, SF.)

The 49ers once more kicked off, and on Washington's first play, pressure from Arik Armstead helped cause an interception, which led to a 25-yard FG to make it (30-14, SF). With 8:47 left in the 4th, Carson Wentz replaced Taylor Heinicke at QB and quickly led them to a score, but a 2-point conversion attempt failed. (30-20, SF.)

As the clock continued to click, Washington's onside kick failed to go the necessary yards. The 49ers took advantage as Purdy and Kittle connected on a pass to the one-yard line and "Run CMC", Christian McCaffery, polished it off with a powerful run for a touchdown.

(Final: 37-20, SF.)

Purdy finished 15/22 and 234 yards, as the 49ers scored on six-of -seven 2nd-half possessions, with Robbie Gould in machine-like mode. Jerry Rice was on patrol on the sidelines -- that's almost unfair! Niners Win!

To watch game highlights on YouTube, click here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--5-brQiQFg

Robert A. Moselle, Esq.

Monterey, CA

https://www.cce-mcle.com/

Letters to the Editor

Alas poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio

Hey! How about: "Alas poor Carlos Correa! I knew him, Farhan."

In fact, 'Alas, poor Yorick' is one of the most quoted lines in all of Shakespeare, with Hamlet holding a human skull, dressed in black, with the caption, 'Alas poor Yorick.'

Maybe "G-Man For a Day" Carlos Yorick's BACK hurt, and SF's Shakespeare decided to write him out of the play, but instead of a skull, all there was to hold up was a back brace. Not quite a skull, but for Giants fans, it's the same result.

In San Francisco's own Shakespearean drama, all we know is that Carlos Correa is gone and we did NOT know him. Not only has he been written out of the play, but he never had the role, and won't 'play' at all, at least not in SF. Oh, the good times -- those glorious hours at Oracle.

"Yorick" will open at a new venue, in New York, (well, it's Flushing), but still .... that sure was a remarkably short run in the City by the Bay. Please leave your uniform in the locker room -- by the one which says Judge.

Robert A. Moselle, Esq.

Monterey, CA

Sweet Justice

Yesterday as I was watching the "Sin City Miracle" win by the Raiders over New England I couldn't help but flash back 21 years to the infamous Tuck Rule game when the Raiders were ruined forever---and the Patriots reign of infamy was launched. That was a black day, tied for worst day of my life as a sports fan with Gibson's homer (at least that one was honest) and the NBA stealing the 2016 title from the Dubs.

I truly believe that miraculous Raiders win exorcised the ghosts of that tragic dynasty-ending Tuck Rule game in the snow that fateful January day in Foxboro, because it resonated--and qualified---on so many levels:

a) It was the Patriots

b) It was Bill Belichick

c) It was 50 years since the Immaculate Reception, another famous NFL screwing of the Raiders.

d) The Raiders won because of a horrible call by the officials which allowed them to tie the game with 32 seconds left.

e) It was a miracle play that won it for the Raiders, with the Patriots done in by their own arrogance, hubris and stupidity.

Pete Elman

Oakland, CA

Praise

As usual, your coverage and editorial is superb. And really, is there anyone or anything out there that can combine the talents of Bay Area sports writers and sports photographers as well as you do with Sports Today!

Ann Cooke

Alameda, CA

The Rumor Mill -- Name Trade

Word is that San Francisco and Minnesota will trade Team names, as part of the deal in which the Giants acquired Taylor Rogers from Minnesota. Taylor is the identical twin of the G-Men reliever and whiffle-baller, knuckle-scraper, Tyler Rogers.

The Minnesota Giants? San Francisco Twins? Somebody needs to have a quick physical so we can get out of another "Deal." Fortunately, there is a Judge available to mediate this, the one who took the phrase, "Yankee Go Home," literally.

Kristen LaRue

San Francisco, CA

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Contents

Columns

Hardly Trivial by T. Buff

Games

San Francisco 49ers 37, Washington Commanders 20

USF Dons (MBkB) 97, Arizona State Sun Devils 60

Features & Commentary

Believe It Or Not, by Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Brock Purdy: NFL Story of the Year? by Bruce Macgowan

Consider A New Year's Donation

Don't Worry About The Warriors, by Howard Pearlstein

Grand Canyon Dories, by Rudi Petschek

Let It Be aka Let Him Be, by Andy Dolich

My Version of the Immaculate Reception, by Jeff Bayer

Yamila Diaz, from the Autograph Collection of Richard Yee

Organizations

Cal Bears

Oakland A's

Saint Mary's College Gaels

San Francisco Giants

San Jose State Spartans

Santa Clara Broncos

Stanford Cardinal

USF Dons

Lyrical Long Shot?

"Let Him Be" aka "Let It Be"

-- A British Band Did The Original

by Andy Dolich

When the Niners found themselves in time of trouble, He came to us

Showing heady play with wisdom, Let him be.

And in a split second Jimmy G was injured right in front of me

Speaking next man up!, Let him be.

There’s George Kittle open, yes it's a TD!

Yes he knows the game plan, Let him be.

And once uncertain Niner fans living in the world agree

There was an answer, Let him be.

For though he may have been chosen last

There was a chance they would see results fast

There was an answer they would cheer with glee

Let him be, Let him be Let him be Brock Purdy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDYfEBY9NM4

(Let It Be)

* * *

Andy Dolich has over five decades of leadership in the sports industry, including executive positions in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, pro soccer and lacrosse. Presently, Dolich is Commissioner of the Fan Controlled Sports & Entertainment (FCSE) and teaches sports business at Stanford's School of Continuing Studies. Dolich is also co-author of: Goodbye, Oakland with co-author Dave Newhouse and 20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro and co-author of LOL, Loss of Logo, What's Your Next Move? For earlier articles by Andy Dolich published in Sports Today!, click HERE

Dreamlike

Kettle and Purdy celebrate

Brock Purdy: NFL Story of the Year?

by Bruce Macgowan

As absurd as it may sound, is Brock Purdy the next Joe Montana? How is the 22-year-old rookie performing at such a high level?

What a soap opera the Niners have been through this year! But without the startling events, this youngster might have never gotten his chance. In game two of the season against Seattle, San Francisco’s prized quarterback of the future, Trey Lance, went down for the year with a broken ankle. Then Jimmy Garoppolo, the quarterback no one wanted, came in and led SF to seven wins in their next ten games. But then Jimmy G. went down with a severe foot injury.

Enter ‘Mr. Irrelevant,’ the last player taken in this past year’s draft. Purdy trotted onto the field, channeled Montana and sparked the 49ers to a win over Miami. And for the next three weeks, with the help of the leagues’ top ranked defense, Purdy led the Niners to three more victories.

The average score was 31-13. This included a win at Seattle, a house of horrors for the 49ers over the last decade, where the crowd noise is deafening. And in that game, Purdy couldn’t throw the ball more than ten yards as he was hampered by a rib injury. But like Montana, who was renowned for fighting through injuries, Purdy took a pain-killing shot before the game. He went out and did just enough to ensure another win.

That victory followed up his first-ever NFL start which was the stuff of legends. Commanding the huddle and playing as if he were a veteran, Purdy stunningly won his first game as a starter by outdueled the great Tom Brady and Tampa Bay in a one-sided win. Television shots of his dad shedding tears of joy in the stands added a heart tugging element to the story.

“We always knew he had command from the beginning,” remarked Head Coach Kyle Shanahan. “It’s not just the games, we’re all getting used to how he is during the whole routine of the week. Him starting to talk to guys…it’s been fun.”

Roommates Brock Purdy (#13), Nick Zakelj (#63) and Alfredo Gutierrez (#77) made holiday cards for the entire 49ers team

Purdy has had few distractions as he lives in rather spartan conditions, sharing a condo with two of his young teammates, Nick Zakeji and Alfredo Gutierrez. Purdy took a good natured ribbing when he stuck Christmas cards featuring the three of them in Santa outfits in each of his teammates' lockers. It’s quite apparent that everyone likes the young man.

Look at Purdy closely and he appears to be a fresh-faced youngster just out of high school. He’s generously listed at 6' 1" but might be closer to 5’ 11” tall. But behind that choir boy visage is one of the coolest, most competitive leaders you’ll see. And many seem to forget that Purdy was the starting quarterback at Iowa State for the better part of four years.

The stats tell some of the story: Eight TD passes and only two interceptions in these four starts and an average of over 210 yards through the air, plus a passing rating of 116.2. Pretty darn good!

While he may sometimes have a challenging time looking over those big guys up front, Purdy’s been getting help from a much improved offensive line. Although he’s been sacked almost twice a game, he’s usually been given time to find an open receiver or run out of trouble. A broken play against Miami led to a scramble to the sidelines where he dived for a first down. The play helped insure a win. And two weeks later in Seattle, Purdy executed one of the niftiest plays of the NFL season. Purdy dropped back, faked a screen pass to the left, spun around and snookered the Seahawks’ defense again with another pump fake to the right. Then he went right down the middle to a wide open tight end George Kittle over the middle. Touchdown! The play was labeled “Hollywood” and it got raves from the box office.

After a slow start, partly due to a lingering injury, Kittle has come around and is playing at all-pro form. After catching four TD passes from Purdy in the last two games. Kittle is thrilled by his young teammate’s stunning ascent.

“He’s getting the ball to us,” said Kittle after the Niners ran up 37 points against a Washington Commanders team that featured the fourth-highest rated defense in the league.

“He’s great with the football. He puts it on target. He allows guys to run with it. He’s super savvy in the backfield and makes guys miss. His confidence is through the roof right now and I don’t know why it wouldn’t be."

How far can Brock Purdy take the 49ers? It's way too early to anoint him as the team’s next great quarterback, but it’s fun to compare him to Montana, even though that’s a bit of a stretch.

* * *

Long-time Bay Area sportscaster Bruce Macgowan has been recording his 45 years of broadcast experience for a forthcoming book to be published shortly. For earlier articles by Macgowan, published in

Sports Today, click HERE.

USF Dons 97

Arizona State Sun Devils 60

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

San Francisco Dons guard Khalil Shabazz recorded 26 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists to help the Dons cruise to a 97-60 upset of the 25th-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils at War Memorial Gym at the Sobrato Center on Wednesday, December 21st. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.

Sophomore Isaiah Hawthorne scored ten of his 19 points in the first half as the Dons began the game with a 26-3 run. Caption and photo

by Darren Yamashita.

Sophomore reserve Marcus Williams was perfect from the field, finishing with 11 points and six assists. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.

Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley received two technical fouls in the second half, leading to his ejection with 4:15 to play in the game. To view a game photo album, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.

Consider A New Year's Donation

Sports Today is a dynamic sports journal distributed each Monday to the sports industry and media professionals, colleges and universities and avid San Francisco and Northern California sports fans.

FREE of charge since 2014, each issue provides extensive professional and collegiate team coverage, unmatched photo essays, schedules, scores, humor and much more. Our contributors are highly respected journalists and authors who provide a wide array of in-depth articles, and our Letters to the Editor delight readers.

Your donation, of any amount, will help offset costs of production, internet-related service fees, and other items related to this unique, highly acclaimed FREE weekly sports journal.

For comments or questions, write Christopher Weills, Publisher,

Sports Today, P.O. Box 4515, Berkeley, CA 94704

or theultimatesportsguide@gmail.com

To make a PayPal donation, Click HERE

Donors

Sports Today thanks the following generous donors!

Steve Chain

Tarzana, CA

Harvey Cohen

Montrose, CO

Robert Flammia

Berkeley, CA

Bill & Nona Hool

San Rafael, CA

Ann McNaughton

Alameda, CA

Chloe Satterlee

Berkeley, CA

Selina Satterlee

Hanalei, Kauai

Robert Scheer

Los Angeles, CA

Narda Zacchino

Los Angeles, CA

The Immaculate Reception

Two greats we lost this year: Franco Harris and Mr. C.

Mr. C worked many events as a Howard Cosell impersonator. This photo was taken during Super Bowl XLV in Miami where Mr. C performed at Franco's private fundraiser. Photo by Jeff Bayer.

My Version Of The

Immaculate Reception

By Jeff Bayer

December 23rd was the 50th Anniversary of the Immaculate Reception. I wrote this narrative prior to Franco’s passing.

RIP Franco!

I was in my 2nd year as a game-day 49ers Public Relations assistant in the Press Box at Candlestick Park. It was about one hour before our kickoff with the Dallas Cowboys in a divisional playoff game. The elevator was on the upper level of the Press Box, directly opposite the coaches and stadium operations boxes.

Above the railing by the elevator was a small black and white television monitor playing the final minutes of the Raiders/Steelers game. I was watching the game as the elevator door opened and out walked the NFL Commissioner, Pete Rozelle. He was alone and without an entourage.

He saw that I was looking up at the game on TV and asked me what was the score and how much time was left. I told him the Raiders had just scored and were ahead by 1 point (7-6) with a little over a minute to play.

He then stopped and began watching the monitor with me. Given the opportunity, I immediately engaged the Commissioner in conversation and began talking about current events. I was asking him if he thought it strange that President Nixon was relentlessly bombing what seemed to be civilian areas in Vietnam and Cambodia, all the while domestically complaining about the Redskins not being on local TV.

Rozelle smiled, laughed a little, and shook his head in agreement and then blurted out, “What the hell was that???” Franco Harris had just scored what would be forever remembered as the “Immaculate Reception.”

There was pandemonium on the field as the referee went to the sidelines and picked up a telephone. I said to the Commissioner, “Is he trying to call you?”

His response was a simple, “He better not be!”

I told that story to Franco decades later and he said, “I always wondered where the Commissioner was.” As a former Press Box assistant, I was proud to deliver the correct answer decades later to Franco!

BTW – The 49ers lost that day to the Cowboys when Roger Staubach engineered 2 touchdown drives with a little over 2 minutes to play to come from 12 points down and defeat the 49ers in arguably the ugliest day in Bay Area sports history.

* * *

During his three decades on the 49ers sidelines, Jeff Bayer photographed countless legends, while also earning two Pro Football Hall of Fame Honorable Mention Awards. He is listed in the 49ers Media Guide as one of five Historical Photographers. Additionally, Bayer collaborated on several books on the 49ers dynasty. He is the lead photographer at the American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe where he chronicles the golf and fun of the likes of Steph Curry, Justin Timberlake, Patrick Mahomes and an incredible

field of athletes and entertainers.

San Francisco Giants

View full Spring Training Schedule

Conforto agrees to 2-year deal with Giants (source)

Maria Guardado

@mi_guardado

SAN FRANCISCO -- Three days after their megadeal with shortstop Carlos Correa collapsed, the Giants pivoted to the best remaining hitter on the free-agent market, agreeing to a two-year, $36 million deal with outfielder Michael Conforto, a source told MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand on Friday. Bob Nightengale of USA Today was first to report the agreement, which has an opt-out after the first year.

The team has not confirmed the deal.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

Make Sense of the Madness:

The Evolving Business of College Athletics

A six session course in the 2023 Winter Quarter at

Stanford Continuing Studies. The course will be listed in the

SCS Catalog on 11/7 with signups beginning on 11/28: continuingstudies.stanford.edu

Weekly course sessions begin on Tuesday, January 31st

from 7-9 pm. At this time all sessions will be virtual on Zoom.

Stanford Continuing Studies

Winter Quarter 2023 -- BUS 119

Title: Make Sense of the Madness:

The Evolving Business of College Athletics

Instructor -- Andy Dolich

The business of college athletics is booming. Close to 2,000 athletic departments throughout the U.S. generate $25.5 billion in media rights while attracting over 190 million enthusiastic, ticket-buying fans. This industry is evolving real-time in increasingly complex ways. The recent news that USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten Conference has created waves of uncertainty and speculation about the future. Just a year ago, college athletes were first permitted to profit from the rights for their Name, Image, or Likeness (NIL) while on the playing fields of their schools. What do these seismic changes mean for college athletes, administrators, and fans now and

in the future?

This course examines the business of college sports past,

present and future.

Session One -- Introduction on the Business of College Sports

Session Two -- Overview of the changes in the Pac-12 and beyond -- Ted Robinson

Session Three -- Economics -- Dr. Dan Rascher

Session Four -- The Media -- Jon Wilner

Session Five -- Athletes and coaches - Ben Braun

Session Six -- Final Round -- Table with representatives of involved

constituencies.

Sessions will include interactive discussions from industry experts.

Students will leave this course with insights into the revolutionary changes affecting the business of college sports.

* * *

Andy Dolich has over five decades of leadership in the sports industry, including executive positions in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, pro soccer and lacrosse. Presently Dolich is Commissioner of Fan Controlled Sports & Entertainment (FCSE) and teaches sports business at Stanford's School of Continuing Studies. Dolich is also co-author of: Goodbye, Oakland; 20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro and co-author of LOL, Loss of Logo, What's Your Next Move? For articles by Andy Dolich published in Sports Today!, click HERE.

Oakland A's

View full Spring Training Schedule

Sean Langeliers. Photo by Darren Yamashita.

Inbox: Assessing active A's,

looking ahead to 2023

By Martín Gallegos @MartinJGallegos

OAKLAND -- The A’s are coming off a busy week, first having traded Sean Murphy to the Braves in a blockbuster three-team deal and later adding needed experience to their roster -- with the signings of J ace Peterson and Aledmys Díaz on the position player side and Trevor May for the bullpen.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE

DUBS Ball

Don't Worry About The Warriors

by Howard Pearlstein

There are several levels to what is happening and all of them are more or less temporary. Just, unfortunately, happening all at the same time. A combination of new players, injuries, a complex on-court system and…well...

OK, first of all, think of any team, any sport, HALF your players are injured, and of those, half of them are starters and the other half are your off-the-bench backups for your starters. Only one of those – Jordan Poole – is still able to play.

OK, also, you have rookies for whom learning the game is the job. Learning, as someone pointed out, to play with Steph (who right now is out with an injury).

It’s not just Steph’s ability to sink 3-pointers, the best in the history of the NBA. It’s the peripatetic and idiosyncratic without-the-ball movements around the court that gets him able to either have a clear shot or pass to someone else (who needs to be aware that shot or that pass can come at any moment, without any giveaway motions to alert the defense).

AND – in all sports, many of the draftees were superstars in high school or college, players on whose performance the win or loss depended. So, in a system where everyone has to be able to carry the weight of the game, the hot talent opens up the game for the other guys to score for the team.

I think of it as Wide Receiver Mind-Set. Consider the 49ers Brandon Aiyuk, or in this instance Jonathan Kuminga, or as in almost all cases taking a track speedster to be a wide receiver, and he fails. It's about players who are singularly talented and whose skill set is to be out there all alone. And especially with the Warriors, the trick is to learn how to team-think, which, to be fair, was not only never asked of them before, it was often told to them as something to avoid as much as possible.

But OK. And we see Kuminga in his second season getting the mind-shift, passing more, moving to set up someone else, learning the game as it is played in these parts. It takes a while to unlearn that thing that caused everyone to cheer for you, and which, in fact, is some or all of what caused you to be signed to the team.

SO – we have half the team off the court with injuries, and those still playing needing those missing players to interact with, learn the game in motion. And if the players drafted or traded for or signed really had the potential which had been assumed, we’ll see the change as injured payers return to the game and get back up to their own standard.

One more thing – even the great ones – Steph and Klay – had some bad games when they were younger and healthier. But with the current system of motion-and-assists in force, we sometimes see stats for what might have once been considered a “bad game,” i.e, low scoring, few 3’s, but might be the veteran trying to help the newbies get up to speed, fulfill their potential.

That’s assuming the people in charge of this multi-championship team knows (and knew) what the hell they were doing.

I think they do, but full disclosure – my late wife did an affectionately kindly diss when she called me an optimist. I tried my best to counter – saying: “No, but I’m hopeful.” But maybe she was right.

Draymond Green put it this way, prior to starting the homestand: “Once the ball is in the air, (who’s out) won’t matter at all.”

* * *

Howard Pearlstein has been a few places and done a few things.

An old friend once said, "Howard, you live your life like you're trying to fill in a dust jacket blurb." Well, then all I have to do is write a book that will get published.

Hardly Trivial & Drabble!

(A Drabble is a story of exactly 100 words,

not including the title)

by T. Buff

Christmas Monday...

It's a Drabble instead of a question.

As a Christmas gift, you have the day off from a question, but get some thoughts about what I was

thinking of doing.

Christmas is a big sports day, so I was looking to find something dramatic, sports wise, which occurred on Christmas and create a mind-stimulating question to get you going after all the Christmas feasting.

But there are too many answers to the question because all the sports are involved on this list. Enjoy the read and may the rest of your journey to the New Year

be a good one.

Yamila Diaz -- from the Autograph Collection of Rich Yee

Yamila Diaz may not be an athlete but she did grace the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition twice. In 2002 Sports Illustrated held a magazine signing to promote the annual swimsuit issue by having several of the models tour major cities. I was present at the San Francisco signing. As I approached Yamila at her table she greeted me with her incredible Argentine accent. We chatted for a moment, then she signed my magazine cover. It’s been in my collection for twenty years.

Rich Yee, Sports Today photographer

Grand Canyon Dories

Hermit Rapids in the Grand Canyon,

always thrilling and photogenic.

Steve Reynolds at the oars.

Photo by Rudi Petschek.

Cal Bears

Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox

Cal Announces First 15 Members Of

2023 Recruiting Class

First 14 Revealed Wednesday Followed By Former Tulsa Punter Lachlan Wilson On Friday

BERKELEY – Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox has announced the first 15 members of Cal's 2023 recruiting class during the Early Signing Period that ends on Friday.

"Today is an exciting day for everyone involved with Cal football to welcome a talented new group of Golden Bears that will help us win football games," Wilcox said on Wednesday. "We have a tremendous coaching staff in place that will help them succeed. It's the start of a new chapter for everyone in the group and such an important day for the signees and their families."

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

www.calbears.com

Stanford Cardinal

Cardinal Beats Cal

Cardinal improves to 13-1, 1-0 in Pac-12 play

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Haley Jones and Hannah Jump, Stanford's two stars who share the same initials. Together they dismantled rival California.

"In the first half we did a good job on Hannah, but Haley was killing us," Golden Bears coach Charmin Smith said.

Then, Jump more than did her part after intermission.

continued...

By Stanford Athletics. For a full report, click HERE

www.gostanford.com

San Jose State Spartans

Signing Day Page

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Alexander Cobbs, Jay'Vion Cole, Imari Conley, Quali Conley, Luke Griskey, Vaka Hansen, DJ Harvey, Keynan Higgins, Kamaehu Kopa-Kaawalauole, Noah Mcneal-Franklin, Hunter Nowell, Tavarius Pitts and Isiah Revis all signed National Letters of Intent on Early National Signing Day Wednesday to join SJSU football for the 2023 season. The 13 members of the current incoming class include six transfers and one from a power five school. Nine of the incoming class are from California and also nine come from the defensive side of the ball. The Spartans will increase their 2023 class on National Signing Day on Feb. 1, 2023.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

#AllSpartans

www.sjsuspartans.com

Saint Mary's College Gaels

Gaels Win Second Leg of Jerry Colangelo Classic, Beat Wyoming by 12

PHOENIX — Saint Mary's Men's Basketball returned to the Footprint Center on Wednesday night for their second appearance in the Jerry Colangelo Classic this season. Taking on the Wyoming Cowboys, an NCAA Tournament team last year, the Gaels ebbed and flowed their way to a 66-54 victory over the Pokes, getting back on track after a loss on Sunday. Saint Mary's heads into the holidays with a 10-4 record while dropping Wyoming to 5-7.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

#GaelsRise

www.smcgaels.com

USF Dons

Hawthorne, Gigiberia Push Dons Past Hawks

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Cruising to another dominant victory at home, the University of San Francisco men's basketball team (11-4) closed out their non-conference schedule with a 32-point win over Hartford (4-11) on Thursday night as the Dons handled the Hawks, 85-53, at War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

www.usfdons.com

Santa Clara Broncos

Broncos Dominate Second Half In 73-58

Win Over Boise State

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara men's basketball put a cap on non-conference play on Thursday afternoon by picking up one of their best wins of the season. The Broncos took care of business inside the Leavey Center, using a 22-5 second half run to defeat Boise State, 73-58, and conclude non-conference play with a 12-3 record.

The Broncos' 12 wins are tied for the second most non-conference wins in program history and just one shy of the record of 13 set in 2019-20.

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For a full report, click HERE.

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