A Defining Week
The Key for the week of January 13, 2025
How do you like me now?
That might be what the College Football Playoff committee is saying right now. After complaints about who’s in, who’s out, about the lack of competitive games, especially in the first round, all of a sudden the CFP is the greatest thing since sliced bread. With two competitive semi-final games that game down to the last minutes, producing two not-so-traditional (read, not from the SEC) finalists, the playoffs seem like a great idea. Oh yes, we can expect changes in the format, perhaps even changes in the number of teams that make the playoffs. But all in all, this first year of the expanded Playoff is gaining fans with every game. A tightly-contested championship next Monday between Notre Dame and Ohio State should garner even more fans—and quiet early naysayers.
Meanwhile, in the NFL…
I know, when your team’s not in the post-season, sometimes it’s hard to get excited about the playoffs. That doesn’t mean there weren’t some compelling games, like Washington’s “doink to win” against Tampa Bay. And don’t forget the Rams and Vikings relocating to Arizona because of the devastating fires around Los Angeles. At a time of tragedy, sometimes sports is a needed distraction. From the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans this year, to as far back as the baseball games in New York after 9-11, sports can heal.
Putting the Spring in Spring Training
With Reds Fantasy Camp here, can spring training be far behind? Mark February 22nd on your calendar-it’s the date of the first Reds spring training game. It all comes on the heels of a couple of good news reports from the home team—first, the Reds avoided arbitration by signing all eight of the team’s arbitration-eligible players. Second, the Reds are back with Main Street Sports, formerly the Diamond Sports Group, for local TV broadcasts for its 2025 games on the FanDuel Sports Network, rebranded from Bally Sports. Long negotiations short, fans should be able to see the Reds on the same channels you have been watching the last few years. And that deal with MLB to broadcast games? The FanDuel deal takes its place. A roundabout way to say, you’ll see Reds games where and how you saw them last season.
Ben’s Best Bet
It’s the matchup NFL fans have been wanting: Josh Allen and the Bills versus Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. The second-seeded Bills and the third seed Ravens face each other next Sunday in a showdown between the consensus MVP front-runners (never mind Joe Burrow’s stats surpass both of them, but we digress). The Ravens are a slim one-point favorite on the road according to BetMGM, but Jackson’s playoff record doesn’t match his MVP status (3-4 in the post season, including a loss at Buffalo in 2021). If Josh Allen wants to firm up his MVP status, this game is the time to do it. Look for the Bills to take this one at home.