Sarni's Scrolls: TV Is Calling
Nick Saban has a TV job with ESPN if he wants one.
Bill Belichick is welcome when he's ready to leave the sideline.
The two coaching legends made headlines this week -- Saban, 72, resigned from Alabama with six career national championships, while Belichick, 71, parted ways with the New England Patriots after 24 seasons and six Super Bowls.
ESPN has long had its eyes on Saban. It's the perfect successor to Lee Corso, who's 88.
Saban likes making guest appearances on “GameDay. He’s already tight with new “GameDay” star Pat McAfee, making weekly appearances on his new show.
Belichick will have strong interest from the TV networks as an analyst.
A top NFL analyst can command $8-10 million. Double that for a No. 1 game analyst.
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Prominent sports influencer Joe Casale on the end of Aaron Rodgers' appearances on "The Pat McAfee Show" for the remainder of the football season... although The loudmouth quarterback returned briefly to talk about Bill Belichick on Thursday.
"Aaron Rodgers prattling on about cancel culture and how woke people are trying to cancel him. This cracked me up for 2 reasons:
"1. People try to sound smart using the term “woke.” That’s a neon red light for me at one’s stupidity. Aaron Rodgers is the latest example.
"2. Aaron Rodgers talking about being cancelled, while being on the largest sports platform in the world weekly (and being paid a million dollars to do so), is the most Aaron Rodgers thing ever. That ain’t being cancelled, sport.
"The sad part is, after this segment was over, I suspect Rodgers went back to his comfort zone. The darkest part of the internet. Where he received universal praise for, “Owning the Libs.”
"Pro tip, Aaron. To own us Libs, we have to care about you and what you have to say. We don’t care about you or what you have to say. We are laughing at you. As are, I suspect, non-libs are as well."
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ESPN and FOX have unveiled initial broadcast schedules for the 2024 Major League Baseball season.
Highlights
ESPN
LMarch 20-21: Padres vs. Dodgers
2024 Seoul Series
Shohei Ohtani's Dodgers debut.
April 7: Astros vs. Rangers
April 28: Cubs vs. Red Sox
June 9: Dodgers vs. Yankees
Aug. 18: Tigers vs. Yankees
Little League Classic
Fox
March 30: Astros vs. Yankees; Giants vs. Padres; Phillies vs. Braves
June 8: Phillies vs. Mets
2024 London Series
June 20: Giants vs. Cardinals
MLB at Rickwood Field
Salute to Negro Leagues
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Coco Gauff is making a statement with her 2024 Australian Open (Jan. 13-28) outfits.
"The boldness of Coco’s kit aims to capture the energy of the Australian Open,” Jane Park, New Balance apparel designer, told Forbes.
The one-of-one kit for Gauff matches the first 2024 colorway of the sport’s only signature shoe for a current athlete, the CG1.
"The Coco CG1 Primary Power colorway puts a spin on primary shades through the lens of Coco’s style,” Cordell Jordan, New Balance footwear designer, said.
“We made it bolder and more impactful with a modern, yet nostalgic, tone. Pairing sea salt (color) with these vintage primary colors adds a fresh appeal to this core heritage look.”
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ETC.
■ NHL streakers: Panthers nine wins, Oilers 9, Kraken 8, Jets 8.
■ The Cavs defeated the Nets 112-102 in the NBA's third regular-season game in Paris. France's importance to the league: NBA League Pass up 26%.
■ Jan. 12, 1969... Jets 16, Colts 7. The first "official" Super Bowl. Games I and II were titled NFC-AFC Championships.
■ NFL fans will pay to watch an NFL playoff game on a streamer. According to a Front Office Sports/Harris Poll, 61% would purchase the service, 57% would pay a one-time fee. Peacock is televising Dolphins-Chiefs on Saturday.
■ Netflix is making an NBA docuseries in the style of its NFL show "Quarterback" that will follow LeBron James, Jason Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, Domantas Sabonis.
■ Rory McIlroy, in an interview with "The Telegraph", is offering another proposal to golf’s fractured landscape, suggesting that players need to give up their status as independent contractors unless they want to go back to competing for prize funds from 10 years ago.
■ Former Patriots WR Randy Moss spoke to ESPN about Bill Belichick while aboard his fishing boat on Thursday. Moss invited his former coach to join him catching bass.
■ Jeff DeForrest did Thursday's "Defo Show" while hooked up to an IV. That's dedication.
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■ The Orlando Magic is retiring Shaquille O'Neal's No. 32.
■ The New England Patriots are advertising for a Gillette Stadium lighthouse operator.
■ The NWSL Draft is Friday at 8 p.m. EST on Ion... San Diego Wave center back Naomi Girma was named U.S. Soccer Female of the Year.
■ Stanford coach Tara Van Derveer is three victories (1,200) away from becoming the winningest college basketball coach -- men or women -- in history. The Cardinal plays Colorado on Sunday (2 p.m. EST, Fubo).
■ Watchlist: USA vs. Finland, U18 Women's World Championship semifinal on Saturday (1 p.m. EST, NHL Network)... Sprouts Farmers Night College Quad gymnasts... 1. Oklahoma, 2. Utah, 5. LSU, 12. UCLA on Saturday (4 p.m. EST, ABC).
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■ "The White Lotus" new cast members for Season 3: Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Michelle Monaghan.
■ Selena Gomez will play Linda Ronstadt in a new biopic.
■ "Young Gibbs," an NCIS prequel, is in the works at CBS for the 2024-25 season. Mark Harmon will be the narrator.
■ ABC's "The Good Doctor" will end with the upcoming Season 7.
■ The second season of the Canadian rescue drama "SkyMed" is streaming on Paramount+.
■ "Julia" has been canceled after two seasons on Max.
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THEY SAID IT
■ "I have no desire to stop playing anytime soon." -- Chiefs TE Travis Kelce.
■ "That’s about all I did. LOL." -- Tim Tebow, replying to Bill Belichick's light-hearted reference to the former quarterback at Thursday's press conference.
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