LOTS OF STUFF. ... LIKE ACC AS WELL AS U.VA. SHOULD SAVE QB FROM NO-LONGER-RELEVANT NCAA

 Here, there, and just about everywhere ...

So Virginia QB CHANDLER MORRIS was denied a 

seventh year of eligibility. He should take the NCAA to 

court over the decision … which makes no sense given 

the body’s arbitrary, subjective approach that has resulted 

in some athletes getting favorable response despite asking 

for as many as 10 years (and more) to complete their 

college “careers.”

Besides, the NCAA no longer is the guardian of amateur 

sports because, frankly, they no longer exist … and surely 

is about to go out of business, hopefully sooner than later. 

College athletics (notably football and basketball), where 

everyone is a free agent and operating with no salary cap, 

have become more professional than the pros.

A product of the transfer portal … who proved a perfect 

fit for U.Va., off as well as on the field … Morris deserves 

better, and the ACC as well as the school should cha

llenge the NCAA on his behalf.

VIRGINIA TECH’S Voice of the Hokies, BILL ROTH, has been voted state sportscaster of the year for a 13^th

 time. Maybe he should retire the honor and give someone 

else a crack … UR’s Voice of the Spiders BOB BLACK, 

for instance.

Likewise sportswriter DAVID TEEL, who won No. 16 -- 

and counting. He and Roth are no-brainers, now easy 

choices as the competition has either retired or moved on.

TAMPA BAY Buccaneers’ coach TODD BOWLES fired 

''''six members of his staff Friday. In addition, two retired

You don’t think it was either them or him, now do you?

In Baltimore, JOHN HARBAUGH was let go after 18 

years as Ravens coach when, reportedly, he refused 

ownership’s request to fire his offense coordinator.

TALK ABOUT overkill … I give you ESPN’s college 

football playoff coverage. Friday (Jan. 9) night’s 

semifinal, Oregon vs. Indiana, was available here, start to 

finish, on four of Comcast’s cable channels (850, 851, 

852 and 853) IN ADDITION TO assorted outlets via

 ESPN+.

YOUR BUFFALO Sabres Friday returned Richmond’s

 ZAC JONES to AHL Rochester. It marked the 25 year 

old defenseman’s third call-up of the season – and the 

third time they didn’t bother to use him.

Prevailing rumor in NHL: ARTEMI PANARIN from 

NHL Rangers to Buffalo. High-scoring veteran became 

expendable last summer when he was involved in a 

potential personal battery case. The club interceded on his 

behalf in a threatened law suit … but the league hasn’t 

taken any action – yet. Also … Panarin will be an 

unrestricted free agent. If the team doesn’t come about in 

the next month or so and look like a playoff contender, 

he’s a goner … to the highest bidder. Make us an offer.

The league’s hottest team, winner of 12 of its last 13 

games, Buffalo would like to move forward ALEX 

TUCH … and his demand for a new contract of $10 

million=plus – per year.

THE BROADWAY BLUESHIRTS didn’t play like they 

cared about qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs 

Saturday in Boston. They left veteran goalie

 JONATHAN QUICK (cliché alert) out to dry, and when 

the Bruins made it 6-1 with 8:34 left in the second period, 

Quick was replaced. Former NHL GT BRIAN 

BOUCHER, serving as analyst for ABC, called it “a 

mercy pull … He’s been on his own all afternoon.”

“YOU DON’T SEE this very often,” said NHL-on-ABC 

rules analyst DAVE JACKSON when the Boston Bruins 

were credited with a goal (and a 3-1 lead over the 

Rangers) shortly after the end of the first period Saturday. 

How about never, Dave?

The teams had to return to the ice and replay the final 

32.9 seconds when video replay clearly showed the puck 

crossed the goal line (barely) before Rangers’ defenseman

 BRADEN SCHNEIDER batted it away.

So, unlike the NFL (for example), in the NHL you can 

correct a mistake at any time – and not necessarily before 

play resumes? 

Well … not exactly … although Jackson, who refereed 

1,629 NHL games (1989-2018), didn’t address that … 

except to say, normally, they would see it was a goal in 

the league’s situation room and tell the timekeeper to 

blow the buzzer, stop play and count it.

Saturday, play continued, and the first 20 minutes were 

history. “They didn’t have enough time to fit it all in. So 

they took their time. The period ended. Then they buzzed 

down and told the referees it was a goal … to get the 

teams back and re-set the clock,” Jackson said.

“That NEVER happens,” said studio host STEVE LEVY.

USUALLY A high-profile athletic director, VCU’s ED 

McLAUGHLIN has been notably low-key of late or 

since word got out he was involved in a car accident in 

Northern Virginia last summer and refused to take a test 

to determine if he had been drinking alcohol.

Then came word last week that VCU would not play 

home games at the new CarMax Park because, although 

publicly agreeing to be a tenant, it had failed to sign the 

necessary papers. Nor had the university sold Sports 

Backers Stadium to the city for a reported $25 million by 

now, as previously announced.

Add to that ... plans to construct a track and other 

amenities across Arthur Ashe Blvd from the Diamond 

also were put on hold … and you have the picture of an 

athletic program in disarray. The Rams baseball team still 

will play its 2026 home schedule at The Diamond, won’t 

it?

Meanwhile, some of the pressure was removed when the 

Flying Squirrels’ minor-league baseball team said they 

were happy they wouldn’t have to share CarMax, given 

the wear and tear two teams playing regularly there would 

have on the playing surface.

Until next time ...