Sports
B8 THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE
SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2022
Not all MLB teams are playing on Fourth of July
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ater in this column, you will see what its lead item had been, but UCLA’s and USC’s eventual departure from the Pac-12 supersedes all. n It’s not difficult whatsoever to figure out Thursday’s events, culminating with the 20-megaton explosive dropped on Pac-12 headquarters. The issue? Several. Two in particular. National collegiate athletics relevancy and, not coincidentally, money. Lots of it and a lot more where that came from. The next round of TV contract negotiations will reap more cash than ever before. The Pac-12, through mostly its own fault, had become irrelevant, especially in football. Relevancy in any collegiate sport is achieved only by a consistent pattern of winning. USC doesn’t do irrelevant. UCLA doesn’t do irrelevant. While the bombshell was shocking in its timing, it should not be construed as surprising.
Two-thirds of the United States population lives in the Eastern and Central time zones. If you are trying to acquaint people with mainstream Pac-12 franchises (football, men’s and women’s basketball primarily), you don’t do it starting games when much of the country has gone to bed. The Pac-12 has just two total appearances in the College Football Playoff. Bottom line: Its teams just haven’t been good enough. In the not-so-distant past, West Coast recruiting was dominated by the Pac-12. The SEC in particular and later the Big Ten each saw California for what it is: A
treasure trove of well-coached football talent and players who wanted to play for schools they believed had a chance at a national championship. What’s next? Who knows? What will a revamped Pac-12 look like? Not just football, but all sports, men and women. This much is certain. There will be more movement and realignment. The Pac-12 is soon to lose its cornerstones. Replacing them will be a tall task.
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ow, to our previously scheduled material. n Baseball and the Fourth of July; they go hand-in-hand. Maybe it’s the hot dogs, in abundance at all ballparks and on your outdoor grill as we celebrate our nation’s birthday. n Hard to understand why all 30 MLB teams aren’t playing on July 4th. On Monday, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles Angels and the New York Yankees aren’t scheduled. n ”Whoever wants to know the heart
and mind of America had better learn baseball, the rules and realities of the game.” A quote from longtime French and U.S. historian Jacques Barzun, who lived to be 104 years old. n Two well-known, and often confrontational sports owners were born on July 4th: Al Davis and George Steinbrenner. n Only one member of the Baseball Hall of Fame was born on July 4. It is 1880s pitcher Mickey Welch, who won 307 games, mostly for the New York Giants, in the dead-ball era. n To read the rest of Doug Kelly’s column, visit www.davisenterprise.com and click on the Sports tab. — The longtime radio and television color man on UC Davis football broadcasts, Doug Kelly is director of communications for Battlefields2Ballfields and managing general partner of Kelly & Associates. Contact him at DKelly1416@aol.com.
DELTA: Pluses for an 8-school league come 2024
COURT: ‘Gave me a gift’
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From Page B1
the void. The Mustangs are currently in the Metro Conference, which is D-II. During public meetings for the 2018-2022 league realignment cycle in Stockton in early 2017, Monterey Trail made it clear it wanted to remain in the Delta League. The Mustangs were a member from 2014 until 2018, then moved to the Metro Conference. In 2021, the section extended the current
league realignment cycle through spring 2024 because of the pandemic. Should Monterey Trail return, some notable items to keep in mind. One, Davis and all the schools would play three non-league games before starting league play. Two, if the Delta League officials opt for the bye week for all teams, when would it be held is the question. The bye could be held Week 6 or 7 in 2024 and 2025. If Week 6, an even
four games left in the regular season. If Week 7, three games remain on each school’s schedule. Another plus for the Delta League is that each football team would not have an advantage over their next league foe entering the following week when they face each other under the lights. There are many sevenschool leagues in the section. Each of those schools are at a disadvantage. A bye week for all
schools could be a topic of discussion for Davis High and the rest of the Delta League, should Monterey Trail return come summer 2024. The Delta League should seriously consider following the SJAA’s path, which could be setting a new trend for leagues and conferences in the section for high school football teams. — Contact Mike Bush at mike@davisenterprise. net. Follow on Twitter: @ MBDavisSports.
started playing basketball.” After joining his eighth-grade basketball team, Clark realized he had a natural talent. “When I picked that ball up, it was like God gave me a gift,” Clark said. “I worked very hard at every level I played in so every time I played basketball, it was always a challenge for me to get better and better.”
Clark played high school basketball at Burbank High of Sacramento before continuing his career at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento and Cal State East Bay. n To read the rest of Krueger’s story, visit www.davisenterprise. com and click on the Sports tab. — Henry Krueger is an intern for The Enterprise this summer. Follow him on Twitter: @henrykrveger.