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Good morning to everyone but especially to...
Welcome back, Colorado! The university's board of regents unanimously adopted a resolution to move the school from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 on Thursday, one day after the Big 12's presidents and chancellors unanimously voted to add the Buffaloes. Colorado will officially switch conferences next summer.
Colorado joined the Big Six in 1947, was a founding member of the Big 12 in 1996 and left for the Pac-12 in 2011. Colorado reuniting with the Big 12 was months in the making, and Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said simply, "They're back," alluding to Michael Jordan's 1995 return to the Bulls.
It's a busy time for the Big 12, which adds BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF this year and loses Texas and Oklahoma in 2024.
The Buffaloes are coming off a 1-11 football season and haven't won a bowl game since 2004. But the program's entire trajectory changed -- off the field certainly and on the field hopefully -- with the hiring of Deion Sanders in December. "Coach Prime" has directed a massive roster overhaul, bringing in the nation's top transfer class, including his son, Shedeur Sanders, and former No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter from Jackson State.
Will Backus compiled a timeline of how the move happened, and Dennis Dodd detailed why the Pac-12, still without a media deal, is a conference on the brink.
- Dodd: "The Pac-12's failings bear repeating: The league likely had its choice of Big 12 schools -- twice. In 2010, then-commissioner Larry Scott's bold move to raid the Big 12 of half its teams fell just short. More than a decade later, when Texas and Oklahoma announced they were departing for the SEC in 2021, the opportunity existed to pick the bones of a wounded Big 12. Instead, the Pac-12 stood pat ... and the Big 12 retooled. Two years later, the paradox can be felt from here to the Left (Behind) Coast."
Honorable mentions
- One day after reportedly being taken off the trade market, Shohei Ohtani threw his first complete game and then cranked two homers as the Angels swept a doubleheader against the Tigers. The Angels have won eight of nine.
- You can buy one of Michael Jordan's cars for $23.
- Here are the Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach/Contributor semifinalists.
- Ben Simmons is reportedly 100% healthy (like we've never heard that before).
- How about this historic performance from Breanna Stewart?
- The Senators signed star winger Vladimir Tarasenko.
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And not such a good morning for...
JOE BURROW AND THE CINCINNATI BENGALS...
When Joe Burrow went down with a non-contact leg injury and was carted off Thursday, the Bengals as we know them -- a bonafide Super Bowl contender with an outstanding roster, terrific young core and one of the best quarterbacks in the game -- flashed before our eyes. Only when it was revealed that Burrow's injury is "just" a calf strain could we the fans, and especially the Bengals and their fans, breathe a sigh of relief.
- Burrow went down in a heap while rolling out of the pocket and grabbed his calf, which was in a compression sleeve to help him deal with some "soreness" according to head coach Zac Taylor.
- Burrow, 26, has been a revelation for the Bengals (which you likely already know). He owns the Bengals' two highest passing yardage seasons, from the only two years he's been healthy. Two seasons ago, he led Cincinnati to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1988.
Burrow has barely played in the preseason historically. There were no preseason games in 2020 (COVID-19), and in 2021, he was limited coming off an ACL tear. He didn't play last preseason after a ruptured appendix. Cincinnati's first preseason game is Aug. 11
Trevor Siemian is the Bengals' top backup, with Jake Browning also on the roster. Here are five more options the team could explore.
... AND ALSO NOT SUCH A GOOD MORNING FOR JALEN RAMSEY AND THE MIAMI DOLPHINS
Unlike Burrow's injury, Jalen Ramsey's will cause him to miss some regular-season time -- likely a lot of it. The new Dolphins cornerback will reportedly undergo meniscus surgery and could be out until December after limping off the practice field Thursday.
- Miami acquired Ramsey, a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, from the Rams in March.
- Ramsey seemed to confirm the lengthy recovery timeline, tweeting "That end of the season push gon be legendary!"
- The Dolphins will look to 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith and 2020 first-rounder Noah Igbinoghene, among others, to step up.
Not so honorable mentions
- Zion Williamson and his family are being sued for an alleged unpaid $2-million loan.
- Willson Contreras got hit by Ian Happ's backswing, leading to Miles Mikolas throwing at Happ and getting ejected. There's no love lost in Cardinals-Cubs, apparently!
🏀 Bronny James released from hospital, at home with family
Bronny James, the star USC freshman and son of Lakers superstar LeBron James, returned home from the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest and collapsing during a practice Monday.
- Bronny, 18, was in the ICU for a period before a family spokesperson said Tuesday that he was in stable condition and out of the ICU.
- Thursday, LeBron James tweeted in part "Everyone doing great. We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love. Will have more to say when we're ready but I wanted to tell everyone how much your support has meant to all of us!"
- Bronny was the No. 27 recruit in the 2023 recruiting class.
🏈 Sean Payton, Robert Saleh in war of words, plus more training camp updates
The Broncos and Jets don't play each other until Week 5, but Sean Payton is already stirring the pot more than a month before Week 1. The new Denver head coach absolutely laid into Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired after less than one season as the Broncos' head coach.
- Payton said "It might have been one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL."
- Payton kept going, adding the Jets are "spending so much (expletive) time trying to win the offseason -- the PR, the pomp and circumstance, marching people around and all this stuff."
- Jets head coach Robert Saleh fired back, saying "Obviously we're doing something right if you've gotta talk about us when we don't play until Week 4 (actually Week 5). ... There are a lot of crows pecking at our neck."
Hackett was awful and simply overwhelmed in Denver, but the part about winning the offseason is kind of silly. What are the Jets supposed to do? Not be excited about Aaron Rodgers? Payton also mentioned them being on "Hard Knocks," but the Jets didn't even want that to happen. Good on Saleh for not taking the bait too much. In any event, circle October 8 on your calendar.
Elsewhere around the league...
- Dalvin Cook is visiting the Jets, and the Lions hosted Teddy Bridgewater.
- Brock Purdy has been cleared "without restriction."
- We have observations from Steelers Day 1, where Broderick Jones will have to earn starter status and Patriots Day 2. Plus Howie Roseman hasn't ruled out more additions to the Eagles, who are impressed with their young defensive linemen.
- Cardinals safety Budda Baker got a nice raise.
- Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson (calf) could miss the preseason.
🥊 Previewing Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford welterweight title unification fight
WBC, WBA and IBF champion Errol Spence Jr. (28-0) faces WBO titleholder Terence Crawford (39-0) on Saturday night in a welterweight unification fight and one of the most anticipated matchups in recent memory.
This is just the 13th welterweight title unification fight in boxing history, and Brent Brookhouse looked at the five best so far. If history's any indication, we're in for a good one.
Our group of boxing experts have done a magnificent job getting us ready for the showdown, and one of my favorites is Brian Campbell's in-depth look at Spence's sparring match against Floyd Mayweather -- a session that has become the stuff of legends. Here's more:
- How to watch
- Five biggest storylines
- Crawford is fine with winning a "boring" fight.
- We've rounded up predictions from fighters, legends and trainers.
📺 What we're watching this weekend
⚽ We're watching the Women's World Cup all weekend. Here's how.
Saturday
⚾ Tigers at Marlins, 4:10 p.m. on FS1
⚾ Red Sox at Giants OR Rays at Astros, 7:15 p.m. on Fox
Sunday
🏀 Lynx at Sun, 1 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
🏀 Liberty at Sparks, 4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
🏀 Wings at Aces, 6 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
⚾ Yankees at Orioles, 7 p.m. on ESPN
