The Mets have lost seven straight to fall behind the Phillies by six games. The Yankees (also six back of first) have lost 7 of 10 and almost no one believes in manager Aaron Boone. What does it mean to be bad in July/August? Both teams are clinging to each league’s final wild card spot. The issue is that the margin of error moving forward is severely compressed. When the Dodgers spend their millions every winter, they widen their range of possibilities for success even if things go wrong (underperformance, injuries, etc…). The Yankees/Mets spent similar sums, but seem to have none of advantages the Dodgers enjoy. Gerrit Cole is out for the year and Aaron Judge recently missed two weeks. Should that sink NY into third? No. The AL East isn’t even that strong. Baltimore never showed up this year. Tampa is taking an off year. The Red Sox are competitive, but by no means a juggernaut. For the life of me, I can’t understand how the Yankees trot out the lineups they do every year. There’s absolutely no ceiling from their position players. They’ve curiously spent the last decade attempting to build radically deep bullpens, but they haven’t developed any position player talent outside Judge. Speaking of Aaron, we’re entering Bonds territory (or more recently, Mike Trout). Baseball is watching another generation’s most talented asset waste prime years not just on a non-exciting team, but also a disappointing one. It couldn’t be more different than the NBA. Judge isn’t going anywhere, but neither are the Yankees.

Tailgates. Coliseums. Uniforms. Saturday. You guessed it. College Football. No other country marries amateur athletics with academics like we do, and that creates an awkward combination of ethics, finance, and emotions. The college football we have today is so different from ten years ago that you might feel a little disconnected. Should you? Aren’t you comfortable with Change? If we strip away the politics and headlines, is the sport in good shape? Let’s see:

The players are getting paid.

That’s great news. They should’ve been paid the whole time. The How and How Much questions are still very inconclusive. Certain players (bad ones) should be more than happy to be compensated with a normal scholarship. Other players (great ones) should definitely make millions of dollars. Taking player compensation from a black market to a free market has been bumpy, but it’s considerably better than watching people generate billions of dollars without recognized compensation. Cleaning up where the money comes from and how it’s delivered will take time. Be comfortable in this transition. It’s heading in the right direction.

The players change teams.

Interconnected with getting paid, players can now change teams much more easily than ever before. This is getting abused, but again, the principle is correct. If coaches can (and do) move from school A to B at will, then players should be able to as well. If you think young men are making mistakes, quitting too early on opportunities, and getting misguided advice, you’re correct. That’s happening. It’s also not illegal. You don’t need to invest emotions in 20 year olds thinking the grass is greener.

The National Champion is determined by a playoff.

A massive, massive win for a sport that let sports writers crown the best team for decades. A computer algorithm used to pick the title game. The playoff is growing (mo money), but altogether, this is the biggest win for the sport. It’s insane that it’s taken until now to even have a 12 team playoff. Eventually, the sport will agree to a 16 team format. Whatever the number, the playoff system is fantastic.

The Big 10 and SEC swallowed the Big 12 and Pac 12.

This one stings for the West Coast. Of the changes above, this one is a challenge to unpack. Should you pay players? Yes. Boom. Done. Should UCLA play in the same conference as Rutgers? Uhh…….

College football is regional. The style of teams, the rivalries, the fan bases are distinct by geography. That’s a good thing. Here’s the biggest challenge the game faces with every decision: how can we change the System, but protect the Culture? You (and me) are married to the Culture. We were never married to the BCS System. We’re married (and divorced) to the Pac 12. Did the change in the System (conference re-alignment) destroy our Culture? So far, no. Watching Oregon take on Ohio State is a win for fans. What did we lose? Oregon playing Washington State. If I’m a Wash St fan, do I feel good enough that a 12 team playoff gives me a chance at a Dream Season, that I don’t mind the Pac 12 dissolving. Does my new schedule of Saturday’s preserve my football culture? We’ll see. I think Yes.

Unsaid in all of this is the most important element of the System: the NFL won’t accept you in their league unless you’re 3 years removed from High School. Relative to college basketball, this creates roster stability and the ability for fans to connect with Stars for more than one year. This isn’t changing anytime soon. If you’re QB wins the Heisman as a sophomore, he’ll back next year. Just be ready to pony up the cash.