Mailbox: What's next? Prop bets on college portal movement?
Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com. Letters are lightly edited for clarity.
On the NFL draft
Dear Mr. White: New York City, an April Monday, circa 1992: At lunchtime I wandered over to a hotel near Grand Central Station and positioned myself in the ballroom balcony with perhaps 200 other folks. Below, the NFL draft was taking place. In time, the NFL wised up and moved to weekends and Radio City Music Hall for its annual selection process before prime time and now − 750,000 decked-out fans in Detroit.
Makes me wonder what's next. I'm thinking a nightly show "Any Portal in a Storm" with host Hannah Storm sponsored by DraftKings wherein the audience can place prop bets and parlays on whether the Alabama five-star WR who is livid his productivity dropped from 83 receptions to 81 will bolt 'Bama for Oklahoma or remain in Tuscaloosa where his girlfriend is a star volleyball player and their combined annual NIL take is a reported $3,500,000. What's the money line, Hannah?
Jon Armstrong, Columbus
On college football realignment
To Brian: If I were king, here's how I'd realign the 133 schools that played FBS football in 2023 going the other direction: Eleven conferences with 12 each is 132. Notre Dame wants to be independent, and so they remain. Twelve schools taken from other conferences would comprise a new Eastern Conference (pretty much getting an old band back together): Boston College, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, UCF, Virginia Tech, West Virginia. The four to replenish the ACC would be Maryland, South Carolina, SMU, USF. Missouri would return to the Big 12. Four other schools move around to even out smaller conferences. The Pac-12, MAC and Mountain West remain unchanged.
Dennis Singleton, Dayton
To Dennis: Why does every king allow Notre Dame to get what it wants while others can be moved at will?
On Caitlin Clark
To the editor: I would love to see Caitlin Clark and Larry Bird engage in a televised horse shooting contest for $1 million dollars in sponsored prize money with the proceeds being donated to the charity of their choice. The television ratings would surpass the Billie Jean King and Bobbie Riggs tennis match and would be destination TV. PT Barnum would salivate for such an event.
Michael Oser, Columbus
To Michael: It's an insult to Clark to match her up with a 67-year-old man, don't you think? Why not Clark vs. Curry? It also reminds me of Pete Rose saying a few years ago that he would hit only about .250 against today's pitchers, "but only because I'm 80 years old."
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Ohio State women's basketball had a run to remember
Maybe it's OK to marvel at the beauty of Augusta National and the Masters
Did Ohio State basketball make right choice in hiring Jake Diebler?
Who is to blame for the ugly decline in sportsmanship, respect for the game?
Support for Jake Diebler as Ohio State coach, and for a move to St. John Arena
Ohio State football coaches wrong for playing injured LB Eichenberg vs. Michigan?
Why isn't Ohio State basketball elite? And why not give Jake Diebler a chance?
Should Ohio State call Dawn Staley in basketball coach search?
New Ohio State AD Ross Bjork shouldn't let timing get in way of coaching changes
Reader calls for 'no trash talk' truce between Ohio State, Michigan football fans
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: NFL Draft, college football realignment and more from Ohio sports fans
