Estimated read time: 19-20 minutes
I received a Monday Mailbag question about who will officiate the Pac-12 Conference home games next football season. I also got asked about Oregon's potential to compete for a national title in football, Oregon State and the Big 12, the WNBA, the value of the Pac-12's television deal, and LeBron James.
Utah fans flooded me this week with great football questions. I received additional questions about the ACC, the Kentucky Derby, college baseball, Scott Rueck, Washington State, and… Miracle Whip.
Thanks to all who submitted questions.
If you already have a paid subscription, thanks. You won't miss anything. If you'd like to share my work with someone else please consider a gift subscription for a friend or family member. You may also donate a subscription to a senior on a fixed budget.
Onto the mailbag:
Q: With the Pac-12 gone, I am curious where Oregon State and Washington State will find game officials for next football season? — @davehopi999
A: The "Pac-12" isn't gone, but I know what you mean. It's a two-member league after June 30. A conference source tells me it is keeping some of the football operations and football officiating crews on the payroll full-time. The Pac-12 will staff all of the OSU and WSU home football games next season. It will retain some of the current roster of officials to cover the 13 games.
Q: Who is the best hitter in college baseball and why is it Travis Bazzana? — @luebker
A: No argument here. Oregon State's left-handed hitting second baseman is hitting .422 and reaching base in nearly 60 percent of his plate appearances. Bazzana needed only one home run on Sunday to set the OSU school single-season record for home runs (Jim Wilson — 21). Bazzana hit three home runs and now sits at 24.
SEC fans will argue that Charlie Condon (Georgia) has a higher batting average (.456) and more home runs (30), but Bazzana reaches base more frequently. He also strikes out less than Condon (24 to 37) and runs better. They're currently projected by most as the top two picks in the MLB Draft.
Q: The WNBA seems to be on an upswing regarding viewership and interest. What could be the pitfalls of this new expose? — @cool_brezze
A: The league not being ready for it. I flipped around on Friday, trying to catch a few minutes of the preseason games that intrigued me and I couldn't find a couple of them. The debut of Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever was available in a live broadcast on the WNBA League Pass and app but I couldn't find the Chicago game featuring rookies Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese.
Turns out, the game wasn't carried with a live broadcast. More than 800,000 people watched the game anyway via a stream on Twitter that was provided by a fan holding a cell phone at the game. There has been an explosion in interest. The WNBA needs to do more to make sure it's equipped to meet the rising demand.
Q: Is Oregon finally now big and skilled enough in the trenches to compete for a Big Ten title? And also a national championship? — @bbasstravel
A: The 2024 team will be the most talented Oregon team in school history. The Ducks are in the conversation, for sure. A tweet on that front from former NFL scout Brentley Weismann caught my eye over the weekend. Weismann thinks Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly is "a high first-round pick" in the next NFL Draft.
I asked Weismann to tell me more and he pointed to Conerly's size, versatility, and great feet. Weismann said: "He has a good anchor in the run game and enough power to generate movement at the point of attack in the game."
If Oregon is going to matter in the College Football Playoff and contend with Ohio State, Georgia, and others it will need to move piles like never before. That's been a point of weakness historically for Pacific Time Zone teams vs. national title contenders.
Q: With all the talent Oregon football is bringing in, is Dan Lanning on the hot seat if the Ducks don't go to the College Football Playoff title game? — @billschaecher
A: Not a chance. Remember, Lanning is responsible for landing the talent in the first place. He'd have to underperform dramatically over a couple of seasons for his seat to warm.
Q: Utah football fans have set themselves up with 'all or nothing' expectations this season. Is it realistic? How hard is it to adjust to a new league? — @SLJTake
A: High expectations from fans aren't the enemy. They're why the Utes have a season-ticket waitlist of more than 3,000 and a healthy NIL collective. So lean into it.
The Big 12 in 2024 is a solid step down in competition from the Pac-12 in 2022 and 2023. I realize Utah will have to deal with Oklahoma State and Kansas, but I'd much rather face those teams than the best ones in recent seasons at Oregon, USC, and Washington. There is no Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix in the Big 12. Nobody is as gifted as Caleb Williams, either. If Utah stays healthy at quarterback, the Utes will make the Big 12 title game.
Q: The only real off-season questions for me for Utah football are: 1) Isaac Wilson or Brandon Rose as QB2? Mike Mitchell or Jaylon Glover for RB2? — @sclarsen10
A: You are blessed. These are the equivalent of first-world problems on planet College Football. But given Utah's injury-plagued season in 2023, I don't blame you for asking.
The underlying questions about the backups raise a bigger one: Will the Utes have a cleaner ride next football season? Last year was about as unfortunate as possible.
Kyle Whittingham told reporters it's a "dead heat" between Wilson and Rose for the backup quarterback position. In this transfer-portal era, I noted an increase in the declaration of these dead heats by coaches. I suspect they want everyone to remain encouraged and engaged. If Cam Rising stays healthy, it won't matter who the backup is. And on the running back front, offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig will utilize both Mitchell and Glover. I'm impressed with the Utah receivers, love the running back depth, and am eager to see Rising in action.
Q: How will Utah play in new environments? — @utes_pac12
A: I hear you. There will be some new environments. But I'm not as concerned about that as I am worried for the Big 12 teams who are now faced with playing in Rice-Eccles Stadium. It's a blender-like experience.
Q: What is a realistic expectation for Oregon State football this year? Best case scenario and worst case? — @tpenn1997
A: Best case? 9-3. Worst case? 3-9. The truth is usually somewhere in the middle. The OSU spring game left me wondering about quarterback play, the lack of a big-play receiver, and the offensive line. There were a handful of injured players who didn't play in the spring. Keep that in mind. But it looked like OSU needed to find four or five players before the start of the season. We'll soon see how the Beavers fared.
Trent Bray is a first-time, first-year head coach. Expect some volatility there. It takes time to build momentum and consistency. Oregon State's mission right now is to stay relevant and be well-positioned when the next round of realignment happens. Being bowl-eligible next season (six wins or better) would be a solid step in the right direction.
Q: Now that the Pac-2 has shown it can get a TV deal, what are the chances OSU and WSU remain football independents after 2025 if no path to a power conference exists? They're already set to get twice more College Football Playoff distribution money than the Group of 5. So as long as they can schedule 12 opponents per year, why not? — @HardCountCFB
A: The CFP distribution ($3.6 million per year) is only guaranteed for the first three years of the new contract. That lines up with the timeline to either rebuild the conference to an eight-team entity or join the Big 12 or ACC.
Keep in mind, that Notre Dame survives as an independent because it has a great TV deal with NBC. The old contract was worth $22 million a year. The new media rights deal that runs through 2029 with NBC is estimated to push toward $50 million a year. That's a huge help, but that kind of money isn't available to programs such as Washington State, Oregon State, and most others. Also, Notre Dame can easily schedule games because of its brand. Remember, OSU and WSU had to come up with creative and expensive scheduling agreements to get enough games vs. Mountain West (football) and the WCC (basketball). The path is a rebuild or joining another conference.
Q: Speculation on the money Oregon State and Wazzu will receive for the new media deal? — @OrangeBeaverYNK
A: The CW and Fox are buying all 13 home football games for Oregon State and Washington State, as I reported last week. There's always a balance between revenue and exposure in media deals.
Scott Barnes, the athletic director at OSU, told me in mid-April: "We leaned in very heavily on making sure we were in the most homes we could be in. The biggest reach in that regard. Exposure was priority one."
I don't have the dollar figures yet. I'll get them. But I expect the distribution to be somewhere in the $5 million to $9 million range per school.
Q: How much is the OSU and WSU new media deal worth? — Tanner Morrison
A: See above. But let's assume the deal is worth approximately $7 million a year to Oregon State and Washington State. That works for a short time from a financial standpoint because the two remaining Pac-12 schools are heavily subsidized by the $255 million in settlement funds they'll receive from the 10 departing members. There's a two-year ticking clock that begins to count down at the end of June. It's why the next six months are so critical.
Q: LeBron James wants to be an NBA owner. Why doesn't he team up with Phil Knight to buy the Trail Blazers? It would be a lot cheaper than getting the Las Vegas expansion team. — @rivendell75
A: The Trail Blazers aren't for sale. At least that's what trustee Jody Allen says. But if you're LeBron, would you want the upside of owning a franchise in Portland? Or Las Vegas? If the Pacific Northwest included his hometown, maybe you could make the argument. I still think Knight's group that includes Dodgers' part-owner Alan Smolinisky is the best option.
Q: What's the big rush to get Brony to the NBA? Isn't LeBron ruining his son's basketball career by doing this? — @zacyourback
A: At this point, it's possible that Bronny is just exploring the draft process, declaring for the draft, will get feedback from NBA teams, and intends to return to college for another season. But I wonder if the NBA teams will be honest with Bronny if it means they can sign his father as a free agent. Therein lies one of the issues.
I also wonder if LeBron was so frustrated with how Bronny was utilized at USC last season that he believes his son is better off developing on an NBA bench. Remember, LeBron didn't attend college himself. He went straight to the league. Here's a question for you: Should the Trail Blazers make a bet and draft Bronny with one of their picks if he's on the board? Does that get them LeBron as a package deal? Or just another bench player who isn't ready to contribute? You tell me in the comment section.
Q: Have you ever been to the Kentucky Derby? I'm sure it would be spendy but it looks like a blast. — @mjhusky
A: I was in the press box in 2007 when Calvin Borel rode Street Sense to a win at Churchill Downs. Borel rode the rail. It was an amazing atmosphere. There's lots of tradition with the ladies in giant hats (awesome) and everyone drinking mint juleps (disgusting). The horses are gorgeous and there's rich history all around. That said, the clusters of deaths at tracks across the country in recent years are troubling and leave me conflicted. The trainers have lost their minds (and ethics) in the pursuit of millions of dollars in purse prizes.
It barely got mentioned on Saturday, but one of the most encouraging things I read about the 150th Kentucky Derby surrounded a horse that didn't even run. Encino was pulled from the race by trainer Brad Cox after he noted in a morning training session that the colt didn't look right. The horse was vanned to an equine hospital in Lexington. X-rays were negative but a soft tissue strain in his right front leg was diagnosed. Cox scratched the horse from the race. Good on him.
Q: Much praise is given to Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould, but not much of her vision and how her day-to-day workings are different than other commissioners. What is the relationship between the two presidents and ADs? Is she fairly autonomous, or is she more at the command of the school leaders? — @waiting90days
A: Gould works on behalf of Oregon State and Washington State, essentially. I'm told she's in frequent contact with the university presidents and athletic departments. Gould assumed the role of point person and negotiated the College Football Playoff payout for the two schools. I'm told by a source at one of the schools that Gould deserves a ton of credit for negotiating directly with Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and getting the Pac-12's payout figure increased to $3.6 million.
The heavy lifting for the Pac-12 will officially start in July, however, when the focus more heavily involves rebuilding strategy. Two months ago, Gould told me that $65 million of the settlement money was being set aside for "a possible rebuild, realignment… there's all kinds of things that money could be used for."
Q: Will you continue to cover the "Pac-12" football teams this upcoming season even though they are in new conferences? — @AleniAfuvai
A: I'm committed to covering what my readers care about. That won't change. I'm committed to in-depth, sourced coverage and commentary that you can't get elsewhere. So I'd love to hear from you in the comment section.
Of course, I'll continue to cover the four schools in the Pacific Northwest, but I'm into following the programs at Utah, Arizona, ASU, Cal, Stanford, USC, UCLA, and Colorado as they move onward. I'm fascinated by what happens next and everyone knows realignment isn't done. I won't ignore the Mountain West, WCC, and Big Sky Conference, either.
Q: Which new ACC team will have the best year in football — @morphewjerry
A: I read your question and all I could think about was a quote I got from an SMU booster as the school was preparing to join the Pac-12 last July. I asked about the exit fee from the American Athletic Conference and a donor who made a mint in the fossil fuel industry told me: "Send us the bill, hasta la vista."
Stanford will be improved. Cal will be better than last season, too. But the Boulevard Collective at SMU won't be out-spent and out-maneuvered by those two. I'll take SMU to make some noise.
Q: How much of the City of Portland's state of affairs has led to the downfall of attendance to the Blazers and Timbers this season? — @Boman1469
A: If the Blazers were a playoff team, they'd draw fans and be a huge success. But they're not. And the Timbers are currently in 12th place in the West. Winning attracts fans. Losing makes them tune out. It's that simple.
Q: Beaver Nation seems worn out. The last year has been brutal. Gut punch after gut punch. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel, or are we just kidding ourselves, and we should just accept our new reality? — @realSWB
A: There's a light out somewhere out there. Stay with it until I tell you otherwise. I do know that both Oregon State and Washington State have been in contact with the Big 12 and ACC a few times since last August. Nothing substantial to report right now, but they're wise to keep options open. Some chaos in the ACC is potentially beneficial to the Beavers and Cougars.
Q: I saw a rumor about Oregon State to the Big Ten or Big 12. Is that just wishful thinking? Or just someone hoping for something better than where we are now? — Amy Elizabeth
A: I don't see a Big Ten invitation anywhere in OSU's future. But let's say the ACC loses some key schools in the coming months and wants to form a Pacific Division that includes Stanford and Cal. Or the Big 12 thinks strength in numbers is the key to battling the SEC/Big Ten monster and decides it needs a few more institutions in the Pacific Time Zone. I could see OSU/WSU being attractive in either of those scenarios. Maybe San Diego State, too. But only if the schools stay relevant, continue to fund like "P5" schools, and improve their brands.
Q: If both OSU and Wazzu get Big 12 offers does that mean they must return the money to the rest of the conference teams? — Michael Foote
A: It would depend on when that invitation comes. Potentially, some of the funds would reverse. Under your scenario, for example, the Pac-12's NCAA Tournament units would revert to the schools that earned them. I suppose that provides some financial incentive, particularly, for Arizona. But I'll do some more reporting on this.
Q: Who's your dream team for play-by-play Pac-12 football games next fall on The CW? Ted Robinson/Yogi Roth? Yogi Roth/Ashley Adamson? A veteran crew? Maybe someone who is up and coming? — @OrangeBeaverYNK
A: I would love to see the long-time Pac-12 Network broadcasters on the conference's games. They know the conference, and its history, are familiar with the schools, and are loved by viewers. That said, I understand they may have bigger opportunities that keep them from being available. Stay tuned.
Q: Miracle Whip or mayo? — Jeff Erickson
A: Nothing beats the real thing.
Q: How long do you expect Scott Rueck to stay at Oregon State? — James Erb
A: He's a great coach, who will have good offers. It's why OSU needs to be proactive and line Rueck up with a lifetime deal. His current contract has nine years remaining on it, but I suspect he's as frustrated as anyone with how things have unfolded in Corvallis. He had a potential Final Four team next season and is now faced with a rebuild. Rueck has deep ties to his alma mater. His family is embedded in the town. But if OSU doesn't find a path toward competing at the highest levels of his sport, he'll eventually get poached by someone.
Q: Who, in your opinion, is the greatest all-around athlete ever from the state of Oregon? — Tony Vuksich
A: Over the years, I've thought about Hall of Fame football players such as Mel Renfro, Dave Wilcox, and Bob Lilly. Terry Baker won the Heisman, too. All four played high school football in Oregon. Neil Lomax was outstanding as well.
You can argue that Olympians such as Ashton Eaton, Dan O'Brien, Bill Johnson, and Don Schollander are in the "best-ever" debate. Steve Prefontaine and Dick Fosbury, probably, too. The state produced NBA players such as AC Green, Kevin Love, Payton Pritchard, Terrell Brandon, and Damon Stoudamire. But was anyone better than Danny Ainge?
Ainge was an All-American in baseball, basketball, and football at North Eugene
High. He played 14 seasons in the NBA, parts of three seasons in MLB with the Blue Jays, and was a scratch golfer. I'll take Ainge. How about you? Tell me in the comment section.
Read more of columnist John Canzano exclusively at JohnCanzano.com.
