Future NCAA Tournaments: The authority of hoops taking the Final Four to Las Vegas in 2028!

MLB

Heading into the baseball season, most of the changes are:

Kyle Sielaff is taking the seat of Glenn Geffner on radio who was let go after the 2022. Glenn began with the club in 2008. Hard working and committed to the club, Geffner was simply not sufficiently gifted or blessed with a strong tenor. While well prepared for each broadcast, he emitted so much info and data, he was simply too difficult to follow. He loves the game and we wish him luck. He’s 54.

Another direction the Marlins are headed covers television. Paul Severino returns as the play-by-player. The club will need a dugout to seat the voices who’ll be contributing as color broadcasters on both TV and radio; Rod Allen, Jeff Nelson, Kelly Saco, Gaby Sanchez and Tommy Hutton.

Allen and Mario Impemba partnered in Detroit and ended their affiliation in a fistfight in 2018 and were both fired. Neither got the death penalty. Allen is behind the Marlins’ mic occasionally and Impemba did some Red Sox radio in 2019. That was it.

Mets’ radio announcer, Wayne Randazzo, leaves the Queensites for TV and the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. He grew up outside Chicago and worked New York for four years (2019-2022) and SoCal.

Broadcasters Keith Raad (l) and Pat McCarthy (r) will join WCBS 880’s flagship coverage of the Mets starting this 2023 season. Howie Rose will be the lead announcer but will work a curtailed schedule. Pat’s dad is Tom McCarthy of the Phillies and CBS TV. Tom had done Mets radio before driving up his visibility.

Raad was the voice of the Brooklyn Cyclones, the New York Mets’ High-A affiliate. He’s a native of Long Island.

Jake Chapman who did just about everything imaginable for Orlando Magic radio finally worked his way to the very top. David Steele started on radio while Chip Caray did on TV when the club was born in 1989. Steele moved to TV not much longer and Dennis Neumann was anointed to radio from pre-game. A few years ago, there was a restoration. Dennis was let go and there was a radio/TV simulcast of Steele and commentator Steele and Jeff Turner. For a few dollars, the Magic were criticized and expanded Chapman’s job to include the game itself.

Brian Gaudin goes from occasional work here and there to fulltime with the Braves. Former Braves’ announcer Chip Caray, back to his hometown, St. Louis for the Cardinals. Dan McLaughlin was let go after many years.

Division II Basketball

My old team down here in South Florida, Nova Southeastern University, is about to sweep its second straight season regular season. John Wooden would himself be proud. Talk about dominance. I believe that all but only two games were won by less than ten. The Sharks went without a loss throughout the entire 2021-22 season. But once they hit Evansville, Indiana, for the NCAA D II Tourney, the Sharks ran into Black Hills State and bowed out there.. I’m not sure it’s ever been done before in DI.

Jim Crutchfield is a heck of a coach. AD Mike Mominey can assess talent. How good is Jim? Heat coach Eric Spoelstra called him and asked if he can come on out one day to learn about the team’s pressing defense.

LOOKING AHEAD AT FUTURE FINAL FOURS

April 1 and 3, 2023- Houston

Where will they be?

NRG Stadium-Rice University, University of Houston

April 6 and 8, 2024– Phoenix

State Farm Stadium, Arizona State University

April 5 and 7, 2025– San Antonio

Alamodome-University of Texas at San Antonio, University of the Incarnate Word

April 4 and 6, 2026-Indianapolis

Lucas Oil Stadium-Horizon League, IUPUI

April 3 and 5, 2027- Detroit

Ford Field-Michigan State University

April 1 and 3, 2028 – Las Vegas

Allegiant Stadium-UNLV

March 31 and April 2, 2029 – Indianapolis

Lucas Oil Stadium-Horizon League, IUPUI

April 6 and 8, 2030 – North Texas

AT&T Stadium-Big 12 Conference