I’ve owned Heartland College Sports for over 10 years. And I’ve written thousands and thousands of stories for the website. However, I’ve never had a dedicated Monday column for you. It only seems appropriate to start now and play off of Monday, Mundo and Musings. So here we go with the fourth-ever, Mundo’s Monday Big 12 Musings: Edition 4.
If you’re a fan, let me know in the Big 12 Heartland College Sports forums. They’re free and you can sign up here.
Another Big 12 Screw Job
Here we go again. Whether it’s football, basketball or now baseball, it sure does feel like we keep having to have these conversations around the Big 12 getting the short end of the stick.
On Sunday, the Big 12 Conference was not awarded a Regional host site in the NCAA Baseball Tournament for the first time since 2008. TCU came up short in the Big 12 Championship Game against Arizona 2-1 on Saturday night, but they certainly had a really strong case to be a Regional Host. Here are some of the data points to back that up.
Instead, the SEC has eight regional host teams. Does this sound familiar? Yes, it’s like we’re reliving College Football Playoff selection committee or the NCAA Tournament selection committee (the last year or two).
TCU head coach Kirk Saarloos made his best pitch, no pun intended, as we’ve seen Big 12 football coaches do in past years.
It gets tiresome, but it’s life for the Big Conference right now. We all know it, and have to deal with it.
Sam Leavitt Just Gets It
Some guys just get it, and some guys never will. Yes, there’s a learned quality about being a leader and being a player who is remembered by the fan base long after they leave campus, but a lot of it is just based in who you are as a person. And that’s Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, who if things go right for him, will probably be on an NFL roster at this time next year.
But for now, he’s the quarterback who could be the linchpin to turning around the Arizona State football program. And he gets it off the field too.
Leavitt recently donated $15,000 to the Pat Tillman Foundation.
Leavitt said he’s happy to be able to give back to a community that gave to him, and it makes him “feel like a better person.”
The Pat Tillman Foundation was named after legendary safety Pat Tillman, who spent three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals before giving up his NFL career to enlist in the Army. Tillman served in Iraq and in Afghanistan, but was tragically killed by friendly fire.
Prior to his time in the NFL, Tillman was a member of the Arizona State Sun Devils. In 1997, Tillman was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
There is arguably not a bigger name in the Arizona State community than Pat Tillman, and when you factor in the “why”, this is an absolute no brainer for the Sun Devils quarterback. It’s not only a tremendous thing to do, it’s a no-brainer for him to earn good will with the fan base and alumni association.
Have a Meaningful Memorial Day
Speaking of Pat Tillman… It’s Memorial Day. And for too many of us, we don’t remember what this day is all about. I’m not trying to be preachy. It’s just a fact.
A 2019 survey revealed that only 55% of Americans could correctly define Memorial Day as a day to honor the fallen from the nation’s wars, according to Military.com. This means that 45% of US adults either don’t know the true meaning or don’t always/often commemorate it as intended, according to the University of Phoenix.
“Happy” Memorial Day is not appropriate. Let’s roll with, “Have a meaningful Memorial Day”. Just my two cents as we spend a few minutes remembering those who sacrificed it all to give us the ability to go bonkers over frivolous things like Big 12 football, basketball, baseball and softball.
Have a nice Monday and I hope you’ll consider subscribing to our newsletter below!
