Category Archives: Other sports

Installing the ice

Posted on November 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Just in case. While Toyota Center undergoes several years of renovations, an upgrade that will not be immediately seen could prove to be among the most important. When listing plans for future phases of renovation, Rockets president of business operations … Continue reading →

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The MOB versus Mike Miles

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Presented for all the obvious reasons. Rice University’s marching band mocked state-appointed Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles during their halftime show at Saturday’s football game against Texas Southern University. The small band, known as The Mob, performed a brief “Austin … Continue reading →

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ACC goes Pacific

Posted on September 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. The Atlantic Coast Conference is expanding from its Eastern roots. The ACC presidents and chancellors met Friday morning and voted to add three schools — Stanford, Cal and SMU, the conference announced. It will bring the league to 18 … Continue reading →

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The PAC-ACC Conference?

Posted on August 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This stuff is getting weird, y’all. The four remaining Pac-12 schools still aboard for next season — California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State — have options if they are looking for another conference. The Atlantic Coast Conference is exploring … Continue reading →

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RIP, PAC 12

Posted on August 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. The landscape of college sports continues its drastic change. The Pac-12 Conference is down to only four schools remaining as the University of Arizona, Arizona State University and the University of Utah announced Friday they are leaving to join … Continue reading →

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Colorado to return to the Big XII

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about to be the Big XIII, not that they will ever call it that, nor stay at that number. But it’s my blog and I can call it as I see it. The University of Colorado will leave the … Continue reading →

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Major League Cricket

Posted on July 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

America’s newest major league makes its debut today. While cricket has flourished in England and some of its former colonies, it has never taken off to the same degree in the United States, where some have perceived it as impenetrable. … Continue reading →

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Big XII remains “open” to more expansion

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe they’ll eventually call themselves the Big XVI. The Big 12 is open to further expansion, commissioner Brett Yormark said Friday, as the league prepares to welcome four new members, including the University of Houston, on July 1. Expansion was … Continue reading →

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Another path to hockey in Houston

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

If not expansion, then relocation. The Arizona Coyotes have taken yet another blow in their hopes of finding a long-term home in the Phoenix area. As a result, speculation has renewed about whether the desert’s potential loss could become Houston’s … Continue reading →

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Don’t hold out hope for hockey in Houston

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

In case you had been doing so. There is what seems to be perpetual interest in bringing an NHL team to Houston. The interest, however, isn’t mutual at this time for hockey’s premier league to grow beyond its current 32 … Continue reading →

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A more nuanced look at the finances of hosting the Final Four

Posted on March 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve made fun of articles in the past that breathlessly and credulously repeated claims that various big sporting events like a Super Bowl or a Final Four would yield untold millions in sales and hotel tax revenue for the state … Continue reading →

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More World Cup events on tap for 2026

Posted on March 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. The 2026 World Cup soccer tournament is expanding by 24 games, and Houston is prepared to handle any added games. FIFA voted Tuesday for a change in format to the 48-team event by adding games. The total of 104 … Continue reading →

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Big XII now looking to expand

Posted on February 14, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Probably a good idea to try, as a defensive measure if nothing else. The Big 12’s next step is clear after the early exit of Texas and Oklahoma was agreed upon Thursday night. The conference now plans to aggressively pursue expansion in some … Continue reading →

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Actually, UT and OU will join the SEC in 2024

Posted on February 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Reports of their not-early departure were greatly exaggerated. Texas and Oklahoma have reached an agreement in principle to leave the Big 12 after the 2023-24 athletic year, the league announced Thursday, allowing the schools to join the Southeastern Conference one … Continue reading →

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Looking like no early entry into the SEC for UT and OU

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s always about the money. Which, to be fair, is pretty substantial in this case. The negotiations for Oklahoma and Texas to leave the Big 12 a year early and join the SEC in 2024 have stalled and a deal … Continue reading →

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The ongoing referee shortage

Posted on January 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This news is not new, though the cause being cited is different than the last time I read this kind of story. The official shortage seen in the Houston area is part of a nationwide issue, according to the National Federation … Continue reading →

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March Madness could get bigger

Posted on January 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the story you probably heard about. A recommendation by the NCAA’s Division I Transformation Committee issued Tuesday would expand the NCAA basketball tournaments to 90 teams. The committee tasked with finding “opportunities to modernize college sports” issued several recommendations in a 39-page … Continue reading →

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NWSL releases its report on abuse by coaches

Posted on December 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The followup report names some names that hadn’t been named before. Widespread misconduct, including sexual abuse, manipulation and mocking athletes’ bodies, has plagued the National Women’s Soccer League for a decade, according to an investigation commissioned by the league and … Continue reading →

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Yeah, Deshaun Watson will be back on Sunday

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunately, his suspension is now over. With nearly all of the more than two dozen lawsuits filed against Deshaun Watson having been settled, most of the women who accused the Cleveland quarterback of sexual misconduct have no interest in his … Continue reading →

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Gonzaga looking at the Big XII

Posted on November 5, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The first real conference move by a non-football school is being discussed. Conference realignment chatter for months has centered mainly around college football. That hasn’t stopped Gonzaga from being proactive behind the scenes in discussions with at least three power … Continue reading →

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Drone racing

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty cool, actually. Jessica Dunegan watched her high school students fly drones through a maze of hula-hoops, cardboard and chairs last year for an end-of-year assignment in robotics class. The San Antonio-area teacher was amazed by the teamwork, engagement and … Continue reading →

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That US Soccer report on abuse allegations in the NWSL

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a lot, and as the head of US Soccer says, it’s just the first step. The independent investigation into player abuse in women’s professional soccer found a long list of failures by National Women’s Soccer League coaches and executives, … Continue reading →

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The SPURS bills

Posted on September 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I admit that I tipped my cap to this one. What if it took an act of Congress to keep the Spurs in San Antonio? With the team playing two games in Austin this season and Austin billionaire Michael Dell … Continue reading →

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We should soon find out what’s been going on in the NWSL

Posted on September 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. U.S. Soccer says an investigation into alleged abuse and misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League is expected to be completed by early next month. The investigation, led by former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates, was initiated last … Continue reading →

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The 24th plaintiff

Posted on August 21, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, 23 of the 24 women who had filed lawsuits against Deshaun Watson for sexual harassment and assault have settled those cases. The one who has not settled now tells us why. Deshaun Watson and the NFL agreed to … Continue reading →

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Watson’s suspension increased to 11 games

Posted on August 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This was the result of an agreement between the NFL and Deshaun Watson as represented by the NFLPA. Deshaun Watson’s suspension has been increased from six to 11 games, the league announced Thursday. Watson and NFL reached a settlement where … Continue reading →

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Deshaun Watson “apologizes”

Posted on August 14, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

As you may infer, I’m not impressed. Deshaun Watson’s best play in his preseason debut with the Cleveland Browns came long before he took the field in Jacksonville. Watson apologized Friday “to all the women I have impacted” after being … Continue reading →

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Goodell thinks Watson should get a year’s suspension

Posted on August 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Well, it’s in the hands of someone he picked to hear the appeal, so. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says the league is seeking a tougher penalty for Deshaun Watson because the quarterback’s actions were “egregious” and “predatory behavior.” Last week, … Continue reading →

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Buzbee blames the NFL for Watson’s short suspension

Posted on August 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Surely you expected that Tony Buzbee would have something to say about all this. For the first woman to sue former Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson —and nearly all those who followed suit — the legal process is over. They settled … Continue reading →

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Further thoughts on the Deshaun Watson suspension

Posted on August 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Just a few things I’ve read, to try to understand what happened here. Make of them what you will. Note that I drafted this before the news of the NFL’s appeal. Pro Football Talk: How does Watson, who faced 24 … Continue reading →

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NFL to appeal Watson suspension

Posted on August 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. I did not expect that. The NFL on Wednesday appealed the six-game suspension for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, seeking a tougher penalty for violating the league’s personal conduct policy in the wake of disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson’s … Continue reading →

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Deshaun Watson suspended for six games

Posted on August 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Feels light to me. And not just to me. Months after trading six draft picks and committing a fully guaranteed $230 million to land Deshaun Watson from the Texans, the Browns have lost their star quarterback for the first six … Continue reading →

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UIL still nixes NIL

Posted on July 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Texas high school athletes. You’re still not getting paid. Even if state lawmakers change legislation to allow high school athletes in Texas to profit off their name, image and likeness, the University Interscholastic League may not be ready to … Continue reading →

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UT and OU swear they’re still in the Big XII until 2025

Posted on July 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe they even believe that, though I remain doubtful. Almost a year later, UT’s and OU’s bombshell decision to leave the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference is still being felt in the latest round of conference realignment. After an … Continue reading →

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