Tag Archives: basketball

NAACP calls for athletic boycott of vote-suppressing states

Posted on May 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if anything comes of this. The NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, called on athletes and fans to boycott schools in eight Southern states that have “moved to limit, weaken or erase Black voting representation” since the … Continue reading →

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Connecticut Sun sale officially approved

Posted on May 17, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Here come the Comets, with a tiny asterisk attached to that for now. The WNBA and NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale and relocation of the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday, making what already has been known, official: The Houston Comets are … Continue reading →

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NCAA basketball tournaments set to expand to 76

Posted on May 6, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The First Four is about to become the First Twelve. The long-awaited inevitability is nearly a reality. Both the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments are expected to expand to 76 teams, effective next year, sources told CBS Sports on … Continue reading →

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A bit more on the Comets deal

Posted on April 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Just following up on a couple of items, which I didn’t catch in the original post. From ESPN: The WNBA board of governors still needs to approve the sale and the move. The Sun are being sold for a record … Continue reading →

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WNBA will return to Houston

Posted on March 28, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent. The WNBA is coming back to Houston. The Connecticut Sun are being sold to the Fertitta family, which also owns the NBA’s Houston Rockets, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed on Friday. An official announcement is expected … Continue reading →

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Tilman Fertitta pursuing purchase of WNBA franchise

Posted on December 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Could be a big deal. Houston Rockets ownership is in substantive talks with the Connecticut Sun over the potential purchase and relocation of the WNBA franchise, sources told ESPN this week. The discussions have been described as “positive,” and Rockets … Continue reading →

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WNBA to expand to 18 teams

Posted on July 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

None of which will be in Houston. The WNBA is expanding to 18 teams over the next five years, with Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia all set to join the league by 2030. Cleveland will begin play in 2028, Detroit in … Continue reading →

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Texas State appears to be headed for the PAC-12

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Texas State is the heavy favorite, per ESPN sources, to be issued a formal Pac-12 invitation. The league is still engaged with other schools, per sources, but Texas State has clearly emerged at the forefront of that group. On … Continue reading →

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Resolution Calling for the Banning of Ted Cruz at College Playoff Sporting Events

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, I’m a Democratic precinct chair. As of this year, so is my buddy Bill Kelly, who had been before that the head of Governmental Relations for Mayor Sylvester Turner. After long discussion and one too many “oh … Continue reading →

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A brief digression on wacky fan contests at sporting events

Posted on May 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I love this kind of stuff, and I hope you do too. Every night across the country, fans vie for prizes in contests staged during breaks in the action at sporting events big and small. In basketball, it might be … Continue reading →

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Another name emerges as a possible Houston hockey team owner

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

New player alert. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said the league has received interest from multiple prospective owners about a Houston hockey franchise. On Thursday, the identity of at least another interested party became public. ESPN reported that Houston billionaire … Continue reading →

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WNBA appears set on Cleveland

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

But Houston could be next in line, and soon. The WNBA is preparing to award Cleveland its 16th franchise, multiple sources have told SBJ, with an approximate bid worth a league record $250M. The sources put Cleveland’s expansion chances as … Continue reading →

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Comet alums unite in support of Fertitta’s WNBA bid

Posted on January 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They’re getting the band back together. Cynthia Cooper did not get closure when the Houston Comets folded. One minute, she was a star player on Houston’s four-time championship-winning WNBA team. The next minute, her phone was blowing up with texts … Continue reading →

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Austin’s pitch to the WNBA

Posted on November 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Fran Harris has a plan. The former Texas women’s basketball great has the financial backing, she insists. She’s got the support of the school administration and the city’s mayor and has had constructive conversations with the sports investment group … Continue reading →

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The Ted Cruz Curse continues

Posted on October 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Astros fans. Guess who was at the Astros game today? #Cruzcurse 😡 — Barbi (@Barbi__7) 10:00 PM – 02 October 2024 The Ted Cruz curse strikes (no pun intended) again. Allegedly. The Texas senator’s attendance at sporting events across … Continue reading →

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PAC-12 adds Gonzaga, UTEP to MWC

Posted on October 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Round and round they go. The Pac-12 is adding Gonzaga as a member in all sports the school plays starting in July 2026, the conference announced Tuesday. Gonzaga brings a rich basketball tradition to the refurbished Pac-12, as the Zags … Continue reading →

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More on Fertitta and the WNBA

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

He does sound serious. The Houston Rockets are putting together a proposal to bring a WNBA franchise back to the city but are currently awaiting further instruction from the league’s representatives, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and president of business operations … Continue reading →

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Fertitta to bid on a WNBA expansion franchise

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Rooting for him to succeed. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta on Thursday confirmed his intention to bid on an WNBA expansion franchise, a step toward returning the league to Houston at a time the WNBA is setting ratings and attendance records. … Continue reading →

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NCAA has a March Madness expansion plan

Posted on June 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I feel confident something like this is going to happen. College basketball moved one step closer this week to an expanded NCAA men’s basketball tournament. NCAA officials on Wednesday presented to Division I conference commissioners at least two models of … Continue reading →

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Not just Fertitta wants a hockey team here

Posted on May 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Do tell. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has company when it comes to bringing a pro hockey franchise to Houston. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed Tuesday that the league has received interest from other parties about a team in Houston. “Tilman … Continue reading →

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Don’t hold your breath waiting for the WNBA to come back to Houston

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The WNBA will be expanding from 12 to 16 teams by 2028. Houston is not on their list of potential new locations. The WNBA is looking to continue growing in the next few years. The league intends to reach 16 … Continue reading →

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Fertitta still interested in an NHL team

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Also possibly a WNBA team. For the second time in more than a month, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has stated his interest in bringing an NHL team to Houston. Fertitta, in an interview Wednesday on CNBC’s “Power Lunch,” was asked … Continue reading →

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Once again seeking Comets 2.0

Posted on April 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I would of course love to see this happen, but if it ever does it likely won’t be in the near future. Travis Scott was struck by basketball motivation in the middle of the night — crack of the morning? … Continue reading →

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Realignment roundup

Posted on December 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

You can officially put a bow on the PAC 12. Oregon State and Washington State have come to an agreement in principle with the 10 departing Pac-12 universities that will end ongoing litigation related to control of the conference, the … 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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UH will officially join the Big XII in 2023

Posted on June 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

No use waiting around. The University of Houston will start play in the Big 12 in 2023 after the school came to an agreement on exit fees with the American Athletic Conference. The Cougars will pay the AAC $18 million … Continue reading →

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Get ready to start raking in the cash, UH

Posted on June 9, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Money, money, money. As the athletic director at Texas, Chris Del Conte is the CEO of one of the richest college athletic departments in the nation. He also knows what it’s like to have to make every penny count. At … Continue reading →

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Houston Comets 2.0?

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I’d be happy to see the WNBA come back to Houston. From 1997 to 2000, legendary players Cynthia Cooper, Tina Thompson, and Sheryl Swoops led the Houston Comets to the first four national WNBA titles. The team was a dynasty: … Continue reading →

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