Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly appeared a bit puzzled and irritated when he was asked whether his team had something to prove during the NCAA Division I playoffs. Kelly believed that The Topic was buried when his boys defeated Clemson in a dramatic double-overtime game back in November.

What’s The Topic?

The University of Notre Dame du Lac is known throughout the United States for its excellent football program. The Fighting Irish rose to national prominence in the early 20th century and since then have accumulated eleven consensus national championships. The team has produced seven Heisman Trophy winners, sixty two College Football Hall of Famers, and thirteen Pro Football Hall of Famers.

Despite its successful football program and constantly qualifying for the playoffs, Notre Dame isn’t able to win when it matters the most. The Fighting Irish frequently end up losing during playoffs by at least two touchdowns or twelve points. This grime streak is The Topic that has been bugging coach Kelly, his staff, his players, and other members of the university’s athletics department.

Notre Dame’s Coach Didn’t Hide From the Uncomfortable Question

Despite his frustration with the question, Kelly reminded reporters that while his team hasn’t won a national championship, it has been participating at the NCAA Division I playoffs every single year. He also reminded that only one team gets to celebrate at the end of the season.

Kelly expressed his confusion about why this narrative is constantly popping up when the Fighting Irish is always among the leading college football teams in the country. He accentuated that “narrative” equals “false premise’, which does not bring anything positive to his players and their mindset.

Time will tell whether Notre Dame will change their fortune in the upcoming games but one thing is certain, coach Kelly won’t allow his team to get distracted by The Topic.

Fans of baseball have been left without their favorite sport to watch due to the global virus outbreak. The MLB season was about to get started when the pandemic broke out, and it seems a start date has finally been agreed.

Hello Baseball My Old Friend

It would appear that after four weeks of negotiations, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have found something they can agree on. The start date for the upcoming MLB season is predicted to be around June 30.

It means there is the potential to witness some ball games in under a month for those who have been starved of action. There will, however, be some changes.

A Shorter Season

The MLBPA is reportedly proposing to shorten the MLB season to a 114-game season. The season would provisionally begin on June 30 and run until October 31, when the postseason would then start.

It would be fewer games than we are used to seeing our favorite teams play, but at least they would be playing. More kinks are to be ironed out when the MLB and MLBPA meet once more, with one of the big sticking points being the well-being of players and key staff.

New Proposals

It’s understood that players will have the right to opt out of playing, and those who are deemed high risk receiving salary. A salary deferral plan has been created in case the postseason is canceled.

This new proposal will create two years of extended playoffs, and players will receive a $100 million advance during their second spring training. Of course, money is also a bone of contention, with owners reportedly asking their star players to take even larger pay cuts than those they agreed to in March.

The proposed start date is getting closer and closer, meaning exhibitions could be played in the coming weeks to allow pitchers to find their rhythm.