If anything in sports is Appointment Television, it’s the NCAA Tournament reveal. Nothing stands in its path, although CBS always positions its Selection Sunday special to end at 7 p.m., just in time for “60 Minutes.”
This Sunday night had already been compromised by Georgia, which chose to confirm Mike White as its new coach before the pairings panel broke for its first commercial. (This would have been hilarious if Florida, which was White’s team until Sunday night, was announced at 6:25 p.m. as a shock NCAA qualifier.) The CBS folks did their bit and signed off, which is our cue to switch to ESPN’s bracket special. Sorry, “60 Minutes.”
Barely 15 minutes into ESPN’s discussion, the Worldwide Leader had to interrupt its bracketology for breaking news, and not just any breaking news. This was news about the sports figure who towers over all else, and we don’t mean Freddie Freeman. We mean … well, you know.
The sports writer with the world’s worst timing – i.e., me – had scribbled a little something for Sunday’s AJC regarding the Falcons, whom Mr. Maladroit suggested were new favorites to win the NFC South, seeing as how their division rivals were in greater disarray. This observer was watching Saturday as Cristiano Ronaldo, again of Manchester United, scored three goals against Tottenham Hotspur. The hat trick gave Ronaldo 807 career goals, making him the leading scorer in documented FIFA annals.
In the stands was Tom Brady, lately of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He’d retired, finally, to spend more time with his family. How did Brady get prime tickets at Old Trafford? The Glazer family owns both the Bucs and Man United.
Once a match ends, Ronaldo doesn’t linger on the pitch. On this day, he headed to the dressing room, exchanged cleats and socks for flip-flops and returned to greet Brady. With characteristic humility, he posted one bearing the note: “Always a pleasure and privilege to share some thoughts and ideas with another GOAT.” That sound you heard was Lionel Messi smashing his iPhone against the wall.
There was more. A video clip showed Ronaldo signing his game jersey for Brady’s son Ben. “Frame that one, Benny,” he instructed. Then CR7, the world’s greatest finisher, asked TB12, “You’re finished, right?” TB12 smiled and said, “I don’t know.”
And with that, the world went, “Whoa, Nellie.”
At 37, Ronaldo had scored three goals of varied excellence – curling screamer from distance, hurtling tap-in after an expertly timed sprint, levitating header off a corner kick – that belied his age. All three put his side ahead, the final one to stay. Surely Brady, who’s 44, took note. If he was considering recanting his retirement, CR7 might have supplied the final shove. Whatever the case, Ronaldo’s Saturday became Brady’s Sunday, causing all manner of ripples.
Your Atlanta Falcons are no longer favorites, even in this lunatic’s eyes, to win the NFC South. The NCAA Tournament was bumped to the day’s No. 2 sports story. Georgia hiring a coach from Florida became a footnote. Even us Atlantans thought about something other than Freddie’s Choice for maybe 10 seconds.
Brady’s back. The sports world just got, depending on your perspective, lots better or exponentially worse. Surely “60 Minutes” is eyeing Cristiano Ronaldo as an investigative reporter whenever he chooses to retire, which could be never. Brady will win five more Super Bowls before he really does quit, which might also be never. Amid this whirlwind, yours truly did something he’d never done: He went to bed without filling out a bracket.
We correct that here. Final Four: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Tennessee, Kansas. Jayhawks over Wildcats in the final. (Yes, I’m breaking MB’s Rule No. 1: Never pick Kansas.) Bucs to win the NFC South. Man United to finish fifth in the Premier League. Mike White to go 19-13 in his first season at Georgia. Freddie to re-sign with the Braves. Braves to win it all again.
I believe that brings us up to date, at least for the next 10 seconds.
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