Ryan Harless is a third-year undergraduate at BGSU from Hillsboro, Ohio. He is majoring in Sport Management with a Journalism Minor. Baseball and golf at all levels are his primary interests but he is also interested in combat sports, hockey, basketball, and football.
March 14, 2023
Trevor Bauer made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2012 with the Arizona Diamondbacks before being quietly traded to the Cleveland Guardians (then Indians) in December 2012. He became a full time starter in the big leagues in the 2014 season when he started 26 games.
Bauer worked his way toward his first (and only to date) all-star appearance in 2018 when he went 12-6 with a 2.21 ERA in 175.1 innings. He was also sixth in Cy Young voting and 22nd in AL MVP voting.
At the trade deadline in 2019, Bauer was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, which proved to be a smart trade as he won the Cy Young in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He started 11 games, going 5-4 with a 1.73 ERA while leading the league in shutouts and complete games with two each.
However, all of that would change on the 29th of June, when sexual assault allegations were brought against Bauer. It was also reported that the accuser had filed for a restraining order against Bauer on the 28th, one day prior.
The story starts around April 18, 2021, when Bauer first had physical contact with the alleged victim. Court documents state that Bauer reached out to the victim over Instagram direct message after she had tagged him in a post about watching his game.
The victim accused Bauer of “assaulting her on two occasions during what began as consensual sex.” Along with her accusations, there are also text messages between the two as well as pictures the accuser took of herself to document the abuse.
Shortly after these accusations were made public, the Dodgers announced that Bauer would be placed on paid administrative leave while the charges were being examined. Then, in April of 2022, MLB announced that they would be suspending Bauer for what was essentially two years.
Bauer would later appeal and have his suspension reduced from two years to one plus what he had already served after it was decided that he would face no criminal charges.
The Dodgers would go on to release Bauer after the opt-out in his contract came up making him available to be signed by any professional team. There were many MLB teams that could have used Bauer’s pitching every fifth day to help them make playoff runs but no team offered a deal.
Most, if not all, MLB front offices declined to even consider signing him due to the PR nightmare that they would have to brave, and rightfully so. Bauer sat idle for a while posting videos to his YouTube channel, sometimes alongside the “King of JUCO” where he would take part in baseball challenges.
Bauer is now eligible to pitch on opening day for the BayStars on March 31.
Bauer isn’t the first disgraced baseball player to find a home in Japan. The most recent example being Addison Russell of Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics fame who quietly left MLB after having allegations of domestic assault brought against him. I didn’t anticipate any team picking up Bauer, however, due to the nature of his allegations. Bauer has been out of professional baseball for over a year so we will have to see if he holds up to his former self in Japan or if he even has a place in professional baseball anymore.
Caption: MJF clutches the AEW World Heavyweight Championship after his bout with Bryan Danielson
By Ryan Harless
Ryan Harless is a third-year undergraduate at BGSU from Hillsboro, Ohio. He is majoring in Sport Management with a Journalism Minor. Baseball and golf at all levels are his primary interests but he is also interested in combat sports, hockey, basketball, and football.
March 12, 2023
AEW: Revolution has now come and gone, and it was an absolute blast. Over four hours of amazing storytelling and pro wrestling masterclass yet again from an AEW PPV. Pure action from the first bell to the finale of the 60 minute ironman main event, this show had it all.
Revolution Rush Hour (Pre-Show) – Mark Briscoe & Lucha Brothers (Pentagon Jr. & Ray Fenix) def. Varsity Athletes (Tony Nese & Josh Woods) & Ari Daivari
This match served its purpose as the show opener getting the crowd hot with great ‘lucha style‘ action. The Varsity Athletes & Daivari put up a good showing, but were no match for the quick-paced style of Ray Fenix and Pentagon Jr.
Mark Briscoe helped get the crowd into the match with his redneck kung-fu and insane charisma. I will be very excited to see the direction he takes in AEW in the coming months.
The Varsity Athletes and Daivari were dispatched with relative ease by the baby faces to start the show on a high note for the crowd.
Ricky Starks def. Chris Jericho
Ricky Starks had yet another great showing to open the PPV alongside Jericho. These two had a simple story to tell; Starks needed to get Jericho off his back so that he could finally become the main event star that he is.
Starks fought through a few outside interferences (even though the Jericho Appreciation Society was barred from ringside) and he was still able to get the job done. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Starks has himself a world title match within the coming months.
Jungle Boy Jack Perry def. Christian Cage
There was one main-show match that wasn’t on the card when I wrote my previous article predicting the show.
Jungle Boy and Christian Cage have had a rivalry going back almost an entire calendar year. It has been a little stop and start due to some very unfortunate injuries. These two last stepped in the ring against each other in September, where Christian turned Jungle Boy’s friend (Luchasaurus) against him in a rather bland match.
This time, both wrestlers were at full health and ready to go to war. The stipulation for this match was a burial match, where in order to win, you need to put your opponent in a casket and close the lid. I felt it was a very fitting stipulation for this rivalry as Jungle Boy has been working towards dropping his Tarzan like gimmick and becoming a “more serious” wrestler.
In the days leading up to Revolution, Jack Perry, who is the son of late actor Luke Perry, cut a promo telling Christian that “since he liked to talk about his father so much, he was going to give him a first class ticket to meet him,” which really added heat to the matchup.
House of Black def. The Elite – AEW World Trios Championship
These two teams NEVER disappoint when they step into the ring and Sunday was no different. This was absolutely a must-win match for the House of Black as they desperately needed a win on a big stage to stay a legitimate threat. And they got exactly that in this clinic of tag team wrestling.
There was fast-paced action coming from all of The Elite and two of the three House of Black members in this match. The House of Black bring such a great mix of styles with Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews being fast strikers and the 6’5” 285 pound Brody King has the power to decimate anyone in his way.
Nonstop action from bell-to-bell from both teams alongside false-finishes that had the audience on the edge of their seat made this an instant classic. Buddy Matthews perfectly countered The Elite’s “Meltzer Driver” (their signature / match finishing move) with a beautiful knee to the face before the House of Black hit a trio of power moves on The Elite to secure the Trios Titles.
Jamie Hayter continues to be one of the hottest stars in the company; even as the heel of this match she had the crowd in a 50/50 spilt between her and Ruby Soho.
Hayter was flanked to the ring by Britt Baker who helped her out by distracting the referee on multiple occasions. One such occasion allowed her to have a break after being hit by Ruby Soho’s “Destination Unknown” (Soho’s signature move).
Hayter managed to fight back and retain her title which I believe was the right move. After the match, Soho threw Saraya and her friend Toni Storm over the top rope and stood alongside with Hayter and Baker, only to then double cross and attack them before re-aligning with Saraya and Storm.
“Hangman” Adam Page def. Jon Moxley via submission – Texas Deathmatch
In perhaps the best pro wrestling deathmatch on U.S. soil ever, Page and Moxley absolutely tore the house down. This match was everything it should have been in terms of violence and sheer chaos.
In just two minutes, Moxley was bleeding profusely from his forehead, but quickly turned the tides by finding a metal fork and jabbing and slicing into Hangman’s forehead. That of course busted Page himself open and opened the proverbial floodgates for the rest of the match.
Page found himself being sent face first into a chair wrapped with barbed wire and later had his hands curb-stomped between two bricks. Moxley took his fair share of punishment as well, receiving a powerbomb onto steel chairs wrapped in barbed wire, and getting thrown out of the ring onto a board covered in more barbed wire.
The match came to an end with Page wrapping chains around the neck of Moxley who was on the outside of the ring, and pulling him up off the ground until Moxley tapped out.
It was an absolute perfect bloodbath that we might not get to see for a long time again.
Wardlow def. Samoa Joe – TNT Title
These two were fighting an uphill battle from the start as the crowd was clearly knackered after the great deathmatch before them.
The two put on a good performance but the audience just needed a rest as they were relatively silent for the majority of the match. Towards the end of the match, the crowd finally came around and got excited in time for Wardlow to place a rear-naked choke on Joe and scream “DIE!!” as he beat Joe for the TNT Title.
At the conclusion of the match, the commentators mentioned that Wardlow will be facing Powerhouse Hobbes this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite for the TNT Title.
Hobbes won the “Face of The Revolution” ladder match last Wednesday for the right to face the winner.
The Gunn Club def. The Acclaimed, Triple J (Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal), and “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy & Danhausen
This was a very fun match for everyone involved. The Acclaimed got the crowd excited with Max Caster’s freestyle rap, Triple J were both despicable heels who used the giant Satnam Singh to their advantage, and Orange Cassidy and Danhausen showed that they aren’t just comedy characters and can easily hold their own in the ring.
My personal highlight of the match was the square off between Satnam Singh and the nonchalant Orange Cassidy, for whom the crowd went absolutely crazy. Another tag team masterclass took place here making it evident that these teams all have chemistry with one another.
The Gunns managed to retain their titles and gave a post-match interview in the ring with Renee Paquette. They were interrupted by the return of FTR who rushed the ring to a huge ovation from the crowd.
The return of FTR to AEW’s tag team division is huge as this match, albeit fun, showcased how shallow their tag division can be. I would expect FTR to regain the tag titles at the next AEW PPV, if not sooner.
MJF def. Bryan Danielson – 60 Minute Ironman Match for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship
Going into this match, I was expecting that it would be pretty good. I didn’t think there would be any way that it would hold my attention for the whole hour though. This match made me pay for thinking that way by making it go by in what seemed like a flash.
By far, this was my favorite match the AEW has produced in their almost four years of being around. And I should have expected it given that the best character in pro wrestling today (MJF) and the best pro wrestler of all time (in my opinion, Bryan Danielson) would wrestle for an hour straight.
MJF came to the ring in a devil mask accompanied by an orchestra of strings playing him in like a god and he set out to maintain that impression.
The first fall in the match went to Danielson when he hit a busaiku knee at around 25 minutes and pinned MJF. MJF then hit a low blow on Danielson (putting himself down 2 falls to 0) before quickly scoring two pinfalls of his own to even the score.
Danielson scored his last fall in the 60 minutes submitting MJF with an STF but the score remained 3-3 at the end of the hour after MJF hit a second rope pile driver and pinned Danielson. As the 60 minutes wound down, Danielson had MJF locked in a submission, and it seemed that MJF might tap out before the time expired. However, he held on just long enough for time to expire before profusely tapping out.
Both wrestlers were covered in blood and absolutely exhausted – MJF was even laying on the outside of the ring taking in oxygen through a mask and a tank. AEW would not let their PPV end in a draw at the end of an ironman match so it was determined that the match would continue under sudden death rules.
MJF was still taking in oxygen outside of the ring when Danielson came over to pull him into the ring. MJF drilled Danielson in the head with the tank of oxygen and quickly discarded it before the referee scuttled into the ring and covered Danielson to retain his AEW World Heavyweight Championship.
All in all, I think this was a 5/5 PPV. I was also very excited to see that of all the matches I predicted in my last article, I got all of them correct!
Ryan Harless is a third-year undergraduate at BGSU from Hillsboro, Ohio. He is majoring in Sport Management with a Journalism Minor. Baseball and golf at all levels are his primary interests but he is also interested in combat sports, hockey, basketball, and football.
March 2, 2023
Coming up this Sunday, March 5, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) “Revolution” will air on PPV and will culminate with some of the best feuds in recent AEW memory. There are currently seven matches on the card. In this article, I will break down each match as well as give my predictions on each winner.
Chris Jericho vs. Ricky Starks (Everyone Banned from Ringside)
The two have had one singles’ match previously which Starks won and I expect the same outcome for this match. Especially with the added stipulation that the JAS are banned from ringside ensuring no interference. Starks should win so that he can put the JAS behind him and begin looking toward the world title picture.
Samoa Joe vs. Wardlow – (TNT Championship)
This feud was kickstarted with the return of Wardlow a few weeks ago on AEW TV. At the last AEW PPV, Samoa Joe beat both Wardlow and Powerhouse Hobbs to regain the TNT title in a great match that kept Wardlow off TV. Joe is a great wrestler albeit not as quick on his feet as he used to be, but this should be an absolute ‘hoss fight‘ and a super fun match to watch.
I think this would be a great way for Wardlow to get a huge win and a title to carry. Joe already is the Ring of Honor (ROH) Television Champion so with him holding two belts, he can stand to drop one without hurting his status.
Jamie Hayter vs. Ruby Soho vs. Saraya – (AEW Women’s World Championship)
I really want to be excited for this match as all of the competitors are super talented. Hayter is one of the hottest acts in AEW right now and is loved by all of the fans, but it’s the other two competitors in the match that scare me.
Soho’s return has been marred with injuries and poorly received matches, and many of us have been really let down with Saraya’s in-ring-return. To me, a lot of her segments have fallen flat and haven’t shown me that she is on the level of others such as Athena or Emi Sakura in the women’s division.
I hope that this match can live up to the expectations of an AEW PPV match, but either way, I expect Hayter to retain her title and possibly start the inklings of a feud with someone else.
The Gunns (Champions) vs. The Acclaimed vs. Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett vs. TBD – (AEW Tag Team Championship
AEW has one of the best tag team divisions in all of professional wrestling and it will be put on full display this Sunday in this four-way for the tag titles. There are a few storylines going on in this match. The Gunns took the titles from The Acclaimed a few weeks ago on TV. The Acclaimed are managed by Billy Gunn who is the father of The Gunns so there is plenty of tension between those two teams.
The TBD is one of the most interesting parts of the match. On March 1, there will be another match on AEW TV to determine the final team in this match. I predict that the Best Friends will win this match and make their attempt at the gold as the fan favorites that they are.
However, I predict that the Gunns will retain their titles as I expect them to hold them until they can drop them the FTR whenever they return to AEW programming.
Jon Moxley vs. “Hangman” Adam Page – (Texas Deathmatch)
I am so stoked for this match! These two have put on amazing matches every time they step in the ring with each other. Except that maybe their match on Dynamite where Page was severely concussed. But that aside, this match should be bloody, violent, and beautiful.
This feud has taken place over many months with Moxley targeting Page and trying to break him both physically and mentally. Page has been aligned with a group called The Dark Order for over a year now and they have helped him get out of many jams but Page has requested they stay away and not get involved.
The last time this happened, Moxley left Page a bloody mess in the ring. However, I anticipate Hangman getting the win here and finally sending Moxley on that vacation he was supposed to take last Fall.
The Elite (Champions) vs. House of Black (AEW World Trios Championships)
In my opinion, this will be the match of the night as far as work rate goes. These two teams leave it all in the ring without fail every chance they get. The Elite are continuing to defend their Trios Titles in amazing matches week after week and it looks like House of Black is finally committed to making their presence felt weekly on AEW programming.
This should be a fast-paced barnburner that finally cements House of Black as the most intimidating and fierce team in all of All Elite Wrestling. If there ever was a “must win” for House of Black, this is it, for sure. I predict House of Black takes the titles from The Elite and holds them for most of 2023.
MJF (Champion) vs. “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson – (60 Minute Ironman Match for AEW World Heavyweight Championship)
Whereas the previous match should be the most intense as far as pace and action, this will be the match of the night as far as storytelling goes. MJF and Danielson are masters of using pacing and visuals to tell stories in the ring. Danielson continues to wrestle after years of being on the sideline with severe head and neck injuries and MJF is the cocky champion that will stoop as low as he needs to stoop, to continue his reign.
This feud has gotten very personal in the past weeks with MJF telling Danielson’s children and wife that he is going to send him home for good and end his wrestling career. Danielson, coming off winning the Wrestling Observer Award for best technical wrestler last year, is looking to carry the title as a respectable champion who will take on all comers.
It should be super fun to watch how MJF handles the longest match of his career by far against a man who can wrestle for an hour at the drop of a hat. I predict that MJF will find a slimy cheap way to retain his titles and continue his reign of terror over the AEW locker room and programming.
Ryan Harless is a third-year undergraduate at BGSU from Hillsboro, Ohio. He is majoring in Sport Management with a Journalism Minor. Baseball and golf at all levels are his primary interests but he is also interested in combat sports, hockey, basketball, and football.
February 26, 2023
We’ve finally made it to the end of the series! Welcome to part six (of six), of my predictions for the breakout star on every Major League Baseball (MLB) team in 2023. We have finally made it all the way to the American League (AL) Western Division.
This division has been dominated recently by the Houston Astros, but last year the Seattle Mariners made a surprising run in the postseason.
Kicking off this list, however, are the Oakland Athletics. The A’s lost 102 games last season and they have nowhere to go but up.
I expect a large part of their rebuilding process is going to be Paul Blackburn. Twenty twenty-two was Blackburn’s first year entirely in the Majors, as he had spent all or parts of the last 10 years on various Minor League teams.
Over his nine seasons in the Minors, Blackburn had a 3.66 ERA in 721 innings. In his experience at the Major League level, he has struggled to keep on pace posting a 5.09 ERA over 249.1 innings.
Last season, Blackburn got his most starts in MLB since 2017 with 21 and he made the most of it, being named to his first All-Star team. He finished the season with a 4.28 ERA alongside his 89 strikeouts over 111.1 innings.
I predict that if Blackburn is able to stay healthy and make 25+ starts, he can go 12-8 with a 3.50 ERA. With Blackburn being a contact pitcher, he does have to rely on his fielders to be there for him when batters make contact so there is always uncertainty.
Finishing eight games ahead of Oakland were the Texas Rangers. This team spent around $350 million in one offseason to bring Corey Seager and Marcus Semien in to be their middle-infielders. They finished with fewer than 70 wins even with those two on the team.
The Rangers are another team looking to turn things around and I think a certain switch-hitting catcher might be a major key to their turnaround.
My choice for the 2023 breakout star of the Texas Rangers is Jonah Heim. Heim is entering his second season as the primary catcher for Texas. He played parts of the 2020 and 2021 seasons and was relatively inconsequential posting a 0 WAR (wins above replacement). But, this last season saw Heim play in 127 games, and post a 2.5 WAR.
Heim, as is the case with most catchers, is most valuable behind the plate and not in the batters box. Heim has posted an above average fielding percentage all of the last three years as well as having eight defensive runs saved above average.
I expect Heim to play in 130 games, have a caught stealing percentage above 30%, and have a 3+ WAR. With these numbers, I could easily see Heim starting behind the dish for the All-Star game this season.
This brings us to one of the oddest teams in all of MLB, the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels have had two of the top five players in all of the league (Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout) every one of the last five seasons and haven’t been .500 or better in any of them. Nor have they finished above third place in any of those years.
I think that another one of their outfielders could be one of the keys to their success this year. Jo Adell has struggled to get on his feet in his three seasons in the big leagues. But I feel that a lot of times, position players need 2-3 years of struggling in MLB to really catch hold and play to the height of their abilities.
Adell has the tools to be a star both in the field and at the plate, and I think he will do just that in the 2023 season.
I expect Adell to slash .250/.300/.350 with 18 homers and somewhere around 50 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.
Finishing 2nd in the AL West last season were the Seattle Mariners. This is a team that is amped up and ready to make another postseason push and they have the talent to do so.
I think this team will make it to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and maybe even their first World Series ever.
I think the player that is going to have a true breakout season and propel them there is Luis Castillo.
Castillo has already proved himself as one of the better starting pitchers in all of MLB, but I think that this will be the year that he wins a Cy Young award.
Those Reds teams did little to help Castillo with run support so his win-loss records look a little sketchy. But, finding his home in Seattle, I expect him to put up league-leading numbers, especially if he is able to master his changeup which is already one of the best in all of MLB.
I expect Castillo to go 15-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 180 innings to go alongside 200 strikeouts. As I mentioned above, I also anticipate him winning the AL Cy Young Award.
This brings us to the 2022 World Series champions, the Houston Astros. The Astros won the second most games in MLB last year, trailing only the Dodgers by five wins. I can only imagine that the Houston organization is taking this year as another World Series or bust year.
I think that this year, they are going to have more help from one of their quieter returning players, Chas McCormick.
McCormick has played two seasons for Houston batting around .250, but like I said before, I think a lot of hitters need a few years in the big leagues to get the swing of things. I’m sure he will bounce back just fine.
Brady Shick is a third-year Sport Management Major at BGSU from the Akron area. His main goals for the future are to work in baseball on the front office side of operations.
February 25, 2023
Earlier this month, I was able to travel to Glendale, Arizona, with 19 other students, to work both the Super Bowl and other related events prior to the game. Throughout the week we were able to spend time together as a group and develop new friendships all while participating in a once in a lifetime experience.
Early Week Activities
We arrived in Arizona the Monday before the game but did not have an actual shift until Thursday, so we had a few days to experience the area and learn about the other people in our group. Monday, we spent a lot of time at our hotel hanging out in a big group – either hanging around the pool or when we sat down to eat our meals. Tuesday, we started to get more into a groove. First thing in the morning we drove to Phoenix from our hotel, which was about 20 minutes away, to pick up our credentials. After obtaining our credentials, our large group split into two groups with my group going to the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf event and the other going back to the hotel.
At the tournament, the golfers were playing a practice round so we were able to get in free. We saw golfers such as Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tyrell Hatton, and Viktor Hovland all while walking nearly eight miles that day. Wednesday was our last day off and we split into groups again with one group touring Chase Field, the Diamondbacks’ Stadium, and the other going hiking. I went on the Chase Field tour where we were able to see the clubhouse, dugout, bullpen, and even one of the suites.
Working Experiences
On Thursday, we finally had our first shift at the Phoenix Convention Center where the Super Bowl Experience was happening. The Super Bowl Experience was a fan event put on by the NFL the week before the Super Bowl. Most of our group was on the top level of the convention center helping to run the various games for the children. One group was at a kind of obstacle course while another was at a pickle ball station where a bunch of current and former NFL players came by. I was tasked with a job at the lower level of the convention center where I watched the line for the Super Bowl ring displays. Also downstairs were multiple autograph stages and the showcase of the Lombardi trophy.
On Friday, most of the group volunteered at Hance Park after our training at State Farm Stadium but another member of our group and I just hung around the Glendale area and tried to soak it in a bit more. Saturday came with another shift at the convention center. Again, a large group of us was tasked with running the various games for the little kids. Meanwhile, I was outside making sure everyone got into the convention center in an orderly and safe manner. It wasn’t the most interesting of jobs, but I saw a few different NFL players and got to talk to some of their families which was really rewarding. After we were done working at the convention center, we got to meet up with Dick Maxwell and his wife at their hotel where Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell let us talk about our career aspirations and they gave us some advice on our future endeavors.
Gameday
On Gameday we were tasked with employee egress. We were responsible for making sure that all the employees and fans went out of their own respective gates and thus made it to the proper destination. Again, it may not have been the most glorious of jobs but at the end of the day it is something that needs to be done to ensure a great experience for both the fans and the workers. By doing this we were able to actually be on the campus of the Super Bowl which is a once in a lifetime experience and I thank both Bowling Green State University and SMA for allowing me to do so.
Carsen Hageman is a first-year undergraduate student at BGSU, where he majors in Sport Management. As an active member of the Sport Management Alliance, he was part of a group of 20 students who attended and worked at Super Bowl LVII.
February 25, 2023
Growing up a huge NFL fan, I never thought about going to the Super Bowl. As I grew older though, I knew I wanted to work in sports so it was always a goal to make it there. So, once I learned that it was a possibility to attend the Super Bowl in my first year at BGSU, I was ecstatic! I was also fortunate enough to plan part of the trip to the Super Bowl through the Sport Management Alliance (SMA). As the Assistant Travel Coordinator, I helped plan the trip with the Travel Coordinator. Everything from flights to the rental cars needed to be planned months in advance.
One of the first things we did once we got to Arizona was to attend Super Bowl Opening Night. This was an event where all the players in the Super Bowl were available to be interviewed by the media. Fans got to sit and watch all of the players from each team being interviewed.
My favorite non-football event that we did in Arizona had to be touring Chase Field, the home of the Diamondbacks. On one of our days off, we found out that Chase Field did tours. It was perfect timing because pitchers and catchers reported in one week so people were in the building getting ready for spring ball. This was such a fascinating tour as we got to learn what it is like to run a facility like that. Lastly, our tour guide was from Springfield, OH, so we got to bond over being from Ohio. Since we fostered such a great relationship during the tour, our tour guide allowed us to take one of the bullpen balls home from the Diamondbacks’ personal batting cages within their locker room.
During the week leading up to the game, we all worked at the NFL Experience at the Phoenix Convention Center. The NFL experience is an event where fans interact with players and have fun at games like the one pictured above. The capacities we all worked in varied from working to make sure games ran smoothly to facilitating autograph lines. Throughout The Experience, there were a variety of autograph booths that included current and former NFL players signing autographs for fans. This was such a rewarding position as we got to interact with fans and make their experience one to remember.
During Super Bowl game day, we worked with Gameday Stadium Services assisting with the egress of teammates and other staff as the Super Bowl campus was very hectic. This was a little bit disappointing as we wanted to be inside the stadium. It did not turn out as badly as anticipated because we were able to go into the game during our break or even just to use the restroom.
The disappointment quickly went away after the game as we were able to get onto the field. Since it was an hour or two after the game, security allowed us onto the field. This was the highlight of my trip as everyone dreams of being on the field for a Super Bowl. Once we were on the field, we were able to walk around and take pictures for almost an hour. This included pictures on the sidelines and the Lombardi presentation stage.
Overall, this was an experience of a lifetime. To be able to spend a week in Arizona and gain real-world experience in sports is something I will never forget. I want to thank the entire Sport Management Faculty and Sport Management Alliance for a truly life-changing trip. Without the support from the staff and great planning from SMA, we would have never been able to have such a successful trip.
Ryan Harless is a third-year undergraduate at BGSU from Hillsboro, Ohio. He is majoring in Sport Management with a Journalism Minor. Baseball and golf at all levels are his primary interests but he is also interested in combat sports, hockey, basketball, and football.
February 25, 2023
Welcome to part three of six of my series predicting the breakout stars for each and every Major League Baseball (MLB) team for 2023. In this series, I have already discussed the Central Divisions for both leagues which brings us to today’s topic, the National League East.
Finishing in last place in 2022 were the Washington Nationals. This team won the World Series just three seasons ago, well not this exact team as the roster has almost entirely turned over. However, this team has a pretty high ceiling with all of the young talent they obtained through trading their top stars.
My pick for their breakout star is MacKenzie Gore. Gore was the third player picked in the 2017 MLB Draft and was one of the major pieces in the trade sending Juan Soto to the Padres. Although his career is six years old to this point, Gore is only 23 at the time of writing as he was drafted right out of high school.
I predict that this season Gore will start to reach his potential and look for him to throw 150 innings with 200 strikeouts and a 3.40 ERA. MacKenzie should be a viable option for the ace of this Nationals’ staff.
The fourth-place finishers in the NL East last year were the Miami Marlins. This is another young team with a lot of potential over the next few years. There are a few different potential candidates for their breakout star.
Take, for instance, the cover of next year’s MLB The Show videogame Jazz Chisholm Jr., or even the returning Sixto Sanchez, but I think the player who will steal the spotlight is going to be Edward Cabrera.
MLB The Show fans already know what I am talking about with Cabrera as he has terrorized players for the past two years with his pitch variety and velocity.
I look for Cabrera to go 14-6 with an ERA under 3.00 and throwing at least 150 innings.
The next in the standings in the NL East last season were the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies really don’t have a lot of super intriguing young players on their team this season after their World Series visit. I’m looking for a relative newcomer to be their breakout star.
I think that Brandon Marsh will have a great season where he can finally shine. Marsh has spent his last two seasons sharing the outfield with stars like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. Now he gets the chance to shine in an outfield with Nicholas Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber.
I look for Marsh to bat .270 with 130+ hits as well as being one of the top defensive outfielders in the National League. His defensive play will really stand out being in an outfield with Castellanos and Schwarber who are both below average fielders.
Finishing second in the NL East last year were the New York Mets. The Mets spent a lot of money this offseason trying to make their way back to a World Series berth spending $500 million on free agents.
One of the Mets’ big acquisitions was star Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga, who I think will be a breakout star for the Mets. Over his 11 seasons in professional baseball, Senga has a staggering 2.42 ERA and a record of 104-51 with 1340.2 innings pitched. He has averaged almost 122 innings pitched during his time with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.
Japanese pitchers often struggle when they come to the MLB due to the change in the size and feel of the ball being different than it is in Japan, but I expect Senga to make an impact from the start.
I anticipate that Senga will throw 100 innings with an ERA around 2.75 and 125+ punch-outs in his first season in the MLB. I look for him to put up even better numbers than Masahiro Tanaka even though Senga is about five years older than Tanaka was when he entered the league.
Finally, this brings us to the 2022 NL East champions, the Atlanta Braves. I wouldn’t really say that this player will breakout this year as he won the ‘2022 Rookie of The Year award.’ But I still look for Michael Harris to continue his exciting play and keep improving on his already impressive numbers.
I look for more of the same from Harris in 2023. If he can get his strikeouts down and walks up, I’m predicting a .300/.400/.500 slash line from him. That, along with 25 homers and easily 20+ stolen bases, and with a little bit of good fortune, I think he can put up 30/30 years for many seasons to come.
Next time, I’ll be talking about the ever chippy AL East so be sure to check back in a few days for that!
Ryan Harless is a third-year undergraduate at BGSU from Hillsboro, Ohio. He is majoring in Sport Management with a Journalism Minor. Baseball and golf at all levels are his primary interests but he is also interested in combat sports, hockey, basketball, and football.
February 23, 2023
Welcome back to my series predicting breakout stars for every Major League Baseball (MLB) team for the 2023 season. This time, we are rounding out the National League (NL) with the Western Division.
The West is always a tough division with 2-3 teams in playoff contention yearly. The Colorado Rockies finished in last place last year, so they get to kick off this list.
The Rockies are a very young team this year with their longest tenured player at eight years of experience (Randal Grichuk) and their oldest player being only 37 (Daniel Bard).
I think their breakout performer will be someone who has had a few years in the league, but hasn’t yet lived up to his first round hype. Brendan Rodgers. Rodgers was drafted 3rd overall in 2015 and although he has played 100+ games the last two seasons, he has yet to live up to amazing numbers at the plate.
Rodgers has also put-up decent power numbers averaging 14 homers and 26 doubles. Last year, he proved that he is capable of being more patient at the plate and can take walks if he doesn’t get his pitch. He more than doubled his walk count from 2021 in just 30 more games.
I think Rodgers will slash .290/.350/.460 with 20 homers as well as bringing his second consecutive Gold Glove to Colorado. I also anticipate him to be on the long list of people receiving MVP votes.
Finishing ahead of the Rockies were the Arizona Diamondbacks. This is another relatively young team with only a handful of players with more than 5 years of experience.
Arizona is looking to shock people this season and possibly even make a run for a Wild Card spot.
My pick for their breakout star is going to be Gabriel Moreno. Although he will be splitting time with Carson Kelly behind the plate, I think he can take the starting position by the All-Star break.
Through 25 games last season, Moreno hit .319, which is what he has done his entire career as he has a .310 average through five Minor League seasons. Especially in today’s game, finding a catcher who can hit for average is increasingly rare and, in turn, valuable.
I look for Moreno to catch 100 games for Arizona this year and slash .290/.360/.400 as well as possibly capturing a Gold Glove.
Finishing the middle of the Western Division last season were the San Francisco Giants. This brings us to the first of three (spoiler alert) pitchers I have chosen for this list. The Giants have a lot of talent but most of it is holed up in their pitching staff.
I think this player is only going to improve after his coming out party last year where he finished 11th in Cy Young voting.
This player is Logan Webb. The now 26-year-old, entering his 5th MLB season, put up career best numbers last season with his 192.1 innings pitched and 2.90 ERA.
Webb looks to be the best option to become the new ace in San Fran. He reminds me a lot of prime Matt Cain, another all time Giant great from those 2010-2014 dynasty years.
If the Giants’ lineup is able to provide good or even decent run support for Webb, look for him to possibly start the All-Star game.
I predict Webb will throw 200+ innings this season and keep his sub 3.00 ERA yet again. Webb is primarily a contact pitcher so I don’t expect his strikeout numbers to be very high, but he will still probably have at least 140 Ks.
Finishing in second place in the West in 2022, were the San Diego Padres, another team looking to make it back to the playoffs and to finally make that elusive World Series run.
The Padres are shaping up to contend again, and I expect a large contributor will be Brent Honeywell Jr. Honeywell hasn’t seen big league action since he started two games and pitched in three for the Rays in 2021.
Honeywell has struggled with the injury bug since being drafted in 2014 and spent 2018-2020 out of professional baseball rehabbing and working to get back into shape.
This being said, he is one of my favorite pitchers to watch as he is possibly the last Major League Baseball player/pitcher who still throws a screwball (outside of Brewers’ pitcher Devin Williams “changeup”).
I think that if Honeywell can stay healthy and throw 120 innings, he can keep his ERA around 3.30 and punch out 150+ batters. I really look forward to watching Honeywell in the coming years as he promises to become a dominant starter.
Finally, we’ve reached the last National League team in this series, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers are always expecting a playoff berth and this year is no different.
I think this player has finally worked his way into an everyday role as well as helping to end the revolving door of relievers/closers the Dodgers have been working with ever since Kenley Janson left.
Along with his desirable numbers, Graterol is a treat to watch pitch as he touches triple digits with his fastball as effortlessly as you or I might toss a wad of paper into the trash can.
And while his ERA was a little higher than you would like out of your everyday closer, his fielding independent pitching or FIP, was 2.95. FIP takes into account errors and situations to determine a pitcher’s ERA using only things the pitchers themselves can control.
I predict that Graterol will play in 60 games this season and notch 40+ saves along with a 2.50 ERA over the course of 75 innings. Along with Webb, Graterol could easily become a starter in this year’s Mid-Summer Classic.
Ryan Harless is a third-year undergraduate at BGSU from Hillsboro, Ohio. He is majoring in Sport Management with a Journalism Minor. Baseball and golf at all levels are his primary interests but he is also interested in combat sports, hockey, basketball, and football.
February 21, 2023
Welcome back to part four of six of my predictions for the breakout star of every Major League Baseball (MLB) team for the 2023 season. Today we tackle the stacked AL East.
Kicking off with the team that finished in last place in 2022, the Boston Red Sox. Boston won 78 games last year which would be a huge upgrade for most of the last place teams in 2022.
The Bosox don’t really have a plethora of young talent to pick from, but the one that I have the most confidence in is Triston Casas. He will more than likely be sitting behind Bobby Dalbec at first base, but with Dalbec’s average dropping substantially every season since 2020, I could see Casas getting some serious playing time.
Casas is just 23 years old and has only played 27 games, so still has fewer than 100 at bats in his MLB career. Even though he struggled (.197/.358/.408) when he played last year, he still barely played. I could see Casas being a strong middle of the order batter for Boston this year.
I anticipate Casas playing 100+ games this season and slashing .270/.380/.450 if he is able to use his 6’5” frame to generate some power and use the 302’ right field wall to hit some homers. I could also see Casas hitting 18-20 homers with 80+ RBI.
Finishing five games above Boston in 2022 were the Baltimore Orioles. I would imagine, most people would expect me to say Adley Rutschman for their 2023 breakout star. However, I expect someone who is yet to have any MLB experience to have a much better statistical year.
The 2023 breakout star for the Baltimore Orioles will be pitcher Grayson Rodriguez. Another 23-year-old for the list, Grayson was drafted in the first round in 2018 and has put up four great seasons across the minor leagues.
Rodriguez has a three pitch mix that he uses to keep batters off balance, including his fastball that effortlessly touches triple digits.
I expect Rodriguez to go 10-6 this year with a 2.80 ERA and to be a heavy candidate for AL Rookie of the Year.
Coming now to the first of three AL East teams that made the playoffs in 2022, are the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays have a good mix of relatively young players and talented veterans. I would have Wander Franco as my pick, but I feel that he already had his breakout year when he was a rookie and continued to play well last year.
I also considered Shane Baz, but he’s currently injured and doesn’t look to be available for Opening Day.
So my choice for the Rays’ breakout star is Peter Fairbanks. Fairbanks is a 29-year-old relief pitcher who has been very underappreciated in my opinion. He has four years of MLB experience but has only thrown 114.1 innings up to this point. However, in his defense, Fairbanks is doing well with what he has been given putting up a 3.46 ERA and punching out 161 batters in his time.
I expect Fairbanks to be the full-time closer for Tampa Bay this season, and if they can make another playoff run he should play a massive part in closing those games.
My prediction is that Fairbanks will have 60+ innings pitched this year, an ERA around 2.50, and 30+ saves for Tampa this year. He is also a great early pick for the AL All-Star team.
Finishing second in the AL East in 2022 were the Toronto Blue Jays, another super good team with tons of talent looking to return to the playoffs in 2023.
Again, I was shocked to remember that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is only 23 years old and nearly has a triple crown to his name. However, my pick for their breakout star is someone who is yet to play an MLB game for Toronto.
I think Varsho will finally get his feet under him at the plate and will start to bring his batting average around. I anticipate that Daulton Varsho will hit .265 this season with 30 home runs and 25+ stolen bases. The Blue Jays really have something special on their hands with a catcher that could easily become a 30/30 hitter.
Although I would love to see Varsho continue to catch, if Toronto wants to save his hitting and keep his legs fresh longer, I could see him transferring to mostly outfield duties.
Finally, we get to talk about everyone’s favorite, the New York Yankees. The Yankees didn’t make many moves this offseason as they mostly focused on bringing back Aaron Judge.
As excited as I am to get to see Jasson Dominguez, I don’t expect him to be on the team until September call-ups. So, my choice for the Yankees breakout star is Oswald Peraza.
Cassidy Sutton is a third -year undergraduate student at BGSU. from Plainfield, IL. She is majoring in Sport Management with a marketing Minor. Football, Hockey and Baseball are her primary sport interests, but she is also interested in stadium/arena management.
On February 6, 2023 myself and 19 other members of the Sport Management Alliance (SMA) at Bowling Green State University headed out to Arizona for Super Bowl LVII. Being a part of such a large sporting event was not only the chance of a life time, but an experience I will never forget. SMA was fortunate enough to work at both the NFL Experience and the actual Super Bowl game.
The NFL Experience was held at the Phoenix Convention Center starting on Monday the 6th and operating until Saturday the 11th. It was a ticketed event with the ticket prices being $20 on the weekdays and $40 on the weekend for the general public to purchase.
This event included three levels of interactive games and NFL memorabilia for fans to connect with the NFL on a different level. Some interactive games included, but were not limited to the 40 yard dash, field goal kicking, tackling drills, throwing drills, tackling drills, Fuel Up to Play 60, etc. These games were catered toward children mostly, but adults also took part in these activities.
Thursday February 9th, was the first day we worked the NFL Experience. I was assigned on the lowest level of the convention center which was filled with tons of different components relating to the NFL. To start off the shift I was tasked with monitoring the line for the Super Bowl rings. Although it doesn’t sound like the most exciting job, it was extremely amazing to see the past 56 Super Bowl rings all on display in the same room. The rings were also surrounded by every single NFL’s team’s helmet covered in Swarovski crystals. I was fortunate enough to not only be working with those, but also helping assist lines for autograph signings by well known athletes such as David Montgomery from the Chicago Bears.
On Saturday February 11th, I worked on the middle level of the convention center where I handed out stickers to little kids, interacted with fans and took pictures. The stickers were used for people to take either an Eagles’ one or a Chiefs’ one and place on a giant football statue for extra good luck for the team. While I was up there, I got to walk around and see the different events happening throughout the day. I got to watch AJ Dillon from the Green Bay Packers play pickle ball with professional pickle ball players and assist with the field goal kicking event. The field goal kicking event consisted of two footballs set up on a stand and three field goals for guests to choose from, wind up and take their kicks.
After working the experience on Saturday we were given the opportunity to go back inside the convention center and check everything out for ourselves. We walked around the giant Super Bowl shop they had set up inside which had everything from specific Super Bowl teams’ gear to other NFL teams’ gear and they even had a section for Rihanna, the half time show performer’s makeup line known as Fenty Beauty. Myself and three other SMA members got the chance to check out a live broadcast that was being produced by the NFL Network. Reporters Steve Smith, Sr. And M.J Acosta were hosting the show live from the convention center. We got the chance to talk to them for a few minutes and even took a picture with them. While doing their live show they brought out defensive end from the New Orleans Saints Cam Jordan who also stopped to talk to us for a second and take a picture.
The NFL Experience is something so unique to the NFL and I never knew how big it was until I was there myself. It connects fans to the game of football in a whole new way and I really enjoyed it the most. Seeing all the great accomplishments and people that have come through the NFL was a once in a life time opportunity.
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