By MONTE DUTTON

I think my favorite UFL team is the Birmingham Stallions. This ranks on the personal totem pole at about the same level as my favorite team in the Premier League. I have nothing against either. I just don’t have room for an infinite variety of sports and teams.

I like them all, but I have favorites.

I really like hockey when the Chicago Blackhawks are contenders, but that’s the only time. My interest has also suffered from Doc Emrick’s retirement as national broadcaster.

Caitlin Clark has a lot to do with the astonishing rise in the popularity of women’s basketball, but the “ESPN Family of Networks” plays a role, too. Dan Patrick, who worked there for many years, calls it “the Mothership.” When CBS acquired rights to the men’s tournament, ESPN/ABC, in order to maintain its status as “the Worldwide Leader,” took it as a challenge and sacred mission to boost the women’s game.

That’s the short answer to why I don’t get to know what Charles Barkley thinks of this Iowa-South Carolina game. It’s been fairly common for me to work on a story during the final five minutes of the first half, paying only mild attention, so I can listen to what Ernie Johnson Jr., Clark Kellogg, Kenny Smith, Jay Wright and Sir Charles are going to say at halftime.

I’m rooting for Purdue on Monday night solely because its jerseys don’t have names on the back.

TV always brags about how high the ticket prices are. They make it out to be the greatest achievement in human history. It bugs me a little that the only person who has any kind of business paying that kind of money for a ballgame is Jason Sudeikis.

The Gamecocks enjoy the luxury of the slow start. South Carolina can afford the luxury. I look at Caitlin Clark and I think, gosh, she’s good. I look at the Gamecocks and I think, gosh, they’re good.

I’ll give the NCAA credit for this. Most of the commercials promote the sport more than the product. That’s a pretty neat trick.

When the Gamecocks wear those uniforms with gold trim, they appear to be intent on taking over the other USC.

I think South Carolina follows its shots better than any other team, women or men, college or pro.

While infinitesimally smaller in notice, it was also a banner day for Presbyterian baseball, which swept a three-game Big South series against Radford, clubbing the Highlanders, 9-2, on Sunday.

PC swept a four-game series with Saint Peter’s to open the season, but the Blue Hose haven’t taken three straight in the conference since 2022. They haven’t won the third game in a Big South series since the final game of last season, also versus the Highlanders. The teams had split the first two games.

Eight of PC’s 11 hits – by eight different players — were doubles: Jay Wetherington, Brody Fahr, Joel Dragoo, Noah Lebron, Jack Gorman, Jackson Hugus, Eli Lazio and Aaron Hobson.

The eight doubles set a school record. PC has stroked six doubles in a game nine times, most recently against Charleston Southern on May 19, 2016.

The player singled out by head coach Elton Pollock, though, was starting and winning pitcher Fenix DiGiacomo (2-3), who toiled six tenacious innings, giving up eight hits but only two runs with a walk and three strikeouts. Tristan McGregor pitched two innings and Tanner Smith one.

Only Fahr, the shortstop, had two hits. Only left fielder Wetherington scored twice. Only Dragoo, the center fielder, drove in a pair.

Third baseman Zack Whitacre went 3/5, all singles, for Radford (9-20, 2-7). Cameron Pittman tripled.

Raymond Ladd (3-2), first of six Radford hurlers, took the loss deservedly. He faced 14 batters and only retired four of them, giving up seven earned runs in 1-2/3 innings.

Presbyterian had played 16 three-game series over three seasons since the last sweep, which was on April 22-24, 2022, against Winthrop.

The Blue Hose take on Western Carolina at home on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Take a look at the box here.

Monday is my birthday. There’s an eclipse, which for some reason makes me a little uneasy.

I’ve never been one to ask people to donate to charity for my birthday. What makes me think people who wouldn’t dream of giving me a present should give to charity in my name?

On the other hand, perhaps you like the site. Perhaps you think it’s worthy of support. How much do you like it? Enough to make a small contribution to keep it going? If you’re considering it, now’s the time.

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