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Inspirational thought of the week:

There he goes
And he ain’t wearing no clothes
Oh yes, they call him the Streak
Fastest thing on two feet
He likes to show off his physique
If there’s an audience to be found
He’ll be streaking around
Inviting public critique
Boogity, boogity

— “The Streak” by Ray Stevens

Here at Bottom 10 Headquarters, located in the same medical tent where “College GameDay” ices down the knees of all the contestants in Pat McAfee’s kicking contest, we know what it’s like to recognize a streak, whether that run be good or bad.

For example, at this late stage of the college football season, one’s résumé is all about streaks. Yeah, yeah, we know all about Georgia not losing a game in two-plus years and the other seven undefeated teams in the hoity-toity Top 25. Besides, if we’ve learned nothing else over the past week (see: Pac-12 versus teams leaving the Pac-12, Big Ten vs. Michigan and fired coaches’ buyouts), it’s that the only true undefeated force in this world is billable hours.

But we live on the other end the spectrum, the side that doesn’t show you all the colors of the rainbow, but rather a big gooey wad of brown that used to be Skittles but is now just a molten blob under the seat of your car. We’re talking about losing streaks. And as you stroll through this week’s list, you’re going to see a lot of them. And you’re also going to get some of that multicolored goo on your shoes.

Don’t worry. You don’t need shoes. Because we’re going streaking.

With apologies to the 1950s Oklahoma Sooners, Joe DiMaggio, Frank the Tank and Steve Harvey, here’s the Week 12 Bottom 10.


1. State of Kent (1-9)

Nick Saban’s alma mater was supposed to be preparing for a Pillow Fight of the Week this Saturday, but Baller State had the audacity to earn its third win of the season. The good news is that win came over Northen Ill-ugh-noise, Kent’s season finale opponent two weekends from now, which should help the Golden Flashes in one of the Bottom 10 selection committee’s most crucial criteria, Weakness of Record.

2. UCan’t (1-9)

The Huskies faced Tennessee and James Madison over back-to-back weekends and lost by a combined score of 103-9. The worst beatdown for a Husky since my former dog Lucky, who spent his entire life chasing buses, finally caught one. Don’t worry, he didn’t perish. But most of his teeth did.

3. ULM (pronounced ‘UHLM’) (2-8)

Ulm, the Warhawks have a made a relatively late, ulm, climb into the crater of the Bottom 10 thanks to an eight-game losing streak, ulm, the nation’s second longest and a slump that is, ulm, all but guaranteed to reach nine as they, ulm, visit Oxford, Mississippi, this weekend, where I’d bet that, ulm, Wright Thompson, John Grisham and William Faulkner never used the word “ulm” in a sentence in one of their fancy-schmancy books.

4. Van-duh-bilt Commode Doors (2-9)

In case you were wondering who has the longest losing streak, it’s the Dores, who hit nine straight losses after falling 47-6 to South Carolina. This weekend, instead of being like the rest of the SEC and scheduling a de facto open date, Vandy has an actual open date.

5. Pokes, eeh, mon (7-3)

I’m a man! I (gave up) 40 (+ a Coveted 5-Spot)! To UCF! The week after beating Oklahoma!

6. Akronmonious (2-9)

The Zips followed up their Wagon Wheel win over State of Kent by visiting My Hammy of Ohio and adorning the scoreboard with the number that resembles a Wagon Wheel. Then they lost on the postapocalyptic playing field that is home to the Eastern Michigan University Emus. They close out the season seeking to make a statement in Ohio versus fellow Ohio staters Ohio not Ohio State.

7. The Pitt and the Pendulum (2-8)

The Panthers aren’t mired in a long losing streak, thanks to their weird win over ninth-ranked Louisville five games ago. But they did just help Syracuse end its own five-game slump. It’s hard to believe this team was in Charlotte just two years ago playing in the ACC championship. It’s also hard to believe these Panthers have twice as many wins this year as the Panthers whose stadium they played in that night. Someone needs to check the water at Bank of America Stadium. I think the sewer line might be connected to the wrong pipe.

8. No-vada (2-8)

How wild, wild west is the Mountain West? The Woof Pack reenter these rankings after two straight losses to former Bottom 10 residents Huh-Why-Yuh and Yewtah State, after leaving these rankings because they won two straight over former No. 1 Bottom 10 team Whew Mexico and San Diego State, which just announced the retirement of coach Brady Hoke. So, Nevada is now in the Bottom 10 with a 2-8 record, but the teams they beat are both 3-7 and ranked below them in the Mountain West standings. But they both beat Hawai’i, who turned around and beat Nevada. Reading all of this back makes me feel like I am actually in the Rockies and my brain is starved for oxygen.

Did I mention that whole lost to Nevada and Utah State and coach retiring thing? Did I mention it’s all happened in the past three weeks?

10. Arkansaw (3-7)

I spoke to the Little Rock Touchdown Club on Monday and after the speech visited with dozens of Razorbacks fans. At least six of them insisted that since Arkansas had just lost 48-10 to Auburn to put Sam Pittman on the hot seat, I needed to put their beloved Woo Pig in these rankings. I’m always a sucker for #Bottom10Lobbying, especially when it is in person. And especially when those people are pleading with me about their Hogs while handing me a heaping helping of ribs. I’m a sucker for a real-life metaphor. Especially when it’s slathered in sauce.

Waiting list: Sam Houston We Have Problem, EC-Yew, Virginugh, the entire lower half of the American Athletic Conference of American Athletics, whining because you don’t get the money from the conference you burned down in search of more money.

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Nats, Orioles settle lengthy dispute over TV rights

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Nats, Orioles settle lengthy dispute over TV rights

NEW YORK — The Nationals and Orioles ended a legal fight over television rights dating to 2012 when Major League Baseball announced Monday that Washington will be freed from its deal with the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network after the upcoming season.

MLB said Nationals games will be broadcast by MASN in 2025 under a new, one-year contract.

“After this term, the Nationals will be free to explore alternatives for their television rights for the 2026 season and beyond,” MLB said. “As part of the settlement, all disputes related to past media rights between the Nationals, Orioles and MASN have been resolved, and all litigation will be dismissed.”

MASN was established in March 2005 after the Montreal Expos relocated to Washington and became the Nationals, moving into what had been Baltimore’s exclusive broadcast territory since 1972. The Orioles were given a supermajority partnership interest in MASN, starting at 90%, and Washington made a $75 million payment to the network for an initial 10%.

The agreement called for the Nationals’ equity to increase 1% annually, starting after the 2009 season, with a cap of 33%. The network’s rights payments to each team were set at $20 million apiece in 2005 and 2006, rising to $25 million in 2007, with $1 million annual increases through 2011.

After that, the network was to pay fair market value with disputes over the Nationals’ rights to be resolved by MLB’s Revenue Sharing Definitions Committee, a group of three MLB club officials. The RSDC started to hear the case in 2012 and lawsuits over the decision were filed two years later in New York Supreme Court.

Litigation over the 2012-16 fees resulted in a 2019 RSDC decision that valued them at $296.8 million. After arguments that went to the New York Court of Appeals, the sides agreed to a settlement in June 2023.

A 2023 RSDC decision held Washington was owed about $304.1 million by MASN for 2017-21, after an adjustment downward of almost $45.5 million for the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. That decision was confirmed in New York Supreme Court.

Another RSDC decision in December had awarded the Nationals approximately $320.5 million for 2022-26. The rights fee was set at about $72.8 million each for 2022 and ’23 — matching 2021 — and dropped to approximately $58.3 million annually from 2024-26, citing deteriorating economics of regional sports networks.

A court hearing on that decision had been scheduled for March 13.

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Sports

Braves starting catcher Murphy out 4-6 weeks

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Braves starting catcher Murphy out 4-6 weeks

Atlanta Braves starting catcher Sean Murphy will miss the start of the season with a rib injury.

The one-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks with a cracked rib on his left side, the team said Monday.

Top prospect Drake Baldwin is a candidate to replace Murphy behind the plate for Opening Day at San Diego on March 27.

Murphy, 30, struggled last season after an abdominal strain on Opening Day and batted .193 with 10 homers and 25 RBIs in 72 games with the Braves in 2024. He is a career .233 hitter with 77 homers and 240 RBIs in 510 games with the then-Oakland Athletics (2019-22) and the Braves.

The Braves declined Travis d’Arnaud‘s $8 million option during the offseason, clearing the path for Murphy to be the No. 1 catcher. D’Arnaud signed with the Los Angeles Angels.

Chadwick Tromp is the only other catcher on the Atlanta 40-man roster. He hit .250 in 19 games in 2024.

Murphy made the National League All-Star team in 2023 and collected a Gold Glove at catcher with the Athletics in 2021.

Field Level Media and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Moustakas will sign 1-day deal, retire as Royal

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Moustakas will sign 1-day deal, retire as Royal

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Mike Moustakas will retire with Kansas City after spending 13 years in the majors and winning the World Series with the Royals in 2015.

The Royals announced Moustakas’ retirement Monday. The 36-year-old infielder will sign a one-day contract with his first big league team on May 31, and he will be honored before Kansas City’s home game against Detroit that day.

Moustakas hit .247 with 215 homers and 683 RBIs in 1,427 games, also playing for Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Colorado and the Los Angeles Angels. The three-time All-Star appeared in his last major league game with the Angels on Sept. 30, 2023.

Moustakas was the No. 2 pick in the 2007 amateur draft. He broke into the majors with Kansas City in 2011.

He became a key performer for the Royals during a memorable stretch for the franchise. He hit .284 with 22 homers and 82 RBIs in 147 games in 2015, helping the team win the AL Central. Then he drove in eight runs in the postseason as the Royals won the World Series for the first time since 1985.

Moustakas bashed a career-high 38 homers for Kansas City in 2017. He set a career best with 95 RBIs while playing for the Royals and Brewers in 2018.

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