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Paul Skenes is finally putting words to what Pirates fans have been watching all season. The young ace pointed directly at the World Baseball Classic as the reason his velocity took a hit, saying flat out, it definitely affected the year. For a pitcher whose fastball is supposed to be a weapon, that's a significant admission, and it raises real questions about how MLB manages its young arms heading into future international competitions.
Shifting to the gridiron, the NFL's Week three slate is locked in and the computers like Detroit and San Francisco to cover. SportsLine's model ran every game ten thousand times and keeps landing on the Lions and Niners as the sharp plays this weekend. With both teams carrying genuine Super Bowl expectations, the analytics are simply confirming what the eye test has been screaming since the preseason ended.
And over in college football, Georgia and Penn State are making noise at the top of the power ratings. Neither the Bulldogs nor the Nittany Lions have faced a serious test yet, but the margins of victory are impossible to ignore. Tom Fornelli has both programs trending upward fast, and if the schedule toughens up the way it should, we'll know exactly what these teams are made of real soon.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
