That is an article model of the CBS Sports activities HQ AM Publication, the final word information to daily in sports activities. You possibly can signal as much as get it in your inbox each weekday morning right here.

👀 Good morning to everybody however particularly …

THE DARTMOUTH MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

Usually, the last-place workforce within the Ivy League would not get the highest billing on this publication.

However Monday was removed from a traditional day for Dartmouth. The Huge Inexperienced bought a giant win off the court docket, with the Nationwide Labor Relations Board regional supervisor ruling the members of the workforce are college workers and might vote to type a union.

Dennis Dodd explains:

• Dodd: “In essence, the choice adjustments the decades-old designation from ‘student-athlete’ to ‘student-employee,’ at the least at Dartmouth. That NLRB official determined the gamers must be compensated due to the labor they supply to the non-public Hanover, New Hampshire-based college. As such, Dartmouth gamers might collectively cut price for wage, working circumstances reminiscent of follow instances and journey preparations.”

Dartmouth plans to enchantment the choice, per studies. The vote to unionize, in the meantime, might come inside a month and requires a easy majority to cross.

You might be considering, “So what? It is Dartmouth.” The Ivy League would not award athletic scholarships, and on the whole, its sports activities will not be revenue-producing. That did not matter, nevertheless, to Laura Sacks, the NLRB supervisor who dominated merely, “[Players] carry out work in alternate for compensation.”

That is the furthest a university athlete unionization try has gone — Northwestern soccer had its 2014 unionization try rejected by the NLRB — and it might result in vital adjustments, Dennis notes.

• Dodd: “The emergence of NIL collectives has created a form of awkward compensation system as these organizations attempt to lure gamers to their favourite colleges. The Dartmouth state of affairs would eradicate collectives, if applied nationally, as the colleges could be the employer. Dartmouth gamers testified throughout the NLRB listening to they spent greater than 40 hours per week on their sport. The NCAA permits solely 20. … A memo from the NLRB basic counsel in September 2021 said that gamers may very well be compensated by their colleges and be labeled as workers.”

😊 Honorable mentions

😕 Not so honorable mentions

• The 49ers are not comfortable with their Tremendous Bowl follow subject.
• Jarred Vanderbilt (proper foot pressure) will miss three-to-four weeks.
• Eric Bieniemy is formally off the Commanders‘ workers after they employed Kliff Kingsbury.
• The SEC and Huge Ten reportedly have points with the School Soccer Playoff.

🏀 Sunflower Showdown shocker: Kansas State beats No. 4 Kansas

Three days in the past, Kansas cruised previous then-No. 4 Houston and Kansas State dropped its fourth straight sport. Monday, the Wildcats topped the No. 4 Jayhawks, 75-70, in additional time. Ah, the thrill of faculty basketball!

• Tylor Perry had a season-high 26 factors, together with a completely ridiculous shot clock-beating layup that gave the Wildcats the lead for good in additional time. Cam Carter added 19 factors and 11 rebounds.
• The Jayhawks shot simply 41.2% from the sector and 20% on 3-pointers.
• Kansas State is an ideal 6-0 in additional time video games this season after going 5-0 in additional time video games final 12 months. These 11 additional time wins complete are 4 greater than some other workforce in Division I.

Kansas bumped into the identical points which have plagued its up-and-down season — little bench help (two factors) and poor outdoors capturing key amongst them — however give huge credit score to the Wildcats for a gritty defensive effort and simply sufficient offense to tug off the upset.

🏈 Rating each Tremendous Bowl starter, highlights from Opening Night time

Right here they’re once more: the Chiefs within the Tremendous Bowl. And right here he is once more: Patrick Mahomes at No. 1 in Pete Prisco’s Tremendous Bowl starter rankings.

• Prisco: “The man on the prime is clearly the distinction in any sport. Which means his worth is much better than only one spot. … This man is particular. Even when he was counted out earlier this 12 months, he finds a approach to get it performed. He is on his approach to being the perfect ever.”

Mahomes was No. 1 final 12 months … and in 2021 … and in 2020. In six years as a starter, he is reached 4 Tremendous Bowls, and Pete is totally proper. He is on the way in which to being the perfect ever. Assessing his path there, although, is a robust process, Tyler Sullivan notes.

Here is what’s not robust: For all the nice performs he makes, his capability to keep away from the unhealthy ones flies beneath the radar. He has gone six straight playoff begins with out an interception, the longest streak ever.

Here is Pete’s prime 5:

1. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes
2. 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey
3. 49ers LT Trent Williams
4. Chiefs TE Travis Kelce
5. Chiefs DE Chris Jones

The 49ers have seven of the highest 11 gamers, however Brock Purdy is not amongst them. He is available in thirteenth total. When Purdy’s at his greatest, this can be a near-unstoppable offense. When he is not, he forces throws, commits turnovers and digs his workforce into holes — one thing he is performed in each playoff video games to date. He has additionally dug them out of these holes, too. We’ll see what he does towards a superb protection Sunday.

Each groups had been at Tremendous Bowl Opening Night time on Monday. Right here had been some highlights:

🏀 NBA groups beneath most stress as commerce deadline looms

We’re two days away from the NBA commerce deadline. The time to make strikes is operating down, and the rumors mill is ratcheting up.

The stress can be rising, and Sam Quinn has the 5 groups beneath probably the most stress. No. 1 isn’t any shock.

• Quinn: “1. Lakers — This workforce wants wholesale fixes (which in all probability features a teaching change) to meaningfully contend. Saying all of that on paper is one factor. Really forcing a 39-year-old LeBron James to play out the rest of what seems to be like a misplaced season is one other. He hasn’t precisely been delicate right here. He is tweeting hourglasses in traditional passive-aggressive James style. … That is the minefield the Lakers are navigating proper now. How do you retain James comfortable with out giving him an excessive amount of affect over roster choices?”

However it’s Sam’s No. 2 workforce that actually intrigues me as a result of they’re really, you recognize, good.

• Quinn: “2. Timberwolves — They will by no means have a greater likelihood than this. … They’re already over subsequent season’s projected first apron earlier than accounting for the upcoming free companies of Mike Conley and Kyle Anderson. Oh, and so they have new house owners coming whose urge for food for spending isn’t but clear. In small-market Minneapolis, each penny counts. … Anthony Edwards is 22. Jaden McDaniels is 23. Karl-Anthony Cities is 28, however his capturing suggests he’ll age pretty effectively. The Timberwolves ought to have a fairly aggressive core for a very long time. So how are they going to stability the wants of that core with the opportunity of a Finals run this season?”

⚾ Bobby Witt Jr. indicators record-setting extension with Royals 

In 2023, Bobby Witt Jr. emerged as the brand new, thrilling face of the Royals. On Monday, he bought paid prefer it: an 11-year, $288.7 million extension.

The earlier largest contract in franchise historical past was $82 million to Salvador Perez. So yeah, it is a massive deal, actually and figuratively.

• Witt, 23, completed seventh in AL MVP voting after slashing .276/.319/.496 with 30 house runs, an MLB-best 11 triples and 49 stolen bases.
• Additionally a terrific defender, Witt posted 4.4 WAR, fourth-best by any Royals participant in both of his first two seasons.
• It is the second-largest contract ever given to a participant at the least 4 years away from free company behind Fernando Tatis Jr.‘s 14-year, $340 million take care of the Padres from 2021.

The Royals went 56-106 final season, so there is a lengthy approach to go, however having Witt there to see it by means of is a reassuring step.

📺 What we’re watching Tuesday

🏀 Ole Miss at No. 15 South Carolina (M), 6:30 p.m. on SEC Community
🏀 Clemson at No. 3 North Carolina (M), 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Mavericks at Nets, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
🏀 No. 18 Dayton at Saint Joseph’s (M), 8 p.m. on CBS Sports activities Community
🏀 Butler at No. 1 UConn (M), 8:30 p.m. on FS1
🏀 No. 15 Texas Tech at No. 18 Baylor (M), 9 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Bucks at Suns, 10 p.m. on TNT