San Diego, CA
Nick Canepa: 12-team playoff gives SDSU, others more hope — and whiners less to carp about
Sez Me …
This is it. We have begun the year of the 12-team College Football Playoff. I’ve been waiting for it since I saw Hopalong Cassady hopping around in the mud the last time it rained on the Rose Bowl.
A good thing. It’s how it should be. No what-ifs. The room for the left-outs to bitch has been reduced in square feet from the Pentagon to a matchbox.
College football’s national champions used to come complete with “mythical” scribbled on their toe tags.
What did that mean? The titlist was a guess. Assumed.
And, while we never should assume, it was the only way to determine the champ from 1869 — when Rutgers and Princeton tied — to 2014, when the College Football Playoff was born.
Worst of all, it wasn’t won on the field. National titles were determined by the polls, filled out by sportswriters and coaches.
The journalists who cover college football do great work, but by the very nature of their work, it’s impossible for them to see all the teams play.
Coaches? They watch film of the teams they’re playing next. Many of them leave poll voting to their school’s Sports Information Director.
The Final 12 also will be decided by a CFP poll first released in November. Maybe the committee missed a few times when the tournament was made up of four, but it’s not screwing up the 12. Anyone complaining about not making it now simply didn’t play well enough and gets no sympathy. As it is, the five power conference winners get automatic entry, the top four byes.
Of course, the new format isn’t going to dismiss the usual powers. But NIL and the transfer portal have created chaos in college football, which is a funky stew right now. With so many new and unfamiliar faces, it could take awhile for some of the strong boys to show all of their muscle.
But now teams with two losses are going to get tickets, and as with the NCAA Tournament in basketball, there’s going to be more room for upstarts and upsets. I can’t see this new format hurting San Diego State. The Aztecs getting to the old format was nearly impossible. It was nearly impossible for most schools.
The winner will deserve it now. Leave the myth crap to Edith Hamilton. …
I didn’t see much greatness opening weekend. Georgia didn’t impress much and Ohio State, with 85 future draft choices, didn’t — vs. Akron. …
Utah QB Cameron Rising will be back for his seventh season, tying the record set by Faber College’s John Blutarsky. …
The Holiday Bowl will play in Snapdragon, but I loved it in Petco, where it was unique, and its surroundings superior for fun seekers to those in Mission Valley. Tourists don’t flock to Costco, Ikea and Lowe’s, although Costco does have samples and Ikea Swedish meatballs. …
Deion Sanders believes he has the press cornered, refusing to take questions from Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler. Not smart. I’ll be a columnist on this paper 40 years this month, and I’ve never cared if a player, coach, owner, GM, manager or politician shut me out. Columnists get by with their own quotes. …
I’d tell him: “Thank you, Deion.” …
But, tell you what, Deion’s son, Shedeur — who doubles as Colorado’s quarterback — is going to play in the NFL. So, instead of not talking to the press, he can just say trite things. …
Shedeur has First Overall Pick written all over him. …
He has magic to him. Simply a great arm and vision, with a monster football IQ. …
And Travis Hunter, Colorado’s two-way stud, is the best pure football player in America. Just think. He just played 100 snaps — at altitude. …
Back in the 1980s, Padres boss Ballard Smith called to tell me he was never speaking to me again. “I told him, “Ballard, I spent the first 30-plus years of my life not talking to you; I can do 30-plus more.” …
Several months later, I ran into Ballard, and he said: “Where’ve you been? I haven’t talked to you in awhile.” …
Say, when Padres General Manager Jack McKeon basically made himself Padres manager, I wrote a column saying being both GM and skipper is a mistake. Jack didn’t speak to me for two years. I got by. And I was right. …
I know people are idiots, but those claiming the Padres are better off without Fernando Tatis Jr. couldn’t spell “a” if you spotted them the “a.” …
Most people used to avoid saying something stupid. …
If Jackson Merrill isn’t NL Rookie Of The Year, he’s Most Important Rookie Of The Year. And that’s more important. …
Jurickson Profar must dream about bunting. Wake up! …
Luis Arraez is a terrific hitter. But he’s a DH. To paraphrase my late colleague and friend Scott Stewart, he plays defense with a glove on one hand and a map in the other. …
When asked if he were doctoring the baseball with a foreign substance, Don Sutton said: “That’s not true. Vaseline is manufactured right here in the United States.” …
The Colts have released a third of their 2024 draft class — fifth, sixth and seventh-round choices. At the time, GM Chris Ballard said: “We couldn’t believe they were still on the board.” …
I’m wondering if I’ll ever get used to the NFL’s new kickoff alignment. Seems unprofessional and video gamey. …
Brittany Mahomes, wife of Patrick, says she doesn’t give an “F” word about what people think of her publicly endorsing Donald Trump. Doesn’t appear she can be like her husband and block out a bad play. …
Babe Ruth’s “called shot” jersey has sold at auction for $24.2 million. It tripled in value after George Costanza dumped strawberries all over it. …
Steph Curry will make $62.57 million this season. The entire Oakland A’s payroll is $62.59 million. The Athletics brass made sure Curry wasn’t making more than their entire team. …
Amazon Wonderly — and I wonder what that is — wants the Kelce brothers podcast and is paying them $100 million over three years for the rights. Amazon apparently has found out too late that Taylor Swift isn’t a part of it. …
Kansas City signed former Patriots starting QB Bailey Zappe. The Chiefs are like the Dodgers, so if Zappe is forced to play, he’s MVP. …
The heat index in Iran the other day hit a world record 180 degrees, breaking the mark set just a day earlier while the Padres were playing in St. Louis. …
Colorado sportsbooks took $320 million worth of bets in July — $9 million on table tennis. The state gets 4.4 percent of the winnings. California, with around 35 million more residents? Nothing. …
Walden Pond is being endangered by development. I didn’t know it was in San Diego. Let me guess: High-rise condos with no parking, an access road smooth as railroad tracks, and a $25 million bike lane around the shore. …
“Women and men simply are not the same. They’re just not.” — Katherine Hepburn
Originally Published:
San Diego, CA
Deputy ID’d Who Died In Baker Run | Jeep Launches Off Bridge | Protest Turns Violent: SoCal In Brief
SAN DIEGO, CA — As we head into the new work week, we’ve rounded up the stories you may have missed Saturday through Monday to prepare you for the week ahead.
But before we jump into Southern California’s top stories, residents should expect the Southland’s long period of record-breaking heat to ease this week with more seasonal weather for early spring, according to the National Weather Service.
“A cooling trend will begin on Monday, with near normal temperatures expected Tuesday through Thursday,” NWS Los Angeles forecasters wrote Sunday.
Find out what’s happening in San Diegofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“Gusty onshore winds will affect the area at times, along with chances of light rain. Weak to moderate offshore winds with warming and drying will follow Friday and Saturday.”
In other news, a deputy died after suffering a medical emergency while participating in the Baker to Vegas relay race; a man died of an apparent drowning near a pier; two people were killed when a speeding Jeep launched off a bridge and landed in a river; and one person was killed when a three-vehicle crash sent one car careening into a cemetery.
Find out what’s happening in San Diegofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Plus, large crowds participated in No Kings rallies across Southern California as part of a nationwide day of demonstrations against the Trump administration that organizers called the largest single-day pro-democracy turnout on record.
A record 94,000 people participated in 21 separate No Kings protests in San Diego County. Thousands of similar gatherings took place Saturday throughout country. In Los Angeles, police said 74 people were arrested for allegedly failing to disperse after the demonstration in downtown LA turned violent, with some protesters throwing chunks of concrete at federal officers and one spray-painting a death threat near the Metropolitan Detention Center.
Here are some of the stories you may have missed:
1 Killed In Crash On 215 Freeway In Riverside Involving Babies
A witness told the CHP that the sedan was demolished and a witness said two babies and two adults were inside.
1 Killed In Fiery, 2-Vehicle Crash On 91 Freeway In Orange County
It involved a white “work truck” and another vehicle, with at least one of the vehicles catching fire, the CHP said.
1 Person Injured At Switzer Falls, Airlifted To Hospital
Falling rocks may have been involved, according to reports.
“If you do spot one of these animals, keep your distance. There’s absolutely no reason to approach one whatsoever.”
2 Found Dead In Home After Fire In San Diego’s North County: Authorities
The bomb and arson unit and the homicide unit for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the incident.
4 Boats Carrying Migrants Detained Off San Diego Shore
Twenty-nine migrants suspected of attempting to enter the country illegally were detained off San Diego in four incidents, officials said.
The arrests included 66 adults and eight juveniles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Iconic Actor Known For ‘Back To The Future,’ ‘Top Gun’ Dies At 94
He also spent 25 years in the New York theater scene and was part of the original cast of “Glengarry Glen Ross.”
LA Deputy, 30, Dies After Medical Emergency During Baker To Vegas Relay
“His loss is deeply felt across our Department, and he will be greatly missed.”
Large Crowds Gather Throughout Riverside County For ‘No Kings’ Protests
The demonstrations were part of a nationwide day of “No Kings” protests against illegal immigration enforcement and other federal policies.
Long Beach Police Arrest Teen, Tow 5 E-Bikes After Street Takeover
The teen was arrested on suspicion of reckless driving-related charges.
Man Fatally Struck By SUV After Running Into Lanes Of Traffic In Long Beach
Paramedics rushed the man to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Man Killed In Santa Monica Fight
Officers rendered aid to the wounded man until paramedics arrived to take him to a hospital, where he died, officials said.
Missing Swimmer Found Dead Near Oceanside Harbor Beach
A man died of an apparent drowning near the Oceanside Pier, authorities said.
A record 94,000 people participated in 21 separate “No Kings” protests in San Diego County on Saturday, organizers said.
9 Sickened In E. Coli Outbreak Tied To A California Company’s Raw Milk And Cheese
Two cases in California were added Thursday to the outbreak first announced March 15, bringing the total number of ill people in California.
185 New Speed Cameras Coming To CA Roads: See Where
Speed cameras have already caught hundreds of thousands of speeding drivers in the first two cities to install them.
CA Could Soon Start ‘Certifying’ Certain Groceries In Its War On Junk Food
California wants to be the first state in the nation to give a seal of approval for healthy foods and require grocers to promote them.
CA’s Most Spectacular Super Bloom In Years Is Underway: How To See It Before It Wilts
The super bloom in California may have peaked in the southern part of the state, but spring flowers are still blooming in stunning fashion.
CA Women Earn 63 Cents For Every Dollar Earned By White Men, Study Finds
Women’s earnings still lag far behind those of white men, with no significant improvement in that gap in 14 years.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
Two families were displaced from their Carmel Valley townhome after it went up in flames earlier this afternoon.
This happened just before 3 p.m. on Moratalla Terrace. Fire investigators said the fire started inside a garage unit because of faulty electrical equipment and robotics projects. One neighbor said she’s thankful for the quick response.
“The people that own the house were in the driveway calling 911, and within, I think within five minutes of me smelling the smoke the fire trucks were here,” said Nikki Briggs. I’m just thankful that everyone was okay, and that it didn’t keep spreading. Like if it would have been a wildfire, that would have been terrible.”
Firefighters say most of the damage was contained in the garage. A total of nine people were displaced by the fire. Five people lived inside the unit that burned. Thankfully all of them made it out safely without any injuries.
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Shares of Gossamer Bio, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOSS) have received a consensus ‘Hold’ rating from the 10 research firms currently covering the company, according to a report from MarketBeat. The average 12-month price target among analysts is $5.43.
Why it matters
Gossamer Bio is a clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing therapies for immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases, as well as oncology. The ‘Hold’ rating and mixed analyst views could impact investor sentiment and the company’s ability to raise capital for further drug development.
The details
The analyst ratings for Gossamer Bio include two ‘Sell’ recommendations, four ‘Hold’ ratings, and four ‘Buy’ recommendations. Some firms have lowered their price targets on the stock, with HC Wainwright decreasing its target from $10 to $5.
- Gossamer Bio released its latest quarterly earnings report on March 17, 2026.
The players
Gossamer Bio, Inc.
A clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in San Diego, California that is focused on developing oral, once-daily therapies for immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases, as well as oncology.
Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›
The takeaway
The mixed analyst views on Gossamer Bio highlight the challenges facing the company as it seeks to advance its pipeline of drug candidates through clinical trials and regulatory approvals. The ‘Hold’ rating could make it more difficult for the company to raise capital and fund its operations.
Mattel goes through another round of layoffs
Global streaming revenue surged to $160 billion in 2025. Here’s why
He swapped his lawn for native plants after asking, ‘What was meant to be here?’
Trump says ‘serious’ talks are occurring, threatens strikes on Iran energy, water sites
New York City Marathon winner Albert Korir banned 5 years for doping
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
French police make two more arrests over foiled attack on Bank of America
‘What’s going on?’: US judge calls aspects of new Pentagon press policy ‘weird’
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