Sarni's Scrolls: Mookie Knows Betts

By Jim Sarni

Mookie Betts is a star in his prime on the baseball field... and he will shine off the diamond when he's ready to stop playing. I have no doubt.

The 31-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder is at the World Series in Phoenix, working as a correspondent for Major League Baseball's platforms and social media. Betts has been showing off his talent and personality.

The Series gig is the latest media venture for Betts, who is an executive producer with his media company, One Marketing Group (OMG), launched his own YouTube channel and hosts the podcast "On Base with Mookie Betts" with Bleacher Report.

"I thought it was going to be really cool," Betts told MLB.com.

"I've said it a couple of times, my wife, she mentioned that I was gonna hit a mid-life crisis when I'm done playing

We're not there yet... trying things out, figure out what I want to do in the next chapter in life."

Betts joined the Fox pregame show before Game 4 on Tuesday, fitting right in with Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Derek Jeter.

He introduced an exceptional piece he filmed with Arizona manager Tory Lovullo, who was a coach and close friend when Betts broke into the majors with the Boston Red Sox.

Betts handled the interview like a seasoned pro. He could step into a network job tomorrow.

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The World Series ratings on Fox have been awful. Worst than awful.

No surprise there.

The Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks both lack national followings. Wild-card teams without superstars. But they earned their places. Good stories.

The series, averaging 8.56M through three games, is on pace to be the least-watched ever.

I love baseball, and I'm watching regardless. I'm not the casual sports fan who tunes in during October. The regular season was good, the playoffs compelling. I will be sad when it ends.

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Lord of the Rings

Lionel Messi -- 8

Tom Brady -- 7

Michael Jordan -- 6

Messi, who won his eighth Ballon d'Or given to the best soccer player on Monday, is featured in a brilliant spot by Adidas, his shoe sponsor. "Countless memories, eight rings, zero doubt."

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Best Halloween moment

"Good Morning Football's" Jamie Erdahl, while wearing a replica of the all-red outfit Rihanna wore at last season's Super Bowl announced that she is pregnant on Tuesday's show.

"I'm not going to be Rihanna, I am embodying Rihanna," she said. "She also was pregnant when she performed the Super Bowl halftime show in February.

"And that's where I began my costume, as well, because I am pregnant. I'm about halfway there, so we've got a spring GMF baby coming our way."

Honorable mention

■ Victor Wembanyama Slenderman

■ LeBron James "Beetlejuice"

■ Kate Upton and Justin Verlander Sandy and Danny from "Grease"

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The ACC revealed its new seven-year football scheduling model as a 17-team league with new members Stanford, Cal and SMU, featuring 16 protected matchups that will go into effect starting with the 2024 season.

The league will continue to play eight conference games without divisions. All 17 teams will play each other at least twice over the next seven seasons -- once at home and once on the road.

The current ACC teams will play a total of three times each in California through 2030, and none will travel to California in back-to-back seasons.

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ETC.

■ Saudi Arabia was named host of the 2034 men's World Cup after Australia withdrew its bid.

■ The Nov. 12 Jets-Raiders Sunday Night Football game was not flexed... By next Tuesday, the NFL will have to decide whether to flex out of the Nov. 19 Vikings-Broncos SNF game.

■ Connor Flagg, the nation's top basketball prospect, committed to Duke. The 6-8 small forward, 16, is from Maine and attends Montverde Academy.

■ Kickoff for the Nov. 11 Miami-FSU game on ABC is on a six-day hold.

■ The Bahamas Bowl has been moved to Charlotte due to stadium renovations in Nassau. Date: Dec. 18 at 2:30.

■ ESPN/ABC signed lead NBA play-by-play announcer Mike Breen to a multi-year extension.

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■ Kim Kardashian's SKIMS company will become the official underwear of the NBA, WNBA and U.S Basketball.

■ The NFL is calling on the University of Houston to stop wearing the light blue Oilers-themed uniforms.

■ Flavor Flav's national anthem at the Milwaukee Bucks' game last Sunday went viral.

■ Zendaya sent Coco Gauff a bouquet of flowers to congratulate her on winning the U.S. Open.

■ Iga Swiatek was the only player to wear red at the WTA Finals Gala in Cancun. Everyone else wore white. Iga looked fantastic.

■ The 2023 slate of video games is the best-viewed in 20 years.

■ Boston College has risen to No. 1 in the men's college hockey poll. Shameless alumni note.

■ Did you love Fox's Cookie Monster Drone?

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THEY SAID IT

■ "I'm not going to sit here and let you, I don't care how much money I make. You're not going to talk to me like I'm 12 years old." -- Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney to Tyler from Spartenburg.

■ "When you're a player like me, mentally my benchmark is not wins and losses, it's greatness." -- Davonte Adams, Raiders WR.

■ "I hit really hard. People don't seem to think I hit hard... like commentators." -- Jessica Pegula.

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Jim Sarni, BC Class of '69, is a former sportswriter for The Boston Globe and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He resides in Fort Lauderdale and watches a lot of television.