Shohei Ohtani revealed on his Instagram account Saturday that he had inked a 10-year contract with the LA Dodgers, valued at $700 million. This is undoubtedly a landmark deal in the history of the MLB as the two-way phenom begins a new chapter in LA.
Ohtani's new agreement shatters the record for North American professional sports contracts and is believed to be the most substantial overall deal in global sports history. The announcement of such a huge deal was expected to garner significant attention.
The Shohei Ohtani deal was made public when the frenzy of the Army-Navy game was at its peak. This led some college football fans to jokingly accuse the Japanese national of trying to steal the spotlight from the iconic rivalry showdown.
A good number of reactions online call out the timing of the trade. Some playfully posted that the announcement disrespects "America's Game." Let’s take a look at some of the reactions online.
"Shohei Ohtani trying to steal the spotlight during Army-Navy," a fan wrote.
Army-Navy fulfilled the billing despite Shohei Ohtani's trade to Dodgers
It was an unforgettable encounter in "America’s Game" on Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, despite the frenzy of Shohei Ohtani’s record-breaking contract with the Dodgers.
The Army Black Knights secured a victory over the Navy Midshipmen with a final score of 17-11. This triumph marks Army's second consecutive win against Navy and its sixth victory in the last eight contests between the two teams.
It was a fight till the end in the 124th encounter between the two oldest service academies in the United States. The Black Knights held their ground on a goal-line stand in the final seconds to secure a victory.
"Why's it always got to be like that?" asked Army coach Jeff Monken. "It is. It's always like that. We had a 14-point lead, and with one second to go, they're standing there knocking on the door with a chance to tie the game. Unreal."
Navy Midshipmen coach Brian Newberry also commented on the importance of the contest despite his team falling to beat Army for the second consecutive season.
"This game, in the grand scheme of things, is about more than football," Newberry said. "It's about celebrating some of the finest young men in the country on the field and then celebrating and recognizing all those that have dedicated their life to service."
The Army-Navy series, which was first played in 1890, remains one of the most historic rivalries in college football. Navy currently leads the series with a 62-55-7 record.
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