Morning Hot Reads: River Runs Red

The OKLAHOMAN notes the Big 12's issues on and off the football field are "enough to make some believe" that Oklahoma and Texas will "scram at first light," when the conference's media contracts expire in '25. The irony is that OU and UT are "to blame for the Big 12's instability."

According to the WASHINGTON POST, EPL club Swansea City's hiring of Bob Bradley as the "first American manager" in the league has been "greeted with jubilation by the U.S soccer community but the coach himself faces a tricky task in stabilizing a club that is in danger of decline."

Also: 

• For years, the Cubs resisted playing the National Anthem pregame.
• The roots of Colin Kaepernick's "political awakening run deep."
• As the Chiefs vie for potential fans in St. Louis, the Blues tap into the K.C. market.
• Switzerland is a "welcome option" for baseball's unproven amateurs and aging vets.