Kieran Shannon: The football and hurling leagues is where players are found and teams find themselves

ARE LEAGUES OVERSHADOWED: Pictured leading out the Cork Senior Hurling Team are Cork Mascots, in association with Sports Direct, Lauren Coyne, Eimear O'Neill, Riann Finnan, Leanne O'Brien, Harry Brassen, Paddy Callnan, Sean Nolan, Sophie Brassen with Cork Senior Hurling Captain Sean O'Donoghue leading the team onto the pitch, ahead of the Allianz Hurling League Roinn 1, Group A, Cork V's Kilkenny, at SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

So how tuned into it have you been, really?

In the States this is when the masses flick a switch. With the Super Bowl over, interest in the NBA will go from casual to keen. More than half the regular season may have already been played, with stars like Embiid and Doncic putting up ridiculous displays and numbers almost every night they suit up, but most of America the past four months had been fixated on that red button and red zone every Sunday. Only now does hoops resume dominating the debate shows.