So Mazi Smith played on and plays on. There’s a national title to be won, big bonus money to be pocketed. 

Why, at 6-foot-3, 335 pounds, the Michigan defensive lineman and co-captain needed to carry a Glock 19 with three magazines while speeding through a residential neighborhood, didn’t matter. He’s a star on the football team that’s fronted by the academically prestigious University of Michigan. 

Smith’s lawyer told WXYZ that the gun was legally registered to Smith, but his client did not have a concealed pistol license at the time he was pulled over by police. 

Such stories have become a nickel-a-dozen, relegated to a paragraph at the back of sports sections, ignored by TV. 

The nation’s big-time football and basketball colleges continue to recruit young criminals to their campuses in the pursuit of no greater collegiate return than winning games. 

Currently an investigation continues into the predawn fatal shooting last month of a University of New Mexico student, allegedly by 6-foot-8 New Mexico State forward Mike Peake, who was in Albuquerque to play UNM. The two, according to police, exchanged gunfire.

Peake, from Chicago and now playing for his third college after Georgia and Austin Peay, reportedly was “lured” to a UNM on-campus dorm by students who planned to attack him in revenge for a fight at the football game between the schools in October. Peake allegedly was shot once by 19-year-old Brandon Travis. Peake reportedly returned fire four times with his own gun, killing Travis. 

The New Mexico State basketball team, including coaches, then left town, until its bus was pulled over by police. 

This story — which once would have been incredible, sensational, impossible — hasn’t even made much news outside of New Mexico.

So I was wondering: Perhaps it’s time big-time football and basketball colleges leveled with parents of incoming academics-only freshmen, warning them of a data-supported likelihood that those recruited to play football and basketball are most likely to commit crimes, the kind that can imperil their kids. 

Michigan’s Smith hasn’t missed a game since he was arrested on Oct. 7. At 6-3, 335, why did he need a Glock with three magazines? To defend himself from pre-med students? 

Parents have no right to ask why such risks are recruited, remain on the team, remain on the campus? It’s none of their business, just keep those checks rolling in? 

Thursday, Smith pleaded guilty to a reduced weapons possession charge, a misdemeanor. 

Also Thursday, ESPN presented its annual College Football Awards show. After several clips of players showboating, as opposed to playing football — that’s ESPN’s sense and sell of sports — the final scene chosen was of the Michigan player planting the university flag on and in Ohio State’s midfield logo after the Wolverines’ win in Columbus on Nov. 26. 

ESPN chose to celebrate an incendiary, unsportsmanlike, kick-’em-when-they’re-down act, the kind that leads to brawls and debases rivalries to genuine, blood-on-the-boil, illogical hatred. 

This season, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh bitterly complained that players from Penn State and Michigan State started brawls in the tunnel that led to the locker rooms at Michigan’s stadium, ironically nicknamed “The Big House.” 

After the Michigan State game, Harbaugh insisted that suspensions and arrests be made. Seven MSU “student-athletes” were suspended and charged with assault. 

Yup, Coach Harbaugh is strictly a law-and-order guy. So Mazi Smith, Glock 19 with three magazines, played on and plays on for Harbaugh. There’s a national title to be won, millions in “just win, baby” bonus money for Harbaugh to chase. 

Parents and real students? Proceed at your own peril. It’s all twisted, backward, I know. In the meantime, parents, please remit.

In 1969, Bill Parrinello, 12 years old and from Elmont, N.Y., wrote fan letters to his favorite Mets: Cleon Jones, Tom Seaver, Tommie Agee, Bud Harrelson, Ed Charles and spare outfielder Rod Gaspar, who in that championship season batted .228. 

The only return he received was an autographed picture of Gaspar, with a note of thanks. 

In 2005, Parrinello emailed this memory to The Ultimate Mets’ Database message board. 

Last week, Parrinello received an email thanking him for his 2005 salute to Gaspar. It was from Rod Gaspar, now 76 and living in California. For real? 

Parrinello was dubious. He called the number Gaspar included. After swapping obscure details of the 1969 season, he knew it was the same Met he wrote to 53 years ago. They had a nice chat, Gaspar pleased to be remembered. Pen pals for life.

Sunday’s lineup: Jets at Bills, 1 p.m. CBS’ Jim Nantz and Tony Romo with the call. This game would have been baited and switched to prime time on NBC, which has Dolphins-Chargers, but CBS refused. 

Good thing. The forecast for Buffalo is freezing temperatures with a good chance of rain and snow, dangerous driving conditions. But as Roger Goodell says, “It’s all about our fans.”

Eagles at Giants, 1 p.m. on Fox, Joe Davis and (Nurse!) Daryl “Moose” Johnston. Vaya con dios.

Men’s College Basketball Games of the Week: Would you choose to be young or wise? Young Harris (Ga.) defeated Virginia-Wise, 85-76. 

Bellarmine (Ky.) 110, Alice Lloyd (Ky.) 38. In that shameless stomping, Bellarmine made a school-record 23 3-pointers. One starter, playing 31 minutes, took 14 3s. Good for the Bellarmine Bullies! 

Grinnell’s 111 3-point shots in its 124-67 victory over Emmaus Bible College left the winners looking very small, the bigger losers among the two Iowa colleges.

So, the 2026 World Cup will be shared among venues around the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The last thing the U.S. public should expect from this deal is “full transparency” from soccer’s international governing masters, FIFA.

The FIFA reps, like the IOC reps, have the well-deserved reputation for operating in the shadows, if not the dark. Money talks, but keep it on the down low, ya know? 

Put it this way: There isn’t an intelligent soccer fan who believes that FIFA awarded this World Cup to Qatar (Qatar?!) for any reason better than or beyond sotto voce payola — moola from Mullahs. 

What seems sensible, easy and both fan- and player-friendly to us, seems to escape the NBA. To prevent uncompetitive-by-design ripoff games in which stars and starters are held out to rest, simply eliminate back-to-back games, thus ending all excuses.

D.C. reader Mike “The Chef” Soper awaits the World Cup telecast in which a 1-0 lead inspires an announcer to say, “It’s a one-possession game.”

Still waiting for the Devils to become the Devils of the past four seasons, as no team can improve so much overnight. But it hasn’t happened. And under career defenseman Lindy Ruff, this team has become superb at offensive zone passing, good on the eyes. 

Reader Mike Jacobs wonders if $360 million is a lot for the Yankees to spend on a leadoff batter. 

Well, if Argentina-Netherlands, as seen Friday on Fox, didn’t do it for you, soccer’s just not your sport. 

Have Gun, Will Travel: West Virginia QB J.T. Daniels has entered the transfer portal seeking his fourth college. He previously played at Georgia and Southern Cal. He might be looking for a school that holds Sixth-Year Senior Day.