Thinking out loud…while wondering whatever happened to Jason Evans?
- An off-season with relative tranquility – and even some good news – for PC hoops just developed a rumble of thunder in the distance.
- Dajour Dickens leaving the Providence basketball program this week was a bolt out of the blue. Which usually indicates there's more to the story than meets the eye – especially since there were several indications he was improving and buying into what he was being taught, and that he was an active part of the summer schedule.
- Facts are facts, and Dickens was likely to have had his playing time shortened next season with Emmitt Holt's return to the active roster. But it is troubling that another 7-footer decides to leave the team, so soon after Paschal Chukwu's departure to Syracuse.
- The two instances aren't really related, yet the Friars learned in the NCAA's last year it's tough to defend the rim when you don't have anyone back there big enough to block it. Or, the others attacking it.
- Didn't Ed Cooley say a few weeks ago that he thought Dickens had more NBA potential than anyone else on his roster? Maybe it said something about their relationship, and that Dajour's sudden summer of disenchantment had already started a southerly turn. Just sayin'.
- Whatever the real truth may have been, there's time to pick up the pieces and move on with the trip to Italy in store for August. Holt, Kalief Young, Nate Watson and the freshmen will have the opportunity to play up and leave this blip on the big-picture behind rather quickly.
- After five were selected on draft night, eight more Big East players will be rookies on NBA summer league rosters, with two more (J.P. Macura and Angel Delgado) reaching agreement on two-way contracts with the Hornets and Clippers, respectively.
- And congratulations to URI's Jared Terrell and E.C. Matthews, as Terrell has signed a two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Matthews will join Memphis on their summer league roster.
- More evidence that if clothes can make the man, players can make the program.
- Ex-Ram Xavier Munford is on the USA World Cup qualifying team, coached by one-time Friar assistant Jeff Van Gundy this summer. Munford was on last November's squad that won its' first two games, in preparation for the 2019 World Cup competition, but lost this week to Mexico for just the 2nd time. Ever.
- Not for nuthin', but there were 181 early entrants into the NBA Draft this year. 100 withdrew before the draft, 81 stayed in the draft, 41 were drafted. That means 40 players not only weren't drafted, but also lost their remaining college eligibility.
- ICYMI, Portsmouth, RI's Chris Herren, Jr. reclassified to the Class of 2018, and signed on to play with his Dad's original school, Boston College, this past week.
- And, St, John's Athletic Director Anton Goff announced his departure from the school after staying less than two years. He said it was for family reasons, which are certainly good reasons, but his successor will be the third AD in less than three years in Queens. And that ain't good.
- Living in an alternate universe, Big Ten TV revenue distribution has now reached an astounding $51 million per school. That pot o' gold is at the end of one, long rainbow. Beginning to wonder if it will ever disappear.
- Here's something else astounding – the Providence Friar hockey program had four players selected in the recent NHL Draft, including Braintree's Jay O'Brien 19th overall by the Flyers. What did I say earlier about players making the program?
- Nate Leaman gets it. He gets those players, too. O'Brien was the only U.S. high school prep player to average more than two points per game with at least 30 games played last year.
- Did you see where the Pawsox will become the "Pawtucket Hot Weiners" for one night on August 16th? Outstanding.
- Paying homage to the long-popular and famous Rhode Island cuisine, the team will wear caps and jerseys reflecting the delectable, delicious Lil' Rhody version of the New York System hot dog.
- And, food trucks will sell them, there will be a hot dog eating contest and excuse me, I've got to go get 'three all the way,' right now.
- The Rhode Island legislature has gotten off the mat and approved a new stadium deal, but now it's up to the team to make sure it works for them. Or, is the proposal from Worcester THAT much better?
- A combined 79-19 approval vote from the House and Senate is rare. Hope the team agrees. Talks with the legislature are underway.
- Rusney Castillo, Jalen Beeks and reliever Ryan Brasier are the three Pawsox players named to the International League all-star team this year. Beeks has a spot start in Boston, but because he's the highest paid minor-leaguer out there, it's doubtful Castillo gets a call-up anytime soon.
- Unless, of course, Jackie Bradley's average dips below the Mendoza line again. Even though his hot streak this week has brought it back to that level – right at .200.
- Having patience really isn't a virtue in professional sports. It's more of an admission of "I don't know what else to do." How else do you explain Alex Cora's pitching staff brain cramps?
- Why should the Sox have any more patience with Bradley? Since when do Red Sox fans have any patience, period? With the highest payroll in baseball? That's just dumb. I'm with ya'.
- David Price has a sense of humor? Who knew? Hey David, clue us in when you're ready to use it by being a regular person, first.
- I don't know what you think, but if the Red Sox can't take two of three from the Yankees this weekend, mentally, it will be hard to keep from cashing in the rest of the season. Foolish, probably.
- But the 'rivalry' is back, at least among fans and media. The players? Meh. Nothing that another good, ol' fashioned brou-ha-ha couldn't fix, however.
- Julian Edelman waits, after his appeal of the four-game suspension last week. Call me crazy, but I think, based on precedent with others, he gets a reduction. I know this is the Patriots we're talking about.
- The top draft pick, offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn, signed his deal this past week. Sony Michel is the only unsigned Patriot, but he continues to prep for training camp and the eventuality that his deal gets done.
- Patriots Training Camp at Gillette Stadium opens for the public Thursday, July 26th. Mark your calendars, make your plans to spend (mostly) Mornings with the Pats. I love the smell of analgesic salve in the morning. You?
- Ex-Patriot running back Sammy Morris has joined the Dean College coaching staff for this season, where he'll coach backs and special teams for head coach Steve Tirrell. Tirrell was the defensive line and special teams coach at Brown when the Bears broke through Ivy ice and claimed a piece of their second-ever title with Yale in 1999.
- Morris had his best NFL seasons in New England, rushing for nearly 2000 yards from 2007-11. He retired in 2012 after finishing his career with the Dallas Cowboys.
- It's getting where there aren't many refs left to bag. Gene Steratore has retired from the NFL, ending his career in the Super Bowl last February with the Patriots and Eagles. He's the 4th "name" official to hang up the whistle this off-season, following Ed Hochuli, Terry McAulay and Jeff Triplette.
- Something tells me, however, this will just mean we'll have new zebras to hunt. And eventually bag.
- Big East fans know that Steratore also refereed college basketball games during the winter. He's not exactly returning to the hardwood, but he will be working for CBS Sports as a football and college basketball rules analyst. Oh, the joy.
- Stupid is as stupid does – the NFL says "no" to Chiefs' lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardiff, who requested to have his "M.D." title affixed to the name plate on his jersey. Players can have Sr., or Jr., or "III" or "IV" added, so why wouldn't the league let Dr. Duvernay-Tardiff add something that everyone could actually admire?
- Celtics head coach Brad Stevens was runner-up for NBA Coach of the Year, finishing behind ex-Toronto coach Dwayne Casey. And Casey was fired from the Raptors. Does that make him Best Coach Not To Be Fired?
- If it takes Jayson Tatum to get into the Kawhi Leonard derby, I say no. And even if Kyrie Irving is reluctant to hang his futures' hat on Boston, I'd still be reluctant to swing him to San Antonio, too. Guess that means I like standing pat and keeping what I've got.
- But that's not Danny Ainge's style, is it?
- Bill Russell's one-fingered bird-shot to Charles Barkley at the NBA Awards Show was one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. Even Barkley said afterward "it was awesome." So how can anyone be offended by the faux-pas flip-off from the greatest winner, ever?
- Have you watched any of the World Cup? If you're a soccer-snob, you know it has been tense and terrific all at once. With Germany's first-round exit – it's first since 1938 – four of the last five world champions have now been knocked out before the single-elimination round.
- Can't say that about the NFL, can you? It would be nice if we had a national team worthy of jumping into that mix. There's no excuse for the USA's absence at this party.
- And a child shall lead them. Remember the name Christian Pulisic. He's only 19, originally from Hershey, PA and he's already one of the top players on the planet playing for Germany's Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Which means, he'll carry the heavy burden of US Soccer on his shoulders for the foreseeable future.
- Congrats are in order on several fronts – to Dick "Hoops" Weiss, the long-time and legendary college basketball aficionado, sports writer and author (in NY and Philadelphia for more than 40 years), as he was named to the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame.
- I mean, the guy is known by his nickname, "Hoops." How could he not be a hall-of-famer?
- Also, kudos to one-time student and current WLNE-TV Sports Director Nick Coit, who was named RI's Sportscaster of the Year by the NSMA. Bet the student could show his former teacher a thing or two these days. At least I didn't screw him up too much.
- I think he got an "A-" in my class. A-minus? What was I thinking?
- The Woonsocket Call and Pawtucket Times' Brendan McGair, an enterprising and talented reporter – especially when covering the Friars and Pawsox – nabbed the RI Sportswriter of the Year honor.
- The genre of "Sports Radio" gained a measure of legitimacy this week with legendary hosts Mike Francesa, Nanci Donnellan and former ESPN Radio duo Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic joining the Class of 2018 for the National Radio Hall of Fame.
- You remember Donnellan as "the Fabulous Sports Babe," as she dominated the airwaves from the early '90's to the early '00's. Donnellan was one of the first women to host sports talk call-in shows both on the local and national levels, beginning her reign on WEEI in the early '80's.
- Time to make the call on another worthwhile candidate for the National Radio Hall of Fame, a guy who gave sports radio an actual voice before it turned into a scream-fest – Chuck Wilson. Not only did Chuck get the format started here at WEAN, WICE and WPRO (and he is in the RI Radio Hall of Fame), he helped launch the format nationally when ESPN Radio began in the early '90's.
- Tweet of the Week – from @JimSichko: "I guess we're heading into an America with Democrat-only restaurants, which will lead to Republican-only restaurants. Do the fools who threw Sarah (Huckabee-Sanders) out, and the people who cheer them on, really want us to be that kind of country? Time for all of US to grow up."
- Couldn't have said it better, Father Jim.
- My buddy "Big E" sez he was using the men's room at work this week when he heard a voice in the next stall. "Hi! How are you?" was the voice next door, to which "E" answered, "I'm fine, I guess." The voice in the next stall then said, "what are you up to?" "E" reluctantly replied, "the same thing as you!" Finally, the guy in the next stall said "I'll have to call you back. The dope in the next stall is answering all of my questions."
- Who remembers the first 7-footer to sign and play at Providence? Jason Evans was a Pete Gillen recruit from Pittsburgh who played in just nine games, scoring 12 total points, during the 1994-95 season before transferring. He had Eric Williams, Austin Croshere, Troy Brown and Rick Barnes holdover Piotr Szybilski all ahead of him on the depth chart. Dajour Dickens played in only three games this past season and was a likely redshirt behind Emmitt Holt, Kalief Young and Nate Watson.
- Interested in having your questions on local Rhode Island sports (and yes, that includes the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Send 'em to me! It's your chance to "think out loud," so send your questions, comments and local stories to john.rooke@weei.com. We'll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, @JRbroadcaster…and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...
Don't forget to tune into Providence's 103.7 FM, every Saturday from 7:00-9:00 am for Southern New England Sports Saturday! Call in at 401-737-1287 or text at 37937.
