Thinking out loud…while wondering if at first you don't succeed, do we have a lot in common?
So this is when it starts getting good, amiright?
The Celtics and Bruins have the two top records thus far in their respective leagues, even if it's very early. The Patriots are sitting in a playoff spot – for now. The Red Sox?
There's always hope…even if there isn't much substance. But the "Titletown" moniker might make sense again.
This is also when the teeth-grinding portion of the college hoop season begins, with a decided step up in competition this weekend at Mohegan Sun for Providence College. With all due respect to Stonehill, Northeastern and Rider, of course.
The Miami Hurricanes, coached by PC alumus Jim Larranaga, may have the best backcourt the Friars will face this season in Isaiah Wong and Nijel Pack. Certainly the richest backcourt, based on their reported NIL activities.
Providence should not have any trouble scoring this season. It's stopping others that will determine whether or not they approach the heights of last season's success.
For now, while still a work-in-progress, better to lie in the weeds and grow as opposed to getting mowed down.
Which is what is happening in Kingston right now. URI's Rams couldn't have imagined a rougher start. Or could they and we weren't listening?
Patience will be required for fans of the Friars as we've mentioned. Restraint may be required for fans of the Rams for a while, until Archie Miller gets this thing figured out.
But the Rams did strike the first blow in the seasonal hardwood rivalry between the two schools – with the URI women coming from behind to beat PC by two points Monday night at the Ryan Center.
Brown hoops is off to an 0-3 start, pending Thursday's game at the Pizzitola Sports Center against Stony Brook. Looks like defense and a lack of consistent shooting from the foul line (where have we heard this before?) is troubling this team.
Nothing seems to be troubling Bryant, other than the firestorm of criticism that came their way after beating DIII Thomas College of Maine by more than 100 points.
Coach Jared Grasso can only schedule those teams who will play. And why won't PC play them – or URI? Grasso knows the answer, and there's not much he can do about it.
He can keep winning, of course. The Bulldogs will need to win their league, or certainly be in the top two or three every year. Bryant's ability to become a perennial Top 100-150 team in the NET rankings will give them a chance to schedule up, maybe even schedule locally again.
But them's the rules. We didn't make them up. Ed Cooley didn't make them up. Archie Miller didn't make them up. The NCAA Tournament selection committee believes strength of schedule is ultra-important for gaining at large opportunities to make the Big Dance.
Can't get there regularly playing teams outside of the upper half of college hoop – unless the team is consistently an NCAA contender within a one-bid league. Same goes for Brown as well.
So there you have it. The game has changed. It is what it is. You may now return to your regularly scheduled pining for the old days.
At least Bryant didn't have to face another DIII on their schedule this week, Maine-Fort Kent. Fort Kent forfeited Monday, with injuries depleting their roster. Guess they didn't feel like losing by a hunnerd, either.
Bryant goes on the road for four straight starting this weekend at Florida Atlantic. Good opportunity to make some waves…on the court.
Don't know if you've noticed, but upsets are almost the rule, rather than the exception thus far in the early stages of the season. College hoop Haves are losing to the Have Nots – Louisville is 0-3 to start a year for the first time since 1940. Whoa.
The ACC has lost an incredible SEVEN "buy" games thus far. 15th ranked TCU, a Friar opponent later this month, dropped a home game to Arkansas Pine Bluff…but the Frogs were missing two of their top players.
Maine knocked off Boston College, and when does Maine beat BC in anything?
Colorado lost to Grambling, then turned around and beat 11th ranked Tennessee. Sorry, Coach Barnes. Then, Colorado lost to UMass. Qualifies as a 'wow' run in my book. Florida State lost to Stetson. Oklahoma lost to Sam Houston State, and Sam Houston also defeated Utah. Temple lost to Wagner, then beat Villanova.
Guess they don't have KenPom's luck factor going for them, do they? Not for nuthin', but at this early stage the Friars only rate 53rd in luck. Gonzaga is 6th. Nerds.
Big East teams were 27-5 through Thursday and trailing the Big 10 in the Gavitt Games with Georgetown losing to Northwestern, Marquette dropping a tough one at Purdue and Seton Hall losing at home to Iowa.
UConn's Tristen Newton and Xavier's Zach Freemantle each notched triple doubles Tuesday night this week in their teams' respective wins. Newton is a transfer from East Carolina – his feat is the first for a Husky since 2015. For Freemantle, he's the first Musketeer to hit one since '16.
Good news, eventually, for Georgetown as the Hoyas get Arizona State transfer Jay Heath eligible to play. If Patrick Ewing can get his unit together (similar to what Ed Cooley has at PC), Georgetown immediately becomes a pain for everyone they play.
Holy Cross football is 10-0, up to #5 in the national FCS polls and has already clinched a Patriot League title after dispatching Bryant last weekend. The Crusaders have rushed for more than 300 yards four times in their past five games. They play at Georgetown this weekend.
URI's postseason hopes took a beating with their 31-28 loss at UNH last weekend. Rhody will go after win Number 7 for a second straight year when they host Albany Saturday at Meade Stadium.
Brown overcame a 21-point deficit and forced Columbia into overtime but lost to the Lions 31-24 to drop to 3-6. The Bears finish up at Dartmouth Saturday.
And UMass may be 1-9, but they'll get a taste of the big time Saturday by visiting underperforming (3-7) SEC denizen Texas A&M…which had the #1-rated recruiting class in the country this past year.
BC gets Notre Dame in South Bend, too? Meh. Certainly used to mean more than it does today.
Congrats to the Brown women's soccer team – a first-round NCAA Tournament winner over Rutgers last weekend…earning a next-step date with UC-Irvine this week.
PC's nationally 13th-ranked women's hockey team knocked off #8 Northeastern this week 3-0. And after two ties (and two shootout losses) with #7 UConn, the 9th ranked men's team gets a two-fer this weekend at Schneider Arena against Vermont.
PC's women's cross-country team won the NCAA Northeast Regional meet in New York last weekend and is competing in the NCAA Championships this weekend in Stillwater, OK. It's the first regional title for the team since 2017.
My buddy "Big E" sez he's discovered he's really good at stuff at his age, until people start watching him do that stuff.
J-E-T-S week has a little more juice to it this week, doesn't it?
I mean, put the rivalry aside for a moment – which is easy to do, since New England has won 13 in a row. That's tied for the longest current winning streak for one team over another in the NFL, along with KC over Denver. But p-p-playoffs?
Who'da thunk that between these two teams before the season started?
Lose this Sunday, and the brief flirtation with the postseason will probably end. The Jets are already a likely playoff team. This is bigger for New England, especially with the recent dominance over Gang Green.
Midseason like: The Patriots' ability to get after opposing quarterbacks could very well keep them in the playoff hunt right to the bitter end.
Midseason dislike: The Patriots' inability to score touchdowns in the red zone could very well keep them from advancing in the playoffs…or getting there in the first place.
The Game of the Year in the NFL thus far featured two future Pats opponents – Minnesota and Buffalo. Would be nice if the Patriots could be involved with one (or both) of these teams in a future barnburner.
The Vikings are 8-1. Maybe the least dominant 8-1 team in some time? I mean, does anyone think the Patriots don't stand a chance on a tryptophan-induced Thanksgiving night?
The NFL in Germany worked – last week's Tampa-Seattle game was the most-watched international game in NFL Network history. Probably didn't hurt that TB12 sent a personal social media message to German fans, either.
What's next for American pro football? Spain and France are in the plans, followed by Sweden. Global domination seems inevitable.
How, or why, are the Celtics streaking in their current direction? They can shoot themselves back into games, after they shoot themselves out of them.
The Bruins are still unbeaten at home, with a franchise-record 10-0 start from the gate at TD Garden. Nuts. That's one win away from the NHL record, set by Chicago in 1963-64, and matched last year by Florida.
Not sure why the Bruins need an outside party to understand why they messed up the vetting process on the Mitchell Miller deal. They. Just. Didn't. Think.
Ten wins in 13 games to start for the Providence Bruins this season is the best start for the team in 15 years. It seems that whatever has transpired at the NHL level is trickling down I-95 as well.
ICYMI, the Miami Marlins have two women running their ship. They're the first major US pro sports team to have two women running day-to-day ops and operating as GM.
Also ICYMI, the Red Sox still haven't signed Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers nor anyone else that can only improve them from where they were this season past. But it's early, yes.
Shoot, what have you done lately? The Astros' James Click left his position as Houston's GM just six days after winning the World Series. What? Not good enough?
He was offered a one-year deal as his contract had expired. He said, 'no thanks." And I don't blame him one bit. Stupid is as stupid does.
We know that John Henry's Fenway Sports Group has made overtures toward a potential purchase of the Washington Commanders. Now, the Celtics' Steve Pagliuca is apparently interested in buying Liverpool FC from Henry and FSG.
Couldn't these guys just meet at, say, Cask 'n Flagon to hammer this out?
FSG will set the price tag on Liverpool, rumored to be in the neighborhood of $5 billion. Oh, and they're also apparently interested in the purchase of an NBA team for their stable of properties.
But nothing new to report on paying Sox players or remaining loyal to fans that support them by keeping the baseball team competitive. You miss singing "Sweet Caroline," don't you?
On the list of the most expensive NBA teams to follow – the Celtics rank 6th with an average resale ticket cost of $303 and a total per-person cost of $351.76. Per game.
Number One Golden State comes in at a whopping $681.92 per person. That's not just discretionary income…that's a savings account. Per game.
Most popular team out there? Would you be surprised to know that the Los Angeles Lakers are at the top of that list, according to betting odds company Sidelines.io?
The Warriors, expensive as they are, rank second. The New York Yankees have been bumped to third…and the Patriots rank eighth.
The current cryptocurrency crush is affecting the sports world in a big way. FTX's bankruptcy will bring a change in several arena names, including that of the Miami Heat, and changes in naming rights within collegiate sports, esports and Formula 1 racing.
It's also hitting up sports celebrities who have been spokespeople for crypto…namely TB12, Steph Curry and Shaquille O'Neal. Current class-action lawsuits against FTX include them by name.
Man, when it rains it pours. Right, Tom? He might (have to) play until he's 50. Just sayin'.
Who ya' got in the World Cup? You can never go wrong backing Brazil, or Argentina. England likely finishes on top on Group B, which is where the USA will compete. And don't sleep on Portugal, either, if you're looking for a longshot.
Of course, if you're looking for a real LONG shot, Uncle Sam is available.
Gotta get to the beer. Budweiser has an exclusive, $75 million relationship with World Cup soccer, but because consuming alcohol in public places in Qatar is illegal…they didn't think about this first?...they've got a bit of a problem.
A compromise had been reached to sell beer in certain places outside of stadiums…for about $14 a cup. Now, at the 11th hour, alcohol sales have been banned again in and around the eight stadiums in the country.
But the well-to-do FIFA sponsors, comfy in their air-conditioned stadium suites, will still be able to get a cold beer. The stadium masses will get squat.
Protests over alleged (and non-alleged) human rights issues within Qatar will continue, with some teams and athletes competing choosing to make statements of their own. FIFA has erected signage at stadiums warning fans against making political statements.
Honestly, the one statement you could make…if you have issues other than the sport itself in mind…is simply don't watch. Or don't support the sponsors.
But not enough will do that. FIFA is still expecting record revenue to come in, to the tune of $5.4 billion – which will top the number set at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Even with restrictions, Qatar is expecting a $17 billion economic boost.
The power of sports, and the money it can bring in, compels you. It compels us all.
The ownership behind the new Rhode Island FC team, including former Revolution star and Cranston native Michael Parkhurst and slated to play in Pawtucket's yet-to-be-built stadium scheduled for launch in 2024, formally introduced the team and logo earlier this week.
Right after we learned McCoy Stadium is being torn down.
This is progress? Or is it just irony?
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? It's your chance to "think out loud," so send your questions, comments, and local stories to jrbroadcaster@gmail.com. We'll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Would appreciate the follow on Twitter, @JRbroadcaster…and join in on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...
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