Thinking out loud…while wondering why the drive home is called 'rush hour' when nobody is moving…
It has always been a measuring stick, the "Top 25." Even if the media polls are really little more than often-uneducated opinion from wannabe ballers or nose-tweakers.
The Top 25 certainly has a way of creating controversy, both positively and negatively. The polls are good for college sports; they create interest and sure, they're part of the fun. Why else do you see "rankings" in pro sports these days?
They all want in on the fun.
But getting into the Top 25 is like getting a pat on the back for being voted prom queen – and little more than winning a short-lived popularity contest.
And yet, here we are, the Friars have returned to the national rankings in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches' Polls this week. 19th best in the nation. Or if not that, maybe 19th most popular.
Don't get the wrong idea here. Providence deserves the notoriety and accolades that should accompany a nine-game winning streak – the longest such in-season streak since 1989. But if you get caught up in things like rankings, polls, and prom queens…make sure you follow a pretty (good) one.
A good team, that is. And the Friars are becoming just that. This team has found an identity, after searching for one over the struggles during the first month of the season. They're tough. They have options on offense. They get to the free throw line. The defense is improving.
The Achilles Heel? Turnovers. Not valuing possessions quite as much as they should. Maybe a little more time to learn will help that. But time they're running out of, with games at Creighton and at fellow UConn-killer Marquette this next week.
Bryce Hopkins might very well be the toughest player to defend in the Big East. My favorite description for BHop – "too quick for the bigs, too big for the quicks" came from former Friar coach Pete Gillen (describing Derrick "Flight" Brown in 1997)…and it is certainly applicable to his present talents.
But it isn't just a one-man band playing here. Devin Carter is developing into an offensive threat to go along with his Justin Minaya-like defense. And Noah Locke is playing with confidence we haven't yet seen this season – until now.
And don't forget the guy Ed Cooley calls his 'silent assassin.' Junior guard Alyn Breed can run the point, play off the ball, get a stop when it's needed and make the big play. Joe Hassett calls Breed the team's 'swiss army knife.' It's an accurate description.
Don't shoot the messenger – but in the past week I've heard from sources in Austin, TX that the University of Texas Moneybags (boosters, donors, Board of Regent members) looking for a new head basketball coach really like Cooley.
And my response was – and is – who doesn't? But good luck with that.
Big East update: Xavier is playing "Can You Top This?" with the Friars, having now won 10 straight games after beating Creighton Wednesday. The Musketeers are ranked 12th this week in the AP Top 25, their highest spot since 2017-18.
Four league teams (UConn 6th, PC 19th, Marquette 25th) are in the running for Big East prom queen…but all they really want is an invite to the Big Dance in March. Just sayin'.
This Week in the Big East features Providence's Hopkins, along with DePaul coach Tony Stubblefield and Jeff Goodman from Stadium and the Field of 68. The Blue Demons beat league bully Villanova Tuesday night for the first time in 15 years.
And Goodman sez Xavier is the Big East team he thinks is most likely to reach the Final Four.
Catch TWITBE on your favorite podcast site, on Sirius XM Saturday morning or on westwoodonesports.com and/or on bigeast.com.
College hoop update: this week is the first week in a non-Covid year since 2012-13 that Kentucky failed to receive a single Top 25 vote. And they didn't deserve one, either.
A hang-on-by-the-skin-of-the-teeth win for URI Wednesday night against St. Bonaventure as the Rams improve to 2-2 in the Atlantic 10. Free throw shooting ultimately paid off – 24-for-29 from the line as Rhody has now won four straight at home. They'll play at UMass Saturday afternoon.
Bryant has found life in the America East a little uneven thus far…but did square their league record to 2-2 this week with a win over Albany and snapping a two-game skid. 53 percent from the field and 48 percent from three will usually get the job done.
The Bulldogs are now 30-4 at home in the Chace Center since the start of the 2020-21 season. The road beckons next, however, at UNH Saturday.
Brown got its' first Ivy win last Saturday by beating Dartmouth at home. At 8-8 overall, 1-2 in the Ivy League, the Bears will play a rare fourth straight Ivy home game this Saturday against Princeton.
Ladies' update: Tammy Reiss' URI team is off to a 4-0 start in the A-10 after a Thursday win at Saint Louis. PC improved to 11-7 overall, 2-5 in the Big East with a home win against Xavier. Brown got its' first Ivy win (8-7 overall) over Dartmouth, and Bryant lost at Albany…still in search of their first win in America East.
The 14th ranked Friar hockey team has played in nine overtime games this season, getting a 3-3 draw with Army at West Point last Sunday. A six-game roadie continues this week with two opportunities at Merrimack.
The hockey Friars have some work to do in the Pairwise – hockey's equivalent of the NET rankings – when it comes to NCAA at-large possibilities. PC is 20th overall…16 teams reach the NCAA Tournament.
Jeff Beck. Lisa Marie Presley. Titanic names in the music world that left us this week. Sometimes, the days just pass us all by too quickly.
My Top Five guitarists of all time? Seen this debated a bit: Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton and Beck. I was introduced to Beck's mesmerizing talent during a few hazy nights while I was in college during the '70's. I think.
My buddy "Big E" sez he doesn't have a welcome mat at his front door because he's not a liar.
Grew up about five minutes from the TCU campus in Fort Worth. Saw a LOT of bad football over the years in the 70's primarily, but always had a good seat with my buddies on the 50-yard line in the upper deck at Amon Carter Stadium.
Never thought THAT program would play for a natty, ever. 1938 – which was their last one – might as well have been 1938 BC.
Say what you wish about whether they still have played for a title, after laying that big egg Monday night against Georgia. The moment wasn't too big for the Frogs, Georgia was just too good, and it snowballed against them.
But c'mon, TCU. At least show up and pretend you're happy to be there.
Still think the move to a 12-team college football playoff is a good idea, considering the current climate. One more year of the four-team format before moving forward. We'll see more chances by unlikely teams challenging the big boys, no doubt…once we get to the expanded version.
But if we see more stinkers like the one in LA Monday…the Football Five will likely declare war on the rest of the Football Bowl Subdivision…and talk about secession from the NCAA will again rise from those ashes.
It appears sanity might prevail after all when it comes to the collegiate transfer portal. The NCAA Division I Council approved legislation this week that limits waivers for second time transfers. Unless an undergraduate student meets specific requirements, he or she may NOT be allowed immediate eligibility at a new school, when it comes to multiple transfers.
The days of athletes ridiculously playing at four schools in four years – like ex-DePaul and Miami guard Charlie Moore (Cal, Kansas, DePaul, Miami), and QB J.T. Daniels (USC, Georgia, WVU, Rice) may very well be, um, regulated out of existence.
Prince Harry = spoiled, petulant, and not the next King of England. But his memoir has already sold a million and a half copies.
He's making bank off the backs of a family he's sez he's disowning, at least until the book is sold out. Right.
No one is surprised the Patriots' season ended when it did. Nor should anyone be surprised with the way it ended. But TWO kickoff returns for touchdowns by the Bills?
A fireable offense. Somebody's got to go.
And now the offseason fun begins. Robert and Jonathan Kraft send an email to season ticket holders, ostensibly promising things will improve. The team then sends out a release – stating their intention to re-sign Jerod Mayo as a coach (defensive coordinator?) and hire an offensive coordinator.
When does BB do that? Like, never? Transparency has been a four-letter word within Fort Foxboro.
This tells me one of two things has occurred. Either Bill Belichick has heard the cries of the masses – or Robert Kraft has heard them FOR him.
BB needs to own up to his mistakes, even if he has difficulty admitting them. 25-25 in his last 50 regular season games. Two playoff berths in 10 seasons without TB12 as his starting QB.
The emperor's clothes are tattered. Let's hope they don't fall off altogether.
One-time TB12 clipboard-holder Kliff Kingsbury for OC? Sure, I'd buy that. Especially since his primary paycheck will still have a Cardinals' logo on it for a few years.
Not for nuthin', but the Patriots' highest draft pick since 2008 is on its' way (14th overall) in April. Makes you all warm and fuzzy inside, doesn't it?
Speaking of TB12…know why he doesn't appear set on retiring any day soon? He is among the largest shareholders in the bankrupt crypto-exchange FTX. 1.1 million shares, which Forbes estimated were once worth about $45 million.
As if there were any doubt – the TV networks crowed this week about the recently-completed NFL regular season being one of the most-watched. Ever.
Fox's Sunday game will finish as the most-watched program in television for a 14th straight season. And NBC sez they've got the top prime time show on Sunday night's for a 12th straight year.
CBS? Well, Patriots-Bills was the most-watched final weekend game in 11 years.
Each of the six Wild Card weekend playoff games is a rematch from a regular season game. When the dust settles, I'll take Buffalo and Philadelphia (with a relatively healthy Jalen Hurts) to reach the Super Bowl. You? YAWN.
Four teams reached the postseason this year having allowed more points than they scored. And you think the Patriots weren't playoff-worthy?
Oh, and here's a good one from my buddy Russell…NEVER has a QB who led the NFL in passing yards during the season won a Super Bowl in the same season. This year's leader? Patrick Mahomes at Kansas City.
Don't bet on the Chiefs.
Ex-LaSalle Academy and UMass QB Liam Coen departed from his position with the LA Rams this week as offensive coordinator…possibly getting out ahead of the house cleaning. He's returning to Kentucky to be OC there, after holding that spot in 2021 before moving to the NFL.
The whole Dana White slapping his wife in public on New Years' Eve thing? Even if it was retaliation, the man created the UFC, but he's not going to fire himself, is he?
Meanwhile, Massachusetts ranks 7th among the Top 10 states' interest in UFC. Thought you might like to know. Nevada, Hawaii, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado…and good ol' Mass. Which of these things is not like the other?
Certainly, there was good reason for Trevor Story to wait until a month before spring training to have elbow surgery that will likely knock him out of the lineup for most – if not all – of the upcoming season. I'm sure there was. Yada, yada, yada.
But whatever it was, stupid is as stupid does. Does anyone in that clubhouse, in that front office, or in that dugout actually think about a bigger picture rather than their own myopic viewpoint? Or the repercussions and ramifications of their actions and inactions?
Or think about the paying fans? Sure doesn't (much) seem like it, based on recent activity and the public/media reaction to said activity.
Rafael Devers made his new deal official this week – almost as if the Sox had some kind of fire to put out somewhere else. And Devers said he's "comfortable" with the current team situation.
Which is kinda like saying I'm comfortable with this life raft right here next to me as the ship begins to take on water.
Chaim Bloom said, ostensibly to the fans: "I'm hoping today when you think about where we're going…I hope that vision is a little clearer for you."
Nope. Couldn't be murkier. Awesome. Thanks for caring, though.
And Tom Werner sez there are absolutely NO plans to sell the Red Sox?
Boo. Hiss. Hope we can still sing "Sweet Caroline."
What this world needs today – is a "sarcasm" font.
Bruins at midweek – 32-4-4. That's an .850 winning percentage, tops in the NHL. Eight fifty. We're being set up for a big crash-and-burn, aren't we? Or is that just me?
Celtics at midweek – 30-12, the best record in the NBA. The Two Jays combined for 72 points Wednesday night, and each had a double-double in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Who needs a 'Big Three,' when you have the 'Two Jays?'
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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