Thinking out loud…while wondering why I've been running as fast as I can, but still can't catch my breath…
The Patriots and Red Sox have both beat us up pretty good over the past year, haven't they? Guess that's the 'thanks' we get.
A little further to the south…they're still taking small steps. It isn't quick enough for many but know that the Friars – in wins over URI and Manhattan this week – are making strides.
It ain't easy coming off a championship year with eight new faces in your lineup.
Albany is next for Providence on Saturday, and the final non-conference tune up before exam week and the Big East opener at Seton Hall next weekend. Might be nice if the Friars' could have stashed another cupcake to save for later.
There is little trouble scoring, even with Jared Bynum experiencing an extreme shooting slump of late. Bryce Hopkins is turning into a double-double machine and will be tough for other teams to defend. The trouble is when the Friars do the defending.
They're having to fight through screens to get to shooters on the perimeter when last season they were confident enough to switch on screens because of their length and athleticism. That's a major difference between THIS team and THAT team.
As a result, opponents are shooting more threes and making them. It's a fix that needs to be made as the Big East season approaches.
Saw former Friar guard Kyron Cartwright last week in Kingston, and I asked how his coaching gig in Minnesota was going. He couldn't say anything then – but the school made it official this week by announcing his hiring as Ed Cooley's special assistant.
Cartwright replaces LaDontae Henton, who has officially moved into the job last held by Bob Walsh as Associate Director of Player Development.
Two of Cooley's favorite – and most improved, most productive players – added to the coaching mix is great for the staff, and the players. But there's more than a few I'll wager who wish those guys had some eligibility left.
The first NCAA NET rankings were released this week – and it sure isn't good news in Friartown. Presently, PC is presently #127 (they were at 151), thanks to a softer schedule and no strong road wins (plus 0-2 vs. Quad 2 teams) – with all due respect to Rhody.
At the start of this week, Bryant was tops in RI at 133 (now 125), followed by PC, Brown at 203 and URI at 307 out of 363 Division I teams. Yikes. There's nowhere to go but up.
UConn has soared up the rankings, the ratings (#2 in the NET), the polls and just about everyone's lists of top teams…and surprises. From unranked at the start of the season to Number Five in this week's AP poll. Not that no one thought the Huskies would be good – many thought they would be.
But is it rep, or reality? The quality of the good has been surprising. The Huskies won impressively in their first true road game at Florida this week, to go 10-0. Adama Sanogo looks like a legit Big East Player of the Year candidate.
The transfer guards, Naheim Alleyne and Tristen Newton have had spectacular moments. Jordan Hawkins might be a real scoring threat. Freshman big Donovan Clingan could be the newcomer of the year.
UConn's defense of the three-point shot has been impressive – and that's a main issue with Providence's defense at present. The only thing the Huskies might be missing for true national contention?
A true point guard. But Dan Hurley is making it work right now.
Anyone regretting the Big East letting UConn back into the family? They needed the league much more than the league needed them. But it definitely adds fuel to the fire around here.
A very nice, potentially underrated win for Butler this week over Ivy favorite Yale. Manny Bates, the transfer from NC State, might be too much of a load for most to handle.
Marquette has had a strong start, and their three losses are in OT to Wisconsin, at home to 8-0 Mississippi State and at Purdue. They also have a huge 96-70 win over Big 12 contender Baylor. The Golden Eagles will be Providence's Big East home opener Dec. 20th.
Perennial Big East bully Villanova is getting some swag back – freshman star Cam Whitmore is back from his preseason injury.
Creighton has taken a couple of lumps lately as well. Somehow, they've lost their shooting touch. Don't bet on that lasting too long. It simply shows you, and all of us, that it's really anyone's game (and league) to win this season.
Georgetown continues to have a storm cloud following the Hoyas around. 2021 Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player Dante Harris has entered the transfer portal.
Patrick Ewing lost six players to the portal after last season's winless effort in league play and added eight transfers plus two freshmen for this year.
The newcomers likely spelled a reduced role for Harris as he has missed the first semester this season…hence his now-move to St. Elsewhere.
The Big East Conference opener was played Wednesday night with DePaul at St. John's. Joel Soriano provided 17 points and 14 boards for the Johnnies – he's on his way to Most Improved. 19 league games total will be played before the first of the New Year.
The flu-like illness that has swept through Bryant's team caused the Bulldogs to postpone a game this week against Tulane, and Kvonn Cramer to be admitted to a Cincinnati hospital before they lost to the Bearcats.
Bryant played Stony Brook Friday night in Smithfield and faces Manhattan Sunday still ranked in the Mid-Major Top 25 at #17.
Is Brown the RI State Champ? The Bears can make a case – with wins over Bryant and this week over URI. Brown came from 10 points down with a 12-1 run over the last 5:49 to beat the Rams Wednesday night in Kingston for the first time in 40 years.
Brown had lost 19 straight games as the road team in this series. Qualifies as a 'wow' in my book. But state champs? C'mon. Why do we keep playing this game?
Kinda chuckled when those cute Duke fans chanted "Our House!" at MSG Tuesday night after beating Iowa. It will never be their house. It's rarely even St. John's house.
Example #10,265 of why coaches are hesitant to schedule quality road games: Iona 84, Saint Louis (an A-10 favorite and a winner over PC) 62. And Dayton (another A-10 fave) hasn't won a true non-conference road game in SIX years.
UNH won for the first time in 23 tries at Boston College this week. In basketball.
Recruiting is a tough game to play and follow. So much can change in the blink of an eye. To that end, Pawtucket native Isaiah Miranda committed to play at North Carolina State this week – when he didn't have the Wolfpack anywhere on his list of alleged finalists. Hmmm.
Said it before and will say it again: When the Celtics defend, they can beat anyone and everyone. Did a number on Phoenix this week, with the Suns holding the best record in the Western Conference.
Maybe Robert Williams' return will help make them better? Maybe his return will also screw up the current chemistry.
She was wrongfully jailed for nearly 10 months in a foreign, hostile country. But Team USA lost to Russia in the trade bringing Brittany Griner home. 'Nuff said.
Tweet of the Week, from @KenGriffeyRules: "Fan loyalty is really going to be put to the test in Foxboro later this month. Sitting in 10-degree weather to watch Tom Brady is one thing. Sitting on Route 1 for hours, and then in your seat for 3 more to see this is something different."
Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner told Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald this week "I'd be bored to death" running this Patriots' offense.
Hey Kurt? How do you think we feel watching it?
BB knows he has a problem. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been quite as candid as he was this week when he told WEEI's Greg Hill Show it was "too late" this year to make any dramatic changes in the offense, schematic, coaching or otherwise.
But BB also knows there's more than just success this season on the line right now. He knows. Legacy? His future? All of the aforementioned.
Of course, when Bill O'Brien is eventually hired to run the offense, he'll say "this was our plan all along." Amiright?
The Patriots' two-week 'western' swing begins in Arizona, and with a loss, the season may very well end in Arizona. The thought has occurred – that the bottom may drop on this season with a loss to the Cardinals and the Raiders lying in wait.
Frustrated QB + frustrated players + coaches who can't connect = Wait 'til Next Year. And if the coaches don't change it up or figure it out, Wait 'til the Year After That.
Unless they're fired (or reassigned) first.
Gettin' the itch to look forward to next year? It's easy to understand why some may already be onto 2023. There's a fairly large salary cap increase coming, as high as $220 million (or more) per team.
The previous cap high is this year at $202 million. We should get some clarification on that figure during next week's winter league meetings…and the Patriots stand to be a major player in free agency with more than $50 million in cap space available.
How'd I do on that cypherin', @capspace? Close?
Kirstie Alley, to me, will always be the Vulcan Lieutenant Saavik from the Star Trek II movie, "Wrath of Khan." But to millions of movie and TV fans, she's forever Rebecca Howe in the iconic Boston bar on the hit TV sitcom, "Cheers" from 1987-1993.
Originally, I thought it would be very hard to replace Shelley Long as Diane Chambers. The chemistry between Long and Ted Danson was as good as it gets in TV land. But Alley's comedic wit grew with her role; she was genuinely a sad character, a strong character, and a very funny one all at the same time. Alley passed away this week at age 71 from colon cancer.
Famed boxing referee Mills Lane also passed away this week, at age 85. You'll perhaps recall Lane was legendary for his famous "Let's Get It On!" pronouncement before every match he called over two decades. He was the ref in the ring when Mike Tyson bit off Evander Holyfield's ear.
Lane was even more famous for the Claymation portrayal on MTV's "Celebrity Death Match" during the '90's, spoofing fights we'd like to see. Funny stuff.
Not for nuthin', but did you know you can actually SEE that piece of Holyfield's ear Tyson bit off? It exists – bought by the owner of the Montgomery Inn Boathouse on the Ohio River in Cincinnati. Great ribs there…but go see the piece of ear before dinner.
The Montgomery Inn is one of the great places to eat when on the road in the Big East. Since the conference travel season is upon us…other "Big East Eats" choices?
Skyline Chili in Cincinnati (order it 4-way); Dinosaur BBQ in Newark, NJ (the dinosaur eggs); Lou Malnati's (real Chicago deep dish pizza) and Harry Caray's (the Chicken Vesuvio) in Chicago; Major Goolsby's in Milwaukee (the double cheeseburger, cheese curds and a Spotted Cow); Cactus Cantina in Washington, DC (the margarita swirl); Tony Luke's in Philly (order the cheesesteak "with and Wiz"); Louie M's in Omaha (chicken fried steak for breakfast); St. Elmo's in Indianapolis (the shrimp cocktail sauce is a 'wow'); PJ Clarke's (the sliders!) in NYC.
And…a hot slice, knish, or street dog from a street cart near the Garden. Underrated. And fantastic after a long day of working and/or watching hoop. Just sayin'.
Wait, wut? Qatar now wants to host the Olympics? It seems they've built up so much infrastructure (largely on the backs of alleged immigrant slave labor where 4-500 deaths occurred) they want to put it to use again.
So a Summer Olympics in the Middle East, where the temps reach 100+ every day. Either that, or push the "Summer Olympics" into December, like the World Cup just did. Yeah, that'll work well.
But never say "never." $$$ talks, and you-know-what walks.
TV ratings have been strong as expected – especially in the US – for the World Cup. But about a half million fewer international fans than expected paid their way into Qatar for the competition.
I mean, no beer? I'd be out.
My buddy "Big E" sez strong people don't put others down. They lift them up and slam them to the ground for maximum effect.
Ok, so the Sox showed a little (a little) life in the Old Towne Team this week with the signing of (gasp!) an actual closer, an outfielder from Japan and alleged productive talks with Xander Bogaerts.
Then, the shoe dropped and Bogaerts jilted the Sox for (GFY) San Diego, literally overnight Wednesday. Eleven years, $280 million is a helluva nut for even John Henry to crack.
Bogey will be 41 at the end of this deal, so good for him. But I still blame the Sox brain trust. They had him – and let him slip away. Did they learn their negotiating skills in a reform school? Or are they (the Fenway Sports Group) more seriously interested in purchasing an NFL or NBA team instead of keeping their historical franchise relevant?
Get used to the homegrown talent going bye-bye. It's disgusting.
Can't help but think that this is really what Chaim Bloom was brought here to do. Remember, he came from Tampa, where "cheap" help is plentiful…because it has to be. That shouldn't EVER fly in Boston.
It didn't fly very well this past year, did it? And now, Bogaerts is gone. So is Mookie Betts. You just know Raffy Devers will be next. The Sox are officially "Tampa Bay North."
Speaking of Tampa, have you seen where the Rays might be getting a new $1 billion stadium? It would be placed in St. Petersburg, with housing, stores, glass walls and 30K seats. Sounds great…but how many will still be open seats masquerading as fans?
Aaron Judge – nine years and $360 million? More power to him. Less power to his bat.
Probably isn't a good deal for NY. But they had to do it, and they pulled the trigger on signing a big gun – unlike Boston.
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise – this is ultimately good for the Red Sox. Why? He'll continue to haunt Boston and the team's current inability to stay in contention within the dumb idea of cost control at the expense of competitiveness.
Hating on baseball nerds these days. It did work once – looking right at you Moneyball and Billy Beane. Now everyone is obsessed at the expense of actual brains, eyeballs, and common sense.
But you still have "Sweet Caroline" to sing every game, don't you? Time to hit the showers…'cuz this stinks.
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