Thinking out loud while wondering if claustrophobic people are more productive thinking outside the box.
It's March. The Madness is upon us. We've already seen it, witnessed it a bit early, experienced some of the 'wild and crazy.'It's the 'wild and crazy' that makes it great…and so much fun to follow.
I wouldn't be down at all over the Friars' loss at Villanova Tuesday. Quite the contrary. Down an injured Al Durham and with absolutely zero at stake as far as the league race, the effort was strong – if imperfect.But one thing this team needs to do, as all teams do: Value possession. Each and every one. They lost a two-point game committing 16 turnovers. Nova only had five. That's at least 11 possessions where they don't even get a chance to shoot at the basket. In a two-point game, well…that's the game.
Providence may or may not have a 1st team all Big East player, based on numbers alone. It's a balanced sheet. But based on who the opponent prepares for, two players are in the other guys' game plans, if not their heads – Nate Watson and Jared Bynum. And Roxbury's A.J. Reeves is charging hard on the outside.
The Friars are 19-1 when Watson scores in double figures. And Bynum is the hottest thing going, arguably, in the Big East right now.
Walking into the Finneran Pavilion Tuesday, the moment was not lost on the Wildcats. Villanova won seven of the first eight regular season titles since the Big East reconfigured. And they had every accomplishment, every award, every big moment on the Finn's video boards for the Friars to see as they took their pregame shootaround.Two Big East players are finalists for national awards – Villanova's Collin Gillespie for the Bob Cousy Award, St. John's Julian Champagnie for the Julius Erving Award. They're likely the two finalists for league Player of the Year as well.But "MVP?" Might be PC's Jared Bynum. Could also be PC's Al Durham, considering the clutch play he brings – and free throw accuracy – when he's healthy.
Ed Cooley? Slam dunk Big East Coach of the Year. Pretty cool for a South Providence kid and a Central High grad. Legit national COTY candidate, too. CBS' Jon Rothstein already anointed him as such this week.
Just a guess, but the Friars may get a couple of chips to settle onto their shoulders when it comes to postseason awards next week. It's what happens when your "team" is the greater talent over "individuals."
After watching Xavier struggle at St. John's this week for a 5th straight loss, I'm left with this conclusion – the triple OT loss to the Friars last month broke their postseason chances. They do have Georgetown Saturday, however…a possible 'get well quick' answer.But Travis Steele's team is a combined 4-13 over the last three weeks of the season the last three years. Top-seeded for the first time in tourney history, Providence likely faces the Musketeers or Butler Noon Thursday at MSG…and the #1 seed lost in the quarterfinals last year.
Maybe not this year. But Creighton could be deadly over the next couple of years with a very talented trio of freshmen – Ryan Nembhard, Arthur Kaluma and Trey Alexander. They didn't show it much at the Dunk, but they got game.The crowd at the Dunkin Donuts Center late in the season, to say the least, was 'off the hook.' Really, all season. But in the championship-clinching win over Creighton last weekend, the noise level was such that we had a difficult time communicating with each other at the scorers' table, as well as the radio studio.Also got the Gatorade bucket on us, intended mostly for Coach Cooley, in the frenzied celebration on the floor. Still drying out from that. Do you know how sticky that stuff really is?
Students? Haven't seen a student crowd more into it, or better in person or on TV this year. And I've watched a bunch of 'em. Got a feeling lovin' up Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" student sing-along could pay dividends at some point…
Wanna feel alive? Come to the Dunk…you won't need the caffeinated coffee.
Fans from other teams…continue to throw the asterisk around on PC. All because they took ill with Covid and had to lay out for 12 days, necessitating the cancellation of three games. They tried to reschedule them, including a home game with UConn that cost the athletic department a few hunny thou to lose it.Believe me, they wanted to make it up.
Thought it was quite ironic, however, that Nova's fans had placards with asterisks on them to taunt the Friars Tuesday night…when their own team benefitted from a Covid-shortened schedule a year ago to win the title.
Georgetown administrators officially gave Patrick Ewing their backing and support this week as the Hoyas near all-time records of single-season futility. The question now becomes, is this a kiss of death as a coach for one of the all-time great players in Big East history?Not for nuthin', and we're getting way ahead of ourselves, but there's little doubt the Friar coaching staff will work the transfer portal again for next year…with the success they experienced this year.So will a lot of other teams. Experience + Poise = Contention.
For my money, this week in New York: Providence vs. Villanova, Part III for the tournament title. What say you? Nova fans must be drooling at the prospect.And don't be surprised if DePaul wins a game…or two. St. John's could be an NCAA bid-stealer.
Episode Nine of This Week in the Big East will feature a preview of next week's Big East Tournament with conference commissioner Val Ackerman, DePaul's sharp-shooter and league-leading scorer Javon Freeman-Liberty and former Friar coach and ESPN analyst Tim Welsh.Two thumbs up to a reader and friend, John in Florida (why is everyone in Florida and I'm not?!?) who pointed out that the late, great Al McGuire would have turned 83 this week. One of my favorite quotes from Coach McGuire – who won the natty at Marquette in 1977 – "If the waitress has dirty ankles, the chili is good."
THAT is LOL funny.
A natty? At a (relatively) small parochial school? Sure, why not? It has worked for Villanova recently, no?Bryant's Jared Grasso, and this is no surprise, was named the Northeast Conference Coach of the Year this week. His first season, the team finished 3-28. At 21-9, the Bulldogs have the NEC regular season title and the postseason tournament top seed.Peter Kiss, the nation's #1 scorer, and Charles Pride were both selected 1st team all NEC. The Bulldogs are through to the NEC semis Saturday against Mount St. Mary's after beating Central Connecticut Wednesday.
Mount beat Bryant last year for the conference title and the NCAA invite. The rematch is at the Chace in Smithfield at 6pm. What do they say about payback?
Honestly, you really didn't need to look too far away for good local hoops this season. The URI women continue their program-record setting season with Emmanuel Tahane, Marie-Paule Foppossi and Dez Elmore named all-Atlantic 10. The Rams are a 2-seed behind Dayton in the A-10 tourney.URI's men already have something to look forward to for next fall – not that THIS season is over yet. But the Rams will play in the Cayman Islands Classic next November. Book your flights early.Matt McCall's firing at UMass was a bit unconventional. Most firings come after a season is over – but there was McCall this week, a day after being canned by AD Ryan Bamford, still coaching his team on the sidelines against Fordham on Senior Day.And they won. Classy way to move on, making it about the players and not his job. He'll stay on the sidelines, too, through the A-10 tournament.
The average ticket price for Coach K's final regular season game at Duke this weekend? $5392. AVERAGE. I (bleep) you not.Sign of the times: The NCAA announced this week they are recommending a new 'threshold' on THC testing for student athletes and suggesting a reconfiguration of the current penalty structure for positive marijuana tests.This doesn't mean athletes can "smoke 'em if they got 'em"…but it does reflect some societal change in the use of marijuana, primarily for medicinal purposes.
Still – while a 1st positive test will cause no suspension, a 2nd positive will require sitting out 25% of remaining games and a 3rd positive test jumps that to HALF of a remaining schedule.
So…there won't be any Cheech and Chong impersonations without penalties. Go Google Cheech and Chong if you don't know. You'll get it.
It was 60 years ago this week – 60 years! – that Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game played in Hershey, PA for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks. We might break the internet if something like that happened today.My buddy "Big E" sez his boss told him yesterday to have a good day. He said okay, so he went home.MLB, where we at? Dumpster fire?If you're not concerned, you should be. All correspondence from the Red Sox ticket office this week was about Paul McCartney concert tickets this summer – you know, an actual event that is going to take place at Fenway?
In case you were wondering, or perhaps you've forgotten: The baseball work stoppage in 1994-95 cost us the World Series, cost the Montreal Expos (with baseball's best record at the time) a likely chance at that crown, and cost the sport thousands of fans on average per game when they did come back.
It took baseball more than a decade to return to pre-strike attendance levels throughout the sport.
Baseball's relevance is slipping by the day. Both sides appear to be deaf, dumb and blind to the bigger picture. No one wants to hear from rich owners and ballplayers or their 'labor' dispute. This ain't the climate for that.
And this after losing almost the entirety of the 2020 season due to Covid. Stupid is as stupid does. You think your wallet won't take the hit?
Think again unless you already no longer care.
On a related note, ICYMI, Derek Jeter said "see ya" as CEO of the Miami Marlins this week. He'll also sell his 4% stake in the team. Why? He said the vision for the future of the team is "different than the one I signed up to lead." Hmm.Russian athletes, athletic events and sports overall continue to be persona non grata. Maybe it will influence their invasion of Ukraine, maybe it won't. It's doubtful.But hit 'em where it hurts most. Hit 'em where they believe they have superiority in the world court – within sports. The NHL is cutting off business partnerships in Russia. Hockey, figure skating and soccer have all banned Russian teams and competitors. Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich is turning over his team ops to the organizations' charitable foundation.
When you bring them to their knees – don't let 'em back up…or back into the game. Otherwise, history will continue to repeat itself for the next madman to come along.
The Revs have their home opener this weekend – yes, already – and forward Adam Buksa sez he supports his national team Poland's pullout of a World Cup qualifier with Russia in Moscow.Boston-based shoe and apparel company Nobull has become the official training apparel and footwear partner of the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions.The NFL has become the first sports league, pro or college, to drop back and punt on Covid protocols. We should hope, continuing the thought, they don't get the ball back and it's 'game over.'A wide receiver for the Patriots? In the first round? Didn't they just do that with N'Keal Harry and, um, swing-and-miss?But the next at-bat is a new opportunity, amiright? Figured I'd throw in the baseball analogy, since it may be a while before we see any real baseball.
It should flow for the Patriots, or at least appear to flow, once the decision to keep or punt on J.C. Jackson is reached. Still think they tag and trade…but I'd be in favor of tag and play.
NFL Combine = Men In Tights. You fired up for this? Gotta straight-jacket for ya'.
Old friend and ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper likes a Penn State edge prospect for the Pats in the first round – defensive end Arnold Ebiketie – as a true compliment for Matt Judon. 19 tackles for loss, 9 ½ sacks for the Nittany Lions in the Big 10 last season.But the name, Mel. Why you tryna hurt me with these hard-to-pronounce names?
Love Mel and his hairdo. Still has the moss going for him. Apologies for borrowing Dennis Eckersley's apt description for a coif, but hey…I'm already in baseball withdrawal mode, and forced to think 'outside that box.'
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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