Thinking out loud…while wondering if I can identify as gender sarcastic? (You know, Har/Har?)
Ok, show of hands. Who's happy that college hoops are here?
When you're coming off of a season that exceeded most expectations, it stands to reason – you can't wait to get back out there. That seems to be the case for most fans, and the players and coaches at Providence.
Compete for a regular season Big East title? A spot in the NCAAs? Sign me up for that again.
But the bottom line? What have you done lately? Expectations are always high. Results sometimes don't match those expectations, for whatever reason. Each year is a season unto itself.
Sure, 27-6 don't lie. It also doesn't mean 27-6 records grow on trees, either. But what Ed Cooley has done in this era of parity, portals, football money, and NIL dollars dangling like carrots at the end of a long stick – well, there's a reason he was the Naismith National Coach of the Year last season.
Now…do it again, Ed. No pressure or anything. It's the nature of the business these days, and that's exactly what it is. A business.
Eight new faces will appear on the floor this year, and only three players experienced the ride from last March. It's early, and the process for putting together these new puzzle pieces will take time to find the right slots…hence the way the scheduling bounced for this year.
Like: Bryce Hopkins. Really like. Could be THE difference-maker for the Friars this season. Too big for the quicks, too quick for the bigs. A mismatch on the floor.
Also like: Rafael Castro. Man, can this kid run. He's so long, he disrupts normal, regular shots from an opponent. He'll be a factor this season because he'll have to be.
Oh, and the new locker room at the AMP? Straight fire. Some NBA teams don't have what the Friars have. Funny, but this program was once mired in "have not."
PC's opening exhibition win over American International was a literal walk in the park, as expected. It was the first time for the two schools, similar in size, to meet on a basketball floor in 63 years.
It was a night for the players to play against different faces, and a chance for the coaches to understand where they need to stop and pick up the poop along the way.
Let's start with free throws. They are an issue. Providence won 12 games last season decided by five points or less. For any of that juju (luck?) to return this year, PC will need to shoot better than 70% from the line – they were at 50% Thursday night.
No issue at all with the Friars' selection for 5th this week at Big East Media Day. Jared "Big Shot" Bynum is most deserving of 1st team all-Big East, and if he has the kind of year we think he can have, he'll be a Player of the Year candidate, too.
Thought the coaches were pretty smaht with their selections overall. Xavier surpassing Villanova for the 2-spot shouldn't come as a huge surprise (ok, a mild one) because of their returning starters…and because of Nova's injuries with Cam Whitmore out for a bit, and Justin Moore rehabbing a ripped Achilles.
The Big East coaches said: 1) Creighton 2) Xavier 3) Villanova 4) UConn 5) Providence 6) St. John's 7) Seton Hall 8) Butler 9) Marquette 10) Georgetown 11) DePaul. Flip a coin after the Jays for me, SJU and SHU are even-steven, and Butler, Marquette and even Georgetown could rise.
Overrated: Villanova. Yup, I went there.
Underrated: Butler, and perhaps Seton Hall. But they have an eclectic mix of transfers similar to PC's. A lot needs to happen for the Bulldogs to be dancing in March.
Only two Big East teams are ranked in the Associated Press preseason poll – Creighton and Villanova. The Blue Jays are nationally underrated, even at #9; the 'Cats are perennial picks since they've been in three of the past six Final Fours.
UConn, Xavier and yes…PC…could all hit the rankings between now and March. And St. John's might do it, too. Buckle up.
UConn's Andre Jackson told the media he expects to return from his finger surgery by the end of November. If so, that's great news for the Huskies. Jackson and preseason Player of the Year Adama Sanogo will define the toughness they need to be successful.
DePaul looks like they'll be without South Florida transfer guard Caleb Murphy for a while. He had wrist surgery this week and could be out until December.
The New York Post reported this week recently retired Villanova Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright is headed for TV. He'll reportedly join CBS and Turner for regular season games and the Final Four. He'll bring his best suits, no doubt.
ICYWW, those metric guys may be hating on PC again this year, just like last year. Kenpom has the Friars at #57, 7th in Big East. Bart Torvik.com and Evan Miya.com have them rated lower, pegging Providence at #68 and #74 nationally.
My question to the alleged analytical eggheads, gurus and predictors: You were wrong last year, at least about the Friars. What makes you confident with your predictability this year?
Math was not one of my better subjects in school. Must not have been for these guys, either.
It's kinda like grading NFL Drafts before the rookies ever play a game. Stupid is as stupid does.
Here come those "PC is lucky again" geniuses in 3, 2, 1…right, Jeff Goodman?
America East Media Day was this week, and Bryant's Bulldogs – in their first year in the league – were pegged for #2 in the preseason poll behind perennial contender Vermont. The Catamounts have won or shared the past six league titles.
Bulldogs' Charles Pride and Earl Timberlake were selected for the preseason all-conference team…and UMass-Lowell was chosen third behind UVM and Bryant. But mark Jan. 5 and Feb. 25 on your calendars – when Vermont and Bryant will battle.
The league Bryant left, the Northeast Conference, has Merrimack as its' top pick in the men's preseason poll…even though due to NCAA transition rules, they can't (yet) go to the NCAA Tournament. Stonehill takes Bryant's spot in the NEC, also moving up from DII – and predictably was slotted 9th, and last.
Not for nuthin', but The Athletic reports this week that NEXT week, NCAA schools should receive further guidance on what they can or can't do with current NIL rules. Call it a 'further interpretation' of the landscape in the new Wild, Wild West.
Remember a short time ago when the NCAA toyed with the idea of improving gender equity in basketball by putting the women's Final Four on the same stage and city – and weekend – as the men's?
Turns out…a majority of women's coaches feel their sport is better served by holding their championship separate from the men. The idea has been 'tabled' until at least 2031.
The Providence women were a preseason pick for 8th in the Big East, with UConn predictably at #1. The Friars' Janai Crooms earned a spot on the preseason all-Big East list. I'll lean on my buddy Edward in East Providence for a potential break out player to be determined.
URI's women, picked 3rd in Atlantic-10 preseason poll, have two transfers named to all-conference lists in Emma Squires and Tenin Magassa. Rhody lost four of their last six to miss out on the NCAA Tournament this past March.
Ex-Rhody star Jeff Dowtin made the Toronto Raptors' final roster, on a two-way deal with the Raptors' G League team. He played a total of nine games in the NBA last season for three different teams.
URI's midterm exam was successful on the football field last week, with the now-19th ranked Rams beating then-14th ranked Elon 17-10 in Kingston. Colonial newcomer Monmouth is next up on the road Saturday, with the Hawks currently the highest-scoring team in the CAA at nearly 38 points per game.
And defense could be Rhody's primary calling card – the secondary hasn't allowed a TD pass in four of six games played.
PC's Hockey Friars are off to a flying 3-0 start, following a big road win at then-#7 Northeastern last weekend. Goaltender (and Boston Bruins' draftee) Philip Svedeback was Hockey East's goaltender of the week – he's stopped 69 of the 73 shots he's faced going into this weekend.
Which will be an even bigger test for the young Friars, playing twice on the road at 4th ranked Denver.
And yes, it's early…but UConn's Hockey Huskies are off to their best start in 47 seasons – and have their highest-ever national ranking this week at #17. 4-0 UConn plays Ohio State twice this weekend in Hartford at the XL Center.
Again, that's in hockey. Not football. Just sayin'.
My buddy "Big E" sez he remembered this week his New Years' resolution was to read more. So he turned on the subtitles for his mega-screen TV.
I thought Zappe Hours weren't legal in Massachusetts?
It's been fun watching Bailey Zappe have success. The oft-maligned coaching staff has done a very good job of managing his development and keeping games winnable. But let's face it – if Mac Jones were healthy, these Patriots would be 3-3 for the season.
Which is exactly where they are today. I think the fever might be breaking.
Why do we need to jump on a hype train? Let's applaud the kid for learning on the job and doing his job well. But are we really that desperate for another underdog story to dominate our lives again?
No. We've made the comparisons, but…this is no Bledsoe-Brady. Sorry to p*** on your Zappe party, but this is still Mac's team. Always has been…despite some things you might have heard or read lately.
Bill Belichick has tied the legendary "Papa Bear" George Halas for the two-spot in all-time NFL coaching victories. And he can pass Halas Monday night, ironically against the Chicago Bears. Karma is not to be messed with.
Like: Jakobi Meyers. He grows more fearless by the game.
Dislike(s): Nelson Agholor and Isaiah Wynn (tie). Those who can't catch, or block, shouldn't play. Period. This is pro football, not a youth soccer game.
Uh, TB12? The grind of an NFL season is not like military deployment. The flak you caught for that remark this week is a self-inflicted wound.
Anyone up for a PPV grudge match between Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft? I'd watch that.
After six weeks, there are only 10 teams in the NFL that have a winning record. Three of them are in the NFC East, and the AFC East has two more – with the other two (NE and Miami) at 3-3. That ain't East Coast Bias. Them's facts. But it's early.
An interesting nugget from Front Office Sports this week – 20 years ago was when the NBA moved most of its games off of "free" TV to pay cable networks.
The league is expected to be looking for upwards of $75 billion for its next media rights package in 2025. And who will be paying for that? David Stern didn't raise no dummy, did he Adam Silver?
YAWN. Did the NBA season start this week?
Happy for Joe Mazzulla to win his Celtics' coaching debut. There is now a significant Hendricken Hawk influence touching the Big Four sports these days…including Hendricken grads as head coaches in the NBA and MLB.
Or did you forget Rocco Baldelli is managing the Minnesota Twins?
Give 'em a little rest between starts, the Bruins might be able to hold their own against most anyone this season. But back-to-backs? Take the opponent AND the over…
The Dodgers and Braves both won more than 100 games during the regular season, and both failed to reach the NLCS. If that had happened to the Red Sox, Armageddon would be upon us, amiright?
And if there were ever any doubt, pitching and defense still wins. See Astros, Houston as "Exhibit A" for how to build a team, Chaim.
Think the Sox will wait until AFTER the Gold Glove announcement on Nov. 1st to announce Xander Bogaerts' new deal? Can't wait to hear that mea culpa when they don't.
Sorry, but rooting for either the Yankees or the Astros in the ALCS is like rooting for Russia in anything.
But I will root for Houston's Jeremy Pena…the Providence kid and ex-Classical High School star. He hit that 18th inning walk-off homer for Houston in the ALDS against Seattle…got another tater against the Yankees in Game One of the ALCS…and was also named to the MLB Pipeline All-Rookie 1st team.
And no sarcasm here – congratulations to WEEI's Greg Hill for his Marconi Award as the Major Market Radio Personality of the Year. Sports radio can be fun, entertaining, and informative when it wants to be, and doesn't always need to jump into life's cesspool. Greg manages to balance all of that with his audience, every day.
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 ...
Don't forget to tune into Providence's 103.7 FM, every Saturday from 7:00-9:00 am for Cordischi and Coit! Call in at 401-737-1287 or text at 37937.
