1. Boys Will Be Boys. So The Rick, as he is wont to do from time to time, pontificated about his feelings on the social media phenomenon.
Essentially, he called all of us who might, from time to time, tweet or post on Facebook or any other of our ilk, uh, “crazy.”
Which is, frankly, a really stupid thing to say, but of little consequence in the realm of human events.
Except to Coach Cal, he of the you-say-potato-I-say-tomato mentality, when it comes to his rival down I-64.
And so it goes.
Boys, go to your rooms, each of you, and don’t come out until called for dinner.
2. The Best of Leagues, The Worst of Leagues. Louisville had best be in its caveat emptor mind set when it transfers from the AAC to the ACC this coming summer.
The competition ratchets up more than a notch.
The latest example is this tally. Boston College 62, Syracuse 59. In the Carrier Dome.
Temple upending SMU in Philly is not quite the same.
3. Three Is The Loneliest Number. Austin Dillon is a NASCAR rookie.
He’ll also be sitting on the pole at the start of the upcoming Daytona 500.
In a car with the No. 3 on it. You know, Dale Earnhart’s revered number 3.
Somebody is going to be racing in a car with The Terminator’s #3. Really?
Say it ain’t so. I can’t believe the number hasn’t been retired.
4. For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow. I’m talkin’ Dickie V.
I appreciate Rick Bozich’s recent column about the love-him-or-hate-him Vitale. You can read it here.
At that moment when one feels compelled to turn off the sound during a game during which DV’s doing color, it’s too easy to forget that he’s a really decent guy, who has done lots and lots of good works.
I had the chance to hang with Vitale years ago, while he was doing a signing at Hawley-Cooke, and afterward at lunch.
He was just a nice guy, without a hint of guile in his personality.
He pumped me for U of L insight, which he used later that day on the telecast of a Cardinal game. He made sure I sent him a copy of my piece to add to his scrapbook. He gave me a signed mini ball.1
So, thanks Rick for the reminder.
But am sure I’ll still hit mute tonight during the Duke/ Carolina tilt.
5. What’s Up, Doc? “Doc” Emrick is the fast talking hockey play by play announcer that does all of NBC’s big games, including both men’s and women’s face offs in the Olympics.
Too often he talks too fast.
For some reason though, one guy’s opinion, his palaver is more palatable during the women’s games than the men’s.2
6. No Ray of Hope Ray Rice’s attorney calls the Ravens’ RB, a “high character, good person.”
Hmm. Maybe so, but, for now, he’s charged with Assault. The allegations are that, during a heated domestic squabble, he knocked his fiancee unconscious. She is also charged with hitting Rice.
TMZ has released a stunning video, which purports to be Rice trying to carry a limp Janay Palmer through a door, allegedly right after the incident.
Just another off-season day in the NFL.
7. Play It Again, Sam. Speaking of the NFL, I can’t help but be fascinated, for the first time in, well, ever, with the upcoming draft.
Sure, I can’t wait to see where Teddy Bridgewater goes?
More important, to see what happens with Michael Sam?
8. One Is The Loneliest Number. Now that Syracuse has gone down, Wichita State’s Shockers have the bullseye on their chest, now that they are the only team in the land with an unblemished record.
Last year’s semi-finalist has three regular season tilts left. Missouri State and Drake at home, Bradley on the road. Then the Missouri Valley’s marvelously named Arch Madness before the Dance.
Will they be undefeated, heading into March Madness? If so, will it add pressure to a team with legitimate high hopes?
It’s the old will an L help the team conundrum?
The obvious comparison is to the ’03-’04 St. Joseph’s Hawks. Martelli’s charges, led by Jameer Nelson and DeLonte West, went 27-0, before losing to Xavier in the A-10 tourney.
The team still got a #1 seed, which, if memory serves, was somewhat controversial. But the school won its way to the Elite Eight with Ws over Liberty, Texas Tech and Wake Forest. The Hawk’s wings stopped flapping after being eliminated by Oklahoma State, which advanced to the Final Four.
Wichita State is, however, in a different situation. There’s is the classic scenario for capturing the title.3 The Shockers are experienced. No fluke, they wended their way to the national semi-finals last season and played seriously tough, but succumbed to the eventual champs. They’re playing hungry.
So, I ask again, would an L be so bad? Would it be beneficial?
9. Ooooooooooooh, Canada! The gals from north of the border just scored a goal in sudden death OT, to come from two down and win the Gold Medal again.
Haven’t they won them all?
The U.S. came oh so close when what would have been a clinching length of the ice empty netter boinked off the post and away, instead of into the net.
10. Come Back Next Week, ‘Cause You See, I’m On A Losing Streak. Make it three in a row for Nick Saban.
The Crimson Tide coach, winner of multiple national titles, has had a bad run as of late.4
The Tide got rolled by rival Auburn. Then Oklahoma had the sweeter time in the Sugar Bowl.
Now the NCAA Rules Committee has done an about face on a proposed rule change that would have favored old school, let’s take our time football. Seems that Saban was upset that Auburn simply ran his Tide into the ground with its Hurry Up O in the Iron Bowl. So Nick wanted things back to the way it ever was, before the Oregons and their ilk changed the game from the way The Bear meant for it to be played.
Such was the outcry that the Rules Committee has apparently tabled the change, pending the proverbial further investigation.
11. Cleveland Rocks! If I were LeBron James, I’d skidaddle back to Cleveland and let Kyrie Irving set me up for a couple more titles.
12. I’m Going Home . . . By Helicopter. If I were a member of the Russian men’s hockey team, the one that didn’t even make it to the semi-finals, the one on whom the country, and, more important, the country’s petulant leader Vladimir Putin wanted to win Olympic Gold more than in any other event . . . if were a member of that team, I would have had a helicopter waiting outside the arena to get me out of Sochi and Russian jusrisdiction. Which flying machine I would have boarded in my skates and uni without taking a shower.
13. Surf’s Up. The 50th Anniversary Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is out.
Just sayin’, sports fans.
— Seedy K
You are really slipping; not nearly so much news about your blew boys since you moved to the L.E.X….
Still, your defense of Cal’s position vs. Rick over the use of social media is unfounded. I can’t tell you how many times people “incriminate” themselves on facebook et.al, and once out in to the cyber-sphere, this information is irretrievable. Many a Judge has been shown an exhibit by me directly from the perp’s facebook account totally discounting the testimony if not showing the Facebook user to be an out right liar .Anyone that posts anything of substance on Social Media is an idiot and a fool.
Rick is right–Cal is wrong—again….
Thanks a shitbucket for the spoiler Seedy. I kept media off all day trying to be in a position of knowing nothing before I climbed in my recliner with my Chinese take-out to watch the Olympics. Too much information can be a very bad thing….How about posting spoiler alerts in the future.