#but whatever. i won my matchup by 21 points

[allpromarlo]

i had 14 people outta my fantasy league tell me starting puka nacua is a bad idea and now LOOK

[writing-and-bad-decisions]

Touch Starved

A Haikyuu Fanfiction

Words: 1210

Summary:

Lev has always been a hugger, much to Yaku’s dismay. He loves to hug people for any and every reason. Hello-hugs, goodbye-hugs, we-just-won-a-match-hugs, that-was-a-really-good-spike-hugs. Hugs hugs hugs, and Yaku hates it. Out of all of Lev’s qualities, this was by far the most annoying.

-----

Yaku hates being hugged, but does he?

Note:

Ayy what's up.

I've had this short story floating around my drive for about a week, and I wasn't really sure whether I wanted to post it. I really liked the concept, but it just felt too short, and I couldn't think of any satisfying ways to extend it at all. Eventually I decided that I might as well share it. I don't think it turned out badly, but it's definitely not my best fic so far.

As always, any comments/criticism/advice is always appreciated, I hope you have a nice day.

-----

Lev has always been a hugger, much to Yaku’s dismay. He loves to hug people for any and every reason. Hello-hugs, goodbye-hugs, we-just-won-a-match-hugs, that-was-a-really-good-spike-hugs. Hugs hugs hugs, and Yaku hates it. Out of all of Lev’s qualities, this was by far the most annoying.

Though, frustratingly, the rest of the team doesn’t seem to share his sentiment. The first years are accustomed to it, accepting his affection enthusiastically. The second years, for the most part, aren’t that bothered by it. Even Kenma tolerates it, though with his usual apathy. Kai and Kuroo, the traitorous bastards, find it incredibly endearing, and only encourage it further.

“It’s good sportsmanship.” Kai had said when Yaku voiced his grievances.

“And it helps the team bond.” Kuroo had added. Team bonding his ass.

At this point in time, Yaku is the only member of the Nekoma Volleyball team who Lev hasn’t hugged, and he’s determined to keep it that way, no matter how hard Lev tries to change that fact.

There had been several occasions where Lev had attempted to hug him, and Yaku had ducked or swerved to avoid his arms. Multiple occasions at the end of a match where Lev had run up to him, only for Yaku to stick his foot out and trip him, sending Lev comically to the floor.

That only seemed to make Lev more determined though. He started sneaking up behind Yaku and attempting to hug him from behind, and when that failed, he tried a sneakier approach, hugging someone else and then reaching his arm out to draw Yaku in as well, only to get his hand slapped away.

It’s during one of their training camps when Lev snaps.

They’re in the middle of a break when Lev turns to him and asks, “If we win the next match, can I hug you?” Yaku pauses, drink-bottle half-raised to his lips.

“No, Lev.”

“Please!” He whines, slouching his upper body expressively.

“No.”

“Just one hug.” His loud pleading attracts the attention of the rest of the team, who apparently hate Yaku and jumped in to defend Lev.

“Come on Yaku, just give the kid a hug.” Kuroo says, to which he glares in response.

“Do it! Do it!” Inuoka starts chanting. Yaku turns to Kenma, hoping to have at least him at his aid. Kenma simply shrugs.

“If I have to suffer through it, so do you.” Yaku scoffs, taking a long, exasperated sip from his bottle. Lousy, annoying, good-for-nothing team!

“Fine.” He says. “Just one. But only if we win.” Lev pumps his fist in victory and the rest of the team smiles, looking satisfied with themselves that they’ve convinced him. Yaku just rolls his eyes and walks away.

They’re up against Fukurodani next, which is always an unpredictable matchup. With Fukurodani’s extreme attack power and Nekoma’s fine-tuned defensive abilities, it’s really anyone’s game. Unfortunately, luck is not on Yaku’s side today. Maybe it’s his imagination, or a crazy coincidence, or his suffering is an excellent motivator for the team, but his team seemed to be playing even more seriously than usual.

Lev especially is much quieter than usual, holding an abnormally intense focus. The whole Nekoma Volleyball team seems to want this win, and Yaku wants to shoot himself in the foot.

They win the first set 25 - 23, but they only gain momentum in the second. Before he knows it, they’re on set point, with Fukurodani behind on 21 points. Shit, they actually have a good chance to win.

No, Yaku tells himself, the victors haven’t been decided yet. Fukurodani are strong and unpredictable, there was still a chance they could catch up and take the set, and then who knows who would win the third. It’s not like Yaku wants to lose, but…

It’s Bokuto’s serve, and he sends the ball over fiercely. Yaku drops to his knees and receives it cleanly, his forearms stinging with the impact, and sends it over to Kenma, who sets it to Yamamoto. Yamamoto evades the blockers, but the spike is picked up by Komi, the other libero, and the ball sails down neatly over Akaashi’s head.

“Bokuto-san!” he calls, and Bokuto starts his approach, leaping and swinging his arm down powerfully at the ball. It bounces off the top of the blockers hands and flies across the court, heading out of bounds.

Yaku chases after it, dives, and barely manages to send it up before landing on his hands and sliding.

“Lev! Direct!” He shouts. Lev runs, long arms swinging as he propels himself into the air and smacks the ball. Yaku watches, entranced as it flies over the net, narrowly missing the block, and lands in the other court.

There’s a moment of silence, before the team erupts into cheers. Lev turns to him, green eyes sparkling and grinning widely. Yaku returns the smile, about to congratulate him on his spike when Lev opens his arms.

Right. The bet.

Suddenly, the whole team has their eyes on them, and a quick glance to the other side of the net shows Fukurodani watching curiously as well. Kuroo must have blabbed to Bokuto then.

Idiot.

Yaku sighs deeply, promising himself that it would be over quickly, and enthusiastically holds his arms out. Seeing his cooperation, Lev eagerly approaches, bends down (Yaku is definitely going to kick his ass for that afterwards) and wraps his arms around him.

The hug isn’t… awful, surprisingly. They’re both sweaty, and hot, and still catching their breath after the match, but it was kind of… comforting. Almost as if they were sharing the exhilaration of the match. The aching muscles, sweat and adrenaline, holding onto each other and this moment in time, basking in it.

The way Lev had leaned down meant that Yaku’s face is resting against his shoulder, and Lev’s arms are wrapped around him firmly, but soft enough that he’s able to pull away easily if he wants to. He’s surprised by his consideration. Slowly, Yaku’s body untenses, and he relaxes into Lev’s shoulder, before hesitantly wrapping his arms around his waist.

A strange peace washes over him. This is… actually quite nice. Yaku rests his face in the crook of Lev’s neck and exhales contently. Lev’s shirt is damp from sweat, but he doesn’t smell bad. Quite the opposite actually.

Lev smells fresh, like lime shampoo and laundry detergent, with a hint of cologne. He has a nice scent, the kind that’s unnoticeable unless you’re in very close proximity. Maybe that’s why everyone likes hugging him so much, Yaku wonders, but then his thoughts back-pedal and he doubts that anyone else would want to hug Lev purely on the way he smells. He feels a little dumb for even considering it.

Lev pulls away, startling Yaku, and a very traitorous part of him is disappointed by the loss of contact. Lev straightens up and gives him a small smile which makes his stomach do a flip. Yaku is feeling jittery, he notices, and a little light headed.

“See Yaku, that wasn’t that bad, now was it?” Kuroo grins at him mischievously, and Yaku snaps out of his trance.

“Whatever.” he says, and turns away, hoping that the team mistakes the redness of his face as exertion, and nothing more.

[greycupchampionship-blog]

Grey Cup Championship

The most surprising jump comes from the BC Lions, who vaulted Edmonton in odds to both appear in and win the 107th Grey Cup game. However, the Esks could put that dream to bed in Week 17, as they’d clinch the crossover playoff position with a victory.That’s good news for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who won the West in 44 percent of sims and made it to the championship nearly half the time. They also feature in the most likely Grey Cup showdown for this week. Speaking of the Ticats, they remain in the drivers seat in the East. The victory over Winnipeg vaulted their chances to appear in the Grey Cup to 85 percent and their chances to win the whole thing up nearly 20 percent. Hamilton is also in the top three most likely matchups for the title.With the tight race atop the West Division continuing to amp up with every passing week, we got to see the weight that a win or a loss could have on the CFL Simulation. 107th Grey Cup 107th Grey Cup Festival 107th Grey Cup Championship Grey Cup Champions Grey Cup Championship Grey Cup Final Grey Cup Game CFL Grey Cup CFL Grey Cup Game Grey Cup Time Grey Cup Start Time Grey Cup TV Channel Grey Cup TV Coverage Grey Cup Halftime Show After being projected to be in the most likely Grey Cup matchup against Hamilton in the Week 16 edition of the sim, a loss to those very same Ticats severely hurt the Bombers’ this time around. Along with their drop to third place in the West standings, Winnipeg was also dealt huge blows to their odds to host a playoff game, win the division, and appear in the championship game. The model calculates each team’s probability of victory in each remaining game. It then simulates 10,000 replications of the remaining regularseason schedule and resulting playoff bracket including the possibility of a playoff crossover team.  For each replication, the model keeps track of a number of performance metrics for example, which teams earned home playoff games, which teams appeared in the Grey Cup, etc.. TigerCat fans everywhere, and the TigerCat organization, have worked hard to convey our enthusiasm for bringing the Grey Cup to Hamilton again, Ticats owner Bob Young said in a statement. We are thrilled to be in consideration by the Canadian Football League to host the upcoming 2020 Grey Cup game and festival, and we look forward with excitement and anticipation to the league’s announcement on February 21. We want to thank the CFL and the Grey Cup committee for their diligence throughout the bid process, he said in a statement. We feel like we put forth a strong and compelling bid to host the 2020 Grey Cup in our 110th anniversary year where we will be able to showcase Mosaic Stadium and Saskatchewan's incredible hospitality. We encourage our fans to come together on February 21st as we anxiously await the announcement. Hamilton last hosted a Grey Cup the infamous Snow Bowl game at Ivor Wynne Stadium in 1996, while Regina's Taylor Field was the site of the 101st Grey Cup that the hometown Riders won in 2013. Olympic Stadium last played host to the Grey Cup in 2008.This fall's Grey Cup, the 107th, is set to be hosted by the defending champion Calgary Stampeders on November 24 at McMahon Stadium. The CFL Simulator returned ahead of Week 13 and made Riderville very happy when it projected Saskatchewan as an early favourite to win the 107th Grey Cup. But following a lopsided loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on the road, the green and white dropped out of the top spot in all the categories they led in the first simulation. The biggest hit they took was to their Grey Cup odds. After being at nearly 50 percent a week ago, they sit at just 6 percent now and won the championship just three percent of the time. They’ve also had their odds to win the West dropped from 49 to 6 percent. The Bombers have jumped into the driver’s seat ahead of Week 14 action, and the Calgary Stampeders have now jumped into the conversation as a championship favourite again after winning both halves of their homeandhome series against Edmonton.Calgary has also received another spot in the top five Grey Cup matchups with their performance. In the East, Montreal made a jump up after winning their third straight game in Week 13 and they now feature in two of the five most likely championship game matchups. Their percentage to capture the championship went down because of Calgary’s surge, but their odds of hosting a playoff game went up. After beating Ottawa in their headtohead matchup in Week 13, the Toronto Argonauts improved their odds in nearly every category. On the other side, the REDBLACKS are now projected to finish with the worst record in the league at 414. While there's no love lost between the Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders, neither team is looking for a repeat of last game's fireworks.A heated contest between Montreal and Calgary in midAugust started with a pregame brawl and ended in a comefrombehind, overtime victory by the Alouettes.That wild finish — and the bad blood between both teams — is still fresh on everyone's minds as the Als 76 prepare to host the Stamps 94 on Saturday. Grey Cup 2019 107th Grey Cup 2019 107th Grey Cup Festival 2019 107th Grey Cup Championship 2019 Grey Cup Champions 2019 Grey Cup Championship 2019 Grey Cup Final 2019 Grey Cup Game 2019 CFL Grey Cup 2019 CFL Grey Cup Game 2019 2019 Grey Cup I've spoken to our team about it and I'm sure they've spoken to their guys, said Alouettes coach Khari Jones. That's not what we're about. That's not what they're about.There's always going to be a little talking back and forth, but we're going to make sure that our guys aren't into anything extracurricular. We'll let our play speak for itself. Before that Aug. 17 encounter even started, the pregame warmup turned into a full skirmish when Montreal cornerback Tommie Campbell traded punches with former Stampeder teammate Wynton McManis. Players from both teams converged on midfield and more punches were thrown. There were no suspensions following the fight, but three players were fined.We want to play with poise and we want to make sure not to get in altercations especially before a game, or during a game, Stamps coach Dave Dickenson told the team's website this week. That's not football to me. I don't think I really need to address a lot of it. Grey Cup Live 107th Grey Cup Live 107th Grey Cup Championship Live Grey Cup Championship Live Grey Cup Final Live CFL Grey Cup Live Grey Cup 2019 Live Grey Cup Championship 2019 Live Grey Cup Final 2019 Live 2019 Grey Cup Live Montreal went on to win 4034 in overtime following an improbable fourthquarter comeback. Down 11 points with 45 seconds to play, the Alouettes scored a touchdown and twopoint conversion, then recovered the onside kick and booted a lastsecond field goal.It was Montreal's first win at McMahon Stadium since 2009. I'm sure they're watching the film to know what happened and the mistakes they feel they made, and what plays we made, said Jones of Saturday's opposition. Our guys have the knowledge that we can beat this team and we have to play really good football to do it. Since that loss, the defending Grey Cup champions have won four straight games and clinched a postseason berth. Calgary sits atop the West Division, tied with the Saskatchewan Roughriders 94 and a halfgame ahead of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 95.That fourgame win streak coincides with quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell's return from injury. Montreal is also getting its starting QB back this week. Vernon Adams Jr. returns after serving a onegame suspension for a dangerous and reckless act. The CFL suspended Adams for swinging a helmet at Winnipeg linebacker Adam Bighill on Sept. 21.The Alouettes quarterback was forced to watch from the sidelines as Montreal lost 2523 to the B.C. Lions last week after a fumbled thirdandshort late in the fourth quarter. Grey Cup Live Free 107th Grey Cup Live Free 107th Grey Cup Championship Live Free Grey Cup Championship Live Free Grey Cup Final Live Free CFL Grey Cup Live Free Grey Cup 2019 Live Free Grey Cup Championship 2019 Live Free Grey Cup Final 2019 Live Free 2019 Grey Cup Live Free It was really difficult not to be on the field with my guys, said Adams, who had two passing and two rushing touchdowns against the Stamps in August. But this week I'm back and I'm glad to be back. I'm just trying to help lead and do whatever I can to bring a win to the home crowd. Montreal would clinch its first playoff spot since 2014 with a win or tie against the Stampeders. A postseason berth and home playoff game is all but guaranteed for the Alouettes, who will likely finish second in the East Division behind the Hamilton TigerCats. This city is buying into it, said Adams, who is tied for second in the league with 15 passing TDs. They have nothing but good things to say after our games. Even when we lose in those tight ones, they're still saying how much better we look from previous years. It shows how much we want to win for this city and this organization. Grey Cup Live Stream 107th Grey Cup Live Stream 107th Grey Cup Championship Live Stream Grey Cup Championship Live Stream Grey Cup Final Live Stream CFL Grey Cup Live Stream Grey Cup 2019 Live Stream Grey Cup Championship 2019 Live Stream Grey Cup Final 2019 Live Stream 2019 Grey Cup Live Stream His throw to a covered Michael Klukas in the end zone on the final play of the game was intercepted by Jonathan Rose to preserve Ottawa's victory.Defence, honestly they played their hearts out, Mitchell said. Offensively we just didn't. We didn't step up when we needed to. We didn't execute.Down six points midway through the fourth quarter, Ottawa's De'Andre Montgomery recovered Lorenzo Jerome's puntreturn fumble to give the Redblacks the ball on Calgary's 19yardline. Ward's 30yard field goal cut the deficit to three points down with just over five minutes to play.I do believe honestly we got outplayed and probably outcoached, Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson said. Let's be honest about that. We had our chances. We still could have won. Grey Cup Live Stream Free 107th Grey Cup Live Stream Free 107th Grey Cup Championship Live Stream Free Grey Cup Championship Live Stream Free Grey Cup Final Live Stream Free CFL Grey Cup Live Stream Free Grey Cup 2019 Live Stream Free Grey Cup Championship 2019 Live Stream Free Grey Cup Final 2019 Live Stream Free 2019 Grey Cup Live Stream Free I didn't feel our best players offensively were dialled in. We were close, but couldn't make the throws, couldn't make the catches, really couldn't control the line of scrimmage. That's a problem. I thought our defence did enough. They caused turnovers and scored.Roberson's three interceptions matched his season total from 2018. That was a heck of a game for him, Dickenson said. Tough to waste that type of performance and not come out of here with a win.His team down 186 after the first quarter, Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell said comingfrombehind to win the seasonopener was important in the growth of his quarterback and team. Watch Grey Cup Watch 107th Grey Cup Watch Grey Cup Championship Watch Grey Cup Final Watch CFL Grey Cup Watch Grey Cup 2019 Watch Grey Cup Championship 2019 Watch Grey Cup Final 2019 Watch 2019 Grey Cup The 108th Grey Cup has seen bids submitted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Hamilton TigerCats, and Montreal Alouettes.We want to thank all three organizations for firstclass bids, any one of which would continue to take the Grey Cup game and festival to new heights,” Ambrosie said in a statement last week. Both Hamilton and Saskatchewan have yet to hold Grey Cups in their new facilities.The Ticats' Tim Hortons Field was opened in 2015, while Mosaic Stadium, the home of the Green Riders, opened in 2017.

[nflfanpointii]

NFL Picks Divisional Round: Saints again bash Eagles

(1) NEW ORLEANS over (6) PHILADELPHIA, Sunday at 3:40 p.m. on Fox

I heard several people talking Sunday night at my weekly, um, Go Fish game, about with the weirdness of Cody Parkey's kick bouncing off of the upright and down onto the crossbar. There must have been divine intervention for the Eagles, they said. Sort of like a "Angels in the Outfield" thing, where some heavenly being floating around Soldier Field wearing a Reggie White jersey (look him up young'ns) pushed the ball just a smidge to the left while another wearing a Ron Jaworski jersey batted it down onto the crossbar.

I'm not denying the divine intervention thing, but have you ever thought it could have been a couple of old Who Dats coming down from heaven? You know, since angels probably can see the future, the one wearing the Archie Manning jersey knew the Cowboys would be a bad matchup, and the one wearing the Rickey Jackson jersey knew the only way the Saints advance would be to play the Eagles? Hey, I am really out there. These are the sorts of things I think about before I go to sleep.

Now back to reality. Truth is Eagles fans can tell themselves Nick Foles can't lose and all those injured players from the defense are back or whatever they want to tell themselves. But that beatdown seven weeks ago was anything but a fluke. All that chatter about how Philly wants another shot at the Saints and the "run up the score" thing is just that. Chatter.

Drew Brees, in all reality, needed three weeks of rest maybe more than any other player remaining in the playoffs. The soon-to-be 40-year-old clearly was wearing down in the final weeks of the regular season, and the offense suffered because of it. The team overall was spotty in the final few weeks, but so was the 2009 team that opened 13-0 and finished 13-3.

Fact is, with all this time to prepare, it's hard to imagine a Sean Payton-led team taking the field with nothing else but fire and a fantastic game plan while playing their best football. Forget Foles, who looked like an average Joe last week, even if it was supposedly against the reincarnated Monsters of the Midway.

Save the angels for February. In the Dome, where the Saints haven't lost a playoff game since 1992? Fuhgeddabout it. This one won't be close. Against the spread: Saints minus-8.5. (Love the over if it stays around 50.5.)

Playoff record for EAGLES the past 10 seasons (since 2009): 4-3, including 3-0 last season. Philadelphia is 2-2 at home, 1-1 on the road and won their only game on a neutral site in last year's Super Bowl over New England. This is just their second divisional-round game since the 2008 season, having defeated Atlanta at home last year, 15-10.

Playoff record for SAINTS the past 10 seasons (since 2009): 6-4. New Orleans is 4-0 at home, 1-4 on the road and won their only game on a neutral site in the 2010 Super Bowl (2009 season). They are 1-3 in the divisional round and have lost three in a row, all on the road.

SERIES NOTES: Saints vs. Philadelphia

The Eagles lead the all-time series, 17-14, although the Saints have won six of the past eight and four of five. They also have won four of the last five at the Superdome. ... The Saints won the most recent meeting, 48-7, in the Dome in Week 11. Not only was it the largest margin of victory for either team in the series, but it was tied for the most points scored by either team in one game in the series. The Saints won 48-22 in 2009, and the Eagles won 48-21 in the second meeting of 1967. ... Over the past eight meetings between the teams, New Orleans has allowed 24 points or less in each of the six victories and a combined 77 points in the two losses. ... Prior to the past eight games, Philadelphia had won six in a row from 1992-2003.

TEAM RANKINGS: Saints vs. Philadelphia (regular season)

The Saints ranked eighth in offense in total yards gained in the regular season (12th in passing, sixth in rushing); the Eagles were 14th overall (seventh in passing, 28th in rushing). The Saints ranked 14th in defense in total yards allowed per game in the regular season (29th vs. the pass, second vs. the run); the Eagles were 23rd (30th vs. the pass, seventh vs. the run)

[racingtoaredlight]

THE DEGENERATE’S GUIDE TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL TV WATCH ‘EM UPS 2021: WEEK THREE: THE END OF THE BEGINNING OF THE END

We’re still really in the early middle of the year. Sure, Oregon looked powerful against Ohio State but it’s possible Ohio State just hasn’t found it’s footing yet and the Ducks just peaked. Shit happens like that every year, more or less. You can pretty much count on Bama to win 10 and not much else. That only applies to football. The continued stratification of social classes, the accelerating collapse of natural systems that support human life, the complete lack of representation the average American in our freedom loving democracy- you can count on those things. Football is different, though: wilder but more ordered while somehow being better and stupider than real life all at the same time. It’ll be fun to all more or less die together, I think. So let’s get to the games!

I forget the business reason for having more major OOC games that actually stay on the schedule but we’re reaping the rewards for now. You know the rules: eastern times, average vegas odds at the time of writing, prediction abilities are bad on a good day, there’s supposed to be a weekly RTARLsman post but I haven’t done a real one in about 21 months, formatting errors up to and including listing the teams incorrectly aren’t worth pointing out because nobody’s coming to fix them anyway. I don’t expect professionalism out of you so don’t ask it out of me.

Saturday, September 18

Matchup                      Time (ET)        TV/Mobile

NIU at 25 Michigan     12:00pm            BTN

It’s easy to say Michigan is due for a self-inflicted dick kick the trick is to predict ahead of time when exactly the embarrassing, season-unraveling loss will come. I don’t think it’s today but I also don’t have a lot of faith in Michigan to cover a 27-point spread.

UAlbany at Syracuse     12:00pm        ACCN

I find it hard to believe Albany’s football program is in such disrepair that they don’t even warrant a line against Syracuse. I think we’ve had five 1AA-over 1A upsets so far this season. I couldn’t possibly watch this game but I’ll keep an eye out for it on the ticker. Syracuse is bad enough to lose anywhere to anybody.

  Tennessee Tech at Tennessee   12:00pm    ESPN+/SECN+

I should probably find a site that lists the good games at the top of each time slot instead of this free for all.

Western Michigan at Pitt     12:00pm    RSN/ESPN3

Pitt has actually looked pretty good so far but they don’t have an AP ranking yet. I can’t say much for this matchup so I just assume the Panthers cover the -14.5 and get a little number next to their name next week.

15 Virginia Tech at West Virginia     12:00pm    FS1

This is actually of some interest to me. Virginia Tech is ranked 15 on account of beating UNC but it’s not hard to imagine that neither the Hokies nor the Heels are actually worthy of a ranking. WFV is favored at home but still might trigger some couch burning and “upset” talk with a win. The Mountaineers are this week’s new collection from Homefield Apparel so expect some magic!

Boston College at Temple        12:00pm     ESPNU

Old Big East rivalry game. Nobody can look away.

Chattanooga at Kentucky         12:00pm     ESPN+/SECN+

I thought Chattanooga had moved up to 1A but there’s no line listed for this game so I guess not.

8 Cincinnati at Indiana           12:00pm            ESPN

Indiana was good last year and maybe that was just a once-in-a-generation fluke but I’ve still got visions of the Hoosiers toppling Cincy and ruining their theoretically possible playoff run. I’m assuming the Bearcats won’t play anybody else better than IU this year but that’s just a guess backed by historical precedent which isn’t a thing you should really use to gamble on college football.

16 Coastal Carolina at Buffalo    12:00pm      ESPN2

Chanticleers vs. Bulls, the eternal struggle writ in football. I don’t think the CSUNY school is particularly good this year but Coastal being favorited by 14 points in an early kickoff road games still feels like a trap to this sharp.

Michigan State at 24 Miami (FL)     12:00pm    ABC

Surprisingly to me, this is the fifth all-time meeting of these two schools. Just as surprising to me, Miami has never before lost to Michigan State. Weird but makes sense if you think about it, this will be the fourth out of five matchups played in Miami. As near as I can tell, Sparty tried to use the Canes the same way Notre Dame used to as an in-season bowl game but bailed on the idea when they kept losing. To be fair, Sparty’s record in bowl games isn’t that much better than their 0-4 against Miami. The last time these two met was 1989 when Percy Snow was on his way to the Butkus Award and Miami was on their way to a third National Championship. The Hurricanes team was pretty well-stacked but is probably the least remembered of their title teams. It did feature future Hall of Famer Cortez Kennedy and a freshman OL that would go on to be September 2021′s hottest head coach in cfb, Mario Cristobal. This year’s Miami roster might look good in 30 years but right now they’re a little messy. D’Eriq King is only 8 months removed from ACL surgery (if you watch the game you will hear about this several hundred time) and has so far looked bad on his throws and a touch slower than he has in the past. Which makes sense given the timeframe but does not generally bode well for Miami’s prospects for this season.

Nebraska at 3 Oklahoma         12:00pm         FOX

If Oklahoma is a real title contender they are gonna lay Nebraska the fuck out. I’m scared of the 22.5-point line just because I don’t think the Sooners defense could stop Bishop Sycamore but it’s not crazy to think Nebraska can saw their own dicks off to the tune of a four-score loss.

New Mexico at 7 Texas A&M     12:00pm       SECN

Fuck. Jimbo must be stopped. I hate this Aggies team. UNM isn’t the team to do it but somebody along the way has to throttle aTm or this season is going to become a plague the likes of which we haven’t seen since... well, now, I guess.

UConn at Army                 12:00pm         CBSSN

Reading this matchup aloud five times in a mirror will kill college football.

Southeast Missouri at Missouri      12:00pm       ESPN+/SECN+

The southeastern part of the state will travel to within the bounds of the state for a classic football game somewhere within the borders of the state.

Minnesota at Colorado            1:00pm         P12N

I’m not completely disinterested. It’s weird and doesn’t have any national impact. Not much more you can ask for in a game you probably can’t find on your TV.

Nevada at Kansas State          2:05pm          ESPN+

Hell yeah, this is trash. Nevada is a road favorite! Take KState all the way.

Purdue at 12 Notre Dame         2:30pm          NBC

Notre Dame has looked a little bit of a mess so far but they’ve won both of their games. Not the worst position to be in. Purdue has also won both of their games. I don’t want to get my hopes up just yet but it seems like the Irish are riding the razor’s edge just asking to be pushed off. Keep an eye on this score, maybe the good people of the world will have something to celebrate in the late afternoon/early evening.

Kent State at 5 Iowa                 3:30pm         BTN

Iowa’s fifth? It’s too fucking early for this shit.

Florida State at Wake Forest     3:30pm         ESPN

0-2 Florida State goes on the road as a 4-point underdog to face 2-0 Wake Forest. Mike Norvell is really out on a plank right now and I am not sure he can safely find his way back to the deck.

Georgia Tech at 6 Clemson        3:30pm          ABC

Clemson’s got talent all over and Georgia Tech sucks but I’m still not sold on DJ Uigalelei as an NFL savior type of player. Or a national championship winner for that matter. He reminds me of EJ Manuel.

Baylor at Kansas                    3:30pm             ESPN+

Baylor is not good but the betting public is getting hip to the “bet against Kansas every chance you get” strategy so the line has jumped four points already this week and I wouldn’t be surprised if it makes it another couple before kickoff to get to 20+. Which is still probably too kind to the Jayhawks.

1 Alabama at 11 Florida           3:30pm           CBS

Bama has only had a couple of practice games against lower division opponents but they look as complete as any team I can remember from a talent/scheme perspective. This is a pretty good test and the 15-point line seems a little over-confident on the road in the Swamp. If the Bammers really do overwhelm the Gators then you can pretty much start planning on their return to the CFB Playoffs.

Tulsa at 9 Ohio State                3:30pm            FS1

Every week of every year I struggle to keep Tulsa and Toledo straight. Toledo is the one that almost beat Notre Dame last week. Tulsa is the one that lost to UC-Davis in week 1. Ohio State may be troubled on defense but that only matters against other top-tier teams. Having the line moving in Tulsa’s direction is absolute lunacy. If the Buckeyes can’t cover 25 points then they’re in real trouble. For now my guess is that Oregon is just better than we realized and OSU is going to be fine.

SMU at Louisiana Tech             3:30pm         CBSSN

This is my kind of counter-programming if nothing else is close. Not sure if there are some ponies down to have points shifting towards the Karl Malones but I think SMU is up to a two-score win.

LIU at Miami (Ohio)                    3:30pm          ESPN+

Sure, whatever you say.

USC at Washington State         3:30pm            FOX

At first I thought this was USC-UW and I was ready to emotionally invest in the drama but it’s just Wazzou. USC giving up on a playoff spot in week two to sit around and wait for Urban Meyer is going to be fucking hilarious when the Trojans end up getting jilted at the altar.

Idaho at Oregon State                3:30pm           P12N Oregon

Pac-12 Network Oregon. This implies the existence of a P12N Washington. I’ve seen the main network on TV before. It was fine if a little bit too “featuring Matt Leinart” for my tastes but seeing the weird way they’ve splintered their content is giving me a deeper understanding of west coast football fans that absolutely hate the Pac-12 Network.

Bryant at Akron                           3:30pm           ESPN3

Tune in to see some guy named Bryant touring around Akron.

Elon at Appalachian State          3:30pm           ESPN+

I hope App State runs this grifter out of their campus on a rail. The more bad stuff happens to Elon Musk the better off all of humanity will be.

Delaware at Rutgers                   3:30pm             BTN

Fuck me, this is just all the pain in the world masquerading as a sporting event.

Eastern Michigan at UMass         3:30pm          FloFootball/NESN+

I don’t have much interest in this game but seeing that it’s available on the Nintendo Entertainment System Network is intriguing.

Colorado State at Toledo              4:00pm           ESPNU

Toledo blew a huge opportunity last week so they’re ripe for a letdown but all signs point to Colorado State being incredibly bad at football this year.

Sacramento State at California    4:00pm          P12N Bay Area

P12N Bay Area probably reaches cable subscribers in like Vallejo and nowhere else in the entire world. When I put it that way it seems like exactly where this game belongs but it’s still not a thing that should exist. I mean the network but it’s true for the game also.

Northwestern at Duke              4:00pm              ACCN

Disgusting.

Mississippi State at Memphis        4:00pm          ESPN2

I think Memphis can knock down the SEC’s middle tier but I haven’t gotten a clear idea of either of these teams yet.

Georgia Southern at 20 Arkansas       4:00pm      SECN

Arkansas rose up last week because of the weird insistence by Lice Dad that playing a middling Texas team was the biggest game in school history. Arkansas has played in the SEC CG more than once. They’ve won a national championship. How does a guy that’s paid to be an SEC homer even make such a dumb statement and keep his job?

Ball State at Wyoming                  4:00pm             Stadium

I watched the CFB 150 episode about the Black 14 this week so now it’s all I can think about for Wyoming football.

Arkansas State at Washington       4:15pm            P12N

What the hell happened to UDub to fall back to this lowly spot? Did Chris Peterson just fall on his ass in recruiting?

Murray State at Bowling Green       5:00pm           ESPN3

This sounds like a sixties movie title for a spy agency thriller that could be mistaken for a comedy when not viewed through a then-contemporary lens.

East Carolina at Marshall                 6:00pm         Facebook

ECU is looking like a doormat and Marshall might be really good again but I would never in good conscience ever contribute to facebook’s good fortunes wittingly.

Fordham at Florida Atlantic             6:00pm             ESPN3

I want to love this game but I actually hate it.

Old Dominion at Liberty                    6:00pm           ESPN3

There is going to be so much COVID passed around this stadium.

Middle Tennessee at UTSA                6:00pm          ESPN+

Beautiful, horrible, unwatchable mess. This is where you go to feel like you are alone in the universe.

Troy at Southern Miss                        7:00pm             ESPN+

There’s also this.

Grambling State at Houston               7:00pm             ESPN+

And this one.

Utah at San Diego State                      7:00pm            CBSSN

This is real entertainment. Twitter will be all over the next listing so I’ll be FOMO’d into watching that for a while but SDSU-Utah on CBS SN might be where I first dreamt up the concept of degenerate football. It was either that or a UFL game featuring a QB duel between Daunte Culpepper and Jeff Garcia.

South Carolina at 2 Georgia               7:00pm             ESPN

I’m waiting for Georgia to bumble. I’m counting on it. Georgia-Clemson was a classic early season game that somehow helps both teams in the rankings all year but ends up actually being a showcase of how shitty their offense are rather than a referendum on great defense.

UIW at Texas State                             7:00pm              ESPN3

I think UIW is a union trade school or something. So I guess I’m rooting for them.

Charlotte at Georgia State                 7:00pm              ESPN+

Charlotte’s semester in Atlanta would shape her life in ways that nobody could have envisioned when she left her family’s home in the late summer following her failed attempt to run a bakeshop.

FIU at Texas Tech                              7:00pm             ESPN+

Maybe I actually hate college football.

Florida A&M at USF                           7:00pm             ESPN+

USF could lose this. Worth checking on if you see an upset alert.

Furman at NC State                          7:30pm            RSN/ESPN3

Body bag game.

Utah State at Air Force                     7:30pm             FS2

Kind of neat degenerate game but, depending on the uniform choices, could be a bit monotone and tough to follow.

Virginia at 21 North Carolina             7:30pm             ACCN

The South’s Oldest Rivalry! Like most of the previous 125 meetings of these two school’s, this year’s game will mainly decide who sucks worse. Of course in the ACC Coastal being slightly less bad than your opponents is the winningest strategy of all. Go Hoos!

Stony Brook at 4 Oregon                   7:30pm            P12N

Great scheduling to follow up an emotional game with a body bag. I’m not being facetious, this is right where you need these games.

UAB at North Texas                          7:30pm           Stadium

Not gonna open an app or whatever to watch this but I bet it’s fun for off-brand college football.

Central Michigan at LSU                  7:30pm             SECN

LSU at home at night is supposed to be the best atmosphere in college football. Way better than a 19.5-point line against Central Michigan. What stage of LSU’s life cycle are we in right now?

22 Auburn at 10 Penn State               7:30pm            ABC

War goddamn Eagle, baby. Penn State is doing that stupid white out thing which, correct if I’m wrong again, only goes for the people in the stands. So they’ll all be dressed up in pretty much Auburn’s road colors to watch Auburn. I hate Auburn but I really hate Penn State.

Alcorn State at South Alabama          8:00pm           ESPN3

Things are looking rough for the rest of the docket.

Rice at Texas                                      8:00pm            LHN

A battle of equals.

Stanford at Vanderbilt                        8:00pm           ESPNU

Look at this American aristocracy horse shit. Fuck these schools and the teams of horses that carried them in.

Tulane at 17 Mississippi                      8:00pm              ESPN2

The racist south may just have the nation’s best QB. It’s a good year for Matt Corral to show off his arm strength because 2022 is not looking like a bumper crop of QB draftees at this far off date. He’s small for the position but Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield and Russell Wilson are all smaller. If the arm talent is real he could go #1 overall.

Jackson State at ULM                         8:00pm              ESPN3

Nope.

SC State at New Mexico State            8:00pm           FloFootball / CW El Paso

Sorry.

Oklahoma State at Boise State              9:00pm          FS1

Whoa whoa whoa. This is uniform heaven. And on the blue turf? Your eyes will burn. Embrace that feeling.

Northern Arizona at Arizona                  10:00pm          P12N AZ

P12N AZ. Holy shit. What the hell were these people thinking? This has to be the smallest demo ever targeted by a network.

19 Arizona State at 23 BYU                     10:15pm          ESPN

Seeing these teams face off as ranked opponents is very weird. Real late 80s vibe here. It’s titillating in its way. Might not even be the most fun game in the late night region.

14 Iowa State at UNLV                           10:30pm           CBSSN

UNLV is an absolute wasteland of a program. It’s kind of stupid, really. They aren’t in an unsellable spot and they don’t play the most rugged schedule but year after year after year they lose 9 or more games. Makes more sense than not having a good baseball program but there should be some G5 magic in Vegas. Iowa State is going to roll.

Fresno State at 13 UCLA                       10:45pm            P12N

Chip Kelly having UCLA as the premier program in L.A. is something I couldn’t have seen coming just last week but we’re there now. And Fresno State plays some wild offense that could/should make this the late night hangout spot. If you can find it. If you have this channel. That shouldn’t be a question! Fuckin’ a, Pac-12, what are you doing?

San Jose State at Hawaii                      12:30am            FS1

Technically a Sunday game but I cut the header because if you’re watching this there is an implicit understanding that it’s still Saturday. Not sure what’s going on with the kick time, though. I was under the impression that Hawaii games had to kick off by 11:59pm Eastern to count with the rest of the week’s games. Very odd. That’s really all I have to say about this game.

[iloveyoupittsburghpirates-blog]

You Have Lost Me, Pittsburgh Pirates

My Dearest Pittsburgh Pirates,

I should be much more upset right now. This week had the ability to be the worst one in recent memory until you escaped with a win yesterday. Before that, this was one of the most embarrassing weeks to be a Pirates’ fan. I went to all three games at Dodgers’ Stadium and I watched you get swept in a by an overall score of 31-8. That included a mind-numbing 17-1 loss on Monday. After that series, I didn’t think the week could really get worse. Then on Friday you managed to exceed my expectations. You gave up 17 runs AGAIN to the Philadelphia Phillies in a 17-5 loss. What the hell? I didn’t look up the stats on this because it’s too depressing, but I can’t remember any Pirates’ team giving up 17 runs twice in one week. I honestly can’t remember any team doing that ever, though I’m sure (hope) they have. That was followed by a 3-2 loss in a game that you led 2-0 going into the 7th inning and that we will discuss more later. You salvaged the series with a win yesterday, but you have looked terribly out-matched by any viable team over the past two months. You are currently 41-48, you’re 12 ½ games out of first place, and 9 games out of the Wildcard spot. Barring some amazing progression, you will miss the playoffs for the third straight year and the 26 of the last 29 seasons. Great job…

Clint Hurdle made another questionable decision that arguably cost you a game on Saturday. Jameson Taillon had been cruising with a 2-0 lead until the seventh inning. With one out, Taillon gave up an infield single. He got a force out to get the second out before a triple and a single tied the game. There were still two outs and he was only at 77 pitches, so I figured you would just leave him in. Instead, you went to your laughably awful bullpen with a man on first and two outs rather than stick with Taillon who had only made two bad pitches the whole afternoon. Edgar Santana, who has seemed to give up a run every outing over the last six weeks, was brought in and gave up an RBI double on the first pitch and you lost 3-2. Your argument was that Taillon’s numbers his third time through the order have not been good enough and I can agree with that. OPS 1st time through - .673, 2nd time through - .620, and 3rd time through - .837. I think sometimes you should look at how this particular game has progressed to determine a decision like that. My bigger issue is how unequivocally bad your bullpen has been recently. You don’t trust Taillon to go the third time through the order, but you do trust anyone in that bullpen not named Crick or Vasquez? Makes no sense. Santana, Glasnow, and Brault have all struggled as of late and you’ve had to resort to using guys like Neverauskas, Smoker, and Holmes, none of which should even be in the majors. I’ll say it again, Taillon was at 77 pitches. I don’t care if your trust is wavering. He arguably has the most talent in your rotation and your bullpen has been a joke. I’d keep him in the game every time.

(Wild pitch count add) Fun-da-mentals. I literally can’t say it enough. I know I harp on this but after this week if felt necessary to mention again. Case in point: Monday night against the Dodgers. I was there in person to watch Nick Kingham’s first start since returning to the majors for an injured Chad Kuhl. I like Kingham a lot and his performance yesterday was definitely an improvement, but his first inning on Monday was as bad as it gets. The inning led off with him dropping a ball thrown right to his chest while covering first, putting the runner at second. He balked to send the runner to third and then a dribbler single in front of home plate scored the run. After another single puts runners at first and third, I saw something I’ve never seen in a major league baseball game previously. After a pitch, Elias Diaz threw the ball back to Kingham on the mound. Kingham was a little off balance and the throw was far from perfect. It hit off the top of Kingham’s glove and rolled towards third base allowing a run to score. You barely ever see that in Little League games, let alone a high school or college game. Allowing it to happen in a major league game is beyond embarrassing. I was speechless. Whether it was JHay fumbling a ball in the first inning on Friday, or a pop up directly in the front of the plate on Saturday that four players stood around and watched fall in (fortunately they could still get the force play at second), or the major league leading 59 wild pitches you have uncorked this season, you are a nightmare when it comes to doing the little things correctly. I’m not even surprised anymore when these things happen. The blame goes from top to bottom in the organization. I apologize for harping on this issue so much but these type of botched plays are the difference between good teams and bad teams.

The older I get, the less I care about the All Star game. The fact that fans pick the starters has always been an issue for me because the most popular players get picked even when they aren’t having a great year, like Bryce Harper. But maybe that’s the whole spirit of the game. It’s just for fun anyway. Why shouldn’t the fans be able to pick their favorite players? In that case, the prestige of being named should take a hit, but that’s another conversation. All Star teams were announced yesterday and I honestly couldn’t think of who on your team was deserving. Cervelli has been one of the best catchers in baseball this year but, probably because of his recent DL stint, he just missed it. Felipe Vasquez will be your lone representative in the 2018 All Star game. His 3.38 ERA and 1.31 WHIP are far from dominant. He has struck out 51 batters in 37 1/3 innings and opponents are only hitting .218 off him with a .571 OPS against plus 18 saves in 22 opportunities. I believe he is the only player on this roster who actually has the ability to be a top five player at their position, maybe even top three. That alone could technically make him our All Star. I’m not vehemently opposed to this choice especially when the ERA leader in the American League didn’t make it. In a year where no one on your team is truly deserving, except for maybe Cervelli, makes me conclude once again that the respect given to the people who make this game should only hold so much weight.

Here comes yet another week with the potential to go terribly wrong. The wildly under-performing Washington Nationals, a game over .500 and five games out of first place and the final Wildcard spot, come to town after winning three out of four this weekend against Miami and scoring 14 and 18 runs in two of those games. With our pitching woes recently, it seems like this could be a bad matchup. After that, the first place Milwaukee Brewers, who currently hold the best record in the National League, come in for a rare five game series with a double header on Saturday. They have won 7 of their last 10 and are a legitimate contender to represent the NL in the World Series with how they have been playing. This week is your last chance. It’s the week before the All Star break and, barring some miraculous week, you will be selling at the deadline. It’s what you should do. Trade Cervelli, Nova, Dickerson, Mercer, Freese, and JHay to get whatever you can in return. It’s time. A small market team can’t afford to be middling. Either you’re all in or you’re rebuilding. That should be it. I always root for you and I just want what’s best for you. Selling your assets to see if these young guys actually have any potential is the right move. Have a good week and get ready for some much needed rest. I know I will. Love you!

                                                            Exasperated For The Foreseeable Future,

                                                                                               Brad

P.S. If you do trade JHay and Mercer, then your most likely scenario is bringing up Kevin Newman and Kevin Kramer. People aren’t very excited about them right now but there is upside. Newman has an OPS of .748 and hit only his second homer of the season yesterday. He is batting .307 with an OBP of .355 and, most importantly, has 21 stolen bases on the season. If he can bat close to .300, play solid shortstop, and steal 30-plus bases, I’m totally fine with him as my everyday shortstop. Kramer has 11 homers and currently holds an OPS of .818. He does strikeout too much and has been slumping as of late, but even he has 7 stolen bases. I don’t think these two will be superstars but they could be decent at two positions where you rarely expect much offense anyway.

[junker-town]

The 10 best games of the NBA season, ranked by science

Jayson Tatum and Kawhi Leonard staged the NBA’s best game this season.

With help from Thuuz Sports, these are the best games of the NBA season determined by pace, historical context, novelty, parity, and momentum shifts. 

On Feb. 13, the Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 141-133. Jayson Tatum finished with 39 points and nine rebounds, out dueling last year’s Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who tallied 28 points on 27 shots.

What began as an anticipated regular season matchup between two hopeful title contenders ended as a nationally televised coming out party for Tatum, who not only cemented himself as Boston’s best player, but also someone who could lead his team through a feverish high-wire walk that required two overtimes.

During crunchtime, it was the only game being played, and the last one before All-Star Weekend. Seemingly everyone who cares about the NBA was watching, and when it finally ended TD Garden felt more like a stage than a basketball court.

Four days prior, the Utah Jazz stunned the Houston Rockets, 114-113, when Bojan Bogdanovic erased what should’ve been PJ Tucker’s game-winning three by drilling his own well-contested 28-footer moments later. There were nine lead changes in that fourth quarter, including four in the final 28 seconds. It doesn’t take a genius to see how exhilarating it was.

But according to Thuuz Sports (as in: enthusiasm) — a 10-year-old company based in Palo Alto that boasts “the most powerful automated video highlights production platform for worldwide sports” — those games were not only worth the audience’s time, but also, objectively, the two most exciting NBA games of the 2019-20 season.

Thuuz was initially founded to essentially let fans know which sporting events are worth watching before they happen, how compelling they are in real time, and then, after they’re done, applying an “excitement rating” that measures each game on a 0-100 scale. In non-global pandemic times these are available on the NBC Score app, and can help guide Tivo and Dish Network subscribers.

But with zero games being played anywhere in the world, Thuuz took a look back at the NBA season to measure which games were the most exciting. Using metadata and a customized algorithm that factors in several relevant elements, they’ve shared their list of the top 10 most exciting games from this season (along with the worst of the season) with SB Nation.

Before we get there, here’s a quick overview of how Thuuz calculates their evaluations:

The key components are pace (the more points, the better), historical context (everything else being equal, a game between the Celtics and Lakers is slightly more attractive to a casual fan than one between the Hornets and Timberwolves — there’s also a “big game bonus” to help separate Game 7 of the Finals from a mid-January clash between the Magic and Cavaliers), novelty (it isn’t every day that Devin Booker will score 70 points), parity (how close the game is expected to be), and momentum shifts (everyone loves a good comeback).

“We ingest play-by-play data from a source and process it as the game goes along,” said Trevor Goldstein, a Thuuz product manager who works on the excitement ratings.

Social buzz is another factor that determines how exciting any one game is, which might lead to one game finishing with a higher rating than another simply because they have more fans and are able to spark a more expansive conversation.

“The best teams and the best players have a very slight advantage when it comes to the social buzz,” Goldstein said. “But that’s also partially because we’re trying to find the most exciting things to tune in and if we’re being frank, people are more likely to tune into a Lakers game than a Phoenix Suns game.”

Thuuz also utilizes a small input that factors in how much of a following every organization has that’s slightly outside the Twitter conversation, but it’s very small relative to the other elements already mentioned.

Scores that fall between 0-39 are “Dull.” Between 40-64 is an “OK game.” 65-84 is a “Good game.” And 85-100 equals a “Great game. You’ve got to watch this!” All 10 games listed below finished with a 100 rating, but in reality some scores climb above that mark, which allows Thuuz to separate them.

“It goes higher [in the app], but just for simplicity sake we limit it,” said John McGuire, Thuuz’s head of product. “I think the highest one I’ve seen is 105 or 106.”

There are many fans who enjoy the NBA but don’t believe regular-season competition can consistently rise to a level of appointment viewing that justifies almost three straight hours on a couch, seated in front of a screen. Those feelings are normal because the stakes are lower; whether in a win or a loss, individual outcomes rarely dent any one team’s bigger picture.

But that doesn’t mean a random game in February or January or even before Thanksgiving should be ignored. This list exists to shine a spotlight on why we watch.

1) Los Angeles Clippers 133, Boston Celtics 141: Feb. 13, 2020

Tatum smash:

2) Utah Jazz 114, Houston Rockets 113: Feb. 9, 2020

Bojan smash:

3) Philadelphia 76ers 129, Portland Trail Blazers 128: Nov. 2, 2019

The Furkan Korkmaz game! Philly’s best shooter decapitated Portland with 0.4 seconds on the clock, right after Blazers guard Anfernee Simons hit his own go-ahead three with 2.2 seconds remaining. This was way back when the Sixers could feel good about themselves, which now feels like 12 million years ago.

The end was amazing, but don’t overlook the fourth-quarter build up:

4) Houston Rockets 133, San Antonio Spurs 135: Dec. 3, 2019

The protest game! Houston led by 13 with eight minutes left when James Harden’s dunk was, for reasons that make little sense to this day, said to have not gone through the rim. The Spurs won in overtime, despite Harden going 24-for-24 from the free-throw line and finishing with a 50 ball. (Also, Lonnie Walker’s hair was on fire that night.)

5) Boston Celtics 112, Los Angeles Lakers 114: Feb. 23, 2020

It’s official: According to science, Tatum’s best performances are guaranteed to make you sit up straight. Here he finished with 41 points despite drawing constant double teams from one of the NBA’s best defenses. Not too shabby.

In the end, LeBron James had the last laugh when he turned Jaylen Brown into his little brother with a chef’s kiss fadeaway. The whole game was a gem.

6) Houston Rockets 119, Los Angeles Clippers 122: Nov. 22, 2019

This game inspired this article about how Harden was forcing defenses around the NBA to venture into uncharted waters. If you enjoy watching all-time great scorers bend all-time great defenders, this fourth quarter has your name written all over it.

7) Dallas Mavericks 120, Milwaukee Bucks 116: Dec. 16, 2019

It’s weird but understandable for the Bucks to not appear on this list until now, with a loss that ended their 18-game winning streak. This game featured a 48-point, 14-rebound powerbomb by Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee still took the L even though Luka Doncic did not play. Kristaps Porzingis was everywhere and Jalen Brunson showed why he could be a long-term starter in Dallas.

8) Philadelphia 76ers 97, Denver Nuggets 100: Nov. 8, 2019

For 45 of this game’s 48 minutes, Philly had more points than Denver. Early in the fourth quarter they led by 21. But with 15 seconds left and their lead down to one, Al Horford (poor Al Horford) missed a three. Nikola Jokic came down to the other end and hit a totally unreasonable game-winner. Wild ending.

9) Orlando Magic 119, Los Angeles Lakers 118: Jan. 15, 2020

Markelle Fultz had a triple-double and scored more points than James. Quinn Cook also scored more points than James. Instant classic.

10) Dallas Mavericks 107, Toronto Raptors 110: Dec. 22, 2019

I personally refuse to acknowledge this game because after the third quarter I changed the channel and am still not over it. If for whatever reason you’re still wondering why people think Nick Nurse is a great coach let this game bless you with all the answers you’ll ever need.

And now, the worst game of the NBA season

Miami Heat 86, Philadelphia 76ers 113: Nov. 23, 2019

Every other game mentioned in this article received a score of 100 (or slightly above). This was awarded a 1. Jimmy Butler’s first game in Philadelphia since they traded him to Miami was a monumental let down. The Sixers went up 28-8 in the first quarter and never looked back. I remember trying to get through it on my DVR but giving up early in the third quarter, when Philly took a 73-38 lead.

Check back next week for the NBA’s 10 best games of the 2010s.

[windweek5-blog]

The Linc - Carson Wentz responds to report regarding his recovery status

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Philadelphia Eagles’ Carson Wentz responds to report that he’s hesitant to run again - Delaware Online So much for the report that Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz is tentative when he plants his left leg. The NFL Network reported Sunday morning – citing a source with knowledge of Wentz’s rehab – that Wentz isn’t planting on his left leg because he’s not 100 percent recovered from two torn knee ligaments. The report came just a few weeks shy of Wentz’s one-year anniversary of tearing his ACL and LCL against the Rams last Dec. 10. ”I heard about that, and I don’t know where that came from, to be honest,” Wentz said. “I feel good. I’ve analyzed my mechanics, really, all the way throughout this injury. I’ve never felt that as an issue at all, and I feel really good with where I’m at.” Eagles coach Doug Pederson, when asked about that report, agreed.

3 numbers that matter for the Eagles’ big Week 13 game against Washington - BGN The Eagles likely don’t even need to be an offensive juggernaut to win on Monday night. Washington is 0-5 this season when their opponent merely scores more than 17 points. Philadelphia should be able to cross that threshold.

Eagles-Redskins Preview, Cowboys-Saints Reaction - BGN Radio John Stolnis and Brandon Lee Gowton record while watching the Dallas Cowboys eek an important win out of the Saints, which puts them in the drivers seat in the NFC East. PLUS the usual preview of the Eagles-Redskins Monday Night Football matchuip and NFL Picks of the Week! Powered by SB Nation and Bleeding Green Nation.

Mailbag: Was the Cowboys’ trade for Amari Cooper good after all? - PhillyVoice Anyway, if the Cowboys traded for Cooper hoping he helps them win the worst division in football, then obviously that’s not a goal worth a first-round pick. If they made that trade thinking that he puts them over the top, as in, in the conversation to go to the Super Bowl, then they are delusional about the talent currently on their roster. It’s a few games. If he turns out to be, say, a top 10-15 receiver over a long period of time, then sure, great trade. But looking at the big picture, long-term, I strongly believe the Cowboys would be much better off with their draft pick, who will comparatively make peanuts over the next four years, and yet is still likely to be a good player.

Stayin’ Alive - Iggles Blitz The Eagles could win out and probably win the division. But beating the Skins, Boys, Rams, Texans and Skins would be very difficult. The Eagles haven’t won two games in a row all year. Winning the next five would be crazy. I do think the team can finish strong. The run game came alive last week. The Eagles were good with the OL and DL. If they can get some injured DBs back, this team could get hot and win some games. Still, going 5-0 or even 4-1 might be pushing things a bit. The Eagles control their destiny in regard to the Skins. They will need help with the Cowboys. That’s why you don’t want to blow games to the Titans and Panthers. It has you watching the scoreboard, hoping some other team helps you out.

Nothing Will Come Easy For Eagles Down The Stretch - PE.com Nothing is going to be easy or simple or paved for the Eagles on the path to the postseason. A vivid example happened on Thursday night when Dallas defeated New Orleans, 13-10, behind a stout defensive effort, overcoming penalties, and playing the fourth quarter with confidence. To set the NFC East picture for you, the Cowboys are now 7-5, winners of four straight games. They lead the pack. The Eagles just have to win, baby. That’s all there is to it. We can’t look for help from other teams. We shouldn’t expect fortunate bounces. We’re not in position to think the officials are going to miss a call on the Eagles’ behalf. It’s December. It’s time to peak down the stretch.

Stats to know for all 32 NFL teams entering Week 13 - PFF Philadelphia Eagles: Carson Wentz has an adjusted completion percentage of 82.3% when he’s not under pressure. That is the fifth-best rate for a quarterback this year and second-best for a quarterback in his third year over the last 13 seasons.

Why Carson Wentz and the Eagles have been struggling with the deep ball - Inquirer But Wentz and the Eagles have regressed closer to their 2016 form this season. He has completed just 15 of 38 passes for 527 yards, with three touchdowns and four interceptions. His rating of 73.8 is only marginally higher than 2016 (64.2), when he completed 21 of 64 passes for 654 yards, with six touchdowns and six interceptions. Overall, if Nick Foles’ numbers (2 of 9 for 64 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions) are included, the Eagles are among the NFL’s worst deep passing offenses this season. Only the New York Jets (36.5), Bills (43.7), Ravens (56.7), Panthers (58.6), and Redskins (69.9) have a lower rating than the Eagles (70.1) through 11 games.

Silva’s Week 13 Matchups - Rotoworld Albeit not without a major first-half scare, Philadelphia ended its losing skid in last week’s desperately-needed 25-22 comeback win over the Giants. Newly-anointed feature back Josh Adams was the star of the second-half show, parlaying season highs in snaps (62%) and touches (22) into 84 yards and a score despite losing a 52-yard rushing touchdown to C Jason Kelce’s holding penalty in the first quarter. Corey Clement operated as a mere change-of-pace back on seven touches, and Wendell Smallwood has been phased out. As a home-favorite lead runner in a plus draw, Adams can build on his breakout game against a Washington defense that has surrendered 95/476/1 (5.01 YPC) rushing to running backs over the last month and allows the NFL’s fifth-most receptions per game to enemy backs (6.4) on the year. Adams is a high-end RB2 in this plum spot. … Darren Sproles’ (hamstring) return would hurt Clement and Smallwood more than lead-runner Adams. … Washington’s pass defense has also fallen apart, conceding top-12 fantasy scores to six of its last nine quarterbacks faced and 285-plus passing yards in four of its last five games. Dak Prescott carved the Skins for 9.3 yards per attempt and his season-best 121.6 passer rating on Thanksgiving. In a game Philly projects to control with Colt McCoy playing behind an injury-ruined offensive line on the other side, Carson Wentz is an underrated QB1 play against Washington.

Which NFL Players Should Make—or Lose—the Most Money This Season? - The Ringer WR Golden Tate, Eagles: Tate started off the season with a bang, catching 28 passes for 389 yards and three scores in the Lions’ first four games. But his production has tapered off since. He saw his role reduced over the next month in Detroit before being traded to the Eagles just before the deadline, forcing him to learn a new playbook and work his way into a new offense in the middle of the season. It hasn’t gone smoothly: The 30-year old veteran has caught just 11 passes for 97 yards in three games, averaging a paltry 8.8 yards per reception without a touchdown. Tate’s an excellent player and one of the best open-field tackle-breakers at the receiver position, but so far, the trade to Philadelphia hasn’t helped his free-agency cause.

Eagles coaches on how Doug Pederson’s handled adversity: ‘I told him, I wish I could be more like him’ - The Athletic Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland: “I told him, I wish I could be more like him. I told him that. He’s like that (gestures straight line with his hand). He’s the same guy. There’s never panic in his demeanor. He’s the same person, the same coach, the same guy. And I admire that. I’m kind of the same way too, but it’s different than him. It’s like ‘Full Metal Jacket’ 24/7. And I sometimes wish I could … whatever.”

Why is Carson Wentz still optimistic offense will turn things around? - NBCSP “I think for some it could be. But I think the way we’ve kind of handled things is we’re always just trying to stay optimistic and believe in ourselves and really showing some of the things we’re doing well. And saying ‘hey this is something we can build on’ or ‘we just missed here a little bit and this can make a big difference.’ So we’ve been really good about staying positive, staying optimistic, but if we didn’t have the chemistry and the culture we have around here, without a doubt it would be easy to start being pessimistic and down on yourselves, but we’ve handled it pretty well.”

The best and worst teams in the history of all 32 NFL franchises - ESPN Current season: 5-6 (38th best of 59 seasons in franchise history since 1960). Best season: 2002 (12-4). Worst season: 1972 (2-11-1). The long-awaited Super Bowl winners of 2017 rank third in modern Eagles history, in part because Nick Foles struggled during the final three games of the regular season. The beloved 1980 Eagles from Dick Vermeil fall short to what might have been the best team of the Andy Reid era in Philadelphia. Other Reid teams made it further in the postseason, but the 2002 Eagles ranked in the top four in both scoring offense and defense before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game.

Washington obviously views Reuben Foster as a 2019 prospect - PFT Moments before the NFL made it clear that linebacker Reuben Foster won’t be allowed to play until further notice, Washington announced that it won’t allow newly-claimed linebacker Reuben Foster to play until further notice. Which means that Washington necessarily views the $257,000 it will pay Foster over the balance of the season as payment for the privilege of having him on the team at some point in 2019, and beyond

The 5 O’Clock Club: Finally! The Eagles! - Hogs Haven If the Eagles can get the win, they would pull into a tie for 2nd place in the division, with the first-place Dallas team next up on the schedule in Week 14. That would spell trouble for the Redskins, who would lose a tie-breaker with either team under that scenario, meaning that the winner of the Philly-Dallas game would be in no worse than a tie for 1st place and ahead of Washington at the end of Week 14 even if the Redskins take care of business against the Giants. That would put a huge amount of pressure on the Redskins to win out to hold onto any hope of a playoff spot. In short, while not quite a season-killer if they lose on Monday night, the Redskins really need to win this week in Philly if they want to keep their season off of life-support.

How It All Went Wrong in Packerland - Sports Illustrated You don’t have to look too far back in Packers lore to find how that tension can help fuel greatness. Former Packers head coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Brett Favre were also known for their fiery spats. Matt Hasselbeck was a backup quarterback in Green Bay from 1998 to 2000. He says that Holmgren would threaten to fire Andy Reid, Favre’s beloved quarterback coach at the time, whenever he felt the quarterback was stepping out of line. “If you change the play one more time, I will fire Andy Reid. Do you want him to be unemployed? It was a good way to reach Brett, quite honestly,” Hasselbeck says. “Brett loved Andy, so it was like, No, anything but that! I think that kind of tension is fairly normal.”

Source: Eli Manning could return as Giants’ starting QB in 2019 - SNY Obviously there are a lot of variables to the Manning equation, not the least of which is how he plays over the final five games. Another big one is that Manning is signed through 2019 with a salary of $11.5 million, is due a $5 million roster bonus in March, and has a salary cap number of $23.2 million. That’s a huge amount for the soon-to-be 38-year-old quarterback, who has struggled to move the offense in recent years, even while having one of his finest statistical seasons in 2018. But the biggest reason a Manning return can’t be ruled out, the source said, is this: “Who’s going to replace him?”

Bad blood: Lions RB LeGarrette Blount still thinks Rams’ Ndamukong Suh is a dirty player - USA TODAY Two seasons ago, running back LeGarrette Blount didn’t mince words when he called Ndamukong Suh a dirty player. When he was asked Thursday if he still thinks Suh is a dirty player, Blount said, “I do.” Blount declined to give a specific explanation of why he thinks Suh plays dirty. “It doesn’t really matter now,” he said. The two have a history. In 2014, after the Lions lost at New England, Blount and Suh yelled at each other as they came off the field. And in 2017, Blount ripped Suh during an interview.

Who is having the best rookie season from a crowded NFL running back class? - SB Nation After a few weeks as an explosive backup, Josh Adams ground out 84 rushing yards in the Eagles’ Week 12 win over the Giants.

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[auburnfamilynews]

Y’all disappointed? Don’t be.

Now that we’ve all caught our breath from yesterday’s near-upchucking of what should have been a fairly convincing win, we can relax a bit. Auburn will have over two days to get some rest and get more used to the elevated air in Salt Lake City before tipoff tomorrow night against the Kansas Jayhawks.

Yesterday’s final — 78-77 — was way closer than it should’ve been. At times Auburn led by as many as 13 points, but crumbled down the stretch. We had to rely on missed free throws and a missed last-second three to advance over New Mexico State, and the attitude after the game was something akin to a funeral.

That’s where Bruce Pearl’s motivation tactics come in.

"We're one win away from the sweet 16." Bruce Pearl lets Auburn know they are THAT much closer after today's win. #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/jbsuEw73Tr

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2019

Look at how disappointed the guys are — with a win! We won! They know they should’ve handled business much better than that, but we survived and advanced. That’s the name of the game in the NCAA Tournament. It’s like the electoral college. Win as many games as you can, however you can. Blowouts don’t give you any more credence than a one-point win. Auburn and Kansas (who won by 34 over Northeastern) are both in the Round of 32, and tomorrow night’s game will start 0-0. The Jayhawks don’t get any special treatment for their big win, while we don’t get penalized for only winning by a point.

That damn video was after a WIN That's a culture change right there. Team ain't happy to be there or just surviving. They wanna play 40 great minutes Let's see what happens if we do that Saturday...

— AUNerd (@AUSportsNerd) March 21, 2019

It really was the perfect storm for NMSU to come back and make it a game in the end. Auburn should’ve cruised, but everything went wrong.

Jared had an open layup to put them up 9 with 1:13 to play. Auburn needed 1. a pass out of a potential layup 2. 2 missed FTs from a 77% shooter 3. a missed open 3 to win. I am dead. Beat Kansas in my memory, guys https://t.co/ZZEfUNWu6B

— Jerry Hinnen (@JerryHinnen) March 21, 2019

We did a ton of things that don’t typically happen with this team. How many free throws did we miss yesterday? How many wide-ass-open layups didn’t fall? Those are the things that can either be attributed to 1) playing five games in eight days or 2) first-round jitters.

Whatever happened, Auburn fans around the country are waking up this morning on the brink of infarctions.

Charles Barkley after Auburn's foul vs. Charles Barkley after Auburn won pic.twitter.com/FUSORdRmUk

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 21, 2019

Take a hot shower, eat a good breakfast, and let’s look at some of the positives.

J’Von McCormick was MVP of yesterday’s game. Not only did he have to step in for the second game in a row to run the point after Jared Harper got into foul trouble, but he posted a career-high 16 points on 6-8 shooting. He also buried two late free throws (as a 58% shooter) that provided the final margin in favor of the Tigers. He’s not the same mistake-prone kid he was back in December, he’s a bonafide player that Bruce Pearl can depend on.

Also, remember what happened last year against College of Charleston? We shot 35% from the floor, went 5-24 from three, and hit 15-32 free throws in a 62-58 win. There was no feeling good heading into the game against Clemson two days later. Yesterday, despite the close win, Auburn played pretty well for about 38 minutes.

The Tigers hit 46% of their shots, hit twelve threes, and forced NMSU to turn the ball over fifteen times. We actually found our shots a little bit, and at times the offense was positively humming. The defense played really well also at times, but NMSU was such a weird team with the number of guys that they played and the substitutions, that it was hard to find the lineup that worked.

For tomorrow, Kansas is going to play a bit more of a standard lineup with standard substitutions. They usually get 9-10 guys on the floor, but only one or two of their subs play more than a couple minutes. They may still have one of the most talented starting lineups that we’ll see, however. Dedric Lawson, Devon Dotson, and Quentin Grimes are all outstanding, but the Jayhawks don’t have some of the guys that made them hum like in years past. Lagerald Vick is no longer a part of the team, and they lost Udoka Azibuike earlier in the season to injury. Consider this, even after yesterday’s near-collapse, Auburn is a slight favorite in many betting parlors around the country.

The name of the game is always survive and advance. Auburn survived and has a chance to pad the resume for this Tiger team to be the best ever. Right now, with a second-straight SEC Championship and 27 wins (second-most ever at Auburn), this team is firmly in second place behind the 1998-99 team for best Auburn basketball team ever in my mind. Should the Tigers win tomorrow night and advance to the Sweet Sixteen, then the likely matchup with top seed North Carolina next week may be for the title of greatest Auburn squad in history.

Guys, we made the NCAA Tournament and won a game. This has happened only a handful of times in recent memory. Enjoy it. We get to play the bluest of the blue bloods tomorrow, and we have a fantastic chance to knock them off. War Eagle.

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2019/3/22/18277179/about-last-night-auburn-78-new-mexico-state-77

[andrewuttaro]

New Look Sabres: GM 69 - DAL - Nice

Writing these is starting to get easier. It was fun before it became clear this team wasn’t making the playoffs. Then these last several weeks, really since the New Year has been excruciating. I’m saying this now, but Carolina is next and that may make me hate passionately again. For tonight we have the 69th game of this season to talk about. NNNNIIIICCCCCEEEE. The big storylines going into this one other than the teamwork number were Jack Eichel’s suspension and Alex Nylander’s call up. Feeling the lack of Jack in this game was kind of like taking your pants off and getting upset you feel a breeze. It’s over and we all know it, Jack can’t save us now. One of my favorite Sabres follows on twitter compared watching this team right now to the height of his days smoking weed. He just feels so lethargic he’s basically immune to stimuli watching this club right now. It’s hard to not relate to that. Not the smoking weed part, but to each his own I guess. The lethargic part is relatable while also being so beyond disappointing. How many times have we said it? They won ten games straight and now they’re missing the playoffs. They’re the second team ever to do that. Remember when we were pausing discos and shouting in bars over this team? Feels like a lifetime ago. Well I suppose feeling bored was only going to get worse against the Dallas Stars who have been dominating the goals against category all season. The Stars have fought their way out of the giant pack of loitering playoff contenders out west to look vaguely sure about the playoffs right now. I love to hate the Stars, perhaps they’re our Carolina Hurricanes of the West, but they pose great fodder for a better team we want to win to dispatch in the first two rounds. Take your boring, low-scoring hockey into the playoffs and lose to Winnipeg. The trash talk maybe worthless considering this dull Sabres team listing into the offseason effortlessly. The Stars are simply the better team. They shutout Buffalo 1-0 in the last matchup and 2-0 tonight just about fits.

The first period was fun enough to hold me; mind you I am a little bit of a Sabres whack job. There were a few fun rushes, a breakaway here and there. Sam Reinhart is the dynamic this team needs more of but of course he had to wait until now to prove it. I’m trying to think about who else jumped out at me in the first period, but I just keep coming back to penalties. The penalties jumped out at me in the first period. There were four, two against each team in the first period and I wanted to be engaged in them so badly. But as each Buffalo man-advantage ticked away that familiar feeling crept right back: missed opportunity. That’s the whole season isn’t it missed opportunity. Speaking of missed opportunities: Alexander Nylander! Nope, I’m saving him for after the recap, I just couldn’t resist that setup. The second period however, started like there was some kick. I don’t know where it came from, if Phil Housley is kicking them in the pants now I don’t know where it’s been for three months. See the funny thing about this game, the thing that could have roused you out of your catatonic Sabres state but surely didn’t, was that Buffalo outshot the opposition. Maybe home ice advantage is just worth more shots with this team. The shots were clearly there and most of them were fun too. Skinner hit the intersection of the crossbar and post and a couple guys threw up they’re hands for a moment thinking it was a goal. Figures. The Sabres are now on a big old five game losing streak and even Skinner can’t help us now. The win for the Stars was assured before the third period even began. One goal was a saucy lift far side on Linus Ullmark and the other was a shot from way out at the blue line. Both goals were by the same guy: Roope Hintz. If you think that name is fake I’ll remind you Finland exists. Hintz went in the second round of Eichel’s 2015 Draft and would you believe me if I said the guy is a -10? Plus/minus is a worthless stat: sometimes you get proof. The Stars held on in the third and this one ends 2-0 visitors. Whatever. Game 69: NICE NICE NICE NICE NICE NICE NIIIIIIIICCCCCCEEEEEE!!! Ugh, that felt a little nice.

Let’s talk about Alex Nylander. Remember when we declared him a lost cause at the end of last season? Remember when Jason Botterill sat him down at the Prospect Tournament way back in September and then he caught fire? Remember when he didn’t make the NHL roster out of camp anyway? He’s 21 now and the apology I gave him for not believing he would prove himself at Training Camp now seems like a distant memory. He played with no urgency tonight. That sounds like a generic complaint and it is because I read it on twitter forty times since the game ended but I say prove it to me again! The thing is Nylander was doing good in Rochester, at least lately he has. Watching his development down there has been an evolution of finding his stride. He took a little while, but he’s found his way down there and was beginning to contribute at a decent clip. Does he just take this long to find his way into a system? Gee, I hope not. That would be a big problem but then again he is only 21 and tonight was against one of the better defensive teams in the league. But then again, he was taken in the first round and there’s already no way that pick will feel right with who else went in the first round that year. I side more with the people who thinks he needs to be something soon or get the Guhle treatment. I hate to say that because sometimes it takes some time for a player to become the player they can be but look at the Justin Bailey trade. That hurt, he had real potential at one point but the he had become nothing more than an AHL regular and only ok in that role at that. He left in an AHL deal that brought in Taylor Leier who is now a strategic part of an Americans team getting hot at just the right time. That may seem like a weird comparison but tell me one reason Alexander Nylander isn’t the new Justin Bailey right now? Go ahead, I’ll wait. The bottom line is Nylander needs to figure it out now or he WILL be next season’s Justin Bailey. Hell, he might be this summer’s Justin Bailey.

I just wrote a whole paragraph on Alexander Nylander in March. Yay. I teased you with some Amerks talk there and it looks like our last Amerks Angle of the regular season will be shaping up soon. I need to wait until at least after this weekend. Rochester is taking on the League leading Charlotte Checkers in a back-to-back that has revenge potential and the possibility of catapulting our Amerks to the top of the league standings! More on that in Amerks Angle. For now, we have to contemplate how this matchup with the Hurricanes won’t be the most oppressive fucking game in a month. I’m not hopeful but now I at least feel like I can handle it relatively painlessly. Like, share and comment and we can sail down this home stretch together.

Thanks for reading.

P.S. Are they tanking now? I think they’re tanking a little bit. Draft rankings time?

[racingtoaredlight]

College Football 2020 Season Week 12 TV Watch Em Ups: this is really still way too much football

Would you believe that I am not good at conveying accurate information? I know, it came as a shock to me, too! But it turns out this is week 12 of the college football season. Somebody else can leaf back through these posts but I’m not sure from this distance that I even made it as far as week 1 with the number listed correctly. But I’ve gotta trust what’s in front of me.

It doesn’t matter anyway. The long game for me has always been waiting for the season to be called off entirely and it’s becoming more and more clear that some version of this grotesquerie is going to make its way to the very bloody end of the playoffs. So even in my safest gambling prognostications I am utterly useless and wrong. (Maybe two consecutive days without my pills was a bad idea...) Here’s where things stand at postin’ time:

Saturday, November 21

Matchup                                             Time (ET)                       TV/Mobile

Georgia Southern at Army                12:00pm                        CBSSN

What a miserable way to open a post. Let’s skip this one.

Illinois at Nebraska                            12:00pm                           FS1

Still loling at Penn State. A great capper to Nebraska hanging on to beat Penn State last week would be to turn around and earn Lovie Smith another chance to win four more games in 2021.

LSU at Arkansas                                12:00pm                         SECN

This appears to be a mistake as LSU suspended their football program for the 2020 season.

6 Florida at Vanderbilt                       12:00pm                          ESPN

Florida hasn’t had a complete fuck up yet in 2020. Something seems really off about that.

9 Indiana at 3 Ohio State                   12:00pm                          FOX

Indiana has been the feel good story of 2020 college football so far. Maybe the only feel good story. They’re going to lose this game but show enough pluck and fight and courage to stick pretty close to the top 10 before taking a soul shattering dive at home against Maryland next week. Or they’ll just lose to tOSU by 60.

4 Clemson at Florida State                12:00pm                          ABC

Bobby Bowden built Florida State into a powerhouse by taking road matchups against anybody dumb enough to take that win for granted. There is a whole “sod graveyard” at FSU commemorating the biggest of those wins. So there’s a decent chance the +35.5 line for this game (or +36.5 depending on where you bet) is the most anybody has ever been favored as a road team in Tallahassee. I’ve mentioned before in these posts that FSU is maybe at the lowest point of any of Florida’s big three programs in my lifetime. There is actually no maybe. This program is a total shambles right now.

East Carolina at Temple                     12:00pm                            ESPN+

Eh, sure. Fine.

Arkansas State at Texas State           12:00pm                           ESPNU

Not sure if any of you caught the whole Farhad Manjoo controversy on twitter yesterday but basically he wrote an article for the New York Times about how many people he’s been exposed to in terms of COVID risk lately and how dangerous it could be for him to now fly home to his parents house for Thanksgiving. After going through all of the math and demonstrating pretty well what a horrible idea it would be for him to celebrate Thanksgiving with his parents he concludes by saying that he’s going to go ahead and celebrate Thanksgiving with his parents anyway. This game here, Arkansas State at Texas State, is about the same level of completely worthless risk of death and it’s still going to be played. I might start referencing that dumb Farhad Manjoo article/idea more regularly in watch em up posts.

Appalachian State at 15 Coastal Carolina         12:00pm           ESPN2

Coastal Carolina is going to win a national championship against BYU because every other program is too close to an 100% infection rate to keep playing. BYU doesn’t believe in shit like COVID and Coastal Carolina used up all of their budget fielding a team in the first place.

Stephen F. Austin at Memphis             12:00pm                          ESPN+

There it is, the 100th game to kick off at noon this Saturday! Congratulations, everybody!

Rice at North Texas                               2:00pm                            ESPN3

Rice has had a football program for a really long time for some reason.

FIU at WKU                                            2:00pm                             ESPN3

...

North Alabama at 8 BYU                      3:00pm                        BYUtv/ESPN3

One of sports great rivalry games.

UTSA at Southern Miss                        3:00pm                            ESPN+

Mmm, another classic.

Western Carolina at Eastern Kentucky        3:00pm                   ESPN3

Thank god this one isn’t cancelled.

UCLA at 11 Oregon                               3:30pm                            ESPN2

Chip Kelly is still at UCLA, right? It would be kind of funny if he beat Oregon but also might go more or less unnoticed. Oregon has to be the least hyped team in the country to feature maybe four 2021 first round picks and a clear path to a conference title. The Pac-12 came so close to actually doing the right thing and not playing this year.

Iowa at Penn State                                3:30pm                              BTN

When I said that Indiana is the feel good story of the season so far I forgot that Penn State hasn’t won yet. Rockeye Chalkeye Hawkeyes or whatever Iowa’s chant is. Let’s keep it fucking going.

California at Oregon State                    3:30pm                              FS1

Not a single feeling.

10 Wisconsin at 19 Northwestern         3:30pm                             ABC

For my money this is close to as unappealing as a top 20 matchup is liable to ever be. That’s only partially explained by the sham quality of this season overall.

San Diego State at Nevada                    3:30pm                             CBS

This is good stuff normally but I might just skip this entire day of watching.

Middle Tennessee at Troy                       3:30pm                           ESPN3

{URGE TO DO LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE INTENSIFYING}

Georgia State at South Alabama            3:30pm                           ESPNU

I am boiling over with apathy at the thought of this one.

7 Cincinnati at UCF                                  3:30pm                            ESPN

The people’s champs are not particularly great this year but maybe they can do us all a solid and derail the train that is Ohio State, Jr. The line isn’t crazily tilted towards the Bearcats (-5)  so maybe it’s a real possibility?

Virginia Tech at Pitt                                  4:00pm                            ACCN

Don’t let anybody convince you that the players aren’t wearing masks on the field during game action here. You’ve just gotta believe.

Kansas State at 17 Iowa State                4:00pm                            FOX

I should be interested in this one and yet...

Kentucky at 1 Alabama                            4:00pm                            SECN

For the record I agree that Mac Jones is really good and I also put him at about the 15th best player on the Tide this year. So, no, he wouldn’t be in the lead for RTARLsman 2020 if that were happening.

Abilene Christian at Virginia                     4:00pm                       RSN/ESPN3

UVA is completely inscrutable this year. Even more than usual. But they have been an absolute pleasure to watch in short bursts because their uniform game has been exceptionally sharp.

 Tennessee at 23 Auburn                            7:00pm                           ESPN

Missouri at South Carolina                            7:30pm                   SECN Alt.

The SEC is putting their messiest foot forward in primetime this week.

Michigan at Rutgers                                        7:30pm                     BTN

Great conference matchup between two programs that peaked in the 19th century and will never be national champions again.

21 Liberty at NC State                                     7:30pm              RSN/ESPN3

This Liberty being ranked thing is hilarious but I’ll be pretty happy if NC State wrecks them.

14 Oklahoma State at 18 Oklahoma              7:30pm                     ABC

Bedlam, baby! In primetime! Why!

Mississippi State at 13 Georgia                     7:30pm                     SECN

I don’t root for the UGAs often but I’ll be deeply in their corner this week. I want Mike Leach out of a job by the end of next season.

Arizona at Washington                                    8:00pm                      FOX

Pretty sweet uniform matchup, if nothing else. It is nothing else.

20 USC at Utah                                                10:30pm                    ESPN

I should really want to watch this game but I really don’t.

Boise State at Hawaii                                      11:00pm                  CBSSN

Maybe Boise will be tired from travel but they have no business winning by less than 20. Hawaii is not running that GoGo shit and they deserve to burn for it.

GAMES OF THE WEEK

Charlotte at 15 Marshall                                  Postponed

Wake Forest at Duke                                       Postponed

ULM vs. Louisiana Tech (in Shreveport, LA)    Canceled

Ole Miss at 5 Texas A&M                                 Postponed

Central Arkansas at 24 Louisiana                   Canceled

Michigan State at Maryland                            Canceled

San Jose State at Fresno State                      Canceled

UNLV at Colorado State                                  Canceled

Arizona State at Colorado                              Canceled

Washington State at Stanford                        Canceled

Navy at USF                                                      Canceled

[waterarcher8-blog]

The Linc - Carson Wentz responds to report regarding his recovery status

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Philadelphia Eagles’ Carson Wentz responds to report that he’s hesitant to run again - Delaware Online So much for the report that Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz is tentative when he plants his left leg. The NFL Network reported Sunday morning – citing a source with knowledge of Wentz’s rehab – that Wentz isn’t planting on his left leg because he’s not 100 percent recovered from two torn knee ligaments. The report came just a few weeks shy of Wentz’s one-year anniversary of tearing his ACL and LCL against the Rams last Dec. 10. ”I heard about that, and I don’t know where that came from, to be honest,” Wentz said. “I feel good. I’ve analyzed my mechanics, really, all the way throughout this injury. I’ve never felt that as an issue at all, and I feel really good with where I’m at.” Eagles coach Doug Pederson, when asked about that report, agreed.

3 numbers that matter for the Eagles’ big Week 13 game against Washington - BGN The Eagles likely don’t even need to be an offensive juggernaut to win on Monday night. Washington is 0-5 this season when their opponent merely scores more than 17 points. Philadelphia should be able to cross that threshold.

Eagles-Redskins Preview, Cowboys-Saints Reaction - BGN Radio John Stolnis and Brandon Lee Gowton record while watching the Dallas Cowboys eek an important win out of the Saints, which puts them in the drivers seat in the NFC East. PLUS the usual preview of the Eagles-Redskins Monday Night Football matchuip and NFL Picks of the Week! Powered by SB Nation and Bleeding Green Nation.

Mailbag: Was the Cowboys’ trade for Amari Cooper good after all? - PhillyVoice Anyway, if the Cowboys traded for Cooper hoping he helps them win the worst division in football, then obviously that’s not a goal worth a first-round pick. If they made that trade thinking that he puts them over the top, as in, in the conversation to go to the Super Bowl, then they are delusional about the talent currently on their roster. It’s a few games. If he turns out to be, say, a top 10-15 receiver over a long period of time, then sure, great trade. But looking at the big picture, long-term, I strongly believe the Cowboys would be much better off with their draft pick, who will comparatively make peanuts over the next four years, and yet is still likely to be a good player.

Stayin’ Alive - Iggles Blitz The Eagles could win out and probably win the division. But beating the Skins, Boys, Rams, Texans and Skins would be very difficult. The Eagles haven’t won two games in a row all year. Winning the next five would be crazy. I do think the team can finish strong. The run game came alive last week. The Eagles were good with the OL and DL. If they can get some injured DBs back, this team could get hot and win some games. Still, going 5-0 or even 4-1 might be pushing things a bit. The Eagles control their destiny in regard to the Skins. They will need help with the Cowboys. That’s why you don’t want to blow games to the Titans and Panthers. It has you watching the scoreboard, hoping some other team helps you out.

Nothing Will Come Easy For Eagles Down The Stretch - PE.com Nothing is going to be easy or simple or paved for the Eagles on the path to the postseason. A vivid example happened on Thursday night when Dallas defeated New Orleans, 13-10, behind a stout defensive effort, overcoming penalties, and playing the fourth quarter with confidence. To set the NFC East picture for you, the Cowboys are now 7-5, winners of four straight games. They lead the pack. The Eagles just have to win, baby. That’s all there is to it. We can’t look for help from other teams. We shouldn’t expect fortunate bounces. We’re not in position to think the officials are going to miss a call on the Eagles’ behalf. It’s December. It’s time to peak down the stretch.

Stats to know for all 32 NFL teams entering Week 13 - PFF Philadelphia Eagles: Carson Wentz has an adjusted completion percentage of 82.3% when he’s not under pressure. That is the fifth-best rate for a quarterback this year and second-best for a quarterback in his third year over the last 13 seasons.

Why Carson Wentz and the Eagles have been struggling with the deep ball - Inquirer But Wentz and the Eagles have regressed closer to their 2016 form this season. He has completed just 15 of 38 passes for 527 yards, with three touchdowns and four interceptions. His rating of 73.8 is only marginally higher than 2016 (64.2), when he completed 21 of 64 passes for 654 yards, with six touchdowns and six interceptions. Overall, if Nick Foles’ numbers (2 of 9 for 64 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions) are included, the Eagles are among the NFL’s worst deep passing offenses this season. Only the New York Jets (36.5), Bills (43.7), Ravens (56.7), Panthers (58.6), and Redskins (69.9) have a lower rating than the Eagles (70.1) through 11 games.

Silva’s Week 13 Matchups - Rotoworld Albeit not without a major first-half scare, Philadelphia ended its losing skid in last week’s desperately-needed 25-22 comeback win over the Giants. Newly-anointed feature back Josh Adams was the star of the second-half show, parlaying season highs in snaps (62%) and touches (22) into 84 yards and a score despite losing a 52-yard rushing touchdown to C Jason Kelce’s holding penalty in the first quarter. Corey Clement operated as a mere change-of-pace back on seven touches, and Wendell Smallwood has been phased out. As a home-favorite lead runner in a plus draw, Adams can build on his breakout game against a Washington defense that has surrendered 95/476/1 (5.01 YPC) rushing to running backs over the last month and allows the NFL’s fifth-most receptions per game to enemy backs (6.4) on the year. Adams is a high-end RB2 in this plum spot. … Darren Sproles’ (hamstring) return would hurt Clement and Smallwood more than lead-runner Adams. … Washington’s pass defense has also fallen apart, conceding top-12 fantasy scores to six of its last nine quarterbacks faced and 285-plus passing yards in four of its last five games. Dak Prescott carved the Skins for 9.3 yards per attempt and his season-best 121.6 passer rating on Thanksgiving. In a game Philly projects to control with Colt McCoy playing behind an injury-ruined offensive line on the other side, Carson Wentz is an underrated QB1 play against Washington.

Which NFL Players Should Make—or Lose—the Most Money This Season? - The Ringer WR Golden Tate, Eagles: Tate started off the season with a bang, catching 28 passes for 389 yards and three scores in the Lions’ first four games. But his production has tapered off since. He saw his role reduced over the next month in Detroit before being traded to the Eagles just before the deadline, forcing him to learn a new playbook and work his way into a new offense in the middle of the season. It hasn’t gone smoothly: The 30-year old veteran has caught just 11 passes for 97 yards in three games, averaging a paltry 8.8 yards per reception without a touchdown. Tate’s an excellent player and one of the best open-field tackle-breakers at the receiver position, but so far, the trade to Philadelphia hasn’t helped his free-agency cause.

Eagles coaches on how Doug Pederson’s handled adversity: ‘I told him, I wish I could be more like him’ - The Athletic Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland: “I told him, I wish I could be more like him. I told him that. He’s like that (gestures straight line with his hand). He’s the same guy. There’s never panic in his demeanor. He’s the same person, the same coach, the same guy. And I admire that. I’m kind of the same way too, but it’s different than him. It’s like ‘Full Metal Jacket’ 24/7. And I sometimes wish I could … whatever.”

Why is Carson Wentz still optimistic offense will turn things around? - NBCSP “I think for some it could be. But I think the way we’ve kind of handled things is we’re always just trying to stay optimistic and believe in ourselves and really showing some of the things we’re doing well. And saying ‘hey this is something we can build on’ or ‘we just missed here a little bit and this can make a big difference.’ So we’ve been really good about staying positive, staying optimistic, but if we didn’t have the chemistry and the culture we have around here, without a doubt it would be easy to start being pessimistic and down on yourselves, but we’ve handled it pretty well.”

The best and worst teams in the history of all 32 NFL franchises - ESPN Current season: 5-6 (38th best of 59 seasons in franchise history since 1960). Best season: 2002 (12-4). Worst season: 1972 (2-11-1). The long-awaited Super Bowl winners of 2017 rank third in modern Eagles history, in part because Nick Foles struggled during the final three games of the regular season. The beloved 1980 Eagles from Dick Vermeil fall short to what might have been the best team of the Andy Reid era in Philadelphia. Other Reid teams made it further in the postseason, but the 2002 Eagles ranked in the top four in both scoring offense and defense before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game.

Washington obviously views Reuben Foster as a 2019 prospect - PFT Moments before the NFL made it clear that linebacker Reuben Foster won’t be allowed to play until further notice, Washington announced that it won’t allow newly-claimed linebacker Reuben Foster to play until further notice. Which means that Washington necessarily views the $257,000 it will pay Foster over the balance of the season as payment for the privilege of having him on the team at some point in 2019, and beyond

The 5 O’Clock Club: Finally! The Eagles! - Hogs Haven If the Eagles can get the win, they would pull into a tie for 2nd place in the division, with the first-place Dallas team next up on the schedule in Week 14. That would spell trouble for the Redskins, who would lose a tie-breaker with either team under that scenario, meaning that the winner of the Philly-Dallas game would be in no worse than a tie for 1st place and ahead of Washington at the end of Week 14 even if the Redskins take care of business against the Giants. That would put a huge amount of pressure on the Redskins to win out to hold onto any hope of a playoff spot. In short, while not quite a season-killer if they lose on Monday night, the Redskins really need to win this week in Philly if they want to keep their season off of life-support.

How It All Went Wrong in Packerland - Sports Illustrated You don’t have to look too far back in Packers lore to find how that tension can help fuel greatness. Former Packers head coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Brett Favre were also known for their fiery spats. Matt Hasselbeck was a backup quarterback in Green Bay from 1998 to 2000. He says that Holmgren would threaten to fire Andy Reid, Favre’s beloved quarterback coach at the time, whenever he felt the quarterback was stepping out of line. “If you change the play one more time, I will fire Andy Reid. Do you want him to be unemployed? It was a good way to reach Brett, quite honestly,” Hasselbeck says. “Brett loved Andy, so it was like, No, anything but that! I think that kind of tension is fairly normal.”

Source: Eli Manning could return as Giants’ starting QB in 2019 - SNY Obviously there are a lot of variables to the Manning equation, not the least of which is how he plays over the final five games. Another big one is that Manning is signed through 2019 with a salary of $11.5 million, is due a $5 million roster bonus in March, and has a salary cap number of $23.2 million. That’s a huge amount for the soon-to-be 38-year-old quarterback, who has struggled to move the offense in recent years, even while having one of his finest statistical seasons in 2018. But the biggest reason a Manning return can’t be ruled out, the source said, is this: “Who’s going to replace him?”

Bad blood: Lions RB LeGarrette Blount still thinks Rams’ Ndamukong Suh is a dirty player - USA TODAY Two seasons ago, running back LeGarrette Blount didn’t mince words when he called Ndamukong Suh a dirty player. When he was asked Thursday if he still thinks Suh is a dirty player, Blount said, “I do.” Blount declined to give a specific explanation of why he thinks Suh plays dirty. “It doesn’t really matter now,” he said. The two have a history. In 2014, after the Lions lost at New England, Blount and Suh yelled at each other as they came off the field. And in 2017, Blount ripped Suh during an interview.

Who is having the best rookie season from a crowded NFL running back class? - SB Nation After a few weeks as an explosive backup, Josh Adams ground out 84 rushing yards in the Eagles’ Week 12 win over the Giants.

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Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2018/11/30/18119394/eagles-news-carson-wentz-responds-report-regarding-recovery-status-acl-lcl-knee-injury-philadelphia

[junker-town]

50 best non-conference college basketball games this season

Michigan State vs. Kentucky is just one great non-conference matchup this college hoops season.

The top two are both going down on night one.

There are some out there who view college basketball as a sport limited to the period of time from the week after the Super Bowl through the end of the NCAA tournament. If you’re reading this, that probably isn’t you. You’re the intended audience for this list, and if you don’t watch every second of all 50 of these non-conference games in the months ahead, you’re a disgrace to yourself. Don’t let that happen.

[Note: The only games eligible for this list are ones guaranteed to take place. Like the double play, potential preseason tournament semifinal and championship games can never be assumed.]

50. East Tennessee State at Kansas (Maui Invitational Mainland) (Nov. 19)

Steve Forbes is going to be coming to a major conference program in the very near future. In the meantime, he’s captaining an ETSU team that should be one of the best mid-major squads in the country from start to finish this season. They’ll get an early opportunity to earn that title when they head to Allen Fieldhouse for one of the “mainland” games of the Maui Invitational.

49. Houston at Oregon (Nov. 22)

Oregon has the preseason hype, but Houston is the program that has won a whopping 60 games over the last two seasons. The Cougars lost a solid chunk of last year’s production, but that was the same knock on Kelvin Sampson’s club 12 months ago, and that team wound up going 33-4. The NCAA clearing former five-star guard Quentin Grimes after his transfer from Kansas only makes this more intriguing.

48. Colorado vs. Arizona State (Pac-12 China Game) (Nov. 8)

Yes, two teams from the same conference are going all the way to China to play a non-conference game on the first Friday of the season. It’s precisely the level of creativity you’d expect from a group that needed an official name for this annual event and couldn’t think of anything better than “Pac-12 China Game.”

47. Notre Dame at Maryland (ACC-Big 10 Challenge) (Dec. 4)

The Fighting Irish were wrecked by injuries last season and would up finishing dead last in the ACC. They’re fully healthy and loaded with young talent this season, which should have Mike Brey poised to pull off one of the biggest bounce backs in the country. They can begin the process of turning heads by keeping things tight in College Park.

46. Vermont at Virginia (Nov. 19)

Vermont returns a healthy chunk of its production from a team that won 27 games and pushed fourth-seeded Florida State to the brink in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season. Chief among that group is All-American candidate Anthony Lamb. Don’t be surprised if the Catamounts put an early season scare into the reigning national champs.

45. Purdue at Marquette (Gavitt Games) (Nov. 13)

I think I speak for all of us when I say the NCAA should let Purdue bring Carsen Edwards back for one night just so we can all watch him and Markus Howard shoot it out. Even without the now-Boston Celtic, this figures to be an entertaining tilt that will serve as a huge early resume-booster for whichever team comes out on top.

44. New Mexico vs. New Mexico State (Nov. 21 and Dec. 12)

The Rio Grande Rivalry gets my vote for the most underrated rivalry in college basketball at the moment. Relations between the two programs had always been tense, but Paul Weir leaving New Mexico State in 2017 to take the head coaching job at New Mexico caused the biggest explosion the state had seen since Gus Fring took his final breath outside that fateful hospital room.

The Aggies, who figure to be one of the best mid-major teams in the country once again this season, have not lost a game to Weir yet, and have taken five straight games from New Mexico overall. The Lobos are hoping an influx of former top-100 recruits who transferred in from power five programs — Jaquan Lyle (Ohio State), JJ Caldwell (Texas A&M), Vante Hendrix (Utah) — will be able to change the tide.

Additional props to these two on playing a home and home every year, something college basketball could use more of with its non-conference rivalries.

43. VCU at Wichita State (Dec. 21)

Last season, the Shockers missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011. Gregg Marshall isn’t going to let that become a trend, but here he’ll be facing a VCU squad that strongly resembles some of the better teams he’s coached in recent years. Charles Koch Arena is one of the more underrated home court advantages in college basketball, and the building figures to be electric for this pre-holiday showdown.

42. Florida vs. Providence (Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational) (Dec. 17)

The middle of the Big East is loaded with quality this season, and one of the teams in the heart of that league is destined to overachieve significantly. That team could be Providence, which returns a star in Alpha Diallo and adds a key piece in UMass transfer point guard Luwane Pipkins. They’ll have their hands full with a Florida team that has eyes on the national title.

41. Tennessee vs. Washington (James Naismith Classic) (Nov. 16)

This will be something of a role-reversal for Tennessee, which now finds itself as a guard-driven team tasked with handling Washington’s inside duo of freshmen blue chippers Jaden McDaniels and Isaiah Stewart. The game is the headliner of a triple-header for this first-time event, which will be played inside Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Buffalo vs. Harvard and Rutgers vs. St. Bonaventure make up the other two games.

40. Michigan at Louisville (ACC-Big 10 Challenge) (Dec. 3)

It’s a rematch of the 2013 national championship game, but neither program is being steered by the same man who captained them on that Monday evening in Atlanta. Michigan exacted some revenge in the most recent meeting between these two, upsetting the second-seeded Cardinals in the second round of the 2017 NCAA tournament. Though no one knew it at the time, that game would ultimately be Rick Pitino’s last at Louisville.

39. Dayton vs. Georgia (Maui Invitational) (Nov. 25)

The Battle 4 Atlantis may have the better field this season, but the Maui Invitational is always going to be Thanksgiving week’s signature event. The tournament’s best quarterfinal matchup is its first one, as a Dayton team that should contend for an at-large bid battles with Tom Crean’s Georgia Bulldogs.

The individual talent on both sides is more than enough for you to take the afternoon off from work, school or whatever. Dayton has Obi Toppin, one of the best dunkers in the country. Georgia has Anthony Edwards, the No. 2 overall player in the class of 2019 and a surefire lottery pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Set the tone right off the bat that watching afternoon basketball is going to be a priority throughout this holiday week.

38. Colorado at Kansas (Dec. 7)

This will be the first meeting between these two former conference mates since Askia Booker stunned Kansas at the buzzer (and after a questionable number of steps) in 2013.

Kansas will likely be a solid favorite in this one, but Colorado returns an experienced core led by McKinley Wright that should give Tad Boyle a chance to take a run at the Pac-12 title.

37. Baylor vs. Washington (Armed Forces Classic) (Nov. 8)

The ninth annual Armed Forces Classic will go down at the Alaska Airlines Center on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. Baylor and Washington will square off in a double-header that will also feature Alaska Anchorage taking on Coast Guard Academy.

Side note: Alaska is the only state in the country without a Division I basketball program. I say we bring back the Great Alaska Shootout, have it feature all the college basketball teams in the state of Alaska, and the winner goes D-I. We need all 50 states on board here.

36. Texas vs. Georgetown (Empire Classic) (Nov. 21)

Two squads loaded with athletes and a handful of “surprise team” predictions meet inside Madison Square Garden for an early season contest that feels significant for both. The winner will almost certainly face Duke a night later.

35. Memphis vs. NC State (Barclays Center Classic) (Nov. 28)

The ACC has a very well established top tier of Duke, Louisville, North Carolina and Virginia this season. The question is whether any other team in the league can be a pleasant surprise that establishes itself as a legitimate top-25 squad capable of playing deep into the NCAA tournament. Led by explosive point guard Markell Johnson, NC State might be the primary candidate to make that leap. They can start the process of corroborating that belief with an early signature win on Thanksgiving Day.

The worst non-conference schedule in America kept the Wolfpack from dancing last season. Kevin Keatts hopes this game along with scheduled tilts at Auburn and vs. Wisconsin keep that from being an issue in 2020.

34. Auburn vs. Davidson (Veterans Classic) (Nov. 8)

This first Friday contest won’t be quite as fun as it would have been if Bryce Brown and Jared Harper were still suiting up for Auburn, but there’s still plenty to be excited about. The Tigers won’t play at the breakneck pace that carried them to the Final Four last season, but J’Von McCormick, Samir Doughty and heralded freshman Isaac Okoro should keep them entertaining. The task on this evening in Annapolis will be to slow down one of the best backcourts in the country in Davidson’s Jon Axel Gudmundsson and Kellan Grady.

33. North Carolina vs. Alabama (Battle 4 Atlantis) (Nov. 27)

Seven of the eight teams in this year’s Battle 4 Atlantis field seem like realistic candidates to earn at-large bids on Selection Sunday. North Carolina is obviously one of those. Alabama, under new head coach Nate Oats, is hoping to be another. A win over the Tar Heels on the day before Thanksgiving would go a long way towards achieving that goal. Also, Cole Anthony and Kira Lewis on the same court is going to be fun as hell.

32. Florida State at Florida (Nov. 10)

The Seminoles have blasted the Gators in each of the last two seasons, extending their winning streak in the series to five games. Before this run, Florida had never lost more than three straight to its arch-rival. They figure to be sizable favorites to break that streak on the season’s first Sunday.

31. Illinois at Arizona (Nov. 10)

Illinois hasn’t been to the NCAA tournament since 2013, a steak of futility Illini fans are hopeful Ayo Dosunmu and company will be able to snap this season. Beating a preseason top-25 team on its home floor would go a long way towards making that happen.

It’s impossible to see these two names next to one another and not thing about the 2005 Chicago Regional final, one of the most thrilling Elite Eight games ever played.

This is the first game of a two-year deal between the two schools. Arizona will play in Champaign on Dec. 12, 2020.

30. Texas at Purdue (Nov. 9)

It’s year five of the Shaka Smart era in Austin, and Longhorn fans are antsy for something more to hang their Resistols on than an NIT championship. Kicking off the season with a road win over a Purdue team that has made it to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament each of the last three years would be a solid start.

29. Syracuse at Georgetown (Dec. 14)

The longtime rivals recently extended their series to make sure the two teams will play one another each year through at least 2022. The “non-conference era” of the series is tied at two, with Syracuse getting the better of Georgetown in each of the last two seasons, including a 72-71 thriller a year ago.

28. Utah State vs. Florida (Orange Bowl Basketball Classic) (Dec. 21)

It seems unfair that Utah State doesn’t get credit for playing a true road game here, since the Orange Bowl Classic in Broward County figures to be a “neutral court” tilt in name only. Regardless, Sam Merrill and the Aggies have a shot to pull off a monumental resume win over a Florida team that has no excuse not to be in the thick of the national title hunt this season. Guards are almost always the focal point in college hoops, but watching NBA prospect Neemias Queta go at it with Florida’s Kerry Blackshear in the post might be the main attraction in this one.

27. VCU vs. Purdue (Emerald Coast Classic) (Nov. 29)

Florida State-Tennessee might be the Emerald Coast Classic game that catches your eye at first glance, but it’s the nightcap of the double-header that might provide more quality. The winners will meet a night later in what should be a highly competitive title game.

26. Baylor at Florida (SEC-Big 12 Challenge) (Jan. 25)

Baylor has been referred to as “underrated” by so many people this offseason that I think the title no longer fits. Both the Bears and Gators figure to be near the top of their respective conference standings when they step out of league play for this SEC-Big 12 Challenge game near the end of January.

25. Utah State at Saint Mary’s (Nov. 29)

Utah State State and Saint Mary’s figure to be two of the best non-power conference teams in the country this season, which means each could really use a resume win at the expense of the other. Outside of its two conference games against Gonzaga, this is the only scheduled game on Saint Mary’s 2019-20 which pits them against a preseason top-25 team. That puts some decent pressure on the Gaels to hold serve at home.

24. Cincinnati at Ohio State (Nov. 6)

Night one of the college basketball season is loaded with showcase games, but Ohio State and Cincinnati don’t want you to forget about night two. New UC head coach John Brannen could make quite a splash if he upsets a top-25 rival in his Bearcat debut.

23. Gonzaga at Washington (Dec. 8)

This is the final game on the original contract between the two most prominent basketball programs in The Evergreen State, but the schools got together this summer and signed an extension that will keep the series going through the 2023-24 season. Gonzaga has won the last five meetings and 12 of the last 13, but a U-Dub squad flush with young talent awaits them on Dec. 8.

22. LSU at VCU (Nov. 13)

It’s hard to imagine Will Wade won’t be thinking of simpler times when he brings another LSU squad to Richmond to face his former program. This isn’t a pity trip though. VCU is the No. 25 team in the preseason AP poll and the runaway favorite to repeat as Atlantic 10 champions. This Wednesday night tilt will be the first real test for both squads.

21. Arizona at Baylor (Dec. 7)

A year ago, Baylor ended Arizona’s 52-game non-conference home winning streak with a 58-49 triumph at the McKale Center. The Bears out-rebounded the Wildcats by a staggering 31, and finished with more total boards (50) than ‘Zona had points. Sean Miller’s team should be better-equipped to compete with Tristan Clark and company this season.

20. LSU vs. Utah State (Jamaica Classic) (Nov. 22)

This figures to be the best game of the Jamaica Classic as a super-talented LSU squad takes on a Utah State team that will start the season ranked in the top 20 but will be hungry for at least one solid resume win before starting Mountain West play. Sam Merrill going head-to-head with Skylar Mays and Javonte Smart should be wonderful.

19. Cincinnati at Xavier (Dec. 7)

Duke and North Carolina is the highest-profile rivalry that annually gives us the best games featuring the best teams. Kentucky and Louisville is the rivalry where the fans and the people around the programs despise one another the most. But I would argue that the Crosstown Shootout is the rivalry where the actual players dislike one another more than any other. It has made for some impassioned moments over the years, and it always makes for appointment television. This year’s edition, which features a first-year head coach in Cincinnati’s John Brannen and two teams that should be fully capable of doing some damage in the NCAA tournament, is no different.

18. Maryland at Seton Hall (Dec. 19)

Each team is loaded with talent, experience and a sense it needs to accomplish something significant in the NCAA tournament this year. Myles Powell vs. Anthony Cowan figures to be one of the best guard matchups we see in the month of December.

17. Villanova at Ohio State (Gavitt Games) (Nov. 13)

Villanova and Ohio State are two teams that have found themselves all over the place in early rankings throughout the offseason. College hoops fans will finally get a first look at how formidable both squads are when they square off in Columbus during the season’s second week.

16. Oregon vs. Seton Hall (Battle 4 Atlantis) (Nov. 27)

The Battle 4 Atlantis is so loaded this season that it features a matchup of two preseason top-15 teams in the quarterfinals. Stay up late on the night before Thanksgiving and let this showdown take the place that the Maui Invitational title game used to hold. On a related note, move the Maui title game back to its old spot, tournament organizers. You’re ruining Thanksgiving Eve for the entire country.

15. Gonzaga at Arizona (Dec. 14)

A West Coast team hasn’t won the NCAA tournament since Arizona cut down the nets all the way back in 1997. These two teams are among those with the best shot at ending the embarrassing streak in 2020. Gonzaga has won its last two meetings with Arizona, including a 91-74 beatdown at the Maui Invitational last season.

14. Louisville vs. Texas Tech (Jimmy V. Classic) (Dec. 10)

Madison Square Garden will be the site for this showdown between Chris Mack and Chris Beard, two men who appear to be at the forefront of the next wave of great college basketball coaches. If Texas Tech is able to win the Las Vegas Invitational and Louisville is able to survive prior tests from Miami and Michigan, there’s a very real shot that both these preseason top-15 teams will enter this game with unblemished records.

13. Ohio State at North Carolina (ACC-Big 10 Challenge) (Dec. 4)

Few preseason top-25 teams will be tested more before the calendar turns to 2020 than Ohio State. The Buckeyes have three non-conference games against teams that will start the season ranked in the top 10, including this true road test inside the Dean Dome.

12. Kentucky vs. Ohio State (CBS Sports Classic) (Dec. 21)

T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will be the site of this year’s CBS Sports Classic, where the better of the two games (North Carolina-UCLA is the other) figures to be Kentucky and Ohio State meeting for the first time since 2015. If there are questions about Kentucky’s ability to win a national title this season, they all reside with the team’s frontcourt. That frontcourt will receive one of its toughest tests of the season in the form of highly-skilled OSU big man Kaleb Wesson.

11. Memphis at Tennessee (Dec. 14)

In its first year back, the Memphis-Tennessee rivalry gave us a game with 194 total points, a guy pooping on the FedEx Forum concourse during the game because he “had to do what he had to do,” a skirmish at the end of the game, a difference of opinions between Penny Hardaway and Rick Barnes about what took place in said skirmish, and then Hardaway ending his press conference days later by saying: “Rick Barnes, get the f—k out of here.” So, yeah, round two is probably going to be worth your time.

10. Kentucky at Texas Tech (SEC-Big 12 Challenge) (Jan. 25)

As it enters its seventh year, the SEC-Big 12 Challenge has found a niche for itself as a nice little change of pace in the heart of conference play. This year’s headline game will feature a Kentucky team that is typically hitting its stride right at this point in the season heading to Lubbock for what figures to be a physical tussle with reigning national runner-up Texas Tech.

9. Memphis vs. Oregon (Phil Knight Invitational) (Nov. 12)

Coming into this season, there is no team in America more intriguing than the Memphis Tigers. Penny Hardaway’s team will get its first opportunity to prove it’s the real deal when it squares off against a top-15 Oregon team at the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland.

8. Virginia at Purdue (Dec. 4)

This would be a high-profile early season showdown in any year, but it admittedly gets a little bit of a bump after these two played one of the best NCAA tournament games in recent memory last March in the South Region final. Nearly all of the major players from that classic are gone, but Mamadi Diakite — the man who capped off what they now refer to in Charlottesville as simply “the play” — will be back to try and break hearts across West Lafayette for the second time in less than a year.

7. Michigan State at Seton Hall (Gavitt Games) (Nov. 14)

As good as Michigan State is, the Spartans still being an unblemished No. 1 as the calendar flips to 2020 would be something of a shock considering the absolute beast of a non-conference schedule Tom Izzo has lined up. MSU’s second major test of 2019-20 will come in game No. 3 when they hit the road to face an experienced Seton Hall squad ranked No. 12 in the preseason AP poll.

6. North Carolina at Gonzaga (Dec. 18)

North Carolina put a 103-90 whoopin’ on the Zags last year in Chapel Hill. Now Mark Few and company are looking to return the favor. While the neutral court showdowns with blue bloods have been nice, this is the type of true home game Gonzaga fans have been asking to see more of for years. Expect the atmosphere inside of McCarthey Athletic Center on Dec. 18 to be one of the best of the entire season.

5. Kansas at Villanova (Dec. 21)

College basketball fans will be given a treat right before Christmas with what figures to be a highly-entertaining up-and-down tilt between these two perennial powerhouses. A year ago in Lawrence, Kansas exacted some revenge for the beatdown it received in the 2018 Final Four by handling visiting Villanova, 74-71. Now it’s the Wildcats who will be playing host and looking for a slice of redemption.

4. Duke at Michigan State (ACC-Big 10 Challenge) (Dec. 3)

The showcase game of this year’s ACC-Big 10 Challenge is a rematch of last year’s East Region final, where Michigan State stunned No. 1 overall seed Duke and ended the college careers of Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish. The upset improved Tom Izzo’s oft-referenced lifetime record against Mike Krzyzewski to 2-11. The shoe figures to be on the other foot in this meeting, as it’s the Spartans who seem to be just about everyone’s pick to cut down the nets in 2020.

3. Louisville at Kentucky (Dec. 28)

Chris Mack’s second foray into the sport’s most contentious rivalry should see him with a team on more level footing with its in-state counterpart than it was a year ago. Both Kentucky and Louisville are starting 2019-20 ranked in the top five, and there’s a solid chance both will still be in that position when 2019 prepares to flip into 2020. Kentucky ran away with a 71-58 win a year ago, and has taken 10 of the last 12 from Louisville.

2. Kansas vs. Duke (Champions Classic) (Nov. 5)

Final Four Saturday is the only other day on the college basketball calendar where a matchup between the third and fourth best teams in the sport can be the undercard. No. 3 vs. No. 4 in New York should be all sorts of fun.

1. Michigan State vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic) (Nov. 5)

In hindsight, moving the Champions Classic to college basketball’s opening night seems like a no-brainer. A year ago, it gave us a performance from Duke and Zion Williamson that wound up setting the tone for the rest of the season. This year, it’s giving us No. 1 vs. No. 2 inside Madison Square Garden just hours into the 2019-20 slate. It’s impossible to ask for more.

[flauntpage]

Double Doink! – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 16, Bears 15

Nick Foles left the field with the lead..

and…..

…this time he won.

Holy mackerel! Holy cow! Holy cannoli! Pick whatever animal or dessert you want; you just can’t write a crazier script than that. I thought for sure we were watching a replay of the 2014 Saints game, a walk-off field goal to knock the Eagles out of the playoffs. The Foles era and the Super Bowl title defense would come to an end at the foot of Cody Parkey, who instead hit the upright AND the crossbar on the final play of the evening. It was a double doink, like that one time the WWF brought out two clowns at the same time to beat the crap out of Crush at  Wrestlemania IX. 

Seriously though, what a game. The Eagles blew opportunities and made mistakes, namely the pair of interceptions and a couple of dropped picks to go along with a bobbled third-down hand-off and some killer, drive-extending defensive penalties. I thought it was over when Chicago started picking on Avonte Maddox on their fourth-quarter touchdown drive, but “not so fast my friend,” as the great Lee Corso once said. Foles got it done, Doug Pederson just barely out-dueled Matt Nagy, and the Birds got some luck to go their way, which really hasn’t happened too often this season.

It sets up another crack at the Saints in the Superdome, this time with Foles leading the charge. If you like the “underdog” storyline, then this is your type of game. The Birds get their revenge shot and really have nothing at all to lose heading into the divisional round against asshole Sean Payton, who ran up the score in the regular season meeting.

On the flip side, the only thing we’re going to hear about this week is the “Nick Foles vs. Carson Wentz” argument, which I think will continue throughout the summer and into eternity, or as long as 94 WIP and 97.5 the Fanatic are broadcasting.

But for now let’s enjoy the win, beginning with:

1) The final drive

12 plays, 60 yards, 3:52 off the clock.

They started on their own 40 yard line with 4:48 remaining and methodically moved the ball down the field. Foles was 6-9 on the drive with a two-yard touchdown on a pseudo-sprint out that targeted Golden Tate on the goal line.

I wasn’t sure about Doug’s decision to run Darren Sproles twice in the red zone, but some of the other play calls were superb. He and Nagy really started going deep into the playbook in the fourth quarter, and Pederson rolled with this:

play action, deep seam to Alshon Jeffery

pre-snap motion, play action, Foles pressured and incomplete

trips left, fake screen left, fake screen right, RELEASE THE TIGHT END up the right seam (Goedert breaks two tackles)

play action, shallow out to Nelson Agholor, broken tackle, nice pickup

12 personnel, more pre snap motion, Zach Ertz in the middle, difficult catch

Wendell Smallwood left guard for about a yard

empty set, clear out for Agholor, incomplete

jumbo/pistol, motion Jeffery, hit him on seam for first down

Sproles run

Sproles run

Jeffery pre-snap to weakside, incomplete quick out

Foles dash right, Tate touchdown on quick out

A couple of those plays in there just featured huge individual efforts – the Goedert YAC, the Agholor YAC, and that tough catch from Ertz in traffic, the pass thrown almost over his head. Foles hit four different receivers on the drive and two different backs carried the ball. They showed some 12 personnel and some 11 personnel.

My favorite play call was #8, where they lined up Alshon in some sort of pistol/jumbo hybrid look, then motioned him down and threw it to him for about a ten yard gain. I couldn’t rip a clean video of this, because there was a hitch in the stream, so I’ll show you the diagram instead:

Wild stuff. Alshon in the pistol? Two tailbacks running flares? Two tight-ends also running routes? Really cool stuff.

I also swear I saw a Chicago three man rush in there somewhere, which was ridiculous. It could have been on the drive before this one, but still, who rushes three, ever? It should be illegal for Vic Fangio to rush three with the personnel he has.

2) Tipped!

Cody Parkey’s field goal was actually tipped by defensive tackle Treyvon Hester, which nobody realized until something like 45 minutes or an hour after the game.

This was the first clip to make the rounds:

Here’s a frame-by-frame look that clearly shows the Parkey kick was tipped by Treyvon Hester (Hester confirmed to @Bo_Wulf he tipped it). pic.twitter.com/6dOXui7Yyp

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) January 7, 2019

Here’s another good angle, and if you pause it right at eight seconds, the ball does indeed appear to be slightly misdirected to the left:

Watch this video in slow-mo…Treyvon Hester comes up with a huge block off the tip of the fingers forcing the change of trajectory in the kick…wow. #CodyParkey #FLyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/e3jBT3VazL

— Z (@KingZouric) January 7, 2019

I kind of felt bad for Parkey after the game, getting booed off the field and whatnot. But I’m sure most football fans don’t give a shit, since he’s still a millionaire.

3) Offensive success

Some 11 personnel, some 12 personnel, some timely deep shots and penalty flags, plus a few wrinkles here or there. All of that was good enough to win the game.

The Bears came into the postseason allowing 299 yards and 17.7 points per game and the Eagles finished with 300 and 18, so this matchup really played out the way a lot of people thought it would. Philly couldn’t really run the ball but stayed committed to the tune of 23 attempts for 42 yards, which is a 1.8 average. 17 of the Eagles’ 21 first downs took place through the air, two were from penalties, and the other two came on the ground.

Doug’s squad converted six of 13 third down attempts, good for 46.1%, which is 14 percentage points better than what Chicago was allowing on the season. That’s pretty significant. The Bears had only been allowing a 32% success rate on opponent third downs, but the Eagles got some key pickups to move the chains and balance the time of possession.

41 to 22 was the pass/run split, so that’s 65% to 35%, right on the money, which I think is probably where we expected it be. I would not have been surprised to see that number move into the 70% range, considering that they threw it that frequently in the Houston win.

Chicago finished with six tackles for loss and five quarterback hits, but Nick did a great job of taking those hits while getting rid of the ball and he was sacked just once on the evening. The offensive line did a nice job pass protecting against Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, and the rest of the excellent dudes on that line.

Sheil had a good stat about the line:

Eagles have faced Aaron Donald, J.J. Watt and Khalil Mack during their four-game winning streak.

Those three players have combined for a TOTAL of zero sacks and three QB hits against them.

Big credit to the offensive line and coaches for game-planning.

— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) January 7, 2019

Bravo, offensive line.

4) Defensive success

They did what they needed to do, which was put the game on Mitch Trubisky’s shoulders.

“Tru” finished 26/43 for 303 yards, a touchdown, and zero interceptions (should have been at least one), so I guess you could probably make an argument that he did enough to win them the game. He made some really nice fourth quarter throws to pick up chunk yardage and get Chicago down the field.

Four things I think the Eagles did well:

showed good discipline with Nagy’s gadgety/bullshit type of plays (which he didn’t seem to rely on as much last night as he did in the regular season)

tackled well (not a lot of whiffs)

limited Trubisky in the scramble and running game

essentially shut down Tarik Cohen until the late kick return

In addition to that, Jordan Howard only carried the ball ten times for 35 yards, so he wasn’t much of a factor. Cohen carried the ball once for zero yards, but the Eagles also limited him to just 3 catches for 27 yards and didn’t allow him to do much in space.

Trubisky took two sacks for 12 yards and ended up with nine ground yards on three carries. Nigel Bradham did a superb job spying him and moving laterally all game long, stuffing a bunch of the east/west stuff Chicago threw at the Eagles.

The only true disappointments you could point to were Maddox (who played well for three quarters) biting on those late double moves, plus the interceptions that were dropped. Allen Robinson was the only guy who did any kind of consistent damage, and the defense kept this game close when the Eagles were having trouble scoring early. Chicago averaged 23.3 points per game in the regular season and the Birds held them to 15 in their own building last night.

5) Drive positioning

In the regular season, the Eagles began their drives, on average, at their own 28 yard line.

For a while last night, the Bears were on top of the Birds with expert field-flipping, and the game finished with the Eagles starting their drives from these points:

own 25

own 1

own 7

own 25

own 32

own 17

own 17

own 26

own 14

own 40

Don’t underestimate the defensive series leading up to the game-winning drive. The Birds forced a three and out, pushed Chicago back two yards, and then got the benefit of a weak, 36 yard punt from Pat O’Donnell. That set up the Eagles with their best field position of the entire night, if you can believe it.

Prior to that drive, the Eagles only started past their season average once. If you add it all up, the Eagles started at their 20 yard line on average last night, which is eight yards deeper than their typical starting point. They really were pinned down a couple of times and did a good job of digging out. The only real nail-biting moment was Smallwood’s escape from what could have been a safety on the second drive.

6) “hey ref, you’re blowing the game”

Officiating items of note:

The Sproles 3rd down run on the third drive: He was stopped about a half-yard short of the marker and was given the first down anyway.

Michael Bennett roughing the passer: obviously he can’t punch the guy in the face, but Kyle Long is grabbing him by the shoulder pads up around the neck area well away from the play, which was corny.

The Avonte Maddox non-interception: pretty straightforward; his elbow touched down out of bounds. Avonte bobbled the first clean look, then ran out of real estate at the sideline.

The helmet to helmet hit on Zach Ertz: obvious contact with helmet, easy call.

The pass interference against Jordan Matthews: correct, Amukamara had him hooked and Matthews couldn’t free up his arm

Golden Tate: felt like he was interfered with on that no-call in the fourth quarter; the linebacker didn’t even turn his head around at all before making contact

The Smallwood two-point conversion: man, that was close.. I’d love to see goal line technology, the kind they use in some soccer leagues, though with all of the bodies in there I’m not sure how accurate the video would be

And then you have the “no clear recovery” ridiculousness before halftime, which still has me scratching my head.

Here is the explanation from the NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE:

Instant Replay Casebook, Page 11: pic.twitter.com/2YhK2qT310

— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) January 6, 2019

I guess the lesson is this: jump on any loose ball you can find, anywhere on the field, even if the whistle was already blown dead.

7) Auxiliary wins and losses

Here they are:

won time of possession, 30:48 minutes to 29:12 minutes

-2 turnover margin

6-13 on third down (46%)

1-1 on fourth down (game winning score)

allowed Bears to go 5-16 on third down (31%)

lost 8 yards on 1 sack

2-3 success rate in the red zone

3 penalties for 25 yards

They were -2 in turnover margin and found a way to win. I think that was primarily due to the great first-half defense and the way they limited Chicago on third downs. After that string of defensive penalties it was pretty much clean football down the stretch, so they really just executed well in other areas to wipe away the pair of interceptions. This was one of those games similar to a Sixers’ performance, where the turnovers don’t matter because they do well in offensive rebounding, three-point shooting, or a different auxiliary category.

The TOP is a big win as well. Plus-48 seconds doesn’t seem like much of an advantage at all, but Philly and Chicago were both top-three time of possession teams this season on the strength of their run defenses, and the Eagles went on the road and were able to do what they normally do in a difficult environment.

8) Doug’s best call?

I liked his play calls on the final drive and opening drive, particular the way he mixed and matched formations and personnel groupings and varied his under center and shotgun looks to keep Chicago off balance. Maybe he did run the ball too much, but he at least committed to the ground game, which did not allow the Bears to simply tee off in what would have been obvious passing situations. I think that probably helped the offensive line a bit.

One that I didn’t mention earlier was the Smallwood screen on that first drive, the big 22 yard gain that sort of set the tone and allowed them to continue down the field for three points. I honestly thought we might see more of Sproles in the screen game, since that’s something that stood out to me as a Bears’ weakness when I watched the film, just like Mike Mayock.

I also liked the wildcat look on the failed two-point conversion. Nice wrinkle, just about an inch away from success.

9) Doug’s worst call?

I liked the first Smallwood screen, but the one near the goal line was really iffy. I also didn’t really get the delayed handoff to Sproles on that one third down, the bobbled snap. Sometimes you can catch teams off guard with those third down runs, since they think it’s an obvious passing situation, but the Eagles weren’t running the ball for much of anything last night, so that felt risky to me.

The only other thing I disliked was obviously running Sproles twice in the red zone on the final drive. Imagine if the Eagles had lost this game; people would be outraged with those two calls and calling for Doug’s head.

10) The broadcast

Listen, I’m alright with Cris Collinsworth because it at least seems like he gives a shit about his job and shows some natural emotion throughout the course of a game. He seemed pretty dialed-in last night and identified some good X’s and O’s type of things. He did a nice job with the “color” part of color commentary.

Al Michaels was Al Michaels – kind of sleepy and only sort of there, though he did perk up at times. He blessed us with a Chase “Daniels” reference and I also appreciated how he tried make “LeBlanc” sound as French as possible every time he said Cre’Von’s last name. Michaels also had a weird sentence after the LeBlanc pass break-up/non fumble where he jumbled something like five words together. Did you hear that? It sounded like he just mushed an entire sentence into three syllables.

I also appreciate Michaels taking shots at the NFL rulebook and NFL officiating. He’s right, you know. It is easier to understand the Dead Sea Scrolls than whatever is written in that 400 page PDF file.

The only true gripe I had with the broadcast was that there were too many shots of Carson Wentz on the sidelines. Yes, he was the starting quarterback. No, he’s not playing in this current game. We are going to be subjected to 40 million hours of “Foles vs. Wentz” takes in the next five weeks, so I don’t need to see it or hear about it during the national game broadcast. Foles is in the game, so show Nick Foles.

Here’s the thing:

We are only blessed with 20-23 days per year that we can actually watch the Eagles. On the other 341 to 344 days, we just talk about the same shit over and over again, so let’s please keep it to on-field storylines when the game is actually taking place.

Thank you.

The post Double Doink! – Ten Takeaways from Eagles 16, Bears 15 appeared first on Crossing Broad.

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[yahoo-puck-daddy-blog]

Puck Daddy Bag of Mail: Avs' dominant No. 1 line, and what's fair for JVR?

How good has the Avalanche’s top line been? (Getty)

I saw my first “If the playoffs started today dot dot dot” tweet of the season and that means the playoffs are now perilously close. They do not, however, start yesterday or today or indeed even tomorrow. They start in like three and a half weeks, and a decent amount is going to change between now and then.

However, that does mean we now live firmly within the shadow of the playoffs, and every result is filtered through, “Well what does this mean for so-and-so?” I guess this isn’t true of games in which two non-playoff teams are competing — shout out to tonight’s Chicago/Vancouver tilt! — but nonetheless, they might be impactful if those teams are then playing another team on a back-to-back or something like that.

Point is, tight races, whether it’s for home ice in the first round or the last wild card spot, are pretty much everywhere and pretty much all anyone is talking about. So you’ve got questions and I’ve got answers and I’m pretty sure that’s a car store thing?

Let’s go:

Trevor asks: “Is the Landeskog/MacKinnon/Rantanen line really one of the top lines in the NHL? Also, how valuable is that in the playoffs?”

I mean I think you know the answer to the first question pretty clearly. Of course it is. Mainly through MacKinnon, they’re pouring in more goals per 60 minutes of full-strength hockey than any heavily used line in the league. Only 21 groups of three forwards have played at least 400 minutes together this year and they’re about a third of a goal per hour ahead of the next-highest-scoring trio (Nylander-Matthews-Hyman).

They do allow a decent amount of goals per 60 as well (15th out of 21 here) but they’ve outscored their opponents by 23 this season, so I don’t know what else they could really be doing.

It is, of course, vital to have a dominant first ine in the playoffs. Look at what happened to the Predators last season; they were a buzzsaw through the Western Conference, then Ryan Johansen went down with an injury. Suddenly a tough-but-reasonable matchup of Crosby vs. Johansen became Crosby vs. Fisher, and we all know what happened next. Pittsburgh ran over the Predators in the Cup Final in what would have otherwise been a much tougher series.

A good top line is not, however, going to guarantee you anything. Look what happened with Boston, which routinely has one of the best top lines in the game (it’s ninth in adjusted expected-goals percentage this season, and that’s probably something of a down year for them) but they lost to the freakin’ Senators in the first round last year. Bad stuff can happen even to teams with elite talent, but it’s still super-important to have it.

And now, a very related question.

Sam asks: “Just how big a hole is the No. 1 center position for teams that don’t have it?”

Ask yourself this: How often does a team without a No. 1 center who was not only clearly a No. 1, but widely acknowledged as a top-tier No. 1, won a Cup or even made a Cup Final?

Pittsburgh/Nashville, Pittsburgh/San Jose, Chicago/Tampa, LA/New York, Chicago/Boston, LA/New Jersey, Boston/Vancouver, Chicago/Philly, Pittsburgh/Detroit (twice), Anaheim/Ottawa, Carolina/Edmonton.

Of that group, how many teams didn’t have incredibly elite centers? The Rangers and Devils probably. Maybe you say Philly. Definitely the Oilers. But otherwise, it’s just a list of teams with truly elite No. 1 guys, and usually a pretty damn good No. 2 as well.

In theory there are, of course, 31 No. 1 centers, but given the way talent is distributed in the league, there are plenty of teams that don’t have a true No. 1. For instance, Pittsburgh has three of the 31 best centers in the world right now, so that means two teams go without. Nashville probably has two. You can go on like this.

That means there are plenty of teams that simply go without and the gap between them and the elite clubs in this league is sizeable. But honestly, don’t discount that need for a good No. 2, because look what happened in Edmonton this season with the best player in the world.

Hannah asks: “The Blue Jackets have been on the up and up for the past few seasons, but they’ve flopped in the postseason. Do you think that’ll be the case this season?”

Let me put on my If The Playoffs Started Today hat: Right now Columbus seems destined to play either Pittsburgh, Philly, or Washington, which is to say they’re probably going to play a division rival.

The kind of tear they’re on right now would obviously make it hard to pick against them, but anything can happen in the last eight games of the season.

In good conscience and all things being equal, I would feel fine picking them over the Caps or Flyers. I think those would be more or less weighted coin flips, but I think Columbus is just a smidge better than both of them, not that the results necessarily reflect it right now.

I’d have trouble picking them over Pittsburgh, though. Not just because, “Ah well the Pens are the reigning Cup champs,” but also because I don’t like how Columbus’s depth (which is fine) matches up with the Penguins’ (which is scary). I love (most of) Columbus’s defense and maybe I like about half of their offense. I love Pittsburgh’s offense basically right down to the fourth line but obviously the defense is a bit suspect. Who knows what the goaltending situation looks like for Pittsburgh, but obviously the Blue Jackets have a star.

I think it’d be a fun series and everything, but I also think I just talked myself into Columbus over Pittsburgh too. Hmm. I guess it wouldn’t surprise me.

That was weird though.

JJ asks: “When the league expands to 32 teams, should the number of teams to make the playoffs also increase?”

No. I’ve seen talk of a play-in game for the Nos. 8 and 9 seeds but honestly who cares. There are too many teams in the playoffs as it is. The NFL is 32 teams and only 12 teams get into that. And that feels like a good number! It makes total sense!

Obviously the NFL is less gate-driven than the NHL is by a factor of what I would estimate to be about a trillion. So it helps the NHL to just pack 18,000 into a rink (or 15,000 if you’re Ottawa ha ha ha) for the extra rounds. I get it and I guess it’s fine, especially because teams would hate to sit out the extra week if they started getting byes. And frankly, eight teams in the playoffs is too few.

So if the NHL, over the course of a few years, goes from getting 53 percent of the league into the playoffs to just 50 percent, that’s progress I’d take happily.

Michael asks: “Do you think there will be significant coach turnover in the offseason?”

It’s interesting. The reason no coaches were fired in the regular season (“yet,” I suppose) was that so many either had good seasons or were just hired in the past two years or so.

No joke: 16 coaches have been hired across the league since the 2016 offseason, and before that Mike Sullivan was added in mid-December 2015. All but seven of the league’s coaches were added since the 2015 offseason, so changes there are probably unlikely as well.

The only guy I can really see losing his job in that group is Todd McLellan, but the Oilers’ problems certainly aren’t his fault. Maybe Jeff Blashill too, but I’d tend to doubt it.

So let’s talk about the other seven. A few of the longer-tenured guys will probably stick around regardless of what happens in the postseason (Cooper, Laviolette, Maurice). So that whittles it down to four others, and they’re all deeply interesting.

Bill Peters might or might not survive whatever’s going on in Carolina. Barry Trotz is out of contract this summer and I haven’t seen any updates about what that means. Alain Vigneault is almost certainly gone as the Rangers rebuild. Chicago could go either way with Joel Quenneville.

I can, however, see some teams getting a little more aggressive with their changes if a guy like Quenneville or Trotz hits the market. If Quenneville in particular goes, one can easily imagine half the teams in the league at least kicking the tires on a change just because, “Well, he’s Joel Quenneville.”

David asks: “I could see Winnipeg or Nashville as Cup contenders in the Central but are there any teams in the Pacific that look threatening, or should I just pencil in whoever wins the inevitable NSH/WPG series?”

Yeah I think I said it on Twitter the other day, but I really do see the Central second-round matchup as the Western Conference Final. I’m not saying LA or Vegas would be a total pushover or anything, but it’s just tough for me to see either one winning four games out of seven against either Winnipeg or Nashville. Those teams are just too powerful!

Mike asks: “What’s a fair contract for JVR this summer and which team is most likely to give him a contract they’ll regret?”

I think there’s a difference between what’s “fair” for a soon-to-be-29-year-old having a career year shooting 15-plus percent, and what’s “fair” within the marketplace.

However, since we’re obviously talking about the marketplace, someone is going to overpay him, both in terms of years and dollars. Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot of time for James van Riemsdyk as a going concern, I just don’t see him as a consistent 50-point guy for even the next four years, let alone the next five or six, which is what I think someone’s going to give him this summer.

As for the salary, well, when you’ve scored 60-plus goals over the previous two seasons and you’ve pretty much always been good for 25 to 30 goals, teams are going to be willing to pay for that. The probably will, in fact, be willing to pay something like $6.5 million for it. That’s on the higher end, I think, but the cap might go up as much as $7 million this summer so it’s not as much as it probably sounds like right now.

As with any other forward who will be turning 30 before the first year of his new contract expires, I wouldn’t want my team to be the one giving it to him unless we really only had like one more or two more kicks at the can before we had to make hard decisions. But it’s not like he hasn’t earned that contract to some extent, right?

Chris asks: “Is Minnesota men’s hockey still a desirable job for top coaches?”

First of all, thank you for asking a college hockey question.

Second, yeah of course it is. This is probably the premier college hockey job in the country, at least in the same stratosphere as North Dakota, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

With this job opening up, Minnesota has the time to wait for the NCAA tournament to come to an end, then they can interview pretty much anyone in the sphere of college hockey, high-level Junior A, and probably even a handful of guys in the AHL or NHL assistants. This is that big and important of a job, and one assumes the pay was commensurate (Lucia’s most recent contract, which ended this season, paid him a base salary of more than $600,000, though some of that money was deferred for retirement).

So if you have, say, half a million to throw at a coach, you can hire just about anyone. Minnesota will certainly kick the tires on higher-end guys. But if one of the big criticisms of Lucia was that he wasn’t a Minnesota alum (and weirdly, that was indeed one of the big criticisms) then you have to think the search at least priortizes a guy like that. Someone who immediately springs to mind in that regard: first-year Northern Michigan coach Grant Potulny, who plaed for Minnesota in the early 2000s, played a handful of years as a pro in the AHL and overseas, then became an assistant under Luica, and more recently also at World Juniors the last two years.

Potulny took over at Northern just this past summer and they were probably better than anyone would have expected; they went from 17 wins to 25. So if you want a Minnesota lifer with a decade of experience behind the bench in various positions, Potulny seems like a natural fit. Might not be the flashiest hire, but it might not matter.

Point is: They almost certainly have their pick of the litter, but Potulny is a guy who probably checks a lot of boxes for them.

Ryan Lambert is a Puck Daddy columnist. His email is here and his Twitter is here.

All stats via Corsica unless noted otherwise.

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NCAA Latest: Sister Jean praying again for Loyola

New Post has been published on https://goo.gl/6RjQoG

NCAA Latest: Sister Jean praying again for Loyola

March 17, 2018 (AP)(STL.News) —The Latest on the second round of the NCAA Tournament (all times Eastern):

6:40 p.m.

Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt’s praying is working so far.

Admiral Schofield and Tennessee got off to a fast start against Loyola-Chicago and its biggest fan, Loyola’s 98-year-old chaplain.

Schofield scored 11 points —including three 3-pointers— in the first 4 ½ minutes, pushing the Volunteers out to a 15-8 lead.

The Ramblers, trying to get to the Sweet 16 like they did when they last made the NCAA Tournament 33 years ago, had three turnovers. Those miscues led to six points, but they’ve regrouped to pull back within three.

— Stephen Hawkins reporting from Dallas ___

6:30 p.m.

Fifth-seeded Kentucky leads Buffalo 51-42 at halftime and the Wildcats have even hit a 3-pointer.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Wildcats with 17 points on 6-for-6 shooting.

Buffalo’s guard trio of Wes Clark, Jeremy Harris and CJ Massinburg has combined for 35 of the Bulls points.

Kentucky is 3 of 7 from behind the arc. Quade Green hit the Wildcats’ first 3 of the tournament at 8:27 of the first half.

Kentucky all but ignored the arc Thursday night and failed to make a 3 for the first time in nearly 30 years in its 78-73 first-round victory over Davidson. The 0-for-6 effort snapped the program’s nation-best streak of 1,047 games with a 3 that began Nov. 26, 1988. ___

6:10 p.m.

Marshall coach Dan D’Antoni has a strong opinion about whether the Thundering Herd is worthy of playing West Virginia annually.

The annual in-state rivalry ended a few years ago, making it all that more juicy that the Thundering Herd will face the Mountaineers on Sunday night in San Diego in the East Region second round.

Asked if the Thundering Herd would go for a 2-for-1 or 3-for-1 to resume the series, D’Antoni said: “No, we’re a Division I school. You’ve got to treat us like one. I would love to play. … I’m not going to just play at Morgantown, so after that, ask West Virginia. I think it should be played. You play one time at their place, one time at our place, one time at a neutral place, whatever.”

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins downplayed the controversy, saying the schools are on opposite sides of the state.

“We don’t really cross,” Huggins said. “You don’t want to make it out to be Duke-North Carolina. It’s not that at all.” ___

4:55 p.m.

Duke has a Sweet 16 berth in the bag.

Marvin Bagley III had 22 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 2 seed Duke past seventh-seeded Rhode Island 87-62 on Saturday.

The Blue Devils (28-7) are in the Sweet 16 for third time in four years.

Duke plays Friday against the Michigan State-Syracuse winner.

Gary Trent Jr. scored 18 points and Wendell Carter Jr. had 13.

Rhode Island (26-8) defeated Oklahoma in overtime to advance to the second round for the second straight season. E.C. Matthews led the Rams with 23 points.

Hurley is a hot commodity in coaching circles and may not return to Rhode Island.

This one was never in doubt. Trent hit three 3s in the first half and the Blue Devils raced to a 45-28 lead. ___

3:30 p.m.

North Carolina hasn’t lost an NCAA Tournament game played in its home state since 1979, a winning streak that Texas A&M was unaware of as the Aggies prepared to play the Tar Heels on Sunday in a second round game in Charlotte.

Aggies coach Billy Kennedy said the statistic would be motivation for another upset at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center. UMBC made history Friday night by knocking off No. 1 seed Virginia in the final game of the day in Charlotte.

Kennedy will use the fact the Tar Heels have never been defeated instate as fodder for his team, which has been preparing for a year to end the season in San Antonio in the Final Four.

“We’re here to win, we’re not here just to show up,” Kennedy said. “The Final Four is in San Antonio. We don’t want to go there to eat chips and salsa. We want to play. In order to play, you’ve got to beat Carolina.” ___

3:15 p.m.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams was out to dinner in Charlotte with his staff Friday night watching the first half of the game between 16th-seeded UMBC and top-ranked Virginia. Although the game was tied at 21 at halftime, Williams told his staff he was heading back to his hotel room to begin preparations for the Tar Heels’ second-round game Sunday game against Texas A&M.

“There is no way that’s going to happen,” Williams told his staff of UMBC’s upset bid.

But after settling back into the hotel room he flipped over the channel to catch the second half of the game — and had the same sort of reaction most of the country did.

“Oh my gosh,” Williams said.

He wound up watching the last 4 minutes.

“Unbelievable. I was shocked,” Williams said. “I kept thinking it’s April Fool’s Day. I didn’t know what was going on.”

Williams has been able to avoid that first round upset during his career. His teams are a combined 28-0 in the first round, never having failed to reach the round of 32.

“I try not to get caught up in any records or anything like that, but that is one I have been very proud of,” Williams said. ___

2:20 p.m.

The plot is now thickening for Purdue and star center Isaac Haas.

Coach Matt Painter now says he thinks Haas will dress and go to warmups for Sunday’s game against Butler, but he said he still doesn’t expect the big man to play after breaking his elbow in Friday’s victory over Cal State Fullerton. Shortly before Painter’s news conference Saturday, a CBS reporter tweeted that Haas had practiced.

Purdue announced Friday that he was out for the rest of the NCAA Tournament, but there now appears to be some question about that.

“He ran up and down today, did a few things and worked out,” Painter said. “I don’t see him playing.” Haas was not available to reporters Saturday.

___

2:15 p.m.

No second-round flameout for top-seeded Villanova this time.

Mikal Bridges scored 22 of his 23 points in the second half and the Wildcats rolled by ninth-seeded Alabama 81-58 and into the Sweet 16 on Saturday. Bridges poured in 16 points during an 18-1 burst to start the second half as Villanova quickly pulled away.

Donte DiVencenzo added 18 off the bench for Villanova (31-5), helping the Wildcats stay in front in the first half with star guard Jalen Brunson in foul trouble.

The Wildcats had lost during the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament four times as a No. 1 or 2 seed, including last season. They overwhelmed the Crimson Tide (20-16) with a barrage of 3-pointers. Villanova finished 17 of 41 from deep.

The Wildcats will play either Marshall or West Virginia in the East Regional semifinals in Boston on Friday.

Alabama freshman star Collin Sexton finished with 17 points but also committed five of the Crimson Tide’s 15 turnovers ___

1:40 p.m.

No. 1 Villanova has a Sweet 16 berth in sight.

Mikal Bridges hit three straight 3-pointers and the Wildcats opened the second half on an 18-1 run to grab a 50-28 lead. Bridges scored only 1 point in the first half before he exploded in the second. He finished off a thunderous alley-oop then went on his 3-point spree.

The Wildcats are trying to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since they won the national championship in 2016. Villanova was upset by Wisconsin in the second round a year ago. ___

1:10 p.m.

No. 1 Villanova is getting a scare from Alabama.

The Wildcats lead the ninth-seeded Crimson Tide 32-27 at halftime. The sport is still buzzing from top-seeded Virginia’s 20-point loss to 16th-seeded UMBC on Friday night.

Alabama would love to make it two No. 1s knocked out.

The Wildcats are upset prone because they live and die by the 3-pointer. When it works, and it usually works, they are clearly one of the best teams in the tournament.

Against Alabama, they missed eight of their first 11 3-point attempts. Donte DiVincenzo steadied the Wildcats when he hit three straight 3s and added one more right before the half to give them a 5-point edge.

DiVincenzo scored 18 points in the half. ___

12:50 p.m.

The Pac-12 is out. The Big Ten is undefeated. And the SEC has the most teams left in the NCAA Tournament with six still playing after the first round.

The conference scoreboard for the 32 teams left in the NCAA Tournament is an interesting mix with 13 conferences remaining, with most of the one-bid leagues and the Pac-12 bounced in the first round.

The ACC has five teams left in the field after losing four teams in the first round, while the Big Ten, Big East and Big 12 each have four teams chasing a spot in the Sweet 16.

Here’s a look at the tournament records for the basketball’s top conferences at the start of the second round:

SEC: 6-2 ACC: 6-4 Big Ten: 4-0 Big East: 4-2 Big 12: 4-3 Pac-12: 0-3. ___

12 p.m.

The second round of the NCAA Tournament tips off on Saturday — with many fans still stunned over top-seeded Virginia’s 20-point loss to 16th-seeded UMBC on Friday night.

Fellow No. 1 seed Villanova opens the action against Alabama, as the Wildcats look to avoid a second-round exit for the second year in a row.

Second-seeded Duke will face a dangerous and veteran Rhode Island team, while Kentucky takes on 13th-seeded Buffalo — which blew out Arizona on Thursday.

No. 1 seeded Kansas will play Seton Hall, while Tennessee has Loyola-Chicago in its path to the Sweet 16. Ohio State and Gonzaga will square off in Boise. Florida and Texas Tech will meet in an AP Top 25 matchup, and Michigan closes out the day against Houston.

By  Associated Press – published on STL.News by St. Louis Media, LLC (U.S)