Let’s handle the business.
Great job by the TFP sports folks with their Black history stuff this morning. Here’s more from Hargis.
This is worth a look. Bronny James is on track to collect a huge amount of NIL money. As a high schooler.
As for the Rushmores, well, we’ll have to update later. Running short of time this morning on a lot of fronts.
Now for the mailbag.
From Allen
Jay, I look forward to your writings every day. Thanks.
How can we get you back on the radio or a podcast or something? Could you maybe try and Tweet more – you are so entertaining.
Like I would love for you to Tweet during a game that Bill Walton does because I think he’s every bit as good a announcer as Tony Romo or Aikman. (Thursday night) he said that Hakeem Olajuwon was the best international basketball player all time.
Do you agree?
Allen –
Thanks for the kind words. As for the radio and podcast stuff, well, never say never, but there is nothing in the works.
As for Hakeem the Dream, well, I may have been the only person on the planet who was heartbroken when NC State beat Olajuwan’s Houston team.
I love Hakeem and think he’s not only the best foreign-born player ever, I think he’s a top-five center to ever play.
Seriously.
From Bicycle Bob
You and your compatriot Mark Wiedmer have both recently written about how bad college basketball officiating is now. And we agree. But in an effort to help the situation, they are killing college sports, and basketball in particular, with excessive replay reviews. We watched several games last weekend, and in each, there were multiple long stoppages for reviews, often with no change to the call, or even the clock. Sometimes they spend five minutes and end up changing the game clock by two seconds. I get that the referees are trying to get it right, but they are ruining the pace of play, and the game overall.
They need to eliminate referee-initiated reviews altogether. Give the coaches a very limited number of reviews, and if they think a call is egregiously wrong, then they can spend one. Otherwise, play ball.
Do you think there is a major problem with reviews, and if so, what is the solution?
Bob –
Great question and thanks for playing along with the silliness.
This is a big-picture question for all the sports, to be honest. And you are correct, for college basketball, it’s a huge issue.
Not only in terms of calls, but in terms of flow, as you referenced.
We all want as many correct calls as possible. And the system now feels like it’s the worst of both worlds. They are not getting as many right as they should, and they are slowing play.
I honestly believe – especially in football and baseball – either get in with both feet or get out all together. Either make the moves to be as automated as possible – strike zones, ball spots, you name it – or cut it way back.
But to your point, if we are going to mingle in the middle, your suggestions make the most sense.
And why the other sports have not called tennis for their replay systems and technologies is baffling to all of us.
From Paul
So Phil speaks the obvious truth thus blacklisted and thrown under the bus bc all must suck up to the golden goose that is the PGA. Total hypocrisy and u and ur writings are part of it.
How do you sleep at night or look someone square in the eye??
Paul –
I sleep soundly. Most nights. (Side note: When I wake up, 99% of the time I’m up for good. Whether that’s 4 a.m. or 8, it’s go time. Anyone else like that?)
As for looking folks in the eye, well, most times I need to duck down a little since I’m 6-4.
That said, Phil Mickelson as the victim is an interesting take. You run with it Paul.
From JTC
“(Here’s a social media post): The Daytona 500 beat the NBA All-Star Game by +41%, the largest gap between the two events in five years.”
Are you surprised?
JTC –
Yes. A lot in fact.
To be fair, this is NASCAR’s Super Bowl and the NBA’s exhibition.
And in truth, NASCAR should look for every way to maximize the early season momentum. Especially in ways of betting and casual fan interaction.
I truly think the thing the NBA needs to fix now is the Saturday numbers, which were truly awful. And worse than the numbers was the backlash about how bad the slam dunk contest was.
They need to find some fixes – they got a slew of smart folks in the league office – because in a crowded TV landscape, made for TV events like All-Star weekend, that do not generate TV viewers will go the way of the VCR sooner rather than later.
From Chas
Question for the bag: Currently the top SEC tourney seeds are 1. Auburn, 2. Kentucky, 3. Tennessee, 4. Arkansas. If the last three regular-season games go according to KenPom chalk, The Plainsmen lose one, The Hogs lose two, and UT and UK win out. That would leave the tourney seeds unchanged.
But KenPom doesn’t take injured players into account, and if TyTy and Sahvir sit Saturday, Arkansas (at home) beats The Cats and Cal’s cagers are a 3-seed. Does your analysis differ?
(And)
Reports say Matt Ryan is set to have a cap number of $48,662,500, the largest salary cap hit for a player in NFL history. Ryan is coming off the fewest passing yards he’s had in a season (3,968) since 2010 and fewest passing touchdowns (20) since his rookie season in 2008.
I like Matty Ice, but he’s not the best QB in the league’s history, so why?
Chas –
Great question(s).
As for Matt Ryan, poor cap management by the Falcons is the actual reason. They borrowed from Peter to pay Paul and now Peter is coming to collect. With interest.The Falcons’ cap struggles is as bad as any in the league. I understand the reasoning – they believed they were close to win the Super Bowl and deferred a lot of payments and cap hits.
Those are coming due, and Ryan’s is chief among them.
As for the finish to the SEC season, I think Auburn is the deepest team, and that will pay dividends. They also match up very well with UT, so I think Auburn wins out. (I also think Bruce has them ready to play.) If UK plays without TyTy and Wheeler, the trip to Arkansas will be a chore. And a loss, if I had to guess.
But who knows? And in truth, who cares. Yes, winning the SEC regular season should mean a 1 seed, but at this point, there’s no telling what will happen.
And more important than the seeding is the matchup. Because if you are a 1 with Kansas as your 2, per se, I’d rather be a 2 with Duke as the 1 for example.
Have a great weekend friends.
Jay Greeson