Ball is tipped
So, we have a bunch of folks who had Baylor as the first 1 bounced. Including me. But my South Dakota State pick crashed like Dick Trickle late on a Superspeedway back in the day.
And while SD State had a late push before being bounced on the first day, check out these two graphs from last Thursday’s NCAA projections, one half right and one all-too-correct, sadly:
“My picks for the first out, last it: Give me Baylor as the first out (UNC will be a handful in round 2) and South Dakota State as the last double-digit to be dancing.
“Other random thoughts: I think Auburn needs USC to beat Miami. The Hurricanes with their perimeter-oriented offense with five out – including a real stretch-five that will pull Walker Kessler from the lane – and bigger guards will give Bruce’s bunch fits.”
Alas.
That said, there are several folks with a chance to sweep both picks since there are four double-digit seeds still dancing.
No one has Saint Peter’s, which surprises no one because Saint Peter’s coach, if he filled out a bracket, likely would not have had Saint Peter’s. Heck, Saint Peter filled out two sheets in the “Heavenly Wings and Things and Brackets” pool and had Kentucky on both of his too.
With Iowa State there is George A., Mark W., Chas, Mike R., and Terry P.
With Miami there is Doug D., Chris B., and Joey T.
With Michigan there is Justin S., who is a monster Michigan fan and who has enjoyed multiple victory laps since the Fighting’ Juwans win over UT. (And yes, Fighting’ Juwans just rolled off the keyboard like a 12-year-old dark liquor.)
So there you go, and if I missed your entry, please raise a hand. Congrats.
And curse you South Dakota State. And you too Miami.
NFL trade
OK, I guess because of all the off-the-field nastiness in recent years with Washington and Robert Kraft and DeShaun Watson and a slew of others, the NFL realized that we need to fill the late winter and spring months with other kinds of news.
Because there have been more big trades from The Shield than on the stock exchange floor in recent days and weeks.
Arguably the two best WRs in the game – Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill – have been on the move. Multiple Pro Bowl QBs – Russell Wilson, Watson and Matt Ryan to name but three – have been dealt. Free agency is crazy, and anything but free.
OK, first some picture observations:
The league is embracing two 5-at-10 philosophies – maximizing the cap space of QBs on rookie deals and when the window opens push chips like the Rams did to win the whole kettle of fish. (Side question: The phrase “kettle of fish,” friend or foe? I’m leaning toward foe, because who really wants a kettle of fish? And while we’re here, does anyone really want all the tea in China? Where would you keep all that tea and transporting it would be a major pain.)
Anywell, the Dolphins merged both those philosophies and are giving Tua every possible advantage. They are three-deep in the backfield. The Dolphins TE-WR1-WR2-WR3 quartet may be the best in the league with Mike Gesicki-Hill-Jaylen Waddle-DaVante Parker. And they added a starting tackle to a mediocre at best O-Line.
Tua, whatcha got?
And for all that excitement and chip pushing, the Chiefs won this deal going away.
Sure they lose the game’s best field-stretcher, but if you know that you have one of the game’s three best QBs under contract for the next decade at big dollars, you know you can’t give Hill the extension he wanted. And that the Dolphins gave him four years and $120 million is mind-blowing. (Side note: Unless the Dolphins are going to cut him in three years, the Dolphins may be the first front office to embrace the QB reboot and draft a serviceable signal caller every four to five years to play on that rookie deal. It’s a bold strategy Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for them.)
The Chiefs already have Mecole Hardman, who is Hill-lite. They now have a bevy of picks over the next several drafts, including an extra one this year, which includes arguably the deepest WR class in recent memory – all those dudes at THE Ohio State, the Alabama duo, the monster targets from USC and Arkansas. Nevermind later-round stars like George Pickens. (Book it friends, Pickens will be an absolute stud and would be the first WR off the board in this cycle if not for injury.)
So the deals keep coming in the NFL and two distinct philosophies are being served: The Dolphins pushing chips and maximizing a rookie QB deal, and the Chiefs reloading the draft cupboard by dealing a luxury piece who would have broken their cap to build around a generational QB.
I sure do like pumpkins, Cotton. (Side note: Jason Bateman is wicked underrated and I promise you, this side of Eli and Peyton doing Monday night football, I’d watch Cotton and Pepper from ESPN the Ocho in “Dodgeball” call just about any sporting event.)
Say what
OK, we all fell in love with Joe Pederson and his evening wear – pearls really do go with anything – during the magical fall run of the Braves last year.
Good times.
Pederson is now with the Giants, and his outgoing stances continue.
Pederson, who was forced to “settle” on a one-year deal making “only” $6 million to hit his projected .234 in 450-plus ABs, blasted small market teams in general on social media.
“Embarrassed for your fan base … be better. If you can’t, sell (your) team to somebody that wants to show the fan base and baseball they’re at least trying to compete,” Pederson tweeted. “Sorry unacceptable.”
So your concern is for the fans, Joc? Or is it that you did not get the deal you thought you deserved? Hmmmmmmm.
Yes, Pederson added a graphic on his post that showed the difference of at least $200 million between the top three and the bottom three MLB teams in terms of total payroll.
And that’s striking, but if you’re an Orioles fan, and you have limited resources, do you really want $6 million of your projected $42 million payroll going to Joc – not Sloan – Pederson? Yeah me neither.
And since the players would rather walk from city to city for eight straight doubleheaders in Macon, Georgia, July heat than agree to a salary cap, moaning about the salary floor seems just as far-fetched, no?
And this is coming from a guy who normally supports the players in matters like these, but c’mon Joc, be as sensible as your accessories, sir.
This and that
– You know the rules. Here’s Paschall on UT’s bumper crop of running backs. Side question: Bumper pool, the game, friend or foe? Side question on the side question: Bumper Pool, Arkansas linebacker, friend or foe? Discuss.
– Hey, Paschall is a busy guy, but here’s a second college football story, this one on former UTC star Cole Strange, who is turning heads in the NFL draft scouting process.
– His Texas A&M basketball team has backed up Buzz Williams’ angst. Williams railed on the NCAA for leaving the surging Aggies out of the NCAA tournament. Now A&M has marched to the semifinals of the NIT. So there’s that.
Today’s questions
Free for all Thursday, fire away.
And remember the mailbag. And let’s go Texas Tech, end the Coach K-sera, sera Kry-fest already.As for today, March 24, let’s review.
R. Lee Ermey would have been 78 today. He was a great ‘that guy’ actor, and we have discussed a great collection of ‘that guy’ actors before.
Ermey was of course the Sergeant in “Full Metal Jacket.”
Rushmore of movie sergeants, go. And remember the mailbag.