Let's tend to business.
Rushmore of movie golfers. Caddyshack version, Ty Webb, Danny Noonan, Bishop Bickering (he was on his way to setting the course record, "Rat Farts") and, of course, Judge Elihu Smails. Non-Caddyshack version is Roy McAvoy, Happy Gilmore, Shooter McGavin and The Legend of Bagger Vance (although Matt Damon's swing was an awkward as folding up a rusty lawn chair).
Rushmore of real celebrities connected to video games — John Madden, Mike Tyson, Bo Jackson and Bill Walsh, who had his name on the first version of the college football game for Sega back in the day.
Rushmore of movies with a hard connection to newspapers — "All the President's Men," "Spotlight," "Absence of Malice," "Citizen Kane."
Rushmore of unbreakable records in American professional team sports — Wilt averaging 48.5 minutes per game in 1961, Cy Young's (fill in the blank here I guess but) 511 wins (and his 300-plus losses), Rickey Henderson's 1,406 stolen bases (that's 20 straight years of 70 steals and still needing a few more bags, friends) and Boston winning eight straight NBA titles.
You know the rules. Here's Paschall with more updates on UT's spring football drills and the continued praise for Mr. Boo Carter. Not many know it but Boo was my given name. I just go by Jay.
From a bunch of you
Mark Pope? What?????
Gang,
Well that escalated — or deflated maybe? — in a hurry.
So Kentucky has been on the roller coaster.
They should have been better over the past several years. They have been very good, to be fair. They wanted to break up with John Calipari, and he obliged.
Then the full gambit was covered.
All the names were bounced around. Heck, I thought Nate Oats was headed there and I even convinced myself that Billy Donovan was in play.
And then, after a relatively quick search, arguably the most prestigious program in college basketball hired Mark Pope.
And he did this on social media.
OK.
BYU was better than a lot of folks realized last season. Pope is a UK alum and a former national champion player.
Still, I am left less than wowed by this hire.
And I have never been one of the "hire from the family" line of thinking.
Thoughts?
From Joe
I am a big college hoops fan. I've tried watching women's basketball a few times through the years and it never resonated with me. A few things I noticed watching the women's tournament are the number of 3's they jack up and how many are airballs. The civility of the women's game is so noticeable. The girls get knocked to the floor under the basket and they get up and dust themselves off while the guy in the same situation, gets in the other guy's face with a couple of (choice words). Cool, fundamental bounce passes are a larger part of the women's game, too.
I fully appreciate Caitlin Clark and her accomplishments, but I'll be returning to not watching women's college basketball. Of the huge rating numbers you quoted, what % were those that have heard so much about her, and out of curiosity tuned in for the first time? I bet it was large. It was her last game and folks figured this might the only time they get to see her before she steps into the abyss that is the WNBA.
Viewership for women's college hoops is trending up like you said, but it is my belief the games return to a pause while channel surfing and if Sports Illustrated is still limping around 10 years from now, Caitlin will be in the "Where Are They Now" issue.
Joe,
That's a fair stance, because we have no evidence that women's college basketball or the WNBA will or can maximize this Caitlin Clark moment.
But the NBA was in a similar situation when Bird and Magic entered the league in 1980.
Heck, the NBA Finals were broadcast on tape delay on CBS after the local news before those dudes saved the league.
Clark is every bit that kind of star. Can her former sport and her future sport maximize that exposure?
I'm not sure, and I see your point 100%. I watched more women's college basketball this year than I have in the last five years combined, but every game featured Clark.
And, reports now have that as many as 36 of the Indiana Fever's regular-season games will be on the WNBA broadcast.
Heck, I said this earlier this week, but I looked for Indiana at Atlanta WNBA tickets because my daughter loves watching Clark, too, and those prices were already three times more expensive than regular Atlanta Dream prices.
I hope for the league's sake they have a better plan than the quick cash-in register as they try to make the most of the player who is the biggest star her sport has ever seen.
From Clint
Have not gotten an email with plays for at least a week or so. Maybe I am not on the list any longer?
From Matt
Jay, how is it that I only get your Plays when they lose?
Guys,
We are working on the wrinkles in the new system, but I appreciate your patience.
In truth, the back and forth tug of war around the plus-100 units mark has been maddening for me, too.
I will check with the web team to make sure you folks are still enrolled.
Thanks again.
From Mike
Jay, did you see OJ died?
Mike,
I did. What a real-life tragedy — for all involved.
I remember where I was during the Bronco chase.
I remember where I was when the verdict came out. Heck, it was my 25th birthday.
I don't remember him at USC or with the Bills, but the highlights are clear.
When he was on the football field, as the kids may say, he was killer.
Wait....
From Tom
OK Jay, let's hear your Lucas Black golf story?
Tom,
So, one of my primary rules is when I play a fancy golf course that has caddies, always ask them who is the most famous person they have carried a bag for.
My guy at East Lake one time told me that when Michael Jordan was playing for the Bulls, he came to the ATL to play the Hawks and showed up wanting to play a round.
Nike shipped him a full set of clubs and golf attire when his limo pulled in.
He played 18 and lost thousands of dollars and scurried out of the clubhouse to get to the Omni for the game. The caddie thought, "Man, he just lost five figures but he's going to stiff me?"
Turns out he left the entire Nike set of clubs — used once — as a tip.
As for Lucas Black, the actor can really play golf. And he was in a tournament at The Honors playing in a group with Steve Bartkowski and Steve's son.
Both Bartkowskis apparently love the movie "Sling Blade" which stars Billy Bob Thornton and a very young Black.
So they get to the back nine (No. 10, if memory serves) at The Honors, and the Bartkowskis have not had the chance or nerve to mention their fondness of Black's work yet, and Lucas finds one of the treacherous bunkers out there. Remember, after playing the course in the 1980s, Lewis Grizzard famously said, "I did not know that Ooltewah was the Cherokee word for double-bogey."
Black needs more than a couple of swings to get off the beach and when he finally emerges he unloads a river of curse words that may still be hanging over the eastern part of Hamilton County.
As he's walking to the green, the younger Bartkowski dead-pans just like Carl in "Sling Blade" with "Young boy like you ought not be talking like 'at" and the whole crew busted up.
Caddie said it was a great back nine from that point forward.
Enjoy the weekend, friends.