caulfield12

The Patriot League didn’t even have any non-conference this year? If I was Illinois - I’m running a drag Kofi PnR to the middle with Donsumu in the corner. They won’t help off him and you’ll get lob after lob. When they adjust, you have a kick-back for a close out situation with Ayo. I have zero idea what they were running on ‘O’.

Let’s get it on like Donkey Kong.

A lot of the advanced metrics have them as even better than the 2018 version. NET or BPI, KenPom or Sagarin, one of them has Loyola around #10 in the country.

Or wait one more year for ND, although Loyola’s likely to have a somewhat down year losing their two best players. Licklighter (responding to Dick Allen) rode the coattails of coaches and recruiters before him, basically. The crazy thing is he was a National Coach of the Year at Butler. And to think Brad Stevens was actually in his (Licklighter’s) car on the way to Iowa to join Lick as his top assistant when he got a call from the Butler AD asking if he would come in for an interview to be the next Butler head coach. Had Stevens come to Iowa we might have been good. ... I remember the first time I met Lick. It was right after he was hired and he came to a Polk County I-Club golf event in Des Moines. I happened to be working on the I-Club board at that time. I am not a fan of public speaking, nor am I a huge fan of making small talk with people. That being said, compared to Lick I seemed like Nancy Grace. He was so uncomfortable talking with people and when they asked him to get on stage and give a brief send off to the golfers it was one of the most uncomfortable moments I have experienced. I almost felt sorry for the guy. My absolute first thought was how does a guy this media bashful get to be the head coach at a Big 10 program - especially in a state where Iowa athletics are THE show in town. Lick NEVER connected with the fans. All around, his brief stint in Iowa City will go down as one of the worst coaching hires in U of I history ... On paper, his resume looked great ... But it's sort of like we hired a guy to run the IT department ... only to learn he's just really good at video games. from Hawkeye Report Fired in the last few years by Marian (IN) University.... https://www.thegazette.com/2011/04/05/transfer-wheel-keeps-spinning-with-iowa-basketball It should be noted that Licklighter lost Aaron Fuller to USC, Cody Larson to Florida and Ben Brust to Wisconsin...those were all legit D-1 recruits.

Brewers, Twins, Cubs, Cards, Sox, Royals...can even argue Rockies for far western Iowa.

I’ve jinxed him by losing him for the first time in three years to a rival ten team rotisserie league owner who picked hum first overall. I did pick up Wander Franco, Mackenzie Gore and Vaughn on waivers. At least have Giolito and Robert. I know, I know...nobody cares about travel pictures or someone else’s rotisserie league or baseball card collection, lol.

Neither CVS nor Walgreen ever publicly committed to Azar's rapid deadline. But in early December, CVS CEO Larry Merlo promised a quick rollout. "We're ready to go," Merlo said in a virtual meeting with investors and analysts. "Once the vaccine hits our facilities, we expect to be in those long-term care facilities within 48 hours later beginning to provide vaccinations in the arms of what is our most vulnerable population." Both CVS and Walgreens declined to comment for this story. In its announcement on Monday, CVS called its inoculation effort "on schedule based on program parameters." Walgreens, which has a similar but smaller role in the effort, said last week it expected to finish administering its first doses in nursing homes this week. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cvs-walgreens-vaccine-nursing-homes/ Dr. Virginia Banks says if the U.S. really wants to bring the pandemic to an end, it’s going to take mobile vans of vaccines in neighborhoods where people don’t have transportation — and even giving shots at hair salons and barber shops. As thousands of pharmacies get shipments of doses and start vaccinations at their stores this week, the country is taking a significant step toward reaching more Americans. Public health officials and advocates, however, say that won’t go far enough in communities where people have been the sickest. More Black and Hispanic Americans have been hospitalized and died from Covid-19. They often face bigger barriers to get vaccine, too: A lack of transportation. A juggle of multiple jobs. Hesitance because of past mistreatment by the medical community. CVS Health and Walgreens will play a bigger role in the effort as a federal program ships doses to more of their stores and those of other retail pharmacies. The expansion represents a business opportunity for the nation’s two largest pharmacy chains as they get paid for each vaccine and draw more foot traffic to stores. The vaccine rollout will also test the companies’ commitment to expanding health-care access in Black and Hispanic communities. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/13/cvs-and-walgreens-have-a-chance-to-make-covid-vaccine-rollout-more-equitable.html

Interestingly, Trout is not featured in the OD ESPN promo. Tatis has the most air time, but you start off with Acuna, you’ve got Soto, Bellinger, Betts, TA in throwback Sox jersey, a Rays’ player running around diamond after ALCS victory, Bo Bichette, Gleyber Torres, etc. Very little promotion of Yankees and Red Sox.

Pretty impressive he got Custer away from Creighton, Missouri, SW Mo State, Wichita State and even KU (did they even recruit him?) It’s basically the modus operandi for Iowa basketball and football. Garza was around #150 out of high school. Keegan Murray was lightly recruited despite his dad being a McDonald’s All American. Recently, only Joe Weiskamp and Tyler Cook, and McCaffrey’s son Patrick were top 100 guys. CJ Frederick was overlooked by all the top Indiana schools. Same with Jack Nunge, who was having a breakout season before his second major knee injury. Heck, add Tony Perkins, too. They lost DJ Carton to OSU/Marquette and Xavier Foster to Iowa State.

https://www.mlb.com/news/2021-farm-system-rankings?partnerId=zh-20210322-156906-MLB&qid=1026&bt_ee=czhlFIrxMy1vIbpkU%2FaH2rc23rl0VQXBDVNg68tzEnlv9EZNtQAKN7xMARUI3ldv&bt_ts=1616413454949 Fifth in the AL Central...Padres still 6th.

Definitely a far cry from Alita: Battle Angel...looks like Ricky Schroeder or Brady Bunch ‘do on that kid.

I-Rod is a tough argument to make with all the steroids accusations. Fisk and Posada are the two arguments for catchers peaking around age 30 and doing well into their 30's/40's. Of course, Posada was also right in the middle of the steroids era. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/plenty-of-catchers-peak-after-30-will-the-mets-get-lucky-with-james-mccann/ Elston Howard, Piazza (mostly from offense/steroids again) and Gary Carter are the only others over 21 fWAR in their 30's, with I-Rod #6 at 21.3. Posada at 32.5, Fisk at 39.5, the obvious anomaly or outlier in the group.

Then we can just bring back Omar Narvaez, haha.

4,000 hits and sub 600 OPS. The first in MLB history. Denied admission to HoF by "Sabes-influenced" BBWAA voters.

Isaiah Miller from UNC-Greensboro has been one of the most impressive athletes in the tourney... PAC-12 now 7-0 in the tourney, if you count Oregon's walkover against VCU. NET RANKINGS 15 Colorado 19 USC 33 Oregon 44 Arizona (ineligible) 46 UCLA 91 Oregon State

Can't really get behind cheering for UCLA or Syracuse. ORU, Loyola, Abilene Christian and Oregon State would be a lot more fun. Also, unfortunately that Drake wasn't playing at full strength, but anytime you break a fifty year winning drought in the NCAA's has to be a cause of celebration, even if it was "just" a play-in game.

Next we're getting Rodon for 2021 Cy Young I would imagine...

Cunningham was looking to be the big "breakout" star of this whole thing. Looks like Abmas (NCAA leading score) and his partner in mayhem on ORU are going to steal the spotlight, along with Sister Jean. That said, I wouldn't count OK State out yet. Really wish De'Vion Harmon was able to play for OU against Gonzaga. That would at least give them a legit test. Who knows, teams playing without one of their best players can sometimes rise to the occasion, but doubt OU has the scoring firepower to go toe to toe with Gonzaga's trio.

Rutgers just choked away an 8 point lead in the final four minutes. Would have been a nice story. Sampson can really coach, but character issues galore. Big Ten down to just three remaining, Michigan, MD and Iowa.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/royals-extend-salvador-perez-with-largest-contract-in-franchise-history/ Not to mention the ill-fated Alex Gordon deal only $1 million behind Grandal’s...personally, this move feels like the last one the Sox gave to Konerko. It won’t end well due to his size and injury history. Mostly at 1B/DH. 2021: $13 million (part of previous contract) 2022: $18 million 2023: $20 million 2024: $20 million 2025: $22 million 2026: $13.5 million club option ($2 million buyout) With $82 million in new money, Perez's extension is the largest contract in Royals history, surpassing the four-year contract worth $72 million the club gave Alex Gordon in 2016. The $20.5 million average annual value makes this the third-richest catching contract in history, trailing only J.T. Realmuto ($23.1 million) and Joe Mauer ($23 million).

Wisconsin’s not going to have a prayer at this 75-80 point pace. You’d have to think Minnesota or Indiana would be idiots to not consider Moser. Or Northwestern, when/if Collins follows the Coach K coaching tree out the door along with Brey at ND. Marquette is too obvious as another regional Catholic school, but with considerable resources for recruiting. PS: Sister Jean must be the most famous 100+ year old US woman in decades, haha. More screen time than AJ McCarron’s gf at the time.

Almost have to predict Michigan and Iowa going down tmrw. Weird thing is MD and Wisconsin outperforming. Losing twice to Indiana...and Illinois, not really a Top 4-8 team in the country. Not with that defense. Only really impressive win of the year was in Columbus. (Attempts strategy of low expectations. But even Lunardi is picking Oregon. And then you have the Pac 12 at 6-0 so far. That said, no way I’d bet against them, either.)

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-beach/article250090249.html Miami, Spring Break, Covid...who could possibly have foreseen a problem?

VCU out of tourney for Covid-19 positives. As an Iowa fan, Oregon gets to rest but not getting that first game out of the way also can be a disadvantage as well. 23 years since their last Sweet 16 under Dr. Tom Davis.

Interesting. When he got up, he was grabbing the left knee, thought it locked, but it must have been that last step.