caulfield12

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.

Not only that, but speed and defense is such a big part of his game. Just hope it’s not a ligament/meniscus tear. Sorry about GaTech, Pastner saved his job somehow. Btw, any good rumors on where Marcus Carr and Jamal Mashburn, Jr., are headed? Is he prevented from a B10 transfer? Finally, how did everyone fall asleep on the Pac Ten?

Looks like Engel hyperextended his left knee. Could open up the door for Hamilton.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/20/americas/brazil-coronavirus-crisis-vaccine-distribution-shortfalls-latam-intl/index.htm The next question is when the WHO, US, EU or possibly China recognize and act on the global threat Brazil poses... Also, China forcing every foreign traveler to use their own vaccines (no Stage 3 published results, efficacy as low as 50%, not authorized in EU and available there or in US) in order to enter China is just going to lead to continuing problems. Vaccine passports run the risk of stigmatizing the developing world and exacerbates inequality/access issues.

EJ Liddell carried them for most of that game...he’s kind of a tweener because of his height and potential NBA position, but he can really play. Does he go pro? State of Texas 5-0 so far but likely to lose Abilene Christian to Texas matchup. Will be interesting to see if Michigan can recover from loss of Livers. They could go out in round of 32 or definitely Sweet 16.

Robert slump continuing from last year...? I’m probably more concerned about Moncada returning to 2019 form, but things will balance out with Grandal having access to video/iPad in the dugout. For every regression candidate (Abreu, Engel, TA), there are even more who could break out...the three names already mentioned along with Eaton,Vaughn/Collins and Jimenez/Madrigal having more upside as well.

If Ilitch’s son is amenable to opening up the checkbook again...DET needs their young pitching to come through. They’re still 2-3 years away.

#3. Based on what? How about they win the division, FIRST? Games are never won on paper. Or now, online. And sure, we should win around 88-90 games at least, but, like last season, how much of that is due to Detoit, KCR and the shrinking Indians? There are three really talented teams in the AL East and then you still have the Astros and A’s. Getting to the ALCS should be the goal after winning the AL Central, but have to get much better defense from Tim Anderson to be truly elite. There’s a lot more to it, obviously, but he sets the tone for the entire team right now. And every time we’ve gone outside the organization for a highly-compensated reliever, the results have been disappointing (Koch, Dotel/Linebrink, Robertson)...until the last two seasons of Colome. Thankfully, we have 4-5 guys capable of taking that spot at some point.

I guess there are two distinct ones from Sinopharm, but nobody’s all that confident in any of them. Seems the SE Asian leaders who are making deals for the general population all are favoring AstroZeneca on a personal basis. Also, they just announced no foreign tourists will be allowed into Japan for the summer Olympics.

My wife’s company was provided a half day to get one of the Chinese vaccines, for free, and only 3/170 volunteered to go. Most or many are hesitant or waiting unless they absolutely have to travel abroad. They’re actually making re-entering the mainland through HK contingent on getting on of those 5. Also, my friend who’s a nurse said she was encouraged to get one, not required, and still hasn’t done so. So you’re going to have a massive issue in touristic countries like Thailand and Indonesia who haven’t vaccinated much of their population coming under tremendous pressure to re-open their tourism industries, especially to Chinese. We still wear masks in Wuhan at least eight months since the last active case...on subways, buses, entering malls and restaurants...you can take off after entering the latter category. But they still have what look like shacks/telephone booths all over the city with cameras and a PA system that will remind you if you’re not wearing a mask or covering the nose in quite a few neighborhoods. The fourth vaccine approved in China was their official CDC one through Dr. Gao Feng, different technology/platform/approach with that one. What’s the fifth? The CDC one just got EUA I think it was last Friday or just four days ago.

We will, we will belabor you...no, that doesn’t quite work as well substituting for “rock” in White Sox hallowed anthems.

COVID vaccines might stop a '4th wave' in the U.S. But the rest of the world isn't so lucky. https://www.yahoo.com/news/covid-vaccines-might-stop-a-4th-wave-in-the-us-but-the-rest-of-the-world-isnt-so-lucky-090020655.html Why? Because the single biggest difference between these recovering countries and the rest of the world is immunity — both the kind acquired from prior infection and, going forward, the kind acquired from vaccination. As more dangerous variants take over, hard-hit countries with higher rates of vaccination are (mostly) withstanding the onslaught. Hard-hit countries with lower rates of vaccination are (mostly) not. This suggests that until vaccination has ramped up everywhere, the virus will keep spreading, evolving and threatening to dodge our defenses. And that’s not just someone else’s problem. The more vaccines that rich countries buy up — and the slower that some of them vaccinate their own populations — the more likely it is that poorer, less protected countries will serve as breeding grounds for variants, prolonging the risk for everyone

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/03/10/dont-let-intellectual-property-rights-get-way-global-vaccination/ There’s an interesting debate on both sides of the fence about surrendering Covid 19 vaccine patents to India. As a Dem, I’d normally agree with the developing world and go against Big Pharma, but perhaps not this time.

Wilson Betemit and Ryan Sweeney should be in the HoF.

Last year of control at $8.3 million. Fits in that same category with Gausman and Paxton.

https://www.mlb.com/news/trade-deadline-candidates-2021?partnerId=zh-20210318-156906-MLB&qid=1026&bt_ee=ETezlT75fQ1b7kE10zLd6IST28p0bK4Yqkz0TndwdSrcL4ai2aaRmWiF3BE6Blzm&bt_ts=1616068161814 Sonny Gray, Luis Castillo (too much demanded), Paxton and Gausman four likely pitchers on trade market as season unfolds.