John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud

John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud

Thinking Out Loud…while wondering why local guys sometimes just can’t catch a break…

• Butler moving into the Atlantic-10 a year early – this year – makes that league incredibly tough. Arguably, it’s as deep as it has ever been, when you consider Temple and Charlotte will still be around for next season before they move on. 16 teams…18 conference games…URI gets a “taste” of what it might be like to play in the Big East…

• The rich get richer…how in the world does Trey Ziegler, transferring in from Central Michigan, become eligible to play right away at Pittsburgh? Ziegler’s father Ernie was fired from CMU (and replaced by Keno Davis), so it’s understandable why he would transfer out of the program. But why is he eligible right away? Because his dad was fired? If the NCAA is going to side with the player in this case…this bears watching as a potential precedent when it comes to considering other player eligibility cases. Like Ricky Ledo’s at PC…

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• It’s official – the Pitinos will battle on the court this next season on Dec. 19, as Rick’s Louisville Cardinals will “invite” son (and PC grad) Richard’s FIU Panthers to KY for a spankin’…and a nice paycheck…

• Syracuse is upset with the Big East over having to play in the SEC-Big East Challenge this year, with athletic director Darryl Gross saying his team is "overextended." Hmmm.  Pittsburgh is upset they are not playing in the nationally-televised Challenge, after athletic director Steve Pedersen says he thought the Panthers would get a home game...and got nothing.  How does this happen?  Payback is a **tch...

• Former URI standout Keith Cothran, who led the 2010 Rams to the NIT semis at MSG, was shot in the head during a “drive-by” shooting late Wednesday night in Hamden, CT. Thoughts and prayers are certainly with him. Reportedly, he is recovering, up and walking…

• I must admit…my old team is anything but old. The San Antonio Spurs have completely schooled the NBA’s Western Conference…and with the Celtics still teetering on the brink, perhaps we’ll all get the chance to see LeBron get schooled (in several ways) by Tim Duncan and company…

• San Antonio had 20 straight wins before Thursday night? Either the NBA is really down, or that’s just plain nasty…

• And the Spurs’ new rally cry? “Putting the “nasty” in Dynasty.” Love it…

• Rondo’s 44 Wednesday night puts him at a different level in the NBA. If he wasn’t before, he’s one of the game’s superstars now. And Ray Allen needs to understand that it’s all over. It’s painful to watch him play. He can still shoot…but then again, so can Joe Hassett…

• Crying about officiating is one thing…but really, have you seen worse than what you’ve seen in the first two games of the Celtics-Heat series? Putting Tim Higgins aside of course, Friar fans…

• I will not be convinced that the NBA doesn’t actually dictate what teams they want to win. They probably don’t “fix” things, but let’s just say the pre-tournament pow-wow with officials is no “kumbaya” session, either…

• What’s wrong with pro basketball? Tim Donaghy’s betting scandal. Because of his transgression, whenever a game is poorly managed (and they HAVE been that, at least) the refs are all considered “on the take.” No integrity = no shot for the underdog = no real interest. Time for Commissioner Stern to show leadership here to correct the situation, or step out of the way and let someone else do it…

• You know what was really shocking this week? Watching the Red Sox batter Justin Verlander – perhaps the best pitcher in the game – to the tune of 10 hits and six runs. Without several of their starters in the lineup, btw…

• Daniel Nava’s double off of a 100-mph Verlander fastball in the 4th inning of that game on Tuesday was one of the best pieces of hitting I’ve seen in some time. And Nava wasn’t even on the Sox’ 40-man roster to start the year…

• From ESPN Stats Info…Will Middlebrooks’ homerun Wednesday night against Detroit took all of 2.84 seconds to go from the bat to the Green Monster – the fastest any HR has left a park so far this season. That is must-have info…

• Oh, and the pitching help that might have been out there for the Sox? Gone to Texas. Roy Oswalt’s signing with the Rangers this week puts Texas firmly in the American League drivers’ seat…

• Big Papi won’t be swinging in the All-Star homerun derby this year? Good. Maybe he’ll have some swing left for the second half of the season…

• It wasn’t quite a “Wonder Boy” moment, but did you see where the Pawsox’ Lars Anderson knocked a chunk out of the video board at McCoy with a homerun this week? Steve Hyder on the call – here’s the link: http://t.co/1oilKQZI

• No surprise that SEC football coaches want the proposed four team college playoff to include the Top Four nationally-ranked teams, with no tie-ins to conference champions. They often have two teams among the nation’s top-ranked. This will be a real test for the sport, and for intercollegiate athletics overall. If the SEC doesn’t get its’ way, I could see an eventual withdrawal from the NCAA…

• However, if you truly want to value the regular season, which college football says it does…then conference championships ultimately must matter. And if you can’t win your league title, really…how good are you? With the conference tectonic plates still shifting, maybe LSU, Florida and Georgia should consider leaving the SEC if they can’t beat Alabama…

• Ok, no one really cares…but how in the world did the New England Revolution lose a game they led 3-0…in stoppage time? The Harrisburg City Islanders of the 3rd division USL scored three times in the final nine minutes Tuesday night – again, already in extra time – and then won in a shootout. Embarrassing…

• So I’ll ask the question…if a 3rd division club beats an alleged 1st division club (the Revs ARE in MLS), does this mean pro soccer is improving in this country? Or does it mean this was just a colossal collapse by a bad team? Just sayin'…

• NFL Films said this week that the Miami Dolphins were the only team offered the slot to appear in their “Hard Knocks” series this fall. Huh? When did Miami sneak back into NFL relevancy?

• Stupid is as stupid does…I was worried. The Pro Bowl will be back next February, and in Honolulu. Just shows how much NFL players value a free trip to Hawaii. Wouldn’t a Punt, Pass and Kick competition between the “pro bowlers” be more interesting?

• Not for nuthin’…but I think I could actually care about the Pro Bowl if I received a free trip to Hawaii…

• My buddy Statbeast sez he’s basically a carefree guy…he doesn’t care as long as it’s free…

• Nothing free here…the SEC (and member schools) will be able to print $$$ if their “Project X” comes to fruition. Project X is apparently the nickname for the potential SEC TV Network that ESPN has been discussing with the league about launching as a separate channel. If the Big 10 Network is worth over $8 million to each of its schools, what would SEC schools rake in?

• That’s why the PAC 12 is launching its’ own network. And with a national footprint, shouldn’t the Big East also be considering their own TV network as an alternative to any upcoming negotiations? They’d better be…because I’m hearing the Big 12 is really putting the press on Notre Dame to bolt from the Big East. Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds referred to the “five strong conferences” several times during Big 12 meetings this week. Take what you will from that…

• Still don’t think San Diego State-to-the-Big-East makes any sense? It makes plenty of cents for the Aztecs. School President Elliot Hirshman told the San Diego Union Tribune this week even if the new media deal this fall doesn’t meet current expectations, his football program still expects to receive an estimated $6.4 million per year…up from the current $1.2 million they receive from the Mountain West…

• With budget shortfalls to overcome in California (boy, does that sound familiar), SDSU is looking for any and all opportunities to increase revenue. Even if Boise State decided to stay closer to home and remain in the MWC (they have announced their intentions to remain committed to the Big East), President Hirshman says “there’s great value in a national conference,” and the Aztecs remain “very, very positive about the Big East...”

• Greatest Tweet ever? Saw this from T. Boone Pickens, Oklahoma State booster, donor and overall sugar-daddy: “The first billion is a helluva lot harder RT @Drake: The first million is the hardest.”

• It really received very little play nationally, but Alcorn State’s hiring of Jay Hopson as head football coach is a big move. He’s a young guy, has some baggage, but he’s also white. And Hopson becomes the first white coach in the history of Alcorn State, and in the history of the predominantly black SWAC…

• Brown’s hiring of Mike Martin as head basketball coach may prove to be a great move. It certainly looks like he has the pedigree to make things happen. But it leaves me wondering what someone like Bob Walsh has to do in order to get a shot? Walsh has had huge success at RIC, and was the hidden element behind a lot of the success Tim Welsh had while at Providence. Should he be second-guessing his move to become a Division III head coach, rather than stay as an assistant in Division I?

• Our mailbag question/comment this week comes from John in North Providence: “Is T.J. (Sorrentine) staying (on as a Brown assistant hoop coach)? John: Yes. Even though Mike Martin’s ties to the school are strong, it’s great for local basketball to have someone with Sorrentine’s (St. Raphael Academy) local ties included with building a local success story. He’s a success story himself, and a rising star in the business. Smart move by the Bears, they may not keep him long…

• Interested in having your questions on local RI sports (including the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Send ‘em to me! It’s your chance to “think out loud,” so send your questions and comments to [email protected]. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, @jrooke0722…and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...

• And you’re up early anyway…don’t forget to join us for GoLocal Sports on 103.7 FM, every Saturday from 7:00-9:00 am! Call in (401) 737-1287, or text 850850…and send email to the show - [email protected]