John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Thinking out loud…and wondering what’s left out there to be tattooed?
• Just under a month to go before college hoop practices begin…and the first pre-season polls are coming out for the upcoming Big East basketball season. Among the favorites for pre-season player of the year…there’s no Vincent Council. Can’t say that I’m surprised, since the team’s expectations aren’t high. But if there’s a better all-around guard in the league this season, he’ll be a good one. Just sayin’…
• Council is on track to set school records in minutes played and assists…the latter snapping marks set by the legendary Ernie DiGregorio. Hey, it only took what – 38 years?
• Our friend Mike Waters, who covers the Big East for the Syracuse Post-Standard, says Ricky Ledo would have been the pre-season favorite for rookie of the year. Can we put a hold on that one until next year?
• Speaking of newcomers…Josh Fortune has already gained 10-15 pounds of muscle since he arrived on campus this summer. He’ll be needed early, since there will be only seven scholarship players available for the first nine games on the schedule…
• Want to get to know the 2012-13 Friars? Good guys, still kids…but great attitudes…
• As for the nationally ranked? One poll (Sheridan Hoops) has Louisville #1, Syracuse #5, Cincinnati 12th, Marquette 15th, and future Big East foe Memphis 19th. Notre Dame, Georgetown? Nowhere to be found, yet. It’s early, I guess…
• Kevin Ollie’s hiring at UConn might already be paying dividends…Chicago’s Jabari Parker, considered the #1 recruit in the country for 2013, has asked the new coach to come for a home visit…
• A sign of things to come? Our man Friarblog says PC and URI are battling for a couple of hoop recruits in forward Hassan Martin, and guard E.C. Matthews…
• ESPN’s Andy Katz reported URI’s Hurley brothers were in Virginia this week recruiting 6-8 Nigerian forward Ifeanyi Onyekaba – for this season. And, Onyekaba has enrolled in school, picking Rhody over Utah, Murray State and Minnesota - but a waiver to play from the NCAA will still be required…
• Courtesy of Cold Hard Football Facts – Running? We don’t need no stinkin’ running…NFL teams with higher yards per attempt in rushing the football in the first two weeks of the season are a combined 14-18…
• The biggest disappointment from last Sunday’s Gillette Stadium upset loss to Arizona came from the inability to adjust offensively after Aaron Hernandez left with an injury. Can’t help but think that’s a Josh McDaniels problem, as much as it also might be Tom Brady’s…
• Not for nuthin’…but five QB sacks in two games should cause warning bells to go off in your head…which is probably why you see Brady throwing the ball at the feet of some of his targets. Those bells are loud when they’re always ringing…
• A couple of thoughts on Wes Welker’s playing time…one, I have a very hard time believing there’s any sort of “vendetta” set against him by Bill Belichick, just because Welker didn’t agree to a contract extension in the off season. Isn’t it about winning? Isn’t that what the coach and defacto czar of the Patriots has told us all along?
• And two…realistically, Julian Edelman might actually be better as a blocker in certain personnel groupings, which is why he has some playing time. Plus, if Welker isn’t here next season (and I’m on record as saying he won’t be), doesn’t it make sense to see if you have Edelman as an option to replace him? You’ve got to give him Welker minutes and play him in Welker situations to really find that out…
• Other reasons for Welker’s decrease in playing time? Umm, Aaron Hernandez. That’s one. Gronk…Brandon Lloyd and the attention paid to them, two more…
• My thoughts on “Patriot killer” Bernard Pollard? If he can’t play this weekend against the Patriots, that’s fine with me. Responsible for the hit that put Brady out for a year, he was also the culprit on Rob Gronkowski’s high ankle sprain in the AFC Championship last January…and in the vicinity of Welker’s ACL tear a couple of years ago…
• Patriots’ lineman Brian Waters was reportedly offered three times what he was already contracted to earn this season to come back to New England and play. He said no. Either money means nothing – which might be a story in itself – or he’s determined to play on his terms, and no one else’s. Wonder if Brady had a chance to sweeten the pot? Enjoy the sidelines, Brian…
• Interesting weekend for the Joneses…brothers Chandler (Patriots) and Arthur (Ravens) square off Sunday night, although not lined up against each other (both are on defense). And middle bro Jon fights for the UFC light heavyweight title Saturday night…
• Can you imagine what the Jones’ dinner table must have been like with those boys growing up?
• NFL Films’ visionary Steve Sabol died this week, at 69 from an inoperable brain tumor. Sabol’s father Ed was the actual soothsayer in the early ‘60’s when NFL Films began putting music, poetry and unbelievable photography together with the violent sport that has captured our interest and passion. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011, and I can only imagine his son Steve will soon follow. The Sabols' idea to put microphones on coaches and players to help show the game from the inside are the rule, rather than the exception. They really changed the way we view, and enjoy, ALL sports these days…
• Really? Just over 12 thousand fans at Tropicana Field Thursday night? Even on Star Trek night, too. Evan Longoria recently wailed about the lack of support, and he’s got guts to do that…but the trouble here is there’s no one around in Tampa who gives a rats’ bleep…
• Or, maybe they’re all waiting in line for the new I-phone 5…
• Did you see Pedro Ciriaco playing centerfield the other night against Tampa Bay? I can understand developing versatility, but isn’t that a bit unfair for the other guys out there? What about Clay Buchholz trying his best to beat David Price on the mound? Seems to me spring training, or even winter ball, would be better suited for an amateur hour performance…
• Ok, ok…so the entire season has been an extended version of amateur hour…I know…
• Who says Jose Iglesias can’t hit the ball? Saw him go 3-for-4 with a homer against Tampa Bay Thursday…after hitting just 2-for-his-previous-35…
• Sometimes, you just get a season that you can’t explain. That happened to the Pawsox this year, with an incredible 69 players moving in and out of the McCoy clubhouse…and they still won the league championship. So shouldn’t Arnie Beyeler at least get a sniff at the big league job when Bobby Valentine departs? Has anyone, anywhere, been more deserving?
• To that end, as a reward for their successes, Beyeler and Pawsox pitching coach Rich Sauveur left for Fenway Park Friday to serve as additions to the major-league staff. Why not? Most of their team is already around…
• The Major League Baseball playoffs return to Washington DC for the first time in almost 80 years? Wow. You’d think that with this kind of once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, the Nationals might want to make their best pitcher available to actually, umm, pitch. Makes me want to root against them next year…
• Say what you want about Ken “Hawk” Harrelson and his homerism for the White Sox…he’s brutal…but I found his call of a walk-off hit against Kansas City embarrassingly bad. A shred of dignity should be required…
• Still trying to figure out why Toronto’s Yunel Escobar would write a gay slur – in Spanish – on his eye black patches before a recent game. Did he really think no one would notice? In this day and age? He was just kidding? Stupid is as stupid does…
• Perhaps the biggest prize fight since Ali-Frazier is looming, if Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather actually hook up in the ring. The biggest obstacle to pulling off the fight, besides the swollen egos involved, is naturally money…with Mayweather (43-0, a 5-division champ) insisting upon receiving more than Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KO’s). That’s no longer a problem, as Pacquiao says he can have it. Oh, I’ll wager he can “have it,” alright…
• NHL? Lockout? What lockout? It might not be for as much money, but it seems like most of the players worth watching aren’t locked out of anything…they’re headed overseas to play…
• Stupid, part II…the world’s first eyeball tattoo. Really?
• Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, and current Redskins’ QB Robert Griffin III, says he took some cheap shots from St. Louis Rams’ players last week. Yo, RG3. Talent, you have. This ain’t the Big 12. Mouth, you should button…
• Saw a great quote, tweeted this week by Texas football coach Mack Brown: "Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing." - Albert Schweitzer. Today’s translation: Monkey see, monkey do…
• So the vaunted Wall Street Journal is now giving an opinion on the NFL’s replacement refs? And that if they’re throwing the same number of flags as the replaced refs that they’re doing ok? Maybe next they’ll tell us the economy doesn’t still suck…
• My buddy Statbeast sez he goes to the movies to forget about the economic woes out there. Nothing refreshes the spirit more than paying five bucks for a soda…
• At least all is not doom and gloom for the Red Sox. A sense of humor is still in place for Cody Ross…
• Our mailbag question/comment this week comes from John in Winnipeg, Manitoba via Twitter: @cjrumsey1 - “Do you see Daniel Fells making it on the game day roster soon? Do you see him being on the team if and when (Visanthe) Shianco is healthy?” John: My guy @PFWErik (Erik Scalavino, Patriots Football Weekly) and I are in agreement…Fells will probably be on the game day roster this week against Baltimore, as he has returned to practice with no restrictions. He has a three year deal as well, so the expectation should be that he’ll be around for a while, even if/when Shiancoe is healthy enough to play. The Patriots, right now, are trending UP on the TE’s…
• 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 jrooke@golocalprov.com. 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 - golocal@weei.com ...
• Looking for your midweek football fix? Jump into the “Patriots Playbook” on Patriots.com Radio, every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2:00-4:00 pm ET. We’re live with commentary, interviews and your calls and questions on the Patriots and the NFL via social media. It’s a great way to break up the day at work! But if you can’t make it for the live webcast, never fear…the podcast will be near…
Comments:
vin coia
10:22am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
good , informative column , i enjoy it weekly .
however , roger mayweather , is the 51 year old uncle / trainer of
floyd mayweather .
John Rooke
11:51am on Saturday, September 22, 2012
You are correct. Shows my age! Thanks Vin.
Bobby Townsend
2:05am on Sunday, September 23, 2012
I have posted time and time again I feel Beyeler should be the next Red Sox manager. Total agreement there. Even Scott gave me a lame answer when I wrote to about it how Red Sox fans deserve a big name manager like Maddon or Farrell (WHAT!!!!) I don't care if Beyeler has never played or managed even one day in the big leagues, he has been successful everywhere he has gone and has paid his dues