John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Thinking out loud…and wondering what it is about college basketball that has me so attached to it?
• I set out this week on a mission of self-discovery, and arrived at the Top 10 reasons why I love college basketball…#10 – any sport that includes nicknames like the “Wizard of Westwood” has my attention. “Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – a John Wooden quote…
• Why the one-game wild cards in baseball? Through the first two days of coverage, TBS averaged 3.9 million viewers, up +26% over last year’s first two days of postseason coverage. The two Wild Card Games averaged more than 4.6 million viewers, up +61% over last year’s first day of coverage and also exceeded the average 4.2 million viewers for the entire 19-game 2011 Division Series. That’s why…
• Say it ain’t so…Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman are splitsville, after three decades of marriage? In Hollywood, no less…
• West Virginia football is the real deal after going down to Texas and edging the Longhorns, 48-45 last week. QB Geno Smith is having a remarkable season. What quarterback throws 24 TD passes with 0 interceptions? Lest we forget, this was a team forged in the Big East…no matter its current conference affiliation…
• Speaking of the Big East and football – two things which haven’t gone together well in the past – you might want to start paying attention, if you aren’t already. There are three teams ranked in the Top 25 this week (Louisville, Rutgers, Cincinnati), and one of those could emerge as a 12-0 champ that will gain plenty of national respect. Add to that the Big 10 is mediocre – at best – and the ACC is so bad that Duke (yes, Duke!) could be the best football team in the league this year. Don’t shovel dirt on the Big East just yet…
• If this doesn’t add legitimacy to the Big East adding Boise State, I don’t know what else will – the Broncos are facing probation from NCAA violations that will reduce the number of football scholarships they hand out this year…and next…from 85 to 82…if ya’ ain’t cheatin’, ya’ ain’t tryin’...
• Why I love college basketball…#9 – any sport that celebrates the first day of practice with late night madness must be fun to follow…
• Not for nuthin’…but kudos go to Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Eric Winston for calling out KC fans, who cheered when QB Matt Cassel was knocked out of the game last week against Baltimore in a 9-6 loss. Not only was it disturbing, it was just plain classless…
• Even without arguably their most versatile offensive player in Aaron Hernandez, the Patriots are top 5 in the NFL in total offense (1st), turnover differential (T-1st) and red zone offense (T-4th)…
• All 4 teams in the NFC West are above .500, including this week’s Patriots’ opponent, Seattle; according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last division with all teams over .500 this late in season was AFC South (Week 5 2010)…
• The times, they are a’ changin’…from ESPN Stats & Info… so far this season, the NFC is 15-6 vs. AFC; last time either conference had a .700 win percentage against the other through Week 5 was in 1998 (AFC 15-5)…
• Need any more evidence that the Patriots could be in for a battle in Seattle? The Seahawks have one of best run defenses in league--3rd-best in NFL at 66.6 rush yards per game allowed…
• Why I love college basketball…#8 – coaching personalities are so much more a part of their teams’ fiber. UConn personified Jim Calhoun’s toughness…Louisville takes on Rick Pitino’s slickness…and the Friars are taking on Ed Cooley’s feistiness…
• Alex Karras was one clever, talented man. One of the NFL’s best in the decade of the ‘60’s, who knew a defensive lineman from Detroit would go on to become “beloved” as an actor? Perhaps it was George Plimpton’s “Paper Lion” book and movie that pushed him toward the screen…but a generation of 40-somethings remember him best as George Papadopolous on the TV show “Webster.” He passed away this week at 77 years of age, due to kidney failure. But he’s also responsible for one of the best movie quotes of all time: "Mongo only pawn in game of life...''
• Congrats to PC Friar Class of ‘88’s Eric Ziady, who was named this week as the new athletic director at Delaware. Ziady had been senior associate AD/business operations at Boston College since 1998…
• Former St. John’s guard Nurideen Lindsey has been granted eligibility to play immediately at Rider…citing a need to be closer to home. Wonder if this will have a positive effect on PC’s petition to the NCAA for Sidiki Johnson’s eligibility in the first semester? Lindsey played nine games for the Red Storm last year…Johnson played all of seven minutes at Arizona…
• Why I love college basketball…#7 – cheerleaders, bands and mascots…
• Show of hands here…who else thinks that by the time the New York Jets get to Foxboro next week, Tim Tebow will be the starter at QB? Stupid is as stupid does…
• Quote of the Week, from NY Jets QB Mark Sanchez: “Rex Ryan has faith in me...”
• The definition of “reeling:” the Buffalo Bills' defense…
• Watch for Patriots’ rookie DB Alfonzo Dennard to continue to get more repetitions in games, especially if the secondary struggles. Desperate for athleticism in the backfield, Dennard has the ability to make plays that have been hard for Devin McCourty and Kyle Arrington to make…
• Why I love college basketball…#6 – Madison Square Garden, in March…
• New England is fortunate to have beaten Denver last week, and protected Tom Brady as well as they did. Broncos’ LB Von Miller is FAST. I don’t see any sophomore slump in him, at all…
• Would you like evidence that Peyton Manning is rounding back into his former self? Manning didn't complete a pass thrown for more than 20 yards downfield in his first 2 games (0-5, 3 interceptions), but has since gone 7-13 on such throws…
• I’ve always thought that Pete Carroll got a bad rap for his time spent as Patriots’ head coach in the late ‘90’s. Did he succeed beyond expectations? No. But he also didn’t quite have the control over the team that Bill Belichick enjoys, either. He’s a solid defensive coach, at the very least…and his current Seattle team is proving that…
• 11 former teammates have accused Lance Armstrong of doping? Don’t we have to ask what their motivation might be here? For some, getting to the truth might be the answer, but I’m not buying into all of that. Armstrong maintains stoic silence. There’s more to this story, than meets our eyes and ears…
• Why I love college basketball…#5 – early season non-conference tournaments, and the chance for mid-majors and lesser-knowns to jump up and surprise the big boys…
• David Ortiz and Cody Ross will be back with the Red Sox next year, one way or another. Can’t imagine Daisuke Matsuzaka or Aaron Cook sharing the same fate…
• And I don’t usually like to make wild predictions…but I do think the Red Sox will try to shop Jacoby Ellsbury…especially if they believe next season won’t be a potential playoff contending year. Why pay big money in the final year of his contract if it won’t ultimately mean anything?
• Yes. The Sox need an off-season splash, unless they decide to pull in the reins on expenses next year. Go after Josh Hamilton, or B.J. Upton. If you don’t, don’t dare raise ticket prices after the season you just had…
• Pawsox manager Arnie Beyeler will not get an interview to manage in Boston…instead, he’ll be kept on as manager in Pawtucket. Good news for the Pawsox…but if anyone deserves an interview, it’s Beyeler. The man knows how to run a club with a revolving clubhouse door, personally knows most of the players on the roster (and coached/managed most of them), and wins. And isn’t a farm system supposed to be there for you, when you need help? What else do you need?
• Hammer him if you must, but I find Yankees’ radio announcer John Sterling almost comical, in a “crazy uncle” sort of way. His calls may be obnoxious (especially to Boston fans), but they’ve begun to take on a life of their own…
• You do remember, don’t you…that Sterling began his broadcast career by spinning records (vinyl discs, if you’re wondering what they are) and deejaying for WPRO-AM in the 1960’s…
• Does this mean that Johnston’s pre-eminent DJ, Pauly D, will be the future voice of the Yankees? Stranger things have happened…
• The baseball playoffs have been pretty entertaining, as have the political debates on television. Am I showing my age when I can’t decide between Yankees-Orioles and Biden-Ryan?
• Why I love college basketball…#4 – can’t get enough of Dickie V’s “diaper dandies” diatribe. When he gets rolling…
• Tweet of the Week, from Sports Illustrated’s @SteveRushin: “Sports are cruel. At tonight’s Steelers-Titans game, Cameron Diaz will feed popcorn to Raul Ibanez…”
• An appeal to Nike, Under Armour, Adidas and any other uniform manufacturer out there who has a contract with a pro or college team – please put down the LSD, and stay away from the moronic “special” uniforms we’re having to endure. Maryland’s football uniforms are the most hideous ever designed. How about Baylor’s neon basketball uniforms? Step away from the edge, please…
• Of course, you realize that these special re-designs are designed themselves to sell, sell, sell more gear, right? But I will give Nike credit for the new Seattle Seahawks uni’s…
• Something tells me Brandon Spikes is making Bill Belichick’s job a little tougher to manage this week. Some people simply should not Tweet. Or open their mouths at all…
• Why I love college basketball…#3 – rowdy, sometimes obnoxious student sections. And big heads. Love big heads…and crazy team nicknames (Go Banana Slugs!)…
• Rick Pitino said this week he now no longer plans to retire in 2017, that he’ll keep coaching as long as his health allows. Good for Louisville, good for the Big East (losing Jim Calhoun this year, and Jim Boeheim next year)…bad for schools recruiting against the Cardinals…
• The early returns on Celtics’ rookie Jared Sullinger are all positive. I wonder if he can endure an NBA season, but Boston might have had the steal of the draft last June…
• This week’s sign of the Apocalypse: A new iPhone app that lets you find a single Jewish person to date. If you wish, of course…
• Why I love college basketball…#2 – pre-season expectations are sky high for everyone, no matter the team you root for…
• Congratulations to Moses Brown’s Sam Yules, who was named a 2012 National Football Foundation National High School Scholar Athlete. The award goes to college freshmen, based on their high school accomplishments. Yules is currently attending Stanford, and was selected with four others from more than 450,000 high school football players across the country. First bestowed in 1991, the NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Awards have become one of the most prestigious high school honors in the country. Criteria for the award include but are not limited to academic achievement, athletic accomplishments and leadership in the community…
• You might not like or even appreciate women’s college basketball, but it is played at the highest level around here. A Big East team (UConn, Notre Dame) has won eight national championships in the past 16 years, and seven in the past 12. Just sayin’…
• One of the great characters in college sports has left us, as Carroll “Beano” Cook passed away this week at 81. Arguably one of the most-knowledgeable college football analysts anywhere, the “Cardinal of College Football” was a former publicist at CBS and ABC, responsible for starting the now-common occurrence of moving football games to accommodate television…back as early as 1969. Beano was born in Boston (hence the nickname), and attended Brown but graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, where he had moved with his family as a young child. He was also a former Sports Information Director at Pitt, and the media room there is named after him. He’s been a TV and radio contributor on college football for ESPN since 1986, and a frequent guest on many of my radio programs through the years. Irascible, yet thoughtful…Beano was also insightful, if nothing else. He was, and always will be, a friend…and I will miss him…
• I heard this story about Beano years ago, and confirmed it with him…while at Pitt, a lady called into his office before the season started, demanding a copy of the Panthers’ football roster. He told her it might be best to wait, since there were about 120 names or so during pre-season workouts…and they would be making cuts soon. She was adamant, however, about getting the whole thing. When he asked why, she responded by saying she wanted to sleep with everyone on the team. Beano then answered her by clearing his throat, and saying, “Ok, in alphabetical order, starting at guard…Cook, Beano…”
• More Beano one-liners – this one came in 1981, after then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn offered lifetime passes to baseball games to the US hostages returning from Iran. Cook responded "Haven't they suffered enough?" And my personal favorite, since he hated to fly - "You only have to bat a thousand in two things -- flying and heart transplants," Cook said. "Everything else, you can go 4-for-5…"
• Why I love college basketball…#1 – because unlike the NBA, the players CARE about every game, just like the fans care. And waking up knowing it’s Game Day. There’s nothing better…
• Our mailbag question/comment this week comes from Joshua in Fairfax, VA, via Facebook: “Hey John, I do not have a single memory of Mr. Faulk because when his name gets brought up, all I can remember is the numerous amount of times when the Patriots had their backs up against the wall or on a key 3rd down, Brady would drop back and simply pitch or throw it to #33 and he would then make a 2-3 yard gain into a PATRIOTS FIRST DOWN..” Joshua: Well said. I’m glad you did. For the uninitiated, Kevin Faulk retired from the Patriots and the NFL this week after 12 seasons…
• 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:
R Hertz
9:10pm on Saturday, October 13, 2012
John, if WV's the real deal, what does that make your Longhorns? NOW WV appears to be "a team forged in the Big East". There's not a top 25 team to be found in the Big East, (AP top 25 not withstanding). Playing Fordham? Ohio State and Florida State could lay a serious beat-down on any Big East team.
John Rooke
10:59am on Sunday, October 14, 2012
I certainly don't think Florida State could...they beat USF 30-17 and nearly lost that one. wvu's defense is flawed...as is Texas'. But the offense is still as dynamic as ever. And come back to me after you watch Louisville or Cincinnati play. I'll wager you haven't even seen them, just because you don't THINK they're any good. Oh, and Rutgers has a pretty good "D"...the Big East isn't the SEC or the Big 12, but they aren't the dog people seem to believe they are...
R Hertz
12:52pm on Sunday, October 14, 2012
The State/USF wasn't that close, Fla. St. let by 20 the throughout the 4th quarter until USF closed out the scoring. I would have used the Louisville/NC game if I were you and wanted some proof the the Big East could play with the big boys. Great game. The difference between the BE and the stronger conferences is the BE lacks a title contender. Overall they are pretty balanced and competitive, without a real dog this year.
Bobby Townsend
9:07pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Arnie Beyeler is the best man for the Bosox managerial job, but won't get an interview. It's just not fair, I don't care if he never played or managed in the big leagues previously.
West Virginia AND Texas (football) are not that good.
I think John has to quit flirting with Suzyn during games.