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Wild Card Could’ve Been an Ace

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Red Sox Host Yankees in AL “One & Done”

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Oh what a difference eight games has made. Fresh in their minds, the Red Sox have the recent series loss of blowing two-of-three to Baltimore from September 28-30, but do you remember those three straight games lost to those same Orioles to start the season? Then there was the other recent would’a, could’a, should’a – the devastating three-game sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees September 24-28. That’s eight games in the loss column right there.

The 2021 Boston Red Sox rarely lost three games in a row during the season, but when they did, they were clinkers, for sure.

Three losses to the rival Yanks (August 17-18) cost them dearly, as did dropping 12-of-15 in a mid-summer swoon from July 28 to August 10th. That midseason debacle included five losses in six games against the 100-win Tampa Bay Rays, the champions of the American League East.

In Major League Baseball, it’s the price you pay for losing important games during the season while still managing to win an impressive 92 games. Both the Sox and the Yanks finished 92-70 and earned the right to play a single-elimination game on Bill James‘ birthday.

The 92 wins bounced the powerful Toronto Blue Jays (91-71) and the September red-hot Seattle Mariners (90-72) from wild card contention. Those two teams will be looking back at the 162-game schedule and lamenting opportunities lost and saves blown. It is not the last we will hear from the young, talented and offensive juggernaut Blue Jays, that is for sure.

It could be worse, as the Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves in this one-and-done Fall Foolishness after winning 106 regular season games, one shy of the 107-55 San Francisco Giants, the surprise team of this year of COVID-19+2. Can you imagine? winning 106 games, second-most in the majors and being subject to the one-game boot, depending on the performances of LA’s Max Scherzer and St. Louis Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright.

While contemplating all the ‘game of inches’ aspects of Baseball, a thought made famous by Hyman Roth in The Godfather, Part II, and said to myself, “This is the business we’ve chosen.” The rules were written in plain English before the start of the season and the results are clear.

Playing in a Major League Baseball wild card game could be replaced by dozens of other mechanisms to determine a true postseason participant. “Spin-the-Bottle” might be appropriate and quite easy to orchestrate if you had 18 players stand in a circle, the starting nine for each team alternating one by one. A sponsor, such as Bud Light, would eat it up, if MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred chugged a beer, put down the long neck and gave it a spin to decide if the Red Sox or Yanks would advance to a “real series.” Winner plays on Thursday night on FS-1, if you can find it on your dial.

Maybe the Bruins and Rangers could settle the wild card, competing in an NHL-style shoot-out on behalf of their brethren. After all, one-on-one breakaways to settle a hockey game is even more ridiculous than spin-the-bottle or a one-game elimination after 162 game season, isn’t it?

How about jump shots from the top of the key? Boston would pick Larry Bird to represent the Red Sox and the Knicks? Well, Charles Oakley, or even better, Ken “The Animal” Bannister, might do well for Go New York, Go New York, Go!

The fact of the matter is that these “One-and-done-tobers” might go the way of the “No Pepper” signs, as MLB is contemplating a 16-team postseason to be enacted as early as 2022. The future first round would be best-of-three series which seems a bit more reasonable, although not great. The problem at hand for MLB, the season can’t begin any earlier in March nor end any later into November, unless Canada Goose becomes the official uniform supplier.

The club owners and the television networks want more programming. The players want more money. The fans will get what MLB serves up, and chances are, they’ll like it. After all, it can all boil down to one pitch, one blown save, one Baltimore chop single, or one Steve Bartman fan-interference fiasco.

Baseball. It’s a game of inches and first pitch is 8:09pm (EDT) tonight.

 

While We’re Young (Ideas) – October 3

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TL’s Sunday Sports Notes

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The NBA began its 75th Anniversary celebration in typical NBA style, and that was to come out of the summertime hiatus and walk immediately into training camp with self-inflicted controversy. It happens more often than not. Instead of fans delving into the playoffs and NBA title contenders, the most promising rookies, blockbuster roster moves or coaching changes, the headlines go elsewhere. This season, instead of reminiscing about the league’s 75 best players of all-time, we’re talking the vaccinated and unvaccinated.

Although some 90-95% of the NBA’s rank and file players, plus all of the coaches, assistant coaches and athletic training staff are all vaccinated against the coronavirus with hope of fighting off COVID-19 and its Delta variant, the remaining five percent grabbed every NBA headline as the league conducted Media Days in every franchise city.

From Andrew Wiggins in Golden State to Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn to Bradley Beal in Washington DC, the unvaccinated few became the story. So be it.

The NBA forewarned the fact certain state and local government jurisdictions will have their own say on the matter and players will not be able to enter the very arena where the games are to be played, one being the Barclays Center in Brooklyn which would cut Irving’s season in half, right off the bat.

The league made matters known about foregoing paychecks for those games, the NBA Players Association, in transition at both the President (Chris Paul to CJ McCollom) and Executive Director (Michelle Roberts to Tamika Tremaglio) levels, are encouraging vaccinations and pointing out their Union membership is vaccinated at a much higher rate than the American public rates. Joining the NBA players, the NFL, MLB and NHL unions are also encouraging vaccinations while the NBA league is requiring all personnel who interact with the players at practices and games be fully vaccinated by this past Friday, October 1.

Players who choose not to be vaccinated will undergo extensive testing procedures throughout the season and teams will go to the length of securing separate transportation and dressing facilities, as best they can arrange.

What is an amazing juxtaposition on the issue? The fact the NFL was lauded as its season kicked-off and to some 93.5% vaccination rate for the players, yet the few NBA players are being criticized despite the slightly higher (up to 95%) rate of vaccinated union members. Go figure?

The voice of reason this week was the point of view of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the retired NBA legend, Hall of Famer and very high on the short list of the NBA’s all-time greatest players.

“The NBA should insist that all players and staff are vaccinated or remove them from the team,” Abdul-Jabbar told Rolling Stone (magazine/online). “There is no room for players who are willing to risk the health and lives of their teammates, the staff and the fans simply because they are unable to grasp the seriousness of the situation or do the necessary research. What I find especially disingenuous about the vaccine deniers is their arrogance at disbelieving immunology and other medical experts. Yet, if their child was sick or they themselves needed emergency medical treatment, how quickly would they do exactly what those same experts told them to do?

In its lengthy article (highly recommended by WWYI) Abdul-Jabbar said that players who remain silent about the (COVID-19) vaccine are no longer legitimate role models.

“They are failing to live up to the responsibilities that come with celebrity. Athletes are under no obligation to be spokespersons for the government, but this is a matter of public health,” Abdul-Jabbar detailed to Rolling Stone in an e-mail. The former LA Lakers’ team captain, Milwaukee Bucks superstar and UCLA all-time great remains especially disappointed in athletes of color: “By not encouraging their people to get the vaccine, they’re contributing to these deaths. I’m also concerned about how this perpetuates the stereotype of dumb jocks who are unable to look at verified scientific evidence and reach a rational conclusion.”

TO GET YOUR OWN FULL DOSE OF WHILE WE’RE YOUNG (Ideas): Click HERE.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: As stated, short of the vaccination controversy, this column would’ve begun with my personal list of the 75 Greatest Players in NBA History. As the league prepares to unveil its official list, I’ll list mine but will do so in groups of 10, holding back my Top 10 and my choices for No. 60-75.

NBA AT 75: You can plan to read about my Top 10 NBA Players of the first 75 years in next Sunday’s column. This week, I’ll start with my “Next Ten,” listed in alphabetical order, you’ll notice) and move along until I hit No. 60.

NBA at 75: Next 10 or No. 11-20:

Rick Barry

Tim Duncan

Julius Erving

Karl Malone

Moses Malone

Dirk Nowitzki

Hakeem Olajuwon

Shaquille O’Neal

Bob Pettit

Jerry West

And, the Next Ten: (21-30)

Charles Barkley

Steph Curry

Kevin Durant

John Havlicek

Allen Iverson

George Mikan

Scottie Pippen

David Robinson

John Stockton

Isiah Thomas

And, the Next Ten: (31-40)

Bob Cousy

Walt Frazier

George Gervin

Dan Issel

Sam Jones

Bob McAdoo

Kevin McHale

Willis Reed

Dwayne Wade

Bill Walton

Next Ten (which is my No. 41-50):

Ray Allen

Nate Archibald

Dave Bing

Dave Cowens

Artis Gilmore

Hal Greer

Elvin Hayes

Earl Monroe

Lenny Wilkens

James Worthy

The Next Ten: (51-60)

Paul Arizon

Billy Cunningham

Clyde Drexler

Alex English

Patrick Ewing

Reggie Miller

Jason Kidd

Wes Unseld

Russell Westbrook

Dominique Wilkins

WHO’S GOT NEXT? That leaves the naming of a relatively easy Top 10 list of NBA players and then the more difficult (No. 61-75) to be named in this missive next week. Joining the final list, I’ll also name a small group of players who will remain “On the Bubble.” Although they remain worthy of consideration and would make almost anyone’s Top 100, the challenging aspect of this celebration is drawing a line at No. 75.

I chose to list in groups of ten for a strong method of easy organization and an attempt at some level of talent grouping, but, in reality, I ask: Can anyone say whether Nate “Tiny” Archibald is better or worse that Elvin Hayes? Or whether David Robinson was better than Dan Issel, Bob McAdoo or Wes Unseld?

It’s impossible to factor in the changes in the game over the years, the comparison of point guards to centers or power forwards or whether the players made their teammates better or those who might’ve been void of talented teammates? Would Utah’s John Stockton be a lock at an all-time great if he didn’t have Karl Malone finishing at his side?

At the “NBA@50” celebration with the late, great Wilt Chamberlain at his side, Bill Russell casually explained to the assembled media that there are simply a lot of “ties” for best, asking no one, “Can you say Oscar Robertson was better than Jerry West or Elgin Baylor?” No. They’re all in a tie for first.”

In the past, the NBA celebrated its history with an NBA 25th, 35th and 50th anniversary teams.

Boston’s Training Camp Roster

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BOSTON – (Source: Official Team News Release) – The Boston Celtics announced today that they have signed guards Ryan Arcidiacono, Garrison Mathews, and Theo Pinson, and forward Juwan Morgan, finalizing the team’s 20-player roster that includes nine returning players, three NBA All-Stars, and one first-year player.

Arcidiacono (6-3, 195), 27, joins the Celtics after previously spending his first four NBA seasons with the Bulls from 2017-18 to 2020-21. The four-year Villanova standout produced 4.8 points (43.1% FG, 37.3% 3-PT, 80.7% FT), 2.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 17.6 minutes in 207 games (36 starts) with Chicago, while shooting at least 37.0% from beyond the arc in each of his last three seasons. Arcidiacono has made at least three 3-point field goals in 14 games over the past three years, including a career-best five threes at Milwaukee on Nov. 28, 2018.

Mathews (6-5, 215), 24, has averaged 5.5 points (41.3% FG, 38.9% 3-PT, 89.1% FT), 1.4 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.5 steals, and 15.4 minutes in 82 career games (24 starts) over two NBA seasons with the Wizards. The Franklin, Tennessee native played in 64 of the team’s 72 games in 2020-21, producing 5.5 points on 40.9% shooting (38.4% 3-PT). He notched five games of 15+ points, including a season-high 22-point performance on 6-of-12 shooting (4-7 3-PT) against Miami on Jan. 9.

Pinson (6-5, 212), 25, has played in parts of three NBA seasons with Brooklyn and New York from 2018-19 to 2020-21, averaging 3.0 points (30.0% FG, 89.5% FT), 1.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 9.0 minutes in 68 career games. Pinson also spent time in the G League with the Long Island Nets between 2018-19 and 2019-20, where he produced 19.6 points (44.2% FG, 38.4% 3-PT, 82.9% FT), 6.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 34.8 minutes in 43 games (all starts).

Morgan (6-7, 232), 24, has played in 50 games over two NBA seasons with the Jazz, shooting 51.8% on 56 field goal attempts (1.4 ppg), while averaging 1.1 rebounds. A native of Waynesville, Missouri, Morgan also played in 15 games with the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League in 2019-20, producing 14.3 points on 60.1% shooting, 7.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.7 blocked shots.

The Celtics’ current  20-player roster features nine returners from the 2020-21 season, including a pair of 2021 NBA All-Stars in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, and the team’s longest-tenured player in guard Marcus Smart.

Five-time All-Star and 14-year NBA veteran Al Horford rejoins the Celtics, after having previously played in Boston from 2016-17 through 2018-19. He joins an experienced group of newcomers, which include veteran guards Josh Richardson and Dennis Schröder, forward Juancho Hernangomez and center Enes Kanter.

Boston opens preseason action against the Magic at TD Garden on Oct. 4, its first of four preseason contests.

While We’re Young (Ideas) – Sept. 26

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TL’s Sunday Sports Notes

BOSTON – Is there a chance this simple sports column can jinx the United States’ Ryder Cup team to go out this Sunday morning and lose to Europe despite owning an 11-5 lead after two days of foursomes and four-ball?

No Ryder Cup team has ever coughed-up this sizable lead and lost on the final day of the competition. Of the 12 singles matches played on Sundays in Ryder Cup tradition, the most points ever secured was 8.5 by the USA at the memorable 1999 event at The Country Club, here in Brookline.

Back then, Sting had just released “Brand New Day” and Enrique Iglesiastopped the charts with “Bailamos.” … Serena Williams won her first Grand Slam tennis title while Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The West Wing made their television debuts.

Like the Summer Olympic Games, the 2020 Ryder Cup was delayed a full year with a no-brainer decision by the PGA of America. This week, Whistling Straits has been a jewel for the sport with a gorgeous setting near Lake Michigan in Kohler, Wisconsin – not far from Sheboygan.

Here’s the singles line-up which will begin at 12:04pm (EDT):

Singles Matches: (USA 🇺🇸 vs. Europe 🇪🇺)

Xander Schauffele vs. Rory McIlroy

Patrick Cantlay vs. Shane Lowry

Scottie Scheffler vs. Jon Rahm

Bryson DeChambeau vs. Sergio Garcia

Collin Morikawa vs. Viktor Hovland

Dustin Johnson vs. Paul Casey

Brooks Koepka vs. Bernd Wiesberger

Tony Finau vs. Ian Poulter

Justin Thomas vs. Tyrrell Hatton

Harris English vs. Lee Westwood

Jordan Spieth vs. Tommy Fleetwood

Daniel Berger vs. Matt Fitzpatrick

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: On a picture-perfect Autumn afternoon in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, big-time College Football was put on display yesterday when Missouri visited Boston College. The Southeastern Conference versus the Atlantic Coast Conference in a game of huge importance to both teams with the Missouri Tigers 0-1 in SEC play and the Boston College Eagles starting their day 3-0, overall, but yet to play an ACC opponent.

Here’s a brief look at the day – as a fan not a reporter – attending the game on the bucolic campus of Boston College.

11am – No plans for a “major” tailgate but meeting time was 11:30 at the Merkert Building parking lot. Traffic in Newton and Chestnut Hill was plentiful and cars were parked about as far away from BC’s Alumni Stadium as one could remember.

11:30am – Easy meet up with my hosts who furnished a delicious “New England Style” Chicken Salad sandwich, complete with cranberries. Cold water was the beverage of choice, although the beers and Bloody Marys were flowing like Holy Water all across the campus.

12 Noon – With the game to be televised as the opener on ESPN2, kick-off was prompt and we were in our seats in ample time, a slight overcast blocking strong sun rays that would peek-out all afternoon.

Right from the opening drive, everyone in the building knew we were in for a high-scoring affair. In 10 plays, Missouri marched down the field against a formidable BC defense and scored first 7-0.

In only four plays, Boston College tied the game when RB Pat Garwo III marched 67 yards for the score, 7-7. About two minutes later, Missouri’s Tyler Badie plunged for a four-yard TD, 14-7 Missouri after the first quarter.

12:30pm – The student section, located in the end zone and behind the BC bench in Alumni Stadium filled-in nicely, as the tail-gate beverages were guzzled down and the Bud Lights began to flow inside.

Boston College quickly tied the game, 14-14, as Jaden Williams caught a seven-yard pass from the Eagles’ QB Dennis Grosel who was doing an admirable job filling in for the injured starter Phil Jurkovec, who was standing on the sidelines with a small cast covering his right (throwing hand) wrist.

The teams traded field goals with Missouri converting a 28-yard kick and Boston College scoring on a 49-yard boot by Connor Lytton who is kicking in place of the injured five-year PK Aaron Boumerhi, who injured his hip.

Halftime – 17-17 and a new ballgame, as the Boston College marching band did a rendition of “Rocky.”

1:30pm. – The start of the third quarter coincided with Boston College taking control of the game, scoring 10 points to take a 27-17 lead in impressive fashion. Lytton came through with a big boot, again, hitting a 31-yard kick after a 16-play drive which ended with only :40 seconds on the quarter clock.

Missouri struck back, however, scoring 14 unanswered points to start the fourth quarter on nine-play and 11-play drives which made the score 31-27, Tigers.

With 6:18 remaining, Boston College was in control of their own destiny as they began to “matriculate” down the field. Fifteen plays later, Travis Levyscored from the five yard line and Lytton pounded the all-important extra point through the uprights to put Boston College up 34-31 with only 0:25 remaining in the fourth.

Missouri wasted no time and quarterback Connor Bazelak coordinated a final drive, undaunted. Five plays later, with time expiring, PK Harrison Mevis hit a 56 yard field goal to put the game into overtime. Bazelak would end the day 30-for-41 with 303 yards.

On the first possession of overtime, Boston College scored in five plays as WR Zay Flowers, nursing an injured hamstring, scored on a 10-yard pass from Grosel.

3:34pm – Boston College’s Brandon Sebastian made a game-ending interception when Missouri’s Bazelak tried to score on his first pass attempt in overtime. Seconds later, the BC student section rushed the field to celebrate the victory over a respected SEC opponent.

Boston College will now await possible inclusion in the College Football Top 25 rankings, and in doing so, they must take notice that North Carolina State, their next home opponent, upset Clemson and the Wolfpack enjoyed a storming of the field of their own yesterday in Raleigh, NC.

RUSHING THE FIELD: Boston College caught a fair amount of shade on social media as their students flooded the Alumni Stadium field after the game-winning interception by Brandon Sebastian. … Field rush and storming the court in basketball can be dangerous affairs and the NCAA legislates again the practice. … It’s one thing when a school upsets a Top 10 opponent at home, but, in yesterday’s case, Missouri is considered a “middle of the road” contender in the SEC. … What was not factored in in most media or social media accounts was the fact that Boston College’s 41-34 victory capped an emotional day and highly entertaining college football game, complete with the ebbs and flows of a playoff game. … For BC, it was also parents weekend and the plague of the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to disappear for a few hours as the BC Alumni Stadium security staff double-checked for proof of vaccinations upon entrance. … It was the first time since March 2020 that the fans could let loose and it was the result of a win that might place the Eagles in the Top 25.

USA Strives for Historic Ryder Cup Day

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KOHLER – The last time the USA Ryder Cup team was in such control of a tournament, it was 1979 and The Knack’s “My Sharona” was the No. 1 hit in the country and USA team captain Billy Casper was treated to a 17-11 win at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. America’s Larry Nelson went 5-0 just as ESPN launched as a small cable network in Bristol, Connecticut.

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This Sunday morning, the United States leads Europe 11-5 as the singles portion of the 43rd Ryder Cup will soon begin. Twelve matches will commence and the USA will begin with a -5000 wagering advantage.

Tee Times range from 12:04pm to 2:05pm (EDT).

No team has ever come back to win from a six point Sunday morning deficit. But, 12 points are on the line today.

Sunday Morning Scoreboard: UNITED STATES 🇺🇸 11, EUROPE 🇪🇺 5

Ryder Cup Leaderboard (link)

Overall Scoring (RyderCupCom)

Singles Matches: (USA vs. Europe)

Xander Schauffele vs. Rory McIlroy

Patrick Cantlay vs. Shane Lowry

Scottie Scheffler vs. Jon Rahm

Bryson DeChambeau vs. Sergio Garcia

Collin Morikawa vs. Viktor Hovland

Dustin Johnson vs. Paul Casey

Brooks Koepka vs. Bernd Wiesberger

Tony Finau vs. Ian Poulter

Justin Thomas vs. Tyrrell Hatton

Harris English vs. Lee Westwood

Jordan Spieth vs. Tommy Fleetwood

Daniel Berger vs. Matt Fitzpatrick

USA Stays Hot at Ryder Cup Day 2

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KOHLER – At 9am (EDT) today, coverage of the 43rd Ryder Cup switched from Golf Channel to NBC and as they made the switch, the USA’s Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger were 3-up after three holes over Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia, Europe and Spain’s very best.

YouTube player

In the second match this morning, Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawabegan Saturday morning foursomes just as hot as their teammates, and lead (at 9am) 3-up through three against Europe’s Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton.

Europe’s Bernd Wiesberger and Viktor Hovland grabbed a 1-up lead over Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth while Lee Westwood & Matt Fitzpatrickwere just in progress against their American hosts, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele

It’s all in the start of Day 2 at Whistling Straits after the US staked the largest Day 1 lead in 46 years.

Ryder Cup Leaderboard (link)

Overall Scoring (RyderCupCom)

Friday’s Results

Afternoon Four-Ball

Europe’s Paul Casey & Bernd Wiesberger lost to

USA’s Dustin Johnson & Xander Schauffele, 2 & 1

Europe’s Tyrrell Hatton & Jon Rahm

Halved

USA’sScottie Scheffler & Bryson DeChambeau

Europe’s Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry lost to

USA’s Tony Finau & Harris English, 4 & 3

Europe’s Tommy Fleetwood & Viktor Hovland

Halved

Justin Thomas & Patrick Cantlay

Morning Round – Foursomes

USA’s Jordan Spieth & Justin Thomas lost

3 & 1 > to

Europe’s Jon Rahm & Sergio Garcia

USA’s Dustin Johnson & Collin Morikawa

< 3 & 2

over Europe’s Viktor Hovland & Paul Casey

USA’s Daniel Berger & Brooks Koepka < 2 & 1

over Europe’s Matt Fitzpatrick & Lee Westwood

USA’s Xander Schauffele & Patrick Cantlay

< 5 & 3

over Europe’s Rory McIlroy & Ian Poulter

The Basics

COURSE: Whistling Straits – (Kohler, Wisconsin)

ARCHITECT: Tom and Alice Dye

YARDS/PAR: 7,390 yards/Par 71

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Team Europe (17 1/2 to 10 1/2)

PAST RESULTS: Last Ryder Cup at Le Golf National – France (Link)

SOCIAL MEDIA: #RyderCup @PGA #RyderCupUSA #GoUSA @RyderCupEurope #TeamEurope

OFFICIAL SITE: (Ryder Cup)

BIG EAST Releases 2021-22 Schedule

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NEW YORK – (Source: Official News Release) – The BIG EAST Conference announced its 2021-22 men’s basketball schedule today with dates and matchups. Tipoff times and television designations will be announced at a later date. The conference will play a 110-game regular-season schedule with all 11 teams playing 20 league games in a double round-robin format. League play begins on Friday, December 17, with Villanova at Creighton. The Wildcats and Bluejays are the two BIG EAST teams that advanced the farthest in last year’s NCAA Tournament. Both squads advanced to the Sweet 16 round.

The regular season ends on Saturday, March 5, with 10 of the 11 teams in action. The matchups are: Villanova at Butler, DePaul at Connecticut, Seton Hall at Creighton, Georgetown at Xavier and St. John’s at Marquette.

The BIG EAST Tournament Presented by Jeep will be played in Madison Square Garden for the 40th consecutive year. It is the longest running postseason championship in college basketball at the same venue. The dates of the 2022 tourney are March 9-12.

2021-22 Conference Schedule

Friday, December 17
Villanova at Creighton

Saturday, December 18
Providence at Connecticut
Marquette at Xavier

Monday, December 20
St. John’s at Seton Hall
Creighton at DePaul

Tuesday, December 21
Xavier at Villanova
Connecticut at Marquette

Wednesday, December 22
Georgetown at Providence

Thursday, December 23
Butler at St. John’s
Seton Hall at DePaul

Tuesday, December 28
Connecticut at Xavier
Georgetown at Creighton

Wednesday, December 29
Marquette at St. John’s
Seton Hall at Providence
DePaul at Butler

Saturday, January 1
St. John’s at Georgetown
Villanova at Seton Hall
Butler at Connecticut
Providence at DePaul
Creighton at Marquette

Tuesday, January 4
Seton Hall at Butler
Xavier at Georgetown
Providence at Marquette

Wednesday, January 5
DePaul at St. John’s
Creighton at Villanova

Friday, January 7
Xavier at Butler
Marquette at Georgetown

Saturday, January 8
Villanova at DePaul
St. John’s at Providence
Connecticut at Seton Hall

Tuesday, January 11
Providence at Creighton
DePaul at Marquette

Wednesday, January 12
St. John’s at Connecticut
Villanova at Xavier

Thursday, January 13
Butler at Georgetown

Saturday, January 15
Creighton at Xavier
Connecticut at Providence
Seton Hall at Marquette

Sunday, January 16
Georgetown at St. John’s (MSG)
Butler at Villanova (WF)

Tuesday, January 18
Providence at Seton Hall

Wednesday, January 19
St. John’s at Creighton
Xavier at DePaul
Marquette at Villanova

Thursday, January 20
Connecticut at Butler

Saturday, January 22
Seton Hall at St. John’s (MSG)
Villanova at Georgetown
DePaul at Creighton

Sunday, January 23
Butler at Providence
Xavier at Marquette

Tuesday, January 25
DePaul at Villanova
Georgetown at Connecticut

Wednesday, January 26
Marquette at Seton Hall
Creighton at Butler
Providence at Xavier

Saturday, January 29
Georgetown at Butler
Marquette at Providence
Xavier at Creighton
Connecticut at DePaul
St. John’s at Villanova

Tuesday, February 1
Creighton at Connecticut
Seton Hall at Georgetown
Providence at St. John’s

Wednesday, February 2
Villanova at Marquette
Butler at Xavier

Friday, February 4
Creighton at Seton Hall

Saturday, February 5
Connecticut at Villanova (WF)
St. John’s at Butler
DePaul at Xavier

Sunday, February 6
Providence at Georgetown

Tuesday, February 8
Villanova at St. John’s (MSG)
Marquette at Connecticut
Butler at Creighton

Wednesday, February 9
Xavier at Seton Hall
Georgetown at DePaul

Saturday, February 12
Creighton at Georgetown
Seton Hall at Villanova (WF)
Marquette at Butler
DePaul at Providence

Sunday, February 13
Connecticut at St. John’s (MSG)

Tuesday, February 15
Villanova at Providence
Butler at DePaul

Wednesday, February 16
Seton Hall at Connecticut
St. John’s at Xavier
Georgetown at Marquette

Saturday, February 19
Xavier at Connecticut
DePaul at Seton Hall
Georgetown at Villanova

Sunday, February 20
Providence at Butler
Marquette at Creighton

Tuesday, February 22
Villanova at Connecticut

Wednesday, February 23
Xavier at Providence
Creighton at St. John’s
Butler at Seton Hall

Thursday, February 24
DePaul at Georgetown

Saturday, February 26
Creighton at Providence
Seton Hall at Xavier
Butler at Marquette

Sunday, February 27
Connecticut at Georgetown
St. John’s at DePaul

Tuesday, March 1
Providence at Villanova

Wednesday, March 2
Xavier at St. John’s
Georgetown at Seton Hall
Connecticut at Creighton
Marquette at DePaul

Saturday, March 5
Villanova at Butler
DePaul at Connecticut
Seton Hall at Creighton
Georgetown at Xavier
St. John’s at Marquette

CA – Carnesecca Arena, MSG – Madison Square Garden, WF – Wells Fargo Center

The BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden
March 9 First Round Tripleheader
March 10 Quarterfinal Doubleheader
Quarterfinal Doubleheader
March 11 Semifinal Doubleheader
March 12 Championship Game

NBA Today to Debut on ESPN in October

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BRISTOL, CT – (Staff, Wire Service and Official News Release reporting) – On the eve of the upcoming regular season, a new show, “NBA Today,” an hour-long panel discussion show, will debut on ESPN this October 18. Malika Andrews will host “NBA Today,” joined by network NBA analysts Kendrick Perkins, Chiney Ogwumike and Vince Carter along with ESPN senior writer Zach Lowe. Various ESPN network and ESPN.com basketball reporters will join the show when appropriate. The show will air weekdays from 3-4 ET.

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“NBA Today” replaces “The Jump,” which ESPN canceled amid controversy surrounding host and longtime basketball reporter Rachel Nichols involving comments she made about former colleague Maria Taylor.

Andrews, 26, joined the network in 2018 and has seen an increasingly visible role in ESPN’s coverage of the NBA. ESPN said Monday her new role is part of a multiyear contract extension, but details were not disclosed. Taylor left ESPN for a multi-million dollar deal at NBC Sports.

Celtics Round-Out Coaching Staff

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BOSTON – (Source: Official team news release) – The Boston Celtics announced that Will Hardy, Damon Stoudamire, Ben Sullivan, Joe Mazzulla, Aaron Miles, and Tony Dobbins will serve as assistant coaches on first-year head coach Ime Udoka’s staff. Evan Bradds, Garrett Jackson, DJ MacLeay, and Steve Tchiengang have been named to the team’s player enhancement staff, while Matt Reynolds will serve as a special assistant to Udoka. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Hardy joins Boston’s coaching staff after spending the last six seasons as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs from 2015-16 to 2020-21. The Williams College graduate has spent each of the last 11 seasons with San Antonio since joining on as a basketball operations intern in 2010, including a two-year stint as the Spurs video coordinator from 2013-15. Hardy served on the coaching staff during Team USA’s gold medal run at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. He was also tabbed as San Antonio’s summer league head coach in Las Vegas in 2017 and 2018, as well as serving as the team’s head coach during the Utah summer league from 2015-18.

Stoudamire spent the last five seasons at the University of Pacific after being named the head coach of the men’s basketball team on March 16, 2016. He led Pacific to a 23-10 finish in 2019-20 – the program’s best mark since 2012-13 – en route to being named both the West Coast Conference Coach of the Year and the Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year, given annually to the top minority coach at the Division I level. Stoudamire previously worked as an assistant coach at the University of Memphis (2011-13; 2015-16), the University of Arizona (2013-15), and in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies from 2009-2011.

A 13-year NBA point guard, Stoudamire played in 878 career games (793 starts) with the Toronto Raptors, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, and San Antonio Spurs. He was named the league’s Rookie of the Year and was selected to the All-Rookie First Team in 1995-96 after being selected by Toronto with the seventh overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft.

Sullivan joins the Celtics after winning an NBA Championship in his third season as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. He has seven seasons of experience as an assistant coach in the NBA, including a four-year stint with the Atlanta Hawks from 2014-15 to 2017-18. Prior to his time in Milwaukee and Atlanta, Sullivan served as an assistant video coordinator with San Antonio while also working in its basketball development department.

Mazzulla returns for his third year as an assistant coach after originally joining the organization prior to the 2019-20 season. The Rhode Island native most recently served as Boston’s head coach throughout the 2021 Las Vegas Summer League, guiding the Celtics to a 4-1 record and an appearance in the championship game. Mazzulla previously spent two seasons as the head coach of the men’s basketball team at Fairmont State University (2017-19), guiding the Falcons to a 43-17 overall record, and an NCAA Tournament bid in his second and final year.

Miles spent the last two seasons as a player development coach with the Golden State Warriors, after serving as the head coach of the Santa Cruz Warriors – Golden State’s G League affiliate – for two seasons from 2017-18 to 2018-19. The native Oregonian led Santa Cruz to a 57-43 record in his two seasons at the helm, including a 34-16 mark and trip to the G League Western Conference Finals in 2018-19. Miles played 10 seasons of professional basketball, eight of which came overseas, after a decorated collegiate career at Kansas in which he netted two All-Big 12 Third Team selections.

Dobbins begins his second season as an assistant coach with the Celtics after spending the previous two years as the team’s video coordinator. A native of Washington, D.C., Dobbins played a combined 13 years of professional basketball across Europe and the NBA G League. He was named the French Pro A’s Best Defensive Player three times (2009, 2013, 2014), won two French Cup championships (2010, 2015), and a G League title with the Asheville Altitude in 2005.

BOSTON CELTICS COACHING STAFF

Head coach: Ime Udoka (Portland State)
Assistant coaches: Will Hardy (Williams College), Damon Stoudamire (Arizona), Ben Sullivan (Portland), Joe Mazzulla (West Virginia), Aaron Miles (Kansas), Tony Dobbins (Richmond)
Player enhancement staff: Evan Bradds (Belmont), Garrett Jackson (Saint Mary’s), DJ MacLeay (Bucknell), Steve Tchiengang (Vanderbilt)
Special assistant to head coach: Matt Reynolds (Syracuse)

2021 Ryder Cup Preview: Brooks Koepka Fuels an Old-Fashioned Controversy

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KOHLER – What’s the run-up to the Ryder Cup without a little Team USA controversy? While Team Europe seems to groove into its own special chemistry for each Ryder Cup event, the U S of A always approaches the match play tournament with a combination of complaining, griping, and theatrics.

This year the controversy started with comments by Brooks Koepka and were magnified with Paul Azinger did a media-only call to promote NBC Sports coverage of the event.

Let the commentary speak for itself:

“It’s tough,” said Koepka to Golf Digest. “There are times where I’m like, I won my match. I did my job. What do you want from me? I know how to take responsibility for the shots I hit every week. Now, somebody else hit a bad shot and left me in a bad spot, and I know this hole is a loss. That’s new, and you have to change the way you think about things. You go from an individual sport all the time to a team sport one week a year,” he said to a question about the differences between the PGA Tour and Ryder Cup (team) format.

“Brooks, I just read that article, I’m not sure he loves the Ryder Cup that much,” Azinger said during an NBC Golf call with the media. “If he doesn’t love it, he should relinquish his spot and get people there who do love the Ryder Cup.

“Not everybody embraces it. But if you don’t love it, and you’re not sold out, then I think Brooks should, you know, especially being hurt, consider whether or not he really wants to be there,” added Azinger.

“And then if you add the Bryson dynamic to that, that might be an easier decision for him. But Brooks is one of the most candid, most honest guys there ever ism and if he’s blatantly honest with himself and he doesn’t want to be there, he should come out and say it. But, I don’t know, I’m a fan of both players, and I just feel like it’s gonna be one or the other. They’re gonna put the weight of the team on their shoulders or they’re gonna be a pain in the neck,” noted Azinger.

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Team Rosters

Europe 🇪🇺

Team Europe Page (link)

Padraig Harrington Captain

Robert Karlsson Vice captain

Luke Donald Vice captain

Martin Kaymer Vice captain

Graeme McDonald Vice captain

Henrik Stenson Vice captain

Paul Casey Automatic qualifier

Matt Fitzpatrick Automatic qualifier

Tyrrell Hatton Automatic qualifier

Tommy Fleetwood Automatic qualifier

Rory McIlroy Automatic qualifier

Viktor Hovland Automatic qualifier

Jon Rahm Automatic qualifier

Lee Westwood Automatic qualifier

Bernd Wiesberger Automatic qualifier

Sergio Garcia Captain’s pick

Shane Lowry Captain’s pick

Ian Poulter Captain’s pick

USA 🇺🇸

USA Team Page (link)

Steve Stricker Captain

Phil Mickelson Vice captain

Fred Couples Vice captain

Collin Morikawa Automatic qualifier

Dustin Johnson Automatic qualifier

Bryson DeChambeau Automatic qualifier

Brooks Koepka Automatic qualifier

Justin Thomas Automatic qualifier

Patrick Cantlay Automatic qualifier

Daniel Berger Captain pick

Harris English Captain pick

Tony Finau Captain pick

Xander Schauffele Captain pick

Scottie Scheffler Captain pick

Jordan Spieth Captain pick

Ryder Cup Odds (by Fan Duel)

USA (-195)

Europe (+175)

Draw (+1200)

(As of 9/15)

Ryder Cup News & Notes

  • The September 24th golf tournament marks the beginning of the much-awaited 2020ne Ryder Cup competition, delayed a year because of the restrictions in travel for the COVID-19 global pandemic. There will be a combination of celebrity matches, practice rounds, a pre-opening ceremony, then the official Opening Ceremony at Whistling Straits’ Dye Plaza.
  • It is customary for the two team captains to reveal their planned line-ups for Friday morning’s foursome matches.
  • Aside from the constant controversy with Bryson DeChambeau and now former great and current TV commentator Paul Azinger, Brooks Koepka says he’s “ready to go” after a hand injury while hacking through the root of a tree at the TOUR Championship two weeks ago. “I’ll be there. I’m good to go,” he said via text message to Golf Week on Wednesday. “I’m feeling good. Been doing my rehab, doing everything I need to do to be ready for the Cup. I’ll be there ready to play.”