Brought to you by these three great men:
1) Tempo
Along with the first spring practice of the 2016 campaign for the Longhorns comes grand proclamations, meltdowns, constant jumping all over a “jump to conclusions” mat, and relentless ammunition flying out of the hot take cannon like an angry mobster with his tommy gun on Saint Valentine’s Day. No matter what, some fans always forget that one practice is simply, and just that - one practice.
So while we report what we see from an open practice, there aren’t many things at all a reporter leaves an open practice and knows for 100-percent certainty, especially how a quarterback is going to perform in September.
But here’s one thing that I left Monday’s practice knowing for certain: The tempo Texas practiced at was much different, and much quicker compared to recent seasons.
For what seems like the longest time, after an era of constantly talking about a power running game, the Longhorns discussed wanting to be an uptempo team and practicing that way. They made adjustments. Practices became faster, and in games they tried to move quickly. However, there was a difference between the speed at which the Longhorns did things and the speed a team like, let’s say Tulsa last year, did things.
On Monday, the Longhorns, even though the heads of players were spinning at times, showed what an uptempo practice truly looks like for a team that offensively is trying to snap the ball as quickly as possible. Offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and his assistant from the sideline wore headsets as they worked on relaying the calls back and forth and to players. Offensive line coach Matt Mattox alerted the offensive line to what was going on constantly. Tight ends coach Jeff Traylor and new receivers coach Charlie Williams were constantly barking out where and how to line up. The offense didn’t wait for the defense to line up or change personnel; it snapped the ball whenever it was ready regardless of what the other side of the ball was doing.
Although the results were expectedly up-and-down as a new offense gets its feet wet in a new, much quicker system, there were more of those results. Texas was able to get more reps than normal. In fact, the three quarterbacks that took the team scrimmage snaps – Tyrone Swoopes, Jerrod Heard and Shane Buechele – probably all were in on 40 or more plays. Multiply that by however many practices, and that’s a ton of reps in a spring and preseason.
Teams that want to play at warp speed have to truly practice at it. That’s what Texas did on Monday. So, when you hear Texas discuss uptempo offense and going at an extremely fast, Baylor-like rate, know that it’s doing what it’s preaching. That’s one of the few things after an open practice we know for sure.
2) Some Texas football discussion after Monday’s open practice…
--- Why does going at such a quick speed help? It can limit what the defense does is able to do pre-snap with substitutions and schematic movement, and also wear it down. Also, it can give quarterbacks easier reads pre-snap, should aid Texas’ signal callers. In the past, it seemed like Texas quarterbacks were asked to do a lot after the snap in terms of reading and dissecting a defense. Now, the Texas offense seems to rely more on what it sees before the snap and knowing as the ball is snapped the one or two places the ball needs to quickly go.
--- Collin Johnson’s size is impossible to ignore, but what stood out more occurred when he started moving and doing things like double-moves and toe-taps of the sideline.
--- Now that Sheroid Evans is back running around at practice, without a brace too, and competing, the size, athleticism and talent Texas has at corner is pretty damn impressive.
--- Whenever Zach Shackelford’s name comes up, I immediately think of the “shack taco” from Taco Shack, and his senior game tape against Kendell Jones (huge No. 50), Rahssan Thornton (No. 7), and Killeen Shoemaker.
3) Texas’ postseason basketball resume
A look at the Longhorns’ March Madness resume (courtesy of CBSSports.com’s RPI/team comparison tool):
RPI – 24th
SOS (based on RPI) – 1st
SOS (based on KenPom.com) – 1st
Conference standing – 4th (11-7 record in Big 12)
Top 20 RPI wins – 5 (Oklahoma, North Carolina, Iowa State, at West Virginia, West Virginia)
Top 50 RPI wins – 7 (Oklahoma, North Carolina, Iowa State, at West Virginia, West Virginia, at Baylor, Texas Tech)
Record against RPI top 50 – 7-7
Record against RPI top 100 – 13-10 (of note: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is now up to No. 85 in RPI, and UT Arlington is just outside he top 100 at No. 101; Vanderbilt could join the top 50 soon at No. 51 overall right now)
Bad losses – 1 (at TCU; No. 184 in RPI)
Bracket projection (based on bracketmatrix.com compiling all available online projections to come up with one) – No. 6 seed (As high as a No. 3 seed and as low as a No. 7 seed; of the 102 brackets used, only two listed Texas as a No. 7 and Texas’ average seed is a 5.32)
4) What would Cameron Ridley’s return mean for Texas?
After the positive doctor’s visit on Monday that prompted Cameron Ridley to call Shaka Smart three-straight times due to his excitement, there’s a real possibility the Longhorns get Ridley back on the court this season (read our note from this morning here). What would that mean for Texas?
Well, let’s keep in mind that if Ridley comes back, he’s not going to play 25 minutes, and it’s unfair to expect him to return to his early-season form when he looked like a future first-round pick. However, Ridley would give Texas a few things:
First, just him being in the lineup on the bench would be an emotional lift for the Longhorns. This is a pretty tight group of players, and the boost in energy and confidence would register in at the very least a small way.
Second, the 6-10 senior would give Texas five more fouls. You might be saying, “well thanks, Captain Obvious!” but having five more fouls to use in the frontcourt is underrated. How many times have we seen Prince Ibeh battle foul trouble? Heck, there have been times Texas has been forced to go extremely small because Connor Lammert was in foul trouble the same time Ibeh was? Ridley would turn Texas’ frontcourt depth from average to good even if he played just 10 minutes a game. That’s another big body to go after rebounds and play defense at the very least.
Third, just the ability Texas would have to throw him the ball a few times a game on offense would help the flow of the offense and to open things up for others. Again, it’s unfair to expect the senior, who averaged 12.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game with a team-high 63.2 effective field goal percentage, to immediately start producing as the offensive force he was. However, just feeding him the rock in one-on-one, back-to-the-basket situations would help improve the spacing and flow of Texas’ offense. Plus, back to those fouls again, that’s a big body that can go after offensive rebounds.
Again, it’s not a lock Ridley returns, but the possibility is real after Monday’s meeting with the doctor, and there’s no doubt that even if he were only able to give Texas 10 or so minutes, he’d provide a lift.
5) Texas baseball
Let’s try to quickly put Texas’ 12-3 win over Sam Houston State last night into perspective: Texas did what it was supposed to do in dominant fashion, and that hasn’t been easy for the Longhorns to do this season. So while they probably faced a below average group of arms, the Longhorns mashed the ball in the manner that they should. And while Morgan Cooper and Chase Shugart didn’t face 1996 LSU, juiced bats and everything, they combined to strike out 11 in 7.0 scoreless innings. That is, at least in some small manner, progress for a team that ended the Cal series with the meltdown of all meltdowns on Sunday.
Now, how does Texas follow that up this weekend on the road against a high-quality, No. 12 ranked UCLA team that lost 20-12 (that’s not a misprint) to Cal State Northridge last night? We’ll see. Most important of all will be to see if Texas can consistently play solid defense while making the routine plays at a high rate, execute at an average or better rate on offense in run-scoring situations, and throw strikes on the mound.
Will Texas consistently play at a high level in all three phases, or contribute to its own demise during the key moments of the game? It has a real chance its next three games to steer its boat out of the rockiest waters and to a point where it can at least catch its breath and feel somewhat normal.
6) NBA, MLB
--- What’s up with the Cavs? Tony Allen scored 26 points – yes, that Allen that everyone in the league sags off of because he can’t shoot – and a very undermanned Memphis won at Cleveland Monday night 106-103. That prompted LeBron James to say publicly the Cavs aren’t ready for the playoffs.
Something is just a little off in Cleveland right now. Fortunately for them, no one else in the East is truly great.
--- With 20 games left, the Warriors are 56-6 with home games left against Utah, Portland (twice), Phoenix, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Minnesota, and Memphis. At this point, it would probably be a surprise if the Warriors don’t break the record.
--- Because of Golden State, San Antonio is the stealth bomber unseen on radar right now. The Spurs are 30-0 at home and have two home games upcoming against the Warriors. They’re going to enter the playoffs with like 67 wins and with no pressure relative to the weight that will be on Golden State’s shoulders to be truly great.
--- Hey, the Rockets would be in the playoffs right now if the season ended today… against the Warriors.
--- Not-so-humble brag time: Since mentioning Aaron Gordon and his inclusion into the starting lineup for Orlando, he’s been grabbing rebounds and steals at an elite level. He makes the Magic, an underachieving team, fun to watch, especially with stuff like this:
--- Karl-Anthony Towns has a PER of 23.2, a true shooting percentage of 59.3, a total rebounding percentage of 19.2, and a 4.6 block percentage. All of those numbers are better than Tim Duncan’s in his rookie season, and Duncan was really, really good his first year in the league.
--- If any of you fantasy baseball nerds are drafting soon, an e-fist pound for you. A few names I think are far too undervalued by ESPN’s rankings:
Addison Russell (Cubs shortstop) – Cut down his K rate by about six percent the second half of the season with better approach and still hit 13 homers even with the slow start; off-the-charts makeup; could hit .265 with 20 homers and 15 steals in a great lineup. He’s currently ranked 178th overall and the 11th shortstop.
Mike Moustakas (Royals third baseman) – Entering that peak age-27 season after hitting .284/.348/.470 last year with 22 homers; went from a 50.5 percent pull hitter in 2014 to 39.2 percent last year; hit all fastballs better last year than he ever has in his career. Right now, he’s ranked 191st overall and 18th among third basemen.
Anthony Rendon (Nationals second baseman) – Rendon didn’t forget how to hit after scoring 111 runs, smacking 21 bombs and hitting .287 with 17 steals in 2014. Heck, he was a MVP candidate that year. He’s just always had problems staying healthy. If he plays 140 games, he’s going to put up numbers better than half the people ahead of him. Currently, Rendon is 143rd overall and 13th among second basemen.
7) Scanning the rest of the sports globe…
--- Calvin Johnson retired at age 30. Another Lions star hangs them up early. Injuries and losses can weigh on even a Megatron. He ranks 27th in career receiving yardage, holds the record for most yards in a single year (1,964), is No. 2 all-time with 329 yards receiving in a single game, and is No. 2 all-time in receiving yards per game.
Hall of Fame? Top 10 all-time? Legitimate claim to both. Not a very long career, but a decent-sized one filled with elite production on a bad team.
--- So the Rams have some money to use (about $44 million in cap space) and two good defensive backs, Janoris Jenkins (Giants for $12 million per year) and Rodney McLeod (Eagles for five years, $37 million) just bolted. Alright then. Enjoy, Los Angeles.
--- Oakland just signed Bruce Irvin, who was in Seattle, to join Khalil Mack at linebacker. That pass-rush could be really something, and the Raiders also reportedly inked Kelechi Osemele to a five-year deal worth $60 million. Adding a quality pass-rusher and helping the offensive line? The Raiders might be figuring some things out.
--- Colt McCoy sticking around in Washington to be No. 2 to Kirk Cousins. So, he gets a chance to be in the same system again, and a chance to be the guy in that system if Cousins goes down. Not a bad idea.
--- Nope, still not completely over the feeling that Tottenham wasted a chance against Arsenal after it went up 2-1 in thrilling fashion shortly after Arsenal had a man sent off.
--- The warm-up to March Madness is here in the form of the underrated conference championships week. There’s something special about following those desperate teams that are literally playing for their NCAA Tournament life, and it creates some truly memorable moments.
8) Anything and everything
--- For those of you that binge-watched season four of House of Cards, is it presenting a kind of product that was closer to season one or beyond? Season two really didn’t impress, in my opinion, after a brilliant start.
Speaking of Netflix shows, a personal favorite comedy, Trailer Park Boys, returns for its 10th season March 28th. Decent. If you’re into the kind of humor you’d find during a “documentary” of a group in a trailer park, I highly recommend it.
--- Kendrick Lamar continues to amaze. After taking his chance to perform at the Oscars and rocking it like Shawn Kemp rocked rims at his Reign Man height, he dropped “untitled unmastered.” out of the blue. And it’s pretty damn good too. While it isn’t your traditional album and meticulously crafted, finished product, it’s a creative genius in raw form, which in a way might be better than the normal thing. There’s a real funky, soulful, genuine feel to it.
--- Was the city of Charlotte named after Charlotte McKinney? No, but it might be attributed to her eventually (NSFW)
---
9) The best non-sports thing I read this week
Education has always been a passion of mine. People, in my opinion, often take for granted the impact teachers, counselors, administrators, etc. can have on a young person, and the care that those truly doing it the right way in that profession have for the well-being and success of students. At Texas, I studied to be a teacher/coach before a lengthy internship with Orangebloods.com turned into a full-time writing job I truly love; there’s just something universally undervalued about those in the education industry and the impact that can be forged on students during such an important development time.
Read an incredibly thoughtful, heartfelt message from Nancy Hanks, a top administrator for the school system in Madison, Wisconsin, after she had an interaction with a student she expelled a long time ago.
1) Tempo
Along with the first spring practice of the 2016 campaign for the Longhorns comes grand proclamations, meltdowns, constant jumping all over a “jump to conclusions” mat, and relentless ammunition flying out of the hot take cannon like an angry mobster with his tommy gun on Saint Valentine’s Day. No matter what, some fans always forget that one practice is simply, and just that - one practice.
So while we report what we see from an open practice, there aren’t many things at all a reporter leaves an open practice and knows for 100-percent certainty, especially how a quarterback is going to perform in September.
But here’s one thing that I left Monday’s practice knowing for certain: The tempo Texas practiced at was much different, and much quicker compared to recent seasons.
For what seems like the longest time, after an era of constantly talking about a power running game, the Longhorns discussed wanting to be an uptempo team and practicing that way. They made adjustments. Practices became faster, and in games they tried to move quickly. However, there was a difference between the speed at which the Longhorns did things and the speed a team like, let’s say Tulsa last year, did things.
On Monday, the Longhorns, even though the heads of players were spinning at times, showed what an uptempo practice truly looks like for a team that offensively is trying to snap the ball as quickly as possible. Offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and his assistant from the sideline wore headsets as they worked on relaying the calls back and forth and to players. Offensive line coach Matt Mattox alerted the offensive line to what was going on constantly. Tight ends coach Jeff Traylor and new receivers coach Charlie Williams were constantly barking out where and how to line up. The offense didn’t wait for the defense to line up or change personnel; it snapped the ball whenever it was ready regardless of what the other side of the ball was doing.
Although the results were expectedly up-and-down as a new offense gets its feet wet in a new, much quicker system, there were more of those results. Texas was able to get more reps than normal. In fact, the three quarterbacks that took the team scrimmage snaps – Tyrone Swoopes, Jerrod Heard and Shane Buechele – probably all were in on 40 or more plays. Multiply that by however many practices, and that’s a ton of reps in a spring and preseason.
Teams that want to play at warp speed have to truly practice at it. That’s what Texas did on Monday. So, when you hear Texas discuss uptempo offense and going at an extremely fast, Baylor-like rate, know that it’s doing what it’s preaching. That’s one of the few things after an open practice we know for sure.
2) Some Texas football discussion after Monday’s open practice…
--- Why does going at such a quick speed help? It can limit what the defense does is able to do pre-snap with substitutions and schematic movement, and also wear it down. Also, it can give quarterbacks easier reads pre-snap, should aid Texas’ signal callers. In the past, it seemed like Texas quarterbacks were asked to do a lot after the snap in terms of reading and dissecting a defense. Now, the Texas offense seems to rely more on what it sees before the snap and knowing as the ball is snapped the one or two places the ball needs to quickly go.
--- Collin Johnson’s size is impossible to ignore, but what stood out more occurred when he started moving and doing things like double-moves and toe-taps of the sideline.
--- Now that Sheroid Evans is back running around at practice, without a brace too, and competing, the size, athleticism and talent Texas has at corner is pretty damn impressive.
--- Whenever Zach Shackelford’s name comes up, I immediately think of the “shack taco” from Taco Shack, and his senior game tape against Kendell Jones (huge No. 50), Rahssan Thornton (No. 7), and Killeen Shoemaker.
3) Texas’ postseason basketball resume
A look at the Longhorns’ March Madness resume (courtesy of CBSSports.com’s RPI/team comparison tool):
RPI – 24th
SOS (based on RPI) – 1st
SOS (based on KenPom.com) – 1st
Conference standing – 4th (11-7 record in Big 12)
Top 20 RPI wins – 5 (Oklahoma, North Carolina, Iowa State, at West Virginia, West Virginia)
Top 50 RPI wins – 7 (Oklahoma, North Carolina, Iowa State, at West Virginia, West Virginia, at Baylor, Texas Tech)
Record against RPI top 50 – 7-7
Record against RPI top 100 – 13-10 (of note: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is now up to No. 85 in RPI, and UT Arlington is just outside he top 100 at No. 101; Vanderbilt could join the top 50 soon at No. 51 overall right now)
Bad losses – 1 (at TCU; No. 184 in RPI)
Bracket projection (based on bracketmatrix.com compiling all available online projections to come up with one) – No. 6 seed (As high as a No. 3 seed and as low as a No. 7 seed; of the 102 brackets used, only two listed Texas as a No. 7 and Texas’ average seed is a 5.32)
4) What would Cameron Ridley’s return mean for Texas?
After the positive doctor’s visit on Monday that prompted Cameron Ridley to call Shaka Smart three-straight times due to his excitement, there’s a real possibility the Longhorns get Ridley back on the court this season (read our note from this morning here). What would that mean for Texas?
Well, let’s keep in mind that if Ridley comes back, he’s not going to play 25 minutes, and it’s unfair to expect him to return to his early-season form when he looked like a future first-round pick. However, Ridley would give Texas a few things:
First, just him being in the lineup on the bench would be an emotional lift for the Longhorns. This is a pretty tight group of players, and the boost in energy and confidence would register in at the very least a small way.
Second, the 6-10 senior would give Texas five more fouls. You might be saying, “well thanks, Captain Obvious!” but having five more fouls to use in the frontcourt is underrated. How many times have we seen Prince Ibeh battle foul trouble? Heck, there have been times Texas has been forced to go extremely small because Connor Lammert was in foul trouble the same time Ibeh was? Ridley would turn Texas’ frontcourt depth from average to good even if he played just 10 minutes a game. That’s another big body to go after rebounds and play defense at the very least.
Third, just the ability Texas would have to throw him the ball a few times a game on offense would help the flow of the offense and to open things up for others. Again, it’s unfair to expect the senior, who averaged 12.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game with a team-high 63.2 effective field goal percentage, to immediately start producing as the offensive force he was. However, just feeding him the rock in one-on-one, back-to-the-basket situations would help improve the spacing and flow of Texas’ offense. Plus, back to those fouls again, that’s a big body that can go after offensive rebounds.
Again, it’s not a lock Ridley returns, but the possibility is real after Monday’s meeting with the doctor, and there’s no doubt that even if he were only able to give Texas 10 or so minutes, he’d provide a lift.
5) Texas baseball
Let’s try to quickly put Texas’ 12-3 win over Sam Houston State last night into perspective: Texas did what it was supposed to do in dominant fashion, and that hasn’t been easy for the Longhorns to do this season. So while they probably faced a below average group of arms, the Longhorns mashed the ball in the manner that they should. And while Morgan Cooper and Chase Shugart didn’t face 1996 LSU, juiced bats and everything, they combined to strike out 11 in 7.0 scoreless innings. That is, at least in some small manner, progress for a team that ended the Cal series with the meltdown of all meltdowns on Sunday.
Now, how does Texas follow that up this weekend on the road against a high-quality, No. 12 ranked UCLA team that lost 20-12 (that’s not a misprint) to Cal State Northridge last night? We’ll see. Most important of all will be to see if Texas can consistently play solid defense while making the routine plays at a high rate, execute at an average or better rate on offense in run-scoring situations, and throw strikes on the mound.
Will Texas consistently play at a high level in all three phases, or contribute to its own demise during the key moments of the game? It has a real chance its next three games to steer its boat out of the rockiest waters and to a point where it can at least catch its breath and feel somewhat normal.
6) NBA, MLB
--- What’s up with the Cavs? Tony Allen scored 26 points – yes, that Allen that everyone in the league sags off of because he can’t shoot – and a very undermanned Memphis won at Cleveland Monday night 106-103. That prompted LeBron James to say publicly the Cavs aren’t ready for the playoffs.
Something is just a little off in Cleveland right now. Fortunately for them, no one else in the East is truly great.
--- With 20 games left, the Warriors are 56-6 with home games left against Utah, Portland (twice), Phoenix, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Minnesota, and Memphis. At this point, it would probably be a surprise if the Warriors don’t break the record.
--- Because of Golden State, San Antonio is the stealth bomber unseen on radar right now. The Spurs are 30-0 at home and have two home games upcoming against the Warriors. They’re going to enter the playoffs with like 67 wins and with no pressure relative to the weight that will be on Golden State’s shoulders to be truly great.
--- Hey, the Rockets would be in the playoffs right now if the season ended today… against the Warriors.
--- Not-so-humble brag time: Since mentioning Aaron Gordon and his inclusion into the starting lineup for Orlando, he’s been grabbing rebounds and steals at an elite level. He makes the Magic, an underachieving team, fun to watch, especially with stuff like this:
--- Karl-Anthony Towns has a PER of 23.2, a true shooting percentage of 59.3, a total rebounding percentage of 19.2, and a 4.6 block percentage. All of those numbers are better than Tim Duncan’s in his rookie season, and Duncan was really, really good his first year in the league.
--- If any of you fantasy baseball nerds are drafting soon, an e-fist pound for you. A few names I think are far too undervalued by ESPN’s rankings:
Addison Russell (Cubs shortstop) – Cut down his K rate by about six percent the second half of the season with better approach and still hit 13 homers even with the slow start; off-the-charts makeup; could hit .265 with 20 homers and 15 steals in a great lineup. He’s currently ranked 178th overall and the 11th shortstop.
Mike Moustakas (Royals third baseman) – Entering that peak age-27 season after hitting .284/.348/.470 last year with 22 homers; went from a 50.5 percent pull hitter in 2014 to 39.2 percent last year; hit all fastballs better last year than he ever has in his career. Right now, he’s ranked 191st overall and 18th among third basemen.
Anthony Rendon (Nationals second baseman) – Rendon didn’t forget how to hit after scoring 111 runs, smacking 21 bombs and hitting .287 with 17 steals in 2014. Heck, he was a MVP candidate that year. He’s just always had problems staying healthy. If he plays 140 games, he’s going to put up numbers better than half the people ahead of him. Currently, Rendon is 143rd overall and 13th among second basemen.
7) Scanning the rest of the sports globe…
--- Calvin Johnson retired at age 30. Another Lions star hangs them up early. Injuries and losses can weigh on even a Megatron. He ranks 27th in career receiving yardage, holds the record for most yards in a single year (1,964), is No. 2 all-time with 329 yards receiving in a single game, and is No. 2 all-time in receiving yards per game.
Hall of Fame? Top 10 all-time? Legitimate claim to both. Not a very long career, but a decent-sized one filled with elite production on a bad team.
--- So the Rams have some money to use (about $44 million in cap space) and two good defensive backs, Janoris Jenkins (Giants for $12 million per year) and Rodney McLeod (Eagles for five years, $37 million) just bolted. Alright then. Enjoy, Los Angeles.
--- Oakland just signed Bruce Irvin, who was in Seattle, to join Khalil Mack at linebacker. That pass-rush could be really something, and the Raiders also reportedly inked Kelechi Osemele to a five-year deal worth $60 million. Adding a quality pass-rusher and helping the offensive line? The Raiders might be figuring some things out.
--- Colt McCoy sticking around in Washington to be No. 2 to Kirk Cousins. So, he gets a chance to be in the same system again, and a chance to be the guy in that system if Cousins goes down. Not a bad idea.
--- Nope, still not completely over the feeling that Tottenham wasted a chance against Arsenal after it went up 2-1 in thrilling fashion shortly after Arsenal had a man sent off.
--- The warm-up to March Madness is here in the form of the underrated conference championships week. There’s something special about following those desperate teams that are literally playing for their NCAA Tournament life, and it creates some truly memorable moments.
8) Anything and everything
--- For those of you that binge-watched season four of House of Cards, is it presenting a kind of product that was closer to season one or beyond? Season two really didn’t impress, in my opinion, after a brilliant start.
Speaking of Netflix shows, a personal favorite comedy, Trailer Park Boys, returns for its 10th season March 28th. Decent. If you’re into the kind of humor you’d find during a “documentary” of a group in a trailer park, I highly recommend it.
--- Kendrick Lamar continues to amaze. After taking his chance to perform at the Oscars and rocking it like Shawn Kemp rocked rims at his Reign Man height, he dropped “untitled unmastered.” out of the blue. And it’s pretty damn good too. While it isn’t your traditional album and meticulously crafted, finished product, it’s a creative genius in raw form, which in a way might be better than the normal thing. There’s a real funky, soulful, genuine feel to it.
--- Was the city of Charlotte named after Charlotte McKinney? No, but it might be attributed to her eventually (NSFW)
---
9) The best non-sports thing I read this week
Education has always been a passion of mine. People, in my opinion, often take for granted the impact teachers, counselors, administrators, etc. can have on a young person, and the care that those truly doing it the right way in that profession have for the well-being and success of students. At Texas, I studied to be a teacher/coach before a lengthy internship with Orangebloods.com turned into a full-time writing job I truly love; there’s just something universally undervalued about those in the education industry and the impact that can be forged on students during such an important development time.
Read an incredibly thoughtful, heartfelt message from Nancy Hanks, a top administrator for the school system in Madison, Wisconsin, after she had an interaction with a student she expelled a long time ago.
