Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (The. Cold. Hard. Truth.)
- Thread starter Ketchum
- Start date
Here's the thing about what transpired this weekend for Shaka Smart and the Texas basketball program... everyone knew the stakes going in.
Back when Texas was in the middle of a post-COVID crisis losing streak, I barely raised an eye because the truth of the 2020-21 season would only be revealed with whatever outcome awaited it in the Tournament.
Even last week following a first-ever Big 12 Tournament Championship, every single follower of the program knew that all of the good from what occurred in Kansas City would be undone without an appearance in the second weekend of the Tournament. Simple as that.
After six seasons of zero NCAA Tournament success, it has seemingly felt now or never all season long with the most talented and experienced team that he's ever coached in his entire career. Even with an Elite 8-level appearance this season, there would have been a weird no-man's land existence for the Texas athletic department while it decided exactly how it would want to proceed with a coach that at that point would have only proven to be good for a special season once every five years.
The no man's land existence disappeared on Saturday night inside the belly of a beast that was the most embarrassing important loss in the history of the program. Never before had the Texas program fallen on its face to a 14-seed type seed in the Tournament, let alone one from the Lone Star State possessing an assortment of players from the Island of Misfit Toys.
Abilene Christian 53 Texas 52. That happened.
I'm probably one of the closest things Smart had to a defender around these parts. Yes, he'd been a failure through the first five seasons of his career, but he'd also been the victim of some unfortunate circumstances - a half-court shot to lose in the NCAA here and a star player dealing with leukemia there and all of the dynamics of COVID here. Inside one of the best regular seasons in the last 25 years of the program, I needed to see how this season would end before calling the entirety of the Smart era in Austin a total failure.
But, zero NCAA Tournament wins in six seasons is the textbook definition of a total failure for any program with a resemblance of ambition.
I strongly believe that Smart will eventually find success somewhere else, much like I believe that Tom Herman has a chance to re-invent himself at a new job some time down the road. There's a potential Steve Sarkisian-like comeback for both of these coaches, but just like with Herman, a bottom-line reality means that it probably won't happen in Austin.
Six seasons is a very large sample size and Texas absolutely risks the possibility of becoming the poster child for the definition of insanity should it bring Smart back because it doesn't want to eat the seven million left on his contract that it would need to swallow in order to buy him out.
My guess is that Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte let Smart go at some point in the next two weeks, especially if a preferred target is still playing in the NCAA Tournament. Just as the Alamo Bowl served as terrific cover for Del Conte's ability to search for a new football coach in relative quiet, the Tournament will do the same while Del Conte sizes up the market.
The fact that Del Conte has gone silent again on Twitter in the aftermath of the loss has become a bit of a poker tell for the Texas boss over the last year, especially after he went Twitter dark during the football season when the heat around Herman and The Eyes of Texas debacle reached its zenith. Del Conte LOVES himself some Twitter and he went from supporting the team and potentially hooking up with other Longhorns at halftime to stone cold silence.
Chris, if you're out there, I feel you. If I didn't have to write this column, I'd probably lay low for a few days myself.
But, I did have to write this column because the show must go on. It's just the characters that sometimes change.
It's not personal, it's just the way business goes.
No. 2 - Three more things following the ACU loss ...
a. I feel bad for Matt Coleman. Coming off the best game of his career, Coleman followed with a performance that will haunt him for the rest of his life. His getting into immediate foul trouble was the foolishness of a true freshman, not a fourth-year senior. That he finishes his career in almost the same place as Sam Ehlinger, a four-year warrior whose name will be synonymous with the head coach he played for, is a cruel fate for a young man that deserves to be remembered for something other than the shortcomings of the program around him.
b. What the hell do we make of what happens next with Greg Brown? The NBA isn't quite knocking down the door to draft kids that barely play in NCAA Tournament games. If he wants to go pro and make some money playing in the G-League, I will totally get it, but this season has turned into an absolute disaster for Brown and I can't really wrap my head around the concept of thinking he's ready to a professional based on the way his freshman season ended. Let's just say the quiet parts out loud. Would he stay at Texas if there's a new coach? Would it matter on the new coach? Would he transfer and play a season at a traditional power in hopes of rebuilding his draft portfolio?
c. If Del Conte makes a move, one of the questions he needs to ask any perspective head coach is what the hell kind of plan they'll have for a rebuilding job next season that could range from doable to impossible, depending on the plan. It's not impossible to imagine a mass exodus from the roster if Smart is fired, mainly because it's also not hard to imagine a mass exodus from the roster if he is retained.
No. 3 - Casey Thompson's Big Challenge...
Tuesday begins a stretch of time that fourth-year quarterback Casey Thompson has waited his entire life for.
It feels like almost yesterday that Thompson was just a few months into his Texas career when he put his name into the transfer portal. Well, it's not yesterday. Thompson sat and waited for two more seasons while Sam Ehlinger finished his career.
After a flat out superstar performance in the Alamo Bowl against Utah, Thompson is segueing into his opportunity to finally be the man. Only redshirt freshman Hudson Card stands in the way.
With a new coaching staff in charge, Thompson gets to start off with a blank slate in such a way that might not have existed if not for the change in coaching, as I firmly believe a confirmation bias towards Card had already begun to exist among the Texas offensive coaches. None of these coaches have worked with either quarterback, which means that the next 15 practices (including the Spring game) will define how these coaches view his short- and long-term prospects as a player under their watch.
For Thompson, the next 15 practices need to be about developing the type of consistency every day that he's lacked so far in his first three seasons as a college player. On his best day, Thompson is a star. On his average days, Thompson hasn't been anywhere close to that level according to those previously following his progress inside the program. Thompson has to get to a point where his bad days aren't bad and his average days aren't average.
It's as simple as that. If Thompson can't do it, Card will emerge as the starting quarterback. If he can, his ability to spread his wings might officially have him on the cusp of flying.
No. 4 - Four more spring football ponderings ...
a. I'm not saying the DeMarvion Overshown labrum surgery is a concern, but I'm also not saying it's isn't a concern. All things being equal, you'd wish a rehab process that takes 4-6 months to fully recover occurred 8-9 months away from the start of August camp instead of 5 months. It's not optimal, but it's better than having the issue pop up in two months.
b. The linebacker battle this spring is fascinating because with Overshown out, there's nothing but unproven parts all over the place in this new linebacker-centric Pete Kwiatkowski defense that will begin to take shape. Everyone at the position has a blank slate. I'm curious to see what that means in a month. Ray Thornton must be licking his chops.
c. I have a feeling Jeff Banks is really going to like his tight end room. That group might have the best low-key super-competitive position in the program.
d. Is B.J. Foster still a player that fans have hopes for? What exactly is the hope at this point? Personally, I'll never stop believing there's a difference-maker inside of that player, but it's been a long time since we've seen it.
No. 5 - Maalik Murphy's second game ...
No one wants to admit it, but there is a critical similarity in Maalik Murphy and former Texas quarterback Tyrone Swoopes that cannot be ignored - both lack the kind of quality game reps in volume that you;'d prefer in a quarterback prospect at the same stage of their junior seasons.
What does that mean?
It means we should all care less about what Murphy looks like now than what he looks like when he has a much higher volume of game reps under his belt. Right now he's a three star player inside of a five-star body, It's going to take some development before the three-star player emerges into something more than that.
It might be helpful if everyone views Murphy as a hot dog at a baseball game, which is my way of saying that seeing how the hot dog is made might make you not want to eat it, but if you don't pay any attention to how it's made, it might turn out that you'll enjoy it just fine.
No. 6 - About Texas baseball ...
I'm curious... what is the bar that Texas baseball much reach this season under David Pierce?
I ask because his team has 14 of its last 17, including an impressive two out of three on the road in Waco this weekend, and appears to be a team capable of competing for a Big 12 championship and playing deep into the post-season.
After two seasons largely remembered as duds, another cancelled by COVID and yet another that ended in the College World Series, I'm not sure what is the correct bar to measure the program in a post-Augie universe.
Is it still Omaha or bust? How would a season similar to the one the men's basketball team just had be viewed? For instance, what are we thinking about the season if Texas finishes 3rd in a tough Big 12, wins the Big 12 Tournament and then loses at home in a regional?
No. 7 – BUY or SELL …
(Buy) It's possible that it could go into the Final Four weekend, but I'd guess it's during the week leading up to the Final Four.
(Sell) Damn good coaches fail all the time. Look at Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. Or Mack Brown in his final years at Texas. My hunch is that Smart will one day know success again. It just won't be at Texas.
(Buy) And that and $3 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
(Buy) Coleman and Andrew Jones are damn fine players, who didn't have damn fine games on Saturday. Courtney Ramey fell apart down the stretch in a bad way.
(Sell) Smart's been here six seasons. Tom Herman received four.
(Buy) I'm all for an attempted reverse-jinx.
(Buy) Thanks for attempting to change the tone. I do appreciate it.
(Buy) The Boogie Nights curse is still in play.
(Sell) I just jinx teams. Mack's curse sometimes destroyed lives.
(Buy) The Ol' Ball Coach never picks up the fruit on the ground. The fact that he always reached for what was on the top branch is always what made his smack talk so memorable. Honestly, I'm not sure why Riley needs it. His resume should be able to be all the smack talk that he needs.
(Sell) He's a year away.
(Sell) I don't have high hopes.
No. 8 - Scattershooting on the weekend...
... Winning the conference tournament proved to be a poor precursor for the tournament for a number of teams, as is often the case. Texas, Illinois, Georgia Tech and Georgetown all went from cutting down nets to one and done. Basically, Texas should never win that damn tournament ever again.
... I think Gonzaga will win the NCAA Tournament, but picked Illinois in an attempt to diversify my bracket from the overwhelming public favorite. So much for that.
... Baylor looks like a team that has rediscovered its mojo.
... I'm adopting Ohio's Jason Preston as my new favorite player left in the Tournament.
... Eric Musselman... he's... dare I say... damn good.
... I don't know what to make of the current Deshaun Watson situation. How can a team trade for him right now? How can the Texans expect to get any real value? Or does none of it mater in an NFL world where nothing short of murder can be easily forgiven for the right guy.
... It feels like the worst thing that can happen to an NBA MVP candidate right now is to be perceived as the favorite. That's when the injuries happen.
... The Rockets have lost 20 straight. Hey, if you're going to suck... really suck. Watch out, T-Wolves!
... If Man City, PSG or Bayern Munich are going to win the Champions League this year, it won't be because they received cakewalks to the final. A potential Munich/City semi-final feels like a monster in the making.
... Juventus is ELEVEN points of the top in Serie A.
... Nice job, Leicester City.
... Coming to a WWE arena near you very soon...
No. 9 - The List: Worst sequels
This one comes via special request from @Anwar Richardson.
The litmus test used to decode this riddle? I tried to close my eyes and imagine how awful being forced to sit through the movie would be as my test.
For instance, I could live through a re-watch of The Godfather III. I'm not sure I could survive "Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd"
10. Weekend at Bernie's II - The first movie is still a weird personal favorite, even if it has aged incredibly poorly. The sequel has only been watched once and I'm pretty sure I just blacked it out.
9. Mannequin 2: On the Move - See above.
8. Exorcist 2: The Heretic - For all of the talk about The Godfather III, this one deserves more scorn.
7. The Karate Kid III - Yes, I would rather watch The Next Karate Kid.
6. Sex and the City 2 - The sequel makes the original look like Citizen Kane.
5. Son of the Mask - A strong case can be made that this should be No.1.
4. Rocky V - I don't know why I put this on the list because I don't recognize it as a real thing.
3. Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow - I'll rock with Citizens on Patrol. I can tolerate the Miami one. I can survive City Under Siege. This one is wretched.
2. Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd - I walked out of the theater after 20 minutes.
1. Caddyshack 2 - It's the only real No.1 answer, right?
No. 10 - And Finally ...
Following the Saturday night debacle on the hardwood, I decided to give the new Zack Snyder cut of the "Justice League" movie, which was released in 2017.
Not only had I not seen the original, but I hadn't seen the Batman vs. Superman movie, although I knew details about the plot.
All I can say is that even a dive into a 4-hour film seemed like a better idea than being on Orangebloods after midnight.
Overall, I thought the first hour was solid, the second hour was a bit tedious, the third hour was really, really good and the fourth hour was a mixed bag.
I'm not sure how to add all of that up together as a grade because it felt like watching an uneven six-part Netflix series. I don't regret watching it, but I'm not running out to tell anyone to watch it., either.
good stuff Ketch. You take a lot of shit here and I think I relate to the optimist in you. It would be so much better for our program if Shaka had figured it out but that shit last night can’t be forgiven. I hope you are right because I have been impressed with the CDC hires so far. My guess is he already has him man in mind and a strong #2 just in case
Justice League was so much better than everything DC has done other than WW #1 it screwed up my evaluation of the movie. Is it’s Avengers? No. But my got it had a story, a bad guy and a badder guy and connected some DC universe things together FINALLY. So I give it a B+ and would tell comic movie fans to watch it. Sucks it isn’t the only version because the first one rates right up there with the Stars wars 8 for ****ing up some good fun.
You still aren’t changing the most glaring team weakness.... Shaka. Everyone returning leaves us in the same place.
I think an offense completely out of sorts is more Shaka’s than Pandora’s fault.
a good coaching staff prepares for that. That “reason” carries no water We have enough guards
I recommend you make use of F9 tomorrow. Texas press release. Then meltdown.
hey...we’ve seen crazy shit happen. Insanity, yes! These kids love Shaka and a little weird piece of positivity never hurts.
Someone may have said it and I missed it but if you haven’t watched the new cut of The Godfather 3 (now dubbed godfather coda:the death of Michael corleone) you absolutely should. I’m a huge fan of 1&2 and though it obviously doesn’t reach their level, it genuinely makes it an above average film and really highlights the things that the movie did well. Highly recommend it.
Texas baseball's bar should always be Omaha or bust. Augie, as amazing as he was, didn't define Texas baseball, and his being gone shouldn't mean we lower our standards. We were Texas before Augie, and we'll be Texas long after.
The jury is still out on Pierce, for me. I hope he is the guy to get and keep us in the promised land. He's done some good things for Texas, and he's had some downs, too.
I think that losing a regional at home could easily happen, and it would be disappointing. I'm hoping for a super, at minimum.
I would expect next season to be looking at winning the Big 12 and heading to Omaha. That's what Texas needs to be doing every season. Next season will be his sixth year at Texas. He did go to Omaha once, but it was a bit of a fluke. If he can't get us back to Omaha by then, it's probably an issue.
I don't see The Matrix sequels. List is invalid.
Here's the thing about what transpired this weekend for Shaka Smart and the Texas basketball program... everyone knew the stakes going in.
Back when Texas was in the middle of a post-COVID crisis losing streak, I barely raised an eye because the truth of the 2020-21 season would only be revealed with whatever outcome awaited it in the Tournament.
Even last week following a first-ever Big 12 Tournament Championship, every single follower of the program knew that all of the good from what occurred in Kansas City would be undone without an appearance in the second weekend of the Tournament. Simple as that.
After six seasons of zero NCAA Tournament success, it has seemingly felt now or never all season long with the most talented and experienced team that he's ever coached in his entire career. Even with an Elite 8-level appearance this season, there would have been a weird no-man's land existence for the Texas athletic department while it decided exactly how it would want to proceed with a coach that at that point would have only proven to be good for a special season once every five years.
The no man's land existence disappeared on Saturday night inside the belly of a beast that was the most embarrassing important loss in the history of the program. Never before had the Texas program fallen on its face to a 14-seed type seed in the Tournament, let alone one from the Lone Star State possessing an assortment of players from the Island of Misfit Toys.
Abilene Christian 53 Texas 52. That happened.
I'm probably one of the closest things Smart had to a defender around these parts. Yes, he'd been a failure through the first five seasons of his career, but he'd also been the victim of some unfortunate circumstances - a half-court shot to lose in the NCAA here and a star player dealing with leukemia there and all of the dynamics of COVID here. Inside one of the best regular seasons in the last 25 years of the program, I needed to see how this season would end before calling the entirety of the Smart era in Austin a total failure.
But, zero NCAA Tournament wins in six seasons is the textbook definition of a total failure for any program with a resemblance of ambition.
I strongly believe that Smart will eventually find success somewhere else, much like I believe that Tom Herman has a chance to re-invent himself at a new job some time down the road. There's a potential Steve Sarkisian-like comeback for both of these coaches, but just like with Herman, a bottom-line reality means that it probably won't happen in Austin.
Six seasons is a very large sample size and Texas absolutely risks the possibility of becoming the poster child for the definition of insanity should it bring Smart back because it doesn't want to eat the seven million left on his contract that it would need to swallow in order to buy him out.
My guess is that Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte let Smart go at some point in the next two weeks, especially if a preferred target is still playing in the NCAA Tournament. Just as the Alamo Bowl served as terrific cover for Del Conte's ability to search for a new football coach in relative quiet, the Tournament will do the same while Del Conte sizes up the market.
The fact that Del Conte has gone silent again on Twitter in the aftermath of the loss has become a bit of a poker tell for the Texas boss over the last year, especially after he went Twitter dark during the football season when the heat around Herman and The Eyes of Texas debacle reached its zenith. Del Conte LOVES himself some Twitter and he went from supporting the team and potentially hooking up with other Longhorns at halftime to stone cold silence.
Chris, if you're out there, I feel you. If I didn't have to write this column, I'd probably lay low for a few days myself.
But, I did have to write this column because the show must go on. It's just the characters that sometimes change.
It's not personal, it's just the way business goes.
No. 2 - Three more things following the ACU loss ...
a. I feel bad for Matt Coleman. Coming off the best game of his career, Coleman followed with a performance that will haunt him for the rest of his life. His getting into immediate foul trouble was the foolishness of a true freshman, not a fourth-year senior. That he finishes his career in almost the same place as Sam Ehlinger, a four-year warrior whose name will be synonymous with the head coach he played for, is a cruel fate for a young man that deserves to be remembered for something other than the shortcomings of the program around him.
b. What the hell do we make of what happens next with Greg Brown? The NBA isn't quite knocking down the door to draft kids that barely play in NCAA Tournament games. If he wants to go pro and make some money playing in the G-League, I will totally get it, but this season has turned into an absolute disaster for Brown and I can't really wrap my head around the concept of thinking he's ready to a professional based on the way his freshman season ended. Let's just say the quiet parts out loud. Would he stay at Texas if there's a new coach? Would it matter on the new coach? Would he transfer and play a season at a traditional power in hopes of rebuilding his draft portfolio?
c. If Del Conte makes a move, one of the questions he needs to ask any perspective head coach is what the hell kind of plan they'll have for a rebuilding job next season that could range from doable to impossible, depending on the plan. It's not impossible to imagine a mass exodus from the roster if Smart is fired, mainly because it's also not hard to imagine a mass exodus from the roster if he is retained.
No. 3 - Casey Thompson's Big Challenge...
Tuesday begins a stretch of time that fourth-year quarterback Casey Thompson has waited his entire life for.
It feels like almost yesterday that Thompson was just a few months into his Texas career when he put his name into the transfer portal. Well, it's not yesterday. Thompson sat and waited for two more seasons while Sam Ehlinger finished his career.
After a flat out superstar performance in the Alamo Bowl against Utah, Thompson is segueing into his opportunity to finally be the man. Only redshirt freshman Hudson Card stands in the way.
With a new coaching staff in charge, Thompson gets to start off with a blank slate in such a way that might not have existed if not for the change in coaching, as I firmly believe a confirmation bias towards Card had already begun to exist among the Texas offensive coaches. None of these coaches have worked with either quarterback, which means that the next 15 practices (including the Spring game) will define how these coaches view his short- and long-term prospects as a player under their watch.
For Thompson, the next 15 practices need to be about developing the type of consistency every day that he's lacked so far in his first three seasons as a college player. On his best day, Thompson is a star. On his average days, Thompson hasn't been anywhere close to that level according to those previously following his progress inside the program. Thompson has to get to a point where his bad days aren't bad and his average days aren't average.
It's as simple as that. If Thompson can't do it, Card will emerge as the starting quarterback. If he can, his ability to spread his wings might officially have him on the cusp of flying.
No. 4 - Four more spring football ponderings ...
a. I'm not saying the DeMarvion Overshown labrum surgery is a concern, but I'm also not saying it's isn't a concern. All things being equal, you'd wish a rehab process that takes 4-6 months to fully recover occurred 8-9 months away from the start of August camp instead of 5 months. It's not optimal, but it's better than having the issue pop up in two months.
b. The linebacker battle this spring is fascinating because with Overshown out, there's nothing but unproven parts all over the place in this new linebacker-centric Pete Kwiatkowski defense that will begin to take shape. Everyone at the position has a blank slate. I'm curious to see what that means in a month. Ray Thornton must be licking his chops.
c. I have a feeling Jeff Banks is really going to like his tight end room. That group might have the best low-key super-competitive position in the program.
d. Is B.J. Foster still a player that fans have hopes for? What exactly is the hope at this point? Personally, I'll never stop believing there's a difference-maker inside of that player, but it's been a long time since we've seen it.
No. 5 - Maalik Murphy's second game ...
No one wants to admit it, but there is a critical similarity in Maalik Murphy and former Texas quarterback Tyrone Swoopes that cannot be ignored - both lack the kind of quality game reps in volume that you;'d prefer in a quarterback prospect at the same stage of their junior seasons.
What does that mean?
It means we should all care less about what Murphy looks like now than what he looks like when he has a much higher volume of game reps under his belt. Right now he's a three star player inside of a five-star body, It's going to take some development before the three-star player emerges into something more than that.
It might be helpful if everyone views Murphy as a hot dog at a baseball game, which is my way of saying that seeing how the hot dog is made might make you not want to eat it, but if you don't pay any attention to how it's made, it might turn out that you'll enjoy it just fine.
No. 6 - About Texas baseball ...
I'm curious... what is the bar that Texas baseball much reach this season under David Pierce?
I ask because his team has 14 of its last 17, including an impressive two out of three on the road in Waco this weekend, and appears to be a team capable of competing for a Big 12 championship and playing deep into the post-season.
After two seasons largely remembered as duds, another cancelled by COVID and yet another that ended in the College World Series, I'm not sure what is the correct bar to measure the program in a post-Augie universe.
Is it still Omaha or bust? How would a season similar to the one the men's basketball team just had be viewed? For instance, what are we thinking about the season if Texas finishes 3rd in a tough Big 12, wins the Big 12 Tournament and then loses at home in a regional?
No. 7 – BUY or SELL …
(Buy) It's possible that it could go into the Final Four weekend, but I'd guess it's during the week leading up to the Final Four.
(Sell) Damn good coaches fail all the time. Look at Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. Or Mack Brown in his final years at Texas. My hunch is that Smart will one day know success again. It just won't be at Texas.
(Buy) And that and $3 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
(Buy) Coleman and Andrew Jones are damn fine players, who didn't have damn fine games on Saturday. Courtney Ramey fell apart down the stretch in a bad way.
(Sell) Smart's been here six seasons. Tom Herman received four.
(Buy) I'm all for an attempted reverse-jinx.
(Buy) Thanks for attempting to change the tone. I do appreciate it.
(Buy) The Boogie Nights curse is still in play.
(Sell) I just jinx teams. Mack's curse sometimes destroyed lives.
(Buy) The Ol' Ball Coach never picks up the fruit on the ground. The fact that he always reached for what was on the top branch is always what made his smack talk so memorable. Honestly, I'm not sure why Riley needs it. His resume should be able to be all the smack talk that he needs.
(Sell) He's a year away.
(Sell) I don't have high hopes.
No. 8 - Scattershooting on the weekend...
... Winning the conference tournament proved to be a poor precursor for the tournament for a number of teams, as is often the case. Texas, Illinois, Georgia Tech and Georgetown all went from cutting down nets to one and done. Basically, Texas should never win that damn tournament ever again.
... I think Gonzaga will win the NCAA Tournament, but picked Illinois in an attempt to diversify my bracket from the overwhelming public favorite. So much for that.
... Baylor looks like a team that has rediscovered its mojo.
... I'm adopting Ohio's Jason Preston as my new favorite player left in the Tournament.
... Eric Musselman... he's... dare I say... damn good.
... I don't know what to make of the current Deshaun Watson situation. How can a team trade for him right now? How can the Texans expect to get any real value? Or does none of it mater in an NFL world where nothing short of murder can be easily forgiven for the right guy.
... It feels like the worst thing that can happen to an NBA MVP candidate right now is to be perceived as the favorite. That's when the injuries happen.
... The Rockets have lost 20 straight. Hey, if you're going to suck... really suck. Watch out, T-Wolves!
... If Man City, PSG or Bayern Munich are going to win the Champions League this year, it won't be because they received cakewalks to the final. A potential Munich/City semi-final feels like a monster in the making.
... Juventus is ELEVEN points of the top in Serie A.
... Nice job, Leicester City.
... Coming to a WWE arena near you very soon...
No. 9 - The List: Worst sequels
This one comes via special request from @Anwar Richardson.
The litmus test used to decode this riddle? I tried to close my eyes and imagine how awful being forced to sit through the movie would be as my test.
For instance, I could live through a re-watch of The Godfather III. I'm not sure I could survive "Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd"
10. Weekend at Bernie's II - The first movie is still a weird personal favorite, even if it has aged incredibly poorly. The sequel has only been watched once and I'm pretty sure I just blacked it out.
9. Mannequin 2: On the Move - See above.
8. Exorcist 2: The Heretic - For all of the talk about The Godfather III, this one deserves more scorn.
7. The Karate Kid III - Yes, I would rather watch The Next Karate Kid.
6. Sex and the City 2 - The sequel makes the original look like Citizen Kane.
5. Son of the Mask - A strong case can be made that this should be No.1.
4. Rocky V - I don't know why I put this on the list because I don't recognize it as a real thing.
3. Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow - I'll rock with Citizens on Patrol. I can tolerate the Miami one. I can survive City Under Siege. This one is wretched.
2. Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd - I walked out of the theater after 20 minutes.
1. Caddyshack 2 - It's the only real No.1 answer, right?
No. 10 - And Finally ...
Following the Saturday night debacle on the hardwood, I decided to give the new Zack Snyder cut of the "Justice League" movie, which was released in 2017.
Not only had I not seen the original, but I hadn't seen the Batman vs. Superman movie, although I knew details about the plot.
All I can say is that even a dive into a 4-hour film seemed like a better idea than being on Orangebloods after midnight.
Overall, I thought the first hour was solid, the second hour was a bit tedious, the third hour was really, really good and the fourth hour was a mixed bag.
I'm not sure how to add all of that up together as a grade because it felt like watching an uneven six-part Netflix series. I don't regret watching it, but I'm not running out to tell anyone to watch it., either.
FREE SHAKA!!!
Hook'em!
The big 12 is not a tough conference in baseball. We are second tier. It may be competitive for teams like Texas and Tech but those teams are all a step or two below the SEC teams. They hit for power and average well over .300 as a team. We are maybe at .270 with 2 hitters over .300. The shear size and caliber of player they recruit is noticeably larger than our Tim Maitlin style of roster. It sickens me to write that. But we need to start acknowledging this reality so we can stop getting our asses kicked. Get bigger better stronger recruits and get compete in Omaha. On another note, Matt Coleman torpedoed Shaka’s Texas coaching stint here at Texas. Fitting it was his foul that ultimately sealed his coaches fate. 4 year senior playing like a freshman is about right. He is the Tyrone Swoopes. Swoopes actually got 2 coaches fired though. I’m glad to move on from Shaka and this roster of weak minded individuals. Sims and Cunningham are men. Brown Ramey Coleman Hamm and everyone else gave us the worst offensive I have ever seen. Seriously we can not have that type of offense going forward. If I ever see a 52 point game again it will be too soon. We need an exciting brand of basketball. I want points and tempo. No more eyes bleed pass around hero ball without the hero. That is for teams like Kansas State and ACU.
I believe he was besmirching the sequels to "The Karate Kid," not the original. Wax on, wax off and chill, my brother....
While Omaha or bust sounds nice, it isn’t realistic to make it every season and that goes for everyone not just us. Maybe 1/4 seasons. The math says we make Omaha once every 3.5 seasons
The SEC is better than any conference in baseball but Big 12 is definitely right there with everyone else, probably on par with the ACC. 6 big 12 schools have trips to Omaha since the formation of the conference. (7 if you count that A&M made it before leaving for the sec)
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In regards to baseball, Texas is an Omaha or bust program and that expectation should be placed on Pierce’ Shoulders every year and should be the norm.
Is it too much for a guy to ask to get some Murphy stats from his first two games? It keeps coming up as some vague reference to his struggles, but there’s no context to the conversation.
It was kind of strange watching the movie with no experience of what had previously happened. A B+ might be right.
sometimes a guy just has bad luck... and the guys with bad luck have to be disassociated with. Let them figure out the luck thing on someone else's watch.
Hmmmm... Sark is scheduled for a press conference at noon. Surprised they'd put him out there if there was something ground shaking occurring,.
