Quick hits:
Another Good Night for Iowa State Hoops
Iowa State took care of Arkansas-Pine Bluff last night (committed a few too many foul but forced a ton of turnovers, and those things often go together so we’ll allow it) right after picking up Eastern-Kentucky-by-way-of-Georgetown transfer Tre King. King doesn’t fully transform the roster or anything like that, and he might not even play this year (would need a waiver), but it’s always good when somebody chooses to play for you, and King had some great stretches at EKU. Not a bad piece to have around.
Another Bad Night for Michigan Hoops
What is going on with Michigan? The Wolverines got smoked last night by formerly woeful UNC. UNC needed something like that, of course, and Michigan will likely be fine, but it’s striking how much they’ve struggled in the early going.
Washington Has Covid
The Washington/Arizona game tonight wasn’t all that noteworthy, but it’s worth noting that this game was canceled. Not the first Covid cancelation of this season, I believe, but the most noteworthy so far that I’m aware of. I know this is a broader question, and I don’t purport to have the answer, but I wonder at what point Covid becomes something that doesn’t force cancelations of games. Clearly, it’s not this year.
The Lockout Begins
As expected, the MLB Lockout began last night, and…look. We’re probably going to side more with the players here than the owners, because we think free agency should be a basic right like it is in pretty much every other profession in the free world, but we aren’t going to pretend the MLBPA is some saintly, perfect organization we should follow blindly.
Final moves before the bell last night included the Orioles signing Jordan Lyles, the Red Sox signing James Paxton, the Red Sox trading Hunter Renfroe for Jackie Bradley Jr. and prospects, and the Angels signing Raisel Iglesias. The Renfroe/Bradley trade’s the most noteworthy, and my immediate gut reaction, without looking much into it, is that the Red Sox probably think they can help fix Bradley and the Brewers are desperate for offense. Just my take, though. Plenty more on the lockout to come.
Oklahoma Update
No big news on the Matt Campbell front, but that could break at any time, and at Oklahoma it could be Campbell, Luke Fickell, Brent Venables, or a number of other guys. Fickell seems extremely unlikely this week, and rather unlikely if Cincinnati makes the playoff (we think they will, though we don’t think they’re safe), but who knows. Who knows, guys.
***
Nothing great on tonight. Saint Mary’s/Utah State’s the best basketball game but both those teams are bubbly. Read a book. Watch a Christmas movie.
