Stu’s Notes: Aaron Rodgers’s Decision Day

It’s Tuesday, and that means Pat McAfee has a show at noon Eastern Time on YouTube. If I understand correctly. If I further understand correctly, Aaron Rodgers is going to be on it. Because he’s always on the McAfee Show on Tuesdays. Of course, we’re well past noon Eastern Time and there is no show going on, with many saying Pat McAfee is on something called “vacation,” but let’s pretend I didn’t write all of the following last night and that we’re two or three hours in the past and that I’m saying it now.

I don’t think we’re going to learn anything. I don’t think Rodgers is even going to be on the show. Can you imagine how wacked out his brain must be after four days in the dark? You have to take some time and come down from that. Listening to Pat McAfee and looking at Pat McAfee after four days in the silent darkness is already too much. Add in then telling him what your soul told you about your future? That’s like doing therapy with Leslie Knope during a raging hangover.

We’ve been waiting for an Instagram post, and as of 12:15 AM Texas Time, we hadn’t gotten it yet. Last year, before Rodgers announced he was coming back (two weeks before, but “before” nonetheless), he posted a Rumi quote and nine pictures and told Shailene Woodley he loved her. We later came to understand this was post-ayahuasca, which we maybe should’ve known from the Rumi part. But hey, not every black sheep sorority girl pursuing an English major does ayahuasca before going on Pinterest. We had cause to think this was pure sentimentality.

The absence of an Instagram post isn’t concerning or troubling, but it’s another sign we won’t be seeing Rodgers on McAfee today. He might not even be out of the dark yet. Once he is, he has to get his eyes adjusted to the light again, get his brain adjusted to stimulus again, brush his teeth, fly back from Mazunte, hammer things out with the Packers, call his tattoo artist, and wait for the next Tuesday so he can tell his friend Pat. We remain early in the process. It was March before we got an answer last year, and we shouldn’t be looking for an answer today.

That said, we’re definitely looking for an answer today.

Louisville Almost Beat Duke

All Louisville needed last night to beat Duke and make Duke almost play in the NIT was to see time briefly stop eight minutes into the game. While the Cards still had the lead. It couldn’t have fully stopped, though. If it fully stopped, Louisville could have never been declared the winner. Louisville needed a partial stoppage of time, one sufficient to freak everybody out but not so long that the game never ended. They then needed to say, “Hey, wait, where’s everybody going?” and when Duke responded, “We’re leaving, dude. Time just stopped. We’re freaked out,” they needed to say, “Well then we win!” so Duke would have to say, “Oh, well…ok, I guess. That’s unimportant. Time just stopped!”

That’s what Louisville needed last night if they were going to beat Duke.

Almost got it, too.

Max Duggan Looked Like an IDIOT!

Someone in this apartment had the Kansas/TCU game on last night even though neither of those teams is making the NIT. I thought it was a nice gesture. Jamie Dixon and the Frogs have been good to our favorite tournament. Anyway, Max Duggan was there, and he was wearing a tuxedo? To a basketball game? Hey man, that’s not what you wear to one of those. I’m going to a basketball game tonight, and I will not be wearing a tuxedo. Probably a t-shirt and a crewneck and jeans. Just normal clothes. You don’t need a tux for a basketball game, Max. What the hell.

I’m Going to the Moody Center

It’s time we check out Texas’s new arena for ourselves, and not just in the environment of a Killers concert. We’re going to see a basketball game. Joe’s Cyclones are in town. We will report back, and perhaps post a few pictures on the Twitter. Maybe an Instagram story? Could get lively on The Internet™ tonight.

On that topic: We’ll probably write a Bevo’s Fake Nuts about the experience, especially since we missed it last week, and…is the verb for writing Bevo’s Fake Nuts to nut? This has serious implications. Because I see a lot of people reference nutting when I’m in the Joe Kelly forums and we’re all cheering on Joe Kelly’s relief appearances. Are those fans also writing columns about the Texas Longhorns?

Pat Beverley Will Make Me Like the Bulls, Right?

Here’s the thing about me and the Bulls:

I don’t like them.

They’re my favorite team in the NBA, but I was too young when Jordan retired to remember him, and when the franchise got good again with Rose and Noah, I’d been too out of the loop to jump on the bandwagon in good conscience. Now’s when I need to get in on the Bulls, and I’m trying, but this team is so unlikable. Not even the players, necessarily (though I’m not huge on Zach LaVine), but the franchise. The Bulls are my least-favorite favorite team, which makes them the opposite of the Bears, my favorite least-favorite team (I adore the Chicago Bears, I was just raised a Packers fan in Illinois so I adore them through that lens).

Hopefully adding Pat Beverley will change that. I want to be in on getting the 10-seed and playing a road play-in game and having to play the Celtics or someone in a 7-game series. I think knowing Pat Bev’s there to make shit go down will help.

Please Don’t Fight

I missed this over the weekend, but evidently Richard Petty isn’t happy with how things are going since Jimmie Johnson joined the team, and unfortunately, it isn’t just because the team has a dumb name now. This is sad, because while we like Jimmie Johnson and would prefer him happy, we really want Richard Petty to be happy. We can take it or leave it with Johnson. With Petty? We need it. Hopefully he’s just unhappy and not mad. But we still want Petty happy.

(Petty did make it sound like the name could be part of the issue. Which is good. The name sucks. Legacy Motor Club is so much worse than Johnson Petty Motorsports or Petty JGMS. You’ve gotta have Petty in the name.)

We Need to Bully F1 More

Formula 1 had a meeting today where they said they’ll repave the track in Miami, which is disappointing, because it means they’re still running that dumb “race” in Miami. It’s in a parking lot. It’s in a parking lot it’s in a parking lot it’s in a parking lot. We cannot continue to let this slide.

F1 could be so incredibly cool. I have no problem admitting that its ceiling is higher than NASCAR’s when it comes to coolness. But dammit, do they do some loser shit and wrap it up like it’s glamorous. The race is in a parking lot.

**

The menu today:

8:30 PM EST: Marquette @ Creighton (FS1)
9:00 PM EST: Iowa State @ Texas (LHN)

As we just said, we’ll be at the Moody Center for tonight’s game. While we’re there, our guy Shaka Smart will be trying to get Marquette in position to hold onto the Big East regular season crown (I know, the Big East cares more about its tournament because its tournament is at Madison Square Garden and has some great memories to it, but the regular season title is still something that says more about a team, and even if the tournament matters, the regular season matters too).

At the moment, Marquette leads all of Creighton, Xavier, and Providence by a game, with only Providence set to play UConn anymore and only Providence and Xavier set to play each other. Marquette’s schedule from here goes DePaul (H), Butler (A), St. John’s (H). That’s tough to get through unscathed, but it’s also going to be the expectation that they get through it unscathed. Which means tonight’s is the game they need to win if they’re going to win this thing outright.

9:00 PM EST: Texas Tech @ Oklahoma (ESPN2)

Also happening while we’re in there: Texas Tech and Oklahoma each try to get over .500. Tech’s already there—another win and they clinch at least a .500 finish, and almost definitely an NIT bid if they don’t manage to miss it on the high end—but Oklahoma has work to do. Oklahoma needs this one. Game of the NITe in Norman. Tell your Oklahoman cousins (I assume every family is constructed like mine).

7:00 PM EST: Tennessee @ Texas A&M (ESPN)
9:00 PM EST: Indiana @ Michigan State (ESPN)

ESPN has chosen tonight to broadcast A&M and Michigan State’s last stands, games in which I’m assuming they could lock themselves out of the NIT (I don’t know this, and am very willing to say this exact thing again on Saturday, so be warned). Echoes of Custer.

7:00 PM EST: Miami @ Virginia Tech (ESPNU)
7:00 PM EST: Mississippi State @ Missouri (SECN)

In the broadly-defined South, we’ve got big bubble action. Miami’s not hanging with us, but Virginia Tech is, and Mississippi State and Mizzou each can’t afford wins like this one. What if all those racists haven’t been meaning they’re going to restart the Confederacy when they say the South will rise again? What if they’re just getting amped for the NIT?

9:00 PM EST: Georgia @ Arkansas (SECN)

Georgia fans really want to be in the NIT conversation, so we’re letting them be in the NIT conversation, even though they shouldn’t be in the NIT conversation based on what they’ve accomplished to date. That said: Winning this could make them deserve NIT conversation consideration. Not NIT consideration, necessarily. But they could be close to being close.

6:30 PM EST: Villanova @ Xavier (FS1)

Speaking of ampings (work with me), Kyle Neptune’s Villanova Wildcats need wins and need them badly. Brutal stretch run. You can tell the Big East thought Villanova would still be good when they built this schedule. Xavier (A), Creighton (H), Seton Hall (A), UConn (H). And they probably need to win three of them to make the NIT. What a challenge.

9:00 PM EST: Utah State @ Wyoming (CBSSN)
10:00 PM EST: San Jose State @ Nevada (MWN)
11:00 PM EST: Colorado State @ San Diego State (CBSSN)

Nobody is safe in the Mountain West, as part of the league’s ongoing dedication to its predecessor, the Wild West. San Diego State still has the bad loss opportunities to make this interesting. Meanwhile, Utah State and Nevada are right on the top bubble, and San Jose State’s trying to rekindle its chance after a rough weekend.

7:00 PM EST: VCU @ Saint Joe’s (ESPN+)
7:00 PM EST: Saint Louis @ Richmond (ESPN+)

SLU is hanging around the bottom bubble’s bottom bubble (that’s where San Jose State wants to be), and this is a bigger opportunity than it looks like to the naked eye. It’s a road win against a not-terrible team. That’s the thing you need to build a case. Thoughts and prayers and concerns to Coach Mooney, by the way. Get that heart healthy!

Elsewhere, VCU only leads the A-10 by a game and they have to play on the road, which is always scary to write. Also, evidently SLU is tied with Dayton for second place? I didn’t realize that. I was blind to that. SLU, hand up, I was unfamiliar with your game. Anyway, the Hawk will be there flapping. A blessing to all involved.

7:00 PM EST: Akron @ Toledo (ESPN+)
7:00 PM EST: Kent State @ Ball State (ESPN+)

Return of the MAC, they say. Kent State and Toledo are tied for the league lead, but Kent State holds the tiebreaker and is the better team. Akron’s a game back, a game back in the MAC. Could they satisfy Toledo’s lack? They beat Kent State, they could attack, they could attack and rack the MAC! Should all eyes be upon old Ak? Could this small pack hold just the knack? Does John Groce ever go by Jack? Will they hack Farmer like he’s Shaq? The MAC is back the MAC is wack! The MAC is back in Santa’s sack.

7:00 PM EST: Georgia Tech @ Pitt (ACCN)

Good chance for Pitt to drop back in.

7:00 PM EST: Youngstown State @ Robert Morris (ESPN+)

The Penguins are trying to hold off Cleveland State and hunt that automatic bid. This is it for the basketball of NIT note.

2:45 PM EST: Burnley @ Millwall

I think—and maybe this is Green Street warping my perceptions—that Millwall is known for having especially rough fans. I wonder, then, if fans of other teams who normally wouldn’t fight anybody gear up to go down to Millwall. I wonder if they get ready to fight. Like it’s a tourist experience.

Big game, bigger for Millwall, they’re right in the mix of the playoff race.