Let me say this.
The next grievance update may be a real doozy.
NASCAR Does Its Hamilton Impression
Six years outdated? Yes. But at the same time, that would make sense for NASCAR.
The Daytona Duels are tonight, with qualifying last night putting Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman on the front row for Sunday, locking Jacques Villeneuve and Noah Gragson into the field out of the open cars, and leaving two spots open for the remaining four open cars (Greg Biffle, J.J. Yeley, Kaz Grala, and Timmy Hill—Grala’s car is owned by Floyd Mayweather, making this one heck of a four-car set), to be determined by tonight’s results. Tonight will also determine the starting order behind the first row, and give out some points for drivers who finish in the top ten. Races start at 7:20 PM EST on FS1.
We’re thinking we’ll have the NASCAR preview up tomorrow, but it may get pushed another day or two. As I said, the next grievance update may be a real doozy.
Michael Masi Has Been Reassigned
Sticking with the wheels, F1 announced today that Michael Masi, the race director who ultimately arbitrarily decided last year’s championship, will no longer be the race director, meaning someone else whose name I don’t remember but we’ll probably all learn the name of will get the chance to arbitrarily decide this year’s championship. In other news, F1 won’t allow the communications between teams and the race director to be broadcast, meaning when teams pressure the race director to conduct the race favorably to them, it will now be done behind closed doors rather than out in the open, which, hold on a second.
101 days until the Indy 500.
Rutgers, Oh God
We’ve put it off long enough. Rutgers cannot be beaten.
Rutgers won its fourth straight last night, all against legitimately good teams, only one particularly close. I don’t know how they’re doing it. I’m terrified of them. Please reference #TheRealScarletKnight on Twitter to discuss this more deeply.
The bottom line here is that Rutgers is not on the NITe Train. Rutgers is on a train towards all of our doom. Really, though, if they keep winning they’re going to miss the NIT, when just days ago we thought if they kept losing they were going to miss the NIT. I’m horrified of Rutgers. Being serious about that. They scare me.
NITre Dame
The Fighting Irish nearly lost again to Boston College last night, but couldn’t quite pull it off. Still a good reminder to anyone watching that this team belongs with us. You’ll have to come down here and take them, David Worlock.
Pour One Out for Fresno
The Save Mart Center was the sight of what may turn out to have been Fresno State’s final undoing, as the Bulldogs dropped a home game to UNLV. Tragedy.
NIT or NOT? SMU
SMU made a big NIT move losing to Temple in Philadelphia, and given that everything in Philadelphia pays homage to basketball’s glorious past, we can only assume this too was a loss in recognition of what we once held dear: the NIT being great and Temple being competitive.
Near Miss for Loyola
I don’t know why I made these so many segments and not just one, but Loyola almost lost to Valpo, which really would have opened some doors for them with us. They didn’t, though. Sorry, Sister Jean and Porter Moser’s ghost. Keep trying.
Game of the NITe
It’s tonight, and it’s back in the Bay Area. NIT favorite San Francisco is trying to hold onto that designation, but recent play (their blowout win down in Santa Clara over the weekend) has them on the brink of irrelevance. They’ve held on improbably before, but a win in Moraga (they’re playing Saint Mary’s, sorry, didn’t say that earlier) would likely be a death knell to both their dreams and ours. Godspeed, Dons. 10:00 PM EST, NBC Sports Bay Area, which…yeah most of you are going to have to stream this through the WCC website.
Other games of note:
- Minnesota @ Penn State (4:00 PM EST, BTN, probably no consequence but fun time slot)
- Towson @ UNC-Wilmington (6:00 PM EST, CBSSN, big auto-bid implications)
- North Texas @ Florida Atlantic (7:00 PM EST, gonna guess ESPN+, beautiful danger for the Mean Green)
- Michigan @ Iowa (7:01 PM EST, ESPN, yes there’s still a chance)
- Colorado State @ New Mexico (9:00 PM EST, FS1, come on Pitino the Lesser let us do the Grim Reaper meme)
- Oregon @ Arizona State (9:00 PM EST, ESPN, Bill Walton and Dave Pasch on the call)
- Creighton @ DePaul (10:00 PM EST, CBSSN, why is this so late this is a step too far)
- Washington State @ UCLA (11:00 PM EST, FS1, no this is actually a game Wazzu wants to win)
Oh Yeah, the Sens
Senators play tonight in Buffalo. 7:00 PM EST, ESPN+. Regulation win would bring the Sens out of seventh in the division and into a tie for sixth, which is the best spot to be unless the Sens are still in seventh tomorrow, in which case seventh is the best spot to be. Thomas Chabot’s still out, Matt Murray’s out, Filip Gustavsson’s getting the start opposite longtime Sen Craig Anderson.
A Victory with Cheese
Kept on the Soup Streak journey with a well-managed cheese snack last night. Hate doing this too often, because I understand it’s concerning behavior, but did weigh myself pre and post-snack to keep hitting short-term goals. 23-25 pounds left, depending how you measure.
