Guess who in this apartment placed an Italian/German soccer parlay (it was boosted!) and has the games on in the background while writing this. Hint: It isn’t Fargo.
Speaking of Fargo, quick update on the pup: We’re down to three pills a day (peak was nine), and she’s been cleared to return to daycare. We’re thinking we’ll ease her in, starting Monday. Send good vibes. She pranked me good this morning, taking such a big dump that I got a little on my hand while I gathered it and then pulling me across a few feet of grass (she caught me off-balance) that happened to contain another dog’s dump, into which I stepped. Covered in dog poop to begin my Friday. Classic. When we got home from the walk she spent an hour and a half dropping her orange ball under the couch so I could get it out for her, then barked at me until I took her down to pee, then barked at me again until I boosted her up onto the couch to sleep. They don’t tell you this in NIT blogging school, but most of the job consists of waiting on a very demanding puppy hand and foot.
Following Lincoln’s Example in the USA
Conference USA isn’t going to let Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss leave without a fight, releasing a football schedule the other day with all three schools on it despite the schools’ plan to violate the conference bylaws and join the Sun Belt a year early. More to come on this. Maybe. If the follow-up comes on a busy news day, no promises.
F1’s Staying in Austin
Circuit of the Americas and Formula One have announced a five-year contract extension, keeping the U.S. Grand Prix in Texas’s capital through 2026. Big for the economy, says local Lyft driver and F1-ish blogger.
Jack Roush, Dueling Machine
RFK Racing swept the Daytona Duels last night, with Brad Keselowski winning the first and Chris Buescher taking the second after a late Joey Logano block went awry. Logano was fine, his car held up well (first big superspeedway wreck with the new car), and he was one of the guys who had a backup car on site, which he did know when he attempted the block but he may not have actively considered. We always know how much underwear we packed, but we don’t think about it with every fart.
Keselowski and Buescher will start behind Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman on Sunday. Greg Biffle and Kaz Grala took the final two open spots, meaning cars owned by Michael Jordan, Pitbull, and Floyd Mayweather will all be racing in this Daytona 500, as you’ll hear about quite a bit if you watch any NASCAR content this weekend.
The Trucks race tonight in the NextEra Energy 250. Broadcast at 7:30 PM EST on FS1. NextEra Energy attributes 41% of its generating capacity to fossil fuel sources, and I don’t know how that compares to the industry average.
We’re still intending to put out a NASCAR preview this weekend, so keep your eye out for that and/or weekend notes. We’ll have something before the actual 500. But in case it isn’t here by 5:00 PM EST tomorrow, that’s when FS1 will be broadcasting the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300 in the Xfinity Series. Unclear how many of those cows are renewable.
Sens Won
Anton Forsberg ended up starting after all, and he didn’t have much to do back there. At one point, the Sabres went 22 minutes without managing a shot on goal, and the Senators left Buffalo with a 3-1 win and, by points per game, sixth place in the Atlantic Division. Only 18 points back of the Bruins for the last playoff spot! Nine game winning streak, nine game losing streak, boom. We’re in. And speaking of the Bruins, the Senators host them tomorrow at 7:00 PM EST on ESPN+. I love ESPN+. Waited way too long to pony up.
Can Burnley Burnley the Brightons?
Burnley plays Brighton tomorrow, and remember when Brighton was bad? Now, they’re good. Outside shot at European play good. They’re ninth in the table, they’re eighth in goal differential (dead even), and they’re the home team tomorrow, which doesn’t sound good for our lads. On the bright side, it’s going to be stormy. Rainy, brutal wind, peaking during the game or close to it. Burnley weather down by the sea.
Wout Weghorst is supposed to be available after hurting his hip last weekend, Ashley Barnes sounds to be getting closer to full strength, Matěj Vydra had that hernia surgery he’s been needing.
Kickoff at 10:00 AM EST, broadcast only on Peacock Premium. I don’t love Peacock Premium. Wish it wasn’t necessary but for Burnley, I tolerate it.
Relegation rivals: Watford visits Aston Villa, Norwich visits Liverpool, Newcastle visits West Ham, Brentford visits Arsenal, Everton visits Southampton, Leeds hosts Manchester United on Sunday, Crystal Palace hosts Chelsea. A one-dollar bet on Bovada on all these matches and Burnley’s going Burnley’s way pays out $156.54, so: great odds.
Duck Hunt
After being dominated by Arizona State (yes, you’re reading this right, this is why this is news), Oregon’s on the brink of falling out of the NIT projection (fresh bracketology today), and…
We’ve seen this before from Oregon.
They’ve been fine.
They did this earlier this year. Even the losing-to-Arizona-State part. What’d they do after that? Turned it around. Won eleven of fourteen. Got all the way back to the bubble. Given they play the Pac-12’s three good teams over the next nine days, I think we all know what to expect. Keep doing you, Dana Altman.
Shaka Smart, Texas
Marquette’s at Creighton on Sunday, Texas is home against Texas Tech tomorrow. Texas Tech’s evidently bringing the house, so that should be fun. Rare for the Erwin Center to be full. Not rare for the Erwin Center to be full of Texas Tech fans.
Game of the NITe of the Weekend
We could go with Memphis @ SMU. We could go with North Texas @ UAB. We could go with UNC @ Virginia Tech, or Kansas State @ Oklahoma State, or even BYU @ Saint Mary’s. We could go with Virginia @ Miami. And who, who in the world, can take their eyes off Rutgers @ Purdue? But the Game of the NITe of the Weekend is in Ames, and here’s why:
Iowa State’s close. A loss might not do it, but it also might. Oklahoma’s also close, but they’re treading the .500 tightrope, and to stick the landing they should probably lose this one but then again, would 17-15 be a safer spot? It’s this battle with temptation that has Porter Moser in our sights, and this time, Sister Jean’s not there to help him fight it. Stay strong, coach. For all of us.
***
Again, potentially more notes tomorrow or Sunday, depending how and when the Daytona 500 preview/NASCAR season preview comes together. See you then. See you there. Need a second goal from Juventus in the meantime. Aaaaaand Leverkusen. Oof. Gonna lose this.
