Look, here’s the deal with Carlos Correa: I’m fine with him signing with the Cubs now, if it somehow happens. But only because he’s been embarrassed. If Correa hadn’t been embarrassed (through no fault of his own, we should add—he just broke his leg a long time ago and broken legs don’t age well, but I don’t really care I’m just glad he got embarrassed because I’m a petty betch and I don’t like him), I wouldn’t like it. Now? I’m in. Buy the damaged goods on the cheap. Go shopping at the outlets. Get him, Jed. And send Patrick Wisdom’s terrifyingly perfect facial features and toned, large muscles back to the movie set from whence they came.
NDSU vs. SDSU
I adore this Sunday’s FCS Championship, and not just because it’s the Dakota States going at it in Frisco. I adore it because they’re so excited to be in Frisco. We all follow NDSU Football’s Twitter account, I know, so we’ve all seen their elated posts about headed to Frisco, Texas, and that’s the kind of enthusiasm we need. Georgia fans don’t get to tailgate in Los Angeles on Monday. Dakotans? They’re going to have the time of their lives in Sports City USA. This is Frisco’s greatest purpose, and I’m elated.
Indiana Is Cool, Fran McCaffery Is Not
Yes, I know the McCaffery family is going through some stuff right now, and we obviously wish them the best with that. Also, our sources say Fran McCaffery himself is a very good guy once you get him off the court, and we believe that and therefore like him. But I think the problem for McCaffery after Mike Woodson said this about him is that McCaffery isn’t cool, the University of Iowa isn’t cool, and Indiana and Mike Woodson both are pretty cool. IU might not win much anymore, but they’re still cool. They’ve still got vibes. Iowa? Bad vibes. Fran McCaffery? The worst (on-court) vibes. Mike Woodson and Indiana are cool.
**
Weekend itinerary:
Sunday, 2:00 PM EST: South Dakota State vs. North Dakota State (ABC)
Cannot wait.
Saturday, 8:15 PM EST: Titans @ Jaguars (ABC)
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST: Patriots @ Bills (CBS)
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST: Ravens @ Bengals (CBS)
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST: Jets @ Dolphins (FOX)
Sunday, 1:00 PM EST: Browns @ Steelers (CBS)
Sunday, 4:25 PM EST: Rams @ Seahawks (FOX)
We’ve identified these as the fun playoff-impacting games to watch.
Sunday, 8:20 PM EST: Lions @ Packers (NBC)
We’ve identified this as the game that will keep our stomach in knots for the next 52 hours.
Saturday, 7:00 PM EST: Kraken @ Senators (ESPN+)
Sens only play once this weekend, and it’s against another ancient creature like themselves. Non-zero chance a win gets them up to fourth in the Atlantic.
Saturday, 10:00 AM EST: Burnley @ Bournemouth (ESPN+)
FA Cup third round match for the Burnleys. This is the Round of 64. Tough draw, playing a Premier League club on the road, but thankfully Burnley has Bournemouth’s number, having beaten the Cherries 7-0 in the 1966 FA Cup (15-7 lead in the all-time series, I’m not obscuring anything). Game of the weekend in the footie world, I’m told.
Friday, 7:00 PM EST: Bulls @ 76ers (League Pass)
Saturday, 8:00 PM EST: Jazz @ Bulls (League Pass)
The NBA has good nicknames.
*
Ok. The basketball. Lot of it. Let’s dig in.
Saturday, 1:30 PM EST: Wisconsin @ Illinois (ESPN2)
Well, we’ve got the Game of the NITe of the Weekend, and believe it or not, Illinois is involved. Visiting them is fellow NIT aspirant (I really wish that word also meant “thing on which someone aspirates”) Wisconsin. Some might call it a rivalry. I’d say it’s bigger than that.
Saturday, 12:00 PM EST: Texas @ Oklahoma State (ESPNU)
Saturday, 2:00 PM EST: Georgetown @ Marquette (FS1)
Another of our Teams Who Could Win the NIT™, Oklahoma State, is hosting Texas this weekend, and who knows, maybe they’ll swap places soon. At the moment, though, Oklahoma State probably wants an extra loss, and given they’re a slight favorite, this would be a good place to get it.
Elsewhere? Why, Shaka Smart’s second-year Marquette team is about to pass Texas in KenPom. Wild how that works.
Saturday, 11:30 AM EST: Notre Dame @ UNC (ESPN2)
Saturday, 12:00 PM EST: St. John’s @ Providence (FS1)
Saturday, 2:00 PM EST: East Carolina @ Memphis (ESPN+)
Saturday, 2:00 PM EST: Tulane @ Temple (ESPN+)
Saturday, 4:00 PM EST: San Diego State @ Wyoming (CBS)
Saturday, 7:00 PM EST: Oklahoma @ Texas Tech (ESPN+)
Saturday, 7:00 PM EST: UAB @ FIU (ESPN+)
Out of the rest of The Ten, Dayton’s idle this weekend but Notre Dame, St. John’s…well, you can read. If you’re reading this. If you’re reading this, you can read, and I don’t need to list them.
I’d say no one’s at huge risk of falling off our list except for Tulane. Tulane’s at huge risk of falling off our list. The Cotton Bowl’s over, Tulane is no longer Having a Moment, now they actually need to play like a team who can win the NIT, and so far they haven’t done that.
Saturday, 1:00 PM EST: Duke @ Boston College (ACCN)
Just having a look. Just poking around. Just browsing.
Saturday, 2:30 PM EST: Michigan @ Michigan State (FOX)
How much do these guys go for?
Saturday, 4:30 PM EST: Xavier @ Villanova (FS1)
Hey Xavier, we’re friends, right?
Saturday, 12:00 PM EST: Vanderbilt @ Mizzou (CBS)
Saturday, 1:00 PM EST: Georgia @ Florida (SECN)
Saturday, 2:00 PM EST: Charlotte @ FAU (CUSA.TV)
Saturday, 2:00 PM EST: Mississippi @ Mississippi State (CBS)
Saturday, 4:00 PM EST: Clemson @ Pitt (ESPNU)
Saturday, 5:00 PM EST: Washington State @ Arizona (P12N)
Saturday, 5:00 PM EST: Syracuse @ Virginia (ACCN)
Saturday, 6:00 PM EST: LSU @ Texas A&M (SECN)
Saturday, 6:30 PM EST: Utah State @ Boise State (FS1)
Saturday, 7:00 PM EST: Oregon @ Utah (P12N)
Saturday, 7:30 PM EST: N.C. State @ Virginia Tech (ESPN+)
Saturday, 8:30 PM EST: Butler @ Seton Hall (FS1)
Saturday, 9:30 PM EST: UNLV @ New Mexico (CBSSN)
Sunday, 12:00 PM EST: Iowa @ Rutgers (BTN)
Sunday, 12:00 PM EST: Northwestern @ Indiana (FS1)
Sunday, 2:00 PM EST: SMU @ UCF (ESPNU)
Sunday, 2:00 PM EST: Iona @ Quinnipiac (ESPN+)
Sunday, 3:00 PM EST: Houston @ Cincinnati (ESPN)
Sunday, 5:00 PM EST: Washington @ Arizona State (ESPN)
Sunday, 6:00 PM EST: Purdue vs. Penn State (BTN)
Lot of characters. They say that about the NIT. They say, “Lot of characters.” It’s a thing they say.
