Jim Boeheim’s a dick.
I think.
I’m pretty sure of it.
I was pretty sure for a long time that Jim Boeheim was a dick, and then I softened on that stance, and I don’t remember why. I’m kicking myself for not making more fun of Boeheim these last few years. I should have known we were headed for something like this:
Just a few days after getting upset with a student reporter for a different question at a midweek presser, Boeheim was at it again, once again frustrated with the college kids asking in the college media room about the college kids he’s made a living coaching. It was unnecessary, it was weird, it was the kind of thing that makes Syracuse fans sigh and wish like hell the guy would just retire already. It wasn’t even fun, like the time he got all grumpy about Greensboro. Boeheim was in on that joke. There is no joke here.
Part of what makes Boeheim so weird is that it’s not clear he’s ever been that great a coach. By industry standards, he had a lot of medium success at Syracuse in his first four decades there, but it was almost all only that: medium success. Winning one of those tournaments doesn’t ring as loud when you get 46 chances to do it and you’re loaded with so much talent that the NCAA’s constantly sniffing around your door. Is Boeheim a deserving hall of famer? Sure. Has his zone been nasty a lot of the time? Yes. Was he responsible for acquiring that talent? Mostly, probably. But is he a better historic college basketball coach than Billy Donovan? No way, right? Maybe I’m not giving him enough credit for making Syracuse what it is, but just because a guy sticks around for a long time doesn’t automatically qualify him as one of the all-time greats. At least Joe Paterno went undefeated a handful of times.
Texas Tech Lives
Holy heck.
We were ready to write obituaries for the golden era of Texas Tech hoops, and we may still be on the way, but these guys are making us uncomfortable about having removed them from our Ten Teams Who Could Win the NIT™ list. That was a vicious win, and you have to be a little bit vicious to win the NIT (I don’t think anybody’s ever said that before, but roll with me here). We’ll keep an eye on the situation.
Are Oklahoma and Texas Leaving Early?
This is weird, on the football side:
Put a pin in it.
Joe Kelly’s Writing a Book!
We mentioned this a while back, but multiple people have reached out in surprise at the news Joe Kelly is going to be published soon, so let us just confirm: Yes, we’re aware; No, we can’t wait. It’s going to be released in March, right in time to be read poolside in Las Vegas.
One other benefit of this is that Joe Kelly’s making the media rounds, which means he keeps stirring up Astros fans who can’t get him out of their heads. The Astros are the only team to win multiple World Series in the last nine years (can’t say ten because Joe Kelly blocked them in 2018 way before this rivalry existed) and their fans are still obsessed with Joe Kelly. Says a lot about how they feel about themselves.
Pat McAfee Has Fun
I happened to notice when Pat McAfee tweeted that Aaron Rodgers was coming on the show today, so I watched the interview, and there wasn’t much information for Packer fans but boy does Pat McAfee have a good time. Good for him. Seems like he’s loving life. Exuberant fellow, Pat McAfee.
**
The menu tonight:
7:00 PM EST: Virginia Tech @ Miami (ESPNU)
We’re still trying to figure out if Miami is good, and the reemergence of Virginia Tech could spell trouble for Virginia Tech as they attempt to secure an NIT bid. Action all over the place in this evening’s Game of the NITe.
7:00 PM EST: Wake Forest @ Duke (ESPN)
7:00 PM EST: Clemson @ Boston College (ACCN)
Not to be outdone, the rest of the ACC gives us Duke and Clemson each trying to make a statement. For Clemson in particular, it would be hard for any good, God-fearing bracketologist to leave the Tigers out of the NIT field with a loss. The opportunity is there, kids.
6:30 PM EST: Mississippi State @ South Carolina (SECN)
7:00 PM EST: Texas A&M @ Arkansas (ESPN2)
9:00 PM EST: Kentucky @ Mississippi (ESPN)
Elsewhere in the South, Texas A&M tries to not mess this up while resisting the temptation to mess Arkansas’s little thing up for Arkansas. Meanwhile, Kentucky has a chance to get back on track. It’s far from over.
Oh, also. Mississippi State plays and they do it early enough that we’ll turn it on for a few minutes. We’re easy to entice.
7:00 PM EST: Nebraska @ Illinois (BTN)
9:00 PM EST: Northwestern @ Iowa (BTN)
Northwestern’s now won three in a row since we proclaimed that the Big Ten was picking on them, but the nice thing about playing Iowa is that Iowa is good at the offense things, so as long as you don’t connect on all those easy looks they’ll give you, you can get blown out. Northwestern could use a blowout right now. They host Michigan on Thursday and that’s looking far too appealing. Elsewhere: A last stand for Illinois?
9:00 PM EST: Boise State @ Air Force (MWN?)
9:00 PM EST: UNLV @ Colorado State (MWN?)
11:00 PM EST: San Diego State @ Nevada (CBSSN)
Nice evening in the Mountain West, reliable provider of late-night midweek content. Nobody is out of it in the Mountain West. Pretty much ever. It’s a great NIT league that way. Remember Boise State’s finish in 2021? No? Well. It was something.
7:00 PM EST: Saint Louis @ Fordham (ESPN+?)
7:00 PM EST: VCU @ Davidson (CBSSN)
9:00 PM EST: Loyola @ Dayton (CBSSN)
Over in Mountain West Lite land, the A-10 has some sneakers tonight that could turn out pretty fun. If you figure out where the Fordham game’s being broadcast…good luck not getting curious about what their court looks like.
7:00 PM EST: Sens @ Canadiens (ESPN+)
Switching to ice maneuvers, the Sens are trying to sweep the Canadiens. Do it, and they’ll not only be the kings of eastern Canada, but they’ll have a three-game winning streak going into the All-Star Break. Please just win, guys. Come on. For me.
8:00 PM EST: Clippers @ Bulls (League Pass)
And, finally, the Bulls play. I hate it when they do that.
