Last night, a fire alarm went off at Assembly Hall. It happened during a Wisconsin run, just after the Badgers had finally tied the game. The last I heard, the explanation was that there was smoke in an elevator.
Who put that smoke in that elevator?
I have no idea if Indiana actually started a fire, or blew smoke in the wrong (right) place, or pulled a fire alarm in order to stop a Wisconsin run. My guess is that they didn’t. My guess is also that Greg Gard was joking about the alarm being intentional, and/or that he was expressing “can’t catch a break” frustration. But man, I hope Indiana did it on purpose. Because these are the sorts of home court and home field advantages we aren’t getting enough of.
This fall, I attended the Notre Dame/Ohio State game. I was seated in the section behind the endzone where Ohio State scored the winning touchdown, one which came, infamously, when Notre Dame had only ten defensive players on the field for the last two plays. Someone in the section noticed this. They hooted. They hollered. Others noticed. They hooted and hollered as well. But nobody took the matter into their own hands, jumped onto the field, and put a swim move on security in order to reach the endzone and get the play blown dead. Nobody took the misdemeanor for the team.
I think it’s coming. Soon, a fan will realize that if they run onto the field of play at the right moment, they can stop something bad from happening to their team. I’m sure that if it happens enough, those who run the sports will find better ways to stop it. So, hopefully the first few times are really cool. More: Stopping your favorite football team from blowing an historic opportunity. Less: Running onto the court in an attempt to stop a fast break late in a conference tournament game, only to see the player make the layup anyway and your team be assessed a technical.
I do think it’ll work best at a neutral site. Harder for refs to assume intent there. And yes, if you have the time, at least take off your shirt. Make them think you’re streaking for streaking’s sake.
Kevin McCullar and Bill Self
Kansas rumormongers and speculators say Bill Self’s angry at Kevin McCullar for not doing more to get back on the court as he deals with a bone bruise to the knee. Personally? Having watched Miracle a great number of times in my youth, my philosophy on injuries has always been that if it won’t hurt the injury worse to play, the player should play. Have I lived up to this? Never really had a chance, I don’t think. I didn’t have the greatest athletic career, guys. I’m an NIT blogger. Makes it really easy to cite the fictionalized version of Herb Brooks, though.
Anyway, I mostly like the implications if the drama’s true. Bill Self tried to get guys from the transfer portal. Some of them (Nick Timberlake) are disappointing him with their play. Some of them (Kevin McCullar) might be disappointing him with their toughness and dedication to Kansas basketball. It could be that coaches need to get players young so they can brainwash them into allegiance to the name on the front of the jersey. That might be what we need to save college basketball.
What’s Going On with Greg McDermott?
There are three ways to interpret Greg McDermott’s awkward answer to a question yesterday about his reported impending contract extension.
The first is that he spoke awkwardly, perhaps not wanting to accidentally share unofficial information which could sway the negotiation.
The second is that he’s not signing the extension and that he’s going to leave Creighton. Maybe he even tried to get the extension just to see what they’d give him, but now that it’s been offered it isn’t enough. Or! Maybe it was enough but he’s pissed about the leak and now he’s asking for more.
The third, my favorite, is that he’s going to sign the extension and still leave. I want to see more coaches do this. Raise the buyout, leave anyway, make your new employer pay the buyout, and say on your way out the door, “Look how much money I just made for my old university.” Lacking villain game like that is what makes Ed Cooley such a disappointing heel.
Let’s See If We Can Devalue These Buzzer Beaters
To bring this back to the court, we had three big buzzer beaters last night. Let’s look at all three and then find a reason to criticize the player involved, because none of them helped their team’s NIT chances and I’m a sensitive betch.
First: Reed Sheppard, to beat Mississippi State. Was it even at the buzzer? Also, wow. We’re reacting to that shot as the good one after what Josh Hubbard did on the possession before it? Please. And about John Calipari’s response, where he criticized his hypothetical critics who might criticize him for not calling a timeout and setting up a play: Why are you shadowboxing your critics, man?
Second: Jarod Lucas for Nevada, to beat Colorado State. Make your free throws, kid.
Third: Darius Brown II for Utah State, to force overtime against Fresno State. You almost lost to Fresno State? And we’re supposed to call Utah State too good for the NIT? Don’t change the argument on me! This isn’t about your stupid buzzer beater!!
Etc.
College basketball:
- Beyond what we covered above (and a little BFN we’re aiming to get out on Friday examining Brock Cunningham’s Brock Cunninghamness), we’ve got NIT Bubble Watch. Also, our guy Shaka Smart hosts Providence tonight. Big game for Providence’s NIT chances. Big game for setting the world up for Shaka Smart vs. Texas in the second round of that other tournament and me foaming at the mouth reminding Texas fans that they ran the guy out of town.
Chicago, the Packers:
- The NFLPA dropped its team report cards, which are based on surveys of players. Fun exercise. Good way to flame organizations like the Commanders. The Packers ranked third overall, with their lowest grade (Treatment of Families) a C+ and their worst ranking (21st) assigned to Head Coach. LaFleur still got a B+, but evidently he isn’t perceived as willing to listen to the locker room, compared to other coaches around the league. That doesn’t feel all that surprising, but I’m also curious if it’s amplified by having such a young team.
- The Bears were tenth overall, which is way better than I’d expect, and kind of reassuring as someone who likes to make fun of the Bears? It’s not like the Bears are making their players suffer. They’re doing fine. They’re just bound to be set up to lose in comedic fashion. The Bears’ locker room ranked fourth (A–), so Soldier Field will presumably be sticking around. Right? Right?? The food didn’t get good marks. What if what’s been missing since 1985 is the food that made Refrigerator Perry what he was?
- The Bulls got beat by the Pistons, in an unexpected twist, and Alex Caruso hurt his foot, something I’m assuming is not serious and will actually likely empower him. I think a healthy Caruso might be the worst Caruso. The man thrives on pain. Cavs tonight. Surely, that will go well.
- On the topic of the Bulls: Remember when they had Jimmy Butler? The most admirable player in the NBA? Well, he stars in the new Fall Out Boy video. Was this the reason for the haircut? Was this an effect of the haircut? I don’t know. I just know I love him. Need a Jimmy Butler Tomball jersey.
- More happiness, this time with people still involved with Chicago sports: Cody Bellinger’s reintroductory press conference was today, and Jed Hoyer and Scott Boras had some good chuckles with it. Craig Counsell, too. Lots of chuckles. Big chuckle day. Did Cody Bellinger know what was happening? I think so. I don’t think Cody Bellinger is actually dumb. But I do think Cody Bellinger might be the kind of guy who’s reciting Taco Bell’s menu to himself in his head whenever he’s bored, and I think Cody Bellinger might be bored a lot. I like to envision Cody Bellinger silently naming chalupas while his boss and his kind-of boss do a little improv.
The Ottawa Senators:
- The Senators are outright bad again, and Josh Norris hurt his shoulder. I didn’t even know they had a game last night until it was happening. Then it went bad, bad, bad.
