2021 NCAA Tourney (Day One)

 Games I saw (some of): 

(15) Oral Roberts 75-72 (OT) (2) Ohio State

Hey, if you watched the game, this was not a surprising result, Oral Roberts really was the better team throughout. Max Abmas (29 pts) was a fuckin' badass (like a little Lou Williams out there) and Obanor filled it up and hit big shots, while the rest of the crew made plays (would've been a blowout if they'd made more jumpers). For the Buckeyes, I was impressed with Liddle and Walker, but for some reason all the offense ran through Washington, who was not getting buckets down the stretch (7-21 FGs in 43 mins). If Oral Roberts has anything left in the tank then Florida is in trouble because these guys can score and control the game. (Yeah, I had the Buckeyes in my Final Four, so....yeah...bracket is shot)

(9) Wisconsin 85-62 (8) North Carolina

The Tarheels just had no offense at all, while the Badgers were their usual selves: a solid D and an offense that makes no mistakes. Wisconsin probably shot a little better than usual, not sure they were actually this much better than UNC.

(10) Va Tech 70-75 (OT) (7) Florida

I generally thought Va Tech was the better team.  About 10 mins left, Fla finally got Castelton going down low and Tech didn't have an answer for him. That turned the momentum and Florida should've won in regulation, but Tech did well to get the game to OT. But in OT, Tech just ran out of gas. Florida is fine, but nothing superior--Oral Roberts is gonna give them a match.

(13) North Texas 78-69 (OT) (4) Purdue

I only caught the last few minutes of regulation and all of the OT. Purdue, as happens to the 'big boys' in this tourney, just thought they could coast on how they've played all year long, instead of adapting to a new challenge. North Texas plodded along down low and controlled the tempo late to hold off the Boilermakers (who were basically playing a home game). 

(13) Liberty 60-69 (4) Oklahoma St

I kept waiting for OSU to take off but they never really did. Liberty hung around and kept the Cowboys nervous throughout. Concensus #1 pick Cade Cunningham did virtually nothing until the last 10 mins, then he finally appeared, but even then Liberty did not go quietly. Not sure what to make of their next match with Oregon St (can they blitz Ok St the way the blitzed Tennessee?).

Games I saw (pretty much) none of:

(16) Drexel 49-78 (1) Illinois

(16) Hartford 55-79 (1) Baylor

(15) Cleveland St 56-87 (2) Houston

(14) Colgate 68-85 (3) Arkansas

Score was much closer throughout the game, Arkansas must've run away with it late. 

(14) Morehead St 67-84 (3) West Virginia

(11) Syracuse 78-62 (6) San Diego St

Never close. Syracuse piled on points all the way through.

(9) Georgia Tech 60-71 (8) Loyola-Chicago

(12) Winthrop 63-73 (5) Villanova

(11) Utah St 53-65 (6) Texas Tech

(12) Oregon St 70-56 (5) Tennessee

Oregon State got out to a big lead and held it throughout/ 

(10) Rutgers 60-56 (7) Clemson

Day #1: Big-12 (4-0) looking like the dominant conference, while the strongest regular season conference, the Big-10 (3-2) was only so-so impressive. ACC (0-4) got smoked, SEC (2-1) plodded along and the Pac-12 (1-0) hasn't gotten started yet.  

Day #1 MVP: Max Abmas (Oral Roberts)

2021 Champions League (Round of 16) (2nd leg)

Juventus 3-2 (4-4) Porto 

That 1st half PK....meh. I see the contact but to me it just looks like two guys going after the ball with neither really getting an unfair advantage, so I would've let it go. Juve just couldn't get their offense going, Porto was off-side trapping them to perfection and kept them frustrated on the wings especially and when Ronaldo gets impatient, he gets fidgety. Juve back in the game: 48th minute, Ronaldo settles a ball in the box perfectly for Chiesa to hammer home, nice teamwork and a real mood lifter. Just a few minutes later Chiesa beat the keeper but couldn't corral the ball--OMG, that defender got so lucky to sweep it away without giving up a penalty!  Okay, some sweet action here. Chiesa finishes on a beautiful header from a long ball pass (hmmm...are we sure he wasn't offside?) and we got ourselves a stew! Once it went it OT, I figured we were headed to PK's, but Porto scored and I missed that Porto was in the driver's seat, so when Juve scored right away, I thought we were back on the PK track. But, no, Porto advances on away goals. Juve really dominated this match but Porto made their two best chances stand up and they're moving on. Tough L for Juventus. 

Dortmund 2-2 (5-4) Sevilla

Man, Sevilla really came out swinging, attacking hard early on. But they weren't able to connect on a quick goal, feels like they're gonna wear themselves out. Called it! For the first 20 minutes or so, Dortmund couldn't get the ball across midfield, but the first good run at the goal they had, they managed to finished (who's stopping Haaland right now?). The goal/no goal/missed PK/2nd chance PK maneuver early in the 2nd half was confusing and I'm not convinced it was the right call, but it felt like Dortmund earned a goal, so I guess it's legit. Sevilla played their asses off down the stretch, the frantic run to the end made Dotrmund look shaky, but they held on. Kind of a crazy game, lot of cards, chippy fouls, high octane action, replays, ref looked lost at times....fun times. 

Liverpool 2-0 (4-0) Leipzig

Another fairly even match where Liverpool finished its chances and Leipzig just couldn't generate any offense. Leipzig is solid but just doesn't have the attack to move forward. Kinda hard to tell, really, how good Liverpool is: was Leipzig a sturdy pushback or an easy pushover? My eyes told me the two teams were not that far apart but the scoreboard shows me a different picture. 

Paris St. Germaine 1-1 (5-2) Barcelona

Man, Barca had chances: missed PK, hit the post a coupla times, swung the ball in front of the goal numerous times, kinda lived in PSG's box for long stretches...and just couldn't connect. PSG got a quick PK (meh, I thought it was a weak call) and the lead seemed insurmountable....and it was. Shame to miss out on Messi going forward but it would've sucked being deprived of Mbappe, too, I suppose. 

Real Madrid 3-1 (4-1) Atalanta

Madrid controlled the game early, up 1-0 at halftime, and the game was pretty much over when they finished a PK (iffy call) early in the 2nd half. Atalanta got a goal, but gave it right back. Real was the better team for 180 minutes. 

Manchester City 2-0 (4-0) Gladbach

Gladbach just never had any attack at any point in these two matches. Even their high pressured defense was of little use, seemed like Man City was more than happy to kill time passing the ball around in their backfield. De Bruyne nailed a beauty early in the game and then they added another goal before halftime on a breakaway (beautiful set-up pass, just gorgeous) and it was all over quick.  

Bayern Munich 2-1 (6-2) Lazio

Yeah, Bayern is just better than Lazio. Lazio could maintain possession but they couldn't push forward and Bayern's counter were just overwhelming. 

Chelsea 2-0 (3-0) Atletico Madrid

I was surprised how un-sexy Atletico's attack was, just never seemed scary around the goal. Chelsea controlled the offense, that first goal finished the game, the late goal was just cold blooded.

Quarters:

Man City v Dortmund

I'm looking forward to it. Dortmund's offense can pile up goals quickly but it goes cold, too. If Man City can control the tempo, they can stymie Dortmund. This could go either way: indeed, this could be a tight, well-fought battle throughout or either team could house the other. This match offers perhaps the widest variance of outcomes.

Porto v Chelsea

I think Chelsea is the better team, not that Porto is undeserving but the way they scored in that first leg gives little indication of what they're actually like. If Porto can score early perhaps they can control the game, I think they'll have to. I gotta go with Chelsea, there's more firepower coming off the bench, too, they should score goals, whereas I think Porto has to bunker. 

Bayern Munich v Paris St. Germaine

This will be fun! Bayern isn't unbeatable, they're just really solid at every phase of the game. PSG, though, is exactly the kind of spicy side that put a scare into them. I see both teams scoring goals, this is definitely the matchup to watch.

Real Madrid v Liverpool

Hard to tell how good either of these teams are: Atalanta gave Real Madrid little to worry about and Leipzig just never spooked Liverpool. I got a feeling one of these sides is ready to collapse, just not sure who's going to do it first. Uh...I'll take Liverpool.

2021 Spring Training highlight

 Nice! Ahhhhhhh....I love baseball.

2021 NBA Awards (1st half of the season)

MVP: Giannis Antetokounpo (Bucks)

Yeah, not the popular pick of the day but, man, his numbers are still stupidly better than pretty much everyone else. Yeah, he's the two-time MVP and his team is slipping, but perhaps being the underdog is exactly what this team needs. I understand no one else agrees with me and that's fine but he's actually having another great season and I thought I'd go ahead and zig here while everyone else be zagging. 

The rest of my top 7 (in no particular order): Steph Curry (Warriors), Damian Lillard (Blazers), Lebron James (Lakers), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Julius Randle (Knicks), Joel Embiid (Sixers). 

My criteria: I start by picking out the top 100 in Minutes Played and top 100 in Games Played (145 players). I then look at the top 20 in FGA, 3PA, 2PA, FTA, Total Rebounds, Assists, (Turnovers), Steals, Blocks, Points (77 players). Look, if you're not in the top 145 of usage and the top 20 of at least one of those stats, then how can you be MVP? Some guys that got completely left out: Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Jamal Murray, Tobias Harris, Paul George, Gordon Hayward. Sure, they're great players but none of them are the MVP of the league right now IMHO. Also, I intentionally removed James Harden (Nets): his numbers are great with the Nets but he spent the early part of the season sand bagging the Rockets and that just ain't MVP material, man. 

Rookie: LaMelo Ball (Hornets)/Tyrese Halliburton (Kings) 

I couldn't choose because they're putting up similar numbers in similar roles. Also, as a night owl I end up watching more Kings than Hornets, so even though Ball is perhaps the more exciting player, I see more of Halliburton and I like what I see. This is good--not great--rookie class and these two are clear rotation guys right away. 

I also like Immanuel Quickley (Knicks), Patrick Butler (Bulls), James Wiseman (Warriors), Anthony Edwards (Wolves), Precious Achiuwa (Heat). And in the 2nd half of the season I can see Onkgwu (Hawks), Deni Avidija (Wizards), and Devin Vassell (Spurs) shining out, too. (Is Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) on the trade block? His minutes have fallen off and I'm not sure why) Fun fact: the top 20 rookies in Minutes Played are the same 20 (though not in the same order) in Points, as well. The top of the class is already producing on the court. 

6th Man: Jordan Clarkson (Jazz)

Microwave off the bench, creates his own shots without being (too much of) a ball hog, pretty good rebounder at his position, and is giving valuable reliable minutes off the bench. (Has anyone noticed that he's 58 of 60 at the free throw line so far? Damn, man!)

LaMelo Ball (Hornets), Tyrese Halliburton (Kings) are both shooting well, keeping the offense going off the bench and feature impressive asst:to rates. (When was the last time a rook won 6th Man of the Year?) Monte Morris (Nuggets) is flying under the radar but playing well with the second unit, which will likely get bolstered at the all-star break. 

Coach: Quin Snyder (Jazz)

The Jazz have been killing it all year long, though I can't help feeling they're peaking too early. But Snyder doesn't quit and neither does Donovan Mitchell, if that rotation can stay healthy I do believe they can be dangerous in the post-season. 

Doc Rivers (Sixers) has unlocked Embiid and that is Coach of the Year stuff; Tom Thibodeau (Knicks) irritates the shit out of me and I can't help thinking they've gotten lucky with reclamation players (Randall, Peyton, Burks) and a sneaky great draft pick (Quickley), and my skepticism makes me feel like there's a better than average chance that Thibs blows that roster out by the end of the season, but so far...the Knicks are really good and a fun watch; Monty Williams (Suns) is the coach and having a hell of a season but Chris Paul is really running the team, right?

GM: Sean Marks (Nets)

Brought in Steve Nash to coach, James Harden to anchor and picked up Bruce Brown for a song without giving up Joe Harris. And (so far) those moves have worked brilliantly. Still very possible that one or the other blows up but even giving away Jarrett Allen doesn't seemed poised to be heartbreaker looking back.

Scott Perry (Knicks) seems to have chosen wisely with this year's recelamation projects. Mitch Kupchak (Hornets) drafted the best rookie, hung in on Gordon Hayward (who is looking great) and is making that Terry Rozier-Kemba Walker swap look like the right move (when it sure didn't at the time) and the Hornets are genuinely fun to watch for the first time in ages.

Bayern Munich 4-2 Borussia Dortmund

Ain't gonna lie: when Dortmund went up 2-0, I said to myself that Bayern would probably win 4-2. I don't think I meant it but I wasn't surprised by the result. 

Bayern gave up two goals in the first ten minutes and still looked like they were in control all the way through. That last goal was just cold blooded, too. 

2021 Champions League (Round of 16)

1st leg

Leipzig 0-2 Liverpool

I thought Liverpool controlled the ball better, had a much more dangerous attack; Leipzig had a few moments, especially late, but they were never scary around the goal and shanked the best opportunities badly. Both of the goals were bad defensive giveaways (an errant pass that left Salah wide open and a whiff on a high arcing long ball that left Sane wide open) but otherwise Leipzig's D was pretty good.  This easily could've been a scoreless draw but Liverpool was the better team and a two goal W is probably the right outcome. Gotta figure Liverpool will make it stand up and move on to the quarterfinals.

Barcelona 1-4 Paris. St. Germaine

Wow. For 60 minutes I thought this was an even contest. But when Mbappe scored his second goal around the 65th minute, PSG just went off and destroyed Barca for the rest of the night. Barca scored first on a PK (looked like the right call, then it didn't, then it did again, it was the right call), but Mbappe got loose in the box and tied it up before halftime. Both sides attacked well and kept the action spicy pretty evenly until PSG took the lead. Soon after PSG got another goal on a header from a direct kick (kinda looked like when an extra linebacker rushes the passer and the running back never picks him up). Barca had some moments after that but PSG made better use of their possessions and put it on Barca. Mbappe's hat trick was off a beautiful pass during a breakaway, Barca's D got carved up. Barcelona's got a tough hill to climb but they're really good so that makes the next match all the more intriguing.

Porto 2-1 Juventus

Weirdest line I've seen in a while: Porto scored in the 1st minute of the game on one of the dumbest goals I've ever seen (lazy back pass, caught the keeper off guard, free goal for the other team), then scored in the 1st minute of the 2nd half (nice give-and-go up the right side that just sliced through the D). Otherwise, Juve was the better team but Porto never really had to be any good, so it's hard to tell what the next match will look like. Juve's goal was a thing of beauty: fast break up the left, swing the ball back across to find the open man on the other side, lovely slotted home finish; when you score goal like that on PlayStation, you know you're ready to move up a level. Can Juventus come back and take the 2nd leg? Absolutely, I think they will. 

Sevilla 2-3 Dortmund

Sevilla scored a quick goal but Dortmund dominated the rest of the half and was up 3-1 at the half. Sevilla played hard, got a goal late (not insignificant). High scoring which makes the 2nd leg aall the more exciting.

Ateletico Madrid 0-1 Chelsea

I thought Chelsea had the more dangerous attack but really this was an evenly matched contest. Nice goal, I thought it was offside until the showed the other angle (like 30 minutes later!...man, I hate replay, I'd rather just complain about the refs blowing a call than watching a replay 50 times and then still getting it wrong). Very even match, the 2nd leg will definitely be worth catching. 

Lazio 1-4 Bayern Munich

Uh....yeah...Bayern's just better than Lazio. Add in that Lazio just had a bad day and I think this result looks kinda right. And for good measure: I thought Lazio was offside on their goal and that the ref pitied them for most of the 2nd half. The next leg doesn't even seem necessary, but, hey, crazy things happen in soccer (I do not anticipate any crazy things happening here, though).  

Atalanta 0-1 Real Madrid

Atalanta suffered a red card early (good call, it was pure hip check and no ball), though I'm guessing Atalanta's strategy was to bunker in anyway. For the first few minutes Atalanta attacked well but then played defense throughout. I thought it was gonna work and it almost did: it wasn't til the 85th minute that Mende was able to connect on a long shot off a corner (nice rip!). Real handled the ball well and it really never felt like Atalanta was gonna score, but Real didn't exactly dominate the attack even though their opponent was a man down. But I anticipate that Real will move on from here because Atalanta didn't display any offensive firepower (and they'll missing one of their defensive starters, no?).

Monchengladbach 0-2 Manchester City 

Gladbach just didn't have any offense, didn't get anything going at all until the last few minutes--although how the ref failed to give them a PK in the final minutes was mystifying to me (clear foul, man, clear foul). Gladbach's best shot was a flailing back heel that almost snuck inside the post (I thought it went in at first) and then a rip off a bad defensive giveaway in the last few seconds of the match. Man City was fine, didn't feel like they played their best but Gladbach was nowhere near scoring, so a relatively easy W for them.

Predictions for the 2nd leg:

Liverpool (*) 1-1 Leipzig

Paris SG (*) 1-2 Barcelona

Juventus (*) 2-1 Porto (I'm seeing PK's in this one)

Dortmund (*) 2-2 Sevilla

Chelsea (*) 0-0 Atletico Madrid

Bayern Munich (*) 2-1 Lazio

Real Madrid (*) 2-0 Atalanta

Manchester City (*) 1-0 Gladbach

(Hmmmm....just dawned on me that the road team won 7 of the 8 games)

Stolen Bases

I had this weird thought the other day about stolen bases. It seems to me that stolen bases have been at least possible in every single baseball game ever played. I figured the only way there could've been a game without baserunners was if a team threw a perfect game and then hit nothing but home runs on offense. Going through all the perfect games in MLB history, I found no such game (*). 

Mind you, I wasn't looking for stolen bases or even attempted stolen bases, merely the possibility of a stolen base, which, as you can see, is pretty much endemic in the game of baseball. Perhaps I'll return to why this curiosity intrigued me, perhaps I won't. I'm a flighty person, I've probably already burned out my interest on the topic. Just wanted to record it here in case the thought ever occurred to me again. 

(*) The closest was Sandy Koufax's perfect game of September 9, 1965. The Cubs (obviously) had no baserunners in that game, while the Dodgers had only a double and a base on balls, both by Lou Johnson. And in addition to scoring the game's only run, Johnson also had a stolen base.