Tuesday Grab Bag: A new Mayor for Chicago

While Rham Emmanuel isn't gone, the City of Chicago did see some Mayoral reform last week. Yep, the one, the only, Spencer Dinwiddie is headed to the Madhouse on Madison, as the former CU star was traded to the Chicago Bulls late last week.

The move by Chicago, ostensibly to build guard depth while avoiding paying guaranteed money to a bench slot, makes sense.  As Blog A Bull pointed out, with Dinwiddie's non-guaranteed portion of his contract lasting through November, the Bulls get a relatively cheap look at the former Colorado guard before having to make a decision on the roster spot at season's onset.  All it cost them was Cameron Bairstow, a reserve forward who was probably going to get cut anyway.

Sure, this essentially innocuous trade isn't going to turn too many heads around the basketball world, but one thing it did do is lead me into a victory lap around my office. For me, to see one of my favorite CU stars of the recent past winding up on my beloved Bulls is a wonderful turn of fate.  I still believe Spencer has the talent to play at the NBA level, and the team that gives him a solid chance should be able to reap some good rewards.  If it's My Bulls, you better believe I'm dropping the cash for a new jersey... and boy will the Bulls.com shop be surprised when they receive in that online order.

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Today in the bag, I'm talking Game 7, Copa America, and the solidifying of the non-conference schedule in men's hoops.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: ... and just think, summer hasn't even started yet!

Straight to the action today, as we all wind our way towards the true opening days of summer.

Today in the bag, I'm talking playoffs in three sports: the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Final, and Copa America Centenario.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: A new hope on the recruiting trail?

Before I get to the bag today, I want to take a minute to remember the true Greatest of All Time, Muhammad Ali.  If you've been living under a rock, and hadn't heard, the three-time heavyweight champion of the world passed away last week, at the age of 74.  I won't spend too much time here, as others much more capable then myself have written on the subject, but there isn't a single athlete of past generations that I resent having missed more than Ali.  Beyond simply being a boxer, he commanded the ring and the narrative more than should've been capable, owning the public spectacle at a time that you still got your news from papers.  To have been alive, watching as he held the sporting world in the palm of his hand, must have been awe-inspiring and transformational.

Even today, watching film of his fights is fascinating.  No one takes punches like he could, no one that size has ever been as fast, no one more ferocious when he had a man stunned; this isn't just smoke, he was, legitimately, the GOAT.  As a boxing fan, I pain seeing what others got to absorb in real time.  As a historian, I marvel at the impact he had outside of the ring.  We will never see another athlete like him, a defining American caricature now lost to the ages.  RIP.

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Today in the bag, I'm talking one last gasp on the 2016 recruiting trail for Coach Boyle and crew, the NBA Finals (such as they are), some #SoxThoughts (as promised).

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Back from the Dead (aka, a road trip with the White Sox)

Having returned from vacation, I'd like to point you all in the direction of Bill Walton's autobiography, Back from the Dead.  I spent my extended weekend on a road trip to Kansas City, which provided plenty of time for an audio book.  I chose Walton's recent release for the journey, and it was with his dulcet tones in ear that I sped down the highways of central Kansas towards the City of Fountains.  The book was a fantastic tour through his life, celebrating his love of all things basketball, biking, and music. It also dealt with the trials of pain and injury, the loss of the gifts that made him such a beloved star in the 1970s.  Through it all, I found it an open and honest tale of everything that goes into existence - success, failure, joy, sorrow, excitement, fear, learning, teaching, etc.  I can't recommend it enough, especially if you, like me, wonder at Walton's World from afar, and just want a small peek into his circus.

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the Baylor thing, the NBA Finals, and the MLB standings.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: The Pac-12 moves to curtail court-storming

Cleaning out their inbox, the Pac-12 went ahead and announced a few minor end-of-year tidbits this morning.  Of primary note was the reduction of night football starts (by as many as four dates), and the institution of a fines schedule for court/field storming.

The reduction in night football kickoffs makes sense.  Nearly everyone in the conference complained last year as, weekly, the Pac-12 would be the last conference ticking on any given Saturday night. Fines for court-storming, however, strikes me as a solid defeat for Fun in its everlong struggle against the forces of the aged and the entitled.  This, no doubt, stems from Arizona's Sean Miller going on the whinge after getting beat and rushed in Boulder last February (and I assume your reaction to said incident almost comes down to whether you wear red and navy on a regular basis).  I get that the conference is under some obligation to kowtow to the league bigwigs -- they generate the most revenue, afterall -- but to just roll over on this issue for one or two schools seems two-faced.

The Pac-12 now hates Fun, because Sean Miller told them to.  From: the BDC

'But, what about player safety,' you say?  Please; I will assert this until the day I die, Miller's concern trolling over the scene in Boulder has much more to do with him being butt-hurt over a loss than any real concern for the safety of his players. Were he really that concerned, he would've, you know, actually tried to help usher his charges off the floor, rather than stare (quite dumbly) at the students jumping for joy in front of him... but I digress.

The long and short of it is that college conferences leverage court- and field-rushing for quality promotional material, and their television partners glorify the scenes by conducting on-court, post-game shots.  For them to turn around and say, 'shame on the schools' for letting these beautiful moments of student exuberance go down is hypocritical.

Also, Sean Miller can blow it out his ass.

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the Webb thing, looking at the NBA playoffs, and chortling at the notion of little brother to the BigXII.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Basketball Recruiting Remains Open to Interpretation

Before I get going today, I want to give a special shout out to Ryan Koenigsberg who's leaving his post as the editor of BSN Buffs for bigger, brighter things on that site's Broncos landing.  Since I give not two shits about the Donkeys, that pretty much means that RK is gone from my sporting life, which is a true shame.  He did some great things on the Buffs beat, and the entirety of Buff Nation will miss his voice this coming season.  Good luck, dude, and kick ass covering that stuff that everyone but me cares about!

In his stead, we all get to benefit from the return of William Whelan, which is a lot like going from DiMaggio to Mantle... or going back from Mantle to DiMaggio?  Not sure, but, regardless, Will is an Elite commentator on all things Colorado Athletics, and is just about the most knowledgeable source on Centennial State hoops around.  If you can't have RK dropping knowledge on the Black and Gold, you might as well get tha man himself to pick up the baton.  Welcome back, Will!  Can't wait for that weekly podcast drop!

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Today in the bag, I'm talking renewed pratfalls on the basketball recruiting trail, the NBA Playoffs, and the basebrawl between the Blue Jays and Rangers.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Go Home, Pac-12, You're Drunk

Have you been watching Pac-12 basketball recently?  Have you noticed how everyone seems to be capable of beating any other team on any random night (some exclusions may apply)?  Well, then this image from Reddit should come as no surprise to you:

It's only been four weeks, not even halfway through the conference schedule, and we can create a "12 degrees of parity" scale.  The standings themselves are even more confusing - there's currently a six-way tie for 3rd.  While teams like Arizona State and Washington State are clearly behind the rest of the Pac, they've still earned entry in the circle; one large mish-mash of confusing, hilarious sameness.  As we continue to inch closer to the second week of March, and the annual rumble in the MGM Grand, I can only giggle at the idea of a conference with a six-way tie for 3rd place, and no real way to set a bracket.  This is the kind of stuff Doc Brown warned about in Back to the Future II.  Indeed, this is heavy...

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Today in the bag, I'm wrapping the split earned in the State of Washington, taking a look at the rest of the 'League of Parity,' and battening down the hatches in advance of the oncoming surge of Super Bowl mania.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: #ItIsFinallyNovember

As a good son should, I called my mother the other night. Among other things, she asked my thoughts on the basketball team and their upcoming season. To my surprise, I could on stammer for a full minute before finally saying 'I don't know.' In retrospect, I feel that's just not a very good preview, so I'm hard at work turning those three words into 15,000. Expect the sixth iteration of the Massive Basketball Preview to drop next Tuesday, November 10th. Prepare yourself accordingly.

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the goings on at the Rose Bowl, the Banana Stand getting up to its old tricks, and a newly crowned champion in baseball.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: *repeated blasts from the hockey horn*

I'm not going to lie, it's been a little rough in the wake of last night's celebrations. So, without further adieu, it's straight to the action.  In today's bag, I'm talking My Blackhawks securing yet another crown, the Warriors closing in on one of their own, and the US Women in the World Cup.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Titles in the Balance

Well, it's official, men's college basketball is getting its much needed face lift.  While I'm actually more intrigued with the changes on the women's side (four 10-minute quarters, in-game music - could this be a test-run for the men's game?), I'm relieved that the NCAA didn't get crazy and reject the proposal.  Much more on this as we get closer to the season, but rejoice in the coming of change.  High-fives all around!

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Today in the bag, I'm talking a stuff-to-the-brim sports Saturday, the Stanley Cup Final, and the NBA Finals.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: FIFA is french for Embezzlers United

Straight to the action today, as I'm off to LoDo to watch the Rox play this afternoon.  After the fold, I'm talking the FIFA arrests, a pair of Games 7 in the NHL, and the uninspiring action in the NBA conference finals.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: More basketball rules discussion

Memorial Day weekend, along with the dutiful remembrances for those lost in defense of this country, has long marked the first instance on the calendar that I allow myself a peek at Major League Baseball's standings.  Not that baseball in April and May is not important - each game counts the same, after all - just that the standings themselves are rarely informative without an adequate sample size.  With two months of play down and four to go, the colloquial opening day of summer figures to be as good a time as any to break that seal. So, lets put our eyes on the positioning of both My Sox and the home town Rockies. I have a feeling where this is going to head, but you never know...

*peruses standings*

Yep, My Sox are horseshit.  After a brief stint above the .500 mark a few weeks ago, they're back to four games under, and tied for last in the American League Central - a full eight games back of the Kansas City Royals.  Nothing too surprising here as the team can't hit, standing as the lone team in all of baseball to currently sport a negative WAR at the dish.  Right now, across this country, there are little league teams bringing a better overall approach to the box.  They bring shame to the very concept of professional hitters. *cough*

Certainly, given that disparaging outcome, the Rox have to be better... right?  Nope, in fact the Rox have managed to play even worse ball than my woeful Sox over the first two months.  At 18-25 overall, they're just as mired in obscurity at the bottom of the National League West, and just as doubtful a threat for an interesting summer.  One thing to note, however: without that infamous 11-game losing streak, things could be much different.  Let's say, instead of going 0-11 to start the month, Colorado went a still sub-par 5-6. Why, in that still-sour scenario, they'd be 23-20, and a surprise challenger to both the Giants and Dodgers. Wouldn't that be something?

As it is, it doesn't look like either My Sox or the damned Rockies will prove to be very entertaining over the final 2/3rds of the season.  I guess that just means we'll all have to savor the excitement of the NBA and NHL postseasons while they last.  After they're gone, it could prove to be a very dull summer.

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Today in the bag, I'm re-hashing the new basketball rules proposals by considering Coach Boyle's opinions, before running through the playoff results.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: New Rules!

For those out of state, let me pass on a note of caution - Boulder is slowly turning into Seattle.  I'm not talking culturally, though, I'm talking climate.  It's been raining non-stop here for the last few weeks, inching towards record territory.  While not a true echo of the scene a few September's back, when the heavens opened up to dump 20 inches on top of my house in a matter of days, I'm starting to forget the last time I saw the sun, and am beginning to fret over the status of the softball season rumored to have started with the last flip of the calendar.

Of course, I shouldn't be complaining.  Any water is welcome in the West, and I do not dispute that we need as much as the clouds can spare.  But is it too much to ask for an occasional sunny day?  Or at least enough of a dry spell to allow me to mow the damn lawn again?

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the new rules proposals in college basketball, priming the start of the conference finals in the NBA, and recapping the start of the same in the NHL.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: #Ballghazi

I'm off on a quick work trip to Vegas... I don't even really know why, but the destination is all that matters, right?  The point is, the money is going where my mouth is tonight: I've already got investments on the Bulls and the Clippers.  Let's see how this plays out...

Of course, with travel comes complications.  For some reason, Google isn't working on my 'free' WiFi; the practical effect of which is that I can't look up any pictures for this damn article.  C'est la vie, we're going old school in this one.  No color, just text.  I hope you enjoy.

Today in the bag, I'm talking the continuing saga of the NBA and NHL playoffs before taking a look at whatever it is that Tom Brady got himself into up in Boston.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: A Wild Weekend

The cult of the Kentucky Derby continues to confuse the hell out of me.  I got wrapped up in it Saturday, heading over to a fancy party (replete with hats!) for some juleps and *cough* gambling, but stayed on the mental sidelines for much of the affair.  While I had a good time with my friends, the lifestyle of the rich and famous, as celebrated by NBC, had me gagging.  The overt deification of money, wealth, and opulence that is at the heart of horse racing and all things Churchill Downs, only a week after another round of riots highlighted the divisions in this country, struck hollow.  I don't care who was there, how much they paid for their whiskey, or how long the wait is at the private airport's coat check. NBC's wallow in that filth had me rolling my eyes. Just run the damn race, already.

Sure, all that pomp isn't on display for me (hint: it's for the same people who care that the Royal Family had another baby), but it only highlighted how completely out of touch 'the sport of kings' is.  Why do we 'care' about this again?

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the 'fight of the century' and some playoffs, both NBA and NHL.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Football? But it's April!

I was in the car Friday, stuck in traffic on US 36 (a shitshow of epic proportions, btw), when I decided to try out some local sports talk.  You know the station. It's not a frequent occurrence that I turn to Denver's view of sports, and I should've known what I was getting into, but I was aghast at the content.  A rehash of the NFL schedule release, an early (exhaustive) look at the NFL draft, and nary a non-football thought.  In April.  *sigh, throws things*

I understand that the NFL is a dominant piece of the sporting landcape, and the absence of local playoff entrants in either of the two tournaments currently being played hurts, but this continuing myopia, from a supposedly 'major' market, is criminal.  I hear a constant refrain that the NFL is a 24/7/365 league, which only makes me weep for this once proud, diverse sporting country.  It's only a topic of conversation 365 days a year because our sports media has grown tired and lazy, either unwilling or unable to stretch their legs and come up with unique segments.  We should be demanding more.

What else is there to talk about, you ask?  Why, how about baseball?  Denver even has a team in that sport, one that is currently competitive (go Rox).  Not a seamhead?  The NBA and the NHL playoffs are in full swing, and well worth your consideration.  Even without either of the Nuggets or Avalanche competing, they're full of drama and intrigue. Still wanting more? Well, the Kentucky Derby is this weekend - i.e. the only weekend a year we as a nation pretend to still care about horse racing.  Oh, btw, there's also the latest 'fight of the century,' golf is in full swing, college basketball's Hot Stove is boiling, and I heard a rumor that NASCAR and MMA are still things. If you can't find 3-4 hours of non-football content each day out of that pool, you're just not very good at your job.

'But they should be giving the people what they want,' you counter, 'and the people want to talk Broncos!' First, I don't believe that people really want to talk Broncos in April, I think they've just been conditioned to do so.  A pseudo Stockholm effect, if you will.  Secondly, has anyone even tried to provide an alternative, local voice in this market?  In drive time, when people are actually listening to radio?   I'm not saying you can't talk football - some discussion of the draft is warranted - but talking of nothing but the NFL for an entire show proves the shallow mind behind the wheel.

But, maybe that's the point.  In the age of the podcast and satellite radio, maybe sports talk in a market such as this is an anachronistic dog.  Feed some red meat to the morons in order to squeeze the last advertising drops out of the medium, and watch it wither and die in silence.  As someone who grew up listening to sports talk in the 'golden age,' I find that notion sad, but at least understandable.  But, in that case, don't pretend to be a 'sports' station; just bite the bullet, take the football-only mantle into the light, and end all doubt.

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Today in the bag, I'm talking a bunch of playoffs.  First, some NBA talk, before jumping out onto the ice of the NHL.  I'll finish with women's lacrosse, because I'm a huge homer like that.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Derrick White is Official

What's that?  The NFL schedule just got released?  I ain't got no time for that garbage; I'm late with this week's bag!

Today I'm talking Derrick White and a whole load of early playoff action from both the hardwood and ice.

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Tuesday Grab Bag - Another Fruitless Trip Through the Desert

Does the football team have a DC, yet?  No?  Well then, straight to the action...

Today in the bag, I'm talking the frustrating loss to Arizona State, a surprise suspension for a CU star, and the NFL playoffs.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Buffs Reeling Without XJ

Sad but true, the storybook Oregon Ducks failed to get the job done against Ohio State, as the Buckeyes claimed the national title 42-20 last night. UO just couldn't handle the bruising rushing duo of QB Cardale Jones and RB Zeke Elliott, failing to tackle either on first hit.  On passing downs, they almost never got penetration into the back field, and tOSU slowly ground down the Pac-12 champions.  Even a four-pack of Buckeye turnovers couldn't turn the tide as Oregon slipped behind into the fourth quarter behind back-to-back scores from the B1G champs.

No shame is losing in the title game, but I wanted so much more, both because I thought the Ducks were the best team in football, and that the Pac-12 was the best conference in the land.  Ohio State deserves their win, but I was hoping for a much better night for the Conference of Champions.

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the loss in Utah, the need for a speedy recovery from Xavier Johnson, and the NFL Playoffs.

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Tuesday Grab Bag: Back on Track?

With a short turn around to tomorrow's game with Utah, there's little time for idle chit-chat.  Straight to business!

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Today in the bag, I'm talking the beat down of USC, how the rest of the Pac-12 fared over the weekend, and a little NFL playoffs.

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