Tuesday Grab Bag: Season ain't over, yet!

Back from Vegas, and somehow I lost two hours in my day. Wait, what time is it again? ... Without further adieu, straight to the action.

Today in the bag, I'm talking the Pac-12 final in Las Vegas (along with my All-Tournament team), the Buffs in the NIT, and women's lacrosse.

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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: 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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