Saturday, November 14, 2020

Now We're Talking

Click HERE for the original Tweet.

From the Florida State SB Nation site (LINK):

Estrada already has offers from the Rice Owls, SMU Mustangs (where his father played), Texas State Bobcats, Utah Utes, and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.
Earlier this week, we mentioned him as a name to watch, and early Friday evening, he was offered by the Florida State Seminoles football program.

Speaking of transfers, Dartmouth men's basketball sharpshooter Brendan Barry, who flirted with a grad transfer after missing last year because of injury only to choose to return to Hanover this year, has decided to move on after the Ivy League canceled its season. Per the Philadelphia Inquirer he'll be suiting up next at Temple. (LINK)

In a story about the Ivy League's decision to cancel winter sports, the local Valley News mentions Barry's decision and that the two top players from the men's basketball team are both in the transfer portal – with the opportunity to return. Athletic director Harry Sheehy and men's basketball coach David McLaughlin are among those quoted in the piece. Said Sheehy (LINK):

“It seems foolish to me to play roulette with our student-athletes. I’m proud of our presidents, and I think they did it for the right reasons. And you know what, if you make a mistake on one side of the fence or the other, we’ve made the mistake on the right side of the fence.”

If you are wondering if the Ivy League made the right decision, consider this:

At least eight FBS football games have been called off this weekend, including four in the SEC. Cal and UCLA, who were not scheduled to play this year, both had games called off and on 48 hours notice will be playing Sunday in the Rose Bowl.

ESPN's Heather Dinich wrote about the Big Ten's decision to allow teams having games canceled to re-schedule opponents in a similar bind on the fly (LINK):

"In the Big Ten, the decision has to be made by noon CT on the Wednesday of that week for a Saturday game. Doesn't matter if both teams have already played or are scheduled to play later.

More craziness per national basketball writer Jeff Goodman:

250 Division I schools, 23 MBB teams currently in shut down, 65 others have had at least one shut down of 14+ days.

And the season is less than two weeks away.

More craziness from D1.ticker (LINK):

Richmond AD Hardt predicts that COVID-19 testing and protocols will cost the department over $750K

And . . .

The Big Ten will not allow non-conference games for the 2020-21 baseball or softball seasons 

Green Alert Take: The NCAA needs to take a step back and realize what is happening.  

Oh, and National basketball writer Andy Katz Tweeted this after the Ivies punted the winter season:

ADs: Coaches should get an extra year on their contracts. Canceling the season was out of their control. This year was a wash. And now they will likely have to re-recruit players to keep them on the roster as well as fill likely new spots for those who bolt. 

Green Alert Take: The same could be said for football coaches.

As feared, I couldn't dig up my preview and game stories for this week's Woods Watch football game between Dartmouth and Cornell from 2011 because my archives go back only to 2011 and I didn't save the files on my old laptop. Oh well. You'll just have to watch it today at 1:30:

EXTRA POINT

There was speculation a while back that sportscaster Dan Patrick would be a leading candidate to replace Alex Trebek when that day came. It's just my opinion, but I think while Patrick's exaggerated unctuous manner works in the sports world, it would be a poor fit given the class Trebek brought to the venerable game show.

In my mind the best choice is the logical choice: All-time champion Ken Jennings, who has already created something of a cottage industry around his success on the show.

Apparently I'm not the only one to think that. Betting sites have made Jennings the favorite with George Stephanopoulos, LeVar Burton and Neil deGrasse Tyson following in that order.

One person who will be looking for a job soon comes in at 100,000-to-1. (LINK)