The Madness is coming!

The longest presidential campaign in history is off to an immediate bloodbath.  Never have two presidents had a rematch in an election.  God save us as we have eight months of these two snarling at each other in the press and on television.  The Yard is turning our focus to March Madness. The outcome of either event is far from certain.  Basketball is much more fun.  The Yard does support many forms of escapism, some which are now legal.  Our favorite distraction in our history is the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament aka March Madness. Beginning Thursday March 21 @ 9:10 PST, 48 D-1 single elimination games will be played over four days.  By Sunday afternoon, it will be down to the Sweet 16.  If you don’t know this already, the Yard might not be for you. This event only buys us three weeks of detours.  I am hoping the Dodgers come roaring out of the gates and leave The Big BLT and Captain Aviator out of our dreams.

 

The tournament has never been as wide open as it was this year.  Defending champion UCONN is the prohibitive favorite, UCONN has never won any of their five NCAA titles as a prohibitive favorite.   The Huskies and coach Hurley are revving their engines and ready to throttle the field on the road to Phoenix.  The other three number one seeds all lost their last game before this national diversion.  Houston was to be the overall # 1 but come on Kelvin, you can’t lose by 28 on March 16 and be top dog on March 17.  In 2023, Purdue was the second number 1 seed to lose to a 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson. This calamity had never happened prior to 2018 so the 1-16 game is not such a clear choice in your pool.  The Boilermakers are seeking a championship after the agony of 2023. The Virginia Cavaliers won the 2019 title after their first round KO year prior.  Possible big Zach and company are ready for that narrative.  The Boilers giving up an uncontested layup at the buzzer to Wisconsin and losing the Big Ten Championship game in OT, does not foretell a deep run in my bracket. North Carolina lost to their rivals at NCST, that can happen.  The first-round upsets by 16 seeds had never happened and now it has twice.  Your bracket always looks good before the games start.

 

During the National Distraction, one of the bigger stories is Cal State Long Beach sneaking into the dance by winning the Big West tournament.  CSULB Dan Monson had been coaching the 49ers since 2007.  He did not know this was his last season. With his team mired in a five game losing streak to end the season, CSULB athletics let Monson know this would be his last season.  He could coach the team until their final loss.   The team has not lost yet and has the mighty Arizona Wildcats next.  Coach Monson was an assistant coach at Gonzaga for nearly ten years before he became the head coach in 1997.  He was the chief recruiter that convinced talent to come to Spokane and play basketball.  Ever been to Spokane during basketball season?  The Zags were on the uptick but not of national prominence.  That came in 1999 when the 10^th seed Zags beat Minnesota, Stanford, and Florida on their way to the Elite Eight. His record was 52-17 in his two seasons as head coach.  He was a hot commodity and Minnesota came calling and Monson answered the call.  His assistant coach Mark Few took the job and still is leading the program Monson built.  Disgraced MN coach Clem Haskins had left the program in NCAA hot water for academic fraud, say what?  He hung in there for six seasons of recruiting restrictions and scholarship reductions before he finally resigned in 2006.

 

Cal State Long Beach in the NCAA men’s tournament was not always a surprise.  The 1970-71 49er team was ranked as high as 3^rd in the final poll.  CSULB was led by their irascible head coach Jerry Tarkanian and sophomore superstar Easy Ed Ratleff.  They were an exciting team and fun to watch.  Yard as a youth went several times over the years to see them play at the Long Beach Arena.  We saw Led Zeppelin there a few times, but the basketball was fun without the haze. Long Beach could have contended for a national championship if the regionals were seeded the way they are today.  Back then, they were truly regionals and the west coast teams were in a regional with other western teams.  The only teams that made the tournament won their regular season title.  There were no season ending tourneys.  John Wooden was able to win seven consecutive titles, ten in twelve years because the Bruins won the league title 13 straight times.  The 1970-71 USC team was 24-2, ranked as high as #2 in the country and did not get in the dance as Pac-10 runner-up.  In the 1970 regional final, Tarkanian had his best chance to unseat the legendary coach. He had a young Ratleff and a rebound machine named George Trapp.  UCLA was down 11 midways through the second half and Sidney Wicks was on the bench with 4 fouls.  UCLA did what they did back then and pulled out the win 57-55.  UCLA shot 29% for the game but they fouled Ratleff out with five to go and that was the difference.  CSULB would face UCLA again in the regional finals, but Walton and Company had arrived by then and the outcome was never close again. Tarkanian needed to get away from UCLA and Wooden so took his show out to the desert and UNLV and won a title.  Interesting side note, Lute Olsen replaced Tarkanian at CSULB before taking his show to the Arizona desert and won a title. Both coaches had legendary success in their deserts. Go 49ers!

 

As always, there were teams that got snubbed for the NCAA tournament this year.  Not as bad as USC in 1971 but back then there were only 32 teams in the tourney.  Now there are 68 with those pesky season ending tournaments that can give a bid to a team that would not have been invited. There are too many alleged snubs to review this year.  Saint Johns was one of those snubs.  The Johnnys had played well down the stretch and through the first three rounds of the Big East tourney.  In the semifinals, they faced the UCONN Huskies and were double digit underdogs. They rocked 90 points against one of the best defenses in the country and covered. The Yard could not ask for much more, especially the cover.  Coach Rick Pitino stated publicly he felt the same way.  The New Mexico Lobos raced through the Mountain West Tournament and grabbed the guaranteed bid.  The Lobos might have gotten in anyways but maybe not.  NM Coach Richard Pitino was thrilled with the win.  It would be fun if they were both in, but the kid did what was needed, and dad is probably going to the NM games. Go Lobos!

 

From the couch: Women’s basketball is having a season.  Caitlin Clark and her quest to obliterate every college basketball scoring record has been a huge influence. It is a wonderful empowering story.  The women’s game has evolved, and it is fun to watch.  Clark breaking Kelsey Plum’s D1 Women’s scoring record was a bummer because Kelsey is our homegirl, but it happens.  It is also true that she also has broken Pistol Pete Maravich’s all-time men’s scoring record.  It is a NCAA Men’s scoring record in a men’s sports.  Her accomplishment is meteoric against the competition in her lane and not diminishing her accolades. In context, Caitlin played all four years notching 133 games.  The Pistol could not play as a freshman and played just 83 games in his career.  Clark made over 520 three pointers and counting.  They did not have the 3-point shot during Pete’s era.  The one record that will never be broken was Maravich scoring average 44.2 per game.  Clark averages 28.4. Go Bruin Women!

 

Super Bowl LVIII Blog

Lifetime immunity for former presidents has been all the rage from the redheaded rager. That would be an added perk for after the presidency.  Elon Musk might consider buying in if that was a benefit. Herr Trump is contending that the only way a president can serve is with blanket immunity forever.  There are few if any people who knew that was a thing.  No president has ever been criminally charged as DT now has been so this need for immunity has never been debated. Big Red is having a relatively easy campaign season with Republican hopefuls bailing out faster than Chip Kelly at UCLA. It will be a fascinating fall while our country’s hopes and dreams get splintered.

 

It is exciting for the world to have the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.  The hype can hardly keep up with reality. The NFL is falling all over itself having a wonderful time.  Roger Goodell was feted at a bash full of celebrities.  He indicated he could see a Las Vegas SB as a regular thing in the coming years.  In 2003, the NFL would not allow the TV network to run an ad during the SB for the city of Las Vegas. It was the original what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas campaign.  The NFL vetoed running the ads during the game.  In 2017, Tony Romo wanted to host a Fantasy Football Party in LV.  The NFL crushed that as well.  Whatever small part the Yard played in helping the NFL see the light we ask no credit.

 

The Yard has been a frenzy of activity with the Super Bowl occurring just 8.3 miles from our World Headquarters.  The staff worked feverishly to locate tickets to the Big Game.  We could not justify the $6280 for Section 400 up against the roof.  The $21K for a nice 50-yard line bucket seemed more bucket list except for the 21 large.   We opted for the SB LVIII Cap, shirt, and comfy reservation on the recliner staring at 65 inches of LG goodness.  The bets are being placed and squares drawn up and accounted for. 120 million people in the US will be watching the football pantheon.  There will be 330,000 people laying siege to the LV resort corridor.  Only 65,000 get the coveted golden ticket to Wonka Land so most will be watching the game just like the Yard…on TV.  This city which has 250,000 strong every year for the game without the game, so fun will be everywhere across the valley.  Having the game adds a layer of temporal insanity that Las Vegas has never experienced.  Shaq is throwing a party, Gronk is bringing his show, U2 is at the Sphere, Kelly Clarkson is singing her hits and there is a Super Bowl game on Sunday.  

 

In 1983, the Yard won a sales contest as a rookie salesman for Lanier. The prize was a ticket to Super Bowl XVII at the Rose Bowl. The legendary Ronk managed the office at 1930 Wilshire Blvd adjacent to MacArthur Park.  Lanier was using Arnold Palmer for national television ads and tickets to the Super Bowl were given to the LA office.  Ronk put them up for the contest and the winners got to go.  John Riggins rushed for 166 yards that day and the Washington Redskins belted the Miami Dolphins.  The face value of those tickets was $36.

 

The betting handle for this year’s game Super Bowl LVIII in LV will be colossal.  San Francisco fans are feeling that the dynasty that has been foretold since 1994 might finally happen. Colin K could not get over the line when the lights went out in NOLA.  Jimmy G could not complete the wide-open winning pass in Q4.  Is Brock Purdy the savior for these fans of pretense while returning this proud franchise to the top?  Will Patrick Mahomes solidify his dynastic claim? Will Bieber join Usher in the halftime show?  There is much to be revealed.

 

The Yard is backing Kansas City in this rematch.  The trend line seems to be that it will be a 49er home game.  49er fans generally have more cake and available credit than their midwestern counterparts in their pursuit of attending.  Getting points and Mahomie is sweet when you can find it. This was the year; he was to be exposed without the home field advantage.  The Chiefs would have to win in Buffalo and Baltimore to make it back to Lombardi land. They did just that with efficiency and poise.  Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are unquestionably more talented than Brock Purdy.  SF has a very explosive team and stout defense so it won’t be easy for KC, and games can always go unpredictably sideways.  The Chiefs won their playoff games.  The 49er’s escaped the early rounds to get here.

 

Mahomes vs. Purdy and Reid vs. Shanahan. This KC rent a fan likes those talent matchups.  San Francisco has a powerfully built team starting with Christian McCaffrey.  They have not skimped at any position except place kicker.  The real big mismatch in this game is at kicker.  Last year, the 49ers had Robbie Gould who was a seasoned veteran poised for Super Bowl fame but also earning $5 million.  3rd round pick Jake Moody is only $ 1 million for 2023-4.  He already missed two FG in an early nationally televised MNF game. The 49ers got an L that night. The Super Bowl is not that much bigger, right? Harrison Butker for the Chiefs made 33 of 35 including all five from more than 50 including a 60 yarder.  He kicked the game winner in last year’s game.  If it comes down to this, and it probably will, Chiefs get the W.

 

At the Window: This year bets on proposition bets will exceed the traditional game itself.  Prop bets first started in 1985 with Super Bowl XX.  During the season, Bears coach Mike Ditka had used defensive lineman William “the refrigerator” Perry as fullback in short goal line situations. Perry scored two TD’s during the regular season, but they had not used him in that role in months.  The Bears were a juggernaut, and the 350-pound Perry was just as big a personality. Fans wanted to see the Fridge score a TD in the Super Bowl.  He became a prop bet if Perry would score six in the game.  It opened at 20-1 and was heavily bet.  Perry did score a TD in the game and the books lost nearly $200,000 on that bet but a lesson and opportunity was found.  Today, there are 1000’s of prop bets across multiple betting platforms.  Interestingly, HOF Walter Payton did not score a TD in his only SB in the 46-10 win against the pre-Belichick Patriots.

 

 

After the game: This nonsense talks of Andy Reid retiring if the Chiefs is just that.  Patrick Mahomes is 28 years old and under contract until he is 34.  He is a generational player, and any head coach would want that gig.

Happy New Year from the Yard

Happy New Years from the Yard.  On many levels, we would be happy to flush 2023 down the porcelain but not so fast Johnny.  2024 could be more combustible with the kindling of 2023 hot topic issues unresolved.  Donald Trump is running again because he must.  Trump thirsts for the power and the love of his white male constituents.  Trump also must run because his PAC groups are paying his legal fees while he is a candidate. His donors know about the witches and they are helping the big Mac and Cheese out. He keeps running, they keep paying. The Yard has investigated the legal morass that Trump contends is a political witch hunt.  Well, there are a lot of witches.  Trump has four court cases that are ongoing.  These four cases represent 91 total felonies.  The current legal bills are $27 million and counting.  None of these cases has gone to trial and Trump will not settle.  While his minions take plea deals and Rudy must file BK under $150 million cavalcade of punitive damages, Trump stands defiant.  He is now surrounding himself with new “friends”.  The orchestrators of “the stolen election” narrative are running for the exits.  His family who was everywhere while he was in office is nowhere to be seen now including his wife.  Fun fact:  Trump “allegedly” paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about their illicit affair.  To date he has spent $1.7 million in legal fees defending himself against the felony bribery charges related to that payoff.  No president in US history has ever been indicted.  The job is big enough for big thinkers, Trump is not one of them.  The job requires all your focus, Trump will be knee deep in legal cases in four states.  He will not be looking out for the country; he will be looking out for himself.  Some things never change.

 

The sports season of 2023 was outstanding for one reason.  UCLA trounced USC 38-20 at the Coliseum.   For many years, USC and UCLA shared that moribund facility as co-tenants.  UCLA bailed in the 1980’s to the verdant pastures of Pasadena. USC was committed to their hood and put some lipstick on the pig.  UCLA has struggled to win at the Trojan’s home turf forever and have been 7-15 there since 1979.  UCLA beat USC eight straight in the 1990’s, still the longest streak in the rivalry.  But the Coliseum was always a tough spot for the Blue and Gold.  Reggie “where is my Heisman” Bush rushed for 260 in 2005 in a 66-19 rout. Ricky Neuheisel rattled King Pete’s cage in 2011 by calling timeout with 86 seconds to go trailing 43-0.  Matt Barkley did not take a knee, he play-faked and threw a 50-yard TD to finish a 50-0 victory.  So, it is sweet to beat USC at home by 18 points.  Yard staff thinks the 62-33 beatdown in South Central was better in 2021.  It is all good.

 

Dodger baseball has been in the news of late.  We understand that committing a billion in payroll to two players seems excessive.  The Dodgers are one of the most profitable teams in the majors so they will figure it out. I will put a link to the August 13 Blog, but we predicted, not a stretch, that the Dodgers were saving their 2022-23 money for Ohtani in 2024.  Shohei got his $700 million. We did not know Yoshinobu Yamamoto was going to join the roster for another $300 million.  He could be a better pitcher than Ohtani, but Shohei is a unicorn.  Here are a few fun facts: Ohtani as a batter has been walked intentionally 14 times.  Ohtani the pitcher has never issued one.  On June 21, 2022, against the Royals he hit two home runs and drove in eight runs.  On June 22, 2022, against the same Royals, Ohtani pitched eight shutout innings, allowed just two hits, and struck out thirteen.  There has never been anyone like him including the Babe.  He will not pitch in 2024 but he will be in the starting lineup, and there will be three future HOF playing most days. It will be fun for Dodger fans.

 

In the CFP, the Yard is picking Michigan and Washington to meet in the championship.  We are not done with our analytics, but we do not like Nick Saban.  He is the Darth Vader of college football, but he is tough to beat in bowl games.  His record at Alabama is 16-6 in bowl games with six national championships.  Michigan has put together an undefeated season and are 1.5 favorites.  Jim Harbaugh head coaching record in bowl games is 2-7 which includes six straight losses.  Among them a loss to Saban and the Tide in the 2020 Citrus Bowl 35-16. That was the only other time that Saban and Harbaugh have faced each other in a college football game of any type.  Harbaugh has his work cut out for him, but he had lost seven straight to Ohio State before he won the last three in a row.  He does not get credit this year because he got suspended…again.  We like him because he is tenacious, pugnacious, and aggressive with a pinch of psychosis while appearing mildly detached.  It has worked for Jimmy, and we hope he gets over the hump, wins the National Championship and then comes to Las Vegas to coach the Raiders.

 

In the other game, we like UW because we also dislike Seven-Win Sark who did win 12 this year.  Michael Penix is the real deal for the Huskies.  He beat a heavily favored Oregon Ducks flamethrowers in the Pac-12 Championship.  UW and Michigan are the only unbeaten and we hope they play for the CFP National Championship.

 

Happy New Year!