Geno Auriemma: Men's College Basketball Is a Joke

University of Connecticut Women's Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma had harsh words for Men's College Basketball, pronouncing it a joke.  Auiemma believes that bolstering offense is the key to keep hoops with the times. 

Those were fighting words to ESPN commentator (and former University of Detroit Titan coach) Dick Vitale,who has made his career on college basketball, thus he thinks the current men's basketball game is, to use his lingo, AWESOME BABY.

Does Coach Auriemma think that having a three point line (which is significantly closer than the pros) does not add to the offense?  How about the shot clock, which mooted the Tar Heels infamous Four Corners offense?  Is Auriemma's objection to the recent  NCAA rule on charging which no longer sanctions physical play driving to to basket?  Does the UConn Coach consider that the NBA has drifted away from scoring free for alls that were commonplace during the 1980s?

For me, what makes the college game exciting is the rawness of the talent.  Most men's teams do not sport three starters who will make it into the pros.  Many need to develop their skills and rely on teamwork to be successful.  For men's college football, the strategy coming from the coach is key. If college basketball becomes a scoring-centric sport, strategy will become negligable 

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Orthodox Priest Condemns Puma's World Cup Tricks

Alexander Shumsky, a Russian Orthodox priest who is also a member of the Russian Writers Union, gave the foot fashion on World Cup players the boot.   

Shumsky's critique is centered on the bright colors of the Puma Trick shoes, which were designed for the 2014 World Cup being held in Brazil.

Puma's reasoning for the exotic color palate for the football boots was because Brazil is all about vibrant colors. The context for Shumsky condemning the World Cup as anathema has not been widely circulated outside of Russia.  However, the thrust of the critique does mirror the homosexual tolerance controversy which shrouded the 2014 Winter Olympics. 

Shumsky's perspective on FIFA had better lighten up, considering that Vladimir Putin has secured the 2018 World Cup in Russia, with the finals being held in Sochi.  Maybe by then the hotels in Sochi will be finished.

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What the "L" NFL ?

The National Football League is taking a hiatus on its classical finish to a season in 2016. Since 1971, the NFL championship game known the world over as the  Super Bowl has been marked by Roman Numerals.  However, when the Super Bowl is played at the San Francisco Giant's new stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 7, 2016, the game will be marketed as Super Bowl 50.

The reason for the change is neither Common Core compliance nor a concession to fans struggling with concussions.  The reason is purely aesthetic.  Keith Bruce, the president of the San Francisco Bay Area Host Committee, lobbied for a change from the "L" as it was time.  However, there is also speculation that contemporary audiences may equate the "L" with Loser.

For it's part, Jaime Weston, the NFL Vice President of Brand and Creative, noted that her team had tried 73 different versions of the Super Bowl 50 logo but could not find a design which was pleasing to the eye.

The NFL will market two types of logos for Super Bowl 50. Both will feature the Arabic Numerals "50" in gold, as a nod to Northern California's history when James Wilson Marshall striking gold at Sutter's Mill in 1849 and sparked a gold rush of prospectors to the Golden State. 

Both the national and the regional logos will feature the Lombardi Trophy.  The regional logo will also include Bay area landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, the TransAmerica tower as well as Levi's Stadium.

While Latin teachers and classic scholars may be dismayed at migrating away from Roman numerals, it should be noted that traditions associated with the Big Game have evolved over time.  The championship game was not even called "The Super Bowl" until its third iteration.  In fact, the NFL did not even trademark "The Super Bowl" for a few months afterwards. The touch of the Roman Numerals followed in 1971.

The NFL insists that this will be a one year hiatus, and that it will return in 2017 for Super Bowl LI.  If it is true that NFL branding was worried about unfortunate associations with the big "L", what will they do in 2025, which it is Super Bowl LIX?

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Michael Pineda on Cheating

The New York Yankees had a couple of early April series against their arch-rivals the Boston Red Sox. Due to the cold weather in the Northeast at the start of the season, pitchers may have some trouble getting a grip on the ball.

On April 10th, Pineda pitched six strong innings for the Yankees in the Bronx.  In the fourth inning of that game, Boston's manager John Farrell became aware that Pineda had pine tar on his hand, but did not protest to the umpires.  When questioned about the incident, Pineda insisted that it was dirt on the palm of his right hand.

Less than a fortnight later, Pineda was again pitching against the Bo-Sox. Pineda claims that he could not feel the ball and he did not want to hit anybody, so he put on pine tar.  Yet instead of hiding the banned substance, Pineda smeared some pine tar on his neck, and was thrown out in the second inning. This time Pineda admitted that it was pine tar. 

MLB rule 8.02 states that a pitcher may not "apply a foreign substance of any kind to the ball." Rule 8.02 (b) states a pitcher may not "have on his person, or in his possession, any foreign substance. For such infraction of this section (b) the penalty shall be immediate ejection from the game.

Some Major League Baseball players sounded somewhat sympathetic to using something to get a grip in adverse weather (cold, extreme humidity).  But reactions to Pineda's application of pine tar to his neck were less understanding as it was so obvious.

What do you think?

Is it OK for Major League Pitchers to use Pine Tar to "get a grip"?
	Yes
	No
	Only if you don't get caught
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