Cavs fans, y'all know I love you, but even LeBron James knows the ship is lost and that aura disseminates among a team.
My advice is to do something better with your time tonight than watching Kyrie Irving dribble into the heart of a waiting defense. Go play with your kids, take your spouse out to dinner, or go for a run. You can thank me later.
I AGREE. The only time I care about ESPN is when it's broadcasting a game I want to watch or it's pushing an opinion with which I agree. Today, it's the latter.
From espn.com's look at each conference's best stadium:
The Big Ten is flush with historic and enormous stadiums, so there are several worthy choices here. Still, it’s hard to top Ohio Stadium. From its beautiful perch next to the Olentangy River to its famous horseshoe design and the north rotunda that takes you back into the past, the home of the Buckeyes is the perfect college football setting. That’s also because the incredibly loyal and loud Ohio State fans pack the 104,000-seat stadium no matter the opponent, not just to see their beloved team but also for the marching band and the traditional dotting of the ‘i.’ In a league full of fantastic stadiums, the ’Shoe steals the show.
The only Big Ten stadium that can hold a candle to the Horseshoe is Wisconsin's Camp Randall, with Purdue's majestic Ross-Ade Stadium trailing in a distant third.
THE VILLAIN WANTS HIS ASS KISSED. Former Ohio State combo guard Evan Turner is an NBA free agent, which means he can say whatever he wants without worrying about repercussions from his coach or front office.
From newyorkpost.com:
“In terms of being myself, if you don’t like it you can kiss my ass. It’s as serious as that, too. People take things too seriously and worry about what the outside world thinks. Sometimes I think the best thing in life is you stop following a pattern, or a book, or you stop looking at the walls to a certain extent.”
Turner lost me there. The best thing in life is to stop looking at the walls... but only to a certain extent? I tried to piece it together, and now my mind is in 10,000 pieces on the living room floor of my east side Columbus apartment.
But it gets better:
“People say, ‘You can’t shoot the 3.’ But I can defend, I can pass, rebound, score. You got guys that all they can do is shoot and nothing else. Like, how a– backwards is that? Only in America can you be a lacrosse player and judge basketball. Or you’ve never played basketball and say, ‘Yeah, I was working on the stock market — [stuff] wasn’t working so now I’m in the NBA judging talent.’ [The media] can write stuff on something they have no clue about.
“The future is in the mid-range. The mid-range is where the money’s at, man. I think the 3-point shot opens up the court and everything like that, but MJ and all those great players made all of their money out of the mid-range. So I’m not sorry for that at all. Evan M. Turner. For sure, ‘M’ stands for mid-range. Anywhere within 15 feet is cash. I’ll try to get better at 3s, but that’s my game.”
Turner has never been outside of America, or at least to another country with professional sports. And self-comparisons to Michael Jordan aside, Turner's shot chart tells a different story than "cash" from the midrange:
Meanwhile, the 3-point loving Golden State Warriors are poised for their second title in as many years. Makes you think, for sure.
URBAN'S PITCH IN A GIF. Last week, a #teen flipped a water bottle for a talent show and people on the internet acted as if he cured cancer. Because I know a lot of my readership has better things to do than stay up on the internet's latest viral sensations, here it is:
If that kid wants to impress me, he'll fill that water bottle completely next time. That, or he'll use a College Football Playoff trophy:
Master of Flip: The Urban Meyer Recruiting Pitch:#OhioState #OSU #GoBucks #Buckeyes #BuckeyeNation #Football #Flip pic.twitter.com/Yvs6N0pEiL
— OSU Overload (@OSUOverload) June 7, 2016
There isn't a recruit in America who wouldn't sign with the Buckeyes if Urban walked into their parents' house, nonchalantly flipped a CFP trophy onto the kitchen table and then walked out.
MY NEW FAVORITE BUCKEYE. Cardale Jones is a millionaire, and all is right with the world. However, I am in search of a new favorite Buckeye.
I thought this search would lead into the fall, but it ended yesterday when I came across this picture featuring 2016 signee Demario McCall:
Damn bro hit campus & starting that new chapter.It's time to grind and make history. Congratulations love you #OSU pic.twitter.com/gYOGqjPOTK
— Darius. (@TrulyTheMan_) June 5, 2016
I know nothing of this picture other than it features McCall standing out of an Escalade's sunroof while holding a block of money to his head like a phone while a horde of #teens stands behind him in awe.
I'm also aware this picture might turn off folks who are offended by young people with money. Allow McCall's highlight tape to assuage those doubts:
AMATEUR FOOTBALL = BIG MONEY. Sexual assault cover-ups have hit a bevy of big-time college football schools over the last couple years.
School officials cover up rapes committed by football players for one reason: Money.
From the University of Tennessee:
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Athletics generates $463.9 million annually in overall economic impact for the State of Tennessee and $618.3 million annually in overall economic impact for Knox County according to a recent report issued by Tripp Umbach. The report indicated that Tennessee Athletics supports 4,456 and 6,500 total jobs in the State of Tennessee and Knox County, respectively. State and local government tax revenues attributable to Tennessee Athletics totals $27.6 million annually exclusive of tax revenues related to ticket sales.
Of particular note, visitor spending for football home games contributes $294.1 million (or an average of $42.0 million per home game) to the state economy and $292.1 million (or an average of $41.7 million per home game) to the local economy. Based on intercept survey results from the 2015 season, over 25 percent of football game attendees reside outside of the State of Tennessee while approximately 70 percent reside outside of Knox County. The Tennessee football program, through operational and visitor spending, generates $18.6 million annually in state and local tax revenues exclusive of tax revenues related to football tickets sales.
“The findings from this report further quantify and evidence the significant value of Tennessee Athletics to our state and local economies and communities,” said Dave Hart, Vice Chancellor & Director of Athletics. “The report reflects the profound impact of Tennessee Athletics and its supporters and the figures are truly a testament to the passion of the Volunteer fan base.”
The title of this report should've been called, "Why Butch Jones Still Has a Job."
THOSE WMDs. More Americans working for web-only publications than newspapers... Mr. Miss Universe, Jeff Lee... How Nike lost Stephen Curry to UnderArmour... Five CEOs on how to master the business trip... Scientist stings himself with dozens of insects.
