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Bar Chat

11/18/2020

Potpourri for $60

[Posted Tues. p.m.]

NBA Draft Quiz: 1) Short-term memory quiz…who were the last five 1st overall picks in the draft?  2) Who am I?  I was the 1st overall selection in the 1998 draft out of the University of Pacific.  Answers below.

College Football

--After a crappy weekend of action, and inaction, 15 games postponed or canceled, we do have a few biggies Saturday, fingers crossed that no Covid droplets are ingested by the players involved in same.

At noon ET on Fox…9 Indiana at 3 Ohio State. Can the Hoosiers hang with the elite, specifically, can Michael Penix Jr. perform under pressure?  We know Justin Fields will.  Ohio State is favored by 20 ½.  Huh.

10 Wisconsin takes on 19 Northwestern, we hope, as Covid ravages both states.  This is a biggie, 3:30 ET on ABC (as I shill for the networks…cuz if you can’t shill on your own website, when can you shill?)

7 Cincinnati travels to 5-2 UCF in an important contest to further legitimize the Bearcats’ CFP bid.

And 15 Coastal Carolina has a huge one against a very solid Appalachian State.

21 Liberty at North Carolina State is another biggie.

From a personal standpoint, I hope my Deacs (4-3) have their way with the Blue Devils (2-6) as we need two more wins to be bowl eligible, assuming we finish our 11-game schedule (and assuming many of the minor remaining bowls are actually played).

And New Jerseyans are very curious to see if 1-3 Rutgers can beat 1-3 Michigan in Piscataway.

But further Covid chaos as No. 12 Miami will not play again until Dec. 5 because of positive tests and subsequent quarantining of Hurricanes players, the ACC said on Monday.

This comes after Miami’s 25-24 win on Saturday in Blacksburg against Virginia Tech.

Miami will now have three games rescheduled, and it caused a reshuffling around of the schedule for others like Wake Forest and Boston College.

Miami is now slated to play its last game Dec. 19, which would be the date of the ACC title tilt, which they could still reach but only if both Clemson and Notre Dame lose.

--South Carolina, after a 2-5 start, fired coach Will Muschamp.  Muschamp, in his fifth season, recorded a 28-30 record with the Gamecocks, his best year his second, 2017, when the school went 9-4, including an Outback Bowl win.  But the Gamecocks had lost 14 of 20 since the 2018 Belk Bowl.

South Carolina lost its last three 52-24 (LSU), 48-3 (Texas A&M) and Saturday’s 59-42 defeat at the hands of Ole Miss.  159 points allowed in three games!  Eegads. That blows. [My latest attempt at a Pulitzer.]

Don’t feel sorry for Mr. Muschamp, as he leaves with a reported buyout of $13-$15 million.

NFL

--We learned Monday that Drew Brees suffered multiple rib fractures on both sides of his chest and a collapsed lung during the Saints’ 27-13 win over the 49ers on Sunday, as first reported by ESPN.

Three fractured ribs on the left side, two on the right, and the collapsed lung on the right side.  It is unclear how long he will be out but this could be his career.

Brees was injured following a sack by 49ers defensive lineman Kentavius Street, which resulted in a roughing the passer penalty.  Brees had entered the game with a rib contusion,

After playing the first half, Brees did not return and was replaced by Jameis Winston as the Saints held on to move to 7-2, San Fran 4-6.

--Sunday night the Patriots (4-5) surprised the Ravens (6-3), as Cam Newton had a TD rushing and passing, while Damien Harris rushed for 121 on 22 carries in a driving rain.

The Ravens, like the Seahawks, presumptive top fours at the start of the season, are struggling.  Lamar Jackson has been merely so-so after his 2019 MVP campaign.  14 touchdown passes, 5 INTs, 95.6 PR after nine games vs. 36-6, 113.3 for 2019.

--Monday night the Vikings improved to 4-5 with a 19-13 win over the Bears (5-5), Chicago’s fourth straight defeat and a likely costly one as quarterback Nick Foles was carted off in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury after being slammed to the ground by Vikings defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo.  Afterwards, Bears coach Matt Nagy said Foles’ leg and hip were being evaluated.

For Minnesota, Dalvin Cook was a workhorse, needing 30 carries to get 96 yards; LSU rookie Justin Jefferson with eight receptions for 135.

--In his second game back from his NFL suspension, wide receiver Antonio Brown had seven receptions for 69 yards as his new team, the Buccaneers, defeated the Panthers 46-23.

But then we learned Monday that Brown was accused last month by the community in which he lives of destroying a security camera and throwing a bicycle at a security guard on Oct. 15, the Miami Herald reported, citing a police report.

The Hollywood (Fla.) Police decided they had probable cause to charge Brown with criminal mischief, but the Hollywood Oaks homeowners association declined to press charges, the president fearing Brown “may retaliate against her employees.”

The story goes on from here and, frankly, I am so bored with Antonio Brown stories.  This is just an awful, bad guy.  When the Bucs make the playoffs, I don’t want NFL Today interviews of him and how he’s changed his ways now that he’s with Tom Brady, blah, blah, blah….he’s a dirtball.  Always will be.

And just another reason to hate Tom Brady!  [Mused the Jets fan.]

--As for the now famous Nick Chubb going out of bounds on the 1, his Browns up 10-7, after a 59-yard run instead of running into the end zone for a touchdown that would have made it 16/17-7, less than a minute to go, the Texans with no timeouts, I don’t get it on a number of fronts.

Chubb and his coaches said the plan was for him just to pick up the first down then give himself up.

Yeah, I understand, kind of….get the first down, run out the clock, but Chubb should have scored.  The Texans aren’t getting two scores the final minute.

And as a result, there was quite a blankshow in the betting parlors.

The line for the game opened -2.5, but moved up to -3.5 by Friday, and closed at -4.5 at most sportsbooks.

As ESPN.com reported, at William Hill sportsbooks around the nation, 89% of the money bet on the point spread was on Cleveland.

NBA

So the NBA just completed its last season, and now it is rushing to start a new one, beginning with Wednesday’s Draft.  Can you name more than 2 or 3 going in the top ten?  I mean it’s been so long since we all saw a college game, or were reading up on foreign players.

But the teams themselves are rushing to get deals done prior to Wednesday (and there could be a lot of activity during the first round of the draft itself).

The Rockets are clearly looking to rebuild – with or without James Harden, who turned down a two-year, $103 million extension to the three years and $133 million on his current deal.  Unfathomable. He wants to be traded to the Nets to play with former Thunder teammate Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

Earlier, Russell Westbrook said he wanted out of Houston.

Late Monday, the Rockets then finalized a deal to send quality forward/complementary piece Robert Covington to the Blazers for veteran guard Trevor Ariza, a first-round pick in Wednesday’s draft and a protected first-round pick in 2021.

The Milwaukee Bucks, attempting to placate Giannis and keep him in town when he becomes a free agent next offseason, acquired solid guard Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans in exchange for three first-round picks, Eric Bledsoe and George Hill. The Bucks also landed Kings forward Bogdan Bogdanovich in a sign and trade.

And the Phoenix Suns improved themselves in acquiring Chris Paul from the Thunder for Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre, two other dudes and a future first-round pick.  The Suns now boast Paul, Devin Booker and center Deandre Ayton.  Not a bad trio.

Phoenix won all eight of its restart games in the bubble but was too far behind to earn the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.  Booker averaged 26.6 points per game in the eight.

While Paul is 35, he still averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 assists and five rebounds this season.  Good move for Phoenix….but did I ever tell you how Chris Paul once cost Wake Forest a Final Four appearance?  Oh, I did, only 48 times?  Sorry.

College Basketball

--In a big decision, the NCAA announced Monday it plans to hold the entire 2021 men’s college basketball tournament in one location, Indianapolis, which was already set to host the Final Four next year and the NCAA has its headquarters in the Indiana capital.

Early-round games that had been scheduled to be played at 13 already-determined sites will be relocated.  The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee said hosting all 68 teams in one place would “enhance the safety and well-being of the event.”

Obviously, we’re going to have some interesting game times and I haven’t seen if different gyms will be used. I mean you have Butler right there, and some other schools like IUPUI.

--Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who turned 76 today, tested positive for Covid-19, but said he is not experiencing any symptoms at this time.  He is the oldest coach in men’s Division I hoops. 

Now this I can’t believe…from Jace Evans of USA TODAY…that Boeheim “is already the oldest coach in men’s Division I basketball history.”

No way, I thought.   DePaul’s Ray Meyer was older, for one.

Nope. When Ray Meyer retired in 1984 (wow, that seems like yesterday…he lost his final game in the NCAA Tournament to Wake Forest, see Danny Young….), he was 70.  You can look it up.

Now if you can find another D-I coach that was older than 76, let me know.

--This was a sad story. Tennessee-Martin men’s basketball coach Anthony Stewart died Sunday.  He was just 50.  I did not see a cause of death.  His career mark was 51-73 at the school, having been an assistant at Long Beach State, Wyoming, Southern Illinois and Ohio University before arriving at UT-Martin.

UT Martin Chancellor Keith Carver said: “What I will remember most about Coach Stewart was his focus in developing our young men to be leaders in their community, leaders in the workforce and leaders in their homes.  He always stressed the development of the entire person, well beyond athletics.”

RIP.

--And this in today…Wichita State basketball coach Gregg Marshall has resigned following an internal investigation into allegations of physical and verbal abuse, as I documented a few times in the past year.

ESPN reported the school and Marshall agreed to a contract settlement of $7.75 million to be paid over the next six years.

“This was a difficult decision, but one I feel was necessary for my family, the university and, most importantly, the student-athletes,” Marshall said. “I remain grateful for my years spent at Wichita State….I am incredibly proud of this men’s basketball program and all it has achieved over the past 14 years and am confident of its continued success.”

I’ve noted the allegations against Marshall, and what was most damning was eight players initially entering the transfer portal last spring.

Gregg Marshall was an amazingly successful coach, leading the Shockers to the Final Four in 2013, then following that up with a 35-1 record and 1-seed in 2014; starting 35-0 before losing to Kentucky in the second round.

Prior to arriving at Wichita State, Marshall led Winthrop to seven NCAA tournaments in nine seasons.

This is unfortunate.  But the evidence seems overwhelming.  We wish those impacted by his bad behavior the best.

MLB

--The Padres signed pitcher Mike Clevinger to a two-year, $11.5 million contract, even though they are losing him for the entire 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery.  It’s actually a smart move. Clevinger threw one inning in the wildcard playoff series against the Cardinals because of what was called an elbow impingement.  He wasn’t expected to need surgery, but then things changed.

Clevinger made four regular-season starts for San Diego after being acquired from Cleveland, where he had gone 42-22, with a 3.20 ERA.  With the Padres he was 2-1, 2.84.  He’s 29.  He’ll be solid again in 2022, and the price is appropriate.

--Our favorite uncle, the Mets’ new owner Uncle Stevie Cohen, has clearly had an impact on the entire sport.  Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer is sucking up to him, Bauer a free agent.

In the socially active Bauer’s media account (YouTube), he was effusive in his praise of Cohen, outlining four specific areas in which he thinks Cohen has gotten off to a “brilliant” start – titling his video: “Steve Cohen’s BRILLIANT Start.”

Bauer is being courted by the Yankees, and so Bauer has set up a bidding war.

It helps that the brash Bauer is respected by Mets team president Sandy Alderson, who indicated he’s a fan of Bauer’s personality.

“This is an entertainment business,” Alderson told WFAN.  “If guys see someone performing, they’ll live with whatever the baggage is.  I actually think Bauer would be a great personality in New York.  I think he’s the kind of guy that fans would embrace.”

No doubt!  As long as he is solid (doesn’t have to be Cy Young), we’ll love him.  He ain’t no Ed Whitson.

Meanwhile, the Cubs announced Theo Epstein is stepping down as team president and will be succeeded by GM Jed Hoyer, immediately setting off the local media here in Gotham…us Metsies were a cinch to nab him after his immense success in Boston and the Windy City.

Alas, Epstein, a mere babe in the woods at 46, said he wants to take a year off before his next challenge in the sport.  But as Pete M., Red Sox fan, said, “He just be lookin’ for more of Uncle Stevie’s money.”

Actually, Pete didn’t put it this way, exactly, but close enough.

Epstein, though, doesn’t have as sparkling a record as some believe.  Like look at the Jason Heyward, eight-year, $184 million contract.  The guy has blown chow.  [Pulitzer material, you have to admit.]

--The Baseball Hall of Fame released its ballot for 2021 and while it’s not worth discussing in any detail now, the vote not revealed until Jan. 26, there will be no first-ballot HOFers as in the past few years.  The newcomers are led by Mark Buehrle, Torii Hunter and Tim Hudson, none of which are Hall of Famers in your editor’s opinion.

But not so fast, Sheriff!  [Screamed the readership.]

As Jayson Stark noted in The Athletic…Tim Hudson’s 223-133, with a 3.49 ERA, is pretty good, as in there are only two other pitchers in history with 200-plus wins, an ERA below 3.50 and a winning percentage as good as Hudson’s (.625) who are not in the Hall of Fame and they are Justin Verlander and Roger Clemens. [I like that Hudson has four, top-5 Cy Young Award seasons, but he needed one first-place finish…he is not a Hall of Famer in my estimation, also a poor postseason mark.]

Torii Hunter was obviously a quality player for years…5 All-Star teams, 9 Gold Gloves, 353 home runs, 1,391 RBIs, 2,452 hits…in fact, as Stark points out, only four outfielders in history finished their career with 2,400 hits, 350 homers and nine Gold Gloves; Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr., Al Kaline…and Torii Hunter.

But he’s not a Hall of Famer, says moi.  No top-5 MVP votes is a killer, for starters.

Then there’s Mark Buehrle, who I’ve written of in the past. First off, I can’t believe it’s already been five years since he last played, going 15-8, 3.81, with Toronto in his final season.  The 3.81 ERA was actually his career figure, as well, along with a 214-160 mark.  15 straight seasons with double figures in wins, 15 straight seasons with 30+ starts, 14 of 15 with 200 innings (198 2/3 his final year).

Talk about Mr. Consistency.  As Jayson Stark notes, the only four pitchers in the live-ball era with at least two no-hitters and 15 seasons with double-digit wins: Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Warren Spahn…and Mark Buehrle!

Just a terrific career…but not a Hall of Famer.

Meanwhile, Curt Schilling, in his ninth of ten years of eligibility, received 70.0% (of the 75% required for enshrinment) last time and I think he gets in now, not 2022.

Omar Vizquel, in his fourth year on the ballot, is already up to 52.6% and I’m guessing he’s in in year six of eligibility.

But of course all eyes are on Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, with just two more years left; Clemens at 61.0% last year, Bonds 60.7%.

But their advancement has been glacial….

Clemens (57.3, 59.5, 61.0 percent last three years), Bonds (56.4, 59.1, 60.7).

--Lastly, we note the passing of one of the game’s better relievers, Lindy McDaniel, 84.

McDaniel appeared in 987 games, debuting with St. Louis as a 19-year-old in 1955 and won 15 games as a starter two years later before transitioning into the bullpen.  He led the majors in saves in 1960 (also 1959 and ’63), earning an All-Star selection, and in the end, had a 3.45 ERA, 174 saves and a record of 141-119, despite playing mostly for mediocre teams, including the Yankees, Cubs, Giants and Royals.

As in the guy never appeared in a postseason game.

McDaniel died in Lavon, Texas, where he was an elder at a small church for 12 years.

For those of us of a certain age, who followed the latter part of his career, this is how we envision his final days.  He was Lordly.  Mention “Lindy McDaniel” and there was just something different…and good…about the man.

The Masters…a look back…

Daniel Rapaport / Golfworld

“For a game so slow, golfing legacies change awfully fast.

“Four days in Augusta is all it takes.  Just ask Jack Nicklaus, or Tiger Woods, or Phil Mickelson, or even Sergio Garcia. Winning the Masters doesn’t just come with the green jacket and the lifetime dinner invite – it’s a stamp of approval on a career.  Golf’s ultimate prize.

“Dustin Johnson didn’t need to win the Masters to become a great golfer.  According to the algorithms, he’s been the best player on the planet for 104 total weeks.  He’s won $70 million playing this game.  Played on four U.S. Ryder Cup teams. Won a major, and a FedEx Cup and, now, 24 events on the PGA Tour, where he has membership for life.

“And yet, until Sunday, failure had been an annoyingly large part of the Dustin Johnson experience. The shortcomings.  No matter how many Travelers Championships or RBC Canadian Opens or WGC-Bridgestone Invitationals you win, golfers of DJ’s caliber are always going to be judged by how they perform in four tournaments.  Yes, he’d won one of them. But he’d also held the 54-hole lead in four others and wound up victorious none of those times – including just three months ago at the PGA Championship in San Francisco, where he was leapfrogged by a 23-year-old playing in just his second major.

“Johnson put himself in that position yet again on Saturday, his third-round 65 giving him a four-shot cushion as his head hit the pillow in his Augusta rental home. Sunday could have gone one of two ways.  He could have blown a four-shot lead at Augusta National, setting off a hot-take storm and adding yet another chapter to a growingly tragic legacy.  The other option was winning. And, in the process, slamming the door shut on that underachieving nonsense….

“ ‘I’ve had the lead a couple times and haven’t been able to finish it off, and so it is very nice to have a lead and then play well on Sunday and get the win. I couldn’t be more happy, and I think I look pretty good in green, too.’

“Johnson was at his swaggering best, reaching that gear where he makes this most complicated game look impossibly straightforward. This was yet another instance of Johnson hitting the open field and putting daylight between himself and the best players in the world.

“He does that a lot. Johnson now has seven career victories of at least four shots.  In August, he shot 30 under par to win the Northern Trust by 11.  He’s won three tournaments in the last three months by a combined 19 shots.  Since the PGA Tour’s return after the Covid hiatus, he has been by far the best player in the world.  He’s now won or finished second in six of his last seven events – the lone outlier, a T-6 at the U.S. Open.  And on the macro level, he’s been the game’s most consistent player over the past decade-plus, with a win in all 14 seasons he’s been on the PGA Tour….

“Simply put, this was overdue. On Sunday, as Johnson sauntered onto the driving range to begin his warmup, he walked right past Rory McIlroy.  They fist-bumped.

“ ‘Great playing,’ McIlroy said.  ‘Keep it going.’

“He was talking about this week, but he just as well could have been talking about the last 14 years.”

Oh, and Johnson had to deal with the coronavirus this summer.

--So to clean up Tiger Woods’ mess at No. 12 Sunday, when he hit the ball into Rae’s Creek three times and carded a 10, it’s not just the highest one-hole score he’s ever made in the Masters, it’s the worst of his entire career.  23,789 holes on the PGA Tour before venturing into double-digits.  As far as I can tell, the story that Woods’ had never had worse than a six on a par-3 in his PGA Tour career is correct as well.

2020 was not a great year for Tiger.  He played in nine events, just one top-10.

But you still can’t help but admire how he finished after the ‘10’…birdieing five of his last six holes.  You can count on one hand the number of times when as you’ve observed him over his entire career, you felt like he may have stopped battling.

Tiger’s 10 on No. 12 isn’t the worst in Augusta history. Tom Weiskopf once posted a 13 on the hole in 1980.

Tiger said of Dustin Johnson: “As we’ve all seen, he’s an amazing athlete.  He’s one of the first guys to ever bring athleticism to our sport. DJ has just an amazing ability to stay calm in tough moments, and in order to win this event, and we all know as past champions how hard it is, the emotions we have to deal with out there.

“There’s no one more suited to that, I think, than DJ.”

Stuff

--Wake Forest lost its first-round ACC Soccer Championship game to Virginia 2-0 on Sunday, and in reading about it I learned what I should have known when I was writing last time…that the men’s and women’s soccer championships will be held in the spring, with some games slated to begin in February.  The teams’ records for the fall will of course count when it comes to selection day for the tournaments. 

--International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach met with new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga the other day in Tokyo and said that Olympic participants and fans arriving for next year’s postponed Tokyo Olympics are likely to face Covid-19 vaccination requirements.

Bach said “the IOC will undertake great effort so that as many [people] as possible – Olympic participants and visitors – will arrive here [with a] vaccine if by then a vaccine is available.  This makes us all very confident that we can have spectators in the Olympics stadium next year and that spectators will enjoy a safe environment.”

Several polls have shown the Japanese public to be ambivalent about hosting the Olympic Games at this point, being more concerned with a shattered economy (ignore the strong third-quarter GDP numbers just announced).

--This is awful…but could have been worse.

An Alaska Airlines jetliner struck a brown bear while landing early Saturday evening, killing the animal and causing damage to the plane, officials said, but none of the passengers or crew were injured during the accident at the Yakutat Airport in southeast Alaska, The Anchorage Daily News reported.

The Boeing 737-700 killed the brown bear sow, but a cub was uninjured.

Airport crew members had cleared the runway about 10 minutes before the flight was expected to land, normal procedure for nighttime landings there.  The staff didn’t see any signs of wildlife during the check, but then the pilots spotted two bears crossing the runway as the jet slowed after landing, and, you know, there was a thump.

Planes previously have been reported to hit deer, geese, caribou and other animals in Alaska, but authorities said it’s the first time a plane struck a bear.

--Singer Taylor Swift confirmed a report that music mogul Scooter Braun has sold the rights to her first six albums.

As Variety first reported on Monday, Braun sold the recordings – known as masters – to an investment fund for more than $300 million.

Writing on Twitter, Swift said it was “the second time my music had been sold without my knowledge.”

Swift has previously accused Braun of trying to “dismantle” her musical legacy.

Swift signed a deal with record label Big Machine in 2004, granting them ownership of the master recordings to her first six albums in exchange for a cash advance to kick-start her career.

In the music industry, ownership of masters means you control what can be done with the original recording of a song or album, from re-releases and box sets to making it available for use in an advert or on a streaming platform.

Braun bought Big Machine in June 2019, and with it the rights to most of Swift’s work. Since then the pair have been locked in a major battle over control of the music.

Swift, as the writer or co-writer of her music, still owns the publishing rights, which means she has power to veto some of Braun’s attempts to exploit her recordings.

Swift told Billboard last year, for example, that she had turned down “dozens of requests” for the use of “Shake It Off” every week since Braun bought her back catalogue.

Swift has said she has been “actively trying to regain ownership of my master recordings” and had tried to enter talks with Braun, but his legal team wanted her to sign a non-disclosure agreement stating “I would never say another word about Scooter Braun unless it was positive.”

What a d---.  Of course that world is full of ‘em.

--It truly is amazing the Rolling Stones have been together for 60 years.  It was July 12, 1962, that Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Dick Taylor, Mick Avory (later of the Kinks) and Brian Jones played their first show at the Marquee.

Avory and Taylor were replaced by Tony Chapman and Bill Wyman from the Cliftons shortly after. Chapman didn’t work out, and a reluctant Charlie Watts came on board in January 1963 to complete the band.

Mick Taylor replaced Brian Jones in 1969, and then Mick Taylor left, replaced by Ron Wood in 1976.  [Wyman left in 1993.]

Brian Jones…wow, there is so much to write about him…and I have, in the past.  I’ll get around to him again before long. What a freakin’ talented mess he was.

Keith Richards has been in the news recently because of his accessibility, living in Connecticut, and the release of a deluxe version of “Live at the Hollywood Palladium,” which documents a 1988 concert by his old band, the X-Pensive Winos.

Richards is staying safe.  “Laying low – is the way you’d put it,” he tells the Wall Street Journal’s Neil Shah.  “If there’s anything else you can do, let me know!”

As for the Stones getting back on the road?

“We’re all hoping that in the coming year there’s some positive relief. At the moment, everything’s just pure speculation. Given the opportunity, we’ll be back.”

Top 3 songs for the week 11/13/71:  #1 “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” (Cher)  #2 “Theme From Shaft” (Isaac Hayes…. ‘You see this cat Shaft is a bad mother (Shut your mouth)…But I’m talkin’ ‘bout Shaft (Then we can dig it)…’) #3 “Imagine” (John Lennon Plastic Ono Band)…and…#4 “Maggie May” (Rod Stewart)  #5 “I’ve Found Someone Of My Own” (The Free Movement)  #6 “Yo-Yo” (The Osmonds)  #7 “Peace Train” (Cat Stevens)  #8 “Have You Seen Her” (Chi-Lites)  #9 “Inner City Blues” (Marvin Gaye)  #10 “Superstar” (Carpenters… ‘B’ week…#s 3, 4 and 10 valiantly try to pull it up but to no avail…)

NBA Draft Quiz Answers: 1) Last five 1st overall selections: 2019 – Zion Williamson, Duke, Pelicans; 2018 – DeAndre Ayton, Arizona, Suns; 2017 – Markelle Fultz, Washington, 76ers; 2016 – Ben Simmons, LSU, 76ers; 2015 – Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky, T’Wolves.  2) The L.A. Clippers selected University of Pacific center Michael Olowokandi with the first pick in the 1998 draft, ahead of Antawn Jamison (4th), Dirk Nowitzki (9th), and Paul Pierce (10th). Olowokandi went on to have a highly mediocre career, best season his fifth, 12 points, 9 rebounds.  Needless to say, the other three were studs.

Next Bar Chat, late Sunday p.m.

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