1. Missouri got its quarterback. That's a good thing. This class needed one badly and it needed one in the summer. No position is more vital to a class or to a team. Offensive guys want to know who they're playing with. Defensive guys want to know they're not going to have to pitch shutouts. Whether Connor Bazelak is a star or a bust, I have no idea. But Missouri wanted him (so did a lot of others) and got him. And that's good.
2. It seems to be having an effect.
We told you last week that summer commitments from Washington and Henry wouldn't surprise us. Clearly we're not just making things up.
3. The NBA Draft happens Thursday. Michael Porter Jr. is the most fascinating prospect in the entire draft. Matt Norlander and Gary Parrish spent the first 22 minutes of their podcast last week talking about that. It's the top episode here (or you can find it in iTunes, etc).
I have absolutely no idea where Porter will go. Some think he'll go as high as 2 to Sacramento (aka where NBA careers go to die).
Some think he'll fall. I don't think that's impossible either. You've got a kid who played two games and a practice game last year and looked terrible in all of them. There are questions about how good a teammate he is and what he'll do to a locker room (sorry, they're fair questions--I'm not saying he's a bad kid, but those of us who follow the program closely are not shocked these questions are coming out). Oh, also, HE COULDN'T GET OUT OF BED TO WORK OUT LAST WEEK. Porter might be a 10-time NBA all-star and an MVP. He might be a guy that just kind of hangs around for a few years. Or anywhere in between. To me, this draft will get interesting when MPJ comes off the board. He and Trae Young are by far the two most polarizing prospects on Thursday night.
4. When you go to a sporting event, if your ticket is in the stands, stay in the stands. If you are not supposed to be on the field, don't go on the field. If you do, you might be this dude.
5. Mike Leach is the most interesting football coach in America. Hell, he might be one of the most interesting PEOPLE in America. I share this not for any endorsement for or stance against his political views, just because Mike Leach is the only coach in the country who would do this on Twitter.
http://footballscoop.com/news/mike-leach-twitter-last-night/
6. I'm assuming Mexico won a game in the World Cup recently even though I don't know. But I'll say this, Mexico's soccer team wins Twitter
7. Lot of talk about Phil Mickelson this weekend at the US Open. If you didn't see it, here's Phil on No. 13 on Saturday:
There was much outrage over this, and I gotta be honest...I have no idea why. I mean, it's funny as hell. Because every single person that's ever played golf has wanted to do what Phil did. Most of us have done it. Now, granted, most of us weren't pros doing it at the US Open...but so what? I'll agree with Pat Forde that Phil's explanation was bogus. But I don't care. He got mad and lost his mind and it was the most memorable thing that happened at the Open and probably the most entertaining. It's sports. Can we quit taking ourselves so damn seriously? Phil was well out of the tournament and he was--GASP--human. I don't care if you love him or hate him, but Lord, the "he's disgraced the game" commentary is dumb.
Credit Phil for coming back and being awesome about it on the same hole on Sunday:
Also credit this guy for a great video comp:
8. Yesterday was Father's Day. I spent the whole day at a swim meet (which I actually like a fair amount more than many people probably do...but let's be clear, I'll never attend one my kid isn't swimming in). Now, don't get me wrong, if you say "What's the number one way you want to spend Father's Day?" am I gonna answer "Sitting in an 80 degree pool for 12 hours to see my kid swim for eight minutes?" Probably not. But every time driving around to every event under the sun gets to me, I flash back to something I saw a few years ago.
We're only three years away from that. There's gonna be a time I'll wish there was a swim meet to go to.
Also had the chance to tip a few back with the old man on Friday night.
I'm not gonna get overly sappy or sentimental on here. But I've seen enough people say how much they wish they had one more day with their dad to at least say, if you get the chance, buy your old man a beer or six one night. Make the time. Neither of you will regret that you did.
And in case any of you haven't read my Father's Day story with Barry Odom and Cuonzo Martin, I hope you will now. There is some good advice in here. Appreciate both of them taking the time to talk to me and appreciate the kind comments both sent me after reading the story.
9. Your watching/listening recommendation:
Watch The Staircase
My wife and I watched it last week. The gist is that a woman is found dead at the bottom of a staircase. Her husband calls 911 and reports it as an accident and is then charged with her murder. A documentary crew followed him around and recorded everything. It's absolutely fascinating. And I don't want to tell you anything else about it because I don't want to give away any of the twists and turns along the way.
10. Your reading material:
Wright Thompson on Augusta National and his father
This isn't new. Many of you have probably read it. But seeing as it was Father's Day and @_keeganpope tweeted it and I read it again, I think you should read it if you are a dad, have a dad or have a heart. It's perhaps the greatest piece of writing I've ever read. When I grow up, I want to write like Wright Thompson. And one time in my life, I would love to be able to say I wrote something this wonderful. I won't hold my breath.
2. It seems to be having an effect.
We told you last week that summer commitments from Washington and Henry wouldn't surprise us. Clearly we're not just making things up.
3. The NBA Draft happens Thursday. Michael Porter Jr. is the most fascinating prospect in the entire draft. Matt Norlander and Gary Parrish spent the first 22 minutes of their podcast last week talking about that. It's the top episode here (or you can find it in iTunes, etc).
I have absolutely no idea where Porter will go. Some think he'll go as high as 2 to Sacramento (aka where NBA careers go to die).
Some think he'll fall. I don't think that's impossible either. You've got a kid who played two games and a practice game last year and looked terrible in all of them. There are questions about how good a teammate he is and what he'll do to a locker room (sorry, they're fair questions--I'm not saying he's a bad kid, but those of us who follow the program closely are not shocked these questions are coming out). Oh, also, HE COULDN'T GET OUT OF BED TO WORK OUT LAST WEEK. Porter might be a 10-time NBA all-star and an MVP. He might be a guy that just kind of hangs around for a few years. Or anywhere in between. To me, this draft will get interesting when MPJ comes off the board. He and Trae Young are by far the two most polarizing prospects on Thursday night.
4. When you go to a sporting event, if your ticket is in the stands, stay in the stands. If you are not supposed to be on the field, don't go on the field. If you do, you might be this dude.
5. Mike Leach is the most interesting football coach in America. Hell, he might be one of the most interesting PEOPLE in America. I share this not for any endorsement for or stance against his political views, just because Mike Leach is the only coach in the country who would do this on Twitter.
http://footballscoop.com/news/mike-leach-twitter-last-night/
6. I'm assuming Mexico won a game in the World Cup recently even though I don't know. But I'll say this, Mexico's soccer team wins Twitter
7. Lot of talk about Phil Mickelson this weekend at the US Open. If you didn't see it, here's Phil on No. 13 on Saturday:
There was much outrage over this, and I gotta be honest...I have no idea why. I mean, it's funny as hell. Because every single person that's ever played golf has wanted to do what Phil did. Most of us have done it. Now, granted, most of us weren't pros doing it at the US Open...but so what? I'll agree with Pat Forde that Phil's explanation was bogus. But I don't care. He got mad and lost his mind and it was the most memorable thing that happened at the Open and probably the most entertaining. It's sports. Can we quit taking ourselves so damn seriously? Phil was well out of the tournament and he was--GASP--human. I don't care if you love him or hate him, but Lord, the "he's disgraced the game" commentary is dumb.
Credit Phil for coming back and being awesome about it on the same hole on Sunday:
Also credit this guy for a great video comp:
8. Yesterday was Father's Day. I spent the whole day at a swim meet (which I actually like a fair amount more than many people probably do...but let's be clear, I'll never attend one my kid isn't swimming in). Now, don't get me wrong, if you say "What's the number one way you want to spend Father's Day?" am I gonna answer "Sitting in an 80 degree pool for 12 hours to see my kid swim for eight minutes?" Probably not. But every time driving around to every event under the sun gets to me, I flash back to something I saw a few years ago.
We're only three years away from that. There's gonna be a time I'll wish there was a swim meet to go to.
Also had the chance to tip a few back with the old man on Friday night.
I'm not gonna get overly sappy or sentimental on here. But I've seen enough people say how much they wish they had one more day with their dad to at least say, if you get the chance, buy your old man a beer or six one night. Make the time. Neither of you will regret that you did.
And in case any of you haven't read my Father's Day story with Barry Odom and Cuonzo Martin, I hope you will now. There is some good advice in here. Appreciate both of them taking the time to talk to me and appreciate the kind comments both sent me after reading the story.
9. Your watching/listening recommendation:
Watch The Staircase
My wife and I watched it last week. The gist is that a woman is found dead at the bottom of a staircase. Her husband calls 911 and reports it as an accident and is then charged with her murder. A documentary crew followed him around and recorded everything. It's absolutely fascinating. And I don't want to tell you anything else about it because I don't want to give away any of the twists and turns along the way.
10. Your reading material:
Wright Thompson on Augusta National and his father
This isn't new. Many of you have probably read it. But seeing as it was Father's Day and @_keeganpope tweeted it and I read it again, I think you should read it if you are a dad, have a dad or have a heart. It's perhaps the greatest piece of writing I've ever read. When I grow up, I want to write like Wright Thompson. And one time in my life, I would love to be able to say I wrote something this wonderful. I won't hold my breath.
