The SeedSing 2026 MLB Preview

Today I'm going to do my best to give you all a 2026 MLB preview. As I say every year, RD knows this stuff better than I do. He's the expert when it comes to baseball. But my son has grown fond of the MLB and he has gotten me to watch more games the past two years than I did the previous ten. I may have little knowledge, but I have some. I'll go through the divisions, pick a winner, the seven playoff teams and then predict the playoffs. Let's get to it.

I'll start with the American League.

The AL East figures to be the best division in the AL this year. The Red Sox, Orioles, Yankees and Blue Jays all have a legit case to be in the playoffs. And the Rays aren't all that bad either. I'm going to go with the Red Sox to win the division. I'd love to pick the Blue Jays. They were so close to winning the World Series last year, and they only had to replace a few guys. They also still have Vlad Guerrero Jr, who is only getting better. But the Red Sox are the more complete team here. That doesn't mean this division won't house three, maybe four playoff teams.

The AL Central is the opposite of the East. This division will most likely only get the winner in the playoffs. I'm sure the Guardians will be better than most expect. They always seem to do that. And the Royals have been getting a ton of love from the media. The White Sox are getting better and the Twins are constructed to be bad. The central is all about the Tigers. Tarik Skubal is back and pitching on a one year prove type of deal. They signed Framber Valdez. They have a solid and effective lineup. This feels like a year that the Tigers could push for a bid in the World Series. The Tigers, barring major injuries, should coast to the division title.

The final division in the AL, the West, should also be a one team race. The Athletics are good, but they still don't have a home city and that has to mess with their players. The Angels still have Mike Trout, and not much else. The Astros look to be on the back end of their winning. And the Rangers, only a few years removed from being World Series champs, are rebuilding. This is the Mariners time to shine. They pushed the Blue Jays last year. They have all the main pieces back. They will make moves to keep winning during the season. They, on paper, may be the best team in the AL. The Mariners have been preseason favorites before and did not live up to expectations. I feel like they're too good to do that again.

So, my playoff teams in the AL are, first the division winners, the Red Sox, Tigers and Mariners. That leaves me with the three wild card spots, and I'm going to go with the Blue Jays, Yankees and Royals. The Orioles will just miss out, as will the Guardians. But this feels like a solid six team playoff race in the AL. As far as who will play in the ALCS, give me the Tigers and Mariners and the Mariners winning in six games to make it to the franchise's first World Series.

On to the NL, the senior circuit of you will.

I'll start with the East here as well. We have some big spenders and some old teams here. The Phillies are really good and consistent. But they have died in the playoff as of late and they are only getting older. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber can't hit home runs forever. And Trae Turner will one day get slower. The Mets are spending big and made some deals to get much needed pitching help this offseason. But they didn't even make the playoffs last year. The Braves have all the talent in the world everywhere on this roster, and it cannot seem to stay healthy at all. And then there's the Nationals, who look to be building back a competitive team, and the Marlins who are as bad as it gets in the NL. I like the Phillies in the East here, but that's only because the Mets cannot seem to win when it matters most. They spend a ton, but the Phillies product on the field has proven to be better.

The NL Central is better, and it is a three team race here. The Cardinals are going to be bad, but maybe a little fun to watch. They have young talent everywhere that they're trying to develop, which will be fun to watch at times, and then abysmal at other times. The Pirates have some solid dudes on their roster and one of the best pitchers in the game. But this is the Pirates and they don't, or won't pay anyone and then that person leaves and they're back to square one. It feels like more of the same from them. The Central is a race between the Cubs, who are as talented as it gets in baseball, the Brewers, who won the most games in all of baseball last year and seem to churn out competitive teams season after season, and the Reds, who are finally loaded with pitching and hitting talent. I'm going to go with the Cubs to win this division, but it would not shock me at all if the Reds are right there with them all the way to the end. I could see Ely de la Cruz being a possible MVP caliber player this season.

The final division is the West, and I think we all know who is going to win here. The Dodgers are the best team money can buy and I have zero issue with that. They have gained the system and they will keep doing this until there are rules put in place to stop them. The Diamondbacks have some good players and they get some guys back this year that are finally healthy. They could make a little noise. The Giants will be feisty and maybe win 85 games. The Padres have some good hitters, but their pitching staff needs work. And the Rockies get to play next to some beautiful mountains. The Dodgers are the cream of the crop not only in this division, but in all of baseball.

So my NL playoff division winners are the Phillies, Cubs and Dodgers. My three wild card teams are the Reds, Mets and Diamondbacks. As for the NLCS, give me the Dodgers and Cubs, and the Dodgers sweeping them to play in another World Series. As for my World Series winner, give me the Dodgers beating the Mariners in six games. It won't be as epic as last season, but should still be a fun series. As for my award winner, I'll take Aaron Judge as the AL MVP and Tarik Skubal as the AL Cy Young winner. In the NL, give me Paul Skenes as the NL Cy Young winner and Shohei Ohtani as the NL MVP.

There you have it, my best shot at a 2026 MLB preview. Enjoy the season.

Another view

Let’s get it out of the way, the Dodgers will win their third straight World Series. They are the best team by a long shot, they are still hungry, and everyone knows there wilol be no season next year so LA will do whatever it takes to win. Now, lets predict division winners.

AL East - Toronto Blue Jays, they got a taste last year, they want it all now.

AL Central - Detroit Tigers, the best team, and pitcher, that no one is talking about.

AL West - Seattle Mariners, hungry and ready to make their first World Series.

AL Wild Cards - Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals

NL East - Philadelphia Phillies, the Mets will Mets again. Same as it ever was.

NL Central - Chicago Cubs, the North Siders will final put the Brewers to bed.

NL West - LA Dodgers, obviously

NL Wild Cards - Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks

The ALCS will have another Toronto/Mariners seven game classic with Seattle winning. The NLCS will have a hot Reds team meeting up with the Dodgers. Cincinnati will take the first game, then lose the next four sending LA to their third straight World Series. The Dodgers will sweep the Mariners and poor Seattle will have to wait for their first World Series game victory. Then we wait as the 2027 season will be wiped out by a strike. I hope I’m wrong about that last sentence.

Play Ball

RD

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Who Will Be UNC's Next Coach?

North Carolina men's basketball have let Hubert Davis go. He was in the title game in 2022, but two first round exits in a row seem to have been the nail in the coffin. Let’s discuss.

Hubert Davis played at UNC, had a solid NBA career, did some tv analyzing and took over as the head coach of his alma mater in 2021. He was there for five seasons, compiling a record of 125-54. That's an average of 25 wins a season, which is really good at the college level. He took UNC to the NCAA tournament four of those five years. The other season they finished 20-13 and declined an invitation to the NIT. In his four tournament appearances UNC had the miracle run to the title game in his first season, made the Sweet Sixteen the next time they made it, and then had to the two first round exits.

The run to the title was unexpected. They made the tournament as an 8 seed. They beat Baylor in the second round, who was the number 1 seed in their region. They then went on to beat UCLA Saint Peters, another Cinderella that season, to make the Final Four. That would have been exciting enough, but they weren't done there. They beat their rivals Duke to make the title game. And they had a big lead in that game until Kansas decided to make a run and win it all. That set the expectations high for Davis.

Not even making the postseason in year two was a bummer. But they returned the next season and made a Sweet Sixteen run, eventually being ousted by Alabama, who would go on to make the Final Four. Then they were beaten in round one the next year, and this year, blowing a 19 point lead to VCU. That was the final deed for the higher ups who make the decisions at UNC.

I do want to say, Davis was coaching without his best player, Caleb Wilson, and basketball is the one sport where one player can change a team's fortune. Caleb Wilson is that good. He is going to be a top five pick in the upcoming draft. And without him you could see that UNC was a totally different team.

If it were me, I would have given Hubert Davis a bit more leeway, another season to see what he could do with a new recruiting and transfer class, but UNC didn't see it that way. And now they are going to go on a big time search for their next men's basketball coach. It looks like they're going to take a big swing too. The early names being mentioned are the cream of the crop, and with the resources at UNC, they may be able to pry one of these coaches away.

Brad Stevens was the first name I heard, but he has already taken his name out of the running. That makes sense because he is doing the job he wants and he is very good at that job. Now that Stevens is out, names like Dusty May, Todd Golden, Billy Donovan, Tommy Lloyd, Nate Oats and TJ Otzelberger, among many others. The idea of Dusty May leaving Michigan scares me. He may want the pressure that comes with coaching a high profile basketball school. He has done wonders in two short seasons, but maybe he wants a bigger challenge. Todd Golden is at Florida right now, and they just got beat by Iowa. He has a national title, can recruit and has shown a nice ability, save for their last inbounds play last weekend, to draw up good plays. Billy Donovan is an interesting name. He has been in the pros for awhile now, but the Bulls are getting younger and he may be sick of this never ending rebuild. Maybe he wants back in the college game, and he is one hell of a basketball coach. Tommy Lloyd has Arizona as a real threat again. They're a number 1 seed and have looked great so far. He is also a very good recruiter and he puts players in the pros. Nate Oats is a jerk, but the dude understands the modern game and he is a very, very smart head coach. He makes his offense better with the plays he draws up. And TJ Otzelberger is young, upcoming and has one of the best defenses in college hoops right now. He also likes to bomb away from three point land.

All of these guys are very solid, very interesting options. I don't think Lloyd or Otzelberger will leave their current jobs. They seem happy and comfortable where they are right now. I don't think Billy Donovan wants to go back to the college game. He has been in the pros too long. Nate Oats and Dusty May should intrigue UNC very, very much. Oats, as I said before, is a college basketball offensive genius. He is prickly, but Roy Williams coached there for years. Dusty May knows how to use the portal properly, and has shown an ability to recruit high school stars. He also has a very solid offensive game plan for every opponent and defense has been Michigan's calling card all season. But I really think Todd Golden may jump at the possibility of coaching UNC. He has taken Florida to the top. He turned them into a 1 seed this year after a slow start. He can do all the things UNC will want in a new coach. Maybe this is just me hoping that Dusty May doesn't want to leave Michigan. Or maybe I just really, truly think that Golden is the best option of the names I listed.

Time will tell, I bet UNC is going to take their time, but if they are going to swing for the fences, these are the names I'd keep an eye on for the time being. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Thoughts on the First Rounds of the Men's NCAA Tournament

The first weekend of the men's NCAA basketball tournament has come and gone like a whirlwind. I watched a ton of the games, and my son's team who qualified for state, and I have some thoughts.

The very first thing I thought of this morning as I updated our brackets that, for the most part, the big spenders in NIL are winning games, and winning them with relative ease. Every one seed, save for Florida, more on them in a bit, had little to no trouble making it to the Sweet Sixteen. I watched Michigan, who held a slim four point lead in their round 1 game, end up rolling both opponents on their way here. They won their first game by 21, and they beat SLU by 23. They have looked good and I have been enjoying watching them play. Arizona had a battle for about two minutes last night against Utah State, and made easy work of their first two opponents. They have been bigger, faster and overall better than both teams they have played. And Duke, even though they had a first round fight with Siena, easily dispatched with TCU and looked back to normal. They are as good as a team is in men's college hoops this season, and with the benefit of the refs' whistles, they should make the Final Four.

Florida, the number one seed that worried me most, proved why last night. They couldn't even get a shot off in the final seconds. They struggled to guard Iowa. They struggled on the boards. They weren't hitting shots. And when you combine all of that, that results in the madness of March. Iowa played well, don't get me wrong, but Florida blew it last night and they are the first number one seed to be bounced from this tournament. And it happened before the Sweet Sixteen. It is hard to go back to back in college sports, but I expected them to be playing this weekend. My hat is off to Iowa though. They slowed the game down, had Florida play at their pace and level and won the game on a last second three. It was your quintessential upset.

Other than the one seeds, we have one double digit seed here, Texas. Texas has played very well, they played their way in from the First Four and beat two quality teams in BYU and Gonzaga. They will be up against it playing Purdue, but they have more than proved their worth so far in this tournament.

Every other team, save Texas and Iowa, is a 6 seed or better. We have six Big Ten teams. I mentioned Michigan and Iowa already, and joining them we have Michigan State, Illinois, Nebraska and Purdue. Purdue and Michigan State belong and have looked very good in their first two games. Nebraska survived a buzzer beater and look to be on borrowed time. And Illinois may be playing the best of any Big Ten team right now. They have blown by their first two opponents and look as locked in as ever. The Big 12 have three teams, Arizona, Houston and Iowa State. Houston looks as good as Illinois, but they play better defense. Iowa State is making shots and they are lethal when they are hitting threes. And Arizona is a legit one seed. They are so damn good in every facet. The SEC also has three teams, Arkansas, Alabama and Tennessee. Tennessee squeaked by Virginia, and without the help of late whistles, they may not be here. They are about to hit a buzzsaw in Iowa State. Alabama beat the snot out of Texas Tech last night and have me very worried as a Michigan fan right now. They look very good and very determined. And Arkansas, mainly Darius Acuff, have been as elite as they come on offense. They needed a late game surge to beat High Point, but High Point was the early darling and they were making shots. Darius Acuff is so good and I'm stoked he is getting proper billing as a top prospect in the next NBA draft. And we round out the Sweet Sixteen with two Big East teams, St. John's and UConn. St.John's won on a buzzer beater over KU, but I felt like they were the better team. They're tough as nails and they will make Duke uncomfortable this weekend. UConn looks to be back to normal and they are mashing teams on the boards and hitting outside shots. I'm really excited to root for them when they take on MSU this weekend. UConn has always held a place in my heart, they may be the only college team other than Michigan that I have ever liked, so they will get my allegiance in their upcoming game.

But, the sheer fact that no mid majors are in the Sweet Sixteen, that only four mid major teams won a first round game, and then were easily disposed of by a power conference team, that should show you how big the gap is right now in the NIL era. The teams that can spend the most are winning at the highest clip. Michigan has four starters that are transfers. St.John's best player started his career at KU. Arizona is filled with transfers and five star freshmen. Duke has the best freshmen NIL money can buy. This is the way of college sports right now, and it will stay this way until some regulations are put in place. Until then, the tournament, and any other playoff scenario in major college sports, is going to be filled with teams that spend the most. That is how it is. That's good for me as a Michigan fan, but I get the frustration from fans of smaller schools. It takes away some of the beauty of the tournament.

Where we stand today, I have all four of my Final Four teams left. I have my title game still in play. I got 11 of 16 Sweet Sixteen teams right. And it is because I went chalk. And with all this being said, I still had a blast watching all weekend, and I cannot wait to watch this weekend. I love college sports, and I adore the tournament. 

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

AJ Dybantsa Made His Case to Be the #1 Pick in the NBA Draft

I am beginning to believe that AJ Dybantsa should be the top pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Let’s discuss.

Some things have to fall into place for this to occur. The team that ends up drafting first will need a score first wing. Dybantsa has said he may come back to school for another year, I don't believe that. And he has to put together solid workouts throughout the draft process. But what he did yesterday, that was more than enough for me to push him ahead of guys like Daryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson. Those four guys have been the talk of the whole season. They seem to be the consensus top four guys in the draft. But I feel like Dybantsa's game yesterday really put him over the edge. Look, I fully understand that BYU was beaten in that game, but it had nothing to do with how he played. Dybantsa did everything he could to keep his team in the game. He scored 35 points. He had 10 rebounds. He moved the ball on offense. He put forth effort on defense. He looked every bit the best player that is now draft eligible right now. I have concerns about the other three guys I mentioned, but none of that comes to mind when I watch and think about Dybantsa as the top overall prospect.

Cam Boozer is the closest to Dybantsa for me. He is a very good big that can stretch the floor. He is also a solid rebounder. His defense leaves me wanting, but that can be fixed. The issue I have with Boozer, he isn't as complete as Dtybantsa is right now. Boozer tends to float in and out of games. He goes much harder on offense than defense. And he seems to let little injuries affect his game. I still think Boozer is the clear second best prospect, but he is far behind Dybantsa for me.

Everything that has been said about Peterson's lack of caring feels more true everyday. He is an amazing talent, he makes it look so effortless on offense. But he truly does drift in and out of games. He has asked to be taken out of games. His coaches have questioned his will. It may be unfair, but the proof is out there. Peterson has all of the skills in the world, but if he isn't willing to put in the work, I don't know if a franchise should use their first overall pick in the draft on him.

Caleb Wilson is kind of an enigma to me. I watched him play earlier this year and came away super impressed. He made UNC look like a legit threat in the ACC. He can go inside and out. He puts forth tons of effort. He is a good basketball player. But he has some injury that shut him down for the rest of the season. This happened about a month ago, but he missed all of the crucial games it felt like, and that was when UNC needed him most. I understand that he has a clear future in front of him. He is going to make millions of dollars in the NBA, and he probably didn't want to risk getting hurt again, or making his current injury worse. But the other three guys played through the year, or are still playing. The lasting image I had of Wilson was him in street clothes watching VCU beat UNC. That would make me pause a bit before deciding to draft Wilson first overall.

All four of these guys have a case to be the number 1 pick. Peterson was the consensus number 1 for a long, long time. But then the drifting in and out of games occurred. Wilson was making a good case for himself until he got hurt and missed the rest of the season. Boozer has all of the skills in the world, and his team has more games left, which means he has more of a stage to boost his stock. But he has some clear gaps before he catches up to Dybantsa. And what I saw from Dybansta last night really blew me away. This kid is really, really good. He seems to love the game. He puts all of his effort out on that court. I don't know why any team would take anyone else first overall. Even if I had a glut of wing players, I'd make room for Dybantsa. He feels like a player you can build around. He is only going to work harder to get better. He has a passion for basketball and I would be pounding the pavement to take him first overall.

Time will tell, but Dybantsa really looked like the best prospect for most of the season, and especially last night, in the upcoming NBA draft. The kid can ball. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2026 March Madness Preview

I'm going to do my men's NCAA tournament preview and prediction today. Instead of going through each and every game and whittling it all down to a winner, I'm going to let you all know who I have in the final four from each region, who my sleeper team in each region will be, who I have in the title game and who I have winning it all. I'll also pick the most outstanding player at the end as well. Let us tarry no further,

I'll start with the East Region. Duke is the number 1 seed here and the overall number 1 seed in the whole tournament. They're loaded with talent everywhere, deeper than they have been in the past and have what looks like the player of the year in Cameron Boozer. They also always get a beneficial whistle and they have the easiest path to the final four. They are my pick to reach the final four in this region as well. They shouldn't have too much slowing them down. Kansas has been up and down all year. Michigan State has floundered a bit lately. St.John's got a horrific seed and draw and UConn is not as unstoppable as years past. As far as a "sleeper" team goes, I have UCF and South Florida each winning their first game, then immediately getting bounced. I guess you could call St.John's my "sleeper" because I have them going to the Sweet Sixteen, before running into Duke. Duke got the draw they have because they are the best team in men's college hoops this season. Anything less than a run to the final four would be a bummer for them.

Florida is the number 1 seed in the South, but after seeing what Vanderbilt just did to them in the SEC tournament, they may be the weakest of the number 1 seeds. They don't have a picnic either if they get to round 2. They will face either Iowa or Clemson, both teams I think can beat them. Houston is the 2 seed and Illinois is the 3. I think both of those teams could make a run to the final four if things break their way. Nebraskas has had a memorable year, but if they can't get past Troy it will all be for not. And I have no idea which UNC team will show up, which doesn't bode well for them. I have Houston making their way to the final four. They have a stud star player in Kingston Flemings, and they play exquisite defense. They can also rebound the ball at a high rate and they can shoot the three when they need to. Kelvin Sampson has a complete team. As for my "sleeper" in the South, this one is tough. Troy can beat Nebraska. I also think McNeese can dispose of Vanderbilt, VCU can easily beat UNC and Texas A&M is as solid a 10 seed as there is. I'm going to go with McNeese to push their way to the Sweet Sixteen and be the proverbial 12 seed that makes a deeper run than most expect.

Moving to the Midwest, we have my favorite team, Michigan as the 1 seed. They've had a hell of a season, but the Big Ten tournament title game scared me. Purdue outplayed them in every facet. They made Michigan look small and slow. Michigan also didn't hit open shots like they normally do. They also didn't rebound well. That scares me. But they have the dudes to make it right and make a deep run. Iowa State got the 2 seed here, but they're inconsistent and small. If the threes aren't hitting for them they're toast. Virginia is a solid 3 seed and Alabama would have been a threat as the 4 if their second best player didn't just get suspended. Michigan has a clear path to the final four if they can right their wrongs from the Big Ten tournament title game. They didn't win 31 games by accident. They're a good squad and I think they will represent the Midwest Region in the final four. My "sleeper" from the Midwest was easy. I'm going with Akron to make a run to the Sweet Sixteen, They are a very good mid-major and they feel like a team that is destined to bust brackets. I also believe that Santa Clara is going to really expose Kentucky. Kentucky is not very good this season, and Santa Clara is going to let the country see that in round one.

Wrapping up the region, let's head over to the West. Arizona is right up there with Duke in my opinion. I believe they had a real shot at being the number 1 overall seed. Instead they will enjoy their stay in the West and should make the final four. Purdue will be a tough out for them as the 2 seed here. Purdue just showed how good they can be when they're on. They easily disposed of Michigan in the Big Ten tournament final and look to be back on track. There's a reason they were the preseason number 1 team going into this year. Gonzaga feels lacking as the 3 seed. And I'm curious to watch BYU and AJ Dybansta's tournament experience. They could make a run, but it wouldn't shock me if they get ousted in round 1. I do think Dybansta is going to show that he should be the favorite to be the number 1 pick in the NBA draft in the tournament. But Arizona is so good and so complete and so dominant. I think Purdue will give them a bit of a scare, but Arizona should make their way to the final four out of the West. As for my "sleeper" here, give me High Point. I think they can beat an inconsistent Wisconsin team in round 1, and they could make Arkansas very uncomfortable in round 2. No one else in that region that is a higher seed makes me feel like High Point does.

So, that means I have three number 1 seeds, Duke, Arizona and Michigan, as well as second seeded Houston in the Final Four. I know, chalk is boring but that is how it is in the age of NIL. The blue bloods can spend more and make deeper tourney runs. As for the title game, I have Duke and Arizona, even more boring, I get it. But I'm going with Arizona to win it all this year. They have a bit more experience than Duke and they have guys that can slow down Cameron Boozer. And I'll take Bradyn Burries as my Most Outstanding Player. He is going to show why he should be a lottery pick in the draft and the Wildcats will raise another title banner in their gym. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Miami (of Ohio) Belongs in the NCAA Tournament

Miami (of Ohio) got beat for the first time yesterday in the MAC tournament. Let’s discuss.

This is a big deal because they had won 31 straight to that point. They were the last undefeated team in men's college hoops, and you knew this was coming because of all the close games they've had of late. Hell, they weren't even the Vegas favorites for the MAC tournament, that honor went to Akron. And trying to go into the NCAA tournament undefeated had to be weighing on the players and the coaches. That is a tough thing to do.

They still managed to finish the season at 31-1. They have more regular season wins than Arizona, Duke and Michigan. They went undefeated in the regular season, and the conference season. This hasn't happened since, I believe St Joseph's many seasons ago, when Jameer Nelson was their point guard.

What makes this regular season for Miami (of Ohio) feel different though is the sheer fact that some analysts don't have them as a lock for the NCAA tournament. That baffles me. What else do they have to do to prove they belong? When teams like St Joseph's or Gonzaga or Florida International or any mid-major for that matter have a season this good, even if they play in a notoriously one bid league, they are put in the field no questions asked. But because people like Bruce Pearl go on tv and say some nonsense, we have to have a conversation asking if a team that went 31-1 belongs. That is so stupid to me. Of course they belong in the field. They have 31 wins. They were a top 25 team for most of the season. They blew teams out and won close when they had to.  Sure, the MAC isn't a power 4 conference, but still, 31 wins is wildly impressive. You play the schedule, and the job of the team and coaching staff is to win. And Miami (of Ohio) did that and then some.

Because Pearl popped off at the mouth, we have others who apparently think the same way he does, and they think Miami (of Ohio) doesn't belong. It seems that the Bruce Pearl's of the world would rather see a 17-14 Cincinnati Bearcats team because they play in the Big 12. Or they want an 18-13 Indiana team, who was just beat by Northwestern in the Big 10 tournament because of the branding.  Pearl seemingly wants a 16-15 Auburn team in the tourney because they were a preseason top 10 team. And maybe it's because he coached there and now his kid is the head coach. As far as mid majors, I bet Pearl would rather have a 24-7 UCF, or a 20-10 San Diego State state team in there because they have had better tournament history. The fact of the matter, at least to me, Miami (of Ohio) has had a better season than any of those teams, and I would pick them to beat any one of those teams were they to get matched up with them in the first round.

I also saw that some who have Miami (of Ohio) in the field have them as high as a 10 seed. That also baffles me. They should be no lower than a 6 seed to me. I feel like a 4 would be ideal. That would put them in the same grouping as teams like UNC, Vanderbilt and Virginia. These are all teams that, to me, are comparable to what Miami (of Ohio) has accomplished this season. This would also pit them against solid competition in round one and two, if they were to get that far, and all fans could see how they stack up against power 4 teams. But the sheer idea that this team shouldn't be in the field, or that if they are put in the tournament they need to be a 10 seed or worse, that is flat out wrong. The audacity to go on television and call this team and this staff out is asinine. Unfortunately we live in a world where hot takes are the norm and no one seems to call people out when they make a claim this stupid.

The committee should do the right thing and put all this talk to rest and let everyone know that Miami (of Ohio) is a shoo in for the tourney, and they will most likely be a 6 seed at the lowest. I do want to say, congrats to the team and staff for what they have accomplished this season. Winning 31 games in the regular season puts them in rare territory, and now they will be mentioned with every other team that finds a way to win 30 plus games in the regular season. That is quite the year. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Bam Adebayo Had a Good Game Last Night

Bam Adebayo did something incredible last night.

The Heat have been a pretty run of the mill franchise since the pandemic. Yes, they made a run to the finals a few years back, where they were crushed in five games by the Nuggets. And they had a similar run to the Finals in The Bubble. Other than that, they've been a play-in team or a team that doesn't get out of the first round of the playoffs. They are in that same position right now. I believe that they're in either 7th or 8th place in the East, with no real sign of making that top 6.

Last night I guess Bam decided he was sick and tired of being an also ran. Granted they were playing the Wizards, but Adebayo's stat line was one for the ages. And I didn't turn on the game until late in the third to watch what was happening. I got an update on my phone that he had 31 points after the first quarter. He outscored the Wizards himself in the quarter. He went into halftime with 42 points and I remember thinking it would be cool if he went for something like 60 or 70 points. Not once in my mind did I think he would eclipse those numbers. Then I saw he had 62 after the third quarter. That was when I figured I had to see what was going to happen. Bam finished the game with 83 points, the second highest single game scoring record in the NBA. He surpassed the 81 Kobe Bryant had over a decade ago. The only player with more in one game is Wilt Chamberlain, who famously scored 100 in a game once.

For this to come from a modern big in the modern NBA is special. Guys like Bam don't score this in any game. Ever. This was wild. I didn't believe it when I saw it. I like Bam Adebayo enough as a player. He is an incredible defensive center. He's also undersized, but he hustles his ass off and plays hard. He is one of the few Kentucky players who I have grown to like in the NBA. I also like how understated and about his business he is when he has interviews or something of the sort. When the game ended I had to go and look at the stat sheet. I needed to see it with my own two eyes to make sure I wasn't dreaming all of this. He shot almost 50 percent from the field, going 20-43. He took far too many threes for my liking, 22, and he made 7 of them. That's a lot for a player like Bam. I have to assume that when he realized he was on fire from the field, he decided he had to start bombing threes. But the biggest stat, the one that made my eyes bulge, he was 36-43 from the free throw line.

I have griped constantly on this site about fouls and free throws, and this stat should be exhibit number one on how bad it has gotten in the NBA. But when I saw this last night I simply didn't care. Sure, he took as many free throws as he did field goals. Yes, he took 14 more free throws than the entire Wizards team. And the Heat took 59 free throws in total. I'm sure this game lasted much, much longer than it needed to, but Bam was in his bag last night. And he made 36 of them. That is amazing, Just imagine if he was 100 percent from the line last as well. He would have had 90 points. And just for good measure, Bam added 9 rebounds and 3 assists. He also chipped in a couple of blocks and steals. And he only committed 3 fouls all game. That is an amazing stat line for a month of a season. Bam did it in one night.

I am just flabbergasted at this whole thing. Stuff like this doesn't happen all the time, and when it is a big man, that makes me so happy. And when it is a guy like Bam Adebayo, it just makes me happy. I can remember being mad when Kobe did it, thinking he was hogging the ball. I couldn't have been more wrong. When a pro is on fire like that, and when they feel almost unconscious from the floor, they need to be fed and they need to shoot as many times as possible.

This game is going to go down in history. Hell, it kind of already has. But people should not forget this game by Bam anytime soon. He scored 83 points. His team won by 30. They may move up the standings. He contributed rebounds, steals, blocks and assists. He embraced his girlfriend and mom after the game. I am so happy that this happened to a good dude like Bam Adebayo. I implore you, go look at his stat line and watch some of the highlights from this game. It was amazing and Bam Adebayo is now in the record books for all time. That's pretty cool. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Foul Culture in Basketball Stinks Right Now

The complaining about officiating in the NBA, and men's college basketball for this matter, has gotten out of hand. Look, I've never been a fan of refs. When I was a player I disliked them, and as a coach for junior basketball now, I dislike them even more. Refs make decisions based on biases, on a feeling or if they are mad at someone for coming after them. They tend to make proper calls more times than not, but it's still a feelings based job. It's frustrating and annoying, but that's the way it is. The problem I have is twofold, kids I coach are acting like current players, and the talk to the media is becoming way, way too much. I want to touch on the kids acting like current college and pro players first.

I have coached my son since he was in third grade. He is an eighth grader now, and it has gotten worse every year towards refs. No one takes accountability. Whenever they get called for a foul they put their hands up and say the refs are bad. When they do get a clean block or steal, but a foul is called, you'd think the refs had made a joke at their family's expense. The kids that I now coach, if you ask them, have never once committed a foul. Whenever they are called for one they think the ref is out to get them. It was so bad this year that I told them during practices I wasn't going to call anything unless it was egregious, just to try to get them used to the reffing in our league. They would get so mad at me that they would complain about a lack of foul calls in a team scrimmage. That is sickening to me. It is not always the ref's fault. Kids commit fouls on almost every single play. It's the truth. But, when my eighth graders watch men's college games, or the NBA, they see their favorite players getting called for fouls, throwing their hands up and screaming at the refs, putting all the blame on them. It has to stop.

I could say the same thing for falling down on the ground to try and draw fouls. I have kids who aren't great, so their solution to being on the floor is to fall down, hoping that the refs call a foul on the opposition. I will have kids blatantly miss layups, go to the ground and get free throw shots. Or, if they don't get a foul call, gripe the rest of the game. This destroys any flow we may have at the moment. The second a kid drops to the ground, that kills any team defense you want to play. This is rampant more so in the men's college game too. I was watching some games during the week and I noticed so many kids trying to draw contact as opposed to just making layups. And if they don't get the call, they spend their time picking themselves up off the floor and griping at the refs all the way down, essentially making it four on five going the other way. This is just an awful new occurrence in games. Kids don't know how to properly shoot layups because they see their favorite players going for contact instead of just making the shot. Kids need to stay on their feet, and so do the pros and men's college players.

Now to the NBA.

Look, I get it, the Thunder get away with murder. Shai Gilgeous Alexander knows how to contort his body and get foul calls. They mug their opposition going for steals every single night. But the foul stuff is not what makes this team great. They play hellacious defense. They have the MVP on their team. They have a great frontcourt on defense. They have rim protectors. They have everything a title winning team needs. It is not just the fouls that have gotten them to this level. So for the coaches going to the media, none of you are Phil Jackson or Greg Poppovich. This doesn't work like it used to. Refs aren't going to watch these press conferences where a coach berates refs and starts to get calls all of the sudden. Also, what star player, past, present or future, hasn't foul baited? Michael Jordan did it all the time. LeBron James is still doing it to this day. Luka Doncic spends more time with the refs than he does playing defense. Shaq spent his early career at the foul line. As did Kobe, Wilt and Hakeem Olajuwon. Star players in the NBA get preferential treatment. That is how it has always been and always will be. So coaching bringing this nonsense up again is just that, nonsense. It's also sour grapes. Just deal with it. As for LeBron groaning about "marginal" calls, get the hell over you. You are the second greatest player of all time. You have gotten so many preferable calls throughout your illustrious career. I feel like he has only gotten worse with the refs since Luka Doncic joined the Lakers. But for LeBron to come after the refs, don't bite the hand that feeds you, especially at 41 years old now.

Refs aren't great. They have a tough job and 50 percent of them are not very good at what they do. They also get too involved in important games, and no one is in those arenas to watch the refs. But the constant griping, on court and off, that has to stop. It is making it even tougher to watch full games at this point. Basketball is not the sport I used to watch. People are too busy flopping, or trying to draw contact, or yelling at the refs. The game isn't as beautiful as it could be, and I think it can get back to that if the stuff with the refs calms down a bit. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

I Will Be the Next Great Viii Sports Athlete

One of my favorite things to watch on the weekend is ESPN The Ocho. For a few years now ESPN News takes the weekends off and becomes The Ocho.

For people that may not know what The Ocho is, it is a joke from the movie "Dodgeball". Back when that movie was made the mere idea of dodgeball being on tv was so crazy that they had to make up a network that didn't exist. ESPN took that idea and ran with it. When The Ocho is on ESPN News they show all kinds of odd sporting events. One day we saw bandsaw races. That is exactly what you think. People took their band saws from home, suped them up and they have them race other suped up band saws. They show lots of wiffle ball and omega ball. They have corgi races. They have some events like slippery stairs and beer stein holding competitions. But this past weekend I saw my new favorite sporting event, and it is one that I am literally going to try to get involved in.

We were flipping through the channels, we got bored of basketball and my dad and son told me to channel surf. Then I happened to come across The Ocho and a sport called Viii Sports. For people that may not know what this is, Viii Sports is an event that consists of eight quick sports competitions and each contestant is scored on how many hits or makes they have, and how fast they finish the event. It all starts with chipping three golf balls into a grassy area that has some circles painted on it and a tee. Then the contestants have to throw three softballs in the air and hit them with a bat. Then they have to hit three tennis balls into a net, make three shots on a basketball hoop from short distances, throw three footballs through an open target, kick three soccer ball into a small net, throw three medicine balls over a line that is a certain distance away and finish it off with what looked to be about a 20 yard sprint.

I was immediately enamored by what I was watching. It looked so simple and so very fun. The contestants looked like regular people. They had stay at home parents, people who worked office jobs and people who head up programs at their local YMCA's. It all seemed so achievable and easily doable. While watching my son convinced me to sign up for their newsletter and it actually seems kind of easy to get involved. All you have to do is have a local YMCA that holds an invitational every year. The hang up for me, they are not doing it in my area as of now. I will be contacting the people involved to see if they are going to come to Saint Louis anytime soon. But they do have competitions in Wichita, which isn't too terribly far from me. It is a very drivable distance.

While watching, I truly think I could do this sport and do it at a high level. I'm not a great golfer, but I am a good mini golf player. And the chip into a certain area is a skill I think I could develop pretty quickly. I played baseball growing up, and coached my son when he played. When I was a coach my main job was to hit ground balls to the team before practices and games. Throwing a ball up in the air and making contact is second nature to me. I don't play tennis, but my sister in law does and I'm sure she would help me out with volleying a ball into a small netted area. Basketball is my favorite sport, I played and coach it, and the distances they have to shoot from go no further than a free throw. That was where I lived when I played. I was a big man that was allowed to only venture out to the elbows and free throw line for my shots. I always dreamed of being a QB when I was a kid, but I was too big. I was a defensive end. But I was always throwing a ball and i tend to gravitate towards carnival games that require throwing a ball through a circle net with an opening. And I think I'm pretty accurate. I can kick a soccer ball through a net, and not make it rise. When I looked for a local sports company, and was asked to do soccer demonstrations, short kicks into a net was my bag. That was all I knew how to do, and do well. Chucking medicine balls is fun too. I used to do this as a goof when I would throw shot put from time to time in high school. I just like hucking medicine balls. And a 20 yard sprint would be just what I would need to close it all out. I think I could do really, really well at this. I will say, the people on tv made it look easy, but I'm sure it is tougher than it looks. But I still want to give it a go.

I highly suggest people go check out Viii Sports. It is fun and looks like pretty much anyone could be a star if they put their minds to it. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Is There a Market for Anthony Richardson

While I was out exercising this afternoon I got a news alert on my phone that Anthony Richardson was able to seek a trade from the Colts. Let’s discuss.

I had high hopes for Richardson when he entered the draft. Florida wasn't very good in his final season, but he was one hell of an athlete. He kept them in many more games than they ever should have been in that season. He had a tremendous arm and he could manipulate the defense with his legs. He was like a bigger, although lesser of an athlete, Lamar Jackson. Don't get me wrong, Jackson is a much better QB and he has more than proven that, I just got Jackson vibes from Richardson when I watched him at Florida. He didn't disappoint at the combine either. He lit it up in fact. He did so well that he turned that into being the fourth overall pick in the draft his year. And he was in line to start right away for the Colts. He did and he would make plays here and there. He would do things that looked incredible. Then he would make a boneheaded throw, or run when he didn't have to. It was to be expected from a young QB in the NFL.

Then the injuries started to pile up. Richardson was a high pick in fantasy drafts his first two seasons, but then he would seemingly get hurt in week two or three. He was so useful in fantasy because of his ability to throw and run. But you can't do that when you're on the bench in street clothes. Then the Colts went out and got Daniel Jones in the offseason. And when they announced Jones as the starter I chuckled to myself. I figured the Colts were going all in on a tank job to get the top pick in this draft. But Daniel Jones played well. He did some solid things and he looked like he was going to lead the Colts to the playoffs and Jones was going to be a pro bowler. Then he got hurt. And instead of giving the starting nod to Richardson, they went out and signed Phillip Rivers, who's older than me. They convinced Richardson to take care of his plethora of injuries and opted for a 44 year old QB. What a crock. The Colts nosedived out of the playoffs and now Richardson is free to test the market.

The issue I see him running into though, there aren't too many teams that are going to start him over their incumbent QB. His current team has moved on to Daniel Jones. The Titans, Bears, Jags and Packers all have proven, yet young starters at QB. The Dolphins, Steelers and Cardinals should all be looking for new QB's in the draft or in free agency, but I bet they will want someone more established, or at the very least, proven. Other teams in the playoffs or hunt for the playoffs already have guys they count on. The Lions are set. The Eagles are all good. The Ravens have the best QB in the league. The Commanders will get Jayden Daniels back next season. They're all good.

So when I look around at teams that may go for Richardson in a trade, he will be going somewhere to back someone up, or be a one year bridge QB until they can move on to the younger guy. The Raiders are most likely going to draft Fernando Mendoza first overall and roll the dice with him. Richardson may be a solid option to back him up, but I don't think he will want to do that for a full season again. The Giants seem to be set with Jaxson Dart. The Saints found out they like Tyler Shough. The Bengals still have Joe Burrow and the Cowboys are sticking with Dak Prescott. These are some of the teams drafting in the top 15, and they won't be looking to give up big money for a backup QB.

When I look at it, when I take a step back and try to find a team that Richardson can go to and possibly start, there's only two teams on my mind, the Jets and Vikings. The Jets have already moved on from Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor. They want Mendoza, but they have the second pick and he will be gone by then. They'd be foolish to take a QB at the number two pick, so maybe they would give Richardson a shot to start. He is bigger and more consistent with the ball than Fields. He can make more plays with his legs as well. The problem is, Aaron Glenn needs to show some progress in year two, and if Richardson isn't that dude, or gets hurt, he will be in the exact same position as this last season, and that may cost him his job.

As for the Vikings, they have said that JJ McCarthy is not the definite starter going into next season. And they don't have many great options on the bench right now. I have heard that they are kicking around bringing back Kirk Cousins, but I would stay the hell away from that if I were them. Richardson is bigger and more athletic than McCarthy. McCarthy has a better arm, but not by much. McCarthy has also proven that he cannot stay healthy for more than a few weeks at a time. But I could say the same thing about Richardson. But, if I were the Vikings, and I'm in the market for a dual threat QB with a ton of upside, and who may need to prove himself, I'd take a flyer on Richardson and have him and McCarthy battle it out this entire offseason. And if Kevin O'Connell is this "QB whisperer", that could be proved tenfold if he can get anything out of Anthony Richardson, even if it is just a one year bridge to the next franchise QB for the Vikings. 

We will see where the next chapter of Anthony Richardson’s career is next.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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I Have a Way to Fix the NBA's Tanking Problem

The NBA has a tanking issue. It has become quite apparent and something needs to be done. Let’s discuss.

I love basketball, and in particular, the NBA. It is the purest and best form of basketball. The athleticism, the shooting, the defense, it is a true joy to watch. It is my version of ballet. I love it. But, especially at this point of the season, the teams that are out of the playoff picture start to tank games for better draft position. It waters down the games and it's a true drag to watch as a fan.

I'm currently rooting for a team that is in tank mode, and let me tell you, it bums me out. The Grizzlies have been out of it for awhile now, and lately they're putting players out there that I don't even know. They have a bunch of two-way guys, and since trading JJJ, the new acquisitions are getting the bulk of the playing time. I will say, I have enjoyed the hell out of watching Cedric Coward progress into a legit player to possibly build a team around. But all of this has not resulted in many wins. And lately I haven't been tuning in to many of their games. I know what is going to happen and I don't want to watch it unfold. I would be even more bummed out to be a Wizards or Nets fan right now. They've been tanking all year. Sure, they have found a few diamonds in the rough this year, but they aren't winning many games. Teams like the Jazz and Trailblazers had solid starts, but now the owners and GM's are more concerned with draft position, so injuries are piling up to crucial players and they are going into full tank mode. This happened a few years back when the Mavericks were dealt some injury blows, and they openly tanked, were fined by the NBA and still secured a lottery pick. Hell, after they traded Luka Doncic last season, they were rewarded with the number one overall pick, Cooper Flagg.

Tanking works in some scenarios, but it is just making some NBA teams unwatchable. I don't know what the solution should be, but I do have an idea that I have heard others mention on separate podcasts. I don't like the lottery anymore. It is a drag. I'm not here for fully getting rid of the draft. If they do that they may as well only house professional teams in big markets. I also think they need to keep free agency, both restricted and unrestricted. The idea I like the most, and think the NBA really needs to consider, flat draft odds. I want every team to have the same chance at the first pick as they have at the 30th pick. I don't care if that team just won 10 games or the title, I think everyone should have the same odds. I know this adds some issues with player placement. If this were the case this past draft, that means the Thunder would have had the opportunity to draft Cooper Flagg. That would be tough to swallow for a lot of fans, but that feels like something that would happen once every 10-15 drafts or so. I do think that this would also help to make every team play the proper players. A lot of teams would be less likely to play a bunch of two way players or deep bench guys. I think this would lead to less load management from players and coaches. I feel like injuries would not be so prevalent. I just feel like flat draft odds would make it impossible for teams to tank. There would be no reward for teams that decide halfway through the year to throw in the towel. I also feel like flat odds would force teams to try as best as they can to stay in the race all season long. The product on the court would be much better. The better players would try harder. Defenses would be much more intense and focused.

I love the idea of everyone having the same shot at the top prospect. That's what I would pitch if I had a say to the higher ups in the NBA. Make it all even and see how that plays out. That seems like the best option they have at this point. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

I Want the Bulls to Be Good

I don't know that I have seen such a mediocre fall off in the past decade when I look at the Chicago Bulls. Let’s discuss.

When I was a kid the Bulls were the best. They had Jordan and Pippen and Phil Jackson and they were winning titles left and right. Jordan is the greatest, Pippen was the perfect Robin and Jackson is one of the best coaches of all time. They were able to bring in great complimentary pieces, like Dennis Rodman and Ron Harper. They drafted properly with guys like Luc Longley and Steve Kerr. They were in on the international players before it was a big thing. But the most important thing, and I will say this until the cows come home, they drafted Michael Jordan and kept him through his prime.

The Bulls were the definition of a dynasty. They had some down years until they drafted Derrick Rose, who made them relevant again. They had some nice runs with Rose, but then his knee exploded and that was when this team became the best at being mediocre. They have gone through any number of players to try and make themselves a viable playoff threat. They traded for Nikola Vucevic when he was still a borderline all star. But he never really lived up to the hype as a stretch big man. He would have one of two good games a month, then revert to being average. They got Zach Lavine when he was angry with Minnesota. This seemed like a good move at the time, but Lavine is just an empty stats guy. He can fill up the scoresheet, but it never amounted to many wins. They went out and signed DeMar DeRozan, who is one of the better midrange offensive players in the game, but he doesn't play a ton of defense, and if we learned anything from his trade from the Raptors to the Spurs, teams seemed to get better when he was not on them. They traded for Alex Caruso, or maybe signed him, I don't remember. Caruso is only good when he is on a contending team and he has to guard multiple guys. He has never been a scoring threat and he never will be. That doesn't suit his skill set. I liked when they drafted Coby White, who had his moments, but he never lived up to the lottery selection he was, and now he is gone. They gave Patrick Williams a big deal when he hadn't really proved much of anything. And they seem to be whiffing on their most recent draft picks. All of this kept this team in the play-in race, but they never made it out, or if they did, they were an easy first round out. Billy Donovan is a solid coach, but he has never been given a real chance to win big in Chicago. Every time he shows some stability, and the Bulls get their head above water, they trade guys or force him to play players he may not want on the floor. They let go of Caruso so they could build a team around Josh Giddey. Giddey is okay, but he is not a number one option that you can win a title with. Plus, he has had some questionable off court issues in his past. They let Ayo Donsunmu go. Matas Buzelis hasn't been able to put together a month's worth of solid play. Jalen Smith is a fine backup center. He starts for the Bulls. They now have three of the exact same player in guards Anfernee Simons, Rob Dillingham and Jaden Ivey, all of whom they traded for. Simons can score and do not much else. Dillingham is wildly unproven and Ivey has been very up and down his whole career. And he tends to be injury prone. They also added Collin Sexton, who I like, but he cannot seem to stick with one team any longer than one or two seasons.

I don't know what game the Bulls are playing, but they, and by they I mean the front office, don't seem to truly know what they are doing. They are taking some of the oddest swings I have seen in a long time. They are too far in to tank, and their record, especially in the Eastern Conference, is on par with being in the play-in once again. The roster construction and team building makes zero sense and the powers that be seem to be more than thrilled to stay in this weird mediocrity they have set for themselves. I like the NBA much more when the Bulls are relevant. At this moment, and for the past decade, the Bulls have been wildly irrelevant. And that bums me out. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Thoughts on a 27 Year Old College Football Player

I'm all for college football players getting paid, and if they can get more in college than in the NFL, go for it. No one knows how long they are going to be able to play, especially a sport like football, so get it while you can. There needs to be some more rules around NIL and the transfer portal, but that is a topic for another day. But I did see some news recently that made me throw my hands up in frustration.

By now we all know about the Miami linebacker who is entering his eighth year of college football. That is wild and kind of odd to me, but Miami is a blueblood, was just in the national title game and they may be even better next season. Yesterday I read about another college football player who was just given his ninth year of eligibility. The player's name is Solomon Tuliaupupu and he plays linebacker for Montana. I read that he started his career at USC, transferred to Montana and has become an all conference player since signing with the Grizzlies. I understand that he got a waiver due to injuries, and add that to the extra year for COVID, and a redshirt season, Tuliaupupu will be a 27 year old fifth year senior when he suits up for Montana next season.

This seems like overkill. I don't get why he would get a waiver for a ninth season, but Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss was denied a sixth season. Rod Moore got a sixth season with Michigan due to injury, but Chambliss was denied. I wonder why they are so hard up to not let Chambliss play, but this linebacker at Montana gets a ninth season. Keep in mind that he will be 27 when the season starts. That is an adult. He could be a father at this point. My wife had our first kid when we were 29, only two years older than Tuliaupupu. He is going to have teammates that are 18 when they start practice. How will he engage and talk with them? What are they going to be able to relate to?

That's too old to still be in college. Some people were all up in arms because Indiana had one of the older rosters in college football last year. They averaged 24 years old. This kld is 27. He is older than a ton of professional football players. There are some guys that have come and gone in the NFL before 27. I get it, maybe Tuliaupupu will not be a pro football player, but continually putting it off for so many years will only hurt any shot he has at the NFL. Teams are going to draft much younger guys that they can mold in the team's vision. Tuliaupupu is already the player he is always going to be. He could walk into a few locker rooms currently in the NFL where he is one of the older linebackers, as a rookie. He would be going on 28 his first season in the NFL. That is some players' prime, or even late prime. He would just be entering the league. I just don't see a NFL front office taking a chance on a rookie only two years away from 30. Maybe Tuliaupupu knows this, knows that he will be done after college football, so he is just trying to make as much as he can at Montana. Or maybe he just loves the game and doesn't want to stop playing until he absolutely has to. But this is just overkill. This is where some of the problems lie with waivers and the portal and NIL. Some guys get preferential treatment, and it almost feels like they give it to players who are not in a power 4 conference. There's far fewer players that make the league that are not on a power 4 conference team. And when they do, they are usually older and undrafted. But they are not 28 as a rookie.

Props to this guy for playing the game he loves for as long as possible, but there has to be a point where a player moves on and tries to be a professional. Being a 27 year old fifth year senior is too much and needs to be fixed. I'll be curious to see him play just because he is far too old to be a college athlete, but this is the state of the game at the moment. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Thoughts on Super Bowl LX

Super Bowl 60 happened last night and I have some takes. I'll start with the game.

The game was very dull for the first three quarters. I love a defensive battle, but this was more akin to the offenses playing poorly. Neither team could move the ball after their first drive. The Seahawks got a field goal out of it and the Patriots had something happening, but a sack stalled any momentum they had. After that it was a bunch of punts. The Seahawks were able to move the ball a little here and there. The Patriots could not do a damn thing. They were a three and out machine. I will say, part of it was the Seahawks defense. They were all over the Patriots offense. They were attacking the left side of their o line, which is their weak spot, and they ravaged the QB and run game. Devion Witherspoon was constantly in the backfield. The d line was getting pressure on almost every play. If I was a Patriots fan, it would have been abhorrent to watch. Lucky for me I'm not a fan, so this was a delight to watch. The Seahawks were able to get a few more field goals and head into halftime with a 9-0 lead. The second half was much better. The Seahawks finally got the first td of the game. Sam Darnold threw a nice pass to AJ Barner, who was wide open. This was the point where I figured the Seahawks were in control. That was most definitely the case. Sure, the Patriots scored a td early on in the fourth to make it a 12 point game, but it was never going to get closer than that. The Seahawks added a field goal, then they swarmed the Patriots on a pass rush that resulted in a pick 6. At that point, with the score 29-7, it was all over but the shouting. The Patriots scored a meaningless td with about 2 minutes left to cut it to a 16 point lead, but it was all done.

My final thoughts on the actual game, it was boring and dull. But it was cool to see these two defenses show up ready to play. Both the D's were fast and furious. They wanted to hit everything in sight. The Patriots were close to multiple interceptions. The Seahawks capitalized on turnovers, causing a fumble and the aforementioned pick 6. They also got a late interception that all but sealed the game. Both teams got tons of pressure all night as well. It was nice to see some modern teams playing ferocious defense for once. But both QB's had subpar games. The Patriots couldn't run the ball either. The Seahawks were able to run, and that was what separated them. They were able to sustain drives for longer periods of game time. Kenneth Walker had a massive game, leading to him winning Super Bowl MVP. Barner had a solid game, as did Cooper Kupp, which they needed due to JSN being held in check and missing time due to a concussion. The Seahawks o line, while not great, played better than the Patriots, and they opened up more running holes for their backs. The Seahawks were the better team on paper and on the field and they earned their rings. Mike MacDonald had a great gameplan, his coaches and players ran it to perfection and they dominated this game pretty much from start to finish. Congrats to the Seahawks on their championship.

As for the stuff outside the game, let's talk about it. Bad Bunny put on one hell of a halftime show. He is quite the showman and he had an energized and fun show. I liked that he brought out Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. I saw that Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba and Cardi B, among others, were on stage dancing during the halftime show. I also loved that his whole show was about love being stronger than hate. I liked that he brought out what looked like the 5 year old that was detained by monsters to present him with the Grammy he just won. The show was lively and easy to dance along with and just a good time. I liked it quite a bit.

As for the commercials, nothing really stuck out to me. I don't like that celebs are doing most of these commercials. Commercials should be for actors trying to break into the business. That was how it used to be, but now we have superstars doing commercials. I feel it takes away from the fun of older ads. I wasn't as stoked for the Dunkin commercial as years past. I will say I did like the one with Chris Hemsworth and the other one Matthew McCoungehey and Bradley Cooper. But that was about it.

All in all it was like most other Super Bowls. The game was off until it was on, the halftime was fun and the commercials were just fine. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on James Harden Going to The Cavaliers

Yesterday I wrote about a big trade involving the NBA team I root for. Well, the NBA decided they had to pull off an even bigger trade a few hours after JJJ was moved to Utah. Let’s discuss.

James Harden is on the move yet again. He started his career with the Thunder, and wasn't happy with the fact that he wasn't the focal point of the offense. They traded him to the Rockets and he had his best years with them. But he grew tired of each new star player they brought in to play with him so he decided he wanted to team up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant and forced his way to Brooklyn. When Kyrie wouldn't get vaccinated and KD couldn't stay on the floor, he decided he wanted to play with Joel Embiid and edged his way to the 76ers. When that blew up in his face he decided he wanted to go home and play for the Clippers. And that actually seemed to be working out just fine. He didn't have to be the focal point, he was back home and he was playing pretty well. But he didn't get the contract he wanted, and even though he may have made some claims today saying he did not request a trade, he has found his way to Cleveland, being traded for Darius Garland and a second round pick.

I want to believe Harden when he says he didn't request a trade and that he wants a chance to play in the finals and that that is easier in the Eastern Conference and he wanted to leave the Clippers in a better space to rebuild quicker, but I just don't buy it. James Harden is a good enough offensive basketball player. He is a willing and very good passer. He is a tremendous three point shooter. He can still get to his spots on the floor. He shoots a ton of free throws. He is a ball stopper and constantly needs it in his hands, but he usually ends up doing good things with it in the long run. He can just come out and admit he wanted out of LA because he thought that it was going to be next to impossible to get to the Finals in the West. He is a mercenary. That has come to be his thing in the NBA, and I don't mind it from his perspective. He wants to get paid, he likes going to new and different cities and he usually helps that team win. And he is getting close to the end of his career, and maybe he truly does want a shot at a ring. I don't know if I fully believe that, but maybe this move is his last, and best shot at a Finals appearance.

The East is not close to the level of the West, the Cavs are getting better everyday and they can make a strong push to close the season out and make a deep run in the playoffs. Now, will the usual Harden show up in the playoffs? The guy that disappears in crucial moments? History points to yes. But maybe Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley can help him overcome that stigma. That's the best part for the Cavs too. They did have to trade a key piece in Garland, but they got to keep everyone else. Donovan Mitchell is still their top player. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen will protect the rim and rebound the ball. Jaylen Tyson has been a total revelation. They have a solid bench, especially for the East. This is a good team that will be even better on offense with the addition of Harden. Harden is going to take some pressure off Mitchell, get three point shooters wide open looks and have Allen and Mobley rolling to the rim for lob dunks. This will only help the Cavs, unless playoff James Harden shows up, which is very likely.

The Clippers got a point guard that is 10 years younger than Harden. He is twitchier and faster than Harden. He isn't a great defender, but he is much better on that end than Harden. He doesn't have the ego Harden has either. But Garland is almost always hurt. The past two seasons have been filled with random, weird injuries that seem to pop up out of nowhere. Garland just cannot seem to stay on the court. Harden always plays. He barely misses games. Garland misses a ton. But I think, if they keep this group together, the Clippers did get wildly younger at point guard. They just need Garland to play. Kawhi Leonard is having a great season. Brook Lopez has started to look more like himself. Kris Dunn is an elite defender. And Ivica Zubac is looking more and more like himself with every passing game. I think the Cavs "won" the deal with Harden coming over. But the Clippers got younger and faster, as long as Garland plays 20 to 25 of the last 30 plus games.

I'm very curious to see how this all plays out for the rest of the season. But what I do know, the Cavs are going to push their way to a three or four seed and get home court because James Harden brings wins with him wherever he is traded to. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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What are the Grizzlies Doing?

I truly have zero idea what the Memphis Grizzlies are attempting to do, but they are clearly up to something. I wrote while back that I was fully ready for them to trade Ja Morant. I wanted them to move on and preferably start building the team around a rookie, or even better, Jaren Jackson Jr (JJJ). Well, while out exercising this afternoon I got an alert on my phone that the Grizzlies had made a trade. I naturally assumed they had traded Ja, but I was wrong. Apparently they have traded JJJ to the Utah Jazz for a bunch of other players and draft picks. The Grizzlies, along with JJJ, traded a few other rotational players. But the big name here is Jaren Jackson Jr.

I just don't get it. The Grizzlies have been wildly inconsistent all season long. They will go on a little run, win five of eight games here and there, and then fall off a cliff. They are currently on the cliff as we speak. They cannot seem to close out games. They will carry a lead into halftime and find a way to get beat by double figures by the end of the game. They have been wildly frustrating to watch all season long.

Part of their inability to put together a long winning streak is the health of key players. Ja Morant has barely played this season. And when he does play you never know which version of him you're going to get. Zach Edey has been out most of the season. Kentavious Caldwell Pope hasn't brought it since the trade. He has only been 1/4 the player he was on his former teams. Ty Jerome, one of the better offseason additions, has not played a second yet. They have had no real continuity all season long. But, the one consistent player, the one guy I could count on to be on the floor most nights, was Jaren Jackson Jr. He may not be having as good a season as he has in the past, his defense and rebounding have regressed a bit, but he was almost always on the court. I knew he would be in the starting five and he would play 25 plus minutes a night. That's gone now. He is off to Utah.

Jackson is going to pair up quite nicely with Lauri Markkanen, if the Jazz ever let him play real minutes. JJJ is also going to help the Jazz defense. He will be another big body to clog up the paint. He can also take the ball outside and shoot the three. He has always had a solid low post game, but he has turned himself into a solid three point shooter. If I were Markkanen I'd be happy about this move. This would give me the feeling that they may not be going into the tank after this season. The rest of the Jazz roster is unproven and young, but some of these dudes have upside. Ace Bailey is a pure scorer. He just needs to get stronger. Isaiah Collier reeks of a microwave bench scorer. Keyonte George can hoop. Cody Williams hasn't lived up to the lottery pick he was in his draft, but he has shown minor flashes here and there.

The Grizzlies, I don't really know what they are planning on doing with this current roster. They let their most dependable guy go and apparently they're still shopping Ja Morant. The rest of the roster is odd to me. As mentioned before, Edey and Jerome have barely played or not played at all. GG Jackson can't seem to get real minutes. Santi Aldama had a few moments earlier this season, but that has died off as of late. Cedric Coward has been a bright spot, and maybe they will build around him if they eventually trade Morant. Brandon Clarke never sees the floor due to injuries, Cam Spencer is a one week wonder who has wildly cooled off as of late, Scotty Pipen Jr hasn't made much of a leap and Olivier-Maxence Prosper has not figured out the NBA. The Grizzlies roster is a total mishmash now that they have traded JJJ.

This really bums me out. I have had the pleasure of seeing JJJ play live and he was fun to watch. I, as mentioned before, relied on him to constantly be in the lineup. I knew he was going to do what he does and play a significant amount of minutes. That's all gone now. My hope for the rest of the year and into the summer for the Grizzlies is a full rebuild. Tear it down and try to build back up through the draft. Now that they have traded JJJ, they need to move Ja and some other vets. They should give the keys to Coward and see what they have in some other, younger and unproven players. Let this coaching staff start anew and give them two or three years to build the Grizz back up into a perennial playoff team. As for now, they have left me annoyed and confused. And there's still a few days left in the trade deadline to further frustrate me. Time will tell. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Indiana is Now a Football Power

Indiana did it last night. They won the whole thing. They beat every team on their schedule. They have the most wins in a season since some Yale team back in the early 1900's. Let’s discuss.

Indiana is on top of the college football world and they turned their entire program around in two short years. Curt Cignetti proved his worth and then some. I may not personally like him, but he is one hell of a college football coach and he knows how to win in this new era. I read some people griping about his roster being old. Who cares? He did nothing illegal in recruiting fifth and sixth year seniors. These guys wanted to come play for him through the portal, he picked the players that fit his system and he has won big with them at Indiana. He used the portal to perfection.

I made comments a week or so back about Fernando Mendoza being a game manager. I was wrong. He won that game last night. He was the reason that Indiana was able to sustain a few drives and get points. His run on fourth and long that scored the winning TD for Indiana was one of the best runs I have seen in a college football game in quite a long time. He secured the number one pick in the upcoming draft. Mendoza was no game manager last night. He was awesome.

As I said in my previous post about Indiana and Mendoza, this Indiana defense is elite. They are one of the better defenses I have seen on a college football field in a few years. The corners were all over the wideouts. The run defense, save for one long run, stuffed Miami at the line most of the night. And the linebackers cleaned up any messes that came their way. They also provided nice pressure on Carson Beck all night. And the secondary came up with the game sealing interception with less than a minute.

Even IU's special teams came up with a humongous punt block for a TD that helped get the momentum back in the third quarter.

Indiana was the most sound, most serious and best college football team by a wide margin for the 2025-26 season. Miami put up a fight and made it interesting for a while, but Indiana's run seemed destined to end this way. Miami made the title game by upsetting higher seeded teams. Indiana looked every bit the overall number 1 seed, dominating Alabama and Oregon on their way to the title. Miami may have more "pro" ready players, but Indiana was a much more complete and better team. Sure, Mendoza is the QB and Heisman winner, but he has guys all around him loaded with talent. They have two very good running backs. The receivers seemingly never drop a pass. The o line is dominant. The defense is amazing. Indiana is the definition of a team in modern college football. They play for one another, not draft positioning. They won because they bought into the new culture and coaching that came with the new coaching staff. They used the portal the best way possible. They made all the right moves and turned that into a championship team. Now they will have the joy and frustration of playing as the hunted rather than the hunter. They are not going to be taken lightly ever again. This is going to be a perennial contender, and the other teams on their schedule will be looking for new ways to beat them. It seems weird for me to say that about Indiana, but it shouldn't be. They are national champs and national champs play with a target on their back.

I also want to point out that the Big Ten has now won three straight national titles. For years and years the Big Ten always struggled during bowl season. They just couldn't seem to get to the title game, or if they did they would get trounced. But now, in the modern NIL and transfer portal era, the Big Ten seems to be the best conference in all of college football. I don't think it's hyperbolic to say that they have usurped the SEC as the dominant conference. With Indiana last night, the university of Ohio State last year and Michigan two seasons ago, the Big Ten has won them all. And they didn't play a SEC team in any of those title games. Sure, the SEC has a few teams here and there that make the playoff, but so does the Big Ten. Oregon made it to the final four this year. Last season the Big Ten had five playoff teams. The SEC only had three. In the 23-24 playoff, the last with four teams, there was one SEC, one Pac 12, one Big 12 and one Big Ten, and the title game was Pac 12 versus Big Ten. We are in a new era of college football, and for the first part of this era, the Big Ten is the best conference, and it is not even close. And before people say, well they have 16 teams from all over the country, it is not fair, the last three champs from the Big 10 are all traditional Big Ten teams. So, as a fan of a Big Ten team, this makes me happy.

Anyway, congrats to Indiana. They are the no questions asked champs of the 2025-26 college football season. Enjoy it. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Predicts the NFC and AFC Games

The NFC and AFC championship games are set. Let’s discuss.

It's nice to have some new blood, no Chiefs, Eagles or Bills. But it also feels like it is teams who used to dominate climbing their way back to the top. I think this is a good thing. This shows parity is still a thing in the NFL. Teams can go from worst to first every season. Look at teams like Chicago and Houston. Houston used to be an also ran, but they are a perennial playoff team, and look to be right on the doorstep of the Super Bowl. Chicago really struggled for the past decade or so, but now they have a viable QB, a ball hawking defense and have made some much needed changes on the o line and in management, and they were a play or two away from the NFC title game. It is refreshing to see some of these teams back at the top.

Where we stand now we have the Patriots playing the Broncos in the AFC title game, and the Seahawks playing the Rams, an inter division matchup to go to the Super Bowl. The NFC title game has some stand-ins playing for the chance at a Super Bowl, and the QBs are both journeymen that have made a solid career for themselves. The Rams have Matthew  Stafford, who is the most likely MVP winner. He has a ring already, but that was on a team that was built to win right away. This Rams team is different. They are more built from the draft. Their star players, outside of Stafford, are pretty much all in house guys. Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams and Blake Corum were all draft picks. They traded for Davante Adams, and he is very important to this team. But outside him and Stafford, this team is all in house products. They do happen to have the best coach in all of football in Sean McVay, and he is churning out future head coaches left and right. The Rams are a legit threat to win it all, and they may be the favorites at this very moment. The Seahawks are a bit more of a mystery and unproven. But damn are they good, especially at defense. They have built that unit through the draft, with a few dudes coming from other teams. Their head coach, Mike MacDonald, is a defense guy and he is showing that he knows what he is doing. The offense is a mishmash of draft picks and free agents. The offense gets the job done. It may not always be pretty, but they know what they are doing and they do it well. They steamrolled a pretty hot 49ers team in last week's matchup. The offense that night was pretty much the run game, led by Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. Charbonnet is now hurt and out for the rest of the playoffs, but Walker is more than capable of handling a bigger workload. The o line is mean and nasty and they have a solid group of wideouts that know their roles. This game is going to be interesting, but I'm sticking with my Seahawks pick from a week ago. They have home field advantage, they have a better defense and they are riding high right now.

The AFC title game is a pure look at the future of this conference and this sport. I get it, Bo Nix has a broken ankle and is done for the playoffs. He was the main component of their comeback win last week and him being out will hurt them quite a bit. But Nix is a future perennial all pro QB. I was very wrong about him in his draft class. I thought he was going to be a bust. He is not. He is legit. They have a very good run game and o line that compliments Nix. Courtland Sutton has become a dependable number one wideout. Evan Engram has worked out as a viable tight end. And they have more than one running back they can count on. The defense is solid and dependable. Nik Bonitto and Dre Greenlaw are good linebackers. Pat Surtain II is one of the better secondary players in the league. They have some studs on the d line. The Broncos are a legit threat, even without Bo Nix. Jarret Stidham is not the answer and may be their undoing in this upcoming game. The Patriots lived up to the offseason expectations. I feel like Jerrod Mayo got a raw deal, but this team has had a major turnaround, and beating the Chargers the way they did last week was eye opening to me. This Patriots defense is for real. The d line gets after the QB and the run game. The linebackers are all over the field. And the secondary gets after the ball. They're a legit top unit in the league. The offense was even better than I expected them to be this year. Drake Maye is for real. I think him sitting a year was the best thing that could have ever happened for him. It humbled him and now the team, and Maye himself, are reaping the rewards. TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson are a great 1-2 punch in the backfield. Stefon Diggs, who has major off field issues, is productive. Kayshon Boutte has been a revelation. He is awesome. Hunter Henry is a solid tight end, and the o line, by drafting Will Campbell last season, got infinitely better. The Patriots are young, but they play with a tenacity that a ton of other NFL teams do not. There's a few reasons to pick the Patriots in this game, but the main one is the absence of Bo Nix. That should be more than enough for the Patriots to win. I'm sure the run game and defense and home field advantage will help, but all of that is moot with no Nix playing for Denver.

That means I have the Seahawks and Patriots in the Super Bowl. This is a throwback to the early to mid 2010's NFL. In this game I think the Seahawks defense will win the day and they will be the champs. Time will tell. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on The Giants Hiring John Harbaugh

It looks as if John Harbaugh will be the next head coach of the New York Giants. Let’s discuss.

Harbaugh was the most coveted coach on the market. When the Ravens let him go it was only a matter of time before he found himself a different team to take over. I know that the Titans, Falcons and Giants all really wanted him. I was kind of hoping, after their meltdown in the playoffs, that maybe even Green Bay would try to hire him, if they decided to move on from Matt LaFleur. I know he was looking at and talking to other teams all last week, and he finally went on an in person interview with the Giants on Monday. I read he was supposed to do an in person interview with the Titans, possibly today, but that isn't going to happen now. The Giants went all out, basically giving him everything he wanted, had current players sit in on the interview and it looks as if he is accepting the job.

I think the Giants really lucked out here. Harbaugh knows the game better than most. He has been around coaching his whole life and it feels like he has been the head coach of the Ravens for almost two decades. He has a Super Bowl ring, went to the playoffs most seasons and commands respect from everyone in the NFL. The Giants have a ton to fix, but hiring Harbaugh was damn near the perfect first step. I'm not too crazy about Jaxson Dart as the QB of the future, but Harbaugh seems to have bought in on him. Dart feels like a flash in the pan, I kind of wished they went with Jameis Winston a little more last year. But if he has the go ahead of Harbaugh, then he will be the QB of the future, until he gets hurt or flames out. And even/when that happens, Harbaugh has much of the same duties as a GM with the proposed deal he is about to sign to coach the Giants. He is not only the head coach now, but he has GM abilities now, so he will get to pick and choose the players he wants. He will have to get a real cowbell running back. Cam Skattebo is not the answer. He reminds me of Peyton Hillis. He showed up out of nowhere last season, has already capitalized on his "fame" and will most likely continue to get injured, especially coming off a torn ACL. The best thing that Harbaugh has on this offense is Malik Nabers, also coming off a torn ACL. Nabers is a legit number one wideout, he cares about winning, he wants to get better and he has all the skills to be a perennial pro bowl player. Harbaugh will need to fix the o line, but he does have some pieces. The defense may be a full teardown and rebuild, but this deal is meant to give Harbaugh time to build this team in his image. It is similar, though not as big a contract with as many responsibilities, to his brother's deal with the Chargers. Jim Harbaugh was lucky enough to have Justin Herbert and a solid defense with the Chargers, but he has built that team the way he wants it and they have been to the playoffs, with weak exits, two seasons in a row. John Harbaugh should have the Giants looking more confident and similar to the Ravens in a few seasons. He will most likely start with building through the draft, but I wouldn't be shocked if he goes big name hunting ASAP. New York is a massive market, guys want to play there, he is a coach that players like. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he goes after AJ Brown right off the bat to team up with Nabers. I bet he will try to get respectable o linemen on the free agent market. I bet, since he knows a ton about defense, he will rework the entire defense with both the free agent market and the draft. The Giants will have a high pick, and if he can get a couple of more studs to pair with Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux, this defense can be formidable as soon as next season.

I didn't know if I liked this idea of Harbaugh with the Giants. But after sitting on this for a day, this is a good move by both parties. The NFL is better when the Giants are relevant. They play in the same division as the Cowboys, so if they can beat them every season with regularity, that will make me happy as a Cowboy hater. And giving him some GM control was a good move. I don't usually like when a coach also has the duties of a GM, but a coach like John Harbaugh has been around the game long enough and has some ideas on how to build a team. I like this for both Harbaugh and the Giants and I'm interested to see how this team looks going forward. Time will tell. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Transfer Portal Needs to be Fixed

There is a big, big problem with the transfer portal, and while I think it must stick around, there needs to be some kind of new rules put into place. Let’s discuss

To start off, I'm all for college athletes getting as much money as they can while they are still playing in college. For some of these athletes, this is the only time they will get paid playing their preferred sport. And for the players that are going to be picked to play professionally, they can start a nice little nest egg for their future. And I'm all for kids being able to move from school to school as much as coaches do. I don't blame any kid who was recruited to Ole Miss by Lane Kiffin looking to go somewhere else now that Kiffin has moved on to LSU. They had an idea of who the coach was going to be, that coach is now gone and maybe they were only going to Ole Miss to play for Kiffin. The same thing is going on at Michigan right now. Some kids have asked out of letters of intent, or some kids who came in from the transfer portal that were recruited by Sherrone Moore are now looking elsewhere since Moore is no longer the head coach. Those kids don't really know Kyle Whittingham, and maybe they don't want to get to know him. And that's fine.

What is happening right now, especially in football and men's college basketball, with the portal is pure madness. There seems to be dozens of new players everyday since the recent transfer window opened up that are leaving one school for another. What's worse, some kids have announced intentions to transfer while their current team is still in the playoff. I know that Ole Miss was bounced last night, in an epic game by the way, but their backup QB has already announced that they have committed to play football at Mizzou next season. I believe this same thing happened with Penn State last season. These players still have important playoff games to prepare for, but the non starters possibly have their mind elsewhere. That's not good. You need your players to be locked in and focused. If Trinidad Chambliss were to get hurt, Austin Simmons may not be all that hype to go into a game because he may not want to get hurt. I bet Mizzou coaches would implore him not to play at all. In a case like this, if a kid is already committed elsewhere, they should already be with that new team. And Simmons very well may be in Columbia, Missouri as we speak. But the sheer fact that Simmons was all but out the door while Ole Miss was still playing, that is part of the problem. Michigan has seen starters leave for the portal. Some have come back, but others are still in the portal. Brandym Hillman was a two year starter, but he entered the portal last night. TJ Metcalf transferred in last year, played the most snaps on defense for Michigan, and now he is gone. Justice Haynes, who started at running back and was the feature back before getting hurt, announced today he was going to transfer. Indiana is the clear favorite to win it all this year, but that hasn't stopped them from getting one of the top QBs in the portal to commit, as well as one of the top wideouts in the portal. Again, they have a game tonight, but that hasn't stopped them from bringing in transfers. Oh, and their current starting QB, the Heisman winner, hasn't declared for the draft as of yet. But they already have his replacement waiting to take over in Bloomington.

As of today, over 2500 players have entered the transfer portal, and almost half have already committed to new schools. That's insane. And I kind of assumed that the portal was going to be used for players who felt they have earned playing time, but haven't gotten as much as they hoped for. That seemed like the best option. Or even, the portal could be used for players who have one season of eligibility left that are playing at a "smaller" division 1 school to go play for a power 4 school and get scouted for the pros. But we have all kinds of players entering the portal now, and this includes guys who have been starters since they got into college football. I mentioned Justice Haynes and Brandyn Hillman already. Josh Hoover was a two year starter at TCU, but now he is off to Indiana. Brendan Sorsby started at Cincinnati last season, but that didn't stop him from almost instantly committing to Texas Tech after Oregon knocked them out of the playoff. Nick Marsh was the top wideout at Michigan State, but he is off to greener pastures at Indiana. Michigan got instant help on defense from former Utah edge rusher John Henry Daley, who was an All American this past season. DJ Lagway was supposed to be the savior for Florida, but next season he will be suiting up for Baylor. Rocco Becht was a two year starter at Iowa State, but he just followed his coach to Penn State. I could go on and on and on naming more and more players. It truly does feel like free agency. It's getting to a point where I don't even know some current starters on Michigan's team, and that is the team I love the most. I just started to root for TJ Metcalf and Justice Haynes, and now they're gone. I have to learn about John Henry Daley and Taylor Tatum now, among others.

This constant movement and constant change is going to do damage to the sport and to the rivalry aspect of college football, which is a big deal for college sports. The university of Ohio State and Michigan rivalry is still pretty heated, but the university of Ohio State has had two transfer QBs start the past two years and Michigan has had multiple transfers on defense. What will happen to the Notre Dame-USC rivalry when  players can transfer from one of those schools to the other. I know Michigan is in contact with some rival teams players in the portal, so I have to imagine the same thing is going on with other big time schools with players in the portal. The rivalry games are going to become just another game because there will be zero continuity with players. Each team is going to have new players every year, and that is going to do nothing but dim these supposed rivalry games. There's also going to be more parity, which is fine. But, with more and more players transferring every season, no team is going to have true continuity. The coaches are going to have to mold things to fit the transfers every year, and if you miss out on a transfer you went all in on, your season will be toast.

The transfer portal can be used for good, but right now it is the wild west. It is free agency. Players are going where they can get the most money, and maybe not the most playing time. To each their own, but rules should be put into place. There should be some kind of restrictions, or this is only going to get worse and worse every year, and it is already pretty bad where we are right now. Changes will hopefully be made, but time will tell. Until then, the average college football fan is going to fall off a bit when they don't get to know who the players are each year. You used to get four years to root for certain players if you're lucky. But now it changes pretty much every season and it is watering down the game in my opinion. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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