Ty Watches the 2019 Final Four

The Final Four did not go as many planned it would this weekend. First off, I do not think the ratings were as bad as many expected. I'm sure they weren't enormous, but I still think they were pretty solid. I live in Saint Louis, a hockey and baseball town, and the games were on at the restaurant I went to on Saturday night. Point is , people seemed to be watching.

So while we didn't get Duke, UNC or Kentucky, we still had 4 very deserving, and good teams, with future NBA players. Second, I do have to say that the quality of the games was not great. Granted, all four teams left won based on defense and rebounding, but still, there was no offensive explosion by any of the teams. All four teams scored under seventy. Virginia, Auburn and Texas Tech all barely cracked 60, and Michigan State struggled to crack 50. But man was the defense fun to watch. It was great to see a bunch of 19 and 20 year olds going as hard as they could to block a shot, get a steal, grab a rebound and play 30 seconds of solid defense every single possession. I appreciate that. I am of the firm belief that defense wins titles so this was nice for me to see.

As far as the 2 games, lets talk about Virginia-Auburn first. This game will forever be marred by one missed call. More on that in a minute. This game was really a matchup of 2 totally different styles, and to be honest, I think Virginia won the style clash because they did not really allow Auburn to run up and won like they want to do. That doesn't mean that Auburn didn't try, Virginia just turned the game into a slog.

Now, Auburn should have won, as much I may not want to say it. I do not like Bruce Pearl, he is a known cheater, and the stories of him "overcoming adversity to be where he is today" were total nonsense. I also think Auburn was the only team in the field with no real NBA guys. But, they got hosed by a missed call. The foul call on the three was legit. The defender went underneath the shooter, the shooter did not force contact and that is a foul. But, the fact that the refs missed a blatant double dribble, and allowed Virginia even a shot at three was ridiculous. Anyone that has played, or even watched basketball, knows that was a double dribble. The point guard lost the ball, picked it up and dribbled again. You cannot do that. And, he did it right in front of a ref. That is so bad. That will be what this game is remembered for. Auburn should have been the winner. But, props to Kyle Guy for making all three of those free throws and winning the game for Virginia. But man, what a terrible blown call by the officials. They have been bad this year, real bad, and that no call might be the worst. With that being said, I'm glad a scumbag like Bruce Pearl is not playing for a title tonight.

The exact same thing, except with much more enthusiasm from me, can be said about that sleaze bag Tom Izzo. His team, the same team that has covered about sexual assault and abuse for decades, were the presumptive favorites after they beat Duke. But they were not up to the task of beating Texas Tech's defense. They put up a better fight than Michigan and Gonzaga, but in the end, they couldn't get the win. Tech let MSU get off to a hot start, but after it was 16-11, they clamped down. They shut down Cassius Winston. Matt McQuaid faked cramps all game long, and he looked exhausted 5 minutes into the game. The big men for MSU were getting shots swatted left and right, and they were finding it hard to grab offensive rebounds as easily as they have done all year. Sure, the refs did their part in this game to make it close. At one point in the second half, after Tech had built a double digit lead, MSU shot 6 straight free throws to close the gap, and then CBS put up the free throw numbers for the half, and MSU had 9 attempts to Tech's 1. But, in the end it didn't matter. And for all the Jarret Culver slander that has been going around all tournament, man did that kid step up when his team needed him most. Tech was clinging to a one point lead with 2 and a half minutes left, and Culver went on his own 7-0 run, draining a step back three with 1 minute left to seal the deal. That was super impressive. He proved a ton in that last 2 minutes, and he is a surefire lottery pick now. I'd for sure take him over that Barret kid from Duke after seeing what he did.

So that leaves us with a Tech-Virginia title game this evening. This is going to be a race to 50, maybe 45. Both of these teams play methodical offense and lockdown defense. Tech has the best player, Culver, but Virginia is more seasoned, and they have something to prove after last year. I'm going with Virginia in a very, very close game. And while I know it will be low scoring, it will be an exciting game. Time for Virginia to get that monkey off their back.

Can’t wait to watch the end of a fantastic tournament.

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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The SeedSing 2019 MLB Preview

I know that it has been well over a week, but baseball is back. Many people are not fans of the great game. It is boring they say. It is full of cheating, they yell. It is a sport that allows old white men to talk about the “good old days”, they lament. The thing is, all of this is true. Yet I still love baseball, and I am going to celebrate by making my 2019 MLB predictions. Now that the great game is underway, it is time to ask a few questions.

Let’s look at the American League first.

Is the AL East the best division in Baseball?

No, it is the second best division. The Yankees and Red Sox may have not started out well, but both teams will win close to, or over, 100 games. The Red Sox proved their greatness last year, and the Yankees will find the pieces they need to contend. The Tampa Bay Rays will continue to improve behind their great pitching and will win over 90 games. When Vlad Guerrero Jr is finally called up Toronto, the Blue Jays will be somewhat competitive. The Orioles are probably the worst team in all of baseball, and that is the number one reason the AL East is only the second best division in all of the MLB.

Will Cleveland win the AL Central again?

No doubt. The Indians have not improved, but neither has anyone else in the division. The Twins added a few veterans, but will it be enough? The Royals, Tigers and White Sox are all rebuilding. Cleveland can win the central with 90 wins, and they will.

Is the AL West even worse than the AL Central?

The AL West is the worst division in the MLB. Houston is otherworldly, but no one else in that division will be over 500. Oakland had a nice 2018, they will not repeat that success. Seattle and Texas are filled with young guys and retreads. The Angels just gave Mike Trout a billion dollars, and have nothing to surround the star with. Houston may have the division won by early August.

OK, Who is coming out of the AL?

The Yankees, Red Sox, and Astros may be the three best teams in all of baseball, but the majority of the league is terrible. Tampa and Minnesota will be competitive, but they cannot overtake the top teams. Cleveland will win their division because the Twins will not be quite ready yet.

In the end, Boston will win the East, Cleveland the Central, and Houston the West. The Wild Cards will be Tampa and New York. Boston and Houston will meet once again in the ALCS, with the Astros getting revenge and becoming the AL representative in the World Series.

Now time for the National League

How good is the NL East?

The NL East made a lot of headlines in the offseason, but the division is more hype than good. The Mets have great pitching, and very little else. The Nationals have Max Scherzer, and an old team around him. The Phillies added Bryce Harper, and nothing else. Those three teams made the headlines, but it will be the defending division champion Braves who will easily win the NL East.

Oh, and the Miami Marlins, they will be absolutely terrible again.

What about the NL Central?

The NL Central is the best division in baseball. Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis all have teams that could be over 500. This will be an extremely competitive division. In the end the Cardinals, and their experience, will beat Milwaukee, and their youth, to take the division title.

Wait, did you say the Cincinnati Reds will be good in 2019?

They will be competitive. The Reds will not win the division, but they are going to give other teams fits (note: the Reds are 1-7 on the day this article was written). Cincinnati went insane this offseason, unloading expensive busts, and adding a bunch of guys on the last year of their contracts. When, if, the offense gets going, the Reds will be one of the most exciting teams in all of baseball.

Will the Dodgers win the AL West again?

No, the Colorado Rockies will win the division. The West is another sneaky good division. San Diego is rising, and they added Manny Machado. Arizona may look down, but they still have Zack Greinke. San Francisco has been down lately, but I will never count a team run by Bruce Bochy. He is the Gregg Popovich of Major League Baseball. Yet with all that talk, the Rockies are ready to make the next step and finally dethrone the Dodgers as NL West champs.

OK, who is coming out of the NL?

Atlanta, St. Louis, and Colorado will win their divisions with Milwaukee and LA taking the Wild Cards. The Cardinals and Brewers will meet up in the NLCS, with St. Louis taking down the upstart Brewers.

What will be the biggest highlights of 2019?

The Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Mets will have historically good pitching seasons.

Bryce Harper and Manny Machado will have good seasons, but the biggest offseason acquisition will prove to be when the Cardinals traded for Paul Goldschmidt.

The Astros, Red Sox and Yankees will all have over 100 wins. The only other teams in the American League with a winning record will be Cleveland and Tampa.

Vlad Guerrero Jr will be the AL Rookie of the Year and the MVP.

The Chicago Cubs will be last place in the NL Central.

Who is going to win it all in 2019?

The Houston Astros are the best team in baseball, and they will easily win the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals. It will be a four game sweep. The National League has more competitive teams, but the American League has the three best teams. The Astros are the best of those three great teams.

Enjoy the 2019 Major League Baseball season.

RD

RD Kulik is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. 

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The AAF Failed. Are We Surprised?

The American Alliance of Football has suspended all their operations with three weeks left in their regular season. I was going to write about something else today, but this takes precedence. That piece will come tomorrow. But, as I said, the AAF, for all intents and purposes, is done. Kaput. Finished.

Who could have for seen this coming? Who would have thought that football in the Spring would be pointless? Who would have thought that this poor, lower level "professional" football wouldn't last? I'll tell you who, me. That's right, I'm going to pat myself on the back today. I get a lot of things wrong, I keep picking the Indians to win the World Series for some reason, but this, the AAF being pointless, boring and that it wouldn't last, I got that right. I did watch one quarter of this league, out of pure curiosity, and was immediately turned off by what I saw. I actually watched with my dad, who is as big a football fan as I am, and he was very underwhelmed as well. After that one quarter, it was him that told me to turn it off. He wanted to watch the NBA instead. I was more than happy to oblige.

This league was a disaster from the start. They rushed it. They put it all together far too soon, and thought they could figure it out as the season went on. Sure, they had some big names attached, but those names are people that have been away from football for far too long. We had guys like Bill Polian, Steve Spurrier and Mike Martz. But, those guys haven't been relevant in a decade. Hell, the only players I know of were the former Wolverines, mainly DeVeon Smith and Denard Robinson, and I didn't even really care to look into how they were doing. I'd get updates from some Michigan websites I followed, click on it and then forget about it. I do know that Johnny Manziel was recently picked up by this league, I don't know why he keeps getting chance after chance, but only because I was in Memphis last weekend, and there were pictures of him everywhere. It was disgusting. But, in his two games he was apparently pretty mediocre anyway, just like the whole league. This thing was bound to fail. They introduced this as a semi pro developmental league, but it was really just a response to the dumbass return of the XFL, which I believe starts next year. That will also fold, maybe quicker than the AAF.

This was a bad idea. This was Theranos and Fyre Fest bad. At least the AAF didn't purposefully try to hurt people like Theranos, and they didn't put lives at risk like Fyre Fest, but still, this was a horrible idea that has now blown up in a lot of people's faces. The only people I feel bad for are the players. For some, this was their last shot at making it to the NFL. Some of them really thought they had a real shot. And I bet a few chosen ones would have made it. But now, who knows. This was an awful idea, a money grab and a mistake.

The AAF was no USFL. It was more of the XFL the first time around. Now that it is gone, I will forget about it pretty quick. Oof, I cannot stress enough how bad this idea was, and now, I do not see anyway back for this league. RIP AAF. You will not be missed.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He was looking forward to the Madden version of the AAF. Oh well, at least he can now wait for the return of NCAA Football on an accommodating video game system.

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This Has Been One Hell of an NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament

What a weekend of college basketball. I mean, 2 overtime games, Tech edging out Gonzaga and Duke finally, mercifully not getting the benefit of the doubt, or the help from the refs. I was pretty much glued to all 4 of the games this weekend.

Let’s break it down.

First off, the Texas Tech-Gonzaga game was the "worst" of the bunch, and that was a solid basketball game. Tech still played that suffocating defense, Culver stepped up in a big way, so big he could be on his way to MOP if he keeps this up, and Tech wins the title. But Gonzaga did hit some shots, and they made it close to the end. They were even in it with less than 10 seconds left in the game. But, Tech found a way to win again, and I feel like they have a good shot to make it to the championship game. They are a solid, complete team.

Then we had the 2 overtime games. First off, what more could Carsen Edwards do? The kid seemingly hit every shot that he took against Virginia. I mean, Purdue finished that game with 75 or 76 points, and he had 42 of them. He went total supernova. He nearly willed that team to a win. But, that kid on Virginia, Diakite, hit a beautiful floater to push the game to overtime. From there on out, Purdue just lost gas. No one other than Edwards even hit double figures. Ryan Cline was ice cold. Eifert looked scared to shoot. Haarms might be the softest 7'3 big man in the country. And every other player on that team just pulled zero weight. Edwards couldn't do it alone. But man did Virginia turn it on when needed. They looked a bit off on offense all tourney. But, Diakite took over down low. Ty Jerome ran that offense perfectly. All Kyle Guy had to do was sprain his ankle to hit some threes, and when DeAndre Hunter needed to do his thing, he did it. He was so good on defense too. That kid can play. This has been a very solid turnaround after what happened to Virginia last year.

Then we had the Kentucky-Auburn overtime game. While not nearly as fun and entertaining as Purdue-Virginia, but still, an overtime game in the Elite eight nonetheless. Kentucky had their shot. They could've won. But, they struggled mightily at the free throw line. They went ice cold in overtime, not scoring a single point until there was about three minutes left. And Auburn, well, when they hit threes at the clip they're hitting them right now, they can beat anyone anytime. They are crushing from three, blocking shots and getting steals. That's how they have won all year. And they did that all their way to their first final four ever, going Tech as first timers. And at this point, it doesn't seem to matter that they can't rebound because they are more than making up for it at three. This team is dangerous. I kind of wish I had stuck with them like I did in my first tournament preview. They look really good right now, especially on offense. 

Then we had the game of games. The one where Duke finally got their comeuppance. The one where Coach K couldn't get the refs to bail him out. The one where he decided to not give his best player, Zion Williamson, the ball for the last 2 minutes of the game. He counted on the wrong star freshman to win him that game yesterday, and he picked wrong. When will Coach K finally get the heat for his teams getting beat far too early? Everyone jumped on John Calipari when Kentucky got beat, but everyone else blames RJ Barrett or Zion or Cam Reddish. Or they say that Michigan State got lucky. No one ever blames Coach K, and like I said, Zion didn't touch the ball in the last 2 minutes of the game. That's on him. Coach K chose to do that, and he chose wrong. While I'm at it, and I still fully believe that Michigan State should be banned from all major college sports for what they did for years and years and years, they outplayed and out coached Duke yesterday. They covered Zion better than any other team has all year. They shut down Barrett. His numbers were very, very hollow. Tre Jones couldn't stop Cassius Winston. Winston clowned him all game. And where on Earth was Cam Reddish? I simply do not get why he is considered a lottery pick. I forgot about him at times during that game yesterday, and that is not a good sign. But MSU won that game. Don't get it twisted. They won. They beat Duke. They beat Coach K. They ended the college careers of Zion and Barrett. They did that. And while I despise them, it is always good to see Duke, and mainly Coach K, not live up to the hype. The fact that these kids were compared to the Fab Five is laughable. At least Michigan made two title games. And don't give me the whole, "that never really happened". Duke, and Coach K, cheat just as much as any other college basketball team, they are just better at hiding it.

I know that CBS is pissed right now. But, I actually kind of like this Final Four. I'm going to stay with my Texas Tech-Virginia rock fight final, and I'm sticking with Virginia to win. They're out to prove that last year was a total fluke, and with the way they hit shots Saturday, I see them hanging the banner at season's end. Now lets hope the Final Four and title game are as much fun as this past weekend.

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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Not a Good Way for Michigan to End Their Season

Michigan basketball had a good season.

That needs to be said right off the bat.

They won 30 games, 15 in the Big Ten, made the conference final for the third straight year, played excellent defense and earned a 2 seed in the tournament. Then they proceeded to easily beat Montana in round one, and after a slog of a first half, thumped Florida. But last night, they got absolutely whipped.

Texas Tech beat them, rubbed their faces in it, as they should, and just totally shut them down from the tip. I knew at half time they were done. And that has nothing to do with me being a pessimistic fan. Anyone that knows me well knows that I care much more about their football team than their basketball team. I still love their basketball team, but football is king for me. So, when Tech went up 8 at the half, and Michigan couldn't even get a shot off, I said to no one in particular that they were toast. Tech then came out, scored the first 5 points to grab a 13 point lead, which may as well been 30, and the Wolverines were done. They looked like they had given up at that point. Sure, Tech smothered the hell out of them, holding them to right around 30 percent shooting, and 1 of 19 on threes, but Michigan simply looked like they had given up when Tech got the lead to double digits. After Tech built it to 13, it went to 16, then 20, then 24, getting as high as 29. Michigan never had a chance. While watching the game, I was shocked at how, I don't know if it was, tiredness, being the slower team, the poor shooting, the lack of defensive help in the second half or all of this stuff combined, they performed last night. They legitimately looked outmanned. This was Charles Matthews time to shine, time to show his defensive prowess, going up against a lock lottery pick in Jarrett Culver, and he got smoked. He also looked awful shooting the ball. Ignas Brazdeieks was hunted on defense and got torched. He was also super short on every jump shot, couldn't bang inside with Tech's bigs, and while he put up a double double, those numbers are a mirage. They came when the game was well in hand. Jordan Poole couldn't hit the ocean last night. He also looked lost on defense. Jon Teske was slower than all of Tech's bigs, couldn't run up and down the floor with them and seemed afraid to shoot, even when he was right near the basket. Even the guy I always felt I could count on, Zavier Simpson, just seemed gassed. There was one play in particular, when 2 Wolverines doubled Culver, and their big man slipped and got a wide open dunk. Simpson was supposed to be the help on that play, and he just gave it up. I know he is on the smaller side, but at least give an effort. I was stunned to see him just let it go. Even the reserves that I have counted on all year, Eli Brooks and Isiah Livers, were just plain bad last night. And John Beilein, who I adore, and hope stays at Michigan until the day he retires, got wildly out coached last night. He had no answers for what Tech did on both ends of the floor. Even he had the look of giving up with about 8 minutes left in the game.

This was a brutal way to see their season end when it started with so much promise. They started 17-0, and a program best, 20-1. They had a chance to be the number one team in the country at various points. They beat UNC, Villanova and Minnesota three times. But last night was a complete and total disaster. It washed away pretty much any good they had done for the regular season. I know this is their 5th Sweet Sixteen in 7 years, but come on, put up an effort. Show some fight. Try to, at the very least, make it a game. They did none of that.

All this being said, all is not lost. I know that Matthews, Brazdeikes and Poole were all asked about their future, and they all said they weren't thinking about it at this time. I think it would be foolish for Iggy and Poole to go pro, unless they are guaranteed a first round spot. Matthews may have no choice, but after last night, I don't know if he is going to get drafted. But, say Poole and Iggy stay, they get Teske, Simpson, Livers, Brooks, Brandon Johns Jr, David DeJulius, Colin Castleton and a very solid recruiting class coming in. They will still be a major threat in the Big Ten, and in the country.

With all that being said, man was last night frustrating and embarrassing to watch as a fan. They stunk up the joint last night, and that taste will be in my mouth for some time. I got my hopes up, and it was all shattered by halftime. What a total bummer.

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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019 MLB Preview

Since I enjoy doing preseason previews of football and basketball, I’m going to do a baseball one as well. I know the season started like a week ago, but today is the “official” opening day. And as I’ve said multiple times, I do not watch, know much anymore and think baseball is boring. I also live in Saint Louis, and baseball is king here. So, I cannot go a day without hearing about baseball around here. I don’t know as much about the MLB like RD does, but that’s not going to stop me from making some picks.

A few things before my predictions though. I’m happy Mike Trout got super paid, but I also feel bad for him because I now fully believe he will never win a World Series. I love that he will be with one team his whole career, but the Angels are average at best, and now, they won’t have as much money to lure real star players. Bryce Harper got overpaid, and, as I’ve already stated, both parties are going to hate this deal in about 3 years. Manny Machado immediately makes the Padres a contender. I feel like Clayton Kershaw’s best days are behind him. I wish the Blue Jays would call up Vlad Guerrero Jr. I’m stoked that Fernando Tatis Jr is starting on opening day. And I was very, very wrong about the Braves. Good call on them RD. Other than those things, I’m very green when it comes to current day MLB. I know my hometown team signed a big time guy, Paul Goldschmidt, but I couldn’t tell you one thing other than he’s a first baseman. Anyway, go Cards. Okay, now let’s get to the predictions.

I’ll do the AL first.

In the East, I know the Red Sox won it all last year, but I think the Yankees will be out for blood. And if Aaron Judge can stay healthy, they will out score most teams. They can win 100 plus games with final scores like 10-7 or 11-5. They win the East easy.

In the Central I’d like to pick the Twins, but the Indians continue to look good on paper. They have pretty much everyone back to the best of my recollection. The Twins are young and fun, maybe they could be the AL’s version of the Braves. But, I’m going to stick with the Indians for at least one more year.

In the West, it’s all about the Astros. They are, far and away, the best team in that division. They’ll probably wrap it up earlier than any team in baseball. They’re so good. The A’s are okay, and the Angels do have Trout. But let’s be real, the Astros will cruise.

I’ll get to my Wild Card picks after I do the NL division winners.

In the East I’m going with the Braves. I mean, I’ve already mentioned them a ton during this piece. They’re young, fast and play old school baseball. They love to steal bases and win low scoring games. And as far as Harper’s new team, I have the Phillies third behind the Braves and Nationals. I think the Nationals will still be good because of their pitching. But the Braves will continue to get better, and they will return to their 90’s dominance.

In the Central I’m going with the Brewers to repeat. They’re so good everywhere. The Cubs and Cardinals will fight, but the Brewers are the best team. This may be the best division in baseball.

In the West I’m going with Colorado. They just re signed their best guy, they actually have a solid pitching staff, and they have some of my favorite uniforms. The Dodgers are old news. The Diamondbacks apparently just lost their best guy. And the Giants are going through a rebuild. The Padres are their biggest threat. And they’ll make it interesting all the way until the end of the regular season. But they aren’t quite there yet.

So that means my locks in the AL are the Yankees, Indians and Astros. My Wild Cards are the Red Sox and Twins. In the ALCS I have the Yankees playing the Astros, and I’m going with the Yankees. I hate to pick them, but I feel like they’re going to be so powerful offensively and they will use that to go to the World Series.

My locks in the NL are the Braves, Brewers and Rockies. My Wild Card teams are the Padres and Cubs. In the NLCS, I have the Brewers facing off with the Braves, and I have the Brewers winning. I’m just very impressed with what this team did last year, and I look towards them to make that push this year.

I have the Yankees and Brewers in the World Series, and I’m going with the Brewers to win in 7 hotly contested games. I’ve fully bought into Milwaukee being the best team in baseball this year.

As far as award winners, I’m only going to do the Cy Young and MVP for both leagues. In the AL my Cy Young is Justin Verlander. He’s only gotten better with age. As for my AL MVP, I’m going with Trout. He is the Michael Jordan, the basketball player version, in the MLB. In the NL, my Cy Young winner is Max Scherzer. He’s an easy pick because he’s so dominant. As far as NL MVP, I’m going to go with the Rockies state, Nolan Arenado. I’ve heard nothing but great things about him, and I feel like an MVP is just waiting for him.

Okay, there’s my 2019 MLB preview. Take it with a humongous grain of salt.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is a typical Cardinals fan in that it is playoffs or the season is a bust. Here in Cincinnati we just want 70 wins and our season is a huge success. St. Louis is so spoiled.

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This Lakers Season Was a Hilarious Disaster

I have waited to write this until it was official. And as of last week, the Los Angeles Lakers, and LeBron James will not be in the NBA playoffs this year. I have a ton of feelings about this news.

First of, the hater in me is thrilled. I have never liked the Lakers. I actively root against them. Ever since they picked Kobe over Shaq, my hatred only grew. I despise the Celtics as well, but you better believe that I was pulling for them when they played each other in the Finals in the early 2000's. I don't like their fair weather fans. I don't like the air of arrogance they have. They have been irrelevant for about 5 or 6 seasons now. They traded away a lottery pick point guard, D'Angelo Russell, to take Lonzo Ball, who is a bust. I am just almost overcome with joy that they will not be in the playoffs this year. This also makes me laugh at all the journalists, especially the ones at ESPN and Bleacher Report and The Ringer that were certain they'd not only be a playoff team, but a top 3 or 4 seed. This includes me as well. I had them as a top 10 team in my preseason countdown. But, to hear all these major journalist back track now is delightful. To hear all their excuses makes me crack up.

I admit, I was very wrong. I thought LeBron himself would push this team to the playoffs. He could not. But these other journalist keep making excuses to try and save face. They say, LeBron missed 20 games. So what. He has done that the past couple year, his week or 2 off to Miami, and was still able to walk his way to the Finals in the East. They bring up injuries to Ball and Brandon Ingram. Ingram got hurt pretty much right after they were eliminated. And, as I already said, Ball is a bust. The journalists loved all their one year contract guys. They thought giving Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee and Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasely one year, "prove it" deals, would make this team solid. Well, none of those guys can shoot. Rondo is so much better at facilitating offense. He's better at drive and kick. That doesn't work with LeBron. Michael Beasely is an even bigger bust than Ball, can't shoot from anywhere, doesn't play defense, and isn't even on the team anymore. Lance Stephenson was a half season wonder that is somehow still getting playing time in the NBA. He's trash. JaVale McGee only works as a spark plug off the bench. The Lakers signed him to be their main pick and roll guy. It was all a mess from the jump. When they signed LeBron this past offseason it was huge. Then, the front office went and did all this ridiculous stuff to squash any good will they received by getting LeBron. They surrounded him with vets he likes, but as I said, none of them can shoot. I mean, they are awful, dreadful shooters. And for the young guys on the team already, Ingram is the only one that is a threat to shoot, and he played better when LeBron was injured.

Then we had the whole Anthony Davis thing. Rich Paul screwed over one of his clients by making Davis' trade request public, then it all blew up in his face, Davis' face and LeBron's face. The Pelicans asked for the world, with the Lakers putting up Ball, Ingram, Josh Hart, Lance Stephenson and multiple picks, and they still asked for more. They played the hell out of the Lakers, Magic Johnson, Rob Pelinka, Rich Paul and LeBron. Of course the Pelicans turned the offer down, and that was when the season really cratered for the Lakers. After the All Star break, and LeBron "activating playoff mode", the Lakers went into the tank. They couldn't do anything right. They lost to the Pelicans when they rested Davis. They barely beat them, at home when Davis played about 20 minutes. They got crushed by real Western Conference playoff teams. Then they got roasted by the Suns. That game culminated in disgrace when LeBron went to throw the ball in and he hit the back of the backboard. It was very upsetting to see him, a legend, do that. The Davis thing really screwed with this locker room, and with any chemistry they may have built up in the first part of the year. LeBron said he wanted to grow with this team when he signed, but the moment things started to get rough, he wanted to team up with a super star. It didn't pan out for him, and now he will be home for the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

Which lead me to my final thing, LeBron James. LeBron is an all time great. He is either the second or third greatest player of all time. Going to 8 straight Finals may never happen again. His dominance is almost un reachable for any future star player. But, he really screwed this team with his want to team up with another star. He also learned what it is like to play in the Varsity conference in the NBA. It isn't a cakewalk in the West. Almost every night is a tough game. He can't just take time off when he pleases. He needs to bring it, especially with the way that roster was constructed. I'm still in shock that he couldn't will this team to the playoffs, but like I said at the top, it also kind of makes me laugh because I loathe that team.

All of this is to say, I feel, and I know a lot of people agree with me, the Lakers are, by far, the biggest embarrassment and were the most overrated team in the NBA in the 2018-19 season. They tanked without tanking. They're going to miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year. They are still irrelevant. They are banking on getting Davis in the offseason, I don't think it will happen. And LeBron is only getting older. If I were a Lakers fan, I would be very concerned about the future of this team. They don't seem to be the destination they once were, and a lot of the star players coming on the market this summer don't seem very interested in teaming up with a 35 year old LeBron James. Also, if they hire Jason Kidd I would be even more embarrassed to be a fan.

This season has been a mess in Laker land. They can make up for it if they have a big summer, but I don't see that happening. This is a mess, and I only feel like it is going to get worse. This is a bummer to see LeBron end his career like this. A real bummer.

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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A Look at the Sweet Sixteen, and Beyond, in the 2019 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament

The first weekend of the men's NCAA basketball tournament has concluded, and boy do we have chalk.

For those that may not know, chalk means all the top seeds, the best teams, won the games they were supposed to win. For example, in the East, West and Midwest region, the four teams left are seeded 1-4. The only high seeded team left is Oregon, who is a 12. But, they are from a major conference, they were a preseason top 15 team, and they are a lot better than their record shows. But, in the rest of the South region, we have the 1, 2 and 3rd seeded teams. So, of the 15 teams in the Sweet Sixteen, they were all, seemingly, seeded correctly, and they did what they were supposed to do.

That doesn't mean we didn't have some solid, to great games. Just last night we had that great Duke-UCF game. I need to say right off the bat, Duke got away with 2 fouls on the game winning play. When Zion drove to the lane he pushed off his primary defender, and for the refs to call Tacko Fall for his fifth and final foul on that play, that was absurd. Then, after Zion missed the free throw, RJ Barrett pushed off for the rebound. It is on tape, and it is clear as day. But, even after all of that, UCF had a chance, and they got screwed by the basketball gods. It's hilarious to me that all the Duke fan boys keep saying that the basketball gods were with them. So, I suppose that means they were against UCF. I still cannot believe that one of those layups didn't fall. That is such a brutal way to lose a game that they should have won. I mean, it is obvious that the NCAA, CBS, ESPN, pretty much every sports outlet for that matter, wants Duke in the Final Four. But dammit, UCF should have won. Such a bummer. It was a great game though. Back and forth all the way through. Big players making plays. And UCF exposing Duke as human. It was fun, especially for someone who has no skin in the game. I mean, I loathe Duke, but that game was exciting.

We also had the introduction of Ja Morant, who I wrote about on Friday. I know Murray State got crushed by FSU in round 2, but Morant still showed out, and I adore that kid.

As for the rest of the first two rounds (the real ones), we did have other upsets too. Liberty beat Mississippi State. Florida beat a much better Nevada team. UC Irvine got their first ever tourney win. And Minnesota beat Louisville. In round 2 we had some solid games besides the Duke-UCF classic. LSU won on a layup with 1 second left after Maryland tied with a miracle three. It reminded me of when UCLA beat Missouri, sorry to my brothers Ross and RD, when Tyus Edney drove the length of the court to win in the last second. Tennessee was throttling Iowa for about 32 minutes, then blew a 25 point lead, only to save themselves in overtime. And Kentucky was given all they could handle from Wofford. Had Wofford's star shooter made 2 of his 12 attempted threes, they would have won. He missed them all though. There were also some surprises, at least to me, on other outcomes. I thought Minnesota would have showed up a bit against Michigan State. They did not MSU crushed them from start to finish. Auburn absolutely trashed Kansas. I know this Kansas team isn't nearly as good as usual, but they put up no fight at all. That game was done 10 minutes in. Auburn looks so good right now. I mentioned Florida State ending Ja Morant and Murray State's season, and boy are they coming together at the absolute right time. They look good, especially on defense. Texas Tech looks as complete as I thought they would. They smothered Buffalo yesterday. Their next opponent, my team, Michigan, has looked sloppy on offense, but their defense has been smothering too. UNC, after a little scare, is really coming together nicely. Coby White is so so good too. I feel like he’s their best player. Purdue looks dominant. They pulled away from Old Dominion in round one, then Carsen Edwards exploded for 42 points against the defending champs Villanova in round 2. They routed Villanova too. Houston looks solid. They can score in bunches. Virginia Tech is the ACC version of Michigan. Gonzaga has won both of their games with relative ease. Virginia, who also got a little scare in round one, has looked totally dominant in both wins, especially starting in the second half of their round one game. And Oregon, who’ve I mentioned already, might be one of the best 12 seeds ever.

In the end, we have chalk. We have, probably, the best 16 teams in college basketball this year left. And if this continues, all four #1 seeds will be in the Final Four, which is absolutely possible. Projecting from here on out, I don’t think all 4 #1 seeds will be there. After seeing Duke get pushed to the brink yesterday, I think they’ll struggle mightily with the winner of LSU-MSU. But, I think the refs will make sure they make the Final Four. They want Zion there, by any means necessary. In the West, I’m going to stick with Texas Tech. I’ll be rooting so hard against them Thursday night, but they look really good on both ends of the floor, and Michigan is too inconsistent on offense, and the winner of Gonzaga-FSU will struggle to keep up with Culver, and they’ll find it hard to score on Tech’s defense. In the South, I’m sticking with Virginia. They weathered the storm in round one, and then easily handled Oklahoma. I don’t trust Tennessee anymore. Oregon isn’t going to get the easy shots they got in the first 2 rounds and I feel like Purdue just played the best game they could, they’ll regress. As for the Midwest, I really want to stick with Auburn, but I feel like they’re exactly like Purdue. They just played the best they’ll play all year. I don’t see that happening again. But, that doesn’t mean I have UNC. I still think Auburn beats them, but after watching Houston yesterday, I think they’re going to win that region. They’re more consistent. They have more athletes. I think they’ll cruise by Kentucky, and then they’ll beat Auburn in a great, close game.

That means my new Final Four, now that we have the Sweet Sixteen set, is Duke, Texas Tech, Virginia and Houston. And now, after watching basketball for four straight days, I’ve got Virginia finally beating Duke in the title game. Like I’ve been saying, Virginia is on a mission, I love the way they play defense and Duke got exposed yesterday. I’m also sticking with DeAndre Hunter as MOP. He’s starting to hit shots now.

Now let’s get back to the games. I cannot wait for Thursday.

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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Ja Morant is Must Watch TV

Yesterday Ja Morant introduced himself to the casual basketball fan. I know who he is, a ton of basketball writers know who he is, but now everyone they just tuned into the tournament saw what this kid can do.

I’m a big Morant fan. I saw a lot of his highlight tape from earlier this season. I love high flying, posterizing dunks, and this kid does those in waves. He reminds me so much of Russel Westbrook, and that is a humongous compliment. I love Westbrook, and now, I’m driving the Ja Morant bandwagon. This is the dude I’m going to be riding with, that doesn’t play for Michigan, the rest of the time his team is in the tournament.

How good is Morant? He recorded a triple double in Murray State’s win yesterday. Only 4 other college players have done that, one of which was Shaq. Morant needed to perform big on the big stage, and he did it. He proved why he’s so high on everyone’s mock drafts. I’m a newly minted Suns fan, and I really want them to take him. They need a true point guard, and he perfectly fits that mold. Add on the fact that he’s hyper athletic, can jump out of the gym and hit an open jumper is just icing on the cake. That was all on full display when Murray State throttled Marquette. He hit open floaters. He jammed on a poor Marquette defender that brought the arena to a roar. He hustled all game. He found the open guy. He soared for rebounds. He was 100 percent on. It was a joy to watch. I have been waiting to see a full game, Murray State is barely on national tv, and I watched every second of this game to just see him.

I really hope Murray State goes on a solid run because I want to see Morant as much as possible. I want to see him do this against even better competition. I bet he would still crush. This kid is going to be a very good to great pro. He proved that yesterday, and he will continue to in the tournament.

Like I said, outside of the Wolverines, Murray State and Ja Morant are my other team I’m rooting for. Morant rules, and I want everyone to try and watch while Murray State is still playing. He’s more than worth the 2 hours. He’s an amazing basketball player. I’m super impressed.

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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Baseball Will Not Be the Same Without Ichiro

I know I’ve written about him before, at least I assume I have, but today is the last day Ichiro Suzuki will step on a baseball field as a player. He announced yesterday that, after today’s game in Japan, he’s stepping away.

This dude is a surefire first ballot hall of fame player. He came into baseball when I still cared about the sport, and he was amazing. In his rookie year, where he won rookie of the year and MVP, he was a delight to watch. I had heard so much about him, but actually seeing him play was a whole experience. His approach at the plate was Tony Gwynn esque. He waited on the pitch he wanted to hit, and it looked as if he was slapping the ball with his bat. And it worked. He regularly hit well over .300 and would easily get 200 plus hits a year when he came to the US. Also, his drag bunts were a thing of beauty. He seemingly placed it in the perfect spot every time, and with his speed, he would get the single with ease. On the rare occasion he hit a home run, he looked as surprised as the fans did. He was never a long ball hitter, which I admire the hell out of, but he would get a hold of one every now and then. And when he would be rounding the bases, he always had a big grin on his face. It was great.

What really set Ichiro apart in my opinion was his defense. First off, he had a rocket for an arm. When he would field a hit in right field and come up to throw the ball, you knew it would be in a rope, and it would get to the infield in a hurry. I’m sure he threw out some of the slower runners at first when they would hit it solid to him. You always had to run as fast as you could when he would field the ball. I watched him throw out so many runners trying to tag up from third, or stretch a single to a double, or, if they’d dare, a double to a triple. His arm was tremendous. So was his range and athleticism. He robbed a ton of hits. He made a lot of opposing players batting averages slightly lower than they should have been. He was a joy to watch in the outfield. He made right field, dare I say, fun to watch.

I think what I admire most about Ichiro was his attitude. He was the consummate pro. He never had a scandal that I know of. His teammates have always seemed to like playing baseball with him. And he played the game with joy, and stuck around as long as he could. He truly loves the game of baseball. He is in his mid 40’s and just now retiring. That’s amazing for a pro athlete. And he’s not leaving due to injury, or poor play. He’s stepping away because he wants to. He’s done it all, minus winning a ring, that he could accomplish. I also like that he told the Mariners brass, behind closed doors, that he is calling it quits after today. He doesn’t need a farewell tour. He doesn’t need the pomp and circumstance. I feel like he’d be embarrassed by that.

I was, and always will be, a huge Ichiro Suzuki fan. He showed up when I still liked the MLB, he was great, he was fun and he is humble. Enjoy retirement. You deserve it, and I can’t wait to see you inducted into the Hall of Fame. You’ve earned it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The best story about Ichiro is how he reacted when Tom Brady texted him. Go read the story.

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Never Count Out Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs

Continuing with basketball this week, I want to give a shout out to the San Antonio Spurs. They’re currently on a 9 game win streak, beating teams like the Warriors, Pistons, Nuggets and the Thunder along the way, all playoff teams by the way.

The way the Spurs have done this is impressive. I know I may get some flak for this, but they’re winning in the West with no real super stars. I know DeMar DeRozan is really good, and LaMarcus Aldridge is an All Star, but let’s be honest, they’re not LeBron or KD or Kawhi or Steph or Jokic. But, they’ve bought into the Spurs system, and they’re winning with mid range and dump passes to the post, and most importantly, defense. They’re a super tenacious team on that end of the floor.

The other night, their win over the Warriors, I think I only saw 2 open shots. Everything was contested. Everything had to be earned. There were many end of the shot clock situations. And that’s what they’ve been doing this whole win streak.

As for their “stars”. DeRozan will never be Kawhi on defense, but he’s having, by far, his best defensive season. He is actually stopping other 2 guards. Good 2 guards. Klay couldn’t do much against him. Jamal Murray struggled. PG had a tough time. This was due to DeRozan’s defense. The same can be said for Aldridge. He’s making life miserable for other big men. So is Jakob Poeltl in his limited minutes. Patty Mills is being a pest. Even Derrick White is showing flashes on the defensive end. And while this may sound like I’m saying they’re winning ugly, they’re not. Their defense has been exceptional, and so has the offense. Aldridge and DeRozan are crushing the mid range. White is scoring from almost everywhere. Mills is shooting the three at a solid clip. They’re just doing it all.

While I enjoy the players, I have to say, I feel like a lot of this success is due to Gregg Popovich. He is only furthering my belief that he’s the best NBA coach ever. I mean, a lot of respected journalists said that this was going to be the year that the Spurs missed out on the playoffs, especially after losing Dejounte Murray prior to the year. They figured they wouldn’t be able to compete in the West. They said they had no stars, which I agree with. But, I picked them to make the playoffs because of Poppovich. He’s amazing. He knows how to adjust. He knows how to squeeze every ounce of talent out of his players. He rules.

Where we sit right now, after this streak, the Spurs are 42-29, good enough for 5th in the West, with a good chance at the 4 seed if they close strong. I figured they’d be a playoff team, winning 45-48 games. But, the way they’re going now, I don’t think 50 wins is out of the question. My hat is off to the Spurs. DeRozan, Aldridge, White, Mills, the whole roster for that matter, and mainly Gregg Popovich are proving the Spurs still matter, and they will still give opponents fits. What a team.

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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The Biggest Snubs of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

Yesterday I did my men’s NCAA 2019 tournament picks. Today, I want to talk about 4 teams I think got snubbed, and who I would have them replace in the tourney.

First things first, I’m not one of these weirdos that thinks Indiana and Texas should be in the tourney. Both are barely .500. In fact, Texas is exactly .500 at 16-16, and Indiana is only one game better, at 17-15. I don’t care how many “quad 1” wins they have, or what “ quality” losses they have. Those records are not even close to good enough for an at large bid. Smaller schools are left out without a blink, and they can have a record of 30-2. But, if they don’t win their conference tournament, they’re all but forgotten about. Just because Texas and Indiana are “blue bloods” doesn’t guarantee a spot in the big dance. Anyone who calls either of those schools a snub are insane. With that being said, I do have 4 teams, 3 from major conferences, that I think got absolutely overlooked.

I’ll start with my mid major. How UNC Greensboro got left out is beside me. My only logical guess is what I stated before about a smaller school. They finished the year at 28-6, Michigan and Duke and UNC all have the same or similar records. But, they didn’t win their conference tournament, and they’re left to play in the NIT. That’s unacceptable. For me there’s an easy replacement, and it has nothing to do with my hatred for this school. How the University of Ohio State got an at large bid with a 19-14 record and a first round exit from the Big Ten tournament is baffling. I saw them play a ton, and they’re not very good. Again, this has nothing to do with my dislike for them. I’m friends with fans of them, and they don’t think they belong in the big dance. They struggled all year. They have no stars. They have a no name coach. Yet they get an at large bid as an 11 seed. UNC Greensboro would have been a much better pick in that spot, and they would have given Iowa State a much tougher game.

Now for the big dogs. I’m a bit perturbed that Georgetown didn’t get in. I know the Big East isn’t what it used to be, but they deserve a spot over a team like Baylor. Both are 19-13, in major conferences, but Georgetown would bring way more viewers than Baylor. First of all, Baylor’s sport programs all should be under investigation for many different charges. Second, Georgetown has super dunker Matt McClung and NBA hall of famer Patrick Ewing at head coach. I’d much rather see them than Baylor. I feel like Baylor iss getting at large bids because they used to be relevant. They’re not anymore. Let’s get Georgetown back to being a perennial tourney team as long as Patrick Ewing is their head coach. It would also be dope as hell to see them face Syracuse, an old Big East foe, in the first round.

My third snub comes from ESPN’s favorite conference, the ACC. Clemson should be there. They did enough to earn an at large bid. They are a much better 19 win team than Florida. The fact that Florida is in based on one lucky win, a buzzer beater three over LSU in the SEC tournament, is laughable. Florida is not good. Clemson is a much tougher, better coached and more disciplined team than Florida. And even though they’re 19-13, they were a consistent tough out for all the big time ACC teams. They at least would put up a fight. I mean, Nevada is going to smash Florida. I think they’d also beat Clemson, but I think it would be a much closer game. Florida shouldn’t be there. They got Clemson’s spot, and they got it unfairly.

Finally, my last snub is TCU. I know they had a rough finish to the season, and I hoped they would have done better in the Big 12 tournament than they did. But, they’re a much more deserving 20-13 team than Louisville. After blowing they big lead against Duke, Louisville was never the same. They struggled. They finished the year poorly. They bowed out early in the ACC tourney. But, since they’re an ACC team, which the committee loves, they were chosen over TCU because they’re a Big 12 team. That’s dumb. Louisville might win their first game, Minnesota is also a questionable tourney team, but TCU would have easily beat them. Hell, they could’ve beaten both those teams. They should have been given Louisville’s spot.

UNC Greensboro, Georgetown, Clemson and TCU are my biggest snubs. I would have put them in for sure. Now, they have to settle for the NIT. That’s a bummer.

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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The Seedsing 2019 Preview of the NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament

My son is on spring break this week, and we are on a family vacation. But, I still wanted to do shorter blogs than I normally do for the week. Kind of my version of quick hit pop culture/sports for the week. Today I want to do my Final Four picks, and my title winner since the brackets came out yesterday.

I do want to say, the committee is clearly in love with the ACC, and they HATE the Big Ten. They made that abundantly clear. I loathe MSU, but they earned a one seed. And why does Wisconsin have to travel so far for a round one game? And if Michigan wins in round one, they most likely have to match up with Nevada, who was a preseason top 5 team, and are led by 2 great seniors. The ACC seemingly got an easy path to get at least 2 of their one seeds in the Final Four. It’s absurd. It’s like the SEC and football. ESPN has such a crush on that conference, and clearly the committee does too.

Anyway, with all that being said, in the East I have Duke. They’re hot right now, Zion Williamson is back, they get every single call, and the powers that be want, and need, them in the Final Four. Their toughest game will be MSU in the Elite Eight, but Duke is the better team, and MSU won’t have Big Ten officials helping them out. I do like LSU in the East as well. They could spoil.

In the West I have Texas Tech. Gonzaga should be the easy pick, but they’ve not lived up to the one seed the couple times they’ve earned it. They also lost an easy game to close the season to Saint Mary’s. Michigan is great. They play excellent defense. But, they have a match up with Nevada looming, and their offense has been wildly inconsistent all year. I love my team, but I don’t trust them. Murray State should make a Sweet Sixteen run. And Ja Morant Will finally be on a big stage. But Texas Tech is the most complete team. They do all the things needed to win games. They will come out of the West.

In the South I have Virginia, and I have them rolling there. They’re out to prove that last year was a fluke, and that they’re one of the best teams in the country. Sure, Tennessee could be trouble, maybe Purdue, maybe even Villanova. But, all those teams have flaws that Virginia can, and will, expose. As I said, they’re on a mission.

In the Midwest I’m taking my biggest risk. I despise their coach, and I’m sure they will be tapped in the FBI case, but Auburn might be the hottest team entering the tournament. They rolled Tennessee in the SEC tournament championship game. They pretty much rolled all the way through. I know they’re one of the dreaded 5 seed facing a 12, but one or 2 5’s win their first round game. I say they do, and they make a run to the Final Four. UNC, my preseason champ pick, looks vulnerable right now. KU is hurt and not very good and is going to get tapped in the FBI thing. Kentucky will find a way to blow an easy game because that is what John Calipari does. And Houston hasn’t really faced any real opponents this year. This is my dark horse region, and I have Auburn winning it.

So, that makes my Final Four Duke, Texas Tech, Virginia and Auburn. Virginia will crush Auburn, ending their magical run. And as much as everyone will want to see Duke face them a third time, I actually have Texas Tech beating them. As I said at the top, they’re the most complete team in the tourney.

That gives us a rock fight in the title, Virginia versus Texas Tech. I have Virginia, like I keep saying, rolling to a title. They’re on a mission, and I feel like they will do it with ease. This title will also lead to DeAndre Hunter being named Most Outstanding Player, and make his draft stock soar.

There you have it, my 2019 men’s NCAA tournament prediction. Now let’s bust some brackets.

Ty

Another view - I am all in on the Big 10. Michigan State, Michigan, and Purdue all make the final four. The one outsider will be North Carolina who will put it all together at the end of the year. UNC will beat Purdue, and Michigan will finally get by MSU. Unfortunately I have UNC winning the title and Michigan being the runner up once again.

I will not pick Duke.

RD

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. RD is the Head Editor and hates Duke but loves Zion Williamson.

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The Utah Jazz Have a Fan Problem

What in the hell is happening in Utah.

In the past week the fans of the basketball team, that go to games, for them banned for life for racial epitaphs spewed in Russell Westbrook's direction. This is highly disturbing to me, and a whole lot of other people. I mean, I am a rabid fan of all things University of Michigan, but I have never wished harm or said unthinkable things to their rivals. I have never been driven to racism because of an outcome of a game. I have never acted so egregiously that I have had to remove myself, or been removed from a stadium, or even watching in the comfort of my own home. So, why do these 2 assholes in the recent news think it was okay to do what they did.

The first incident I heard about was all stemmed around Westbrook being filmed saying that he would mess up the dude and his wife. I was taken aback, but then I heard the whole story. All I knew at first was what Westbrook said, and the interview with this racist ass where he played the victim. Only after reading the full story did I know that this moron was hurling racial epitaphs and that he told Westbrook to "get on your knees like you're used to". That is appalling. That is unsettling. It is frightening to hear that some people think it is okay to say something like that. It is simply wrong. No one deserves to be talked to in that manner, especially in the 21st century. After reading this, then hearing it for myself, I was fully on Westbrook's side. I have zero problem with what he said to this man and his wife, or whoever that lady was with him. In fact, I wish he took it further. Had this turned into a "Malice at the Palace" type situation, I would have fully understood. Just because Westbrook is a pro, who's team happened to be handing it to the Jazz that night, that doesn't give you the right to say whatever pops into your tiny little head. To sit that close to the players is a privilege, and this jerk totally deserves his lifetime ban for what he said.

The NBA really needs to look into player safety a bit more. I say that because after this story came out, more reports came out of fans doing similar things, or putting their hands on players. That is not cool at all. That is dangerous. Players have come out in big time support of Westbrook since the incident, as expected. And they have all said pretty much the same thing I am saying today. They stand with Westbrook. They want more protection. They want the fans that sit courtside, right next to the opposition's bench, to follow some kind of rules or conduct code. Even Donovan Mitchell, a Jazz player, has come out and said how wrong this whole thing is, and how it doesn't, or at the very least, shouldn't, portray the entire fan base.

Well, I just saw today that another Jazz fan got a lifetime ban, calling Russell Westbrook "boy", in last year's  playoffs. Two things, why do they hate Westbrook so much, and maybe this is what the majority of Utah's fan base is. Maybe they are a bunch of racist assholes. Maybe they don't care at all about a human being's feelings, and they think they are entitled to say whatever they want because they have fancy seats. The fact that is has happened twice in the past calendar year is not a one time thing, it is a trend, and a trend that might have been started in the early 90's. And to aim it at Westbrook, I just don't get it. Sure, he can be a divisive player, but the dude plays with so much heart and grit and gives it all he can every night, I respect the hell out of him. While you may not like him, you should at least respect him. You shouldn't be yelling racist nonsense at him.

I was so high on the Jazz before the season started. But, after hearing all this stuff recently about their fans has made me happy that they aren't as good as I thought they might be. And I know that the players have nothing to do with the fans. I do not wish them ill will. I'm just happy that their punk ass fans are going to see their beloved team get beat in the first round of the playoffs. The asshole fans deserve this. They stink, and I hope more of these racist idiots get lifelong bans. This is disgusting and disturbing. I totally side with Westbrook on this. He is right, the Jazz fans are very, very wrong.

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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The Odell Beckham Jr Trade is Truly a Game Changer

Well, Odell Beckham is now a member of the Cleveland Browns.

This is stunning to me. I was shocked when I read about the trade last night after I got home from dinner. I kept saying to my wife, what happened. I simply could not believe it. And, it has nothing to do with the fact that Beckham got traded. It has everything to due with the timing and the team. I mean, he just signed an extension with the Giants last year. They went out and drafted Saquon Barkley to pair with Beckham. They signed some O lineman to try and help out Eli. He is so washed by the way. Even Sterling Shepard was starting to step up as an okay number 2 option on that team. Oh, and they drafted that monster tight end from Mississippi State last year. I really thought they were starting to build around him. They were trying to get more weapons so he wouldn't be the only option. All they really needed, at least to be competitive, is a real QB. They could have drafted one this year, had they kept Beckham.

This is a real stunner. If I were guys like Shepard, and definitely Barkley, I would be so very frustrated today. They are going to have to pick up the slack, and then some. And they already are overusing Barkley. Think how much more work he is going to get next season. I just am baffled that they chose Eli over Beckham. Odell Beckham is younger, better and more fun to play the game with. As I said, Eli is washed, the playoff appearances are a thing of the past and he is slower than his older brother. What a dumb decision by the front office.

On the flip side, it looks like the Browns are going for it. At least on paper. I'm not a believer in Baker Mayfield. He reminds me far too much of Robert Griffin. Everyone thought after his rookie year he was going to usher in a new era of the NFL QB. Well, that didn't happen. I feel that Mayfield is now being looked at as the new hot QB in the NFL. But, when you have guys like David Njoku and Jarvis Landry and Nick Chubb, and now Beckham, he has far too many weapons to have a drop off like Griffin did. I feel like I could sling it around for 3,000 yards and hand it off 20-25 times a game and do well with these guys. The Browns also closed the 2018 season solid, and they are looking to build on that for this year. The offense, again, on paper, looks incredibly lethal. They could put up a ton of points. They should be the favorite in their division, and one of the favorites, right now, to knock off the Patriots in the AFC. I'm serious.

The Browns did have to give up a first and third rounder, and Jabrill Peppers, who seems like he is starting to figure out the NFL. I think he may be just as happy as Beckham, because he is back near his hometown. So the Browns did have to give up 2 early picks, and a starter. But, they got one of the best receivers in the game. Beckham is so good at taking slant routes 70 yards to the house. He also has exceptional hands. He is also a matchup nightmare. While he and Landry may be a bit undersized, they can still make plays.

The fact that this is what all the NFL shows and podcasts are leading off with today prove how crazy and spectacular this deal is. I mean. LeVeon Bell signed with the Jets, and I could care less. My Packers signed a ton of new starters, but all I can think about is this Beckham trade. Terrell Suggs is no longer a Raven, but that doesn't matter. This was a big time trade. This made waves. This changes the complexion of the entire AFC. And dare I say, this makes the Browns legit. I mean, WOW. What a move and what a deal.

This is stunning.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He can not think of any trade that would be more of stunner than this. I guess we could always see Jon Gruden trade away newly acquired Antonio Brown for some magic beans. It is a possibility.

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The Why's of the Antonio Brown Trade

Antonio Brown has been traded. This was going to happen, and even when it seemed like it happened, the whole Buffalo thing, it only took 2 more days for it to actually happen. Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders for a couple of later round draft picks. And as of a report today, he is going to get a decent raise. All of this leaves me with a good amount of questions.

I think Brown is great. I need to state that up front. He has good hands, gets yards, scores TD and is a matchup nightmare from time to time. But, he is 31 years old. He is now on a team that is being quarterbacked by Derek Carr. He is on a team that really has no other offensive threats. He is on a team coached by Jon Gruden. He is on a team that is about to move to Las Vegas. And he has had one of the weirdest and self inflating off seasons that I can remember. I haven't seen anything like this since Terrell Owens did a workout in his front yard for reporters when he wanted out of Philadelphia. How did that work out for him? Owens was once great, but that was the downfall. That signaled the end of his NFL career.

I simply cannot help but see almost the exact same thing happening for Brown, but on a much worse team. The Raiders were just downright awful last year. The best player they had was Marshawn Lynch, and they didn't feed him the ball enough, and then he got hurt. Also, their coach thought it would be a brilliant move to trade Khalil Mack before the season, then Amari Cooper during the season. Then, this offseason, they hired Mike Mayock, a TV analyst, as their new GM. They also have had a very hard time finding a place to play this upcoming season.

Also, I cannot overstate the fact that Derek Carr is their god damn QB. Look, I loathe Ben Roesthilberger as much as anyone can. He is a scumbag, a diva, a sexual predator, overrated, slow and super old. I want him to go away. But, he is better than Carr. Hell, Josh Allen, the Bills QB, has more potential than Carr. In fact, the other teams named, the 49ers and Packers, to the best of my knowledge, have way, way better QB's than Carr. Yet, after the trade, Brown seemed thrilled to be playing with Carr. He said, and I quote, "it is like love at first sight". What the hell is he talking about.

Now add on the fact that Jon Gruden is the coach. He still thinks it is the early 2000's, and you win with defense and ball control. Also, he's insane. How is Brown going to fit in with that team. And he doesn't really have much help on offense as well. I hope Lynch will be back, I adore him, but he is old too, and got hurt too much last year. Jordy Nelson is trash. Jared Cook is going to sign elsewhere. The O line is not great. And again, Derek freaking Carr is the QB. Sure, I have heard that they covet Kyler Murray, but is he really the answer. He is better than Carr, but he will be a rookie that would get thrown straight into the fire, and even the best QB's in NFL history struggled mightily in their rookie years. Murray is going to struggle too. Just like Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen and pretty much every other rookie QB in the history of the league.

Which brings me to my final point. Brown is 31 years old. While that is not old in real life, that is ancient in the NFL. The NFL is a cold and brutal business, and when you get too "old", they kick you to the curb without thinking twice. I fear, for Brown, this move to the Raiders is going to be his swam song into oblivion. Sure, it will be talked about a ton this offseason, and even when the season starts. But, when the Raiders start to play poorly, which should be week one by my calculations, Brown and Carr and whatever rookies they take and Gruden and Mayock will all be forgotten.

While this move is flashy now, I just see it being all for naught. Brown got what he wanted, but I just don't think it will be worth it in the long run. Oh well, lets see how this all plays out, but I have to say, I think it will be forgotten by week 10, at the very latest.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He wants to remind everyone once again that the Raiders are quarterbacked by Derek FREAKING Carr. Do you all understand now?

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Who is Really to Blame for the Lakers Mess?

The other night LeBron James passed Michael Jordan on the all time NBA scoring list. Good for him. This is a humongous achievement. James has earned it. He is one of the greats, no questions asked. But, when my watch and phone kept popping off about this, I naturally assumed that the Lakers had won their game against the Nuggets, and maybe they were actually going to make that push to get the 8th seed in the West.

That was not the case.

While all ESPN and Bleacher Report could talk about was LeBron's achievement, the Lakers were in the midst of losing by almost 20, and dropping their third straight game, and dropping 6 games below .500. They have been in a freefall since LeBron "activated playoff mode". They are very far out from the 8 seed now, with only 17 games left. They need so much help, and if they were to get the 8 seed, they would get swept out of the first round, and possibly cripple their chance to get AD this summer.

But, all of this preamble is just to say that there is a lot of blame to go around the whole Lakers organization for how poorly this season has played out. But, the most blame belongs to 4 people. We have LeBron, Magic Johnson, Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss. Jeanie Buss is trying to play it off like she had nothing to do with the players they signed, saying that management is to solely blame. Well, you are the owner. You hired these 2 guys to run the team. You gave them the keys to the car. You have to take some of the blame. Some of this falls in your lap. You cannot just get off scott free because you are only the owner. Some of the decisions you have made lately have hurt this franchise.

Now, lets look at why I think Pelinka and Johnson are to blame. These 2 had zero history in running a basketball team. They have never had this type of power. Magic is a hall of fame player, a bad coach and a horrible talk show host. What he did best was play basketball. That doesn't mean he can run a team. He proved that with his piss poor coaching, and now he is proving that with how he signs players. And all of the tampering, which I really don't care that much about, he has got to stop being so blatant about it. Don't go on talk shows and wink when talking about soon to be free agents. Don't go on ESPN and openly pine for AD. Just stop. With Pelinka, he was good at being a sub with the Fab Five at Michigan. He was even better as an agent. But, again with the picking of players, he has been atrocious. Why did he think it was cool to go out and sign all these odd vets to one year deals? Did he really think this would work? Did he think LeBron could literally drag a group of guys 20 and under, and washed up vets to the playoffs in the West? Come on man. That is preposterous. That is nonsense. I mean, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee, Michale Beaseley and Rajon Rondo were your answers to surround LeBron with? That is so stupid. They should have just kept Julius Randle and D'Angelo Russell. They would be so much better off with the young guys and LeBron. They would have been more fun.

Finally, we have LeBron. I think he deserves the least blame, but he still deserves some simply for the whole handling of the AD trade saga. He let his buddy Rich Paul try to force 2 teams hand, and it backfired in hilarious fashion. LeBron, who has always been a GM and player wherever he has played, also made it so widely known how much he yearned to play with AD. I'm positive he told Magic and Pelinka to offer the farm. He didn't want to have happen happen. He didn't want Rich Paul to fail. He didn't want to fail, and he wanted to get AD. Well, the Pelicans didn't flinch, and it all blew up in their face. Also, LeBron is still hurt, looks disengaged, doesn't try on defense and only seems to expend any effort on offense. He has packed it in. He has suffered the longest injury of his career, and he has let his effect his play. He also didn't get what he wanted at the deadline, and he has openly pouted. All of this has led to the team he is supposed to be leading having another bad year.

The Lakers are going to miss the playoffs. They are going to fire the head coach. They are going to lose a ton of young talent, and they are going to have to start all over again, letting 2 guys that have no idea what they are doing, an owner that doesn't want to take any heat and a 35 year old star player running the team. This will only get worse before it gets better. I don't even think AD will help much, if they get him this summer. I didn't like this move for LeBron from a basketball standpoint, and, at least this season, is making me look right.

While I enjoy seeing the Lakers struggle, I don't like seeing how bad they have been lately. They are a mess, and there is a good amount of blame to be spread out amongst the 4 people I mentioned. I'm very curious to see what they do this summer, and since they won't be making the playoffs, the summer will be here much sooner than LeBron is used to. That is weird.

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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Drew Magary has Always Been Good. This Week He is Great.

Here is your medal Mr Magary

Today I want to throw some love to one of my personal favorite writers, Deadspin and GQ's Drew Magary. This past week, if fact in the past two days, I have read two of his articles that both speak so loudly to me, and both for totally different reasons. These pieces are truly unique to Magary's style, and I have not been able to stop thinking about either of them.

The first is one he wrote for The Takeout, where he calls out the "mayonnaise bullies". I am a person who doesn't like mayo, and I have never, ever heard the end of it. Everyone always tries to get me to try different kinds, mayo with added flavors, homemade mayo, pretty much any type of mayonnaise. Now, I am not opposed to eating tuna fish or potato salad, but I have my limits. But, I am a person that prefers a mustard or vinegar base. When it comes to things like coleslaw, give me vinegar. And when it comes to potato salad or tuna, I actually prefer a mustard base, preferably, a spicy mustard. Magary touches on the bullying in his piece so perfectly. He talks about people looking at him like he's an alien when he tells them he doesn't like any form of mayo. He talks about how he gets almost yelled at for his dislike. But he then goes into why he doesn't like it. He perfectly explains his distaste for thing, especially at a barbecue, that seem to need mayo. He talks about how restaurants are almost pushers with their need to put mayo on things. One certain aspect he brought up that made me scream, "YES", while reading, was the fact that some places don't even ask, they just put it on sandwiches and burgers. That is so mean and nasty. It is such an unexpected and unwanted surprise when getting something you don't expect to have mayo on it covered in mayo. I cannot get the Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich anymore because of the inordinate amount of mayo they put on it. Even when I ask for no mayo, there seems to be a light schmear of it regardless. It is infuriating. But, it is nice to know that Magary feels the same way I do, and he put it out there for a ton of people to read. I love it, and I agreed with pretty much everything he wrote in that piece.

The recent article Magary wrote for Deadspin spoke to me in a totally different way, but was my push to write about him today. Today he called out Barstool Sports. For the record, I have spent zero seconds on Barstool Sports, by choice, but from what I have gleaned since it was formed, it is a blog spot for the annoying Boston fan base. Oh, and they also like to steal material from people that actually worked hard to create it, only for it to be stolen by some hacks. I have also heard about their culture of cyber bullying, and how poorly they treat women. This is the same company that offered a lady a 50 dollar gift card after stealing her material. That is ridiculous. But, for Magary to go out and call them out, and fully expect to get blowback from their frat boy douche bag fan base, I applaud him. The fans of Barstool Sorts are meatheads on Rob Gronkowski's level. They are younger versions of Bill Simmons. They are the type of idiots that voted for this current government. They are mean and nasty and hide behind screen names. I loathe Barstool Sports. So does Magary. He called them out so perfectly. He talked about all their problems since they were formed. He talks about the cyber bullying, even citing certain incidents. He put up videos of the horrific Portnoy, the guy that started the site, basically shaming anyone for saying he was stealing from them. Barstool Sports is for morons, and Magary made that very clearly known. They don't know anything about sports, outside of Boston. They stink and they are rude. I liked this article so much because he really did put himself out there to be ridiculed, but he could care less, which will only further upset the morons that will say mean things to him. He wrote the piece with no fear, and again, I felt like applauding him after reading it. It is a truly great piece.

Drew Magary is a great writer, who isn't afraid to take chances and shake things up, and I respect the hell out of that. I, obviously, highly recommend these 2 pieces. But, beyond that, I recommend everything Magary writes. The dude rules and I cannot wait to read what he writes next.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He may hate mayo, but sriracha, Ty puts that stuff on everything. It is the bomb.

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Johnny Manziel is a Waste of Our Time

Not to be wasted

Johnny Manziel was recently released from his CFL team, the Montreal Alouttes. This should not be surprising to anyone reading this. This kid clearly peaked in college. And, while he peaked with a Heisman trophy, I was wondering aloud to my dad earlier today, has there been a bigger waste of supposed talent in the NFL? I know about guys like Jamarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf, Steve Etmann, Tony Mandarich, the list could go on and on. But, these guys never won the Heisman. Some played in major bowl games, but never won the title. Some played in other big games, but they were often bested.

Manziel on the other hand was a blur when he was a sophomore at Texas A&M. I mean, I never liked him, but the dude was a very good read option QB. He made plays. He beat Alabama, and he was the youngest Heisman winner ever. He then tumbled in the NFL draft, due to questions about his off field activities, and landed in Cleveland.

This was when it all started to go downhill. He struggled to start over career backups. His teammates didn't seem to care much for him. His coaches seemed to have little faith in him. And his demons, alcoholism and never being told no, really started to creep up. When he did play, he was highly ineffective. He was too small to see over the line. He threw too many errant passes, many resulting in interceptions. He wasn't faster than most D lineman. And he just didn't seem to care about the game. He didn't put in the hours. He would rather party than hone his skills and make himself a better player. Again, this goes to his never being told no, and always being told that he was the best. He never had to struggle, until it was too late. At one point it seemed like he was, at least on the surface, trying to get help. But, he had already been cut by the Browns, and no other NFL wanted to touch him, for good reason. He was damaged goods, had bad off field problems and his play was lackluster.

After failing to be signed by any other NFL team, he spiraled again. I felt absolutely no sympathy for him. This was his second chance, and he totally blew it because he would rather drink alcohol and go to clubs. He did this all to himself. He made himself an unsignable free agent. His family tried to help, but he didn't even listen to them. Manziel is a selfish punk who never really learned his lesson, and he was finally paying for it.

Yet another chance came his way,. A few years back, the CFL wanted to give him a shot, what seemed to be his last. And, just like his rookie season in the NFL, he was bad. I believe in his first CFL game he threw 4 picks. He completed less than 50 percent of his passes. He only saw the field in blowouts. Watching him in the CFL was almost sad. Almost. This just further proved that he was never really an NFL caliber player. He was now in the CFL getting beat out by guys that were never even a thought as a NFL draft pick. And then he went and did something, it has not been confirmed exactly what, that not only voided his contract with the Alouttes, but with the entire CFL. He cannot play for a single team in that league. I mean, this dude won a Heisman, and he threw it all away when the going got tough for him. He finally had to prove himself, and instead, he just did something else that made him get cut. He shot himself in the foot again. He couldn't handle the fact that he is not as good as he thought.

Now, he is reaching out to the AAF, a league I do not think is viable, just to try and get a workout. That is rough. He has fallen so hard, so fast and I couldn't care less. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, never had to work hard until he was playing the game with guys better than him, and when that got too hard, he finds ways to get himself cut, but blame it on someone else.

Johnny Manziel is a waste of talent. He is a waste of a roster spot. And when he doesn't make an AAF team I will feel exactly nothing for him. Hell, I wouldn't even be surprised if he doesn't make it in the XFL. Johnny Manziel is now a footnote, and it is just going to get worse for him from here on out as long as he continues to screw up and try to play semi pro football. Johnny Manziel is a joke.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He used ot think of Johnny Clipboard being equivilant to a one hot wonder in music. Then he remembered that those musicians actually had a hit, and worked damn hard to get it.

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Why Bryce Harper? Why?

The Bryce Harper saga is finally over. He’s going to the Phillies for the richest contract in the history of sports, I believe. He’s getting 330 million dollars over 13 years, with no opt out clause for the entirety of the contract. That’s insane. All of what I just wrote is nuts. That’s so much money to play a game. That is such a long time, especially nowadays, to stay in one city. And the fact he has no opt out clause, he can only be traded if the Phillies decide they want to trade him. It’s all wild.

On a personal note, I don’t think Harper necessarily deserves this contract. He is a good baseball player. I’d even say he’s a star. But, for a guy that doesn’t watch a ton of baseball, I’d take guys like Mike Trout, Kris Bryant, Giancarlo Stanton and, most pitchers, before I’d give this contract to Harper. Yes, he’s won an MVP, and he has a cannon arm, but what else does he offer? He’s never been out of the first round of the playoffs. He gets injured a ton. He can be a headache. He’s been choked by a teammate. He held a few teams hostage during negotiations. It all seems a bit too much for him.

Then we have the Phillies. Why did they do this? Is he really their ticket back to contention? Is he the answer to all their problems? Is he really going to win over the fans instantly? I really don’t think so. Besides Jake Arrieta and now Harper, I can’t name a single player on their team. Also, isn’t their division about to be owned by Atlanta. I’ve heard they’re super young, and they were in the playoffs last year. I don’t see them going anywhere. I’m sure he will help their lineup a bit, but I don’t even think he’s a career .300 hitter. I know the potential is there, but he hasn’t lived up to it yet, and I’m counting his MVP year. I think the fans are happy now, but the moment he goes into a slump, or gets hurt, both are very likely, they will turn. I mean, the fans have thrown batteries at opposing players, and people dressed like Santa. They’re ruthless. He’s had it fairly easy in D.C. That will not be the same in Philadelphia. This whole thing is very confounding to me.

I feel like Harper had better options from better teams. I’ve read about the other offers, from the Giants, Dodgers and Nationals. All those teams, except the Nationals, have won or have been to the World Series recently. To me, Harper and his agent took this deal strictly based on money. Harper wanted to be the highest paid player. Scott Boras, his agent, wants a cut of that money. This was all about cash. This wasn’t going to a better team choice, it wasn’t about staying in the NL, it had nothing to do with being close to his hometown of Las Vegas. This was strictly due to money. And that’s fine. But, I don’t want Harper to say in his press conference that he’s there to win titles. He’s not.

To close this out, by the time his contract is up, my son will be 20 and in college. My daughter will be 16 and driving, and my wife and I will be one year away from being 50. This is bizarre and nuts in every possible way. It’s great he got all this money, I just don’t think it’s worth it for him or the Phillies. Especially in years 6-13. This is wild.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is holding SeedSing up on contract negotiations because he is waiting for more years from another blog. Do you hear that Michigan Football blogs, Ty is listening.

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