I am refreshing ESPN and NovaNation a lot. In the next 36 hours, the most important "recruit" in the country will make a decision. If Josh comes back, we are Top 2. If he leaves, we are Top 7. Great either way. He was our money guy when we needed a basket most of the time last year. He would add that dimension to the team this season - and that is huge. Will be fun to see Paschall and Bridges compete for Josh's minutes if he left - but make no mistake - Josh is a huge presence and would be our best player - amongst many candidates - this season.

Watched maybe 5 games all year. However, hockey playoffs are awesome. I'll bust out my Pen fandom for the next few weeks (hopefully longer). Let's Go Pens!

Jay said in an interview that he thinks underclassmen should be able to hire agents. Josh just tweeted out that he agrees 100% after going through the process. What say you all? It seems to me that there is always going to be a conflict of interest. Agents will want players to go pro so they can get paid, coaches will want players to stay (unless you are Coach K). Is there a third party solution?

If Joe Biden announced tomorrow that he reconsidered and decided to run for President with Elizabeth Warren as his VP choice, how do you think the election would turn out in November?

Hello Fellow CAA fans! We at the W&M Sports Blog decided to update this ranking, as we did last year! We found some interesting tidbits, such as:

-There are currently ~64 CAA players in the NFL (including Rookie Mini Camp Invites)
-Roughly HALF of these players come from THREE programs in the CAA
-The bottom three teams only have a combined 1 player in the NFL
-Villanova checks in with one more player than they did last year at this stage, and currently ranks in the middle of the pack in the CAA--though there is a lot of football to be played this offseason, as several CAA players will have to make their respective teams.

Definitely check out the link, and feel free to fact-check our lists! To find all the players, we used the ESPN tool (in the link below), and conducted research through each team's Twitter pages/official websites to find their Rookie Mini Camp invites (if their program had any).

Good luck this year Wildcats!

Ranking: https://wmsportsblog.com/2016/05/15/201 ... st-nflers/

Now that the draft decisions are made, and a number of transfers are in/out, I'll take another shot at the Big East pecking order:

1. VILLANOVA - everyone that could be back is back. The team gets an influx of talent next season with Spellman and Paschall coming in, a full season of Donte DiVincenzo, and potentially Painter/Delaney. Jay's biggest challenge will be finding his rotation on a crowded bench. Team is tight, talented, and a national title contender again.

2. XAVIER - Bluiett returning was huge. Backcourt could be the BE's best with Bluiett, Sumner, Davis, Macura all back. Challenge for them will be in the post, but two recruits coming plus Gates ready to step into a starter's role. Top 10 team all season and will challenge for a BE crown.

3. CREIGHTON - bumping them up to third now that Whitehead has declared. Three of their top 4 scorers are back, and Cole Huff and Maurice Watson could be first team all-BE next season. One additional guard eligible in the fall. NCAA tournament team and it won't be fun to play them in Omaha next year.

4. SETON HALL - I think losing Whitehead is an enormous loss. Unless Eron Gordon grows up really quickly or Jevon Thomas picks up the offense quickly, they have a huge hole at the point. Despite his misgivings, Whitehead demanded attention and opened the floor up for Carrington/Rodriguez. They take a step back next season but could still make a tourney run.

5. BUTLER - the drop off between 2-3 is big, but the drop-off between 4-5 might be bigger. Giving Butler a nod here as Martin/Chrabacsz are both back (and Martin will be a BE 1st team candidate), and Holtmann gets a lot out of his players. Losing Dunham/Jones is huge, but they do get some help in transfers and eligible frosh. Could be a pesky out especially on the road, because they'll still defend. Questionable where the scoring will come from.

6. GEORGETOWN - going out on a bit of a limb here. Losing DSR might be a blessing in disguise. Peak was their best player last year, and he'll become the focal point. Paul White comes back from injury, and you get full years from Copeland, Govan (who will become the starting center), Derrickson, and a transfer Rodney Pryor who will help. I think they jump because (1) the rest of the conference is down and (2) I still can't believe a team with that much talent stays down again. Still not an NCAA tournament team, but knocking on the door.

7. MARQUETTE - I still think losing Ellenson hurts substantially in the short term. They don't have a go-to guy next season and now Wojo needs to instill an entirely new offensive system. They also didn't guard anyone on defense last year. That said, the team did win 20 games last year (and finished 7th in the BE -- shows you how deep the league was), and most of the team is coming back. Don't like them this year, but next year could be different.

8. PROVIDENCE - Dunn and Bentil were their whole team last year, and both are now gone. Lomomba transferred out. Besides Bullock, no idea who steps in for PC next season - you have a bunch of role players leftover. Cooley is a great coach and his guys love to play for him, but I think it's a rebuilding year in Providence. Of course, they always steal a game or two when you don't expect it.

9. ST. JOHN'S - a young team last year takes a step forward this year and gets 3 new recruits to help. They were playing much better basketball down the stretch last season. They still aren't good enough to challenge better teams in the conference, but 1-17 in the conference won't happen again. And they are much, much better than DePaul.

10. DEPAUL - just no hope. No reason to think things will get any better. No reason to write any more than this.

Any of our NYC area barristers familiar with these guys?

Need to reach out to them on behalf of a client, and would prefer to have some kind of connection other than just their name in the pleadings.

Any help much appreciated.

nt

This is a fluff opinion piece basically to generate web-hits. It contains no new information or really anything of value BUT it will certainly give that NCAAball lots of ammo for trolling Temple message boards. Enjoy!

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports...e_Temple_less_attractive_to_ACC_suitors_.html

Xavier 14
Marquette 12
Creighton 11
Villanova 5

http://m.bleacherreport.com/article...lege-basketball-rosters-of-the-2016-17-season

official announcement is expected tomorrow

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Hi folks,

I just wanted to share a baseball app that I've built. This shows analytics for the entire history of the sport. Every team, player, and season. Enjoy!

Link

how did these get so out of control? 3+ hour waits, people missing flights routinely. And to boot, these rent a cops still miss fake bombs and guns when tested.

In looking for something else, I found this in VU's digital library, Sports Pages of The Villanovan, Dec. 3, 1964

Very interesting - features or mentions of some all-time greats (Wali, Washington, Melchionni, White, etc.), plenty of guys 'in the middle (Leftwich, Moore Bernie Schaffer, Soens, Erickson, etc.) and other hopefuls now forgotten (Sallee, Tralies, etc.).

Also, article on football - "DE-EMPHASIS GRACES VILLANOVA WITH SUCCESS".

The more things change, the more they remain the same?

Hope some find these "roots" interesting

http://digital.library.villanova.edu/files/vudl:186921/MASTER

This has to be the worst trade in sports history. THE. WORST. Trading 3 straight #1 picks, ALL UNPROTECTED for the 35 year old corpses of Garnett and Pierce. How does Billy King not get any protection put on those picks? Did he not know you could do that? This deal boggles the mind. Just imagine if Boston had gotten in the top 2 this year. Just missed. Fear not, they'll be owning those Nets picks which will assuredly be in the top 3 in the next 2 years instead.

Nets are so f*cked it's scary.

Headed out to Indy for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. Any of you elitist East Coast chauncies ever mingled with your salt of the earth brethren? This will be my 8th in 9 years, say what you will about middle 'Murica (it sucks), but Indy does big events right (see: 2007 Super Bowl, any Final 4 they've hosted). Small downtown, grid setup, all bars/hotels in the same area, they close down the streets and let you walk around with open containers.

This is the first time in forever since the race has sold out - track is privately run and notoriously vague about attendance figures - the local TV blackout on the race has been lifted for the first time. Expect 375k/400k in the grounds on Sunday, largest one-day sporting event in the world.

Carb Day (last day the teams are allowed to work on their cars) which is tomorrow is also sold out, first time that's ever happened. Expecting 225k for that. Journey playing in the afternoon.

Look for me in Turn 3 aka "The Snake Pit." I'll be the guy w/ the Kenny Powers cut passing around the sweet Cali j's trying to coordinate a post-race finger blast sesh with one of my cousin's friends.

...how many times have you watched the Championship game?...

Me...
1. Fully - Best guess: 9 times
2. Partially - Best guess: 14 times

You?....

Frying dudes playing 17u. He gave some to Mr Lykes in this video.

I think Jason Donnelly was at O'Connell when his brother Zalmico played there? If not he was probably recruiting him?

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Dead of the coldest winter i can remember. How are you fat fukks holding up?

I have been working out seven days a week for the past two months to combat the depressive effects of not being able to leave my house, except to go to work.

Currently 186, off a 206 high this time last year. My adult low is 185. Looking to eclipse that. One more pound and i willno longer qualify as "overweight" on the BMI chart for the first time since 2nd grade.

• $15 million cash up front
• $11 million in cash annually over next fifteen years
• $7.4 million in shoes and clothing PER YEAR
• $2 million provided for facility upgrades

Seems reasonable....

http://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/la-sp-0525-ucla-under-armour-20160525-snap-story.html

He just announced it on Instagram. Huge.

what's the backstory here? And why does TJC love quoting this?

We are a lucky group. Needs to be said every so often. Pretty amazing ride the last few years, this heat in particular and now get to enjoy an off season that we are most likely repeat candidate in a decade. Not to mention the coach, the staff, the players we have, and being involved with aeveral studs. An X fan just commented pretty good to be you. Think all of us are in the same boat.

with Josh back....who starts and who sits the first league game? I think Jay tinkers with some lineups, but I have no idea who starts by the time league play begins.

We essentially have 8 starters.

My head says Brunson, Booth, Josh, Kris and Darryl.
My gut says, Brunson, Hart, Kris, Bridges/Paschall, and Darryl.

The second lineup gives us more depth and length. The first gives us experience, but a smaller quicker lineup.

in the 2nd, Booth plays the spark off the bench, Paschall/bridges is our changeup, Spellman learns the system and Donte brings enthusiasm and athleticism.

There are no wrong answers. Either way these are good problems to have. We are loaded. I think it takes us a while to work through the kinks of having new guys in leadership roles.