Monday, February 06, 2017

Bite Me, Randy Newman

The Michigan directional schools are making a serious play for my affection. First Eastern Michigan and the legendary Earl Boykins, and now the Chippewas of Central Michigan, who've doubled down on diminutive dribblers. (Yeah, that's right.)

Marcus Keene leads the nation in scoring with 30.2 per game, and he's deservedly received a great deal of run in the national media. Sports Illustrated just profiled the 5'9" guard, and he got an ESPN highlight package of his very own just two nights ago. He dropped 50 in a 101-92 win over Miami (OH), and a cool 36 when William & Mary came to Mount Pleasant.

Keene also gets 5.1 assists and a ridiculous 4.5 boards per game. A good percentage of those dimes come on passes to fellow 5'9" guard Braylon Rayson, who averages 20.3 points of his own in coach Keno Davis' freewheeling system.

Davis encourages his team to let fly - Central Michigan is 4th in the NCAA in points per game, 3rd in the country in 3-point attempts, and 2nd in 3-pointers made per game. And judging by some of Keene's highlights, he's cool with his players, um, expressing themselves. Check out what Keene does at the 5:40 mark of this highlight package against Wisconsin Green Bay:



Six point game, a couple of minutes to go, your starting point guard pulls of a gratuitous reverse spin and steps into a deep three, that he drains? Cool, cool.

So in Central Michigan we've got not one, but a pair of Tiny Archibaldalikes in one starting backcourt? Pinch me, I think I've found the Lollipop Guild. The Chips are 15-8, 5-5 in the MAC, so they're gonna need some luck to play on a bigger stage.

Perhaps we can arrange some leprechauns.

23 comments:

Mark said...

Keene is nice. Really fun player to watch.

He's no Earl Boykins though. I mean, who is?

zman said...

I really hope this turns into a legit beef between Trump (fuming at 140 characters or less) and Yoo (dropping Con Law lectures).

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/06/opinion/executive-power-run-amok.html?ref=opinion

And 5'9" is the perfect height.

Dave said...

very important episode of the test up-- i designed a quiz for our audience and general and whitney in particular-- and he does quite well on it. also a cameo from the ladies, if you're worried about too much dave and whit to stomach.

Whitney said...

The opposite of a little guy in a big dudes' role, Joost van der Westhuizen was a rarity in rugby, a 6'1" player at the usually diminutive-bodied position of scrum-half. (Our 5'6" chum Hightower played the position for us his senior year.)

He was a star for the South African team featured in Invictus. He passed away today at age 45 from ALS. Live well, live large, people.

Dave said...

just showed ian those keene highlights. that's the way to use the body and make a little guy lay-up.

TR said...

Cavs-Wiz was fun.

Just found out my 9 y/o got in off the waitlist for a 4-week summer camp in the Berkshires in Massachusetts. Kinda daunting, now that it's actually coming.

Shlara said...

LBJ breaks Wiz fans hearts again.
That game was still awesome.
Felt like the playoffs--and its February.

rob said...

happy international clash day, everybody

http://blog.kexp.org/clashday2017/

mr kq said...

Great atmosphere at Wiz game. This team is for reals. If you haven't already give Joost a Google to check out his epic tackle on Jonah Lomu (also gone too young). Not many were able to the big lad down one on one.

TR said...

Happy 324th birthday, W&M. You don't look a day over 269.

Squeaky said...

Anyone been to Zurich before? Suggestions while there? I'm headed there this weekend for work. Don't think I'll have time to hit the slopes though.

Mark said...

I'm at a junior college basketball game. Both teams nationally ranked. One team sponsored y Nike and one by adidas. The differences in there uniforms are stark. And predictable.

zman said...

Lemme guess ... the guys in adidas look like bobos.

rob said...

at my company's annual sales meeting in orlando. we rented out part of universal for the night. the part that includes the new harry potter world, with diagon alley. it's fucking batshit.

T.J. said...

Our place did that in November. The Simpsons stuff is quite fun.

rob said...

one of you dickfers needs to post something tomorrow to keep our pace.

Mark said...

Correct, Z. Very, very correct.

TR said...

Sebastian Gorka is a bizarro version of Rob:

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/07/politics/kfile-gorka-on-fake-news/index.html

rootsminer said...

Rob and Teej, I'm taking the fam to Universal next week. They're most excited about Harry Potter World, but I'm taking suggestions on any don't miss attractions.

zman said...

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., advocated for the "timely" confirmation of Judge Gorsuch, calling him "well-qualified" and "exceptional on every level."

"This is somebody who ought to be confirmed to the Supreme Court and I'm hopeful that the Democrats will choose not to filibuster and continue what has been a long tradition in the United States Senate and that is, I believe, when Supreme Court nominees come before the Senate they get an up-or-down vote," he said.

Wait ... what?

rob said...

rootsy, both harry potter attractions are amazingly well-done. we did the original with the kids a few years ago. if your kids are into the books/movies, they'll be blown away. as will you. prepare to have money hoovered from your wallet, but if you're coming to orlando you're already prepared for that.

rootsminer said...

My kids are way into the Harry Potter books. Have read them countless times and sleep nearly every night listening to Jim Dale read the audio books (he is awesome!). My youngest turns 11 next Wednesday when we're there. His brother finds that quite unfair.

I'm hopeful the worst of the cash hoovering has already happened, but I imagine I'll be bent over a few more times. We've promised to buy them wands, but they're on their own for other purchases.

TR said...

Pls buy me a Hufflepuff hoodie when you are down there.