1. It's an overwhelming week in college basketball and I can only handle watching a limited amount of it when the conference tournaments are in their early stages -- like today.
The highlight of my day came early on as I watched Providence and Butler scratch and claw in a tightly contested game that Providence won, thanks largely to a huge three-pointer from deep in the corner converted by Al Durham with 43 seconds to play that put Providence ahead, 61-59. Durham is playing with a sports hernia and hadn't scored from the field all game long, but somehow swished this huge shot from 20+ feet out. On Butler's ensuing possession, the Friars' glue guy, the guy who does a lot of Providence's dirty work, the irrespressible Justin Minaya made a spectacular block of a Simas Lukosius lay in and helped seal Providence's scrappy 65-61 victory.
2. I then watched the ever improving Creighton Blue Jays, playing without injured freshman Ryan Nembhard, outplay Marquette and defeat them, 74-63. Creighton's success this season is, to me, remarkable -- but possibly it shouldn't be, given that the Bluejays are coached by one of the best in the business, Greg McDermott. This season, McDermott built an entirely new starting five around a few freshmen, a much improved sophomore, Ryan Kalkbrenner, a returning senior (who transferred a year ago from Duke), Alex O'Connell, and a real sleeper, sixth year senior transfer Ryan Hawkins, the Bluejays' leading scorer, rebounder, and, to me, their glue guy.
After redshirting in 2016-17, Hawkins played for four years at Northwest Missouri State, an NCAA Division II school. The team won the Division II national championship two of those seasons and Hawkins was the national tournament's most outstanding player in 2021.
Upon transferring to Creighton, the big question was how he would make the transition from Division II to Division I competition.
The answer: he'd be awesome.
I am all for the extended college careers the NCAA instituted this season after the pandemic messed up so many teams' schedules a year ago and caused the cancellation of the national tournament in 2020.
I have loved watching Ryan Hawkins, and other players like him, still playing college basketball at the age of 24, bring maturity and well-honed skills to his team and to the game. These older players elevated the quality of play in programs across the country. I don't know if the NCAA is going to open the way for super seniors, players who play beyond their fourth or fifth year of eligibility, in the future, but it's been a boon to the college hoops season this year.
Just for the record, remember me mentioning that Al Durham hit that game winner for Providence in their win over Butler?
Durham is a super senior. He's 23 years old. He played four years at Indiana University. Much of Providence's success this season is a result of this team having older, experienced, savvy players whose careers were extended a year and who transferred to Providence. Glue guy Justin Minaya is an example. So is the Friars' Noah Horchler.
I think the extension of eligibility has turned out to be a great deal for the players and it's also helped several teams improve (Providence) or maintain their excellence (Villanova).
Final note: St. John's lost a heartbreaker to Villanova last night. Somehow, some way 'Nova always figures out a way to win. It was a very hard-earned victory.
3. Tonight was a blissful Blissful Thursday indeed. On his Hard Rains and Slow Trains show, Dan Mackay focused on the first week of Bob Dylan's tour that just got underway on March 3rd. I haven't listened to Dylan's most recent album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, from beginning to end, but, thanks to Dan's show, I'm starting to get familiar with some of its tracks. Tonight, Dan had recordings of Dylan performing in the past week in Tuscon and Albuquerque (if I remember correctly) and played Dylan performing "Crossing the Rubicon", "I've Made up My Mind to Give Myself to You", "Key West (Philosopher Pirate)" and other songs. Oh! Dan also played Dylan and his band performing "When I Paint My Masterpiece" in a way I'd never heard before. Dylan claimed when he was done that he'd performed the way Willie Nelson would. I got a kick out of that.
I don't think the day will ever come when I can say anything intelligent about Bob Dylan's songs.
I definitely am unable to write about these latest songs in relation to his earlier work.
All I can do is listen without expectations because Dylan is always rearranging his songs, improvising different lyrics, and serving up surprises and unpredictability.
And enjoy.
For me, it's like watching movies.
I always do my best to enjoy a movie on its terms, not mine.
Likewise, I try to listen to Bob Dylan on Bob Dylan's terms (or something approximating his terms).
It's fun.
After Dan's show, Jeff came on KEPW-FM (kepw.org) at 9:00 and provided two hours of superb Deadish music.
Back on March 10, 1981, the Grateful Dead played Madison Square Garden (The venue was available because the Big East Conference Tournament was a) finished on March 7th -- Syracuse defeated Villanova in 3OT and b) that year it was played at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY, not its now permanent home, MSG).
Jeff played a variety of excerpts from that forty-one year old show. Again, I can't make intelligent comments about Grateful Dead shows. Even after all these years of listening, I still have trouble remembering the names of songs and I definitely am not one who can tell you the difference between how the Grateful Dead performed at one show in comparison or contrast to another.
But, in the moment, I'm all in. I never know what songs will get to me, but I enjoy them all. Tonight, the "get to me song" was "Breakdown Palace". I'll leave it at that.
In his second hour, Jeff turned his attention to Steve Kimock and Zero, KVHW, and (I think) the Steve Kimock band. (I have trouble keeping things straight.)
The hour of Kimock was 60 minutes of fire. Jeff played a set of songs that showcased Kimock's range and versatility as a guitarist, whether he's playing slowed down and gorgeous or going on sonic magic carpet rides into the heavens. I heard Kimock play with Zero countless times in the 1990s in Eugene, both at the WOW Hall and the at the Hilton Ballroom, and it was always inspiring and joyful.
Jeff's Kimock hour took me back to some of my favorite times ever in the past 20-30 years. Primo listening.
No comments:
Post a Comment