casimir

Not enough to win the division.

The body language on the court in the middle of the 3rd in Orlando appeared to me to be ready to board the plane. They're clearly playing against the opponent and themselves now.

Sure, there's that as well for perception's sake.

Aight, who's next?

I think that goes back to suing Austin Meadows if he returns to MLB with another team.

Mike Ilitch was a bad owner until he wasn’t. That’s not to say Tom Gores will follow the same path. But perhaps he’s learned some lessons along the way. He used to pal around with Andre Drummond. That isn’t the case with anyone on the roster now.

I have 13 years of Catholic school and the John Cooper era on my resume. Pain? Bring it.

I’d’of held out for a company car.

No. I’m still hoping this is short term pain for long term gain. Maybe I’m being naive, that very well could be the case.

Well, the Dodgers probably have the biggest bag and best chance at regular season winning among the teams that were rumored to be in the scrum. So, that’s a convenient combination if Ohtani wanted it.

It’ll be interesting to see what the salary structure is. Some of it is deferred. So what is the schedule of it, how will it affect annual payroll. I don’t know if/how deferred salary affects the annual average value and luxury taxes. I wonder if this becomes factor in the next collective bargaining agreement.

I thought San Francisco, Seattle, and Toronto had chances, at least from the outside looking in. San Francisco has been rumored to be itching to spend money lately. Ohtani taking hacks at McCovey Cove had some allure to it. Big media market, west coast. Seattle seemed to me to be San Francisco to a lesser degree. And they’ve recently made some moves that made me wonder if they were trying set some things up to be in favorable position to land Ohtani. Smaller media market, but essentially the entire Pacific Northwest for territory. Toronto seemed to me to have international feel and possibly the ability to escape in a big city with the entire nation as the fan base. It’s northern, but the dome is there for the games and he can go wherever he wants to after the season is over.

I blame Scott Harris and Eduardo Rodriguez.

But what is that after he exchanges it at the Toronto airport?

I chose the wrong profession.

The 2022-2023 Magic progression was brought up in the postgame (can remember if it was Mickey York or Tim McCormick or Greg Kelser). At this point, that's our best hope. An early season struggle, figure out what needs to be figured it, and end the season like the Magic did. 5-20 was followed by 29-28. And now they're 15-7 to start this season.

This probably comes across the wrong way like I'm just filling out the floor. The talent starts with this group. I just think right now its easiest to look at this team, see 1 PG and 1 C/frontcourt pivot, and 3 G/Fs. The PGs fit together and can be an exclusive grouping. The Cs somewhat similarly. As the G/Fs go, this team will go.

I'm just looking forward to the final rankings and to see how the SEC teams get bumped from road team to home team in matchups involving northern climate teams.

Someone has called their shot for the 2024 adopt-a-Tiger.

Is that true? Well, it made for fun speculation at the end of a pretty boring winter meeting. I was listening to CJ Notkowski and Ryan Spilborghs on the way home from work yesterday, and one of them made a comment about who gets on a plane to go from Los Angeles to Toronto just for a birthday party (some reference to a sushi restaurant being booked out by Yusei Kikuchi. And I'm thinking to myself, well, give me that job and those paychecks, and that decision becomes a lot easier to make in the affirmative.

So, yes, it might be time to send Thompson down to the G for some offensive work. I'm probably wrong, but I think his defense might be losing some steam lately and I wonder if its due to the facial fracture and/or the offensive struggle. Well, and/or the losing environment. The whole team is in an offensive quagmire, so I don't know that its fair to assume he can find his game when the other 4 guys on the court are trying figure out what the unit is doing. You mention Hayes playing decent right now, and I think that's fair. So let him keep playing, maybe they can move him for something (which, ok, that can be another gripe session if/when it happens). Go with a Hayes/Sasser at point and understanding that the offense isn't going to start exclusively through them. Just call it a time share for now for ballhandling and having one legit backcourt defender out there. This is the only floor slot that I'd go with a strict him or him arrangement. The pivot while Duren is out can be a mix of Bagley/Stewart/Wiseman. Yes, I said Wiseman. Come on, you've watched the PIstons. Bagley and/or Stewart will get into foul trouble, or one of them will get hurt, or something or another like that. Ideally its a Bagley/Stewart at 5, although there might be some small minutes where a combo of the trio is on the floor due to the opposition having size on the floor. I don't know what to tell you about that. Go take a leak and/or refresh your beverage at that time. I'm throwing the rest in a bag and want two of Cunningham, Bogdanovich, and Ivey out there at all times. I'd start them and just go with the game flow to figure out who comes out first and then replaces the next and so on. Maybe for now Bogdanovich's legs are a variable to keep in mind, not necessarly the stamina, but avoid regression of health to where he's back on bench injured. Burks can be the first substitution for this crew, and maybe it doesn't get too deep into the bench after that, or maybe you look at Harris to stretch the floor more on occasion. Oh, wait, what am I saying? They could always use that threat. But does his defense become too much of a liability if he's grouped with Bogdanovich and Ivey? Ugh, this team....

I never stick around for any post game blather, not for the Tigers, not for the Pistons. Greg Kelser looked like he wanted to cry during his post game interview. I like Kelser. I'm afraid he's just going to suddenly go scorched earth midway through a 2nd quarter and then get fired.

I think it was when Maybin was signing.

We’re counting on you.

Terrible half. Poor defense, confused & lost on offense at times. Other than that, just dandy.