If Kawhi Leaves San Antonio, the Spurs Will Be OK Because They are the Spurs

ESPN dropped what they consider to be a "big" story about Kawhi Leonard's relationship with the Spurs as being "fractured".

First off, this isn't a "big" story, everyone that watches basketball knew this all year long. We all saw the signs of discourse throughout the entire season. The fact that he wouldn't play more than 9 games, that he had a run in with Jordan Brand, that Greg Poppovich kept talking about his "people around him", the fact that he wouldn't talk about any of the problems that he was having with his knees and feet, we all saw this all year. That he is now upset and displeased with the Spurs is not a "big" story. This is just more of ESPN trying to stay relevant when they are going by the wayside. This is a non story that they are putting on the front of their website. They are trotting the writers out on podcasts and TV shows to talk about this. It is pathetic. ESPN is a joke. They did a ton of research and interviewing for a story that even a novice NBA fan knew already.

But, there is a problem in San Antonio, and maybe this is the end of the Spurs dynasty as I have known it since they drafted Tim Duncan. This is an old team. Besides Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, every other key player, for the most part, has been in the league for double digit years. Pau Gasol is done. Rudy Gay is hurt far too often. Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker have given all they can to this franchise, won 5 titles, but they are both very, very old in NBA terms. And the young guys they have, the Dejonte Murray's and Brynn Forbes, are unproven. None of us knows how good they can/will be.

The fact that the Spurs have Kawhi is what has kept them in the conversation the past couple years. He is one of the 5 best players currently in the league, when healthy. He was single handily crushing the Warriors in game one of the West Finals last year until Zaza Pachhulia undercut him on a jump shot and screwed up his ankle even further. He was the guy that was going to lead this team into their next phase of dominance. But now, I don't know what is going to happen. I figured he was the perfect Spurs player, but maybe he really does want more. Maybe he really wants to go to a big market and be the star in LA or New York. Maybe he is tired of being quiet and wants to start being a noticeable athlete. Maybe he wants all these things and more.  I just don't see Kawhi as that kind of guy. He has always gone about his business quietly. That is the main reason why I like him so much. He lets his game do his talking, and his game is amazing. Even when he won Finals MVP, and completely shut down LeBron 4 years ago, he did it all very quietly. I just assumed he was going to step into that David Robinson/Tim Duncan role. He was going to be the face of the Spurs. He was going to be the reason that Poppovich would stick around for another 4 or 5 season.

Now, Poppovich has had a terrible, horrific tragedy happen, with his wife passing away and maybe that will be more than enough for him to step away from the game. But, I think a guy like Kawhi might make him think twice. Now, with Kawhi seemingly all but gone, I wouldn't be shocked at all if Poppovich calls it quits. He has done anything and everything you could ever want from a head coach. I think he is the greatest NBA coach of all time.

However, losing a player like Kawhi could be why he steps away. If that happens, what do the Spurs look like next year, and the next and the next? Will they be a tanking team or a free agent destination? Will they be a middling West playoff team or a non factor. Ever since I have watched professional basketball, the Spurs have been a good team. I just can't see them all of the sudden being a bad team. Say they lose Kawhi, they still have Aldridge. Now, before you scoff at me, he was the focal point of a perennial playoff team in Portland. The dude can play. And maybe Murray and Forbes and whatever guys they have stashed on their bench will turn out to be quality Spurs players, which equals 50 wins every year. And if Poppovich retires, that bench is filled with guys ready to take over.

I don't want to see Kawhi leave the Spurs, and if I were a betting man, I would bet a ton of money that he will be on a different team next year. But, I feel like this team will be okay if he does bolt. They have pieces. They still have one of the best GM's in sports. They still draft excellently. They still groom talent really well. They are the Patriots and Yankees of the NBA, except no one really hates them. I know Spurs fans are freaking out right now, but I'd tell them to be patient. You have a great infrastructure, and you will be just fine. You may have a season or two that isn't as good as you want, or have come to expect, but you will be just fine. While Kawhi leaving may hurt, it won't hurt as much as you think right now. The Spurs will be just fine.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet over the last three years.

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Let's Talk About the Future of the Disappointing OKC Thunder

With the Thunder officially out of the playoffs, and their season done, I want to reflect on what happened.

I was extremely high on this team coming into this season. I thought that they were finally giving in and teaming up stars and paying money to put out one of the best teams in the league. They lost KD and James Harden because they were too frugal, but Sam Presti finally decided that enough was enough. He traded, shockingly, for Paul George and went out and got Carmelo Anthony. They lost what they, and me, considered dead weight in players like Victor Oladipo, Damontas Sabonis and Enes Kanter. They finally addressed what was so glaring last season, and they got 2 bona fide super stars to team up with Russell Westbrook. How could this go wrong? I fully bought in, and so did many other people.

Then the season started. The Thunder came out of the gates sluggish. I figured, it takes time to get these 3 stars acclimated to playing with one another, and they would steady the ship. Meanwhile, Victor Oladipo was playing the best basketball of his life in Indiana, Enes Kanter was putting up solid number with the Knicks and Sabonis was contributing to a surprisingly good Pacers team. But, like I said, I figured it would all even out soon. But, the Thunder still struggled and the 3 "dead weight" players I mentioned continued to play well, especially Oladipo. There were occasional runs by the Thunder. They would go on 4 or 5 game win streaks, but those would be immediately followed by losses to teams like the Magic and Suns. The Thunder played great against the best teams, the Thunder and Rockets, but terrible against the bad ones. It was frustrating to watch because this team had so much talent, but they just weren't figuring it out.

Eventually the Thunder got enough wins to push themselves into a decent playoff spot, but, by all accounts, the regular season was a big time disappointment. And no, I do not blame this all on Westbrook. I feel like he tried and tried to change his game to fit with Carmelo and George, it just never worked. When they were entrenched in that 4 seed, I assumed that this was their time to shine. I picked them to beat the Jazz and to give the Thunder a tough series. And after game one, I looked right. Paul George was locked in. Westbrook was playing great, and Carmelo had been relegated to his proper role as a floor spacer and three point shooter. Then games 2-6 happened. The Thunder lost any kind of rhythm they had in game one so fast, I felt like I got whiplash watching them play. It was a sloppy mess. They just couldn't figure it out, and that was what plagued them all season. And letting Donovan Mitchell go off like he did was so unlike the Thunder. Mitchell is great, I have written as much, but the Thunder should have been able to, at the very least, slow down a rookie. Game 6 was an absolute nightmare scenario for the Thunder. Carmelo Anthony looked like he wanted to be anywhere else, and he only took 7 shots all game. Paul George scored 7 total points on 2-16 shooting. And while Westbrook had 46 points, he needed 43 shots to do it. He turned into the Westbrook from last season, and that was not what the Thunder needed in an elimination game. I know he has taken the brunt of the heat from the media, but I say again, I don't singularly blame him. Game 6 was tough to watch, but he was pretty good for the rest of the series. I know he got roasted one game by Ricky Rubio, but that was a flash in the pan. He was solid and he was a good distributor until game 6. Paul George had that magical game one, but after that, he turned into the playoff Paul George we have all come to know. He was inconsistent on offense and didn't play his normal hard nosed defense. He was one of the guys that let Mitchell go nuts. And Anthony, my god was he just dreadful all around. This might be the worst that I have seen him ever play basketball. He was so, so, so bad.

Now that the season is done, the questions have become, what will this team look like next year? Westbrook will be there. He signed a massive extension, and he will, most likely, be a Thunder for his entire professional career. He is the guy there, and they will build around him. They will get their best defender back next year, Andre Roberson, but how good will he be coming of a torn ACL? He is also a horrid offensive player. Steven Adams will look incredibly dominant at times, then disappear or get hurt. He has the potential to be one of the better centers in the league, he just has to fully commit. Then there are the younger guys and the role players that no one knows what they will do for the rest of their careers.

And then we have Carmelo and Paul George. Carmelo Anthony is done. He is not even a viable bench option, even if he thinks he isn't a bench player. He has fallen, and he has fallen hard. If I were a team, a contending team, and I needed shooting, Anthony wouldn't even be on my list. He wasn't just awful in the playoffs, he was terrible all year. He seems to have lost it on offense, and he was never a defensive player. I used to love watching him, especially when he was in Denver, but man has he gotten bad, and what makes it even worse, he doesn't seem to realize it. He is destined, if he thinks he is only a starter level player in the NBA, to be on very bad teams that just need to sell tickets. I'm talking about teams like the Nets, Mavericks and the Magic. He is just not good anymore.

What about Paul George? 

Paul George is awesome. Paul George can play really well at both ends. Paul George has moments. But, I feel like he isn't a guy you can build around. He will never be a "best player on a title contending team". They tried it in Indiana and they couldn't get any further than the East Finals. Then, he was teamed up with Westbrook this year, and he deflected more often than take over. He has the ability to be a star, I just don't think he has the instinct. He is so much more suited as a Robin to someone else's Batman. Unfortunately, Westbrook wants to be Robin, Batman, the Joker and the Butler. That is what I love about Westbrook. So, you look at some places he is mentioned to go, and I only see it if he teams up with a true star player. Say he goes to the Lakers, he better hope they get LeBron James or Kawhi Leonard. I've seen the 76ers mentioned. I hope that doesn't happen for 2 reasons, I like what the 76ers are doing now, and he would be the best player by ability and seniority, and that won't work. Besides those 2 teams, I don't know where he could go to be second fiddle to another star. Maybe he and LaMarcus Aldridge could team up, but they both are playoff chokers. Maybe teaming him up with Damian Lillard would work, but probably not. That would make the Blazers exactly what they are now, a middling Western Conference playoff team. Maybe put him with Giannis in Milwaukee, but I think he would think he is better than Giannis, and the Bucks should be his team. I honestly don't know what George will do, and it kind of bothers me. He has all the tools to be a star, but where is that killer instinct I mentioned before? It comes and goes far too often.

When I look back at this particular Thunder team, I will always see what I considered the biggest disappointment of the 2017-18 NBA season. They were so much better than a mid 40 win team and a first round playoff out. They had 2 of the 15 best players in the league on their team, and they never figured it out. Billy Donovan proved he is a bad NBA coach. Sam Presti made an awful decision to trade for Carmelo. The Thunder took a big swing, a homerun swing, and they whiffed big time. This was the worst case for this team, and next year, they will look totally different. At least they still have Westbrook. He will always keep them in the conversation.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The Cleveland Browns Choked in the 2018 NFL Draft

The Browns somehow managed to mangle any good thing they did this offseason last night with their 2 picks in the top 4 of the draft. The Browns are the Browns. Should we have expected competency?

Now, I did say in my mock draft yesterday that I thought the Browns had made some solid decisions, what with all the movement they had, and they would do better come the fourth overall pick. I assumed, much like everyone else, that they would take Baker Mayfield number one. No disrespect to Mayfield, in fact, I love that he walked on to two major college football teams, won the Heisman and then became the number one overall pick, but this kid is not going to be the savior Cleveland thinks he's going to be. He is too short, he is a system QB, he cannot make deep throws, he is accurate, but so is Sam Bradford. I just see him as a less volatile Johnny Manziel. He will miss open guys, he will get battered in the backfield and he will succumb to the mediocrity that has over taken all of the Browns QB's since they became an NFL team again. I just do not get why they thought he was the best overall player and QB in the draft. Also, and RD pointed this out to me, they could've taken Barkley number one overall, I feel like he is the best player in this draft, and Mayfield still would have been there at 4. They still could've gotten him, but they jumped the gun. Do the Browns really think the Giants or Jets were going to take him? They couldn't have truly thought that. That would have been insane. But, we are talking about the Browns after all. And maybe they do truly believe that Mayfield is bulletproof, that he is the next Russell Wilson or Drew Brees and that he will lead them back to the playoffs. I don't. I think he is, at best, the fourth best QB in this draft. I had Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold and Lamar Jackson ahead of him. He was right there, at least to me, with that Allen kid from Wyoming, and I think that kid is terrible.

Side note, the Bills trading up to draft Allen was utterly stupid. That was Cleveland Browns stupid. But hey, maybe Baker Mayfield will be better than I think, but he will not turn around that franchise.

Just when I thought that the Browns couldn't be any dumber, they passed up on Bradley Chubb for Denzel Ward at number 4 overall. Now, I think Ward will be a fine corner, but Chubb was right there, sitting and waiting to be picked. He and Garrett, as I said yesterday, would have made for a ferocious defensive end combo. They would have been a younger, healthier version of JJ Watt and Jadaveon Clowney. They would have wrecked so many backfields. I know that I bag on the Browns offense, and deservedly so, but their defense is okay and it could've gotten so much better last night. Had they taken Chubb that would have vaulted their defensive line into one of the best in the league. And in one season, a defensive line that is good could reap enormous rewards, just ask Jacksonville. They went out and spent money on defense last year, some of it on the D line, and they were one of the best D line's in football. They caused so much pressure and havoc last year. They called themselves "Sacksonville", and for a guy that doesn't like when teams or players give themselves nicknames, that one is pretty solid. The Browns could have had something similar had they taken Chubb. But no, they decided they needed help in their secondary?!

What the hell.

Didn't they take Jabrill Peppers last year and cut Joe Haden to clear room for the guys they already had in their secondary waiting? I mean, I thought that's what they were doing. But, they took Denzel Ward. And again, I'm not knocking this kid, I do think he will be an okay player, but Chubb is going to be an absolute star. The Browns passed up as sure a thing as there was in this draft to take a chance on a corner back. I will never understand that pick. And Chubb is got to be thrilled because now he gets to play with Von Miller and Shane Ray up in Denver. What a dumb and costly mistake the Browns made. Just when I was starting to buy into, just a little bit, what they were doing, they go and pull these shenanigans last night. I just it shouldn't surprise me, but it does.

These were some awful mistakes, and if the Browns go winless again, it wouldn't surprise me. Enjoy Johnny Manziel 2.0 and a corner that may or may not be good. You could've gotten a great running back and the best player in the draft, but you are the Browns and you did exactly what we have all come to expect from the Browns. What an odd and stupid first round from them. It is really puzzling. The Browns will always be the Browns.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He looks forward to watching the Browns spend the number one pick in the 2019 NFL Draft on another overhyped quarterback. Cleveland sure has consistency with their football program.

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The SeedSing 2018 Mock NFL Draft

As I did last year, today I bring you my first round mock NFL draft for the draft that starts tonight. And, just like last year, it is all a total guess, just like every other person that puts out a mock draft. I'm not going to do any trades or any of that. I'm just going with the original draft order, picking a player and writing a sentence or two as to why I think this player is going to that team. Okay, here goes.

1. Browns- Baker Mayfield. The Browns want a QB and apparently they are down to Mayfield and Josh Allen. I don't think either is going to be a good pro, but I think the Browns will go with Mayfield because he is the "hot" prospect right now. They will regret this pick

2. Giants- Saquaon Barkley. The Giants are going to stick with Eli for another year or two, they get OBJ back, they have an okay defense, but they don't have a solid running back. They will pick the best running back in the draft, and possibly the best player. I think Barkley will be good, but he won't ail what hurts the Giants(cough, cough...Eli)

3. Jets- Josh Rosen. I personally think Rosen is the best QB in the draft, and I think he will fit in just fine in New York. The Jets, despite my claim last year, were solid, but they had to run out Josh McCown as their QB most of last season. Rosen is a major upgrade over McCown.

4. Browns- Bradley Chubb. I have heard that the Browns are thinking about 2 QB's, but even they aren't dumb enough to take 2 in the top 4 picks. This pick they will get right with Chubb. Chubb and Myles Garrett will make for a ferocious defensive end combo, and the Browns defense is the only thing going in the right direction for them right now.

5. Broncos- Josh Allen. Denver should go defense, or trade down, but John Elway is arrogant, and he will take who he considers the best QB in this draft. I think Allen will be the biggest bust of any player in this draft, and the calls for Elway's job will start coming from the Broncos faithful after Allen proves to be a disaster. This kid is not that good

6. Colts- Derwin James. The Colts need just about everything, except a QB, but I feel like they will address defense in this draft. James is an excellent, hard hitting safety that will bring some much needed toughness to that defense. They can get other players, offensive players, later in the draft. They need to address defense early on. Derwin James is going to be good.

7. Bucs- Roquan Smith. The Bucs have, on paper, a good team. They stumbled last year, mainly due to inconsistent offense and poor defense. Smith is the best linebacker in the draft and he will immediately become an elite level tackler at the next level. He really showed out in the title game, and that will continue in the NFL.

8. Bears- Quenton Nelson. The Bears have a few running backs, a QB they "believe in" and young wideouts. They also have a solid defense. They need guys to protect Trubisky, and they will go with who many consider the best lineman in the draft. I don't really know what the Bears are doing, but picking an offensive lineman is always a safe bet

9. 49ers- Denzel Ward. The 49ers will be everyone's "cinderella" team next year, and what they need is defensive backs. They will take Ward, and that kid can be a lockdown corner. He will be a solid addition to a defense that is only getting better

10. Raiders- Mike McGlintchey. The Raiders have a QB, good receivers, a solid run game and a young, yet inconsistent defense. They need offensive line help, and they will take this monster out of South Bend. The kid is big and looks like he will be able to protect David Carr for the next couple seasons.

11. Dolphins- Sam Darnold. The Dolphins are in a tail spin, but they will try to get out of it by taking the player who will slip the farthest. Darnold looks like an NFL QB, knows the heat of California, so Miami won't affect him, and I think this will motivate him to play well. The Dolphins will still be terrible, but they will get their QB of the future

12. Bills- Lamar Jackson. This may seem high to some, but I think it is too low. Jackson is a much better, and taller, version of Tyrod Taylor, and the Bills made the playoffs with him last year. I see Jackson being this draft's Aaron Rodgers. He is going to be a very good pro

13. Washington- Vita Vea. Washington needs a new QB and some receivers, but Vea is too good a D line prospect to pass up in this draft. He will make their defense better, and he will be a guy they can plug in and play right away. This is a steal of a pick

14. Packers- Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Packers need help on defense and they need it bad. They already have Clinton-Dix in their secondary, and they will add Fitzpatrick, and this will be their first step towards having a solid defense with a Rodgers led team. I love Fitzpatrick and I hope he lasts until this pick

15. Cardinals- Mason Rudolph. The Cardinals need a QB, and with all the top guys being picked already, they will reach, and reach hard. Rudolph is an okay QB, but he is not first round talent. He may end up doing well, but he will be pressed into duty too early, and that will hinder his growth

16. Ravens- Tremaine Edmunds. The Ravens will have struck out on a QB and a running back, so they will go defense, trying to get back to what made them so great. Edmunds is a solid linebacker that will have a solid, and long, NFL career. I like this kid

17. Chargers- Da'Ron Payne. The Chargers will find their replacement for Rivers in later rounds, and in the first round, they will choose to bolster their already stellar D line. Payne is big, played at Alabama and is ready for the pros. He may not make headlines, but he will be a good player for a long time

18. Seahawks- Courtland Sutton. The Seahawks have made a choice of what they want to do now, and that is be a high scoring team, so they will go out and get the best receiver in this draft. Sutton is big, has strong hands and runs good routes. He will instantly be their best deep threat, and probably, their best receiver the moment he gets to camp

19. Cowboys- Jaire Alexander. With their running back and QB in place, and some solid receivers, the Cowboys need to address their defense, and mainly their secondary. Alexander is explosively fast and can cover fairly well. It make take a few seasons, but this kid will be a solid corner

20. Lions- Marcus Davenport. I love this kid. He is an awesome edge rusher, explodes when he hits someone and is always ready to play. This will be one of the Lions best picks ever and this kid will be a star. I look at him as a little lesser version of Jadaveon Clowney, and I mean that in the best way possible. Davenport is a beast

21. Bengals- Isiah Wynn. The Bengals need offensive line help, and Wynn will provide it. They really need a new QB and coach, but those are issues for another day. Wynn may not be flashy, but he is a player that a team like the Bengals needs, and they should take him if he is still available at 21

22. Bills- Harold Landry. After hitting a homerun with Jackson at 12, the Bills will take the second best defensive end in the draft. This is actually turning out to be a decent draft for them. Landry was great in college, coachable and fun to watch. All that translate to the next level. He will replace Mario Williams with relative ease

23. Patriots- Frank Ragnow. The Patriots may have lost some running backs and receivers this offseason, but losing some lineman was the biggest blow. They need a flexible, young and talented O lineman to help out Brady, and Ragnow is all those things. This is a very Patriots-esque pick but what else would you expect.

24. Panthers- Calvin Ridley. Cam Newton needs someone, anyone that can get space and catch deep balls, and Ridley is the guy for the job. He made Jalen Hurts look like a competent QB at times last year, so just imagine how good he will be with a real NFL QB. I love this fit and I hope this happens

25. Titans- DJ Moore. The Titans took a big swing taking Corey Davis 5th overall last year, and that didn't work out. This draft they will get another receiver, but I like Moore more than Davis. He is shiftier, faster and has that quick twitch that scouts love. He was also a punt returner in college too, so the kid can play. He will give Mariota a much needed threat at wideout

26. Falcons- Rashann Evans. The Falcons have a QB, they have a run game, and even with all this recent Julio Jones stuff, they have a good receiving corps. What they don't have is a great defense. They have a good one, but not great. Evans will be a step in the positive direction. He's another Alabama kid that is big, strong and smart. He is a born football player

27. Saints- Hayden Hurst. The Saints have pretty much everything on offense except for a solid tight end. Sure, Coby Fleener was fine last year, but nothing like when Jimmy Graham was there. Hurst can be the next Jimmy Graham for them I was going to go defense, but the Saints defense was okay last year. Hurst was just too juicy a prospect to pass up on at this spot

28. Steelers- Taven Bryant. The Steelers need help on defense, and even though Florida stunk last year, this kid was a bright spot on the defense. I remember seeing him early in the year against Michigan, and he was the only player that scared me going up against them. He is big and good and he will help the Steelers right away

29. Jags- Kolton Miller. The Jags have one of the best defenses in all of football. They have a great run game. They have solid receivers and they have Blake Borltes. Now, they need to get better on the O line. Miller will do that for them. He will step in and be a starter right away and he will pave lanes for Fournette to blast through. This is a good pick for the Jags.

30. Vikings- Will Hernandez. The Vikings seem to think they have it all now with Kirk Cousins, so why not go O line here? They'll have Cousins, they'll get Dalvin Cook back they have a good receiving corps and their defense is top notch. They need to go with the best player at a position they need, and Hernandez fits that mold. Easy pick

31. Patriots- Derius Guice. I said earlier that the Patriots lost some running backs, and if they don't trade this pick they will get a real solid back in Guice. He is explosive, can catch and can block. This would be an ideal situation for him

32. Eagles- Sony Michel. The Eagles are the champs, and they have it all. So, they will go out and take the best available player, plug him into Legarette Blount's vacancy and have that three headed monster at running back again. The Eagles have the luxury of just picking whoever they want, and that is precisely what they will do

Okay, that is my 2018 first round mock NFL draft. I'm sure I'll be wrong on about 90 percent of it, but it is still a fun exercise to try and put college players in good pro spots. I enjoy doing this very much.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. With the first pick in the SeedSing burger draft, Ty picks Whataburger. 

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The Portland Trailblazers Cannot Win it All with Both Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum

The Pelicans swept the Trailblazers out of the playoffs on Saturday night. Now, I picked the Pelicans to win, but not in the way they did. They absolutely owned the Blazers. No game was close except the first. Anthony Davis did whatever he wanted to whoever he wanted. Jrue Holiday was dominant on both ends of the floor. Nikola Mirotic was raining threes and even playing a little defense. Hell, even their bench was solid. The Pelicans dominated.

And, as someone who picked them, I am still a little shocked at how badly the Blazers got beat. I like both these teams, but I expected more of a fight from Portland. I’m a big time fan of Damian Lillard’s, but he was so bad in this series. I’ve come around on CJ McCollum, but he was nowhere to be found. Jusuf Nurkic looked like he could be there third guy, but Davis abused him in the series. In fact, the only guy that did anything for Portland was Mo Harkless, and no disrespect to him, but you aren’t going to win any playoff games when he’s your best guy. Also, imagine if Boogie Cousins was healthy and in this series. It would’ve been an even bigger blowout. It would have gotten even uglier.

Since the sweep, I’ve heard a lot of grumblings about player development, poor coaching and needing a deeper bench. But, the one thing I keep hearing, thinking about and agreeing with, I think the Blazers have done all they can with a backcourt of McCollum and Lillard. I like both these guys as individual players, but they each have flaws, and when teamed up, those flaws are glaring. Neither is very good at defense, and it showed in this series. Holiday cooked them. E’twaun Moore smoked them. Pretty much any guard the Pelicans put out there, they succeeded offensively. Also, Lillard is “the guy” in Portland, but I don’t think CJ McCollum has bought into that yet. He’s a great scorer, but Lillard is better. Lillard can beat you multiple ways, but he’s not getting his full shot because McCollum needs looks too. And, when McCollum isn’t hitting shots, that puts the onus on Lillard to do so much more than he should have to be.

After watching most of those games, I agree that they need to pick one guy. They need to pick Lillard. He’s been there longer and he’s actually won playoff series. He’s made big shots. He seems to genuinely enjoy Portland. McCollum is a great offensive player, but I don’t think he’s ready to be “the guy”. He’s so much better as a second option. He’s much more lethal in that situation. I don’t think you can win a title with McCollum as your number one guy. I do think you can win with Lillard as the number one option.

The question that follows, what can the Blazers get for McCollum, and also would help right now? I’m sure they can get a high draft pick, but is that what they want? I’m sure a team like Dallas or Memphis or maybe even the Knicks would give up their pick for him, but there’s nothing much that they could add that would sweeten the pot. Sure, the Grizzlies could offer a pick and maybe Marc Gasol, but I’d rather have Nurkic right now. The Knicks have nothing of real value except Porzingis or Frank Ntilikina, and I don’t see them giving up either of them for McCollum. Dallas makes the most sense, but is Harrison Barnes really an upgrade? I don’t think so. They will have a high pick, but they offer nothing else of real value in a veteran player. The best fits and trade partners would be an already established team.

I’d love to see McCollum go to a team like the Spurs. Trade him straight up for Kawhi Leonard, and I think both teams benefit. Or, what about a team like Minnesota? They’ll have a mid teen pick, then add Andrew Wiggins, I think that would be great. Another option could be the team that just throttled them, the Pelicans. I’d trade anyone and their pick to get McCollum, with three exceptions. Those three, Davis, Holiday and Cousins. Everyone else I would make available. Put McCollum back there with Holiday and a front court of Cousins and Davis, they would be one hell of a team.

This first round series showed me that the Blazers need to trade one of these guys if they want to achieve any real success, and I think that person should be CJ McCollum. He’s had a good run, but Lillard needs to be the focal point once again. That is how the Blazers will get back to being real threats.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The Utah Jazz's Donovan Mitchell Does Not Look Like a Rookie

I know that I have talked about my 2 favorite football teams the past 2 days, but today I'm going to talk basketball. And no, I am not going to talk about a team, I'm going to talk about a player.

What Donovan Mitchell has done in his first 2 NBA playoff games is beyond impressive. I was already a fan of this kid, but man has he won me aboard with his last 2 games. He has, pretty much all season, been the Jazz only hope on offense. For a team to give the keys over to a rookie, and trust him like they have is very impressive. And, the way Mitchell has responded is incredible.

Mitchell will not win Rookie of the Year, Ben Simmons sewed that up, but he has been, by far, the best rookie in the first 2 playoff games, and his year end stretch is second to none, literally. With his 28 point performance last night, he officially surpassed Michael Jordan, the GOAT, for most points in a player's first 2 playoff games ever. He single handily won that game last night. Hell, if not for Paul George going bonkers in game one, and if he didn't hurt his foot, Mitchell could have won game one too. He did put up 27 in that game. He is doing it all on offense for the Jazz, and he is doing it at as high a level as anyone playing right now, with LeBron being the lone exception.

Along with Mitchell, the Jazz have a very, very good defense. Rudy Gobert is awesome. Ricky Rubio is a thorn in opponent point guards side. Derrick Favors can do some stuff. Jae Crowder, while not as good as he once was, can still pressure players. But, their offense would be dreadful if not for Mitchell. I love Gobert, but he is an old school center. His 2 main objectives when he is on the floor is to block shots and rebound. Every now and then he will throw down an alley oop or get a put back dunk, but he is most known for defense. Ricky Rubio may be shooting more this year, but he has never been an offensive threat his entire career. He may be trying to get better, but he is what he is, a wonderful passer and a headache. Joe Ingles can shoot the three, but that is it. He is not great for pretty much anything else. Derrick Favors was, at one time, a good offensive player, but he is getting older and his game is not what it once was.

This all means that the Jazz have to lean on Mitchell, and he is answering the bell. He is being guarded by all of the Thunder's best defensive players, except Andre Roberson since he is hurt, and he is doing things that a 9 year All Star does, not a rookie. He is making shots. He is getting to the rim. He is getting to the foul line. He is making life miserable for the Thunder, and he is a rookie. That is insane. I don't think people realize that what he is doing is truly impressive. The Thunder have the 2 best guys on the floor at any time in this series, Russ and PG, but Mitchell is outplaying them both right now if you ask me. He is also being talked about much more than either of those guys too. If George didn't have that 36 point game in game 1, the story would have all been all about Mitchell. He crushed it in game 1, then came out and played even better in game 2.

I looked around at the other rookies in the playoffs, and the only one that even comes close is Simmons. Jayson Tatum has been fine for the Celtics, but he is just doing what he has to do for them. That is what has made him so good in his rookie campaign. Simmons is going off, almost getting a triple double in their game one win, but he was kind of neutralized in game 2. Then as you go down the line, the rookies getting real time gets real thin. Semi Ojeley is doing some things for Boston, but nothing to write home about. OG Anounoby has been good, but much like Tatum, he is doing what is asked of him, nothing more. Jordan Bell, who was playing a ton early in the season, has seen his minutes drop in the playoffs.

When you really break it down, Mitchell is outplaying all of his rookie peers, and dare I say, he may be the second best player in all of the playoffs right now, behind only LeBron James. He is killing it out on the floor. He is the reason the Jazz were picked by many to win this series, and he is living up to the hype. I'm sure the awards have already been decided, but he is doing some things that would have made it more difficult to pick between him and Simmons.

The Jazz go as Donovan Mitchell goes, and right now, that is a good thing. Right now, they don't miss Gordon Hayward, Rodney Hood or George Hill because they have Mitchell to lean on. I'm so excited to watch this kid play, and I cannot wait to see him rise to superstardom very soon. He is going to be a multiple All Star, and I wouldn't be shocked if he starts getting mentioned as the future of the NBA right along with Joel Embiid, Lonzo Ball and Ben Simmons.

Donovan Mitchell is awesome, and he makes me excited for the future of the NBA. This kid is amazing. Watch him if you haven't yet. It is so worth it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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Aaron Rodgers Should be Upset with the Packers

Recently some news came out saying Aaron Rodgers was upset at some of the Packers off-season moves. He has since denied these reports, but it begs the question, should athletes have a say over who their teammates are, and what the GM’s do?

I think, given the player, absolutely they should have a say. LeBron James has made a career for himself by picking and choosing his teammates and coach. And, he must be doing something right because he’s been to 7 straight NBA finals and won 3 of them. When you look at other athletes, I’m sure they have a say in these matters. Kobe Bryant famously didn’t want Shaq on his team, and within a year, Shaq was gone. KD wanted out of OKC and Russell Westbrook, and he was free to sign with whoever he wanted. Michael Jordan, while he may not have gotten along with Scottie Pippen, he knew he needed him on his team to achieve the greatness he did. This is not a new thing, old school players in the NBA knew they needed help, and they took it whenever they could. Hakeem Olajuwon wanted Clyde Drexler. Magic needed Kareem. Isiah Thomas needed Bill Laimbeer and Joe Dumars. I could go on and on with pro basketball stars that picked and chose their teammates.

But, the NBA is the only pro league where it happens regularly. That’s kind of messed up. I know this past off season Giancarlo Stanton picked the Yankees, but I don’t think it was to team up with Aaron Judge. I just think he wanted to play in the biggest market. Ken Griffey Jr only went to Cincinnati because he wanted to go home, and that experiment didn’t work out. Ichiro Suzuki is back in Seattle, but this is the twilight of his career. It usually doesn’t work to team up stars in baseball, unless they’re young. Just ask Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and the Angels. And football, that is a whole other level of coaches and GM’s controlling everything. Players are let go without a second thought. If you stick around for even 5 solid seasons, if you stink in year 6, the team gets rid of you. Just look at Dez Bryant. Even a guy like Tom Brady, possibly the best QB ever, is in a rift with his coach and GM, and every talking head is siding with the coach and GM. That’s crazy talk.

So, I don’t think it’s wrong for Rodgers to be upset. The team got rid of his security blanket receiver when they let Jordy Nelson go. They’ve had no running game since he’s been there. Their defense is subpar at best. I know they signed Jimmy Graham, but aren’t his best days behind him? If you sit down and think about it, the best thing the Packers have done since Rodgers took over is signing Charles Woodson. He helped win them a Super Bowl, but he was a defensive player, the best of all time if you ask me. The Packers have never really given him the threats he needs. Don’t get me wrong, Davante Adams is turning into a great player and Randall Cobb is sufficient. But, outside those 2 guys, who have the Packers brought in to help Rodgers. Also, they have kept Mike McCarthy around far too long. The fact he’s only gone to one Super Bowl with one of the best QB’s in the game right now is appalling.

If Rodgers is upset, let him be upset. He’s earned that right. And for the “journalists” that are bashing him right now, think about all the stuff I just said. I’m a Packers fan and I have no problem with Rodgers letting his frustrations known, if he did. He deserves some help on that roster.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He talked about Michigan football yesterday, and the Packers today. What favorite thing of Ty's will he write about tomorrow? Brussels Sprouts?

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Ty Watches "All or Nothing: A Season with the Michigan Wolverines"

I just recently finished the Amazon series, “All or Nothing: A Season with the Michigan Wolverines”.

Of course, I loved it.

The 8 episode documentary series was all about the 2017 season, which was a rough one for Michigan. What I liked about the show was how honest everything was. The footage they show is what they used. I’m sure they edited it, every show does, but what they used was real and true. I really appreciated that. The show showed the few ups, and the many downs of the 2017 season. I relieved all 13 games from last year, and I felt all the feels. I went through the same ups and downs when I watched the games in real time. I was thrilled seeing them best Florida in the season opener. I was happy, yet worried about their inability to put away teams early in the year. The Cincinnati and Air Force games were prime examples. Then we had the Michigan State disaster. Then the Penn State blow out. Then I got to see John O'Korn struggle again, which was tough. I saw the Wilton Speight injury again. I watched Brandon Peters play okay, but realized he wasn’t fully ready. I watched the defense play exceptional, but also get tired from being relied on so much. I mean, Mike McCray, Mo Hurst, Chase Winovich, Khaleke Hudson and Rashan Gary, among many others, play their hearts out all year, and veil that offense out more often than not.

Aside from the football, it was nice to get to know these kids as people. I was explaining to a friend that I always looked at these kids as football robots. Well, this show made me realize that they’re kids first, football players second. These kids have to go to class. These kids have kids of their own. These kids bleed for this program, but they also have lives outside of football. These kids have other aspirations outside of the NFL. These kids get homesick. It made me realize that they have feelings. I know that sounds weird, but it was eye opening.

Another eye opening thing I got from this series was how delusional Speight and O'Korn are. Wilton Speight is a jackass. That kid blamed everyone but himself, and he came off as arrogant. John O'Korn was better, but not by much. He took blame one time, but other than that, he was “trying his best”. He rarely took the fall for his poor play. Karan Higdon is an amazing young man. He is raising his daughter and kicking ass on the field. Donovan Peoples-Jones and Tarik Black have me excited for the future of the receiver position.

The show also made me respect Jim Harbaugh even more. He may be grating, but that guy loves football, and he loves to coach. Same with Don Brown. He’s a wild dude, but he gets the best out of his players. The show also made me see Greg Mattison and Pep Hamilton in a whole new light, in a good way.

Look, I was going to love this series no matter what. I’m a dyed in the wool Michigan fan. They are my favorite team of any team that has ever existed. Don’t watch this if you’re not a Michigan fan, it wasn’t made for you. Watch it if you are a Michigan fan, it was obviously made for us. But I’d also recommend it to fans of college football and high school coaches. It is a wonderful, insightful show. I’m glad they did this and I’m glad I watched it. It now has me excited for the 2018 season.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He wants to pitch a new show to Amazon about Michigan football fans watching an entire season. Way more people can relate to the stars of this show.

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Baseball Season Means Taking the Family to the Game, and then Leaving Early

This morning my wife contacted me and asked if our son wanted to go to a Cardinals game in June with his baseball team. I told him he’d get to run the bases with his teammates, then we would go to our seats and watch some of the game. He was totally in. He wants to go, he’s excited to run the bases and see his friends and eat at the ballpark. He also told me he wants me, my wife and his sister all to go with him. I let her know what he said and she told me she’d get the tickets. I responded by saying great, and also, this would be my one Cardinals game I go to this year.

That really hit me. That statement spoke volumes to what sports I used to love, and which ones I love now as an adult. When I was a kid, the idea of going to a Cardinals game was such a big deal. It was so important and crucial that I went to as many home games as I could. It is a Saint Louis thing, going to Cardinals games. Everyone I know loves going to games. Former coworkers, my wife’s current coworkers, our friends and family, they love going to home games. But, where I am in life now, I will only go to a game with my family, and it has to involve my son’s baseball team.

I have no desire to go to Cardinals games anymore. They’re too long, food is too expensive, the games start too late and I’d rather watch football or basketball, especially live. Baseball just doesn’t do it for me anymore. That’s not to say I don’t like watching my son play. I LOVE watching him play. I live for that. I am his assistant coach. Little league involving my son is baseball worth watching. But, going to Busch Stadium to watch a mediocre pro team is not worth watching.

Like I said, I’d rather go to a college football game or an NBA game if I’m going in person. My dad and I make it a point to find the nearest Michigan football game to us, and we go to one every year. I very much look forward to that. The Wolverines are far and away my favorite sports team. And, I love seeing them live. Even if they get beat, win ugly or blow their opponent out, I enjoy the almost 4 hour live experience every time. Going to at least one Michigan football game every year is something I will do for the rest of my life. The same cannot be said about Cardinals games.

As far as the NBA goes, I love everything about the live viewing of a game. It is fast, NBA players are the best athletes in pro sports, the games are, at their absolute longest, 2 and a half hours, and it’s relatively cheap compared to other live sporting events. The only problem, I have to travel to Memphis or Chicago for a game. Those are the 2 closest NBA cities to me. But, the trip is all part of the fun of going to an NBA game. I have a great time watching professional basketball. It is so much fun, and I love seeing tremendous athletes live. That doesn’t happen at pro baseball games.

I don’t really know why this change has happened, but it has. Baseball, while I loved playing it as a kid and watching it too, I just can’t do it anymore. I haven’t stayed for an entire game in over a decade now. Even when I get free tickets, I leave early. In fact, I don’t know anyone that stays for full games anymore. Maybe it is just age, but give me college football or the NBA any day over baseball.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll have a blast when we all go in June, but after that, if I don’t go to another game all year, I won’t be surprised or upset. I do still like baseball, I would much rather play or coach it though as opposed to watching it, especially live.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The head editor was seething while editing Ty's article. The Cardinals are a mediocre team? Try living in Cincinnati where the Reds are trying to beat the record of 20 wins in an entire season. Mediocre my ass.

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Ty Predicts the 2018 NBA Award Winners

As I promised yesterday, today I will be giving out my 2017-18 NBA regular season awards.

Now, for starters I am not going to do All NBA, All Rookie and All Defensive teams. That would be too much, and to be quite frank, I don't care about those teams. I know the players do, because of contract stuff, but I honestly could care less about it.

Also, I need to give a quick congratulations to Russell Westbrook for doing the unthinkable again. The fact that he went out and averaged a triple double for a second straight season is truly amazing. I know people call him a stat chaser and what not, but come on, 2 seasons averaging a triple double is something that will never, ever happen again. He is an otherworldly athlete and basketball player, and instead of always shitting on this guy, people need to start respecting what he is doing. He is an amazing talent that we are taking for granted right now. He will be so much more appreciated when he retires, but right now, respect what this man has done because it is wonderful. I only say this because he won't be winning any of my awards, but I had to shout him out because he is awesome. All kinds of props to Russell Westbrook. He is great.

Okay, now to the awards for the regular season. I'll start with the "lower" level awards and work my way up to MVP. So, the first award that I will be giving away is Sixth Man of the Year. There are not too many candidates for this award this year. Guys I thought about at first were Eric Gordon and Cavalier Rodney Hood. But, Gordon isn't doing what he did last year this year, and Hood has started more games than coming off the bench. I also tried to find a way to get Manu Ginobli in the conversation, but he just doesn't put up the numbers like he used to. When I actually thought about it though, the Sixth Man of the Year is Lou Williams. This dude is instant offense off the bench and every team he has been on, he does good things on offense when he comes in. Lou Williams is a shooter and nothing more, but the dude can fill it up. He is easily the winner of this award for the year. Hopefully next year he is on a team that he can help in the playoffs.

Lets move to Defensive Player of the Year next. When the season was at the midway point, I might have picked Kevin Durant. He was playing out of his mind on that end, but he got hurt and he was out of the race. Draymond Green was another possibility, what with him still being able to guard all 5 positions, and guard them well, but he also missed a myriad of games, thus pulling him out of the race for me. Anthony Davis was another possibility, but he has had to take some plays off on defense because he has done so much on offense since Boogie went out. No, when I actually got down to it, Rudy Gobert is the Defensive Player of the Year. You may say, he missed games too, but not as much as KD and Draymond. Also, when Gobert is out there, he is, by far, the best rim protector in the game. He is the key to what the Jazz want to do, and he is awesome. Gobert wins this award by a mile. We have three awards left to give out.

Next, Coach of the Year. This category is stacked. There are so many candidates. Guys like Gregg Poppovich come to mind. He has the Spurs back in the playoffs, and Kawhi Leonard only played 9 games all year. Nate McMillan has done a wonderful job of turning the Pacers into a legit threat. Brad Stevens is quickly climbing up the ladder as one of the best minds in basketball, and boy have the Celtics suffered crucial injuries too. Dwayne Casey finally got his team into the modern game, and the Raptors are the number one seed in the East. Hell, even Erik Spoelstra, with a garbage roster, has his team in the playoffs. But, when I really pored over it, how does Quinn Snyder not win this award? He lost his best player, he lost George Hill, Gobert missed time and he turned the keys to the offense over to a rookie. And, the Jazz won 45 plus games and are the 5 seed in the West. Snyder has bypassed any expectations I had when he became an NBA coach, and he has done a wonderful job. He is my Coach of the Year.

Rookie of the Year was a contest until recently. It was really down to 2 guys, Donovan Mitchell and Ben Simmons. I know that Dennis Smith Jr had some highlight dunks, Jayson Tatum is a key cog for the Celtics, Frank Ntilikina has been amazing on defense and Lonzo Ball has really come into his own. But, Mitchell and Simmons are clearly better than all these guys by a mile. I was pulling hard for Mitchell because of all the things he has done all year with the Jazz, but Ben Simmons, in this 16 game win streak for the 76ers, has grabbed this award and he is not letting it go. He has been, not just the best rookie, but one of the ten best players in the league right now. And for all the people who say he isn't a rookie, stop. This is his first year playing pro basketball. Sure, he was drafted last year, but he played zero minutes. This is, for all intents and purposes, his rookie year, and he will walk away, easily I might add, with the Rookie of the Year award.

Finally, we have MVP. Much like Rookie of the Year, this is a 2 man race. There were times during the year that guys like LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan, Damian Lillard and even Russ got some love. But, all that petered out due to various reasons. And for the people that want to float out Joel Embiid, or any Warrior player, nope. Embiid will be one of the best players soon, but he is not an MVP yet, and the Warriors guys have all missed too much time throughout the year. The MVP is between LeBron James and James Harden. And, James Harden will finally take home his first MVP award. He has been absolutely amazing this year. The things he is doing on offense are so wonderful. He has worked so well with Chris Paul. The pick and roll with him and Clint Capela is nearly unstoppable. Harden has had a great year and he will get his much deserved MVP. James has put in a hell of a season though. He has put up amazing numbers too. He played all 82 games, something he has never done. He has carried a bad team with a bad coach all year long. He has taken over games against better competition recently. But, what separates him and Harden is the fact that the Cavs are the 4 seed in the East and the Rockets are the 1 in the West, and number one overall seed in all of the NBA. That is due, mainly, to

Harden. There you have it, my 2017-18 NBA regular season award winners.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The SeedSing 2018 NBA Playoff Preview

The NBA playoffs are set, and the games kick off on Saturday. I'm am here today for my annual playoff preview. I'll go through the East and the West, pick a winner for each series all the way down to the finals. I will give my finals matchup, the winner and the MVP of the series. Tomorrow I will do all my awards, but today is strictly for just the playoffs. Alright, here we go.

In the East the seeding is as follows, Toronto is 1, Celtics 2, 76ers 3, Cavs 4, Pacers 5, Heat 6, Bucks 7 and Wizards 8. So, that gives us first round series of Toronto-Washington, Boston-Milwaukee, Philadelphia-Miami and Cleveland-Indiana. Truth be told, these are some good series. In the Toronto-Washington matchup, I am going with Toronto, but it will be tough. I know Washington is dysfunctional, everyone on that team seems to dislike John Wall, they have limped to the playoffs, they don't play great defense, but they will make it tough on Toronto. They have always struggled with this team because Wall and Beal give Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan all they can handle on both ends. But, I think the mixture of Toronto's bench and the mess that is the Wizards right now will give the Raptors the series in 6 games. They will be 6 tough games though.

In the Boston-Milwaukee series, it would be so much easier to pick if Kyrie Irving was still healthy. I'm still going with Boston, but Milwaukee, mostly Giannis Antentekoumpo, will make it hard. Giannis is a beast. He is an upper echelon star now. And, with Irving out, he is, far and away, the best player in this series. He can single handily win 3 games. The fourth one will be the problem. Also, Boston has Brad Stevens as head coach, Al Horford is still out there, Jaylen Brown is playing good basketball and Jayson Tatum seems to have gotten past the rookie wall. Boston will win, but it will take 7 games.

I love the 3-6 matchup of Philly and Miami. Miami can matchup with Philadelphia everywhere. Miami can play any style of basketball needed to win. Miami has more playoff experience. Miami has the much, much better coach. And, Joel Embiid may not play in the first round. But, Ben Simmons is on a whole other level right now. He doesn't seem like he is going to be taken down by the moment. He might be forced to shoot jumpers, but the dude can get out of that by driving and kicking. And, the shooters around him are hitting shots at the right time. Again, this will be a long, hard fought series, but I have fully bought into the 76ers hype, and I have them in 7 games, 6 if Embiid plays at all in the series.

Finally in the East's first round we have Cleveland-Indiana. This series could go a number of different ways. Cleveland can steam roll them. Indiana can muddy it up and make it a slog. Cleveland could decide to not play defense. Cleveland is almost as dysfunctional as Washington. Indiana was not even supposed to be here. They are young. They have surprised everyone this year. Now, I like the Cavs simply because of playoff LeBron. He will not allow his team to lose in the first round. If they do, he is gone. But, he will not let that happen, and I have the Cavs in 5. LeBron is just too good and he is great in the playoffs.

The second round will pit Toronto against Cleveland and Boston against Philly. Toronto is stuck with another team that they struggle with. Cleveland owns Toronto, and I don't see that changing now. Again, LeBron will impose his will, and the Cavs will outscore Toronto on their way to a fourth straight Eastern Conference finals appearance.

In Philly-Boston, I have to say, I love the 76ers. Irving is out, as previously mentioned. Embiid will be back 100 percent. No one on Boston can guard Ben Simmons. Philadelphia's shooters will be open. The Celtics just don't have the guys to compete this year. I have Philly in 6 in this series.

So that would pit the 76ers against the Cavs in the East Finals. The 76ers are way ahead of schedule, but this is where all the hype ends. Cleveland has LeBron, and LeBron will not allow his team to get beat by such a young team. These 2 teams played a great regular season game a couple weeks ago, but it was regular season. The game didn't really matter. LeBron will once again be in the Finals. That would make it 8 straight.

Now, the West. The seeding in the West is as follows, Houston 1, Golden State 2, Portland 3, OKC 4, Utah 5, New Orleans 6, San Antonio 7 and Minnesota 8. The matchups are Houston-Minnesota, Golden State-San Antonio, Portland-New Orleans and OKC-Utah. Houston will beat Minnesota, but it will be tougher than expected. I guarantee they wanted Denver because of their lack of defense. While Minnesota isn't much better, they do at least try on that end. Also, Towns is much better than Clint Capela. Jimmy Butler can give James Harden fits. But, Chris Paul will be there to help out Harden, Eric Gordon and Trevor Ariza will hit threes and the discrepancy in talent on the rosters is widely in Houston's favor. They are also having a "magical" year. The Rockets will win in 6 games, but it will be a bloodbath.

Golden State is going to blow the doors off the Spurs, and I love the Spurs. But, no Kawhi is going to kill them against he Warriors. And I know that Steph isn't playing in the first round, but KD, Klay and Draymond are all there. I also think the Warriors are playing possum right now, and I think they are going to come into the playoffs with their heads on fire. I have the Warriors in a sweep.

Portland-New Orleans is going to be a good series, with very high scoring games. The Pelicans have no one that can stop Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, but who do the Trailblazers have that can stop Anthony Davis? No one. He is going to EXPLODE in the playoffs. I'm so excited to watch him play. I'm excited to see Lillard and McCollum too. This is going to be the best first round series in my opinion, and I think the Pelicans will win in 7 simply because Anthony Davis is playing on a whole other level right now.

OKC-Utah is the second best series. These 2 teams couldn't be more different, and it will make for a fun matchup. Russell Westbrook is playing pretty great right now. But, he will find it hard to get open looks at the rim with Rudy Gobert down low. Donovan Mitchell has had an amazing season, but he will have to beat Paul George on defense. Steven Adams can stop Gobert down low, but Gobert can do the same to him. Carmelo has been dreadful this year, but maybe he turns it on for the playoffs. He hasn't been in awhile too. This is going to be a fun series, and I have OKC grinding out a 7 game series victory. Westbrook is too good, and Paul George is one of the better defenders in the league. I love Mitchell and Gobert, but they aren't ready just yet.

That gives us a second round of Houston-OKC and Golden State-New Orleans. Houston-OKC will be fun. OKC gets up for the better teams in the league, and they just beat Houston in a game, but Houston trounced them in the playoffs last year, and the Rockets didn't have Chris Paul last year. Also, Adams is way too slow to keep up with Capela, and Carmelo will be torched on defense. Chris Paul will finally make his first trip to a conference final in his career, as the Rockets will win in 6.

Golden State is again, much like their first round matchup, going to squash the Pelicans. Sure, AD will go off, but who is going to stop KD, Klay and Steph, who will be back? Oh, and Draymond too. This series will be a wash. Golden State in a sweep once again.

These outcomes will give us the much anticipated Houston-Golden State West Finals. And we all know how poorly Harden, Paul and Mike D'Antoni play and coach in the most important series. The Rockets will choke. Everyone wants to pick them. Everyone says they are finally ready to take the throne from the Warriors. Everyone seems to think that D'Antoni is doing a better job than Kerr. Well, D'Antoni's recent remarks, the whole "winning a title does not define how good this season was" said all I needed to hear. He is already bracing himself for when his team gets beat. Golden State will take their first 2 playoff losses, but I have them winning the series in 6.

This gives us a fourth straight Cleveland-Golden State finals. And, much like last year, Golden State is going to smoke them. I think they will sweep them out this year, and it won't even be that close. Golden State is so much better, they play defense, they will care and they will crush the Cavs to win their third title in 4 years. As far as the Finals MVP, I will go with Steph. It is his turn.

There you have it, my 2018 NBA playoff preview. I love this time of year.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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It is Time to Shut Down the Michigan State Men's Basketball Program

Izzo can be the new coach of the Michigan Prison System Basketball team 

A recent report came out and said that 3 basketball players from the 2015 Final Four Michigan State team raped a female student. I have written about the Nassar stuff and the basketball and football programs at MSU of their supposed cover ups of rape and assault for about 2 decades. It is a horrible story, and every day it seems like a new story comes up like this.

At this point, why would anyone not believe that this stuff is true? Why would anyone go to bat now for guys like Mark Dantonio and Tom Izzo? Why should anyone believe anything that any worker in the athletic department says anymore? This is not a one time thing, it is clearly systemic. This is a problem that needs to be addressed and stopped. Ever since the Nassar story broke, then the massive cover ups from football and men’s basketball, and Mark Emmert’s previous knowledge of all this, there is a clear problem at MSU involving major athletics, and there seems to be no end in sight. Oh, and has Izzo come out and said anything about this new accusation? Of course not. He is totally silent. I feel like he has to know the end is near. Mark Dantonio should be in trouble himself, although you hear him talk and he claims everyone else is lying and wrong because he is a moron.

With the new story concerning the Spartans basketball team, I’m shocked that Tom Izzo is still employed as I write this. He should have been gone months ago, but he somehow managed to keep his job. Now, 3 players from a team only 3 short years ago, are being accused of rape by another student. This is a problem. The student reported this to the school police, and as they’ve done with all the other accusations involving athletes, they covered it up. They told the student that was raped to not talk about it. They pretty much told her that no one would believe her. And, just like all the other reports, it was slipped under the rug. I’m sure these 3 players went on to continue their college careers and saw no real consequences. Izzo claims he handles this in house, but what does that really mean? Did he make them run some stairs or do some other basketball drills? How is that a real punishment for rape? That is criminal. They should have been arrested and persecuted, if the accusation is true.

I’m still shocked at this stuff every time I hear about it. These stories never seem real to me. I don’t know how one person can force another person to do something against their will, and then go on to live with themselves. And for coaches, trainers, teammates and athletic directors to help with the cover up, that disgusts me. There is a real, and concerning problem at MSU. I have a daughter and if she wants to go there for college, I will do everything in my power to talk her out of it. This stuff is not stopping and people are not being held accountable. In fact, the people involved are literally getting away with criminal activities because they’re good at sports. That is so wrong. Kids should feel safe at college. They shouldn’t live in fear of other students because they are good athletes. Coaches are supposed to be molding model adults. That is not happening at MSU. Female students don’t feel safe at MSU.

The NCAA needs to get this investigation done ASAP because if they don’t, this will continue to happen. That’s so scary to me. Also, I have to keep saying this is not my Wolverines bias talking. I’m legitimately worried by all of this, no matter the university. This isn’t like illegal recruiting or paying players, we are taking about athletes getting away with rape. This is a scary time to be a female in college, especially at MSU. I feel for the students who had to go through something this terrible, but I applaud their guts to come forward.

Enough is enough, and these monsters need to be outed. Tom Izzo is a monster who keeps hiding this, and as long as he is still employed I will continue to be outraged at how absurd/scary/stupid the NCAA truly is. This needs to be stopped, and it needs to be stopped now.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. 

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Ty Watches the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game

The college basketball season came to an end last night.

I watched because the Wolverines were playing. I have been in and out of this particular tournament, but I have watched all of Michigan's games, either on TV or my phone. I had to watch the entire game last night because it was the title game. I never thought, in my wildest dreams, that this particular Michigan team would make it this far when the season started. I thought they could push for a tournament bid, but to be in the title game, I was kind of in shock. And, even after the spread of 6.5 points, which is a ton in basketball, was released, I still thought that maybe, just maybe, Michigan could find a way to win a title. I bought into the talk that their defense would be able to, not shut down, but slow down Villanova's three point shooting prowess. They came off a pretty impressive second half against Loyola Chicago, the darlings of the tournament, so I also thought that they had momentum going into the title game.

What I failed to realize was how dominant Villanova had been this entire tourney. They pretty much destroyed every team in their way. Hell, two nights before the title game, they throttled a very solid KU team. They made 18 three pointers and they pretty much shut down a pretty solid KU offense. The closest any team had played Villanova was Texas Tech, and Villanova won that game pretty easily, pulling away to a 12 point victory. I looked past all of that and thought that my team could do the unthinkable. No one, and I mean NO ONE, was picking Michigan. I like when that happens because then they can play with a chip on their shoulder.

When the game started, my belief that they could pull off the upset only got stronger. They came out of the gates with their heads on fire. Mo Wagner was killing it down low. Muhammed Ali Abdur Rahkman was finally hitting jump shots. Charles Matthews was attacking the rim and had a great chase down block early. They were doing it all for the first half of the first half.

Then, Villanova calmed down and just took over. As soon as they brought in that red headed Italian dude, it was done. That kid came in the game with Michigan leading 21-14. From that point on, Villanova outscored Michigan the rest of the game 68-41, and it wasn't even that close. Villanova started to hit threes. Villanova made life miserable for Wagner and Matthews. Jalen Brunson was abusing both Zavier Simpson and Abdur Rahkman down low. Mikail Bridges started to assert himself. Villanova's young big men started to destroy Wagner and Jon Teske down low. Basically, Villanova did whatever they wanted whenever they wanted down the stretch of the first half, and the entirety of the second half. Michigan was only down 9 at halftime, but it felt like so much more to me. And, Villanova came out, after giving up an easy 2 to Wagner to start the half, and scored what seemed like the next 11 points to balloon their lead to 15. Then it was 18, then it was 19, and finally, it got as high as 22 points.

I did not give up because anything can happen in a college basketball game, but I'd be lying if I said that I truly thought they could come back. First off, Michigan is not built to make big time comebacks like that. They used to be, because of their three point shooting prowess, but this team was built to dribble drive, play defense and make an occasional three here and there. When Villanova started to hit shots, I kind of knew it was over for them. Also, Villanova's defense, while I felt they got away with a ton of contact, played exceptional last night. They crowded the guards. They forced tough threes from Duncan Robinson. They slowed Wagner down after his hot start. Matthews disappeared in the second half due the defense. They were toast. I also feel like they did not pace themselves properly last night. As I said, they came out on fire, but after that first 10 minutes, they were tired, they had heavy legs and they just couldn't keep up.

The better team won last night. Villanova was clearly, not only last night, the best team in college basketball this year. Last night only further hammered that point home. Watching them for the first time last night, I was blown away at how good they are. They do everything that a winning team should do, and they do it exceptionally. They looked so good last night. I'm sure that is how it was all year. I mean they sat Jalen Brunson, the player of the year, for a good 10 minutes due to foul trouble, and they didn't skip a beat. In fact, their lead grew. This team is a very good team, and they will continue to be a very good team as long as Jay Wright sticks around. They will lose Brunson and Bridges most likely, but every other kid that played important minutes last night will be back. That is scary. Michigan will most likely lose Wagner to the draft, and Abdur Rahkman and Robinson are graduating, but they will return a lot of guys from last night too. They should be good again, but no one is going to be beating this Villanova team any time soon. They have won 2 titles in the last 3 years, and they are only getting better. I have to give props to how good this team is. Villanova is on the verge of being a college basketball dynasty, if they aren't already.

While last night was a very painful watch for me, I am proud of what this Michigan team accomplished this year. I do not believe in moral victories, and last night stunk. That being said, this team won 34 games, won the Big Ten tournament, made the Final Four and made the title game. That is quite impressive for a team that I very little deep postseason hope for coming into the year. John Beilein is doing great work there, and I am now excited to see where this team goes next year. They have a lot of young talent, they will only lose 2-3 guys, and I love the youth that got experience this year.

I will say again, last night was brutal, but I'm excited for next season. Congrats to Villanova though. They  deserved to win, and they showed it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The SeedSing 2018 MLB Season Preview

Baseball is finally 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 2018 MLB predictions. Now that the great game is underway, it is time to ask a few questions.

Who will win the AL East, the most competitive division in baseball?

Last year I was not high on the Boston Red Sox. I was wrong. The Red Sox held off the upstart Yankees and took the AL East. The Red Sox will repeat as AL East champs. I know most people are picking the Yankees, and I understand why. Aaron Judge is the next great Yankee. The Bronx Bombers also added to their incredible lineup by winning the offseason and trading for Giancarlo Stanton. With all that great offense, comes some below average starting pitching. The Yankees have a great bullpen, but they need multiple quality starters. One big trade will not do in 2018. The Blue Jays and Orioles are good, but they cannot match the offensive power in Boston and New York. Tampa will be good for 75-80 wins, the rebuild will continue. The Red Sox improved line-up, along with their superb starting pitching, will carry them to another AL East title.

What about the rest of the American League divisions?

Cleveland will easily win the Central and the Astros will have the West all sewn up by Labor Day. The Minnesota Twins will have a good year, they will not challenge the Indians. The Angels could have a good year, the Astros are light years better than anyone in the west. Look for Cleveland and Houston to once again sleep walk their ways to division titles.

Will there be any drama in the National League division races?

No.

The Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs, and LA Dodgers will win their respective divisions. You can write that down in pen. The Mets, Cardinals, Rockies, and Giants will win more games than they lose, but the Nationals, Cubs, and Dodgers could each easily win 100 or more games. Each of those teams were already great, they got better in the offseason.

Is there anything not certain in the 2018 season?

The wild card races will be wild.

In the AL the Yankees will make the playoffs as the first wild card, but the second spot will come down to the last weekend of the season. The Blue Jays, Orioles, Twins, and Angels all have a good chance to get that second slot. I am going with the Angels to finally make the jump back into postseason baseball and playing the Yankees in the Bronx in the Wild Card game.

The NL wild card race will be a mad dash including the surprising Phillies, the Mets, Cardinals, Brewers, Rockies, and an even more shocking San Diego Padres squad. The Phillies and Padres will be in the race most of the year, but they will falter late in the season. The Cardinals will realize that they need to start the rebuilding process and trade away players at the deadline. That leaves the Mets, Brewers, Giants and Rockies to fight it out. I am going with the Mets travelling to Denver and playing the Rockies in the Wild Card game.

Who will be the worst team in 2018?

The Reds are once again rebuilding and seem to have no plan. They also have Joey Votto, the Ted Williams of our time, and that will give Cincinnati some unearned wins. The Pirates, Rangers, and Royals are also in full rebuild mode. Arizona will see the need to unload talent and will trade at least Zack Greinke to the Yankees at the deadline. The Braves, Mariners, and White Sox will be lucky to get 75 wins.

With all this subpar baseball, the Miami Marlins will be historically bad. Jeter will get headlines, but I would be shocked if the Marlins win 40 games. They will stink.  

What will be the biggest highlights of 2018?

I have already hyped improved squads in Philadelphia and San Diego. Both teams will have over 81 wins in 2018.

I have also addressed the fact that the St. Louis Cardinals will be sellers at the trade deadline and begin the rebuild process the redbirds so desperately need. Look for St Louis to have a whole new look, including a new manager (please let it be Willie McGee), in 2019.

The San Francisco Giants will rebound in 2018. Unfortunately, they will come up just short of making the playoffs.

Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton will combine for over 100 homeruns.

Bryce Harper and Clayton Kershaw are going to have their best seasons ever.

The 2018/2019 free agency period is going to see some eye-popping numbers.

What will the 2018 MLB Playoffs look like?

Time to recap. The 2018 division winners and wild cards will look like this.

                  AL East -              Boston Red Sox           NL East -                Washington Nationals

                  AL Central -        Cleveland Indians          NL Central -           Chicago Cubs

                  AL West -             Houston Astros            NL West -               LA Dodgers

                  AL Wild Cards – New York Yankees          NL Wild Cards – Colorado Rockies

                                             LA Angles of SoCal                                     New York Mets 

I am not on the Yankees bandwagon this year. Even if they add someone like Greinke, New York does not have the pitching to go far in the playoffs. The Angels will win the wild card game and then get swept by Houston. The Red Sox balance will not be as good as the Indians balance, Cleveland heads to the ALCS against Houston. The Astro’s World Series defense ends in a great seven game series won by Terry Francona and his Cleveland squad.

The National League is about the Cubs and the Dodgers. The Rockies will win the wild card game, and they will join the Nationals in being on the outside of the NLCS. The Cubs will get redemption on the Dodgers and return to the World Series.

For the third straight year I am picking the Cleveland Indians to win the World Series. Do I have too much faith in Terry Francona. Probably, but I feel extra good about picking Cleveland this year. If they do not deliver, I may have to find a new team next year. Will it be the Yankees after they sign Bryce Harper and Clayton Kershaw?

Enjoy the 2018 Major League Baseball season.

RD

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

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Ty's 2018 MLB Preview

Since today is opening day of the MLB season, I figured now would be as good a time as any to give some preseason MLB predictions. Now, as I say every year, RD is the baseball expert here at SeedSing. I played a ton of baseball, and now I coach it, but I do not watch it. I only watch when my son is playing, or if I get free tickets to a Cardinals game. I find the game to be mind numblingly boring. It takes way, way too long. Even if I go to an actual game, if I last 7 innings, I'm proud of myself. Baseball just doesn't do it for me.

But, I am a hero, and I do know enough to write a preview/prediction blog. I watch enough sports television shows to know baseball. Also, as I said, I still coach the game, so it still has some minor importance to me. Anyway, lets get to my predictions.

I'll start with the American League. Lets go with the AL East. So, this is clearly a race between 2 teams, the Yankees and Red Sox. No offense to Toronto, Baltimore or Tampa, but come on. Toronto may surprise some, they do have Josh Donaldson still, but they will not catch the top 2 teams. Baltimore, if they eventually trade Manny Machado, will be back to rebuilding. And Tampa, what a joke that franchise is right now. But, the Yankees and Red Sox each spent money, added players and look to be the class of the East. Personally, I think the Yankees will win the division. They took a humongous leap last year and were one win away from the World Series. Now, they have Giancarlo Stanton. The Red Sox added JD Martinez, but he isn't Stanton. Stanton pushes the Yankees over the top for me.

Next is the AL Central. The Indians should absolutely run away with this division. They are far and away the best team in this division. Cleveland is back to being a perennial power. The Royals, just a few short years after winning the World Series, are having a fire sale. They are starting to get rid of a lot of good players. The Tigers only have Miguel Cabrera, and he deserves so much better than that. The Twins, who shockingly made the playoffs last year, will be good, but I do not think they can replicate last year's performance. And the White Sox are just a very average baseball team. Honestly, I cannot name one player on their team. The Indians pretty much have it all, and maybe they will finally take that next step and reach, and then win, the World Series this year. Maybe. 

Finally we have the AL West. Again, this is pretty much a one team division race. The Astros are so much further ahead of every team in this division. They also happen to be the reigning World Series champs. They do have it all. Great pitching, solid base hitters, speed, some power guys, the Astros are loaded. They could easily return to the World Series. Their most serious in division threat is the Angels, but they just cannot get over the hump. Mike Trout is an otherworldly baseball player, and he is being wasted in Anaheim. The Angels have names, but those names are too old, or unproven. I will say, I am very intrigued by the new guy they got that is a pitcher and a hitter. He should be fun to watch, if I ever watch a game of theirs. I'm done buying into all the Mariners hype. Every year they have hype, every year I buy in, but no more. They may win 80 or so games, but that is it. The A's and the Rangers are trash. They have both kind of gutted their rosters and are starting from scratch once again. Astros all the way in this division.

Now, lets dive into the National League. Lets first look at the NL East. This division, much like most of the AL, is a one team race. The Nationals, in Bryce Harper's last year under contract, are the clear favorites. They have 2 of the best pitchers in the game, a great lineup, and probably the second best player in all of baseball on their team in Harper. The Mets have great pitching, but none of the guys are healthy at the same time. Their lineup leaves a lot to be desired. They have fallen hard since making the World Series a few years back. The Phillies actually made some moves, mainly acquiring Jake Arrieta, and are on the path to being relevant again, but they still are a few years away. The Braves are better, but I am not going to go all RD on you guys and say that they will push for the playoffs. They are getting better, but they are still young and they still need time. The Marlins, they are a joke. They have gotten rid of anyone that was any importance to that team for the past 5 years or so. They are clearly starting over, and I wouldn't be shocked if they win less than 50 games this whole season. The Nationals will easily win this division.

Now the NL Central. The Cubs are going to win this division again, and that could catapult them to another World Series appearance, and possibly, another title. They are loaded, young, have great coaching and the best GM baseball has ever seen. As much as I may dislike them, I respect the hell out of what they are doing there. The Cubs are going to be very good for a very long time. The Cardinals are their biggest threat. The Cardinals are always their biggest threat, but they finally got some power and youth. I love the addition of Ozuna from the Marlins. The Cardinals need a power hitter, and he is a monster of a power hitter. What the Cardinals lack is dominant pitching. Their starting 5 is very ho hum, and Adam Wainwright is hurt once again. The Cardinals will compete, they always do, but they are not at the Cubs level right now. The Brewers are getting some hype, but I don't know. Every time they get some hype, they seem to fall flat on their face. I wish them luck because they are the team of my father's youth, but I do not see them pushing either the Cardinals or Cubs. The Pirates have had a fire sale. They no longer have Andrew McCutcheon, and that is a brutal blow for them. They are back to the drawing board. And the Reds, sorry RD, they are still rebuilding. They do have Joey Votto, but that is about it. They need to trade him for youth and do a full on rebuild. The Cubs will win this division with ease.

Finally, the NL West. The Dodgers and Giants will fight for the crown. I know the Diamondbacks were in the playoffs last year, but that was a one time thing. They also lost JD Martinez, and Zack Greinke looks to be miserable right now. The Rockies pushed a little last year too, but just like the Diamondbacks, I think that was a flash in the pan. They have also traded or gotten rid of some key players. The Padres might be the second worst team in baseball, behind only the Marlins. They stink. But, the Dodgers have all the money and the best pitcher in baseball. The Giants have a tremendous lineup, with the addition of McCutcheon and another all star. But, Madison Bumgarner is hurt again, and that puts the onus on Johnny Cueto to be their ace. He can handle that, but what about the pitchers behind him? Can they hold on until Bumgarner gets back? Time will tell. I like the Dodgers once again. They are loaded and they have Clayton Kershaw. They also won 100 plus games last year, and they were in the World Series. Their time is now for a push.

As far as the playoffs, The ALCS will feature the Yankees and the Indians. I am going to go with the Indians one more time. I love their team, I like Terry Francona, and I'd love to see them push through and win the World Series. In the NL, I have the Dodgers and Cubs, with the Cubs returning to the World Series. So, we have a rematch from 2 years ago. Unfortunately for Cleveland, I think it will be much of the same. I think it will be a good series, but I think the Cubs will win. They have only gotten better over the past 2 years, and I think they are on the verge of being a possible dynasty. As far as awards go, I am only going to do the Cy Young and MVP, I have Justin Verlander winning the Cy Young and Giancarlo Stanton winning the MVP. In the NL I have Stephen Strasburg, finally putting together a full, awesome year, winning the Cy Young and Kris Bryant, jumping into the conversation with Harper and Trout as one of the best to ever play, winning the MVP.

There you have it, my best guess at a sport I barely watch anymore. Take all of this with a big grain of salt, but also know, I do have an idea of what I'm talking about.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He does the hard work by posting his preview first, stay tuned for the "expert" opinion. Hint, it will be very similar.

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LiAngelo Ball and Michael Porter Jr are Not Ready for the NBA

Two 19 year old basketball players have just declared for the draft. I know last week I talked about 5 “one and done” players, but I believe all 5 of those have a chance to have decent NBA careers, if not great careers. These 2 players I am extremely skeptical about. I’ll talk about each individually, and what makes their decision so confounding for me.

The first player is LiAngelo Ball. Now, I am extremely hard on the entire Ball family due to their outrageous father. I do have to say, Lonzo has exceeded my expectations. He looks like he will be a quality player for a good decade. He’s not the best rookie, not by a mile, but he’s not the worst either. He is right down the middle. But, his brother LiAngelo declaring for the draft is insane to me. This kid, by all accounts, doesn’t really seem to have a future in the NBA, G League, or any other overseas league, except the one he played in this year. I’ve heard things like, he’s too slow, not good enough of a shooter, has a bad first step, isn’t a good enough defender, and so on and so forth. From what I’ve heard, it is going to take this kid a long, long time before he is ready for major professional basketball. This is clearly a case of a father essentially forcing his child to do what he wants him to do. Lavar Ball is clearly living through his children, and now it will cause problems. I’m 100 percent certain that LiAngelo will go undrafted. Even if he has one amazing workout, he will still get passed by this amazing draft class. It is no secret how good this upcoming draft class is too. People have stated, and I’ve watched a ton of college basketball this year, that this class can be special. I agree with them all. And for a player of LiAngelo’s “talent”, he is going to get passed upon for all 60 picks. As I stated, I’m one hundred percent certain he won’t get picked. If he does somehow, he will not get a contract. I also do not think he’s good enough for the G League either. This is a horrible decision, and will make LiAngelo Ball a footnote, or a cautionary tale.

The next player will get picked, probably in the late lottery, but if he came back to school for one more year, I think he’d easily be a top 5 pick. That player is Michael Porter Jr. Porter Jr has the talent. The kid can play basketball. Sure, his first step can be better and he needs to work on his man defense. But, he can shoot and he can find ways to score. He will find a team somewhere in the NBA, and he will be on a pro team for, at least, a decade. My qualms with his decision is, why now? Why not return to Missouri for one more year to work on his game? The worst thing he could have done this season was comeback for the SEC and NCAA tournament. This gave scouts a chance to really scrutinize his game. Had he taken the whole season off, I think he would easily be a top 10 pick this year. The potential would have been more than enough for some team drafting early to take a chance. Teams draft based on potential now. But, he came back, pressed too hard, missed too many shots and got beat too much on defense. Now NBA teams have this film on him, and it will go against his favor. They are going to think long and hard before drafting him. And I know people say stuff like, he can get hurt, or what if he plays the same that he played in his 2 college games. To that I say, a full season will provide glimpses of what he can do at the next level, and you can get hurt anytime. Hell, he could get hurt during s private workout. Those are poor excuses. Also, if he came back, next year’s draft class isn’t nearly as good as this year. He could have potentially pushed to be the number one overall pick next year if he came back. The money will still be there no matter what.

These choices really surprised me. I do wish them both the best of luck, but time will tell. LiAngelo will definitely be searching for some team because he won’t get picked. Porter Jr will get picked, but they are going to have to bring him along very slowly. These were odd choices by these two guys.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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The 2018 Final Four Predictions

The Final Four is set. We have 2 number 1 seeds, a 3 seed and an 11 seed. So, chalk, pretty much, all around, except one.

I will say, and I’ve been really hard on this team, props to Loyola Chicago. I never thought they’d make it this far, but here we are. They have proven that they can win tight games, and on Saturday, they proved they can blow a team out. They crushed KSU. It was pretty much a wire to wire win. They dominated every facet of the game. Even when KSU would make a little run, or a push, Loyola had an answer. They weren’t not going to get beat, and they proved that. I have a ton of respect for what they’ve done so far, and for what they can still do.

My team, Michigan, tried to find ways to blow their game on Saturday, but they didn’t, and now they’re in the Final Four for the second time in 5 years. I’m still in a little shock. I didn’t even know if this team would make the tournament when the season started. There were a ton of questions, and a lot of youth coming in. Well, they have played beyond my wildest expectations. Hell, I thought they were toast in round 2, then Jordan Poole made a miracle shot. They then proceeded to hammer Texas A&m the following week. Then on Saturday, in a very ugly game, they still found a way to win. As I said, I still have a hard team seeing them as a Final Four team and accepting it, but it’s real. John Beilein has truly turned this team around.

Villanova has done exactly what they’re supposed to do. I had doubts about them, but they have answered every call, and then some. They have throttled every team they’ve played. I know the game yesterday, against Texas Tech, got as close as 5 points, but it was never really that close. Villanova has been playing lights out this whole tournament. They look like the best team right now, and honestly, I don’t think it’s even close. This team has now earned the right to not be disrespected. They won it all 2 years ago, and now they’re back in the Final Four, and they should be the favorite.

And, finally, we have Kansas. They have quietly played very well so far. I know they’ve had some “close calls”, but they’ve won every game they’ve played. Sure, they struggled a bit with Penn before pulling away late. Yeah, they only beat Clemson by 4, but Clemson has a decent squad. And yesterday, they beat mighty Duke in overtime. That was a hell of a game, and KU deserved to win. I know there’s been some controversy about a call in overtime that went against Duke, but I don’t think that swung that game in either direction. KU was going to win when that kid hit that three in regulation to tie the game. It just had that feeling. Also, I love when Duke gets knocked out in heartbreaking fashion. It is a joy to watch. The fact that Grayson Allen is done as a college player brings me an unusual amount of joy. KU looked as good as I have seen them play all year yesterday. They truly earned that victory.

The games are set for Saturday, and I have, at least, one more prediction for you. The first game is Loyola Chicago-Michigan. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified by this game. Michigan has been up and down, but they’ve won every way you can. So has Loyola. Loyola is the “team of destiny” according to every other journalist or blogger right now. They are on a mission. These 2 teams are both playing good enough basketball to win. But, which Michigan team will show up is my biggest question. I hope the one that hammered A&M cones through. But, if we see the team that struggled with Montana or FSU, Loyola will be in the title game. I’m going to hope that the Michigan that hits open shots shows up. But, I have, unfortunately bought into the Loyola hype, and I think they will find a way to make the title game. They are having the more “magical” year and tournament after all. I also think the public wants them in too. As far as Villanova-KU goes, I don’t see how Villanova doesn’t win. They played their worst game yesterday and still won by double figures. KU played great in beating Duke, but that means they are destined to play poorly now. Everyone is believing in them now, and that’s when they usually blow it. And this is no knock on Villanova. I don’t think they’re going to win just because KU will hand them the game. I think they’ll win because they have a better team and coach. Villanova is a very, very good basketball team. They’ve proved that tenfold this tournament. I think they will win, and win handily on Saturday. So that would put Loyola Chicago and Villanova in the title game next Monday. This is where the “magical” run ends. I picked Villanova a week ago when I thought they’d be playing Kentucky, and even though one team has changed, my mind hasn’t. Villanova is going to hammer Loyola. It will be a bloodbath.

All that being said, I’m excited to watch the games on Saturday. I’ll be pulling for the Wolverines, and I hope they win. We will have to wait and see.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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Kentucky, and John Calipari, Make Another Embarrassing Exit from the NCAA Tournament

I was going to write about something different today, but after that horrendous Kentucky-Kansas State game last night, I have to give my take.

First off, the Nevada-Loyola Chicago game was great. It was back and forth, both teams blew double digit leads and it came down to one final possession. Michigan steamrolled Texas A&M. I, obviously, watched that game intently, and I was able to relax with about 8 minutes left. Lets hope that carries over to tomorrow. And the FSU-Gonzaga game was pretty much not in doubt at all. FSU really did whatever they wanted to against Gonzaga. But, the Kentucky-Kansas State game was something else. 

Kentucky, at least on paper, had the easiest path of any team left to make the final Four. They had also, up until last night, looked like they were playing their best basketball all year. It looked like it was finally starting to click for all the freshman. Then last night happened. I wasn't watching the game too closely, more checking on the score time to time from my phone. I was kind of shocked the first time I checked to see that KSU was up 13-1. That was surprising. I thought though, it was early, Kentucky can come back and they are primed for a Final Four run. And, when I checked back a little later, KSU was only up 4 at the half. I still didn't tune in because I figured that Kentucky would pull away. Well, that did not happen either. Every time I checked the score from there on out it was close, but very low scoring. I'm actually kind of glad I didn't watch the game because it sounds like it was a lot like most games this tournament.

This year's tournament games have been pretty rough, and the low score made me think that this was a rough game too. I went to sleep with about 7 minutes left in the game still thinking Kentucky would find a way to win and face off against Loyola-Chicago tomorrow. Well, when I woke up my phone told me a different story. Apparently the game was pretty wretched the rest of the way and KSU won ugly, which is what they have done all tournament long. And to make matters worse, apparently Kentucky wouldn't shake hands with KSU after the game. I know that it is crummy to go out the way Kentucky did, especially when most thought they were a near shoe in for the Final Four, but come on. You have to, at the very least, shake hands with your opponent. That is good sportsmanship that is taught from the age of 3 all the way up to the professional ranks. That is low class, and I fully put the blame on John Calipari for that. I see that Calipari has tried to backtrack and say some nonsense today, but it is too little too late. He showed horrific sportsmanship, and he got beat.

This is not as nearly as big as UMBC beating Virginia or Buffalo beating Arizona, but this is right up there, as far as big time upsets in this tournament filled with upsets. Before the tournament started Kentucky and Calipari were griping about their seed and the region they were put in. The four teams ahead of them were Virginia, Cincinnati, Tennessee and Arizona. Well, all four of those teams lost during the first weekend. Hell, Virginia was done after their first game. Cincy blew a 22 point lead in the second half. Tennessee got beat on a last second shot against Loyola Chicago and Arizona got blown out by Buffalo. So, Kentucky had it made in the shade. They were clearly, at least on paper, the best team left in their region. Every media member and writer that I read or listen to were sure they were going to the Final Four. I picked them to get to the title game. And, they absolutely blew it, and I still can't believe it.

I do not think it is a case of the freshman not living up to the hype because they had just won the SEC tournament and 2 games in the NCAA tournament. What I think happened was, Kentucky expected to win because they heard everyone saying they were going to win. They bought into their own hype, and you cannot do that come tournament time. It is single game elimination. You have to play well enough, or you are going home. And it doesn't have to be pretty, as long as you win. That was how KSU played last night, from what I have read. They didn't care how they won, they just wanted the win.

Now I think comes the question of Calipari being a choker in the tournament. He has only won one title. He hasn't been to that many Final Four's. A few of the Final Four's he has been to have been taken away due to violations. And his recent teams at Kentucky, while they constantly make the Sweet Sixteen, they never seem to push through. He has not been able to recapture what he had with Anthony Davis. He has had super star NBA players blow through Kentucky in one year, and all he has is one title. That's great that he has one title, but with names like Boogie Cousins, John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, Tyler Ulis, Devin Booker, the list can go on and on and on, come through there and you only have one title, I don't know. Maybe Calipari, who I kind of like, isn't the greatest basketball coach. He is a hell of a recruiter. But, maybe the X's and O's part is a bit too much for him.

This is an embarrassing loss, and it now means that either KSU or Loyola Chicago is going to the Final Four. That statement should speak volumes about how not great this tournament has ben. No disrespect, but either an 11 or an 8 seed is going to the Final Four. Ouch. This should leave a very sour taste in Kentucky fans mouth for a long, long time. They should have easily won that game, but they blew it. That is rough.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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Let's Breakdown This Years' Group of NCAA Basketball One and Dones

With the news that Trae Young declared for the NBA draft today, I want to take a peek at some of the "one and done" guys that are most likely going to declare for the draft, if they haven't already. I am not a fan of the "one and done" culture in basketball. These colleges that do this are basically basketball factories, and these kids do not see a dime off the colleges making money hand over fist. It has also made the college game not nearly as good as it used to be, and as it could. It is a bummer, and I do not like it. I'd rather they adopt the MLB rule of, if you declare for the draft straight out of high school, you can go. But, if you decide that you need college, you have to stay for at least 2 years. It would be so much better for all involved.

Anyway, lets take a look at five "one and done" players that I think, given the situation they may be drafted in, how I think they will fare in the pros. The five players I have chosen are Trae Young, Deandre Ayton, Mo Bamba, Marvin Bagley and Jaren Jackson Jr. Now, I think 3 of these 5 kids will have solid, to really good, NBA careers. The two I am most curious about are Young and Bamba, so I will save them for last. I want to start with the only player on my list that is left in the tournament, Marvin Bagley. This kid has the potential to be special. Duke players, save for Kyrie Irving, that are one and done, usually don't strive in the NBA. Austin Rivers is a bench player, Jahlil Okafor is a bust, Justice Winslow is not as good as many thought, me included, he could be and Tyus Jones is finally out of the G League and on a roster, but it took awhile. Bagley is better than all these guys. He is an explosive athlete that can hit open shots with ease. He is also a lefty, and that is an advantage in and of itself. He attacks the rim and he can do some highlight reel dunks. But, some has reported that he is a bit selfish. He is kind of out there to get his stats and move up on draft boards. The kid is already super high on most boards, so I don't know why he would do this. I will say, the few times I have watched him play, I have not seen him pass the ball. He either shoots a pull up shot, catches a lob or grabs a rebound and goes. This is a good and bad thing. Believing in yourself is great, to an extent. If he thinks this will fly in the NBA, he will be in for a rude awakening, unless the Kings draft him. In fact, if the Kings draft any of these kids, their careers will be very blah. But, say a team like Chicago or even the Nets draft him, that could be what is best for him. He could go into Chicago and team up with Kris Dunn, Lauri Markannen and Zach Lavine, and that would be a fun, young team to watch. In Brooklyn, he could be the guy to build the team around. They have some talent, Caris Levert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Bagley would only ad to that. If he gets picked by one of these two teams, I think he will have a fine career. Any other team, he might be more Brandon Ingram than anyone else.

Next, Jaren Jackson Jr. This kid is good, thick and can run and shoot. He is a beast on the block and the boards. He can shoot the ball very well. He is already big enough for the pounding in the NBA. He comes from a family of athletes. I think Jackson Jr may have the brightest future of all these "one and done" players. I think he would be a great fit for any team, except the Kings and the Suns. Again, the Kings franchise is a dumpster fire with a very gloomy future. Every kid they seem to draft either gets traded or flames out, or both. I don't want any of these kids to get picked by the Kings. As far as the Suns, I like their young core, and they have very good players already at his position. I don't want them to take another 19 year old and stunt the growth of the 19, 20 and 21 year olds on that team. That would hurt every player involved, especially Jackson Jr. He would be relegated to "learn" from someone who has only been in the league one or two years more than him, and that is no way to learn how to be a professional athlete. I would love to see Jackson Jr go to a team like Memphis or Cleveland, if LeBron stays. I think he would fit it perfectly in Memphis, they'd love him immediately. Cleveland, with LeBron, might even be better. He would be the ideal replacement for Tristan Thompson, and he can stretch the defense more than Thompson can right now.

My favorite player in this upcoming draft is Deandre Ayton. He was the reason I picked Arizona to win it all. What a dumb choice by me. But, that is besides the point. Ayton has a very, very bright future. He could be the modern day Patrick Ewing. This kid can pretty much do it all right now, and do it very well. He is an excellent rim protector and rebounder. He can fill up the stat sheet. He is super fast. He was the guy for Arizona this year. He, honestly, has no real flaws in his game to me. The kid was made to play basketball. I would love if he ended up on a team like Minnesota or San Antonio or even OKC, but they will all be picking way too late. He will, most likely, be the first pick. So, that means he is going to end up on a team like Phoenix, Chicago, Memphis, Boston or, possibly, the Knicks. Truthfully, I would love to see him in New York, playing next to a healthy Porzingis. That would be quite the front court. Imagine trying to score on 2 7 plus footers. It would be a nightmare. They would also be great on the offensive end. It could be a modern day Tim Duncan and David Robinson situation. I am really talking myself into Ayton being a Knick. I don't necessarily like the Memphis fit because Gasol is their big guy. Chicago would be okay because of their youth movement. Phoenix has some young big men, buy Ayton is already better than all of them. If Boston somehow got him that would be unfair. He and Horford is better than him and Porzingis. Just don't let the Kings get this kid because I don't want to see him get ruined by the age of 22.

Now, the 2 biggest question marks for me. First, Mo Bamba. I have to say, I like Bamba as a player, I just do not think he is ready for the NBA. There were games where he flat out disappeared on offense this year at Texas. He was always great defensively. He altered so many shots, or just blocked them. I remember earlier this season when Michigan played at Texas, they just decided pretty soon that it was a jump shooting night for them because of Bamba's presence in the lane. But, as I said, he goes MIA on offense far too much. He is also very skinny for his 7'1 frame. He looks like a twig out there. When he has to go up against centers like Gasol, Clint Capela, Deandre Jordan and Anthony Davis, he is going to get abused. I think it would be best for him to come back for one more year, bulk up and work on his offense. I don't think he will because he is pretty much guaranteed to be a lottery pick, and that is a lot of money to pass up. But, I think he needs, at least, one more year to develop before he is fully ready for the NBA.

Which leads me to my final guy for the day, Trae Young. The things Young did on the court this year were amazing, and never before seen in college hoops, at least not recently. The kid scored 20 plus points and dished out nearly 10 assists a game. He was truly all Oklahoma had. He was the end all be all for that team. For awhile, it worked, then teams started to game plan for him, and Young and Oklahoma kind of took a tumble. They looked pretty bad the rest of the season after reaching the top 5 of the polls. But, even while "struggling", Young still was putting up 20 and 9 a night. People seemed to think he petered out, but he didn't. It just wasn't 40 points and 15 assists every night anymore. We began to expect too much from an 18 year old leading his college team. What I fear for him is the same thing that happened to Shabazz Napier. The thing with Napier though, he was a senior, and he handled his situation a little better. What I mean by this, LeBron fell in love with Napier during his last year in Miami, and basically told them they had to draft Napier, and then he left. Now, he has been on the Trae Young bandwagon from day one and has made it clear he wants the Cavs to draft him. But, what if he decides to bolt for another team again? Then Trae Young is in the same situation that Kyrie Irving was in, except he isn't nearly as good as Irving was/is. Young can do a lot of great things on the floor, but he is not Kyrie Irving. Irving is a transcendent player. He is one of the better point guards now. He has proven he can perform on the biggest stages all the most crucial moments. Young couldn't do that in college, and if the Cavs take him, then LeBron leaves, the city of Cleveland will be counting on him to be their new "savior". He does not deserve that. I would love him to go to a team with a good starting point guard right now, a team like Memphis or Boston, play bench minutes and learn the game. That would be ideal for him. I think Young has a future, but if he ends up in Cleveland and LeBron bolts, that would be very jarring.

I hope all these kids have long careers because I think they can be good, they just need to be put in the right position. Only time will tell.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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

A Wild Weekend of March Madness Means We Need to Reset Our Championship Picks

The first weekend of the men's NCAA tournament has passed, and boy was it a wild one. The games all started last Thursday, and the madness started that night. During the early run of games, it was status quo. KU struggled a bit with Penn before pulling away late. Duke crushed Iona. Texas Tech pulled away late on Stephen F Austin. The early games, for the most part, went accordingly. Then that night, the craziness started.

First, Gonzaga really struggled with UNC Greensboro, only winning by 4. Nevada stormed back down 13 against Texas to win in the end. Kentucky and Davidson traded blows until Kentucky pulled away. Michigan really struggled with Montana, only scoring 61 in their win. But, Arizona, which I wrote about last week, really got trashed. I said all I really had to say about that game last week, but still, it looked to be the biggest upset of the tournament. Even Loyola Chicago beating Miami wasn't as big an upset as the Arizona-Buffalo game. 

Then last Friday happened. That day was nuts. Some teams that were expected to win did. Teams like Michigan State, Auburn, Clemson, Purdue, West Virginia and UNC won with relative ease. But, Marshall beat Wichita State, giving us two 13 seeds over 4 seeds games. Butler crushed Arkansas at its own game. Syracuse, who I believe had no business being in this tournament, beat up on TCU. Florida, who was kind of hot, hammered, shockingly to me, by St. Bonaventure. Florida State hammered Missouri.

But, the biggest upset in the history of the tournament happened that night. I went to bed, I was tired from the Michigan game the night before, and woke up to the news that a 16 seed finally beat a one seed. And, not only was it a one seed, it was the number one seed overall. Virginia, who lost 2 games all season, got beat, badly I might add, by UMBC. I was shocked. I could not believe that it happened. I had to watch highlights to believe it. And it was all true. Not only did Virginia get beat, they got absolutely crushed. UMBC won by 20 points. That is so bizarre. I don't think Virginia is going to give up on Tony Bennett, but his tournament history is not good at all. And now, he is the first coach to lose to a 16 seed. That will be what he is remembered for forever. No matter what happens, say Virginia goes on to win a few titles, when Tony Bennett retires, it will always be said that he was the first coach to lose to a 16 seed. This is a big deal.

After the 16 seed taking down a number 1, I thought it couldn't get any wilder. The second round happened and totally threw me for a loop. That is not to say that some of the blue bloods and one seeds left did not take care of business. Villanova hammered Alabama. I thought Alabama could give them a game, but that didn't happen at all. Duke manhandled Rhode Island. I hate to say it, but Duke truly looks like the best team left in the tournament. Kentucky was given a game for about 35 minutes against Buffalo, but then they won by 20. But, there were 3 games on Saturday that were pretty wild.

First was the University of Ohio State and Gonzaga played a hell of a game. The Zags jumped out to a big lead, but the University of Ohio State came back before the Zags finally pulled away at the end. Loyola Chicago then proceeded to continue their improbable run by hitting a game winning jumper to beat Tennessee. Then, we had the Houston-Michigan game to close the night. The game itself wasn't great, there were a lot of missed shots and piss poor foul calls. But, the shot that Jordan Poole hit to win the game I will never forget. It was amazing, and it was so nice to see my team win a game like that. I did not think they had a chance, especially with Houston going to free throw line with 4 seconds left to win the game. But, magic happened. I'm excited to see how they respond after an ending like that, but for now, I will bask in the glory of that shot.

Yesterday was almost as wild as Friday. Nothing will top Friday, again, a 16 beat a 1, but nonetheless, it was crazy. The only game that wasn't too nuts was Auburn-Clemson, but that is only because Clemson handed Auburn's ass to them. Other than that, it was all crazy. Purdue beat Butler, but it was a big time struggle. They only won by three, but it was tough. Texas A&M came out and put a beat down on the defending champs. UNC had no answer for A&M's big men. That game actually has me kind of worried about Michigan next. KSU ended UMBC's never before seen run. The game was ugly and bad,  but KSU ended up winning by 7. Then the real madness started.

Cincinnati somehow managed to blow a 20 point lead with 10 minutes left, and let Nevada storm back to win. Michigan State, a presumed title favorite, got completely flummoxed by Syracuse's zone, and a team I still don't think belongs, Syracuse, improbably moved on to the Sweet Sixteen. And then we saw our second number one seed go down in Xavier. This was a rough weekend for the state of Ohio in basketball. I did say that Xavier was the "softest" one seed, but I thought they could make the Sweet Sixteen at the very least. Well, Florida State had other plans and knocked them out. It was just a wild, wild weekend.

Now that the first weekend is done, and we have our Sweet Sixteen, I am left with somewhat of a hollow feeling. There are some teams that I never thought would be here right now. The fact that KSU, Loyola Chicago, FSU, Nevada, Texas A&M and Syracuse, that is 1/3 of the Sweet Sixteen, is bizarre. No disrespect to those schools, but wow. I just cannot believe that they are here now. We do have some bluebloods, KU, Duke, Kentucky, Purdue and Villanova is kind of a relief, but not really. The rest of the Sweet Sixteen is either up and coming teams or teams that have had a good year. We have Michigan, Gonzaga, West Virginia, Texas Tech and Clemson. All of those teams were ranked pretty much all year. They do belong.

So, when I look at the matchups left, I honestly have no idea what will happen. I will give it a shot today and pick, but honestly, my guess is as good or as bad as anyone else's in the world. My Elite Eight is Kentucky, Nevada, Gonzaga, Michigan, Villanova, Purdue, Clemson and Duke. In fact I think all these teams will win with ease. Then for the Final Four I have Kentucky, Gonzaga, Villanova and Duke. That would pit Kentucky versus Gonzaga and Duke versus Villanova. Lets be honest, Duke-Villanova is the real title game. The winner of that game should easily win the title. That, if it happens, will be the best game for sure. I have Villanova beating Duke, then crushing Kentucky in the title game. This will have people calling Villanova a "dynasty", but to me, this title will be a lot like when Kevin Ollie led Connecticut to the championship in 2014. It will be hollow.

While this has been a fun tournament to bear witness to, it has not been the best. Maybe this weekend will bring us some more craziness, but hopefully it brings us better basketball. And the refs need to chill out on the whistles.

Ty

Ed Note: I did pick the University of Cincinnati Bearcats to win the title. I went the homer route, and I lost. To make matters worse, Xavier lays an egg right after UC, and the Queen City once again experienced massive sports heartbreak. I have often asked what city has experienced the worst sports heartbreak. Chicago and Boston used to have that title, but they only held it because the sports media is filled with idiots. Cleveland has had some rough times, but the Cavs won an improbable title a few years ago. Cincinnati won the World Series in 1990, then a whole lot of nothing. We have Kenyon Martin breaking his leg, Carson Palmer getting his knee wrecked, a decade worth of Marvin Lewis making the Bengals just ok, the Reds wasting Joey Votto, and now we have our basketball teams having magical seasons just to see them lose in terrible fashion. 

Being a Cincy sports fan sucks. I hope I do not get suckered again.

Since there is no hope left, I am picking Duke to win it all.

RD

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on all the internet.

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