Ty's 2019 NBA Playoff Preview

The NBA playoffs begin tomorrow, so I am here today with my preview and predictions. I'm so excited for the playoffs. The last couple weeks have been a slog, and now it is finally time. The best basketball will be played now for the next couple months, and I am all in for it. I'm going to start with the East, then do the West, picked a champ, and I will give my playoff MVP as well.

With that said, lets start with the JV of the NBA, the East. I will say, the top 3 teams are really, really good, the Celtics are okay, the Pacers are solid, but missing their star, and the bottom three teams are just not ready yet. There is really not going to be many surprises.

I'll star with the 1-8 matchup, Milwaukee and Detroit. Detroit snuck into the playoffs, winning their final game to secure their spot. Luckily, they played the Knicks, so the win was pretty much in hand. But, the Bucks are going to get their first playoff series win since drafting Giannis, and it will be so very easy. Sure, the Pistons have Blake Griffin, who is nursing an injury, surprise surprise, and Andre Drummond has been great in the second half of the season, but outside of them, they have nothing good. Reggie Jackson is trash. Luke Kennard is garbage. Ish Smith is not a top notch player. They just don't have the guys to keep up with Giannis and Bledsoe and Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton. The Bucks will not miss Malcolm Brogdon in this series either. Bucks in 4.

The 4-5 matchup would have been awesome if Victor Oladipo were healthy. But, the Celtics lucked out, and they get to face the Pacers minus Oladipo. Sure, the Celtics won't have Marcus Smart, but they should win round one. It won't be easy though. The Pacers are tough. Myles Turner is awesome, Domantas Sabonis has made a leap and Bojan Bogdonovic can stroke from three. But, Kyrie Irving lives for the playoffs, and he has something to prove. Also, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and Al Horford and Marcus Morris helped this team make a run to the conference finals last year. The Celtics will win, but it will be in a very tough 6 games.

In the 3-6 matchup we have the 76ers and Nets. The Nets are back! Yeah! That is about all the praise I can heap on them. They have some good guards that will exploit the 76ers, and Joel Embiid may not be 100 percent, but they should win with ease. D'Angelo Russell and Caris Levert and Spencer Dinwiddie will make it interesting at times, but I just don't see them as a threat. And as good as Jarrett Allen has become as a rim protector, Embiid eats his lunch every time he has played him. Ben Simmons will be fine and Jimmy Butler is on a mission. Oh, and Tobias Harris is a really, really good player. The 76ers will win in 4.

The 2-7 matchup includes the return of the Magic. Who made the playoffs with a 42-40 record, which was good enough to win their division. That should tell you all you need to know about this matchup. The Raptors are going to throttle the Magic. Kawhi is dominant. Kyle Lowry, even if he chokes, has so much help. Pascal Siakim is a burgeoning star. Marc Gasol adds some offense. And the Raptors are insanely deep. Raptors in 4.

In the second round we will have the Bucks facing the Celtics and the Raptors facing the 76ers. This is where the East playoffs get good.

In the Bucks-Celtics matchup, I feel like the Bucks are going to trash them. All the in fighting, all the whining, all the shortcomings all season long for the Celtics will come to a head, and the Bucks will dominate. This is where Giannis is going to solidify his MVP. He simply cannot be stopped, and the Celtics will start to point fingers, and the Bucks will roll from there. I have the Celtics winning one game, but that is it. Bucks in 5.

The Raptors-76ers, on paper, should be a well fought series. It won't be though. The 76ers are so thin after their starting 5, which is one of the best in the league, cannot play the whole game, and this is where the Raptors depth will make an enormous difference. I also think that Kawhi is going to show off his offensive game in this series because no one, including Jimmy Butler, can stop him. It will go 6, but the Raptors will make it look fairly easy.

That means I have the Bucks and Raptors in the East Finals. This is the matchup I want, and I also believe, we will get. These are the 2 best teams, by far, in the East. And the series will not disappoint. I think it goes 7, with Toronto winning. I feel like they will let Giannis get his, as I said, he is impossible to stop, and they will stop everyone else on the Bucks. Lopez won't be able to shoot threes, and Middleton will get shut down, Brogdon will be back, but I feel ineffective, and Bledsoe just isn't as good offensively as he is on defense. I'm stoked for this series, and I picked Toronto at the beginning of the season, and I'm going to stick with them now.

Now, on to the Varsity. The West is so, so much better than the East from 1-8. These are the best of the best teams in the NBA, and I think the West is going to be wild.

In the 1-8 matchup we have the Warriors and LA Clippers. I actually grew to like what the Clippers did this year. They shed all the baggage, got some team guys and played solid basketball all year. They also stayed relatively healthy. Unfortunately for them, they drew the Warriors, and the Warriors are about to flip the switch. This is probably their last go round with KD, and only season with Boogie. They have slept walk through the year, and they still got the one seed. Now, they flip the switch. As much as I now kind of enjoy the Clippers, and my newfound respect for Doc Rivers, they are getting swept out of the playoffs with ease. Warriors in 4.

In the 4-5, we get Houston and Utah. I could not dislike these 2 teams more. Houston is boring and plays a dull, slow game. And Utah has the most racist fans in sports. But, the players on the floor are great. Houston has Harden and Chris Paul, Clint Capela and PJ Tucker. That's four great players right there. Utah has Rudy Gobert, Joe Ingles and Donovan Mitchell, 2 of which could be the future of the league. I also think Gordon Hayward leaving 2 years ago was a blessing in disguise. Both team shave been on a tear since the All Star break, and I know that most people have the Rockets winning this series with ease. Not me. The Jazz will muddy this series up, they will play bully ball, they won't let Harden get to the line as much as he is used to, and I'm just waiting for the Chris Paul injury. This is going to be a rough and tumble series, and I think the Rockets will miss having a guy like Trevor Ariza for this series. I have this going 7, and I have the Jazz winning an improbable game 7 in Houston. I also think the Rockets are kind of looking ahead to the Warriors, and that will bit them in the ass.

In the 3-6 we have OKC and Portland. I LOVE this matchup. OKC has come on strong at the end, and Paul George might finally be healthy. Also, Westbrook has been a lot better lately, and the role players are doing solid stuff. Portland has been hot for awhile now. Damien Lillard is in the MVP conversation, they finally have CJ McCollum back and Enes Kanter is a beast on offense. But, the loss of Jusuf Nurkic is a killer for Portland. He was such a key cog, and now that they don't have him, Steven Adams is going to control the paint. This series is going to go 7, and I have OKC pulling out the victory. Lillard will show out, and I think McCollum will play well, but no one on that team can stop George or Westbrook, and as I said, Adams will lock down the middle.

As for the 2-7 matchup, we have the new, young Denver Nuggets facing the old hand, veteran laden Spurs. This is going to be a good matchup of contrasting styles. The Nuggets want to get up and down, and run everything through Jokic. While the Spurs will be perfectly happy running clock and playing a half court game. I really like what Denver is doing, and what direction they're going in, but Greg Poppovich is the best NBA coach ever, and he is going to take this Spurs team to a game 7 win in Denver. I mean, LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan and Patty Mills are all playoff vets. They will know what to do for the series win. But, Denver is about to become a stalwart in the West. They just aren't ready yet.

So the second round will feature Golden State facing Utah and OKC facing San Antonio.

Utah, after taking down Houston, is going to get throttled. Yes, I love Gobert and Mitchell, but the Warriors can start five all stars. Also, the flip switch I keep talking about is coming. I feel like Klay and KD and Steph are going to go off in this series too. The three of them could go for 30 each and win all games by themselves. Once again, I have the Warriors in 4.

The other matchup is interesting because it is 2 veteran laden teams that like half court basketball. I'm going to go with the team with more talent, and that is OKC. They have one of their best chances in awhile to make a playoff statement, and I think they will do it this year. The series will be good, as far as on court lay goes, but OKC is younger and more athletic. The Spurs will fight, but I have Paul George really showing out, kind of how he looked at the start of the season, and I have him leading the Thunder to the conference finals. Thunder in 6.

This gives us OKC and Golden State. I want this matchup so badly. I know the Thunder won't put up much of a fight, but Westbrook and George will, at least, get them one win. They can do it. But, again, this is the only time the Warriors really care about, playoff time, and they are scary good when they turn it on. Look at what they did to Charlotte and Denver when people questioned their talent. Warriors will win in 5, but it will be a fun 5 games.

That leaves us with Golden State and Toronto in the NBA Finals. This is the same matchup I picked in the preseason, and I have seen nothing to change my mind. This will be a solid series. Kawhi always shows up against Golden State, and I think Siakim will give Draymond and Boogie fits. But, the Warriors have KD, Klay and Steph. I mean, pick your poison Toronto. You cannot stop all three of them. You can kind of shut down Boogie by getting in his head, and Draymond is not good offensively. But, just like the Utah series, the three "guards" that the Warriors trot out there can win games themselves. I have the series going 6, with people freaking out after Toronto ties in up after game 4. But, the Warriors will then throttle them in the next 2 games and hold up their fourth Larry O'Brien trophy in 5 years. Things will change drastically after that, but that is another piece for another day. I also have Steph finally winning his first Finals MVP. Now that he can see, he is going to score a ton of points in the playoffs, and especially in the Finals.

There you have it. I am so pumped for the playoffs to start tomorrow. Lets get to 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 the internet. 

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

Dirk Nowitzki and Dwaye Wade Helped Shape the Modern NBA

Last night two great NBA careers ended. Both Dirk Nowitzki and Dwayne Wade played their last NBA games last night. And they both played pretty well. I think they are both doing the right thing walking away now, but both look like they could still contribute, albeit in a small way, to most NBA teams. But I wanted to take a minute today to congratulate both of them on their hall of fame careers.

That's right, both are surefire first ballot hall of famers. Dirk was the first Euro league player I saw that was that big and could shoot that well. He was 7 feet tall, but he played an outside game. He had a nasty pull up jumper. He could also elevate over smaller defenders, which was the majority of NBA players, and hit jumpers with ease. He was the first big guy that made jumpers fun. To see him do the things he did, at his height, amazed me. He was a less athletic KD. He was a stronger Manute Bol. He was a taller Karl Malone. And when he first was in the league, he did a go to the basket move. He, Steve Nash and Michael Finley were a ton of fun to watch when they were all on the Mavs. They ran a great fast break, with Dirk finding the open spot on or near the elbow, and Finley filling the lane. He also came back from some hardships on the floor. He won the MVP awhile back, and that team lost in the first round of the playoffs to the "We Believe" Warriors. But, Dirk came back next year and helped lead the Mavs to the title. The team they beat in that Finals, it was the first year Big Three Heat. The Mavs totally shut down LeBron, and Bosh was neutralized. This helped Dirk play top notch offense, and he led that team to its only title. He totally redeemed himself. And like I said before, he paved the way for big guys like KD and KAT and AD to want to shoot, and make, three pointers. He made the pull up jumper en vogue. If I heard Steph call him an innovator and an influence, I would totally buy it. Dirk was also a great teammate. You never heard anyone complain about him. He took on free agents and rookies like family. He seemed like a genuinely fun guy to be around. He was always good in interviews and on TV. He was the consummate pro. What I loved most about this final season though, he waited until the very end to let everyone know he was retiring. It seemed like a foregone conclusion, but he didn't want the hubbub or fanfare. He left the game like Tim Duncan, on his own terms.

As far as Dwayne Wade goes, he more than deserved his sendoff. I adored that he made this season a farewell tour. Prior to all that though, Wade was a killer and a winner. From his draft day slip to now, he has always played like he has something to prove. People seem to forget that he was the MVP in a Finals before LeBron joined up with him. Wade, and a much older and slower Shaq, beat the Mavs in 6 games to win a title, and Wade was the man in that series. Sure, there is some question to the officiating, but Wade did what he had to do, and dominated those Finals. It was his big time coming out party. It was when he ascended to superstardom. After that, he was always an all star, a perennial all NBA player, in talks as an MVP. He was one of the best shooting guards in the game, and one of the best shooting guards ever. Even when LeBron showed up, I still thought that Wade was the engine that made that team run. He did the veteran move and stepped aside, but without him, the Heat don't win those titles. He always had big time playoff games and would constantly remind the nation that he was a monster on the court. And even when he left Miami and joined LeBron back in Cleveland, he was still important. His one year with the Bulls he almost helped them upset the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. He then went back to Miami and helped them back to the playoffs with a team filled with no big named people. And while this final season didn't end in a playoff appearance, Wade played really well and seemed to enjoy every moment. I also love that Paul Pierce tried to claim he was as good as Wade, and he was not having it. Wade has better averages across the board, more titles and is much more important to the game than Pierce could've ever dreamed of being. And I think Pierce was a great NBA player, he just isn't Dwayne Wade great. Wade, like Nowitzki, was also a great teammate and a consummate pro. He was just more fun to watch, at least for me. I think it is awesome that he went out with a triple double too.

Last night saw 2 great careers end, but not in a sad way. They both went out on their terms, in their own personal ways, and I loved every second of their illustrious NBA career's. Enjoy retirement you 2, you both more than deserve 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 the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Magic Quit on the Lakers

Shockingly, Magic Johnson stepped down as the head operations of basketball related issues with the Lakers last night. Basically, he is done trying to get and sign big name free agents for the team he once starred for.

This stunned me when I heard the news yesterday. I know that this season went about as bad as possible for the Lakers. Things looked bright and it seemed like they would easily get back in the playoffs after they got LeBron to sign a 4 year deal. But then, things just kind of went haywire.

The problems started in the offseason after the James signing. I guess he had told Magic that he wanted some vets, so he and Rob Pelinka went out and signed guys like Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee, Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley. They also let Robin Lopez and Julius Randle walk. Magic also traded D'Angelo Russell last offseason so they could draft Lonzo Ball. When I saw their projected roster, I was confused, but figured LeBron would make it work.

When the season started, it was going fine. They were nestled into the 4 or 5 spot, and seemed playoff bound. But then things got really bad. LeBron got hurt on Christmas day while the Lakers were throttling the Warriors. He missed more time than he ever has in his career. This was, by far, the worst injury he has ever suffered. The team did not play great in his absence either. Brandon Ingram wasn't making the leap that many, myself included, thought he would. Ball still has a trash jumper, and he got hurt too. Josh Hart totally disappeared. Kentavious Caldwell Pope was playing like himself, which is to say, he is mediocre. McGee proved he isn't much of a starter. He is so much better as an energy guy. Michael Beasley and Lance Stephenson were jokes. And Rondo was Rondo. He griped about a lot this year.

Then, Magic decided he was going to go all in on AD. AD made his trade request very, very public, and LeBron's agent and buddy Rich Paul were just as vocal. Magic decided he was going to do whatever it took to get another superstar in LA, even if it meant destroying their future. He put up Ball, Ingram, Beasley, Ivan Zubac, Lance Stephenson and picks to try and get AD. The Pelicans, who seemed to be simply messing with LA, kept asking for more. This destroyed the locker room because all these young guys took it way, way too seriously, and their play suffered. After "activating playoff mode", LeBron came back too early, and the Lakers couldn't even beat a team like the Suns. Then Magic comes out after the blown trade and says he is going to talk to the young guys that he put on the block. He tried the whole "this is a business" thing, but the damage had been done. And LeBron did not help at all. He looked disengaged, never sat by the team on the bench, they had a team meeting where the young guys told him how they felt and he couldn't have cared less, and the Lakers got officially eliminated earlier than they did last season.

With the uncertainty that they may not get AD until next offseason, I think Magic saw the writing on the wall. I think he realized that he won't be the one to get the Lakers back to contention. I think he realized getting LeBron was more so for life after basketball as opposed to winning titles. But I think the botched trade is what put the nail in the coffin for him. I think he finally realized that this is an entire new generation of players, and he can't keep up with the times. But, the way he did it is odd. To just up and quit, without telling pretty much anyone involved with the organization is odd. To say he has felt "handcuffed" is absurd to me. He willingly took this job. I think he is leaving because he realizes it's a different game. I also think he is fed up with all the tampering fines. But man, what a cowardly way to go out. To just essentially "drop the mic" on a team that he was supposed to be able to lure big time stars to is sad.

I loved Magic Johnson the basketball player. But, he is proving that he cannot do much good as a coach or executive. He has spectacularly failed at both of those, and this season was the icing on the crap cake for him. I don't know where the Lakers go from here, but this season was bad enough, and now with Magic gone, the offseason may be worse. 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 the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

A Great Title Game Caps Off a Great Tournament

After the first 5-7 minutes of the title game last night, boy was there a show put on by both Texas Tech and Virginia.

The beginning, especially for Tech, was very ugly. They just could not put the ball in the hoop. Virginia did not really capitalize on that either. Sure, they pushed the lead to the 10 early, with the score 17-7, and then it became a good to great game. After Virginia got the double digit lead, a bench guy for Tech hit three threes and a jumper to tie the game. Then Virginia went on a run to push the lead to 4 or 5. Then Tech would come back.

For a game that I fully thought would be in the 50's, this game turned out to be beautifully both on offense and defense. Yes, both teams went over 70, and Virginia over 80, but there was some tremendous defense, rebounding and all around good defense being played. These players were making tough shots to be honest. I mean, how can I not start with Deandre Hunter. He was my pick for MOP for this tournament, and while he didn't have the best of games, he saved it all for last night, especially in the second half. He hit monster shot after monster shot. His elbow jumper was unstoppable. He made 2 of the biggest threes that I have ever witnessed in a college game. And he did it in the title game. He played best when he needed to play best. And man was he amazing on defense. He locked down another potential lottery pick in Jarret Culver. He was all over him all night. He made his life miserable for 40 minutes. It was a sight to behold. I told a buddy of mine that he played like Kawhi in college, except he has a much better jumper at that time in their lives. He was incredible. So was Kyle Guy. He hit some big threes. He made some good baseline jumpers. And he hit major free throws, which he is now expected to do. Ty Jerome ran that offense like a machine. The three he hit at the end of the first half was enormous. He also created tons of open shots for his teammates. He also covered Tech's big shooters, and limited them better than anyone else has all tournament. And Mamadi Diakite was snatching offensive and defensive rebounds all night, and played tremendous help d in the post. He was so awesome all tournament.

That's not to say that Tech didn't show up. Culver struggled, Hunter shut him down, but he still found a way to get double figures. The Italian dude has such a pure shot, and he was automatic from the line. The other guard, Mooney I think his name is, hit some critical threes even after struggling from the floor for about 30 minutes of play. Odiase was Tech's version of Diakite. He played great D on Hunter, swatting a critical shot, and he was grabbing boards. And grad transfer Tariq Owens, on a very hurt ankle, played his heart out until he fouled out.

This was a really good title game. I mean, it went to overtime, it had drama and it is a great, great story after what happened to Virginia last year. I know there wasn't a "hot" team, like Duke or Kentucky, but we still had very good teams, with lottery picks and great head coaches last night. Anyone that decided not to watch because there was no "sexy" team, I feel sorry for you. This was one of the better title games I watched. I was super impressed with both teams. The refs didn't do anything too outlandish. And I think the better team won.

This was a solid way to end a very fun season of college basketball. Congrats Virginia. A title well earned.

Ty

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

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Ty Watches the 2019 Final Four

The Final Four did not go as many planned it would this weekend. First off, I do not think the ratings were as bad as many expected. I'm sure they weren't enormous, but I still think they were pretty solid. I live in Saint Louis, a hockey and baseball town, and the games were on at the restaurant I went to on Saturday night. Point is , people seemed to be watching.

So while we didn't get Duke, UNC or Kentucky, we still had 4 very deserving, and good teams, with future NBA players. Second, I do have to say that the quality of the games was not great. Granted, all four teams left won based on defense and rebounding, but still, there was no offensive explosion by any of the teams. All four teams scored under seventy. Virginia, Auburn and Texas Tech all barely cracked 60, and Michigan State struggled to crack 50. But man was the defense fun to watch. It was great to see a bunch of 19 and 20 year olds going as hard as they could to block a shot, get a steal, grab a rebound and play 30 seconds of solid defense every single possession. I appreciate that. I am of the firm belief that defense wins titles so this was nice for me to see.

As far as the 2 games, lets talk about Virginia-Auburn first. This game will forever be marred by one missed call. More on that in a minute. This game was really a matchup of 2 totally different styles, and to be honest, I think Virginia won the style clash because they did not really allow Auburn to run up and won like they want to do. That doesn't mean that Auburn didn't try, Virginia just turned the game into a slog.

Now, Auburn should have won, as much I may not want to say it. I do not like Bruce Pearl, he is a known cheater, and the stories of him "overcoming adversity to be where he is today" were total nonsense. I also think Auburn was the only team in the field with no real NBA guys. But, they got hosed by a missed call. The foul call on the three was legit. The defender went underneath the shooter, the shooter did not force contact and that is a foul. But, the fact that the refs missed a blatant double dribble, and allowed Virginia even a shot at three was ridiculous. Anyone that has played, or even watched basketball, knows that was a double dribble. The point guard lost the ball, picked it up and dribbled again. You cannot do that. And, he did it right in front of a ref. That is so bad. That will be what this game is remembered for. Auburn should have been the winner. But, props to Kyle Guy for making all three of those free throws and winning the game for Virginia. But man, what a terrible blown call by the officials. They have been bad this year, real bad, and that no call might be the worst. With that being said, I'm glad a scumbag like Bruce Pearl is not playing for a title tonight.

The exact same thing, except with much more enthusiasm from me, can be said about that sleaze bag Tom Izzo. His team, the same team that has covered about sexual assault and abuse for decades, were the presumptive favorites after they beat Duke. But they were not up to the task of beating Texas Tech's defense. They put up a better fight than Michigan and Gonzaga, but in the end, they couldn't get the win. Tech let MSU get off to a hot start, but after it was 16-11, they clamped down. They shut down Cassius Winston. Matt McQuaid faked cramps all game long, and he looked exhausted 5 minutes into the game. The big men for MSU were getting shots swatted left and right, and they were finding it hard to grab offensive rebounds as easily as they have done all year. Sure, the refs did their part in this game to make it close. At one point in the second half, after Tech had built a double digit lead, MSU shot 6 straight free throws to close the gap, and then CBS put up the free throw numbers for the half, and MSU had 9 attempts to Tech's 1. But, in the end it didn't matter. And for all the Jarret Culver slander that has been going around all tournament, man did that kid step up when his team needed him most. Tech was clinging to a one point lead with 2 and a half minutes left, and Culver went on his own 7-0 run, draining a step back three with 1 minute left to seal the deal. That was super impressive. He proved a ton in that last 2 minutes, and he is a surefire lottery pick now. I'd for sure take him over that Barret kid from Duke after seeing what he did.

So that leaves us with a Tech-Virginia title game this evening. This is going to be a race to 50, maybe 45. Both of these teams play methodical offense and lockdown defense. Tech has the best player, Culver, but Virginia is more seasoned, and they have something to prove after last year. I'm going with Virginia in a very, very close game. And while I know it will be low scoring, it will be an exciting game. Time for Virginia to get that monkey off their back.

Can’t wait to watch the end of a fantastic tournament.

Ty

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

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

The SeedSing 2019 MLB Preview

I know that it has been well over a week, but baseball is 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 2019 MLB predictions. Now that the great game is underway, it is time to ask a few questions.

Let’s look at the American League first.

Is the AL East the best division in Baseball?

No, it is the second best division. The Yankees and Red Sox may have not started out well, but both teams will win close to, or over, 100 games. The Red Sox proved their greatness last year, and the Yankees will find the pieces they need to contend. The Tampa Bay Rays will continue to improve behind their great pitching and will win over 90 games. When Vlad Guerrero Jr is finally called up Toronto, the Blue Jays will be somewhat competitive. The Orioles are probably the worst team in all of baseball, and that is the number one reason the AL East is only the second best division in all of the MLB.

Will Cleveland win the AL Central again?

No doubt. The Indians have not improved, but neither has anyone else in the division. The Twins added a few veterans, but will it be enough? The Royals, Tigers and White Sox are all rebuilding. Cleveland can win the central with 90 wins, and they will.

Is the AL West even worse than the AL Central?

The AL West is the worst division in the MLB. Houston is otherworldly, but no one else in that division will be over 500. Oakland had a nice 2018, they will not repeat that success. Seattle and Texas are filled with young guys and retreads. The Angels just gave Mike Trout a billion dollars, and have nothing to surround the star with. Houston may have the division won by early August.

OK, Who is coming out of the AL?

The Yankees, Red Sox, and Astros may be the three best teams in all of baseball, but the majority of the league is terrible. Tampa and Minnesota will be competitive, but they cannot overtake the top teams. Cleveland will win their division because the Twins will not be quite ready yet.

In the end, Boston will win the East, Cleveland the Central, and Houston the West. The Wild Cards will be Tampa and New York. Boston and Houston will meet once again in the ALCS, with the Astros getting revenge and becoming the AL representative in the World Series.

Now time for the National League

How good is the NL East?

The NL East made a lot of headlines in the offseason, but the division is more hype than good. The Mets have great pitching, and very little else. The Nationals have Max Scherzer, and an old team around him. The Phillies added Bryce Harper, and nothing else. Those three teams made the headlines, but it will be the defending division champion Braves who will easily win the NL East.

Oh, and the Miami Marlins, they will be absolutely terrible again.

What about the NL Central?

The NL Central is the best division in baseball. Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis all have teams that could be over 500. This will be an extremely competitive division. In the end the Cardinals, and their experience, will beat Milwaukee, and their youth, to take the division title.

Wait, did you say the Cincinnati Reds will be good in 2019?

They will be competitive. The Reds will not win the division, but they are going to give other teams fits (note: the Reds are 1-7 on the day this article was written). Cincinnati went insane this offseason, unloading expensive busts, and adding a bunch of guys on the last year of their contracts. When, if, the offense gets going, the Reds will be one of the most exciting teams in all of baseball.

Will the Dodgers win the AL West again?

No, the Colorado Rockies will win the division. The West is another sneaky good division. San Diego is rising, and they added Manny Machado. Arizona may look down, but they still have Zack Greinke. San Francisco has been down lately, but I will never count a team run by Bruce Bochy. He is the Gregg Popovich of Major League Baseball. Yet with all that talk, the Rockies are ready to make the next step and finally dethrone the Dodgers as NL West champs.

OK, who is coming out of the NL?

Atlanta, St. Louis, and Colorado will win their divisions with Milwaukee and LA taking the Wild Cards. The Cardinals and Brewers will meet up in the NLCS, with St. Louis taking down the upstart Brewers.

What will be the biggest highlights of 2019?

The Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Mets will have historically good pitching seasons.

Bryce Harper and Manny Machado will have good seasons, but the biggest offseason acquisition will prove to be when the Cardinals traded for Paul Goldschmidt.

The Astros, Red Sox and Yankees will all have over 100 wins. The only other teams in the American League with a winning record will be Cleveland and Tampa.

Vlad Guerrero Jr will be the AL Rookie of the Year and the MVP.

The Chicago Cubs will be last place in the NL Central.

Who is going to win it all in 2019?

The Houston Astros are the best team in baseball, and they will easily win the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals. It will be a four game sweep. The National League has more competitive teams, but the American League has the three best teams. The Astros are the best of those three great teams.

Enjoy the 2019 Major League Baseball season.

RD

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

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

There is Nothing Wrong with Bread Slicing Your Bagel

Best idea since sliced this

Some time last week there was this story circulating around the internet talking about how some people in Saint Louis like their bagels to be bread sliced. For those that may not know, bread slicing a bagel is taking a fully formed bagel, and slicing it into smaller pieces. Instead of cutting it in half, some people around here like it sliced into bread slices.

I really thought nothing of this story, I have lived in Saint Louis my whole life, and spent three years working at Saint Louis Bread Company (Panera to all you non-St. Louis people), bread slicing plenty of bagels. But man did this story blow the hell up. Soon, it was everywhere. I saw it on Buzzfeed, Uproxx, Deadspin, pretty much most rags and sites that are pure clickbait, although I do love Deadspin. It was everywhere.

What struck me most was the pure hatred and vitriol that was being spewed about the way some people like to eat bagels. Within a day, if even that, people were talking about how stupid people in Saint Louis were because they liked their bagels bread sliced. I saw some idiots "trying to prove a point", by dumping a carton of milk into a perfectly good box of Chips Ahoy cookies. I also read a bunch of people criticizing this way of eating by simply calling it "lazy", "unnecessary", "appalling" and "gross".

Why?

Who in the hell cares how someone consumes food? Why do people on the internet have to be so mean about something so trivial? I know that I can hate on things sometimes. I have written about sports teams and food and restaurant mascots that I think are absurd. But I have never once been critical of people that eat food differently, or gotten on someone's head about a food they like that I dislike. I simply don't care. If you want to sandwich 2 pieces of pizza together and eat it that way, be my guest. You want fries piled on your sandwich or burger, go for it. You want to cover you noodles with cheese sauce, or tomato sauce, or eat them with just butter, that's fine. You're on a low carb diet and you eat your burger lettuce wrapped, more power to you. And if you want to eat a bagel bread sliced, that is your own god damn decision. Eat that shit bread sliced, and eat it with a big smile on your face.

I will say, while it was a pain to bread slice the bagel, I tried it a few times, and it was just fine. It was kind of nice to spread as little or as much cream cheese as I wanted on each slice. I really liked the cinnamon crunch bagel bread sliced because I got a piece of the crunch on each bite. When it was sliced in half, the bottom half was just bagel. I used to throw that part out. But, the bread sliced gave me the pleasure of plenty of sugar within each bite. Bread slicing is way better for this kind of bagel.

I guess what I am trying to say today, people will find anything to complain about, blow it up and drag an entire city while they are at it. This is the bad part of the internet. People can hide behind screen names and post as much mean nonsense as they want. I mean, a bread sliced bagel was a form of ridicule for a solid week on the internet. That is really sad people. And it is really petty. Who cares how people in different cities eat food. Let Chicago have their deep dish. Let Pittsburgh have their fries on their sandwiches. Let California have great tacos. Let New York have dope ass deli's. And let Saint Louis have their bread sliced bagels. It's just food after all.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is going to start slicing his bread loves like a bagel just own all you anti-St. Louis snowflakes.

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Ty Watches "What We Do In the Shadows" Series Premier

Two weeks ago a show that I have been waiting on for almost a year now finally premiered. "What We Do in the Shadows" aired its pilot episode, and I have to say, it was tremendous.

I was a teeny tiny bit worried, because I adore the movie so very much. But, they knocked it out of the park. I shouldn't have been so wary because both Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi were both attached, and gave their blessing. And man did it deliver. The pilot was pretty much like the first 10-15 minutes of the movie, with some added for TV type stuff. And it was so, so funny.

Right off the bat we meet the four main characters as they gather for a house meeting. The main vampire, the one who holds the meetings, is named Nandor, played by Kayvan Novak. He is so good as the typical fish out of water, that just wants things to run smoothly. He wants to have house meetings. He wants things to look nice for guests. He wants to make sure that the house is cleaned up after they have their feedings. He wants everyone to get along. One of my favorite scenes in the pilot revolved around him going to the store to get decorations for a big visitor, and he keeps calling crepe paper, "creepy" paper. It was hilarious. He also lights a paper skeleton on fire with a snap of the finger because he finds it classless.

We then meet the married vampires, Nadja, played by Natasia Demetriou, and Laszlo, played by Matt Berry. Nadja is a riot. She clearly doesn't like Laszlo, but due to circumstance and situation, it is best for her. She also creepily stalks a guy that she thinks is a reincarnation of a former lover of hers. The way she laughs is also very awkward, but also very funny. Matt Berry is a treasure. I am a big time fan of his, and to see him, finally, on a main stream, network-ish type show is well overdue. He is funny. He is dry and he rules. He also is pretty unhappy with his arrangement, but he accepts it. He loves to go hunt for food at night. He doesn't care for the house meetings, and voices his opinions loudly. And he sure loves to turn into a bat because he can fly instead of walk, which he doesn't care for either. I'm so excited to see where they take his character from here.

We also meet Nandor's familiar, a human that works for the vampire, Guillermo, played by Harvey Guillen. He is so sad and lonely, but Guillen plays it hilariously. To see him talk about why he wants to become vampire, due to a role by Antonio Banderas, was great. To see him clean the house, riotous. And to see him get "food" for his leaders, just tremendous. He is so funny. He clearly just wants to be turned into a vampire, but it seems like it will never come.

We also meet an energy vampire, and this was, in my opinion, the funniest part of the whole pilot. The energy vampire is named Colin, played by Mark Proksch. He is hilarious. To see him explain why he is a vampire made me howl. He talks about being the guy in the office that either talks about nonsensical things until the person is so bored they fall asleep, or to enrage people. To enrage people in the office, they show him jam a pencil into an electronic pencil sharpener over and over again. It was great. The other vampires also despise him. When they have people over to feed one night, they hide him away. But, he ends up talking to the victims, and he has bored them so much that their blood has no nutritional value. Again, it was so funny.

I'm so excited the show is finally on, and that it lived up to my personal hype. I cannot wait to watch the rest of the season, and to see it get renewed, hopefully, for many, many seasons. It is a treat.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He likes to annoy people in his office with demands like eating vegetables and taking naps. It is a good thing his office is his house and the other tenants are his kids. Otherwise it would just be creepy.

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The AAF Failed. Are We Surprised?

The American Alliance of Football has suspended all their operations with three weeks left in their regular season. I was going to write about something else today, but this takes precedence. That piece will come tomorrow. But, as I said, the AAF, for all intents and purposes, is done. Kaput. Finished.

Who could have for seen this coming? Who would have thought that football in the Spring would be pointless? Who would have thought that this poor, lower level "professional" football wouldn't last? I'll tell you who, me. That's right, I'm going to pat myself on the back today. I get a lot of things wrong, I keep picking the Indians to win the World Series for some reason, but this, the AAF being pointless, boring and that it wouldn't last, I got that right. I did watch one quarter of this league, out of pure curiosity, and was immediately turned off by what I saw. I actually watched with my dad, who is as big a football fan as I am, and he was very underwhelmed as well. After that one quarter, it was him that told me to turn it off. He wanted to watch the NBA instead. I was more than happy to oblige.

This league was a disaster from the start. They rushed it. They put it all together far too soon, and thought they could figure it out as the season went on. Sure, they had some big names attached, but those names are people that have been away from football for far too long. We had guys like Bill Polian, Steve Spurrier and Mike Martz. But, those guys haven't been relevant in a decade. Hell, the only players I know of were the former Wolverines, mainly DeVeon Smith and Denard Robinson, and I didn't even really care to look into how they were doing. I'd get updates from some Michigan websites I followed, click on it and then forget about it. I do know that Johnny Manziel was recently picked up by this league, I don't know why he keeps getting chance after chance, but only because I was in Memphis last weekend, and there were pictures of him everywhere. It was disgusting. But, in his two games he was apparently pretty mediocre anyway, just like the whole league. This thing was bound to fail. They introduced this as a semi pro developmental league, but it was really just a response to the dumbass return of the XFL, which I believe starts next year. That will also fold, maybe quicker than the AAF.

This was a bad idea. This was Theranos and Fyre Fest bad. At least the AAF didn't purposefully try to hurt people like Theranos, and they didn't put lives at risk like Fyre Fest, but still, this was a horrible idea that has now blown up in a lot of people's faces. The only people I feel bad for are the players. For some, this was their last shot at making it to the NFL. Some of them really thought they had a real shot. And I bet a few chosen ones would have made it. But now, who knows. This was an awful idea, a money grab and a mistake.

The AAF was no USFL. It was more of the XFL the first time around. Now that it is gone, I will forget about it pretty quick. Oof, I cannot stress enough how bad this idea was, and now, I do not see anyway back for this league. RIP AAF. You will not be missed.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He was looking forward to the Madden version of the AAF. Oh well, at least he can now wait for the return of NCAA Football on an accommodating video game system.

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Cloves and Fedoras: The Comedy, and Energy, of a Live Todd Glass Show

Cloves and Fedoras is Seed Sings reviews for little known pieces of pop culture (or older pieces).  Feel free to contact us with your own submissions of undiscovered gems that must be known.

This past Saturday I had the great pleasure of seeing Todd Glass do standup here in Saint Louis.

I'm a big fan of Glass'. He is a very funny standup, and he is filled with energy. One of my favorite things about the show was Glass doing the rules before hand. He was given a mic in the back of the club and he laid out what he expected from the fans during his set. I like when comedians do this because then you know exactly how you should behave. He asked everyone to turn their phones off, not to heckle and to enjoy themselves during the set. Three simple requests. Of course some people didn't oblige, I still will never understand why you need to check your phone or talk loudly while a comic is doing comedy. But, for the most part, the crowd obliged Glass. He had our attention.

And it wasn't just him. For the life of me I cannot remember the opener's last name, I know his first name was Chris, and he was hilarious. He had a tight 15 minute set that was very, very funny, especially his closer about a stay in a hotel in Minnesota. I don't want to spoil anything, and I won't. But this story about his hotel bed was tremendous. And the way he told it made it that much more funny. He was great. Then Glass came on stage and proceeded to crush for 80 plus minutes.

Todd Glass has a band with him now, which I love. He has always talked about his love for music, especially drums. So, it was nice to see him have a drummer, keyboard player and a guy that played slide whistle and tambourine, among other things. Glass used them to perfection. Whenever he needed a punctuation on a joke, he looked to the drummer. When he wanted to tell a story, he used the keyboard player and told him what kind of music he wanted to accompany him. And when the band messed up, which they only did a few times, he gave them the business. It was all good-natured and hilarious. Glass is a master of that. He knows how to rib someone, how to push their buttons just to the edge, then pull back and become your best friend. He even showed this when the people who didn't follow his rules messed up and he caught them. A lady in the very front kept talking, and he would give her the business, but by the end of the show, she was reaching up to shake his hand, and he was smiling ear to ear.

What I love most about Glass, and this show in particular, was the energy. He is a ball of energy. He goes 1,000 miles a minute. even when he slows it down a bit, he talks fast. He did that all night, He jumped from bit to bit. Even when he forgot something he started, he would go into a mini rant that was filled with what seemed like a million words in one minute. It was tremendous. One of my favorite bits of the night was when he talked about old singers using the band to their advantage. He talked about how they would try and tell a joke, totally bomb, but be able to fall back on one of their hit songs. It is one of the most solid bits I have ever seen live. I also loved when he did Rodney Dangerfield doing Mitch Hedberg jokes. That was classic. But, I have to say that I loved the "crowd work" the most. It was so irreverent, and so funny. He is a master.

This is the second time I have seen Todd Glass, and he has delivered, and then some, both times. I highly recommend seeing him live if you can. He is one of he better standups out there right now. I had a blast, and I know everyone who saw him in Saint Louis last weekend did too. Todd Glass is awesome. He is a must see standup.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Todd Glass is a great up and coming comedian, but who are the 10 best ever. We did a podcast about that.

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This Has Been One Hell of an NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament

What a weekend of college basketball. I mean, 2 overtime games, Tech edging out Gonzaga and Duke finally, mercifully not getting the benefit of the doubt, or the help from the refs. I was pretty much glued to all 4 of the games this weekend.

Let’s break it down.

First off, the Texas Tech-Gonzaga game was the "worst" of the bunch, and that was a solid basketball game. Tech still played that suffocating defense, Culver stepped up in a big way, so big he could be on his way to MOP if he keeps this up, and Tech wins the title. But Gonzaga did hit some shots, and they made it close to the end. They were even in it with less than 10 seconds left in the game. But, Tech found a way to win again, and I feel like they have a good shot to make it to the championship game. They are a solid, complete team.

Then we had the 2 overtime games. First off, what more could Carsen Edwards do? The kid seemingly hit every shot that he took against Virginia. I mean, Purdue finished that game with 75 or 76 points, and he had 42 of them. He went total supernova. He nearly willed that team to a win. But, that kid on Virginia, Diakite, hit a beautiful floater to push the game to overtime. From there on out, Purdue just lost gas. No one other than Edwards even hit double figures. Ryan Cline was ice cold. Eifert looked scared to shoot. Haarms might be the softest 7'3 big man in the country. And every other player on that team just pulled zero weight. Edwards couldn't do it alone. But man did Virginia turn it on when needed. They looked a bit off on offense all tourney. But, Diakite took over down low. Ty Jerome ran that offense perfectly. All Kyle Guy had to do was sprain his ankle to hit some threes, and when DeAndre Hunter needed to do his thing, he did it. He was so good on defense too. That kid can play. This has been a very solid turnaround after what happened to Virginia last year.

Then we had the Kentucky-Auburn overtime game. While not nearly as fun and entertaining as Purdue-Virginia, but still, an overtime game in the Elite eight nonetheless. Kentucky had their shot. They could've won. But, they struggled mightily at the free throw line. They went ice cold in overtime, not scoring a single point until there was about three minutes left. And Auburn, well, when they hit threes at the clip they're hitting them right now, they can beat anyone anytime. They are crushing from three, blocking shots and getting steals. That's how they have won all year. And they did that all their way to their first final four ever, going Tech as first timers. And at this point, it doesn't seem to matter that they can't rebound because they are more than making up for it at three. This team is dangerous. I kind of wish I had stuck with them like I did in my first tournament preview. They look really good right now, especially on offense. 

Then we had the game of games. The one where Duke finally got their comeuppance. The one where Coach K couldn't get the refs to bail him out. The one where he decided to not give his best player, Zion Williamson, the ball for the last 2 minutes of the game. He counted on the wrong star freshman to win him that game yesterday, and he picked wrong. When will Coach K finally get the heat for his teams getting beat far too early? Everyone jumped on John Calipari when Kentucky got beat, but everyone else blames RJ Barrett or Zion or Cam Reddish. Or they say that Michigan State got lucky. No one ever blames Coach K, and like I said, Zion didn't touch the ball in the last 2 minutes of the game. That's on him. Coach K chose to do that, and he chose wrong. While I'm at it, and I still fully believe that Michigan State should be banned from all major college sports for what they did for years and years and years, they outplayed and out coached Duke yesterday. They covered Zion better than any other team has all year. They shut down Barrett. His numbers were very, very hollow. Tre Jones couldn't stop Cassius Winston. Winston clowned him all game. And where on Earth was Cam Reddish? I simply do not get why he is considered a lottery pick. I forgot about him at times during that game yesterday, and that is not a good sign. But MSU won that game. Don't get it twisted. They won. They beat Duke. They beat Coach K. They ended the college careers of Zion and Barrett. They did that. And while I despise them, it is always good to see Duke, and mainly Coach K, not live up to the hype. The fact that these kids were compared to the Fab Five is laughable. At least Michigan made two title games. And don't give me the whole, "that never really happened". Duke, and Coach K, cheat just as much as any other college basketball team, they are just better at hiding it.

I know that CBS is pissed right now. But, I actually kind of like this Final Four. I'm going to stay with my Texas Tech-Virginia rock fight final, and I'm sticking with Virginia to win. They're out to prove that last year was a total fluke, and with the way they hit shots Saturday, I see them hanging the banner at season's end. Now lets hope the Final Four and title game are as much fun as this past weekend.

Ty

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

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Not a Good Way for Michigan to End Their Season

Michigan basketball had a good season.

That needs to be said right off the bat.

They won 30 games, 15 in the Big Ten, made the conference final for the third straight year, played excellent defense and earned a 2 seed in the tournament. Then they proceeded to easily beat Montana in round one, and after a slog of a first half, thumped Florida. But last night, they got absolutely whipped.

Texas Tech beat them, rubbed their faces in it, as they should, and just totally shut them down from the tip. I knew at half time they were done. And that has nothing to do with me being a pessimistic fan. Anyone that knows me well knows that I care much more about their football team than their basketball team. I still love their basketball team, but football is king for me. So, when Tech went up 8 at the half, and Michigan couldn't even get a shot off, I said to no one in particular that they were toast. Tech then came out, scored the first 5 points to grab a 13 point lead, which may as well been 30, and the Wolverines were done. They looked like they had given up at that point. Sure, Tech smothered the hell out of them, holding them to right around 30 percent shooting, and 1 of 19 on threes, but Michigan simply looked like they had given up when Tech got the lead to double digits. After Tech built it to 13, it went to 16, then 20, then 24, getting as high as 29. Michigan never had a chance. While watching the game, I was shocked at how, I don't know if it was, tiredness, being the slower team, the poor shooting, the lack of defensive help in the second half or all of this stuff combined, they performed last night. They legitimately looked outmanned. This was Charles Matthews time to shine, time to show his defensive prowess, going up against a lock lottery pick in Jarrett Culver, and he got smoked. He also looked awful shooting the ball. Ignas Brazdeieks was hunted on defense and got torched. He was also super short on every jump shot, couldn't bang inside with Tech's bigs, and while he put up a double double, those numbers are a mirage. They came when the game was well in hand. Jordan Poole couldn't hit the ocean last night. He also looked lost on defense. Jon Teske was slower than all of Tech's bigs, couldn't run up and down the floor with them and seemed afraid to shoot, even when he was right near the basket. Even the guy I always felt I could count on, Zavier Simpson, just seemed gassed. There was one play in particular, when 2 Wolverines doubled Culver, and their big man slipped and got a wide open dunk. Simpson was supposed to be the help on that play, and he just gave it up. I know he is on the smaller side, but at least give an effort. I was stunned to see him just let it go. Even the reserves that I have counted on all year, Eli Brooks and Isiah Livers, were just plain bad last night. And John Beilein, who I adore, and hope stays at Michigan until the day he retires, got wildly out coached last night. He had no answers for what Tech did on both ends of the floor. Even he had the look of giving up with about 8 minutes left in the game.

This was a brutal way to see their season end when it started with so much promise. They started 17-0, and a program best, 20-1. They had a chance to be the number one team in the country at various points. They beat UNC, Villanova and Minnesota three times. But last night was a complete and total disaster. It washed away pretty much any good they had done for the regular season. I know this is their 5th Sweet Sixteen in 7 years, but come on, put up an effort. Show some fight. Try to, at the very least, make it a game. They did none of that.

All this being said, all is not lost. I know that Matthews, Brazdeikes and Poole were all asked about their future, and they all said they weren't thinking about it at this time. I think it would be foolish for Iggy and Poole to go pro, unless they are guaranteed a first round spot. Matthews may have no choice, but after last night, I don't know if he is going to get drafted. But, say Poole and Iggy stay, they get Teske, Simpson, Livers, Brooks, Brandon Johns Jr, David DeJulius, Colin Castleton and a very solid recruiting class coming in. They will still be a major threat in the Big Ten, and in the country.

With all that being said, man was last night frustrating and embarrassing to watch as a fan. They stunk up the joint last night, and that taste will be in my mouth for some time. I got my hopes up, and it was all shattered by halftime. What a total bummer.

Ty

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

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Ty's 2019 MLB Preview

Since I enjoy doing preseason previews of football and basketball, I’m going to do a baseball one as well. I know the season started like a week ago, but today is the “official” opening day. And as I’ve said multiple times, I do not watch, know much anymore and think baseball is boring. I also live in Saint Louis, and baseball is king here. So, I cannot go a day without hearing about baseball around here. I don’t know as much about the MLB like RD does, but that’s not going to stop me from making some picks.

A few things before my predictions though. I’m happy Mike Trout got super paid, but I also feel bad for him because I now fully believe he will never win a World Series. I love that he will be with one team his whole career, but the Angels are average at best, and now, they won’t have as much money to lure real star players. Bryce Harper got overpaid, and, as I’ve already stated, both parties are going to hate this deal in about 3 years. Manny Machado immediately makes the Padres a contender. I feel like Clayton Kershaw’s best days are behind him. I wish the Blue Jays would call up Vlad Guerrero Jr. I’m stoked that Fernando Tatis Jr is starting on opening day. And I was very, very wrong about the Braves. Good call on them RD. Other than those things, I’m very green when it comes to current day MLB. I know my hometown team signed a big time guy, Paul Goldschmidt, but I couldn’t tell you one thing other than he’s a first baseman. Anyway, go Cards. Okay, now let’s get to the predictions.

I’ll do the AL first.

In the East, I know the Red Sox won it all last year, but I think the Yankees will be out for blood. And if Aaron Judge can stay healthy, they will out score most teams. They can win 100 plus games with final scores like 10-7 or 11-5. They win the East easy.

In the Central I’d like to pick the Twins, but the Indians continue to look good on paper. They have pretty much everyone back to the best of my recollection. The Twins are young and fun, maybe they could be the AL’s version of the Braves. But, I’m going to stick with the Indians for at least one more year.

In the West, it’s all about the Astros. They are, far and away, the best team in that division. They’ll probably wrap it up earlier than any team in baseball. They’re so good. The A’s are okay, and the Angels do have Trout. But let’s be real, the Astros will cruise.

I’ll get to my Wild Card picks after I do the NL division winners.

In the East I’m going with the Braves. I mean, I’ve already mentioned them a ton during this piece. They’re young, fast and play old school baseball. They love to steal bases and win low scoring games. And as far as Harper’s new team, I have the Phillies third behind the Braves and Nationals. I think the Nationals will still be good because of their pitching. But the Braves will continue to get better, and they will return to their 90’s dominance.

In the Central I’m going with the Brewers to repeat. They’re so good everywhere. The Cubs and Cardinals will fight, but the Brewers are the best team. This may be the best division in baseball.

In the West I’m going with Colorado. They just re signed their best guy, they actually have a solid pitching staff, and they have some of my favorite uniforms. The Dodgers are old news. The Diamondbacks apparently just lost their best guy. And the Giants are going through a rebuild. The Padres are their biggest threat. And they’ll make it interesting all the way until the end of the regular season. But they aren’t quite there yet.

So that means my locks in the AL are the Yankees, Indians and Astros. My Wild Cards are the Red Sox and Twins. In the ALCS I have the Yankees playing the Astros, and I’m going with the Yankees. I hate to pick them, but I feel like they’re going to be so powerful offensively and they will use that to go to the World Series.

My locks in the NL are the Braves, Brewers and Rockies. My Wild Card teams are the Padres and Cubs. In the NLCS, I have the Brewers facing off with the Braves, and I have the Brewers winning. I’m just very impressed with what this team did last year, and I look towards them to make that push this year.

I have the Yankees and Brewers in the World Series, and I’m going with the Brewers to win in 7 hotly contested games. I’ve fully bought into Milwaukee being the best team in baseball this year.

As far as award winners, I’m only going to do the Cy Young and MVP for both leagues. In the AL my Cy Young is Justin Verlander. He’s only gotten better with age. As for my AL MVP, I’m going with Trout. He is the Michael Jordan, the basketball player version, in the MLB. In the NL, my Cy Young winner is Max Scherzer. He’s an easy pick because he’s so dominant. As far as NL MVP, I’m going to go with the Rockies state, Nolan Arenado. I’ve heard nothing but great things about him, and I feel like an MVP is just waiting for him.

Okay, there’s my 2019 MLB preview. Take it with a humongous grain of salt.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is a typical Cardinals fan in that it is playoffs or the season is a bust. Here in Cincinnati we just want 70 wins and our season is a huge success. St. Louis is so spoiled.

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"Revenge of the Sith" is Still the Worst Star Wars Movie Ever

The badness of these movies is tiring

Before going on vacation last week, my wife recorded all three "Star Wars" prequels.

I have been very up front about my dislike for these since I watched all the "Star Wars" movies right after my daughter was born. I think these are horrendous movies. They are poorly written, acted, directed and just bad. I think these hipsters that claim to like them are lying to themselves. They need something to complain about, so they bash the JJ Abrams "Star Wars", but then claim to "truly enjoy" the prequles. That is wrong, and they are wrong. I beg people not to be these people. Just because something is new and different, don't bash it and pretend that a far inferior product is better. That's nonsense. I'd much, much rather see "The Last Jedi", "The Force Awakens", and mainly, "Rogue One" any day of the week over the terrible prequels. Maybe it is due to the fact that I saw them much later in life, and I have no real skin in the game, I just know what I like.

The prequels are inarguably bad. The first one, "The Phantom Menace" has 2 of the most racist characters ever, Jar Jar Binks and the Trade Federation dudes. Also, it is just dull. Too many counsel meetings, and the whole Anakin story is bland. Also, the pod racing scene, the one that is supposed to save this movie, I found it boring and poorly CGI'd. The only cool thing about the first one was Darth Maul.

Then we have "Attack of the Clones". What a pile of garbage. Hayden Christensen plays grown up Anakin, and man is he terrible in this movie. The whole "Sound of Music" scene between him and Padme, poor Natalie Portman, is so trite and stupid and childish and awful. It totally takes you out of the "Star Wars" world, and it just doesn't fit. Also, Christensen and Portman have zero chemistry.

The third one, "Revenge of the Sith", still stands alone as the worst of the bunch. I found myself, with this second viewing, hating it even more. Not only does the chemistry still not exist between Padme and Anakin, but this time around, Christensen's performance as Anakin/Darth Vader, is one of the worst, monotone and emotionless performances I've ever witnessed. I can never tell if he is happy, sad, evil, mad, in a fighting mood, wants to help or wants to be bad. He has the same dumb expression and talks the same way no matter what. Take the scene where he kills Samuel L Jackson. Christensen "cries", but when he does the deed, he just kind of stands there and moves his hands, and Jackson falls to his death. Then he says he will join the Dark Side with Palpatine, and his expression is no different. Or take the fight scene between him and Obi Wan on the lava lake. First off, that CGI is as bad as the pod racing scene. But, this scene had so much potential. And Ewan McGregor is giving his all. But Christensen just yells his line with the same straight face he has had on since the second movie. This could have saved this movie. This scene could've been a defining moment for Christensen's career. But he just stands around, says some nonsense is his monotone voice, gets his legs cut off and starts to burn, all the while, never changing inflection in his voice or screaming in agony when his legs are gone or upset that he has betrayed his teacher. He just kind of moans a bit and sits around.

But the worst is when he becomes Vader. "Rogue One" showed Vader perfectly in his one, horrifying scene. "Revenge of the Sith" does the opposite. While getting the Vader mask on, he asks very directly, with no change in is voice, if Padme is okay. Palpatine says she died in childbirth, and Christensen as Vader, and I believe James Earl Jones now doing the voice, yells, in a monotone voice, "Noooooooo". But he does it so poorly and robotically and just flat. It is truly awful.

I loathe these three movies, and "Revenge of the Sith" is, by far, the worst. This movie is far and away the worst of any "Star Wars" movies. I'd go even as far to say that it is worse than the Christmas Wookie movie that people say is bad. I bet you that is fun bad (ed note: It is not fun bad, it is bad bad). "Revenge of the Sith" is just bad bad. It is too long, too stupid and so, so, so boring. Christensen really screwed up his chance at becoming a mega star with his awful performance in this movie. He may be a solid actor, but he did not show it on the biggest stage. He stunk up the place in fact.

I will be happy if  never see this movie, or any of the prequels for that matter, again. They are loathsome movies.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. When Ty’s wife said she wanted to watch the prequels again, he lifted his arms and yelled to the heavens NOOOOOOO. That is some damn fine acting.

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This Lakers Season Was a Hilarious Disaster

I have waited to write this until it was official. And as of last week, the Los Angeles Lakers, and LeBron James will not be in the NBA playoffs this year. I have a ton of feelings about this news.

First of, the hater in me is thrilled. I have never liked the Lakers. I actively root against them. Ever since they picked Kobe over Shaq, my hatred only grew. I despise the Celtics as well, but you better believe that I was pulling for them when they played each other in the Finals in the early 2000's. I don't like their fair weather fans. I don't like the air of arrogance they have. They have been irrelevant for about 5 or 6 seasons now. They traded away a lottery pick point guard, D'Angelo Russell, to take Lonzo Ball, who is a bust. I am just almost overcome with joy that they will not be in the playoffs this year. This also makes me laugh at all the journalists, especially the ones at ESPN and Bleacher Report and The Ringer that were certain they'd not only be a playoff team, but a top 3 or 4 seed. This includes me as well. I had them as a top 10 team in my preseason countdown. But, to hear all these major journalist back track now is delightful. To hear all their excuses makes me crack up.

I admit, I was very wrong. I thought LeBron himself would push this team to the playoffs. He could not. But these other journalist keep making excuses to try and save face. They say, LeBron missed 20 games. So what. He has done that the past couple year, his week or 2 off to Miami, and was still able to walk his way to the Finals in the East. They bring up injuries to Ball and Brandon Ingram. Ingram got hurt pretty much right after they were eliminated. And, as I already said, Ball is a bust. The journalists loved all their one year contract guys. They thought giving Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee and Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasely one year, "prove it" deals, would make this team solid. Well, none of those guys can shoot. Rondo is so much better at facilitating offense. He's better at drive and kick. That doesn't work with LeBron. Michael Beasely is an even bigger bust than Ball, can't shoot from anywhere, doesn't play defense, and isn't even on the team anymore. Lance Stephenson was a half season wonder that is somehow still getting playing time in the NBA. He's trash. JaVale McGee only works as a spark plug off the bench. The Lakers signed him to be their main pick and roll guy. It was all a mess from the jump. When they signed LeBron this past offseason it was huge. Then, the front office went and did all this ridiculous stuff to squash any good will they received by getting LeBron. They surrounded him with vets he likes, but as I said, none of them can shoot. I mean, they are awful, dreadful shooters. And for the young guys on the team already, Ingram is the only one that is a threat to shoot, and he played better when LeBron was injured.

Then we had the whole Anthony Davis thing. Rich Paul screwed over one of his clients by making Davis' trade request public, then it all blew up in his face, Davis' face and LeBron's face. The Pelicans asked for the world, with the Lakers putting up Ball, Ingram, Josh Hart, Lance Stephenson and multiple picks, and they still asked for more. They played the hell out of the Lakers, Magic Johnson, Rob Pelinka, Rich Paul and LeBron. Of course the Pelicans turned the offer down, and that was when the season really cratered for the Lakers. After the All Star break, and LeBron "activating playoff mode", the Lakers went into the tank. They couldn't do anything right. They lost to the Pelicans when they rested Davis. They barely beat them, at home when Davis played about 20 minutes. They got crushed by real Western Conference playoff teams. Then they got roasted by the Suns. That game culminated in disgrace when LeBron went to throw the ball in and he hit the back of the backboard. It was very upsetting to see him, a legend, do that. The Davis thing really screwed with this locker room, and with any chemistry they may have built up in the first part of the year. LeBron said he wanted to grow with this team when he signed, but the moment things started to get rough, he wanted to team up with a super star. It didn't pan out for him, and now he will be home for the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

Which lead me to my final thing, LeBron James. LeBron is an all time great. He is either the second or third greatest player of all time. Going to 8 straight Finals may never happen again. His dominance is almost un reachable for any future star player. But, he really screwed this team with his want to team up with another star. He also learned what it is like to play in the Varsity conference in the NBA. It isn't a cakewalk in the West. Almost every night is a tough game. He can't just take time off when he pleases. He needs to bring it, especially with the way that roster was constructed. I'm still in shock that he couldn't will this team to the playoffs, but like I said at the top, it also kind of makes me laugh because I loathe that team.

All of this is to say, I feel, and I know a lot of people agree with me, the Lakers are, by far, the biggest embarrassment and were the most overrated team in the NBA in the 2018-19 season. They tanked without tanking. They're going to miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year. They are still irrelevant. They are banking on getting Davis in the offseason, I don't think it will happen. And LeBron is only getting older. If I were a Lakers fan, I would be very concerned about the future of this team. They don't seem to be the destination they once were, and a lot of the star players coming on the market this summer don't seem very interested in teaming up with a 35 year old LeBron James. Also, if they hire Jason Kidd I would be even more embarrassed to be a fan.

This season has been a mess in Laker land. They can make up for it if they have a big summer, but I don't see that happening. This is a mess, and I only feel like it is going to get worse. This is a bummer to see LeBron end his career like this. A real bummer.

Ty

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

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A Look at the Sweet Sixteen, and Beyond, in the 2019 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament

The first weekend of the men's NCAA basketball tournament has concluded, and boy do we have chalk.

For those that may not know, chalk means all the top seeds, the best teams, won the games they were supposed to win. For example, in the East, West and Midwest region, the four teams left are seeded 1-4. The only high seeded team left is Oregon, who is a 12. But, they are from a major conference, they were a preseason top 15 team, and they are a lot better than their record shows. But, in the rest of the South region, we have the 1, 2 and 3rd seeded teams. So, of the 15 teams in the Sweet Sixteen, they were all, seemingly, seeded correctly, and they did what they were supposed to do.

That doesn't mean we didn't have some solid, to great games. Just last night we had that great Duke-UCF game. I need to say right off the bat, Duke got away with 2 fouls on the game winning play. When Zion drove to the lane he pushed off his primary defender, and for the refs to call Tacko Fall for his fifth and final foul on that play, that was absurd. Then, after Zion missed the free throw, RJ Barrett pushed off for the rebound. It is on tape, and it is clear as day. But, even after all of that, UCF had a chance, and they got screwed by the basketball gods. It's hilarious to me that all the Duke fan boys keep saying that the basketball gods were with them. So, I suppose that means they were against UCF. I still cannot believe that one of those layups didn't fall. That is such a brutal way to lose a game that they should have won. I mean, it is obvious that the NCAA, CBS, ESPN, pretty much every sports outlet for that matter, wants Duke in the Final Four. But dammit, UCF should have won. Such a bummer. It was a great game though. Back and forth all the way through. Big players making plays. And UCF exposing Duke as human. It was fun, especially for someone who has no skin in the game. I mean, I loathe Duke, but that game was exciting.

We also had the introduction of Ja Morant, who I wrote about on Friday. I know Murray State got crushed by FSU in round 2, but Morant still showed out, and I adore that kid.

As for the rest of the first two rounds (the real ones), we did have other upsets too. Liberty beat Mississippi State. Florida beat a much better Nevada team. UC Irvine got their first ever tourney win. And Minnesota beat Louisville. In round 2 we had some solid games besides the Duke-UCF classic. LSU won on a layup with 1 second left after Maryland tied with a miracle three. It reminded me of when UCLA beat Missouri, sorry to my brothers Ross and RD, when Tyus Edney drove the length of the court to win in the last second. Tennessee was throttling Iowa for about 32 minutes, then blew a 25 point lead, only to save themselves in overtime. And Kentucky was given all they could handle from Wofford. Had Wofford's star shooter made 2 of his 12 attempted threes, they would have won. He missed them all though. There were also some surprises, at least to me, on other outcomes. I thought Minnesota would have showed up a bit against Michigan State. They did not MSU crushed them from start to finish. Auburn absolutely trashed Kansas. I know this Kansas team isn't nearly as good as usual, but they put up no fight at all. That game was done 10 minutes in. Auburn looks so good right now. I mentioned Florida State ending Ja Morant and Murray State's season, and boy are they coming together at the absolute right time. They look good, especially on defense. Texas Tech looks as complete as I thought they would. They smothered Buffalo yesterday. Their next opponent, my team, Michigan, has looked sloppy on offense, but their defense has been smothering too. UNC, after a little scare, is really coming together nicely. Coby White is so so good too. I feel like he’s their best player. Purdue looks dominant. They pulled away from Old Dominion in round one, then Carsen Edwards exploded for 42 points against the defending champs Villanova in round 2. They routed Villanova too. Houston looks solid. They can score in bunches. Virginia Tech is the ACC version of Michigan. Gonzaga has won both of their games with relative ease. Virginia, who also got a little scare in round one, has looked totally dominant in both wins, especially starting in the second half of their round one game. And Oregon, who’ve I mentioned already, might be one of the best 12 seeds ever.

In the end, we have chalk. We have, probably, the best 16 teams in college basketball this year left. And if this continues, all four #1 seeds will be in the Final Four, which is absolutely possible. Projecting from here on out, I don’t think all 4 #1 seeds will be there. After seeing Duke get pushed to the brink yesterday, I think they’ll struggle mightily with the winner of LSU-MSU. But, I think the refs will make sure they make the Final Four. They want Zion there, by any means necessary. In the West, I’m going to stick with Texas Tech. I’ll be rooting so hard against them Thursday night, but they look really good on both ends of the floor, and Michigan is too inconsistent on offense, and the winner of Gonzaga-FSU will struggle to keep up with Culver, and they’ll find it hard to score on Tech’s defense. In the South, I’m sticking with Virginia. They weathered the storm in round one, and then easily handled Oklahoma. I don’t trust Tennessee anymore. Oregon isn’t going to get the easy shots they got in the first 2 rounds and I feel like Purdue just played the best game they could, they’ll regress. As for the Midwest, I really want to stick with Auburn, but I feel like they’re exactly like Purdue. They just played the best they’ll play all year. I don’t see that happening again. But, that doesn’t mean I have UNC. I still think Auburn beats them, but after watching Houston yesterday, I think they’re going to win that region. They’re more consistent. They have more athletes. I think they’ll cruise by Kentucky, and then they’ll beat Auburn in a great, close game.

That means my new Final Four, now that we have the Sweet Sixteen set, is Duke, Texas Tech, Virginia and Houston. And now, after watching basketball for four straight days, I’ve got Virginia finally beating Duke in the title game. Like I’ve been saying, Virginia is on a mission, I love the way they play defense and Duke got exposed yesterday. I’m also sticking with DeAndre Hunter as MOP. He’s starting to hit shots now.

Now let’s get back to the games. I cannot wait for Thursday.

Ty

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

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Ja Morant is Must Watch TV

Yesterday Ja Morant introduced himself to the casual basketball fan. I know who he is, a ton of basketball writers know who he is, but now everyone they just tuned into the tournament saw what this kid can do.

I’m a big Morant fan. I saw a lot of his highlight tape from earlier this season. I love high flying, posterizing dunks, and this kid does those in waves. He reminds me so much of Russel Westbrook, and that is a humongous compliment. I love Westbrook, and now, I’m driving the Ja Morant bandwagon. This is the dude I’m going to be riding with, that doesn’t play for Michigan, the rest of the time his team is in the tournament.

How good is Morant? He recorded a triple double in Murray State’s win yesterday. Only 4 other college players have done that, one of which was Shaq. Morant needed to perform big on the big stage, and he did it. He proved why he’s so high on everyone’s mock drafts. I’m a newly minted Suns fan, and I really want them to take him. They need a true point guard, and he perfectly fits that mold. Add on the fact that he’s hyper athletic, can jump out of the gym and hit an open jumper is just icing on the cake. That was all on full display when Murray State throttled Marquette. He hit open floaters. He jammed on a poor Marquette defender that brought the arena to a roar. He hustled all game. He found the open guy. He soared for rebounds. He was 100 percent on. It was a joy to watch. I have been waiting to see a full game, Murray State is barely on national tv, and I watched every second of this game to just see him.

I really hope Murray State goes on a solid run because I want to see Morant as much as possible. I want to see him do this against even better competition. I bet he would still crush. This kid is going to be a very good to great pro. He proved that yesterday, and he will continue to in the tournament.

Like I said, outside of the Wolverines, Murray State and Ja Morant are my other team I’m rooting for. Morant rules, and I want everyone to try and watch while Murray State is still playing. He’s more than worth the 2 hours. He’s an amazing basketball player. I’m super impressed.

Ty

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

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Baseball Will Not Be the Same Without Ichiro

I know I’ve written about him before, at least I assume I have, but today is the last day Ichiro Suzuki will step on a baseball field as a player. He announced yesterday that, after today’s game in Japan, he’s stepping away.

This dude is a surefire first ballot hall of fame player. He came into baseball when I still cared about the sport, and he was amazing. In his rookie year, where he won rookie of the year and MVP, he was a delight to watch. I had heard so much about him, but actually seeing him play was a whole experience. His approach at the plate was Tony Gwynn esque. He waited on the pitch he wanted to hit, and it looked as if he was slapping the ball with his bat. And it worked. He regularly hit well over .300 and would easily get 200 plus hits a year when he came to the US. Also, his drag bunts were a thing of beauty. He seemingly placed it in the perfect spot every time, and with his speed, he would get the single with ease. On the rare occasion he hit a home run, he looked as surprised as the fans did. He was never a long ball hitter, which I admire the hell out of, but he would get a hold of one every now and then. And when he would be rounding the bases, he always had a big grin on his face. It was great.

What really set Ichiro apart in my opinion was his defense. First off, he had a rocket for an arm. When he would field a hit in right field and come up to throw the ball, you knew it would be in a rope, and it would get to the infield in a hurry. I’m sure he threw out some of the slower runners at first when they would hit it solid to him. You always had to run as fast as you could when he would field the ball. I watched him throw out so many runners trying to tag up from third, or stretch a single to a double, or, if they’d dare, a double to a triple. His arm was tremendous. So was his range and athleticism. He robbed a ton of hits. He made a lot of opposing players batting averages slightly lower than they should have been. He was a joy to watch in the outfield. He made right field, dare I say, fun to watch.

I think what I admire most about Ichiro was his attitude. He was the consummate pro. He never had a scandal that I know of. His teammates have always seemed to like playing baseball with him. And he played the game with joy, and stuck around as long as he could. He truly loves the game of baseball. He is in his mid 40’s and just now retiring. That’s amazing for a pro athlete. And he’s not leaving due to injury, or poor play. He’s stepping away because he wants to. He’s done it all, minus winning a ring, that he could accomplish. I also like that he told the Mariners brass, behind closed doors, that he is calling it quits after today. He doesn’t need a farewell tour. He doesn’t need the pomp and circumstance. I feel like he’d be embarrassed by that.

I was, and always will be, a huge Ichiro Suzuki fan. He showed up when I still liked the MLB, he was great, he was fun and he is humble. Enjoy retirement. You deserve it, and I can’t wait to see you inducted into the Hall of Fame. You’ve earned it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The best story about Ichiro is how he reacted when Tom Brady texted him. Go read the story.

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Never Count Out Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs

Continuing with basketball this week, I want to give a shout out to the San Antonio Spurs. They’re currently on a 9 game win streak, beating teams like the Warriors, Pistons, Nuggets and the Thunder along the way, all playoff teams by the way.

The way the Spurs have done this is impressive. I know I may get some flak for this, but they’re winning in the West with no real super stars. I know DeMar DeRozan is really good, and LaMarcus Aldridge is an All Star, but let’s be honest, they’re not LeBron or KD or Kawhi or Steph or Jokic. But, they’ve bought into the Spurs system, and they’re winning with mid range and dump passes to the post, and most importantly, defense. They’re a super tenacious team on that end of the floor.

The other night, their win over the Warriors, I think I only saw 2 open shots. Everything was contested. Everything had to be earned. There were many end of the shot clock situations. And that’s what they’ve been doing this whole win streak.

As for their “stars”. DeRozan will never be Kawhi on defense, but he’s having, by far, his best defensive season. He is actually stopping other 2 guards. Good 2 guards. Klay couldn’t do much against him. Jamal Murray struggled. PG had a tough time. This was due to DeRozan’s defense. The same can be said for Aldridge. He’s making life miserable for other big men. So is Jakob Poeltl in his limited minutes. Patty Mills is being a pest. Even Derrick White is showing flashes on the defensive end. And while this may sound like I’m saying they’re winning ugly, they’re not. Their defense has been exceptional, and so has the offense. Aldridge and DeRozan are crushing the mid range. White is scoring from almost everywhere. Mills is shooting the three at a solid clip. They’re just doing it all.

While I enjoy the players, I have to say, I feel like a lot of this success is due to Gregg Popovich. He is only furthering my belief that he’s the best NBA coach ever. I mean, a lot of respected journalists said that this was going to be the year that the Spurs missed out on the playoffs, especially after losing Dejounte Murray prior to the year. They figured they wouldn’t be able to compete in the West. They said they had no stars, which I agree with. But, I picked them to make the playoffs because of Poppovich. He’s amazing. He knows how to adjust. He knows how to squeeze every ounce of talent out of his players. He rules.

Where we sit right now, after this streak, the Spurs are 42-29, good enough for 5th in the West, with a good chance at the 4 seed if they close strong. I figured they’d be a playoff team, winning 45-48 games. But, the way they’re going now, I don’t think 50 wins is out of the question. My hat is off to the Spurs. DeRozan, Aldridge, White, Mills, the whole roster for that matter, and mainly Gregg Popovich are proving the Spurs still matter, and they will still give opponents fits. What a team.

Ty

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

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The Biggest Snubs of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

Yesterday I did my men’s NCAA 2019 tournament picks. Today, I want to talk about 4 teams I think got snubbed, and who I would have them replace in the tourney.

First things first, I’m not one of these weirdos that thinks Indiana and Texas should be in the tourney. Both are barely .500. In fact, Texas is exactly .500 at 16-16, and Indiana is only one game better, at 17-15. I don’t care how many “quad 1” wins they have, or what “ quality” losses they have. Those records are not even close to good enough for an at large bid. Smaller schools are left out without a blink, and they can have a record of 30-2. But, if they don’t win their conference tournament, they’re all but forgotten about. Just because Texas and Indiana are “blue bloods” doesn’t guarantee a spot in the big dance. Anyone who calls either of those schools a snub are insane. With that being said, I do have 4 teams, 3 from major conferences, that I think got absolutely overlooked.

I’ll start with my mid major. How UNC Greensboro got left out is beside me. My only logical guess is what I stated before about a smaller school. They finished the year at 28-6, Michigan and Duke and UNC all have the same or similar records. But, they didn’t win their conference tournament, and they’re left to play in the NIT. That’s unacceptable. For me there’s an easy replacement, and it has nothing to do with my hatred for this school. How the University of Ohio State got an at large bid with a 19-14 record and a first round exit from the Big Ten tournament is baffling. I saw them play a ton, and they’re not very good. Again, this has nothing to do with my dislike for them. I’m friends with fans of them, and they don’t think they belong in the big dance. They struggled all year. They have no stars. They have a no name coach. Yet they get an at large bid as an 11 seed. UNC Greensboro would have been a much better pick in that spot, and they would have given Iowa State a much tougher game.

Now for the big dogs. I’m a bit perturbed that Georgetown didn’t get in. I know the Big East isn’t what it used to be, but they deserve a spot over a team like Baylor. Both are 19-13, in major conferences, but Georgetown would bring way more viewers than Baylor. First of all, Baylor’s sport programs all should be under investigation for many different charges. Second, Georgetown has super dunker Matt McClung and NBA hall of famer Patrick Ewing at head coach. I’d much rather see them than Baylor. I feel like Baylor iss getting at large bids because they used to be relevant. They’re not anymore. Let’s get Georgetown back to being a perennial tourney team as long as Patrick Ewing is their head coach. It would also be dope as hell to see them face Syracuse, an old Big East foe, in the first round.

My third snub comes from ESPN’s favorite conference, the ACC. Clemson should be there. They did enough to earn an at large bid. They are a much better 19 win team than Florida. The fact that Florida is in based on one lucky win, a buzzer beater three over LSU in the SEC tournament, is laughable. Florida is not good. Clemson is a much tougher, better coached and more disciplined team than Florida. And even though they’re 19-13, they were a consistent tough out for all the big time ACC teams. They at least would put up a fight. I mean, Nevada is going to smash Florida. I think they’d also beat Clemson, but I think it would be a much closer game. Florida shouldn’t be there. They got Clemson’s spot, and they got it unfairly.

Finally, my last snub is TCU. I know they had a rough finish to the season, and I hoped they would have done better in the Big 12 tournament than they did. But, they’re a much more deserving 20-13 team than Louisville. After blowing they big lead against Duke, Louisville was never the same. They struggled. They finished the year poorly. They bowed out early in the ACC tourney. But, since they’re an ACC team, which the committee loves, they were chosen over TCU because they’re a Big 12 team. That’s dumb. Louisville might win their first game, Minnesota is also a questionable tourney team, but TCU would have easily beat them. Hell, they could’ve beaten both those teams. They should have been given Louisville’s spot.

UNC Greensboro, Georgetown, Clemson and TCU are my biggest snubs. I would have put them in for sure. Now, they have to settle for the NIT. That’s a bummer.

Ty

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

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