On Purely Chase, Pristine, and Random Thoughts XX

February 27, 2014

March 1, 2014

Here’s another of a “random” variety. Much to my surprise, some of the readers enjoy these types of articles. So, once again, here goes with another 20.

• As far as I’m concerned, comedienne Wanda Sykes speaks a foreign language. It might help if she took a course in English.
• Is it me, or does Joe Biden look and behave like an idiot? Forget about it when he opens his mouth.
• Barack Hussein Obama (BHO) looks and sounds more unpresidential each passing day.
• Don’t be surprised if the ASPCA demands that teams named Bears, Blackhawks, Cardinals, etc. change their names.
• My parents came from Sparta, Greece, and are referred to as Spartans. Would it be reasonable for me to object to Michigan State University referring to their team as the Spartans?
• There is no question that Bill O’Reilly (who wronged me on one of my earlier books) is the second most powerful person in the U.S.
• Over the last half year, the media has essentially refused to report (and provide specifics) on BHO’s healthcare as it relates to increased premiums and individuals losing their coverage.
• If you can make more money on welfare than you can working, most people will gladly go on welfare.
• Network news allocated twice as much time on the Last Lady’s birthday as it did on the Benghazi cover-up expose. Anyone surprised?
• Contrary to BHO’s claims, the only way to reduce waste in government is to reduce the size of government.
• I think all Americans should accept the fact that the majority of Americans are Protestants/Christians who believe in (I don’t) salvation and that death simply separates two lives.
• Harvard, with its affirmative action Ph.D. programs, is unquestionably the most overrated university in the U.S.
• Remember my earlier suggestion (XIX) – don’t go to the movies.
• Radio did damage to vaudeville, TV did damage to radio, and ??? will do damage to TV.
• Relative to charities, I only support the Frances Pope Foundation and the Wounded Warriors Project.
• Unfortunately, money is the standard by which most measure their success.
• There are individuals on this planet who have unfortunately found it easy to use other humans as slaves and farm animals, to make them suffer, and to do away with them without blinking an eye.
• I may be wrong but it seems to me that when people are laughing, they rarely are killing one another. CONCLUSION: Laughter is good.
• If you love your work and put your heart into it, you’ll be a winner.
• Liberals like BHO believe that if we are fair with others, they will be fair with us. Does anybody believe you can successfully apply this to the likes of Statin, Hilter, Mao, Assad, Khadafy, Hussein, etc.
• I’m still trying to figure out why I have never been selected as “the sexiest man of the year”. It turns out that I wasn’t even considered this past year.

I return with XXI in November.

NEXT POSTINGS: (tentative)

APRIL 1: On the Barack Hussein Obama Update III
MAY 1: On the East Williston School District Budget Vote
JUNE 1: On the Interview Process
JULY 1: On Tenure
AUGUST 1: On a National Energy Policy
SEPTEMBER 1: On Purely Chaste, Pristine and Random Thoughts XXI
OCTOBER 1: On the Barack Hussein Obama Update IX
NOVEMBER 1: On Paying Student-Athletes (?!*!?) II
DECEMBER 1: On Hofstra Men’s Basketball: 2014-15 Season
JANUARY 1: On Football Boxes
FEBRUARY 1: On Great Eats

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HOFSTRA MEN’S BASKETBALL 2013 – 14: THERE IS HOPE, I THINK

February 16, 2014

February 15, 2014

The Hofstra men’s basketball season is better than 2/3 over, so it’s time to revisit an earlier article entitled, “….Is There Hope on the Horizon?” Their current record is 8-17 overall, and 4-6 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CCAA), including a thrilling come-from-behind (15 point) victory this past Saturday over UNCW. So, is there hope? The answer is a qualified “yes.” Here is the basis for this assessment.

The team’s record is not a true measure of the capability of the team. Remember, this is/was supposed to be a “recovery” and/or “rebuilding” year under new coach Joe Mihalich. It also turns out that several of the losses could have gone the other way; here’s my call on why they didn’t.

1. There has been a commitment to an 8-man rotation that primarily involves 6 players. Injuries to two starters – Nesmeth and Allen (still out) – has exasperated the rotation scheme.
2. There was an inability to effectively stop the inside offensive game of several of their opponents. Hofstra’s three big men have done an adequate job but have been outmanned during a few of the games.
3. An inability to stop the premier point guard of some of their opponents added to the team’s woes. Last year, Stevie Mejia (the best defensive point guard I’ve ever seen) put Machado of Iona College and Massenat of Drexel in his hip pocket. Machado had a field day this year that resulted in a loss. Perhaps a box-and-one or a triangle-and-two would help at crunch time.
4. There was a failure to get back on defense to prevent (easy) fast-break points during several games. This effectively provides the opponents with layup practice. As I’ve always said: you can’t beat taking layups. Players need to understand the need to run back – not walk or jog – when there is a change of possession.
5. An occasional porous defense existed when playing zone. Although there are times when a zone is the defense of choice, I’ve always maintained that your grandmother can guard you in a zone. Since one can relax defensively in a zone, coach Mihalich may have opted for some zone because of his short bench.

Overall, coach Mihalich has done an excellent job with the hand he has been dealt. In addition, the team has played with intensity on both offense and defense. Seniors Upshaw (perhaps the most outstanding player in the CAA) and Nesmith are the team’s two best players. Freshman Jamall Robinson has been Rookie of the Week on several occasions and will no doubt emerge as the team’s star the next three years.

Finally, I need to pass judgment on the upcoming CAA Tournament Championship during March 7-10. It is a 4-game playoff over 4 days where anything can happen. And, the winner of the CAA Tournament gets an automatic invitation to the NCAA Tournament starting in mid-March. Hofstra’s only hope to land in the NCAA field is to win the tournament outright. But, winning the tournament – which is not totally out of reach because of the present parity in the CAA – will require playing and winning games on four consecutive days. That probability will be reduced because of a strained manpower that will arise playing with a 7-man rotation. Nevertheless…..anything can happen.

As noted on numerous times in the past, attending Hofstra games still remains the best sports buy in the New York Metropolitan area. There is ample free parking, the concession stands are not a rip-off, there isn’t a bad seat in the house and its $5 for seniors and children. Three home games remain: Delaware, 2/19, 7:00PM, Drexel 2/22, 7:00PM, and James Madison (homecoming), 3/1, 7:00PM.

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