C.E. Sikkenga

This was a lovely pick-me-up on a Rocky Friday.

@RaidersGBB @DomMirandaTV Having worked high school tables for the past 45 years... your fears are legitimate.

If that’s the strategy that CP deems necessary to use, then that is their prerogative. Their job is to put themselves in the best position to win the game….not to entertain fans. While I know the shot clock is coming, my worry is finding competent people to run it on a night-in/night-out basis. We already have several timing issues throughout the course of a game…the shot clock will only add more stoppage to a game.

In the 4A State Title game, Crown Point held the ball for a minute plus…. With 5 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter. No movement… as deafening boos came down from this Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd. Indiana needs a shot clock and it needs it now.

@ajcRodBeard @sbell021 That one didn't feel that big, given how badly UNLV had rolled Duke the year before and how they annihilated #2 Arkansas on the road. Became bigger in retrospect after Duke pulled the upset.

@sbell021 UNLV-Duke in 1991

I’m trying not to be a prisoner of the moment. But Michigan-Arizona in a National Semifinal seems like the biggest matchup at that stage of the tournament in … forever? What matchup am I overlooking?

@johnbarrett2468 Once I got my ears calibrated, it was as good as it's reputation suggests.

Who's got this album? (Not expecting many unfortunately)

@confusion_reign Tork is the perfect example of "Don't think. You can only hurt the ball club."

I’m glad everyone is melting down about Torkelson not challenging enough. If there’s anything Torkelson needs it’s more stuff to think about in the box. He’s really great when he’s in his own head and under pressure. There’s no way this can backfire!

@TolentinoTeach Agree 100 percent. Started teaching high school (History/ELA) in 1992. Slide started 10-15 years ago. COVID was like a cliff. The kids that DO read might do so more than ever. The other 2/3 really struggle.

What’s changed with students since Covid? Plenty. But one thing stands out to me: stamina. The stamina to read. The stamina to write. It wasn’t perfect before Covid, but it feels like it’s gotten worse. What do you think?

@ACumbow Finding a guy with B1G size, who can come in , RB, rim protect and play ball screens is crucial. Still like Jesse but he needs more leg strength to raise his game and can't count on it to come this year, although it was year 3 when Jax got there enough to contribute big.

Roster season is here. Worst time of the year. Eligible players to return: Fears Carr Glenn Teng McCulloch Divine Scott Ward Incoming players: Medlock Jervis Taylor Avent Thoughts: 1. Have to find a way to retain Fears and Carr which I think happens but that’s a must. 2. Probably will be a transfer or two out. I hate speculating on transfers but I’d be pretty surprised to see all the guards back. 3. HAVE to land a center. I love Taylor coming in but it’s gonna take some time. Can’t put too much pressure on him in year one. 4. I think fans myself included are going to absolutely love Medlock and Jervis from day one. These two kids are truly offensively gifted hoopers that will be fun to watch. Add it all up and there’s no reason MSU shouldn’t be in the hunt next year. I hate “all or nothing” in College Basketball but next year is truly an all in type of year. Izz will be 72 and the Final Four is in Detroit. Thoughts?

Not a fan of the new Tiger road ALTs. To be fair, didn't love them on the 1978 either. On the bright side, haven't loved a Tiger road uni in my 56 years on the planet. But it does feel liked a missed opportunity.

@confusion_reign You must be a miserable guy. 13 posts in the last hour. All negative regarding a team with positive vibes , that has already won a road series against a playoff team. None are off base but they're real buzzkills.

@cesikkenga No

Riley is now 1-10, this year, he’s put 8 balls in play and 7 have been groundouts. The final one was a pop out. He’s completely fucking broken and it’s all because everyone melted down about the strikeouts. Congrats. He went from 36 HR 111 RBI to useless

@Bigmac161616 @MCB_johnverburg True, but go .500 when 3-5 start and we should win the division.

@MCB_johnverburg Thankfully they have Skubal and Valdez, because you never know what they are going to get from Flaherty, Mize and Verlander.

There's no way I bring Flaherty out for the 5th inning.

@MCB_johnverburg In the immortal words of Billy Joel, "You may be right..."

@willy__smith Need more experienced length/bulk inside but, assuming no defections, the guard/wing talent might be as good as it's been in the Izzo era.

jeremy fears jasiah jervis kaleb glenn coen carr ethan taylor/transfer save me a seat

@KappBV Very likely. Neither is on top 60 draft boards. Both will be well-compensated at MSU. Both seem to love it at MSU. Nothing is ever certain until it's certain but I'd be surprised if either leaves.

Do both Fears and Carr return next season?

@confusion_reign You're pushing it. Blah, Blah , Blah, is, as I remember it, just ...blah. Buddy used to have that cassette in his Mazda truck. It was my intro to Iggy. Took me another decade to figure out what the fuss was about.

@cesikkenga How about this? BLAH BLAH BLAH is basically just the songs Bowie didn’t use for the Never Let Me Down sessions, so these are basically the Rubber Soul and Revolver of the 80’s. Only if, you know, everyone hated them, and the cover photo made John Lennon look like a lesbian

Skubal was absolutely cruising, until Javy- who’s only in for his defense- blows a routine play because he doesn’t give a shit, and now they’re showing life again. Tigers are WAY up but still, it annoys me on principle. It’s be great if Javy could bring himself to try

@confusion_reign I've been waiting for years to run into one of those while crate digging.

@cesikkenga Totally unrelated but check this out

@Mikehomeseller I spent 33 years as a history and English teacher. Essentially a lifetime in education. The only course from high school and college that I used every single day? TYPING.

Is anyone old enough to remember when typing was an actual class in high school? Both my parents were high school business teachers that taught typing as one of their classes. #mikesquestions

@ACumbow Get up 5-7 points by winning time and all we'll need is for him to protect the ball and make FT.

What we need from our Floor General tomorrow in winning time.

@BrodyTalksBall Weird to think that going into 2019/20 Winston was seen as option 3 on offense and Tillman was a role player.

1 more day until we get MSU basketball back on our TVs. With that being said… man, I miss Josh Langford.

@TheExtremeMusi1 Agree.

This is a 10/10 album. Agree or disagree???

@TigersJUK Pretty much. I saw him at Wrigley in his rookie year. Had a couple throws from SS miss first base by like 10 feet. Insane athlete but Nuke Laloosh raw.

Was he that bad in the infield that they have to keep persisiting with this?