LamarCheeks

I actually think the NL has an advantage in the World Series. NL teams have been playing the same way all year, with the pitcher batting -- which usually is an easy out -- and going through myriad pinch hitters late in games. When you suddenly play by AL rules, it's almost a bonus -- you get an extra hitter, and you don't have to waste a pinch hitter every time you change pitchers. ... Conversely, when Series games are in NL parks, AL teams have to bat a pitcher who hasn't hit all season, and decide if they want to work their DH in the lineup somehow. That will cost you a position player and could weaken your defense by having a guy in the field who hasn't played defense all year. Like the Red Sox in their appearances. You're certainly not gonna bench Big Papi in an NL park, so when he plays first base, you've lost a bat (the normal first baseman) and a good glove man (because Papi doesn't play usually play defense). ... Now, the Sox never lost a Series, so it worked out for them, but I think with the current rules, the NL has the advantage in the Series. That doesn't mean NL teams are always gonna win, however.

If you're going to add the DH to the NL, I would think you'd be fine with a 25-player roster. In most cases, after a starting pitcher is taken out of an NL game, you always pinch-hit for the reliever. That usually costs you a position player. If you have a DH, you don't need to waste a position player as a pinch-hitter every inning -- or every other inning. There are many AL games in which a pinch-hitter is never used.

What about Bob, er McBob? ... I don't want to see him start, but think he can provide a valuable 8-10 minutes off the bench. Is he good to go?

Stephen Bardo, perhaps taking a little shot at Dakich here. ... He also takes a shot at IU fans, which pisses me off a little. I never forgot about these guys. They frustrate the bejabbers out of me, but --- and maybe I'm a fool -- I'm back every game, either watching or keeping very close tabs on what's going on ...

BTN is doing a little bit of reminiscing about our 1993 team. It's a Flashback Friday thing and discusses if we would've won Banner No. 6 had Alan Henderson not gotten hurt. I say: No doubt about it. We nearly ran the table in the B1G and IMO, had the best team in the country. Even with Alan injured and very limited, we still reached the Elite Eight. And though we lost to Kansas earlier in the season, we would've beaten them this time. So my question: Which "one that got away" is most painful -- 1975 or 1993? I was a little too young to remember 1975, but vividly remember 1993 -- that was two years after I graduated and I was sure we were gonna win it all. I didn't include 2013 (bad coaching) or 1992 (bad officiating vs. Duke) or 2002 (lost final to Maryland), but I suppose you can include/discuss those -- and others -- if you wish.

I wonder if, when he does commit, he'll make a big to-do out of it, or just do like TJD did -- and drop a little note on Twitter?

All season -- even last night -- we give up 3s because we're getting lost or confused on switches or because when a guard drives, the wing defenders move in to help, leave their man and leave us vulnerable to a kick out to a wide-open shooter. Someone with a deeper understanding of Xs and Os will have to explain this to me: Is that just a hazard of the pack line, or are we still just not executing it correctly? If a kid is outside and just knocks down a 3 by shooting over the defender or creating his own shot, you can't always help that and you just tip your hat to the shooter. But on way, way too many occasions, the opposition gets 3s that are wide open because of our defensive breakdowns. At least it seems that way to me.

I had to work tonight, but was able to watch bits and pieces of the game -- without sound. I'm going back to watch it now and just saw Romeo lose his balance and fall into the lane on an MSU free throw. So the kid got another foul shot. Bilas says that the violation affects the rebound, not the shot, so Sparty (or the team not committing the violation) should get the ball instead of another FT. Is he on crack? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. "That's a rule in basketball that needs to change," he says. How many times does the shooting team get the rebound on an FT? I'm guessing less than 10 percent -- so how does that affect the rebound?

VCU 79, George Mason 63: Patriots were no match for the Rams. A foreshadowing?

I wonder: Does Izzo still have a burr up his butt that his pal Crean got fired? I listened to about three-quarters of his post-game presser and it was all about how it was his fault they lost, they haven't been practicing well because they're afraid of injury, etc. The only bit of credit he gave us was to say that Devonte played pretty well. C'mon, man -- for the first time in a long time, our fellas played their a$$es off. And you wanna talk about injuries and getting hurt -- we lost probably our most important player in the first half and he didn't return, on top of missing Hunter all season and Thompson for about 99 percent of it. And De'Ron is very limited (though he was a lion tonight), McBob was a no-go and has been ailing all season and Rob sat out for about three weeks. Don't cry to me about injuries. We're the poster child for wounded hoopsters.

Archie for President!!!

Too much dribbling, Devonte!

Pass the ball, Romeo!

Why don't we learn that we cannot initiate contact on drives!

Jake's my boy!

With all we're up against, we can't be missing bunnies.

I have to admit: I was bitching about new basketball uniforms -- because I didn't have any idea why we should be worrying about uniforms when we can't win a damn game. But that was before I knew the reason behind them and how they looked. I actually like 'em -- a lot ... I just think the whole football uniform thing is silly. We have red IU helmets, white IU helmets, red helmets with the Indiana torch and white helmets with the Indiana torch and striped helmets (those are ridiculous). And we have about a dozen uniform combinations. Yet we can't win more than five games a season. Let's worry about winning first. BTW, I hope to NEVER see us wear this helmet again. ...

Arizona went to four Final Fours (1988, '94, '97, 2001), went to two title games ('97 and 2001 -- winning in '97) and was a No. 1 seed six times. It was a pretty powerful program there for a while. ... Most of that was under Lute Olson.

As far as I can tell, Staffold is the only Hoosier in the Super Bowl. I'm a tried-and-true Bears fan, so I really don't care who wins on Sunday. So -- might as well root for the Hoosier. I believe he's started every game this year on the OL. Good luck, Rodger! Make sure you keep Jared Goff off his back. https://247sports.com/nfl/los-angeles-rams/Article/Roger-Saffold-Rams-unsung-hero-NFL-128225307/

I'm guessing this would have an effect for all of 5 minutes, and maybe Archie has done it, but I wonder if he's ever had someone like Quin Buckner come in and speak to the team. Quin's a trustee, so he's never very far away. He obviously played on the last unbeaten NC and played and coached in the NBA and broadcasted for years. I would love for him to go into the locker room, and not necessarily berate the guys, but explain to them what IU basketball is all about and tell them how at times, they're disrespecting themselves, their team, their university and all the great players who've worn that uniform with the way they play. I know we're lacking in some talent and have been devastated by injuries, but there's still no excuse for the all-too-often lack of effort. Even Romeo -- last game, he either got stripped or his shot blocked (can't remember exactly) and instead of hustling back on defense, he stood there with his arms in the air wanting a foul. Smith has had several instances in which he's made mistakes, then pouts instead of hustling back and perhaps helping to prevent an easy fast-break bucket. I would love for Quin to tell them back in his day, if he or a teammate did that, they'd run till they vomit. And then run some more.

We don't even make 58 percent of our layups these days! Maybe Jordan can come back, join Archie's staff and teach these fellas a thing or two about shooting ...

I'm not sure how different the public narrative is compared to what actually goes on behind the scenes, but I'm starting to get a little frustrated when I watch Archie in his radio show and his post-game pressers. He basically keeps saying, "We need to just keep working harder and trying to get better at what we do." When you lose eight in a row, what you do clearly isn't working. Maybe try something different? It couldn't hurt at this point ...

Please don't tell me Dakich is working this game. He's gonna be insufferable ... MSU 82 IU 59

Very glad we have Robert Phinisee, but if I ever saw him in person, I think I'd say, "Please, please, please don't ever drive to the basket again when there are two or three 6-6 or 6-7 guys in the lane. That's just not gonna work. You are 6-1 with elevator shows on and you're in college now. Your points are gonna have to come in a different way."