Hello March Madness, my old friend. Mike J lives to see his fourth March Madness since the ‘premature’ cancer death sentence. I love this time of the year. I absolutely love it because both college basketball and fishing heat up simultaneously. Then… The Masters, then the NBA Playoffs. Can it get any better? Only when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin would be my answer.
It’s time I put this video of JWill with Andy Katz on the blog after the Hogs rather easy double digit win over Chet’s grossly overrated No. 1 Gonzaga team in 2022. Gonzaga was everyone’s pick to win the national championship. But I had seen JWill and his crazy coach in Tulsa when OU played Arkansas in a game in which OU beat coach Eric Musselman by double digits. Coach Muss got tossed in the second half and I fell in love with Coach Muss’s passion for his team
OU came back and beat Arkansas again the next year before they had entered the SEC and Coach Mussleman if my memory serves correct…got tossed again. What a character until he got fired and replaced by John Calipari– who is a character in his own right. I love both of those dudes. I mean…they go to war for their players.
Arkansas has had some great, great basketball coaches over the years. I wonder if Coach Cal might be interested in the OU job at some point? He’d be a trip in Norman. Not a bad place for an older coach where the football coach takes most of the fan’s displeasure.
I believe JWill double-doubled that night, plus some nice assists and was the player of the game while Chet was a non-factor for the grossly overhyped Gonzaga group which had Jalen Suggs and Andrew Timme as well. Plus… Andrew Nembhard I think. Anyway they way they were loaded, yet the Hogs advanced to the Elite 8.
I was thrilled when I saw Sam Presti steal JWill with a second round pick. Actually…I’m a little surprised JWill hasn’t been used more by Coach Mark until this season with all the DNPs.
I’m very well aware of the fact Sam Presti won’t be trading Chet to the LA Clippers…Presti would not do that because that’s who he is. But I do think JWill’s emergence this season makes it rather simple for Sam Presti to pass on Isaiah Hartenstein’s third year team option deal next season.
JWill can defend, he can create space with his screens, he can pass off the high or low post, and he can do what Isaiah will never be able to do… that being, knock down open threes and create space for Shai.
So, JWill, buddy…I didn’t watch the the Thunder’s win the other night over the weak Chicago Bulls because at this point in the NBA season I don’t watch shit teams play games .That’s just the way I am.
But I understand you had another massive double-double for the Thunder in a nice win for the team while guys sat again.
So…this post is for you. Keep up the great play and continue forward as being one of the fan favorite players on the Thunder. And, yes, you’re one of the Thunder Elite who could put on the skates and turn himself into himself into a legit ice hockey player because you’re made of the right stuff in that regard.
There’s a new hockey movie coming out this week-end and I think I’ll try and squeeze it in between basketball games.
March Madness, hello again my old friend.
Best wishes, Mike J