We Live In Incredibly Stupid Times

Is there anything more pathetic than ESPN imagining people would be offended by an Asian-American play-by-play announcer named Robert Lee calling a football game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Tribe of William and Mary? 

No.

Dave Weekley will call the UVa-W&M contest while General Lee will call the play-by-play for the Youngstown State-Pitt game on ESPN that day instead.

It’s time for God to flood the earth again.

ESPN's statement on Robert Lee no longer calling the game between #UVa and W&M pic.twitter.com/jxg2Oeed8g

— Eric Hobeck (@eric_hobeck) August 23, 2017

"Well, shit." - Buford Jebidiah Beauregard Yamamoto tearing up his sports journalism degree

— Cuffy (@CuffyMeh) August 23, 2017

God I hope there was a confederate general named Dick Vitale

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) August 22, 2017

This might be the wokest head eating the tail moment I've ever seen https://t.co/t7btsp7lyc

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) August 22, 2017

In related news: Ford stopped making Lincolns as they vaguely remember a guy named Lincoln was somehow involved with Civil War. #PublicEd

— gab.ai/DrSchmalz (@DrSchmalz) August 23, 2017

Don’t tell ESPN about Lee Jeans, the official denim of confederate generals.

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) August 23, 2017

Basketball Heaven: ACC Semi-finals

It’s going to be a BIG night tonight.  Game One of the 2015 ACC Tournament Semi-finals features the North Carolina Tarheels against the Cavaliers of Virginia.  The game airs on ESPN at 7:00 PM.  Following that game will be the biggie:  my beloved Duke Blue Devils vs. Notre Dame.

As I’ve written many times before, none of my friends are Duke fans.  They are all huge fans of the Tarheels.  I’ve invited them all to Casa de Curmudgeon for a little camaraderie, adult beverages and a taco bar.

I’m going to whip out all my Duke Campus Crystal barware engraved with the Iron Dukes logo and a Duke chips and dip bowl and a couple of Duke serving trays, after all my quests need to be reminded whose house they’re visiting.

Drinks will be served at the bar in the kitchen and I’ll set up a buffet in the den with tortilla bowls that can be filled with shredded beef, lettuce, cheese, sour cream and their choice of hot or medium salsa, Pico de Gallo and guacamole.  There’ll be some Grilled Corn with Avocado Pico de Gallo, Mexican Rice and Dulce de Leche Brownie Bites for dessert.

Carolina looked really strong in their defeat of the Cards yesterday afternoon.  The Heels are averaging more points per game than the Cavs but their percent shooting is fairly equal.  I think the Heels pull this one out late in the game.

At 9:00 PM THE game is on.  Duke faces the Irish of Notre Dame for the third time this season.  Ordinarily my friends might seek to leave after the Carolina game, but they hate despise dislike really can’t stand that school so they will hang around to join me in cheering on the Blue Devils to victory.

The Irish are going to have to battle a tenacious little point guard in Tyus Jones.  The third Plumlee brother, Marshall, and Jahlil Okafor are going to be tough to defend so the question for tonight’s game is:   Will Duke face an explosive offense or the team that last night needed 12 minutes to get its first field goal of the second half?  After the drubbing Duke gave NC State last night, I’m betting Duke emerges the victor and plays for the ACC Championship crown tomorrow night.

GO DUKE

And since no basketball post would be complete without some pom-poms, here’s some lovely cheerleaders for you to peruse.

Basketball Heaven: ACC Quarterfinals

Retirement has it perks.  Yesterday I enjoyed the second round of games in the ACC Tournament.  I slopped up on the couch and watched the afternoon matches between Clemson and Florida State followed by North Carolina and Boston College.

I jumped in the shower after the Tarheels shellacked the Eagles, fed my little furkid and headed out to my favorite watering hole to join friends to enjoy the contest between North Carolina State and the Pitt Panthers.  I stayed through the first half of the Canes/Hokies game and then headed back to Casa de Curmudgeon and turned in for the night.

The game plan today is to watch the first two quarterfinal games and then join my posse at the same watering hole to root for my beloved Duke Blue Devils.  I’m hoping for a victory so they can advance to the semi-finals and then on to the championship game on Saturday.

ESPN will carry the 12:00 PM tipoff featuring the Virginia Cavaliers and the Florida State Seminoles.  The Cavs have one the best defensives in the country so I think FSU is going to lose this game.

At 2:30 PM Louisville is set to play the North Carolina Tarheels.  This is their first ACC Tournament since joining the conference.  I’m not sure how they’re going to react to the venue of the Greensboro Coliseum which will be filled to the rafters with fans rooting for their “home” teams.  The two teams split their regular season meetings, but I’m predicting a victory for the Heels.

My evening will be spent with friends watching the two remaining games of the quarterfinals that pit my beloved Duke Blue Devils against the Wolfpack of North Carolina State.  The Pack had a really strong game against the Pitt Panthers and they knocked the Blue Devils from the ranks of the unbeaten back in January, but Duke drew a double-bye for the tourney so they are well-rested.  This game is going to be brutal, but I think Duke is hungry to win.

The final game of the quarterfinals will see the Irish of Notre Dame go up against the Miami Hurricanes.  I can’t stand either team and could care less who wins.  Wait.  No, that’s not true.  I’m going to root for the Canes in this one.  I don’t think they can pull off the win, but that doesn’t mean I can’t root for them.

GO DUKE

And because no basketball post would be complete without some pom-poms, check out the gals of the ACC.

UPDATE 2:15 PM:  Poor FSU.  They never had a chance against the Cavs.  They threw clunker after clunker and were slow running down court to defend and wound up losing 58-44.

UPDATE 4:42 PM:  For a team that can't decide which league they want to play in, they may want to consider yet another after losing pitifully to Carolina 70-60.  'Ol googly-eyed Rick Pitino told his players not to foul with 21 seconds left in the game.  Now the Tarheels face Virginia tomorrow in the semi-finals.

FINAL UPDATE:  I couldn't contain my joy watching the Blue Devils manhandle the Wolfpack.  The final score was 77-53.  NC State fell behind by double digits early in the first half and never had a chance at recovering.  Notre Dame barely escaped against the Canes.  They ran hot and cold but managed to win 70-63.  

Orange Sabres And Blue Devils Battle It Out For Conference Title

You know what they say about the best-laid plans of mice and men.  Months ago I bought tickets to the 2014 ACC Tournament.  A devoted fan of the Duke Blue Devils, I wanted to be there to watch my team play.

I came down with pneumonia and my dream of seeing my boys play in person was shattered.

The Blue Devils took on Clemson Friday night and defeated them 63-62.  With that win they advanced to the semi-finals to face NC State on Saturday.

I went to work confident that the Wolfpack would be no threat to the Blue Devils, but just an hour into my shift I began to feel so bad that I had to leave.  I went to the Emergency Room.  The game was on the TV in the ER Waiting Room.  Eventually I was taken into an examination room and the ER doctor ordered blood work, urinalysis, EKG and chest x-rays.

While all this was going on, I was fortunate that the exam room had a TV mounted on the wall.  The ER nurse was kind enough to turn it on for me so I could watch the game.  I guess she felt sorry for me because I was so sick.  It was determined that I was suffering from dehydration and viral syndrome.  So the doctor ordered an IV drip and sent me on my way with a stern warning not to return to work for three days.  I think I'll follow his advice.

It was exciting watching Jabari Parker and T.J. Warren trading baskets in the kind of shootout expected from the Atlantic Coast Conference's top two scorers.

Parker scored 20 points and the Blue Devils beat Warren and North Carolina State 75-67 earning Duke its 31st championship game appearance and its first since 2011.

The ACC Tournament Championship starts at 1:00 PM ET with Duke going up against the Virginia Cavaliers a team that Duke whipped in January 69-65.

Duke is the favorite to claim the conference title.

At 6:00 PM the NCAA tournament brackets will be announced.  A victory against the Cavaliers could earn Duke a No. 1 seed along with Florida, Wichita State and Arizona.

UPDATE 3:20 PM:  Congratulations to the Cavaliers.  You played a classy game.  You deserve to be ACC Champions.  Best of luck on your march to the Final Four.