Random Thoughts (November 18, 2008)

Yesterday was a sad day for college basketball. Legendary basketball coach Pete Newell passed away at the age of 93. Newell is one of the all-time great coaches in basketball history. He is one of three coaches to win an NCAA Championship (California, 1959), an NIT Championship (San Francisco, 1949), and an Olympic Gold Medal (USA, 1960). (Quick trivia question: Name the other two coaches. Answer at the bottom of this post.) Newell was named the National Coach of the Year in 1960 after leading California back to the championship game (where they lost to John Havlicek, Jerry Lucas, Bobby Knight and Ohio State). He then abruptly retired, at age 44. After retiring from the bench, Newell stayed in basketball as the general manager of the Rockets and Lakers and as a personnel man and scout for the Warriors and Cavaliers. Newell is probably best known for his annual "Big Man" camps where he taught the fundamentals and nuances of post play to a variety of college and professional big men, including Bill Walton and Shaquille O'Neal. A 1979 inductee to the Basketball Hall of Fame, Newell will be missed... Baseball's free agency period has started and we are all awaiting to see what the Red Sox will do. Here is a quick breakdown of some rumors and thoughts circulating around the Yawkey Way Boys:

• Mark Teixeira would be a great fit in Boston. He can hit, he can play the field, he plays hard. The only problem is what to do with Mike Lowell because if the Sox sign Teixeira, they will be forced to move Kevin Youkilis to third base. Lowell is coming off hip surgery and is owed $24 million through 2010 so it will be hard to move him before he proves he is 100% healthy. That would make spring training very interesting but the Red Sox are never afraid to risk a little controversy when the rewards are so potentially high.
• There is talk about the Red Sox unloading Julio Lugo on the Tigers for either Dontrelle Willis or Nate Robertson in one of those "You take my problem and I'll take yours" trades. I would personally prefer Willis, in spite of his recent struggles, because he has proved to be a Cy Young-caliber pitcher and I think that John Farrell can return him to form. Also, I always enjoy this type of trade when my team gets pitching. You can never have enough pitching.
• The rumored initial asking price for the young catchers in Texas is way too high. The Rangers reportedly want either Clay Buchholz or Justin Masterson and Michael Bowden in return for Jarrod Saltalamacchia. At that price, I'm not interested
• I really hope greed doesn't get in the way of Jason Varitek staying in Boston. 'Tek should be here for two more years at around $8 million a season. He can lead the pitching staff, tutor whatever young catcher the Sox bring in this winter, win a championship or two, and retire as a member of the Red Sox.

The A.L. MVP will be announced today. Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia are leading candidates to take home the trophy. If either win, they would be the first Red Sox player since Mo Vaughn in 1995 to be the MVP.

I think Pedroia will win the award but I also think Youkilis is the best candidate...

The Bruins keep on rolling...

The C's will have to find a way to beat the lowly Knicks tonight without the services of Kevin Garnett, who was suspended for one game for his altercation with Andrew Bogut of the Bucks on Saturday. It's hard enough for the C's to win with their lack of a bench...

North Carolina hosts Kentucky tonight in college basketball. Even though Kentucky looks to be down again (they are coming off a loss to Virginia Military Institute at Rupp Arena) this is a matchup of two of the great college basketball powers...

Trivia: Bobby Knight won the NCAA three times (1976, 1981, 1987) the NIT once (1979) and the Gold Medal once (1984). Dean Smith won the NCAA twice (1982, 1993), the NIT once (1971), and the Gold Medal once (1976)...

Enjoy Rajon Rondo tonight...