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Inside Baseball – April Edition
Basketball
Fan Teaser: Week 180 Solution
Nothing to see here, just a couple of GOATs.
The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Fours are this weekend.
The Women will tip it off Friday in Phoenix with a familiar feel to it. The same four schools from last year are back for an encore performance with UCLA playing Texas in one semifinal and Connecticut playing South Carolina in the other. The championship is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
The Final Four is nothing new to UConn head coach Geno Auriemma. It will be his 25th appearance on the sidelines for the Huskies in this environment. It’s worth noting there have only been 44 Women’s Final Fours … ever! It’s also worth noting this is the 17th time in the past 18 seasons that an Auriemma-coached UConn team has made this trip. And, should the Huskies wind up cutting the nets down on Sunday it will be his 13th National Championship and the team’s 56th consecutive victory without a loss.
The only other active coach with more than six Final Fours is Auriemma’s opponent Friday, South Carolina’s Dawn Staley has eight (including the last six).
The men tip off Saturday in Indianapolis with UConn facing Illinois in one semifinal and Arizona playing Michigan in the other. The title tilt, as it always is, will be Monday night.
Of the four coaches in the Final Four, Danny Hurley is making his third appearance in the past four seasons. That’s still a long way from all-time men’s Final Four appearance leader, retired Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who made this journey 13 times. His 13th came in his final season on the sidelines (2022) which broke his tie with UCLA legend John Wooden who had a Auriemma-esque nine straight appearances from 1967-1975.
Here’s hoping you enjoy the final weekend of college basketball!
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Braylon Mullins’ Game-Winner for UConn Sure Looked Familiar
I missed watching the heroics of UConn freshman Braylon Mullins live Sunday because I was traveling home from Event No. 50 of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project. (USBC Masters PBA Finals).
My phone began blowing up nearly as soon as I left the parking lot at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, MI, and, for good reason after watching the frantic finish of Connecticut’s 73-72 East Regional Final victory over Duke.
As I watched Mullins’ shot a few times, I couldn’t help but feel as though I’d seen it before.
I had.
It was March 8, 2025, and my cousin, Brandon, and his daughter, Calah, were attending an Indiana Boys’ 4A Sectional Final at Muncie Fieldhouse. The game that night featured Greenfield-Central and Mt. Vernon. Mullins was a senior at Greenfield-Central while Mt. Vernon featured a junior who’d already committed to Purdue, Luke Ertel. It was the final night of Event No. 14 that took me to Indiana to watch as much basketball as I could fit into a week.
The two were throwing haymakers at one another most of the game (Mullins finished with 38 points, Ertel with 36), but it was this sequence at the end of regulation that I recalled 55 weeks later watching Mullins drain that 35-footer to set up a homecoming for him next week in Indianapolis at the Final Four.
The Sports Fan Project Bracket Challenge – Sweet 16 Update
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The Day 4 Ledger from Event No. 49
I’d considered not putting any wagers on Sunday’s action. There really weren’t any men’s or women’s games that we’re talking to me as I reviewed the matchups.
Oddly, though, as a lifelong Indiana Hoosiers’ fan, I found myself returning time and again to the Purdue-Miami (FL) game. I wasn’t convinced the Boilermakers would cover the seven points they were giving the Hurricanes, but I really liked the look of the 148 Total Points. Surely Purdue’s senior trio of Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn would go to work against one of Division I’s worst 3-point defenses.
As a happy bonus this was the day’s first game, meaning I’d be able to cash in the winning ticket before heading to the Las Vegas Strip for the lions share of my day.
The wager was placed; I took the Over.
Get busy everybody!
My friend Rob, a high school math teacher, outlined what would be needed by quarters of the 40-minute game to get to 149 points. Somewhere north of 37 points would get the job done.
Things were just ducky through the first three-fourths of the game and I figured a walk in the park was occurring.
Then the defense in both ends ratcheted up, the pressure mounted, and invisible lids were placed on both baskets.
When Loyer hit two free throws to give the Boilermakers a 79-69lead with 12 seconds left, I figured an uncontested Miami layup (and a wager win) was in my future.
Inexplicably, Miami began to dribble out the clock then had a change of heart when Tre Donaldson drive to the basket for a layup only to be met with some half-hearted defense from Purdue causing him to miss.
Ballgame!
And a push. All I was getting was my wagered amount returned.
Here’s what transpired Sunday:
- $10 wagered on the Over of 148 Total Points by Purdue-Miami (FL) – 79-69 final for 148 points (A tie! $10 returned.)
For the four days, nine total wagers were made totaling $90 of the $100 I’d allocated myself. The outcome was $17.50 to the good.
I’ll take it!
Fan Teaser: Week 178 Solution
As CBS play-by-play man came on the air March 20, 2010, he welcomed viewers to snowy Oklahoma City, OK.
It was, perhaps, apt that there was a quasi-blizzard raging outside when 9th-seeded Northern Iowa played top-seeded Kansas in the Round of 32 for a spot in the Sweet 16.
The upstart Panthers fairly well snowed in the Jayhawks, jumping to an 8-point halftime lead, forcing 15 Kansas turnovers for the game, and clinging to a 1-point lead with 35 seconds left.
That’s when the subject of this week’s Fan Teaser, Ali Farokhmanesh, drained a deep three to give the Panthers a two possession lead which they turned into a 69-67 upset victory. Farokhmanesh just completed his first year as head coach of the Colorado State Rams who qualified for the NIT this season with a 21-12 record.
Will (or has it already!?!) similar March Madness occur during this year’s tournament? I guess we’ll just need to wait and see.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
The Day 3 Ledger from Event No. 49
And on the third day, the “2017 South Point Sports Book Customer Service Agent of the Year,” Therese, pulled out a roll of Scotch Tape from behind the counter and re-assembled my torn winning betting slip from Friday’s Alabama-Hofstra game and I was $19.10 better off.
Of course, Therese’s turn as miracle worker came after Geno Auriema and his UConn women’s basketball team couldn’t ever find their rhythm during its first-round match up with Texas-San Antonio and merely won by 38 points and not the 55 the oddsmakers thought it would.
Hubris, thy name is Doug for laying 55 points.
Our day ended in fantastic fashion sitting at the Steak ‘n Shake in South Point gnoshing on burgers and shakes and fries while watching the end of the Vanderbilt-Nebraska game on a phone screen. A game in which three of us had some interest😉
One of our group had the first-half Over which was set at 68.5 points. His palms were sweaty and his knees weak – though there was no sign of mom’s spaghetti;-) – as the teams slogged their way to 71 first-half points.
I had the Nebraska getting two points in the game while another had Vanderbilt giving those same two points.
A scenario did exist where all three of us could be winners: The combined 71 first-half points followed by a Vanderbilt 1-point win.
Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner nearly delivered just that at the buzzer with his shot that was that close (see image above) from going in and giving the Commodores a 75-74 victory. (Check out the shot below.)
Instead we had to settle for 2-for-3.
Here’s what transpired Saturday:
- South Point’s Saint Therese rescued my accidentally torn betting slip from the trash heap and turned my stupidity into a victory (Win! Payout $19.10)
- $10 wagered on UConn women -55 points against Texas-San Antonio – Final Score: UConn 90, UTSA 52. (Loss!)
- $10 wagered on Nebraska +2 points against Vanderbilt – Final Score: Nebraska 74, Vanderbilt 72. Win! Payout $19.10)
So, as I type this early Sunday morning (praying to Saint Therese, of course) I am currently up $17.50 for the three days.
The Day 2 Ledger from Event No. 49
Day 2 embracing the madness that is March in Las Vegas was a tale of wins, wonton disregard for reading comprehension, and a bad beat as part of Event No. 49 of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.
My dad watches a lot of mid-major men’s basketball thanks to ESPN+ and he provided me with two schools to keep an eye on before I headed here: High Point University (Big South) and Wright State University (Horizon League).
If you recall from my Day 1 Ledger, High Point won its game outright and me a whopping $9.10. I figured, who am I to disregard my father’s advice at this point.
Of course, dear old dad would have encouraged me to read the final scores of games for content carefully before decided to rip up a betting slip (see above). I still swear I saw the Alabama-Hofstra final score on the ticker as 90-80. Imagine my shock when I noticed that 80 was really a 70. I wonder if my six pieces will get me paid? I think I already know the answer to that question but it must be asked.
And then there was the St. John’s-Northern Iowa game. Convinced Coach Rick Pitino would not endure another early exit like he did a year ago when his group didn’t escape opening weekend, I took the Over of 132.5. The final total … 132!!! All I needed was one of those 13 combined missed free throws to get made!
Here’s what transpired Friday:
- $10 wagered on Wright State +17 points against Virginia – Final Score: Virginia 82, Wright State 73 (Win! Payout of $19.10)
- $10 wagered on Alabama -12 points against Hofstra – Final Score: Alabama 90, Hofstra 70 (Win! But I tore my ticket up:-( Payout TBD)
- $10 wagered on the Over of 132.5 in the St. John’s-Northern Iowa game – Final Score: St. John’s 79, Northern Iowa 53 (Loss!)
So, as I type this early Saturday morning I am down $2.70 pending the outcome turning in my torn betting slip.
The Day 1 Ledger from Event No. 49
They say the house always wins.
With this knowledge, I fully understand the other shoe is about to drop, but for at least one day my bottom line during Event No. 49 of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events is a positive.
Subscribers of the Project will recall from Inside Baseball – March Edition that I’d allocated myself one $100 bill to wager on NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament action here in Las Vegas.
Here’s what went transpired:
- $10 wagered on High Point +10.5 points against Wisconsin – Final score: High Point 83, Wisconsin 82 (Win! Payout of $19.10)
- $10 wagered on McNeese State +12 points against Vanderbilt – Final score: Vanderbilt 78, McNeese State 68 (Win! Payout of $19.10)
- $10 wagered on Gonzaga -20.5 points against Kennesaw State – Final score: Gonzaga 73, Kennesaw State 69 (Loss!)
So, as I type this early Friday morning I am up $8.20.
Let’s see what today brings:-)
Part of my winnings from Day 1 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Inside Baseball – March Edition
(Reminder: You’re receiving this edition of Inside Baseball because you’re a subscriber to The Sports Fan Project. It’s just my way providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse as to what’s happening [and being planned] here and at our podcast, Conversations with Sports Fans. If you know of others who might enjoy our content, please invite them to subscribe. The link to do so is found along the righthand column on the website.)
Channeling my inner-founding fathers: I cannot tell a lie, the last five weeks have been an absolute whirlwind.
Venice, Cortina, Milan, Rome, Los Angeles, San Juan (via New York City), Phoenix, and – as of tomorrow – Las Vegas. All since February 6th!
Events Nos. 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 (maybe!) of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project will have all been attended by late Sunday which means I’m firmly – I believe – on track to get to 80 by my self-imposed deadline of June 30, 2027.
In this edition of Inside Baseball I’m looking for some assistance and provide our valued subscribers an opportunity to compete in The Sports Fan Project’s now annual Bracket Challenge.
Your Assistance Welcome … and Needed!
Full disclosure, I am not a gambler.
I’ve always been of the belief I’d just as soon light my currency on fire rather than play games of chance because I’m, well, terrible at games of chance!
That said, on the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events list is spending time in Las Vegas for the opening week of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments.
I’ve done it once before on purpose (2017) and again by accident (2018). It was a crazy environment with a lot of (mainly) middle-aged men wandering form sports book to sports book looking for an extra half-point or the best possible parlay to turn their wager into big winnings.
I was not among the winners.
Still, I’m heading back with a group of five buddies and we’re going to have a blast I’m sure, but I’ve set a limit for myself.
The image of Ben Franklin above is all that I’m permitting myself to play with while I’m in Sin City. It will all be wagered on basketball games (no craps, no slots, no blackjack … only the tourney).
So what say you, TSFP subscribers?
Do you have any sure things? Any hunches? Is there a game I should throw $5 on and see how it plays out? Should I put the entirety of my hundy down on a game early Thursday and either play with house money the rest of the week or wallow in my liberation from wagering?
Please let me know either by commenting below or by emailing me directly at hilldouglast@gmail.com.
Brackets are Back
A year ago eight of you played in The Sports Fan Bracket Challenge and I thank you for doing so!
We’re competing soley for bragging rights, but I might have something in the prize bin this year to send along to the ultimate winner. Those bragging rights for the past year have belonged to my wife, Carol, who finished six points clear of longtime supporter Michael O’Connell. Oddly, Carol hardly bragged at all which was welcome for this sixth place finisher.
Anyhow, here is the link to this year’s bracket: https://play.ncaa.com/share/mbcg/group/1717537/token/98c6935dbd579e834053f21b?iid=bcg_share_web_other_group_email
You may need to reactivate your NCAA account and/or start a new one. Please note that we’re doing the men’s bracket not the women’s bracket (though I’m thinking about adding that for next year:-).
A reminder the first games begin later today (6:40 p.m. EDT) so if you’re looking to nab a point for these First Four Games you’ll want to get your bracket submitted yet today. If that’s not so important to you and you’d rather have the Field of 64 set, then you’ll need to have submitted by noon EDT, Thursday.
Upcoming Conversations
As I’m a bit pressed for time, I’ll not go deep into the details of each of these, but here’s what’s in the queue:
- Joe Grezlik – Freshmen dormitory floor buddy who’s retired from a career working in the Michigan Department of Corrections, is a massive golf fan and an employee at Whitmore Lake Golf Links. He’s pursuing his PGA of America Membership so you know that’ll be a topic of our Conversation.
- Joe Flynn – A longtime employee in the non-profit sector, Joe capped his executive certificate class at George Washington University with the creation of the Fantasy Football for Good Draft Guide that documented the foundations and charitable work for 180 NFL players in one spot to, as Joe says, “Highlights the humans under the helmet.”
- Sports Fans at AZ Sports Cards in Phoenix – Thanks to owner John Gola III, I was able to spend a couple hours at his AZ Sports Card store recently and talk to sports fans and hobbyists of all stripes and from around the country who are in town for Cactus League baseball. It’ll test my editing capabilities, but I think this will be a fun listen.
- University of Washington Men’s Soccer Fans – Part of my ongoing effort to highlight the fans oof the so-called non-revenue college athletic programs, I’m delighted to share this second installment, featuring a quartet of Huskies fans following their national championship.
The Thrill of Victory!
The Agony of Defeat!
