12/22/2024
The Friars mercifully only had one game this week after a last second loss to the Bonnies on Saturday, this time they faced off against another team named after something that isn't a thing...the St. John's Johnnies. Bryce Hopkins seems content to just collect NIL money and sit on the bench, so it was a pleasant surprise that PC led by 13 points at halftime. An unpleasant non-surprise, however, was that they blew the lead behind the momentum of 12 turnovers. Perhaps they took the whole "season of giving" thing too seriously, with one turnover for each of the twelve days of Christmas.
In true PC fashion though, they made you think they might pull it out, with Bensley Joseph finally hitting a 3 ball to tie the game with seconds left...only to inexplicably collapse at the other end of the court (literally, he fell down to give SJ an open look at a rebound/put-back shot) allowing the Johnnie's a buzzer-beater to win it. This likely effectively ends any chance of PC making the Tournament, so it's no pressure viewing for the rest of the season.
Something to do instead of watching PC play basketball this week : Rewatch Christmas themed sitcom episodes...30 Rock, Community, Seinfeld all have some great ones.
12/15/2024
This week, the Friars managed a come from behind win in OT against vaunted DePaul...the perennial punching bag of the Big East. Their game plan so far this season has been to basically just jack as many three point attempts as possible, which is fine, if you have anyone on the team that can hit one on occasion.
When Bryce Hopkins plays, they are a functioning team...which brings me to Saturday's game at Mohegan against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies. I still don't know what a "Bonnie" is...much in the way I still don't know what a "turtle dove" is. Anyways, your intrepid PC supporter had a chance to report live from Mohegan Sun Arena (which is a pretty fantastic place to watch a game). As a special treat, I took notes in real time:
5 PM - just before tip off - This is basically a home game for Providence. There might be 12 St Bona's fans here. Probably because the only reason to go to St. Bonaventure is to get directions on how to get away from there. Hopkins isn't in the starting lineup and I was not aware of this before placing my bet at the sports book so I'm kissing that money good-bye.
5:15 PM - PC is down by a lot. Some guy named "Council Jr." looks like Clyde Drexler and is scoring at will.
5:20 PM - PC is down by even more than a lot...I have started double fisting the Coors lights now.
- scene missing -
730 AM Sunday - I woke up and googled the score, PC lost but it ended up being close, and I somehow have a wad of cash on my nightstand and still have both of my kidneys. Successful trip to Mohegan. Highly recommend attending for a sporting event.
12/8/2024
Providence got back into the win column against BYU, also known as "the place Steve Young attended" or "the Mormon college." The PC twitter page (I will not call it "X") had it billed as "Catholics v. Mormons." I can't think of a less exciting promotion...maybe Catholics v. Jehovah's would be less exciting...I don't know. Anyway, the return of Bryce Hopkins was a triumphant one, however, the shine wore off quickly on Saturday night, when they came up short in the battle of Rhode Island to URI. With 4 losses already and it's not Christmas yet, the uphill climb to get to the tournament just became a little more up-hilly...and God Shammgod isn't walking through that door.
11/30/2024
The Friars participated in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament this weekend in the Bahamas. "Participated" is really the only word that describes their performance, as they lost all 3 games and two of them were not close. The Oklahoma game was a buzzer beater away from victory, but Davidson and Indiana separated pretty early and PC couldn't close the gap.
Quick history lesson, Atlantis, (besides being a swanky resort) is an alleged lost civilization that historians often suggest was a utopian society...so basically just like things are today, except the opposite. Atlantis is also the song playing the background when Tommy DiSimone beats Billy Bats to death in Goodfellas. It's the other song Donovan wrote that isn't Season of the Witch. Sometimes being a Friars fan is like that scene where Tommy walks into the room thinking he is about to get made and then...well, you know. It's how I feel every year PC is projected to have a good season.
In light of Providence's dismal performance this weekend, I am going to start a segment called "things to do instead of watching Providence." You can also just insert whatever team you follow that also happens to be terrible. This weekend, I watched The Penguin. Highly recommend. Sofia Falconi is my new favorite villain. I also had to keep reminding myself that the guy playing Oz Cobb was in fact Colin Farrell. Much like I had to keep reminding myself that Bryce Hopkins hasn't played for Providence yet this season, so maybe there is hope.
11/23/2024
The Friars continued the "opponents anonymous" leg of the season by thumping Delaware State by 30 points. Next week the "colleges that I've heard of" part of the season begins. The one thing that ever stood out about Delaware to me was that, according to the Simpsons, Delaware is known for its world famous screen-door factory... I've been to Delaware, once, for a wedding. The church was in the middle of the college neighborhood near University of Delaware. I was in the wedding party and recall all of us playing flip cup with some college kids in the parking lot. The "old men in their 30s" from PC impressed the Delaware students. Providence also produces very skilled flip cup graduates. We didn't even need the transfer portal. Oklahoma is up on the 29th. The real part of the season can't come any Sooner (see what I did there?).
11/17/2024
The Friars continued the "Wake me up when I've heard of one of these opponents" part of the season by beating Hampton and Green Bay. No, not the fancy Hampton, home to George Costanza's fake vacation house...and no, not the Packers. Did you know either of those schools existed? Me neither. For that reason I didn't watch either game and instead watched season 6, part 2 of Cobra Kai on Netflix.
11/9/2024
Providence almost started off the season by nearly basically ending the season, with a narrow win against the Blue Devils (no, not THOSE Blue Devils). A loss to Central Connecticut State would have basically said "you're not making the tournament this year." But seriously, CC couldn't find a different mascot? Maybe the purple devils? It even looks more or less just like the Duke devil. Also, Providence has a guy named "Christ." That must have helped. It also caused some confusion when I kept muttering "Jesus Christ" after one 3 ball after another clanged off the rim.
Thankfully a thorough mauling of Stonehill quieted the nerves that maybe PC will be decent this year. Thanks to that transfer portal I still haven't learned all the players names.
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