Kansas over Oklahoma, 83-79 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri
Most Outstanding Player:
Danny Manning, Kansas
Fun Fact:
Kansas has lost both of their regular season meetings with Oklahoma. The title game was the 3rd biggest point spread upset in National Championship history. That team is referred to as “Danny and the Miracles”.
This month, college hoops takes center stage. What better way to get you prepared for March Madness than talk to a pro that knows everything going into the tourney? Scott Phillips from NBC Sports and I talk about the elite teams, stars who should shine, the bubble teams, potential Cinderellas and more. (Interview starts at the 30:35 mark if you want to jump ahead)
TJ and I also get into some TV talk, the Ballpark Foodie series, and tease next week’s “Selection Monday” show for our TV Character Madness Tournament. We also introduce the Piffcast Cork Board for those of you who have a project, event or cause you’d like to promote. Listen to find out more about it.
Join the conversation by interacting with us on Facebook or Twitter!
I am tired of the lazy “Millennials are soft” narrative.
Monday night, sports fans were treated to one of 2016’s early instant classics as #1 Kansas University went 3 overtimes to fend off Buddy Hield and #2 Oklahoma 109-106 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence. It was one of the better regular season basketball games in a long time. Brent Musburger and Dick Vitale nearly lost their voices. It was a great time had by all, thanks to millennial athletes.
Meanwhile, Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver was busy doing his best Grandpa Simpson impression by blaming “Millennial Culture” for his team’s second to last place record in the Western Conference.
“My whole view of the millennial culture is that they have a tough time dealing with setbacks,” Sarver told the Arizona Republic. “I’m not sure if it’s the technology or the instant gratification of being online. But the other thing is, I’m not a fan of social media. I tell my kids it’s like Fantasyland. The only thing people put online are good things that happen to them, or things they make up. And it creates unrealistic expectations.”
It’s cool though, because local journalists are Sarver’s version of a Facebook wall to rant on, and his “instant gratification” are hot take sports talk shows like FOX Sports Live (I thought this was supposed to be a highlight show) with panelists echoing his sentiments…because none of them are millennials themselves.
On this particular FSL panel from Monday night, moderator Randy Travis led off the discussion with the typical “We all know Millennials are the most coddled generation…”, and I felt more compelled to change the channel than ever. Ironically, everyone on this panel was screaming “Let Johnny Manziel be Johnny Manziel” just beforehand.
I appreciate Sports Illustrated’s media reporter Richard Deitsch for pointing out exactly where I wanted to take this on Twitter.
Michael below is exactly the viewer (a millennial w. sports interests) that FS1 needs. Why alienate a group here? https://t.co/HDZVEZVEnR
The group in question is exactly the audience Fox Sports 1 is fighting for with ESPN too. Fox Sports Live was originally packaged to us as the “fun” sports show with entertaining highlights, anchors who get it (like Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole), and smart analysis. Instead, the network adds former ESPN First Take executive producer Jamie Horowitz – who brings Colin Cowherd and Jason Whitlock with (reasons millennial audiences wanted an alternative) – and we’re back to searching for something else again. ESPN then capitalizes by handing the late night SportsCenter reigns to their most millennial friendly talent, Scott Van Pelt.
In case you weren’t aware, the millennial generation covers people born between the early 80’s to the early 2000’s. These are impactful business owners (Mark Zuckerberg), soon-to-be college grads (Jack Gleeson aka Prince Joffrey from Game of Thrones), teenagers standing up for important causes (Malala Yousafzai), and kids who never saw Michael Jordan play live. They love nostalgia (reminiscing about 90’s Nickelodeon shows and NES cartridge games) and can’t wait for what’s next (standing in line around the block for the new iPhone).
Millennials are another young generation, shaped as much by previous generations as they are criticized by them. The people who can’t stand anyone younger than them actually gave birth to them and had the opportunity to raise them the way they wanted to. The irony is hilarious. Yet for every Phoenix Suns team, there’s a Golden State Warriors roster dominated by 20-somethings on top of the basketball world. The best player in the league currently and millennial athlete, Stephen Curry, had his game influenced by a specialist from the previous generation…his dad.
Obviously the disconnect isn’t limited to basketball, as Mr. Sarver generalizes. The old folks write pointed letters when Cam Newton dances in the end zone. They take to social media and sports talk radio when Jose Bautista flips his bat. Alas, when a millennial has something to say to defend their generation, they tell you to shut up and stop being so sensitive.
I remember that “wambulance” joke from Modern Family. It was funny the first dozen times the kindergartner on the show used it.
If the Suns are victims to “Millennial Culture”, then why are the current Chicago Cubs 7/1 World Series favorites with a projected lineup whose average age is 26? What the Suns are victims of is an organization and leadership that spends more time blaming everything but themselves for their own losing culture…and bad scouting.
Rather than sit back and criticize a generation for your problems, be proactive and either adapt or provide a productive solution. If you don’t like what you’re hearing, change the channel. Otherwise, this will be you someday.
The Supreme Court sided with Larry Flynt in the Hustler vs. Falwell case.
George H.W. Bush was elected President of the United States.
The first “World AIDS Day” was held on December 1st.
The NBA’s youngest MVP, Derrick Rose, was born.
And here’s what else happened in Movies, Music, and Sports…
Movies
Comedy
Beetlejuice, Big, A Fish Called Wanda, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad, The Great Outdoors, Bull Durham, Hairspray, Heathers, Working Girl, Midnight Run, Punchline, Twins, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Earth Girls are Easy, My Stepmother is an Alien, Mystic Pizza, Scrooged, Crocodile Dundee II, Big Top Pee-Wee, She’s Having a Baby, Short Circuit 2, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, AND…
Coming to America
Action/Thriller
Young Guns, Rambo III, Child’s Play, They Live, Frantic, The Dead Pool, Red Heat, Dead Ringers, The Vanishing, Action Jackson, Off Limits, D.O.A., Tequila Sunrise, Spellbinder, Halloween 4, Shoot to Kill, Shakedown, The Bourne Identity, Friday the 13th VII, Maniac Cop, The Presidio, Bloodsport AND…
Die Hard
Drama
Cocktail, Willow, The Accused, Dangerous Liaisons, Beaches, The Last Temptation of Christ, Evil Angels, The Accidental Tourist, Mississippi Burning, Dead Solid Perfect, Eight Men Out, And God Created Woman, Another Woman, Patty Hearst, Betrayed, Bright Lights Big City, Torch Song Trilogy, Stealing Home, The Moderns, Sweethearts Dance, Cocoon: The Return, A Summer Story, Running on Empty, Bird, Stand and Deliver, Colors, Gorillas in the Mist, AND…
Rain Man
The 61st Academy Awards
Best Actor
Gene Hackman, Mississippi Burning
Tom Hanks, Big
Edward James Olmos, Stand and Deliver
Max von Sydow, Pelle the Conquerer
Dustin Hoffman, Rain Man – Winner
It was Dustin Hoffman’s second Oscars win after Kramer vs. Kramer in 1980 out of 7 nominations.
Best Supporting Actor
Alec Guinness, Little Dorrit
Martin Landau, Tucker The Man and His Dream
River Phoenix, Running on Empty
Dean Stockwell, Married to the Mob
Kevin Kline, A Fish Called Wanda – Winner
Kline is 1-for-1 at the Oscars
Best Actress
Glenn Close, Dangerous Liaisons
Melanie Griffith, Working Girl
Meryl Streep, A Cry in the Dark
Sigourney Weaver, Gorillas in the Mist
Jodie Foster, The Accused – Winner
Of 4 nominations, this was Jodie Fosters first of 2 Oscar wins.
Best Supporting Actress
Joan Cusack, Working Girl
Frances McDormand, Mississippi Burning
Michelle Pfeiffer, Dangerous Liaisons
Sigourney Weaver, Working Girl
Geena Davis, The Accidental Tourist – Winner
Geena Davis has won 1 out of 2 nominations, the second for Thelma and Louise.
Best Picture
The Accidental Tourist
Dangerous Liaisons
Mississippi Burning
Working Girl
Rain Man – Winner
Rain Man won 4 of the 8 Academy Awards it was nominated for, including Best Director and Best Writing.
Music
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Hip Hop Albums
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Pop Music
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Billboard Year-End Top 25
01. “Faith” – George Michael
02. “Need You Tonight” – INXS
03. “Got My Mind Set On You” – George Harrison
04. “Never Gonna Give You Up” – Rick Astley
05. “Sweet Child o’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses
06. “So Emotional” – Whitney Houston
07. “Heaven is a Place on Earth” – Belinda Carlisle
08. “Could’ve Been” – Tiffany
09. “Hands to Heaven” – Breathe
10. “Roll with It” – Steve Winwood
11. “One More Try” – George Michael
12. “Wishing Well” – Terrence Trent D’Arby
13. “Anything For You” – Gloria Estefan
14. “The Flame” – Cheap Trick
15. “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car” – Billy Ocean
16. “Seasons Change” – Expose
17. “Is This Love” – Whitesnake
18. “Wild, Wild West” – The Escape Club
19. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Def Lepard
20. “I’ll Always Love You” – Taylor Dayne
21. “Man in the Mirror” – Michael Jackson
22. “Shake Your Love” – Debbie Gibson
23. “Simply Irresistible” – Robert Palmer
24. “Hold On To The Nights” – Richard Marx
25. “Hungry Eyes” – Eric Carmen
Sports
Baseball
League Leaders:
Offensive
Average: Wade Boggs (BOS) – .366
Hits: Kirby Pucket (MIN) – 234
Home Runs: Jose Canseco (OAK) – 42
RBI: Jose Canseco (OAK) – 124
OPS: Wade Boggs (BOS) – .965
Stolen Bases: Rickey Henderson (NYY) – 93
Pitching
Wins: Frank Viola (MIN) – 24
ERA: Joe Magrane (STL) – 2.18
Strikeouts: Roger Clemens (BOS) – 291
Complete Games: Danny Jackson (CIN) & Orel Hershiser (LAD) – 15
Shutouts: Orel Hershiser (LAD) & Roger Clemens (BOS) – 8
Saves: Dennis Eckersley (OAK) – 45
MVP
AL – Jose Canseco (OAK)
NL – Kirk Gibson (LAD)
CY Young
AL – Frank Viola (MIN)
NL – Orel Hershiser (LAD)
Rookie of the Year
AL – Walt Weiss (OAK)
NL – Chris Sabo (CIN)
World Series
Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Athletics (4-1)
Basketball
NCAA
Final Four:
(1) Oklahoma, (1) Arizona, (2) Duke and (6) Kansas
National Championship
(6) Kansas over (1) Oklahoma 83-79
NBA
League Leaders
Points Per Game: Michael Jordan (CHI) – 35.0
Rebounds Per Game: Michael Cage (LAC) – 13.0
Assists Per Game: John Stockton (UTAH) – 13.8
All-NBA Team
Charles Barkley (PHI)
Larry Bird (BOS)
Magic Johnson (LAL)
Michael Jordan (CHI)
Hakeem Olajuwon (HOU)
MVP – Michael Jordan (CHI)
Rookie of the Year – Mark Jackson (NY)
NBA Finals
Los Angeles Lakers over Detroit Pistons (4-3)
Football
NCAA
Heisman Trophy: Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State)
National Championship
Notre Dame over West Virginia 34-21 in the Fiesta Bowl
NFL
League Leaders
Passing Yards: Dan Marino (MIA) – 4,434
Passing Touchdowns: Jim Everett (LAR) – 31
Passer Rating: Boomer Esiason (CIN) – 97.4
Rush Yards: Eric Dickerson (IND) – 1,659
Rush Touchdowns: Greg Ball (LAR) – 16
Receiving Yards: Henry Ellard (LAR) – 1,414
Receiving Touchdowns: Mark Clayton (MIA) – 14
Receptions: Al Toon (NYJ) – 93
AP MVP: Boomer Esiason
Super Bowl XXIII
San Francisco 49ers over Cincinnati Bengals 20-16
Hockey
League Leaders
Goal: Mario Lemieux (PIT) – 70
Assists: Wayne Gretzky (EDM) – 109
Points: Mario Lemieux (PIT) – 168
Hart Memorial Trophy: Mario Lemieux (PIT)
Stanley Cup
Edmonton Oilers over Boston Bruins (4-0)
Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.
