NBA All-Star Weekend | College Top 25 | Local Ice Pond Talk | Your Favorite Player’s Favorite Player
NBA All-Star Weekend
Friday Night at 9 PM ET on TNT
For the 2nd year in a row, the NBA All-Star Weekend kicks off with a 3 game mini tournament of 4 teams mixed with NBA rookies, sophomores, and G Leaguers. Deron Williams, Joakim Noah, Pau Gasol, and Jason Terry will be coaching the young bucks that were in elementary school that last time I ever flopped to draw a charge in a game that mattered. For the record Notes, I would take Team Joakim.
Team Deron’s A.J. Griffin (ATL)
Team Joakim’s Josh Giddey (OKC)
Team Pau’s Jaden Ivey (DET)
Team Jason’s Kenneth Lofton Jr. (MHU)
Saturday Night at 8 PM ET on TNT
Skills Challenge
For the record Notes, I would take Team Rooks. Ivey is 21. Banchero is 20. Smith Jr. is 19. The only thing that holds them back is if they try to play it too cool for the vets watching, but they should show out.
Team Antetokounmpo
Team Jazz
Team Rooks
3 Point Contest
For the record Notes, I would take Damian Lillard. I think it’s Dame’s Time to win one of these 3 point contests.
Slam Dunk Contest
For the record Notes, I would take Mac McClung. All 4 of these men are highflyers, I just remember watching Mac McClung on Ball Is Life highlight tapes when he was in high school.
Trey Murphy III
Jericho Sims
Mac McClung
Kenyon Martin Jr.
Sunday Night at 8:30 PM ET
NBA All-Star Game
For the record Notes, I would take Team LeBron. Curry, Zion, and KD are out so below is an up-to-date roster overview. For MVP I’ll go with Ja Morant.
NCAA Men’s Top 25
Brandon Miller of Alabama leads the SEC in scoring with 18.7 points per game. The freshman is projected to be a top 5 pick in the ‘23 NBA Draft.
Jalen Wilson’s 20.3 points per game are on pace for 5th all-time in most by a Kansas Jayhawk in the past 50 years. He trails Paul Pierce (20.4), Frank Mason (20.9), and Danny Manning (23.9 & 24.8). (Source: @ESPNStatsInfo)
Trayce Jackson-Davis averages 3 blocks per game (tied for 3rd in the nation). T(J)D is a two-way player, averaging 20.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.
Ryan Kalkbrenner is the 7’1” center for Creighton and has recorded at least one block every game this season with the exception of the second game of the season.
Florida Atlantic’s Johnnell Davis (no-known relation if you’re wondering) has doubled his points per game this season from the 6.8 he averaged in the ‘21-’22 season.
Local Ice Pond Talk
Since last Friday, the Devils have lost ground to the Hurricanes for the top seed in the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers have gained 3 points on the Devils. The Islanders now have the Penguins, Capitals, and Panthers on top of them for 2 Wild Card spots.
NJ’s Jesper Bratt
The Devil’s will be leaning on LW Jesper Bratt more with Jack Hughes out of the lineup. On a stacked Tampa offense he was routinely churning out 50-point seasons, but on the Devils, where he's expected to be a key driver on offense, he's delivered with 10 points in his past 10 games. (Source: Yahoo Sports)
Manhattan’s K'Andre Miller
For the Rangers, ‘23 seems to be the year for Miller who since the year flipped over emerged as one of the most productive defensemen in the league, with his 13 points in 16 games ranking 16th in points per game. At only 23 years old, Miller is one of the best all-around defensemen in the NHL. (Source: Yahoo Sports)
Out East’s Bo Horvat
The new Islander, Bo Horvat, in 5 games has 3 goals on 17 shots, shooting at a 17.1 percent clip. He has an assist as well, winning 52.6 percent of his face-offs, and has transcended the power play, which has five goals on 15 opportunities (33 percent). (Source: NYI Hockey)
Quick Intermission before the finish…
@YouTheReader I’m sorry it feels like I’m Punching In A Dream of my own Fairytale in New York. Some may think…
getting up early, writing, working, drinking Guinness, stumblin’ along taking pictures, going home, writing, passing out, getting up early, writing, working, drinking Guinness, stumblin’ along taking pictures, going home, writing, passing out, getting up early, writing, working, drinking Guinness, stumblin’ along taking pictures, going home, writing, passing out, getting up early, writing, working, drinking Guinness, stumblin’ along taking pictures, going home, writing, passing out, getting up early, writing, working, drinking Guinness, stumblin’ along taking pictures, going home, writing, passing out, getting up early, writing, working, drinking Guinness, stumblin’ along taking pictures, going home, writing, passing out, getting up early, writing, working, drinking Guinness, stumblin’ along taking pictures, going home, writing, passing out…
…day by day, Week to Week may sound like a bit much but I’ve started structuring my own deadlines that work best for me. Monday Mock Drafts that’ll run until the NFL Draft. Tuesday&Wednesday are Pint&Pen&Paper. Thursday is @YouTheReaders His or Her Words, Not Mine. No Football Friday and Sports&Life Saturdays I get to live out a dream of writing about whatever sports are going on that weekend or life, and by Sunday I’m Stumblin’ Along mumbling about history.
I don’t expect everybody to enjoy every piece but Week to Week Notes will cover a wide variety so I’m hoping you find your own niche of the week. I may write more than a couple of thousand words a day, but actions still speak louder. All I’m doing is trying to become Successful, so selfishly I want to be in the best possible position just in case there is another Miracle on 34th.
Damn, why am I even giving doubters any bait? Sharief is about to remind me tomorrow who cares what a group chat of people has to say when there is a whole world full of people who might be interested in reading? We’ll see if he’s right about people being interested but he’s spot-on with the sentiment. I’m looking forward to a lot of laughs & some Guinness if any of @YouTheReaders are interested, the details are hyperlinked above and will be on tomorrow’s Reel.
The Twitter account @UStadium out of random happenstance followed my no-name Twitter burner account and asked if I was interested in this shirt. I said sure thing let’s get this in black long-sleeve XL form.
@YouTheReader sorry for being a bit selfish on this post’s Reel. I’ll keep it real with the first nine fellas who viewed. Thanks, guys! I know it’s only a view, but I think of it as a sign because Nikes On My Feet was picked for this Friday back in November. #51 may not have seen the Week to Week Notes logo yet, but that’s okay I can’t complain one bit. With Jeets and now Revis, we’ll see if we can go VC for 3 this coming Friday…
Mac Miller had a profound impact on Darrelle Revis. The two of them were connected through growing up in Pittsburgh. Following Mac Miller’s death he had this to say about him, “My heart just dropped when I heard the news about my brother Mac Miller. In our last conversation, we had I told you I would come to one of your shows but I never mentioned which one because it was going to be a surprise. 9 years ago I saw a young man with a gift that would change the world with his voice. I saw a young man who was talented as anybody in the rap game and he was 17 years of age at the time. I remember rushing back home in the off-season to spend time in the studio to be around a creative genius. You inspired so many people across the world as an MC from the 412 and one thing I can say is I was here to watch you become a Legend from the very start of your career. To the rap game and to the City of Pittsburgh we truly lost a great one but his music will live on forever. Rest In Peace! #kids #longlivemacmiller.” (Source: @DarrelleRevis)
Honestly, I don’t have any need for a new pair of Nike sneakers. Instead, I’d like to one day help kids get Nikes of their own, namely White Air Force One High Tops. You’ll see why if you read me out. I’m in no position at the moment to offer up money towards this, but I’m willing to put in the time so that maybe one day Week to Week Notes can do such a venture. I totally understand if #24 doesn’t end up clicking the link, but if he does I just want to say thanks for making me fall in love with football. #NikesOnKidsFeet
Your Favorite Player’s Favorite Player
Alright, I promise I don’t have that big of an ego that I think everybody loves the generic no-name writer of Week to Week Notes, but in fairness, at the moment, I’m Week to Week Notes’ only writer so you don’t really have too many other options. I’m also not really a player. The only time I ever dated multiple women on Hoboken Hinge at once I high key low key hated it - weighed too much on my conscious. Enough about me, this section will be a seasonal thing, let’s do a feature on my favorite player I grew up watching and why I still love sports today…
Darrelle Revis
Hall of Fame Cornerback for the NY Jets (#24)
Darrelle Revis or also known as Revis Island was born July 14, 1985, in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, U.S. Long before Darrelle Revis would go on to make his own Fairytale in New York, all he used to think about was Friday nights under the Aliquippa High School lights. Here is an excerpt I found from a NY Times article written about him in ‘08.
“All I thought about was playing there,” Revis said. “When those lights come on, everybody in this town is there. That field is what keeps this town going.” When he visited Aliquippa back in ‘08, a year after getting drafted to the NYJ, Revis stood outside the brick house at 309 Seventh Avenue, the one with the boarded windows and the cracked foundation, the one with 13 rooms once filled by four generations of his family. His memories brought the silent neighborhood to life. Like the time he crashed his Tonka truck and ripped open his left eyebrow, which is still scarred. Or the time a neighbor saw the boys turning a slanted lawn into a football field — and threw boiling water at one receiver, giving new meaning to the term hot route. Here, Revis imitated cornerback Deion Sanders and quarterback Brett Favre, who, all these years later, is his teammate. Here, Revis dribbled basketballs for hours on the sidewalk, certain he would one day star in the N.B.A. Here, Revis broke at least seven plastic basketball hoops with ferocious dunks.
Revis’s rise from this rundown town to become a burgeoning star is not as simple as the familiar narrative of athletes escaping brutal conditions. In fact, Revis maintained he made it because of Aliquippa, not in spite of it. Because of his family full of athletes, who were born here, raised here, and, for the most part, still live here. Because of the athletic tradition at his school and in his town. “Football is actually the only thing we have here,” said Sherman McBride, who coached Revis in football, basketball and track. “It’s more competitive than any place around. Because everybody wants to be the next Darrelle Revis.” Just like Revis wanted to be the next Ty Law, and Law wanted to be the next Sean Gilbert (his uncle and another star in the long line of Aliquippa’s top export), and Gilbert wanted to be the next Mike Ditka. But before these Aliquippa standouts reached the N.F.L., they had to survive these streets. (Source: NY Times)
After being named by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review “‘03 High School Player of the Year”, the University of Pittsburgh became the obvious choice for Darrelle Revis when deciding where he would go to school so he could live out his NFL dreams. The Pitt Panthers have produced quite a bit of NFL stars. To name a few: WR Larry Fitzgerald, LB Rickey Jackson, RB Curtis Martin (@YouTheReader you’ll read about him in this section this time next year), RB Tony Dorsett, DE Chris Doleman, LB Joe Schmidt, TE Mike Ditka, and QB Dan Marino. Hell, even the NFL HC, Marty Schottenheimer, played LB in Pittsburgh in the 1960s.
While attending Pitt, Revis racked up quite an amount of accolades in the 3 years he was there. During his freshman year, he was named 1st-Team Freshman All-American in ‘04, 1st-Team All-Big East in ‘05 & ‘06, a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist in ‘06, and won the ESPY Award of College Football Play of the Year of ‘06 in the GIF above for his punt return touchdown against West Virginia.
The NY Jets loved what they saw out of Darrelle Revis at Pittsburgh. They were willing to trade up to the 10th overall pick to get him, but when that deal fell through they jumped from the 25th pick to the 14th to select their man, giving up their 1st, 2nd, and 5th-round picks in the process. Head coach for the Jets at the time, Eric Mangini was a huge fan of Darrelle Revis. Mangini, coming from New England, thought of Revis as a shutdown corner like New England had at the time in Ty Law. In Revis’ 2nd season, the Jets brought in another one of Aliquippa’s own, Ty Law, to help mentor the 23-year-old Revis. Well, I’d say Law did a good job looking out for the kid from his own town because he was the one who gave Darrelle Revis his Hall of Fame knock.
Joe Namath surprises Joe Klecko with the news of his Hall of Fame induction, while Ty Law does the same for Darrelle Revis 🙌
(via @ProFootballHOF)