I’ll have a big salad.

Read it, don’t read it, I don’t care…just needed to get some things off my chest.

In no particular order of chronology or importance…

On the clock.  Evening version.  Old format.  Monster rant tomorrow.  Let’s turn and burn.

EMAIL: mark_filler@hotmail.com

TWITTER: @fillerbuster11

1)       First of all, thanks to you readers.  I haven’t “advertised” my blog in two weeks, and I had a large number of hits yesterday.  I hope you enjoy it, it is a blast to write it, and if you like it, please pass the link to your friends.

2)      My favorite college basketball player is Michigan’s Nic Stauskas.  This is RIDICULOUS.  He went home to Canada, decided to videotape himself shooting some hoops in his backyard on a rainy day, and did the following.  He goes 70-76, missed his last three shots, and made 46 in a ROW in the middle of the sequence.  Unbelievable AND legit.  http://college-basketball.si.com/2013/04/25/nic-stauskas-makes-it-rain-in-the-rain/?eref=sihp

3)      I am watching the Knicks-Celtics game.  It was a moving ceremony before the game, and I hope that adrenalin rush doesn’t make them overshoot shots.

4)      The Lakers lost Steve Blake with a hamstring injury.  Couple this with the nagging Nash injury and Kobe’s absence, and the Spurs will roll.  Blake isn’t exactly a “weapon,” but he does bring experience and consistency to an injury riddled squad.

5)      Derek Jeter has said he will be back for 2013.  No word on whether the Yankees will be in last place by the time he does make it back.

6)      Lindsey had another bottle of Easy Cheese in her kitchen last night.  Once again, it didn’t stand a chance, although I DID stop before it ran out.  Baby steps to not finishing the entire bottle of Easy Cheese.  Baby steps to the elevator.

7)      Creighton star Doug McDermott will return to school for his senior year.  Why not?  Solid team returning, you get another year with your dad/coach before hitting the big time, and maybe you can take care of league business and NOT end up a 10 seed next year and get Duke in the second game.

8)      The Bulls took down the Nets last night at home.  I have told you.  The Nets are on their way to being really good, but this isn’t the year, and the Bulls defensive ways are PERFECT for the pace of playoff play.

9)      Memphis stood their ground at home to take the series to 2-1 against the Clippers.  I think this thing LITERALLY goes 2,2,1,1,1.  Seven games, with a Chris Paul play to win it in the seventh game.

10)   The Heat…well, you know.  Stop talking, Brandon Jennings, until you get a running mate.

11)   Yanks prospect Mason Williams got busted for a DUI this week.  He only blew a .06, but evidently was acting like he was over the limit.  Let me get this straight.  The Yankees old guys are getting hurt, and their young guys not only are getting arrested, but can’t drink a lick.

12)   I am not saying that I played baseball to the point of being an expert, but I still follow it religiously and feel comfortable about all of the rules…except THIS one.  I had NO idea you could go backwards on the base paths.  That is crazy.  Check it out.  http://espn.go.com/mlb/blog/_/name/stark_jayson/id/9193265/baserunning-adventures-milwaukee-brewers-shortstop-jean-segura

13)   I thought I had the general idea of what went down with the Auburn football players, the robbery, and drugs.  I didn’t.  INCREDIBLE article in ESPN Mag about how that went down, and it goes MUCH more sideways than you ever thought when you or I first saw the headline a while back.  This is crazy.  Long read (for magazine readers like myself), but worth it.  http://espn.go.com/espn/e60/story/_/id/9183283/how-spice-helped-lead-downfall-auburn-tigers-espn-magazine

14)   I had a Seinfeld moment today at work.  Well, to clarify, I have 30 Seinfeld moments a day, but this one was the LAST one.  I was at a meeting, we were giving donations for a gift for a colleague, and I handed down my $5, which someone else gave to my boss.  I then stated that I wanted to clarify that it was I who bought the big salad even though someone else gave her the big salad.  No one laughed.  Damn non-Seinfeld fans.  Who ARE you people?  Anyway, here is the episode, which you will find funny whether you found my story funny or not.  http://yadayadayadaecon.com/clip/98/

15)   The guy who sits next to me, Bob, has laughed at every clip I have sent him, and happens to sit between myself and my other Seinfeld colleague, Erik, so he has asked that I bring him one DVD a week to “catch up.”  Our dream is for me to start a quote, and for him to finish it without reference.  It will be some work, but as Dennis Leary said in No Cure for Cancer, “you gotta have goals.”

(I was supposed to be the starting center fielder for the Boston Red Sox.  Life sucks.  Get a helmet.)  In case you needed more context….

16)   Rick Pitino got his promised tattoo that was his deal with the crew if they won it all.  I am impressed by the timeline of paying the bet, and actually think the thing looks pretty good.  Good choice and design, coach.  http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9214485/rick-pitino-louisville-cardinals-gets-tattoo-promised-players

17)   Now to the two big things.  OKC’s Russell Westbrook is out indefinitely for knee surgery.  Sure, he could pull a Metta World Peace and make it back in 12 days.  Not likely though.  If he is out for the duration, this is the deal.  They will beat Houston, but it may go 6 games now.  They can beat Memphis because they still have their frontcourt, but they won’t beat the Clippers because of lack of weapons.  If…IF they win the second round, the Nuggets and Spurs will likely beat them if healthy.  Too much firepower on each squad.  What Denver lacks in experience, they gain in 5280 ft above sea level.  IF……………………..they win that one, the Heat will have a ring celebration before the series even begins.  Get that surgery and find your stationary bike best friend.  They need you and your stat lines and tantrums.

18)   The draft.  This is on the clock, so let’s do the speed version.  Random thoughts, one sentence at a time.  With no purpose.  I thought it was odd that the Jets got NO offense in the first round.  I thought it was odd that Miami traded up to get a guy who wasn’t scheduled to go for another 3 picks.  I thought it was cool when Gruden CALLED a surprise pick of EJ Manuel over Geno Smith or Matt Barkley.  I thought it was fun waiting to see if anyone took the drug infused/ best athlete in the draft…Tyrann Mathieu.  I thought the Broncos pick of Sly Williams allowed them to pay a top 18 pick #28 money.  I thought the Steelers drafted their second choice as a player (I think they were going Vaccaro but he was chosen), but still got an A+.  I thought it was interesting that an ex-Syracuse coach took Manuel over his ex- QB Nissib.  I thought the military presentation was sloppy.  I thought that the trade RIGHT after the Steelers pick robbed me of a great interview with their new pick, who is coincidentally a class act also.  I thought that Geno Smith hanging his head was not good, but that him coming back to the room today was classy.  I thought that I wouldn’t get to see another day that a 5’8” receiver would be taken as the first receiver AND in the top ten.

19)   That is it.  Gotta go.  Hope you enjoyed.  Will I blog tomorrow?  That is a CLOWN (.363, 8, 16, .440) question, bro.  Peace.

20)   Since Bryce has my tagline, I have decided to start giving his stats after the word “clown.”  Average, HR’s, RBI’s, OBP.  Boom goes the dynamite.