Your “Calm Before the Storm” Tuesday Evening Open Thread

Kind of a quiet day publicly, as teams talk with players about mountains of green and all the gray they can slay. Tomorrow will be the same, as no deal can be publicly announced until after the start of the League year on March 9 at 4:00PM ET.

Still, there are some things on the go:

• Today is the first day of free agency, and Washington’s GM, Scot McCloughan is nowhere to be found.
  • further fuelling speculation about where he is and what he did

• Bank of America is going to provide the $650 million the Raiders need for the Las Vegas stadium.
  • the NFL relocation committee is prepared to give a full recommendation to the venture

    • 

  • so, unless something drastic happens, you’ve got two years left to scratch the “Black hole” off your football tourism list

• Adrian Peterson is willing to give the Patriots a discount if it means a chance to finally play football in February.

• The ESPN headline says it all: “Chargers save over $19M by releasing D.J. Fluker, Brandon Flowers, Stevie Johnson”.
  • Because Carson deserves a clean slate, devoid of talent & victories.

• Even though the Rams put a franchise tag on him, CB Trumaine Johnson might actually end up traded rather than resigned.
  • the tag works for both sides (for now)
    • it guarantees him a lucrative one-year salary, and sets the bar for a long-term deal
    • someone would have had to give the Rams two first-round picks had they taken him before the tag. Now, in a trade, that team can avoid ruining their next two drafts.

Finally, in “today’s reason to hate the Patriots”, Tommy Terrific has partnered with Purple Carrot to provide a $78 weekly version of his diet called the “TB12 Performance Meals”

• Allow me to inform you about the “TB12 Philosophy”
  • Whether you’re looking to maximize your performance on the playing field, get in better shape, eat more cleanly, or just want to enjoy the same meals that power Tom Brady’s championship-caliber performance, incorporating TB12 Performance Meals into your weekly routine is a step in the right direction.
  • The TB12 philosophy is focused on preventing injury and promoting accelerated injury recovery through holistic, whole-body wellness, incorporating exercise, recovery, and hydration & nutrition concepts like those expressed in TB12 Performance Meals.

• You get two servings per meal, three meals per week.
  • So a week of TB12 dinners will run the average couple $156? That’s $624 for a month, and I have to arrange my other meals on top?

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL:
  • Devils at Blue Jackets – 7:30PM | Sportsnet
  • Flyers at Sabres – 7:30PM | NBCSN
  • Predators at Ducks – 10:00PM | Sportsnet

• NBA:
  • Trail Blazers vs. Thunder – 8:00PM | TSN2

• NCAA tournaments:
  • ACC: Pittsburgh vs. Georgia Tech – 7:00PM | ESPNU
  • Horizon League: Final – Wisconsin (Milwaukee) vs. Northern Kentucky – 7:00PM | ESPN
  • Northeast: Final – St. Francis (Pa.) at Mount St. Mary’s – 7:00PM | ESPN2
  • WCC: Final – St. Mary’s (Cal.) vs. Gonzaga – 9:00PM | ESPN
  • Summit League: Final – South Dakota State vs. Nebraska (Omaha) – 9:00PM | ESPN2

Every year, for Spring Break, I make sure students have assignments due the week before, so I have marking to do while the NCAA first rounds are on. “CAN’T GO SHOPPING DEAR; GOTTA MARK PAPERS!”