Joe Carter is arranging a second annual “Tournament of Novels.” I missed last year’s, somehow, but expect me to be out there fighting tooth and nail for the sake of the Modernists. (Unless, that is, I get distracted by the real March Madness.) I was thoroughly tempted to nominate Chariton’s (Chaireas and) Callirhoe, but I think I’ll wait until next year, after I’ve introduced the League to all its glorious wonders…
J.L. Wall
J.L. Wall is a native Kentuckian in self-imposed exile to the Midwest, where he teaches writing to college students and over-analyzes Leonard Cohen lyrics.
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on Open Mic for the week of 3/31/25Yishan has an interesting take: Ok, so I am not an administration apologist but I have not heard any…
on Open Mic for the week of 3/31/25Did you read the article you posted?
on Open Mic for the week of 3/31/25What does that have to do with this? Be accurate.
on Open Mic for the week of 3/31/25Same. on Open Mic for the week of 3/31/25The problem with taking him "seriously and literally" is he says everything on every issue, sometime…
on Open Mic for the week of 3/31/25You can't use normal political thinking with Trump or anyone around him. That is a big part of the r… on When a Maiden Needs a FriendDude, it's awesome that you found that. I couldn't get past Google explaining to me that I couldn't…
on Open Mic for the week of 3/31/25I, more than Chait, clearly overestimated the Trumpkins. The choice to simply claim prosperity was T… on Open Mic for the week of 3/31/25Whenever I post, I get sent to a message like this: Warning: Undefined variable $a in /home/ordina27… on Open Mic for the week of 3/31/25Does Chait know who we are talking about? These aren't very bright people, they are fanatically comm…
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Given the sorry state of the Cats lately you could probably take the whole tournament off and save yourself the pain.Report
Making a Faustian bargain with Calipari will do that to your program.Report
Could not agree more. Although, friends and I have speculated that he may have received a few calls from boosters letting him know that a similar ending to that of his last two coaching gigs might result in him not making it out of Lexington alive.Report
Ask me in two or three years whether I think it was a Faustian bargain. I’ll know enough then to make a judgment.
EDIT: For the record, I wanted Izzo. (I also liked to watch Tubby-ball and think there’s too much scoring in today’s baseball.)Report
Two thoughts:
1) Fortunately, there will, technically, be no road games in the tournament; excepting that UConn game, UK looked pretty good in its “neutral”-site games. So, maybe they’ll play like a 3-seed rather than their usual road-game 9-seed.
2) I’ve decided that this season, in fact, is year 1 of rebuilding; last year’s team was something less than a complete revitalization. (I’m openly pulling for an NBA lockout just to guarantee a Knight return for next season.)
Okay, a third thought — But I’m a Kentucky fan! I keep watching football despite the fact that EVERY GAME FOLLOWS THE SAME DAMN SCRIPT — which is, strangely, the same script as every road basketball loss this season. Maybe this has less to do with being UK fan than being a masochist, which would also line up neatly with being a Cubs fan…Report
3) Last year was a blip where Calipari tried to buy a NCAA championship. Maybe this IS Year One but man, I couldn’t live with the constant stress of having such a potential liability as a coach. At least Pitino confines his bad behavior to restaurants and keeps things smooth in the actual coaching realm.Report
There’s a reason I preferred Izzo. But, you know, you go to war with the coach you got, so here’s to hoping that Camby and Rose were merely tremendous coincidences.Report
Speaking of novels, George RR Martin announces that he’s finally finished A Dance With Dragons.Report