When Keaton Wagler committed to Illinois, he was the 150th-ranked prospect in the country. Two high-major offers. That was it. Most programs didn’t give him a second look. Tyler Underwood saw something the rest of college basketball missed and then showed his Dad.
Keaton Wagler just won Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
The 6-foot-6 guard from Shawnee, Kansas averaged 17.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists while shooting 41 percent from three. Remember when he scored 46 at Purdue? He broke the Illinois freshman scoring record with 555 points on the season. He was named First-Team All-Big Ten by both coaches and media. He is one of only two freshmen in the entire country averaging at least 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists. The other guy is Duke’s Cameron Boozer, one of the most recruited players in recent memory.
Wagler is only the fifth Illini since 1986 to win the conference’s freshman honor. He joins Corey Bradford, Brian Cook, D.J. Richardson, and Kofi Cockburn.
That is a very short, very good list.
I look forward to seeing his jersey in the rafters next year.
I’m tired this morning. I’ve been tired a lot. It likely means I need to go to bed earlier, but I’m not tired so much at 9:30. Good lord that seems like an early time to go to bed. I used to start my evening out at 9:30 and now I go to bed at that time.
When did I become an old person?
I was having a bad morning. Nothing major, just several things not quite working right. I was getting in my own way.
At work, I started listening to Deraps new album, Viva Rock N’ Roll. While it was very good and very Van Halen-ish. I needed something else.
I started listening to one of my favorite recordings of all time, Miles Davis Kind of Blue. I decided what I needed was several listens of “Blue in Green.”
I wondered if someone had created a way to listen to it over and over again without breaks and, of course, someone had. I then proceeded to listen to two hours of “Blue in Green” on YouTube.
After about 40 minutes I was calmed down and ready for the rest of the day.
So, if you need a mental reset, I highly recommend listening to “Blue in Green” and letting it wash over you.
Will Leitch on the World Cup and Summer Olympics –
You cannot separate sports from politics because you cannot separate anything from politics. It’s all connected, whether we want it to be or not. But I will say that when you spend your time watching a sporting event wondering whether the person you’re cheering for is a supporter of a fascist regime, you are not, in fact, having a very good time. And sports is supposed to be a good time! This is supposed to be a diversion! We’re supposed to be enjoying ourselves! But this isn’t fun for the athletes, it’s not fun for those trying to make these games happen (and make money off them), and it’s certainly not fun for the fans. Do you want to tune out the noise of the madness of living in 2026 for a few hours and just enjoy a game? Do you want to escape? You can’t. Trump won’t let you. That was how it played out at the Winter Olympics, and that’s how it will be at the World Cup. Jack Hughes may indeed never have to pay for another drink the rest of his life. But if so … he better make sure he picks the right bars.
During his first press conference of the Iran war, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth explained that Operation Epic Fury is not a so-called regime change war. That may surprise many observers because the first salvos of the operation decapitated the regime. No, the war is about denying Iran’s nuclear ambitions. But we were told that America’s bombing runs in 2025 obliterated that nuclear program. America and Israel chose this moment to attack Iran because, since October 7, Iran has shown its military and intel weakness, and has become increasingly isolated in the region. Of course, Iran’s weakness could also just as easily be used as a reason not to attack them now, at a moment when the overall risk they present is relatively low. Trump has told Iran’s security forces to surrender, but it’s unclear that there’s anyone to surrender to. Trump told the Iranian people to rise up. But the attack comes after thousands of them were killed by the regime while doing just that. At different points over the weekend, we were told to expect this war to last days, weeks, months or some other amount of time, but that it definitely won’t be endless. We’ve been offered no such duration assurances when it comes to how long the contradictions will continue. Most administrations spend a lot of time justifying and explaining their strategies before taking the country to war. This administration isn’t giving clear explanations even after starting one. Maybe that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Our Contradicter in Chief ran on an agenda that called for an end to global interventions, and yet, “no president in the modern era has ordered more military strikes against as many different countries.” During the 12 day war, Iran was outed as more of a paper tiger than anyone in the Middle East imagined; one that had been fully infiltrated by foreign intelligence. The fall of the regime has seemed more likely than ever. Whether this is the right way to get rid of the regime, or whether Bibi, Trump, and Hegseth are the right guys to do it, is a different matter. Here’s what we know so far. The leaders of an evil and destabilizing regime behind much of the world’s terrorism have been eliminated and that is a great thing for the region and the world. Unless something worse follows. So let’s hope this is a so-called regime change war and not an endless, destructive quagmire that recent history suggests is a very real possibility. How will it turn out? Don’t ask me. And don’t ask the Trump administration, either.
There’s no plan. This is all a distraction from the Epstein files.
The first teaser for HBO’s Lanterns has arrived, and if you were expecting a neon-green spectacle of alien worlds and cosmic ring-slinging, think again. The trailer leans heavily into a moody detective vibe, zero ring constructs, and a dusty atmosphere. The whole thing is set to Bruce Springsteen’s “State Trooper,” a nod to the police-like nature of the Green Lantern Corps.
Kyle Chandler as veteran Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as rookie John Stewart make for a compelling odd-couple pairing. For less than a second, you see a Green Lantern uniform, and I like that the design takes clear inspiration from the graphic novel Green Lantern: Earth One, opting for a muted, grounded jacket rather than a flashy super-suit.
The trailer’s best moment, though? Chandler’s Hal Jordan casually dropping a joke about one of the Corps members being a squirrel. It’s a perfectly timed “say what?” for non-comic fans and a nod to comic fans who know Green Lantern Ch’p, the squirrel-like alien Green Lantern from the comics.
True Detective with magic rings? I’m in.
I went to the final regular-season game at State Farm Center on Tuesday. It was Senior Night when Illinois hosted Oregon and it was great to see Ben Humrichous and Kylan Boswell be honored before the game. However, another player was also receiving senior accolades: AJ Redd.
There are players who arrive at a program with fanfare and expectations. AJ Redd was not one of those players. The Chicago native came to Illinois as a student manager, someone who carries bags, does laundry, and sets up drills and exists, largely, in the background. What he has become over the past four years is something far more interesting than any highly recruited prospect.
Redd eventually earned his way onto the court as a walk-on, grinding through practices, earning the respect of his coaches and teammates one day at a time. Redd stayed for all four years. He became, fittingly, the only true four-year player honored on Senior Night.
The game played out exactly as it should have. Orange Krush began chanting his name early in the second half. When Coach Underwood sent Redd onto the floor with about three and a half minutes remaining, the roar from the crowd set the tone for what followed.
What followed was, first, a nearly 28-foot pull-up three that clanged off nothing. Underwood called a timeout. The coach was not amused. “He’s done one dumb thing in four years,” Underwood said afterward in the locker room, which was both a rebuke and, quietly, a tribute.
The redemption came quickly. A between-the-legs, backward bounce pass from Mihalio Petrovich found Redd in transition on the left wing, and he buried the three-pointer. State Farm Center came unglued. Then, just to complete the story properly, Redd drove hard to the basket against an Oregon defender and finished the layup, giving him five points, a new career high, in his final minutes as an Illini on his home court.
Andrej Stojakovic, who has only known Redd for nine months and was the real star of the game with 21 points and 12 rebounds, said simply: “No one can replace what he brings to this team.”
The manager-turned-walk-on had more points on Senior Night than the leader of this team, Kylan Boswell. That’s something.
What a great moment for the young man.
Max Leibman: No means no.
No, I do not want to install your app.
No, I do not want that app to run on startup.
No, I do not want that app shortcut on my desktop.
No, I do not want to subscribe to your newsletter.
No, I do not want your site to send me notifications.
No, I do not want to tell you about my recent experience.
No, I do not want to sign up for an account.
No, I do not want to sign up using a different service and let the two of you know about each other.
No, I do not want to sign in for a more personalized experience.
No, I do not want to allow you to read my contacts.
No, I do not want you to scan my content.
No, I do not want you to track me.
No, I do not want to click “Later” or “Not now” when what I mean is NO.
I went to couples’ boxing with my wife on Saturday, and it kicked my butt. I am sore all over. It was lots of fun, though.
“In basketball—as in life—true joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when things are going your way.” – Phil Jackson
I watched the Illinois Women’s Basketball team nearly knock off the #9 Iowa team at their place last night. It was pretty exciting.
Illinois gave Iowa everything it could handle and nearly toppled the Hawkeyes. The Illini didn’t play scared, but just left a few too many plays on the table down the stretch. It’s a missed opportunity for what would have been a no-doubt NCAA Tournament clincher and a big boost to their résumé.
Bottom line: they weren’t intimidated by Iowa or its fans and played with a lot of confidence.
Hoping for a big win on the Men’s side tonight.
The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees arrived this week. As always with this institution, the 17 names on the ballot are not all rock and roll. I roll my eyes in their general direction.
There are several rock acts among the nominees, including Oasis, Iron Maiden, the Black Crowes, Joy Division/New Order, INXS, Billy Idol, Jeff Buckley, and Melissa Etheridge. I’ll even grant you P!NK is a rock artist even though she’s mostly pop. The remaining nominees are anything but rock and roll: Phil Collins, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Luther Vandross, New Edition, Sade, Wu-Tang Clan, and Shakira. Not taking anything away from these artists, but none of them are rock-and-roll acts by any measur
Mariah Carey is now up for induction for the third consecutive year. Her holiday dominance and pop chart reign are undeniable, but she isn’t a rock and roll artist. Luther Vandross was a transcendent soul singer. Wu-Tang Clan revolutionized hip-hop. Lauryn Hill’s Miseducation is one of the greatest albums of the 1990s. Shakira is a bona fide global icon. None of that is in question. What is in question every time a new list of nominees appears is why there are so many acts that are not rock and roll included?
Sure, rock and roll has always been rooted in blues, R&B, and gospel. However, that seems like a loophole for the Hall to induct virtually any popular music act from the past half-century. If everything is rock and roll, then nothing is.
In my humble opinion, none of the non-rock-and-roll-oriented acts should be inducted, and of the remaining acts, only Oasis, Iron Maiden, the Black Crowes, Joy Division/New Order, and INXS really showcase rock’s popularity, longevity, and influence.
I want to simplify my life. This is difficult for me. One of the best things I can do is a self-evaluation to clear out the chaos. However, being honest with myself is troublesome. I’d rather have someone else tell me the hard truths. Ultimately, that feels expensive.
Simplifying also means thinking about the costs in terms of time, pressure, stress, and finances.
It all takes time to think and prepare. I’m not sure when I can carve out the clutter to get to the simple.
I’m not a big fan of Moby. However, I think he’s really talented and his approach to music is unique and interesting. He has a new album out titled, Future Quiet, and it’s haunting and atmospheric. I need something like this right now. It’s perfect.
Illinois basketball blew it against UCLA. Just a complete collapse. Lost another OT game.
The Illini squandered a 23-point first-half lead against the Bruins, who were coming off back-to-back blowout losses to Michigan and Michigan State. After going up 33-10 on a Ben Humrichous three nearly 11 minutes into the first half, the Illini gave up an atrocious 85 points the rest of the way. Ugh.
I saw an idea that said Illinois wins big and loses small. Meaning either the team beats the shit out of opponents or opponents get lucky/hot, and they win by an average of 3 points.
The Illini’s four Big Ten losses have come by a total of nine points, with three of the games going to overtime and two of them — Nebraska being the other one — decided on baskets made at the buzzer. With a little more luck, a very good record could be even stronger.
Time for some good luck to come this way.
Dan Simmons died on February 21st. He was 77. A stroke, in Longmont, Colorado, where he’d lived and taught sixth grade for years before leaving to write full time.
He wrote lots of books, but the one he’ll be best remembered for is Hyperion**.
If you haven’t read Hyperion, I want to be careful not to over explain it, because the structure is part of the experience. The short version is the novel is built like Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. It features a group of pilgrims traveling toward something terrible, each telling their story along the way. It won the Hugo Award in 1989. It’s simply one of the best science fiction books of the 20the century. *The Fall of Hyperion *completes their story.
The author might have went off the deep end in the last few years of his life. Simmons got driven crazy by watching too much Fox News after September 11th. Seriously. However, if you can separate the art from the artist, I highly recommend reading Hyperion (and maybe Carrion Comfort and The Terror, too).
“To me, all creativity is magic. Ideas start out in the empty void of your head - and they end up as a material thing, like a book you can hold in your hand. That is the magical process. It’s an alchemical thing. Yes, we do get the gold out of it but that’s not the most important thing. It’s the work itself.” ― Alan Moore
“Many people procrastinate because they’re waiting for their motivation to rise. They forget that getting started is what leads their motivation to rise. Passion is not a prerequisite for progress. It’s often the result of progress.” — Adam Grant