Your morning roundup for Feb. 1, the day we learned our thoughts are no longer safe. Video via Sports Grid. Got any stories or photos for us? Tip your editors.
What we watched: Pistons at Knicks. New York won by implementing this newfangled strategy that involved one player giving the ball to another, who then may just give it to someone else—a wonderful process that continued until someone was actually open to take a shot. Perhaps this sort of thing will catch on.
What we're watching (all times EST, unless noted): Connecticut at Georgetown (ESPN2) and Rutgers at Providence (ESPNU) in men's college basketball at 7. New York Rangers at Buffalo in NHL hockey at 7:30 (NBCSN). Oklahoma City at Dallas in NBA basketball at 8 (ESPN). Baylor at Texas A&M (ESPN2) and Oklahoma State at Kansas (ESPNU) in men's college basketball at 9. Los Angeles Clippers at Utah in NBA basketball at 10:30 (ESPN).
Read Me
Chad Ochocinco, humbled: "This has been a hard season for Ochocinco, 34, maybe the hardest of his career as an NFL wide receiver. Over 10 years with the Cincinnati Bengals, he averaged more than 73 catches a season before the Patriots acquired him in a July trade. He has been all but invisible since. He was on the field for one play of New England's two playoff victories, and during the regular season he caught a mere 15 passes. Three times that many reporters surrounded him now as Sanders asked him, 'Has it been humbling?' 'Yeah,' Ochocinco said. 'Big-time.' 'I mean, we standing up,' Sanders said. 'Ain't no podium. We standing up.'' A podium?' Ochocinco replied. 'What do I need a podium for?'" [Wall Street Journal]
This Date In Deadspin History
Feb 1, 2007: The Day ESPN.com Stood Still
Elsewhere
Your non-story story of the day: "It's been assumed [Deron] Williams wouldn't pick up his one-year, $17.8 million option because he could get a four or five-year deal if he becomes a free agent. But the point guard didn't rule it out when asked Monday. ‘Yeah (picking up the option is something I'm considering). I don't know what I'm going to do,' he told the Daily News. ‘At the end of the season, I'm going to figure out what's going on, I'm going to sit down with my agent and look at every option possible.'" [NY Daily News]
Regarding Grantland's Bill Barnwell: "So illogical!!!!
Doing the math wrong...whatever. But doing the math wrong, getting an answer that MAKES NO SENSE, assuming you are correct, and just going with it? And if those two lines were truly implying something insane for the 2H, wouldn't one side of the 1H or FG line have to be way off, too? So...maybe look into that?." [Vegas Watch]
Your Awesome Lego Creations Interlude
Let's see what relationships Phil can ruin: "Jackson, the Hall of Famer who won 11 NBA championships as coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, is writing his memoir called 'Eleven Rings,' Penguin Press said Tuesday. The book is tentatively scheduled to be out next year. The 66-year-old Jackson is a 1,155-game winner whose career .704 winning percentage is the best in NBA history. He retired from coaching after last season after the Lakers were swept in the playoffs by the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks." [ESPN]
That's right, still blame someone else: "'I think I was playing Cover 4,' Harrison explained. 'It was man-to-man coverage and, no one really knows this, but that was Asante Samuel's man. I don't want to throw him under the bus but basically he kind of let him go. He freed up and I thought that (Manning was going to be sacked) but I was still playing my position. I was in perfect position for my two wide receivers I had over here and all of a sudden I see (Manning) escape and I just see David Tyree. I see a receiver wide open in the middle of the field and I just did my best to try to separate him and the ball. It didn't work.'" [PFT]
Send stories, photos, and anything else you might have to [email protected].