Friday, December 13, 2024

The Great Jarron Rosa And More

So what would you like to talk about today, with first semester exams underway and no games for more than a week? 

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What was the response of Jon Mozes to TigerBlog's mentioning the line that Mozes used after Parker Hill's late blocked shot against Rhode Island Wednesday night? 

If you forgot, Mozes said "Usually rams are good at climbing hills." The timing was perfect. 

With a day to consider the comment, Mozes had this to say:

Honestly, it was some of my best work. Ever.

By the way, Jon Mozes is a very humble person, so don't ascribe anything boastful to what he said. He also has a very good sense of humor. 

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Xaivian Lee's triple-double against Saint Joseph's included the 16th time a Princeton player has reached double figures in assists (Lee had 10 in that game). Those first 15 double-figure assist nights were accomplished by only six players. Can you name them? The answer is below.

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Bill Belichick, as you may have heard, is now the head football coach at the University of North Carolina. While it may seem like an odd move for the longtime NFL coach, it certainly will be shining a spotlight on Tar Heel football as it moves forward.

Before the story became official, TigerBlog saw a headline in the New York Post sports section that said: "Bill Belichick would be the 'worst college coach I could imagine': ex-NFLer Ross Tucker."

Here is a quote from Tucker, who was speaking on a radio station:

“I mean the idea of the guy that I was around, recruiting, or like going into the living room of a 17-year-old — I want this to happen so bad I can taste it. I mean, if they do it, they’ve gotta have cameras everywhere. The guy, when I was in New England, was like 100 percent negative reinforcement. I would love to just see how quickly those kids go into the transfer portal.”

Ross Tucker, of course, is a Princeton alum, Class of 2001, who then played seven seasons in the National Football League as an offensive lineman. Today he is a hugely successful sports media personality, and he is a huge presence in any room he is in, literally and figuratively. 

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Speaking of Xaivian Lee, he is currently averaging 15.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. Who was the last Princeton men's basketball player to achieve those numbers? 

It wasn't Jarron Rosa, TB is pretty sure. For starters, Princeton has never had a Jarron Rosa. So who is he? Well, ol' Jarron is the person that ChatGPT suggested is the answer to TB's question. Here is what it had to say:

The last Princeton University men's basketball player to average at least 15.8 points, 5.6 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game was Jarron Rosa. He accomplished this remarkable feat during the 2000-2001 season. Rosa was known for his all-around game, combining scoring, playmaking, and rebounding to make a significant impact on the court. He was one of the best players in the Ivy League during his time at Princeton and remains one of the program's standout performers in terms of versatility and production.

TB even did a search for "Jarron Rosa Basketball" and it turned up nothing. If you go back to the 2001-01 Princeton season, you'll find that — despite the fact that the Tigers won the Ivy title — that no player averaged 15.8 points OR 5.6 assists OR 6.0 rebounds. Oh well.

The actual answer is "nobody." Who came closest? Tosan Evbuomwan, who averaged 15.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the Sweet Sixteen team of two years ago.

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And the answer is: Billy Ryan (five), Kit Mueller (four), John Thompson III (two), T.J. Bray (two), Spencer Weisz (one), John Lewis (one).  

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Have a great weekend — and if you're a Princeton student, study well.


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