The Times They Are A-Changin

Could TigerBlog have been a movie critic? 

He would have given "Major League" a much better review than "Field of Dreams." He would have said "Elf" wasn't funny but "Scrooged" was hilarious. 

He would have said that there haven't been too many more entertaining movies ever made than "Point Break." He would have written that he hated all of the superhero movies but for some reason loved "The Dark Knight." He'd have to have let his son write the reviews of all the "Star Wars" movies because he wouldn't have wanted to sit through them.

He'd also never use the word "film" unless it was in the context of "that scene was one of the best ever filmed." He'd also 

Do with that information what you will. 

TigerBlog went on Christmas Day to see the Bob Dylan movie, whose actual title is "A Complete Unknown." Here is his review: 

"With a run-time of 2:21, you'd probably be better off watching a Princeton game on ESPN+ and then spend the rest of your time watching Bob Dylan concert videos on YouTube."

Actually, that's not really fair. The movie does run a bit long and the character and plot development is a bit simplistic — or in some cases non-existent — but it's worth watching simply because of the performance of Timothée Chalamet as Dylan.

For starters, Chalamet learned to play the guitar and harmonica for the role, and he performed all of Dylan's songs that are featured in the movie. The scenes where he sings "The Times They Are A-Changin'' and "Like A Rolling Stone" will give you chills if you're a fan. 

Also, Monica Barbaro was great as Joan Baez. TB didn't even realize she was also in "Top Gun-Maverick," where she played the fighter pilot known as "Phoenix." 

It wouldn't be shocking to see Chalamet and Barbaro get Oscar nominations, even if the movie itself is severely lacking overall. 

So there's that. 

As for your next chance to watch a Princeton game on ESPN+, it comes up Sunday at 2, when the women's basketball team hosts Middle Tennessee State. If you're watching from Murfreesboro, then tip-off is at 1, since it's Central Time and well, the Times They Are A-Changin' (sorry about that). 

You can watch Princeton play Army at 4 tomorrow in men's hockey, by the way, though that game is not on ESPN+. It's on FloHockey.

Princeton has won four straight games in men's hockey, though the team hasn't played in 21 days. Army comes into the game at 5-11 having dropped five straight but also has been off for nearly three weeks.

As for women's basketball, a year ago these teams played at MTSU where the Tigers trailed by five at the half before coming back to win 65-60. Who was the leading scorer that day for Princeton? It was Skye Belker, who had 18. Kaitlyn Chen had 14, and then Ashley Chea was next with nine. 

Obviously Chen is now at UConn, but the other two are currently sophomores who are, with the absence of the injured Madison St. Rose, the two leading scorers on the team. Between them, they averaged 22 points per game prior to when St. Rose was hurt and have averaged just short of 28. That might not seem like much, but it's exactly what the Tigers needed without St. Rose and her 17 per game.

Princeton has played only once in the last two weeks, and that was a dominant 60-45 win over Vermont on the 21st. MTSU last played on the 17th, taking down Cal Baptist on the road, 74-54. 

Princeton brings a 7-4 record into the game. MTSU is 8-4.

Here's a fun fact: If both teams reach their scoring averages for the season in the game Sunday, then the Blue Raiders will win by three-hundredths of a point. Middle Tennessee averages 67.67, while Princeton averages 67.64.

Middle Tennessee has three players who average between 14 and 15 points per game, and those three — Anastasia Boldyreva, Ta'Mia Scott and Jalynn Gregory — combined for 40 of the 60 Blue Raider points in the game against Princeton last year. 

The game Sunday will be the first of three games on Carril Court in three days. Next up would be the men's game Monday at 1 against Akron, followed by the women at noon against LeMoyne Tuesday. 

That's three afternoon home basketball games in three days, at three different times. And, as TB has already established, "the times ..."