Month: June 2020

Phillip Wellman’s tirade is unforgettable.

13 years ago today

Phillip Wellman has enjoyed a 36-year career in professional baseball, first as a prospect in the Braves system and then as a manager for several minor league teams, but he’ll always be remembered for one monumental blowup on June 1, 2007. 

Wellman was managing the Double A Mississippi Braves at the time, who were playing the Chattanooga Lookouts that night. Pitcher Kelvin Villa was ejected for using a foreign substance and the rest is history. Wellman charged out of the dugout and expressed his displeasure in a number of creative ways—most memorably by tossing the rosin bag like a grenade at the feet of the umpire. 

The tirade earned Wellman a three-game suspension from his big league bosses but he managed the Mississippi team for three more seasons. 

What’s interesting about the legacy of the clip (and maybe only to me, because I work in media) is how it spread. This was a viral video before videos went viral on social media. An Associated Press story about Wellman’s suspension, dated June 4, points out how widely the meltdown spread by saying “the video has been viewed more than 61,000 times on YouTube.com.”

Even now, the original video uploaded by Chattanooga’s WDEF News 12 has been viewed less than 940,000 times. (A copy posted by a channel called “Boring Vids” has 1.8 million views.) But Wellman’s eruption was played numerous times on ESPN in the days after and has remained in heavy rotation on the network. Here is a 2011 “Top 10 Sports Meltdowns” segment in which Wellman comes in at No. 1. 

Wellman had a reputation for blowing his lid before that fateful night in Chattanooga and he remains prone to outbursts of on-field rage. 

Here he is in 2016 as the manager of the San Antonio Missions repeating his signature move of literally stealing a base.

Wellman’s meltdowns might not be as violent or as numerous as other minor league managers (seriously, check out the repertoire of Joe Mikulik) but the 2007 video will live with him forever. 

“It’s obviously not my proudest moment,” Wellman told ESPN in 2012, “but it was the moment caught on tape. I’ve never run from it. It is what it is, and I can’t lie about it because it’s right there on video for all to see.

“We all make mistakes in our lives. … You’ve got to put it behind you and learn from your mistakes and go on. I didn’t even know what YouTube was when that happened. I know what YouTube is now.”

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A good song

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Odion Ighalo will be staying with Manchester United through January 31, 2021, after a last-minute extension to his deal.

Odion Ighalo was a last-second addition to Manchester United’s squad prior to the closing of the January transfer window. And at the last second before his loan to the club expired, Man United ensured that its pleasant surprise would stick around a little longer.

Man United extended Igahlo’s short-term loan, with the league suspension caused by the coronavirus pandemic threatening to force him away from the team before the season was able to be completed. Ighalo’s initial loan from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua was due to expire on May 31, but the two clubs agreed to extend his stay until January 31, 2021. 

That ensures Ighalo remains for the rest of this season and the start of the next one–provided all goes according to plan. With four goals in eight appearances, Ighalo delivered a necessary spark for the Red Devils up front, where consistency had been lacking and where injuries had ravaged the team.

When play resumes, United will find itself active on three fronts–the Premier League, the FA Cup and Europa League–meaning it would’ve been sorely shorthanded had Ighalo been forced to leave.

The Premier League season is due to restart on June 17, with United in fifth place and desperate to qualify for the Champions League. Depending on what happens with Man City’s appeal of its Champions League ban, fifth could be good enough to reach Europe’s top competition next season, but in order to remove any doubt, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side would need to make up a three-point gap with fourth-place Chelsea and stave off the clubs behind it that are well within striking distance.

The FA Cup, which Man United is hoping to win for a record-tying 13th time, is slated to resume with the quarterfinals the weekend of June 27/28. The club will play at Norwich City, when that fixture date is confirmed.

There has been no rescheduling of the Europa League knockout stage just yet. United was well on its way to the quarterfinals of that competition, too, after routing Austria’s LASK 5-0 in the first leg of the round of 16. Ighalo scored the opener and assisted on Daniel James’s strike in the rout.

As the transfer cycle slows down, a look at who all 15 ACC schools saw arrive and depart.

Every spring, college basketball player movement kicks into full force as coaches race to re-shape their rosters based on the names in the NCAA transfer portal. In the age of grad transfers, the right addition or two can make an immediate difference to a team’s potential, but many coaches still emphasize the value of a sit-out transfer as well. With the NCAA opting not to pass a one-time transfer rule this spring, any non-grad transfer will need a waiver to see the court in 2020–21.

We’re rounding up the 2020 transfer cycle comings and goings for each major conference, starting with the ACC. All players who left their school since the start of the 2019–20 season are included, but sit-out transfers from last offseason (such as Virginia’s Sam Hauser) are not. While the carousel hasn’t fully stopped spinning yet, many schools have closed the book on their 2020 efforts as they turn toward the next recruiting cycle.

Boston College

IN: James Karnik (Lehigh), Rich Kelly (Quinnipiac), Frederick Scott (Rider)

OUT: Jairus Hamilton (Maryland), Julian Rishwain (San Francisco), Chris Herren Jr. (San Diego)

The Eagles’ roster saw plenty of turnover this spring, with three players departing and three more taking those spots. Among the Boston College trio that transferred out, Jairus Hamilton was the biggest name after starting 20 games and averaging 9.5 points and 4.3 rebounds. James Karnik, a Canadian center, and Frederick Scott, a 6’8” power forward, will provide experience and depth up front for Jim Christian, while Rich Kelly is an intriguing addition who should bring sharpshooting and scoring ability to the point guard position after the departure of Derryck Thornton. All three will be immediately eligible in 2020–21 as grad transfers.

Clemson

OUT: Trey Jemison (UAB)

The Tigers saw just one departure this offseason: 7-foot reserve center Trey Jemison, who saw just 8.4 minutes per game as a sophomore last season. With top-50 recruit P.J. Hall and top-100 recruit Olivier-Maxence Prosper on the way, Clemson will have immediate reinforcements in the frontcourt.

Duke

IN: Patrick Tape (Columbia)

OUT: Alex O’Connell (Creighton)

Mike Krzyzewski hit the grad transfer market to bolster his frontcourt depth after the departures of Vernon Carey and Javin DeLaurier, and Patrick Tape will offer the kind of experience a young Blue Devils roster will need in 2020–21. Tape sat out the 2019–20 season while recovering from injury to preserve his final year of eligibility, but was second in Ivy League play in two-point percentage (70.2%) and first in block rate back in 2018–19. Meanwhile, Alex O’Connell opted for a fresh opportunity after a disappointing junior year, taking away one of the more veteran players on Duke’s roster.

Florida State

Florida State is the only ACC school that’s avoided the transfer portal altogether in 2020, but the Seminoles do have a major piece on the way in: top-10 recruit Scottie Barnes, an SI All-American.

Georgia Tech

IN: Rodney Howard (Georgia), Kyle Sturdivant (USC)

OUT: Evan Cole (Utah Valley), Asanti Price (TBD), Kristian Sjolund (UTEP)

The Yellow Jackets quietly overachieved last season, including closing the season with wins in six of their final seven games. Despite the three departures, Georgia Tech brings back the core of its roster, though it was left thin up front after the transfers of Evan Cole and Kristian Sjolund. Both Georgia center Rodney Howard and USC guard Kyle Sturdivant will need a waiver to play this fall, but the Jackets could particularly use Howard given their inexperience in the frontcourt.

Louisville

IN: Carlik Jones (Radford), Charles Minlend (San Francisco)

OUT: Darius Perry (UCF)

The Cardinals reeled in one of the bigger fish on the national transfer market in Radford point guard Carlik Jones, and he was an especially important addition given the exit of Darius Perry and Louisville’s struggles for consistency at the one last season. Jones was a highly efficient scorer in the Big South even while carrying a big load of the Highlanders’ offense, shooting 40.4% from three and owning NCAA tournament experience to boot. Charles Minlend, meanwhile, adds more depth and scoring to the backcourt as a 6’ 4” guard from San Francisco who averaged 14.4 points as a junior in the WCC. Both Jones and Minlend will be available immediately as grad transfers.

Miami

IN: Elijah Olaniyi (Stony Brook)

The Hurricanes gained a nice pick-up in Stony Brook guard Elijah Olaniyi, who will have to sit out the 2020–21 season unless he receives a waiver but should be a solid backcourt piece for the future. A 6’ 5” wing who averaged 18.0 points and 6.5 rebounds, Olaniyi can help replace the scoring lost by the graduation of Chris Lykes and Kameron McGusty next spring.

NC State

OUT: Blake Harris (North Carolina A&T)

The Wolfpack’s only transfer departure of this cycle came back in October, when 6’ 3” guard Blake Harris left the program for personal reasons. Harris was a role player in 2018–19, and his exit shouldn’t impact much next season given he’s been gone for a while.

North Carolina

OUT: Jeremiah Francis (New Mexico), Brandon Huffman (Jacksonville State)

The Tar Heels saw a pair of role players from their 2019–20 team move on, guard Jeremiah Francis and big man Brandon Huffman. Francis was a rising sophomore who battled injuries during his freshman season but had flashed promise, while Huffman saw little playing time as a junior and opted to spend his final year elsewhere. Their exit cuts into North Carolina’s depth, but Roy Williams has the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class arriving as his program looks to rebound from its dismal and injury-plagued 2019–20.

Notre Dame

IN: Trey Wertz (Santa Clara)

OUT: Chris Doherty (Northeastern)

The Irish’s lone transfer defection this cycle left in December, with sophomore Chris Doherty moving on after seeing sparse playing time in his Notre Dame career. This spring, the Irish brought in Santa Clara guard Trey Wertz, who averaged 11.9 points and shot 39.1% from three and looks like a good fit for Mike Brey’s system. He will, though, need to sit out 2020–21 without a waiver from the NCAA.

Pittsburgh

OUT: Trey McGowens (Nebraska), Ryan Murphy (Tulane), Kene Chukwuka (Pepperdine), Samson George (Central Arkansas)

The Panthers lost four players to the portal this cycle, but it’s the loss of Trey McGowens that hurts most. McGowens had two successful years as a starting guard under Jeff Capel and was one of the team’s leading scorers, averaging 11.5 points and 3.6 assists as a sophomore. Ryan Murphy, meanwhile, was a capable backup guard but saw his minutes and production decrease down the stretch, including missing three games with a concussion in early February.

Syracuse

IN: Alan Griffin (Illinois)

OUT: Jalen Carey (TBD), Brycen Goodine (Providence), Howard Washington (TBD)

The Orange’s departures this cycle were more about the loss of potential than proven production, as none of Jalen Carey, Brycen Goodine or Howard Washington had a big role on last year’s team. Despite being a touted prospect, Carey’s Syracuse career never got a chance to truly get off the ground due to playing time and injuries (he missed almost his entire sophomore season), but both he and Goodine are former top-100 recruits who will look for a fresh start at another Power 5 school. Jim Boeheim did bring in the versatile Alan Griffin from Illinois, but he’ll have to sit out a year unless he receives an NCAA waiver. Griffin had an uber efficient year for the Illini and shot 41.6% from three as a sophomore, and he’ll be a key piece of the Orange’s plans going forward.

Virginia

IN: Trey Murphy III (Rice)

The Cavaliers already got their transfer prize for 2020–21 last offseason, when Sam Hauser arrived from Marquette. This year’s sit-out addition is 6’ 8” Rice guard Trey Murphy III, who averaged 13.7 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Owls as a sophomore and will have two years of eligibility for Tony Bennett.

Virginia Tech

IN: Cartier Diarra (Kansas State), Cordell Pemsl (Iowa)

OUT: Landers Nolley II (Memphis), P.J. Horne (Georgia), Isaiah Wilkins (Wake Forest)

The Hokies took a big hit early in the offseason with the departure of leading scorer Landers Nolley II, who was the team’s clear top offensive option last season. They also saw Isaiah Wilkins leave for conference foe Wake Forest, and, just last week, had starting forward P.J. Horne head to Georgia. Virginia Tech did well, though, by bringing in Kansas State guard Cartier Diarra, who will be eligible to play immediately and will help replace Nolley’s scoring. It also added Iowa forward Cordell Pemsl, who brings plenty of experience but saw his minutes and production wane during his time with the Hawkeyes. The departure of Horne, though, leaves more needed in the frontcourt, and the Hokies may not be done on the transfer market.

Wake Forest

IN: Isaiah Wilkins (Virginia Tech), Jonah Antonio (UNLV), Ian DuBose (Houston Baptist)

OUT: Olivier Sarr (Kentucky), Chaundee Brown (Michigan), Sharone Wright Jr. (TBD), Michael Wynn (TBD)

As is expected with a coaching change, the Demon Deacons saw plenty of turnover this spring amid the transition from Danny Manning to Steve Forbes. Gone are two of their top three scorers (Olivier Sarr and Chaundee Brown) as well as role players Sharone Wright Jr. and Michael Wynn. All in all, it’s a significant hit as Forbes begins his rebuild. Arriving is Wilkins, from Virginia Tech, UNLV guard Jonah Antonio and Houston Baptist’s Ian DuBose, the last of whom was a prolific scorer for the four-win Huskies but will need to make the adjustment from the Southland to the ACC.

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