“Culling the thoughts that occur when you’re standing around waiting for something to happen”

How do you suppose former University of Arizona Wildcat Richard Jefferson and his teammates feel about the recent photo of Mexican drug cartel kingpin Sergio Villarreal Barragan being arrested on Sept. 10 proudly wearing a San Antonio Spurs T-shirt?

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The NHL preseason is underway and if you’re anything like me you…well, you also probably hadn’t noticed.

It seems like just yesterday the Chicago Blackhawks were hoisting the Stanley Cup, 10 days before the Los Angeles Lakers did an Irish jig on the Boston Celtics’ NBA Finals dreams.

Well, the boys of winter are back — despite the fact that Los Angeles hit  a record high 113 degrees today.

Off-seasons appear to be shrinking in the big-dollar game of sports. How much of a hiatus do we actually get to ease out of our post-title hangovers?

On average? About 100 days.

SEASON FINALE     .     TRAINING CAMP BEGAN     .     DAYS

NHL     June 9     Sept. 17     100

NBA     June 17     Sept. 27     102

MLB     Nov. 4     Feb. 15     103

NFL     Feb. 7     July 23     166*

*Mini camp after 75 days

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David Aardsma recently picked up his 30 save of the season for the Seattle Mariners.

I’ll never forget my first encounter with the closer when he pitched for the Chicago White Sox in 2007.

Aardsma was in the Sox’ spring training office in Tucson and using a copy machine.

All I could think was “what the heck does a baseball player need to make copies of?”

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A recent television commercial for the ‘Snuggie’ features a mom and dad cheering on their kid while wearing the blanket-with-arms at a Little League game.

Nothing represses childhood memories better than your pajama-clad parents yelling from the bleachers.

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A punk band played halftime of the New York Jets-Baltimore Ravens Monday Night Football opener on Sept. 13. Wouldn’t it have made sense for Green Day to wait until week seven and played at Green Bay?

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Favorite word of the week that I misspelled while typing too fast:

“Sheddling”

Noun. SHED-ling. Of or pertaining to being a baby tool shack.

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You need all the fingers of one hand to count the amount of fantasy football teams I have this season. Naming them wasn’t easy.

The short list of names:

- The Rolling Brown Outs

- Sweat Favre

- Manassas Man-asses

- Incontinent-eyed Joe

- Good Newz Kennelz

Send new suggestions to inprogressatpresstime@Gmail.com

“Superfluous Sports Information For Your Next Trip to the Bar Stool”

 WHICHEVER WAY THE BALL BOUNCES

Tonight the ping pong balls will drop into place and a guy who’s already a multi-millionaire (possibly even a billionaire) will stand up and exalt over winning the lottery.

The NBA hosts its annual draft lottery tonight between halftime of the Boston Celtics-Orlando Magic Eastern Conference Finals Game Two.

Winning a mere dozen times in 82 tries in the regular season means the New Jersey Nets will have the most balls pinging and ponging in the tumbler tonight.

But what are the Nets’ true odds of claiming the coveted No. 1 pick in July’s draft?

The NBA’s worst regular-season team has won the No. 1 draft pick only four times since the current lottery system was put into place in 1985.

The most improbable franchise to win the lottery was the Orlando Magic in 1993. The 11th-worst team that year, the Magic had a 1.52-percent chance of their ping pong ball spitting out the No. 1 pick.

They used it to take Chris Webber, who they immediately turned around and traded to the Golden State Warriors for Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway.

UPDATE: THE NETS FALL TO NO. 3 IN THE DRAFT, BEHIND WASHINGTON AND PHILADELPHIA 

PERCENTAGE-ODDS OF WINNING NO. 1 PICK (Actual Pick)

Former Wildcat Luke Walton blocks a Grant Hill shot. Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

New Jersey Nets  25 % (No. 3)

Minnesota Timberwolves  19.9 (No. 4)

Sacramento Kings 15.6 (No. 5)

Golden State Warriors   10.4 (No. 6)

Washington Wizards   10.3 (No. 1)

Philadelphia 76ers   5.3 (No. 2)

Detroit Pistons  5.3 (No. 7)

Los Angeles Clippers 2.3 (No. 8 )

Utah Jazz 2.2 (No. 9)

Indiana Pacers   1.1 (No. 10)

New Orleans Hornets  .08 (No. 11)

Memphis Grizzlies .07 (No. 12)

Toronto Raptors  .06 (No. 13)

Houston Rockets  .05 (No. 14)

HOW IT WORKS

According to NBA.com:

Fourteen ping pong balls numbered 1-14 are placed in a rotating hopper. Each lottery team has one representative locked in a private room with the hopper, league officials and independent auditors. When the lottery begins, the hopper is turned and an official selects four balls from the hopper. Each four-number combination is assigned to a team based on the team’s lottery odds. The Nets, for example, have 250 combinations. If the first four-number combination pulled from the hopper matches on of those, the Nets would win the lottery.

After the first combination is awarded, all balls are returned to the hopper and another four balls are retrieved. Whichever team has this combination is awarded the No. 2 pick. In the event the team which has the No. 1 pick also wins the No. 2 pick, the second set of balls are replaced in the hopper and another four are selected. The same occurs for the No. 3 pick.

After the top three picks are awarded, the rest of the draft order follows reverse league standings, with tiebreakers having been broken by coin toss at the end of the regular season. Only then are the picks announced live on stage. The team representatives on the stage do not know if they have won before it is announced by NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver.

Arizona alum Richard Jefferson takes it to former ex-Wildcat Channing Frye in the NBA Western Conference semifinals. Frye and the Suns swept the Spurs to advance to the conference finals. Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

AND THEN, THERE WERE TWO

Former University of Arizona stars Channing Frye and Luke Walton are butting heads in the Western Conference Final with the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.

Of the two, Walton is the only former Wildcat to hoist the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy, winning last season with the Lakers.

SPEAKING OF THAT LARRY O’BRIEN TROPHY

 Named after former NBA Commissioner, the Larry O’Brien trophy stands 2-feet tall and weighs more than 14 pounds.

Unlike the Stanley Cup, the winning team gets to keep the Tiffany and Co.-made trophy, valued at $13,500.

The hardware, remodeled and re-named in 1984, was first won by the Boston Celtics over the Los Angeles Lakers — two teams seemingly on a collision course to meet again in this year’s NBA Finals.

 …

ABOUT THAT CELTIC-LAKERS RIVALRY

Easily the most recognizable rivalry the NBA has to offer, the Celtics and Lakers have met in the finals 11 times dating back to 1959 when the Lakers played in Minneapolis. The Celtics have dominated the rivalry, winning all but two of those matchups.

 …

HOW WE GOT HERE

Channing Frye is one of two former Wildcats vying for an NBA title. Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

 Which colleges have the most alumnal bragging rights as the final four NBA teams battle for a league title?

That would be Duke University. Of the 56 players competing in their respective conference finals, three of them are former Blue Devils.

Seven colleges — including Arizona — have two players still playing. Stanford is the only program with players on the same team (Phoenix Suns: Jarron Collins, Brook Lopez).

Nine players have ties to the PAC-10.

…

THE MATCHUPS 

ORLANDO MAGIC v. BOSTON CELTICS (2-0) 

“Black Arts or Luck, Which Wins Out?”

Battle to see whom will head to the NBA Finals in two out of the last three seasons

 Game Three, Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS (2-0) v. PHOENIX SUNS 

“Kobe Beefs It Up”

Bryant steps up to score 61 points in first two games

Game Three, Sunday, 5 p.m.

“Superfluous Sports Information For Your Next Trip to the Bar Stool”

 WHICHEVER WAY THE BALL BOUNCES

Tonight the ping pong balls will drop into place and a guy who’s already a multi-millionaire (possibly even a billionaire) will stand up and exalt over winning the lottery.

The NBA hosts its annual draft lottery tonight between halftime of the Boston Celtics-Orlando Magic Eastern Conference Finals Game Two.

Winning a mere dozen times in 82 tries in the regular season means the New Jersey Nets will have the most balls pinging and ponging in the tumbler tonight.

But what are the Nets’ true odds of claiming the coveted No. 1 pick in July’s draft?

The NBA’s worst regular-season team has won the No. 1 draft pick only four times since the current lottery system was put into place in 1985.

The most improbable franchise to win the lottery was the Orlando Magic in 1993. The 11th-worst team that year, the Magic had a 1.52-percent chance of their ping pong ball spitting out the No. 1 pick.

They used it to take Chris Webber, who they immediately turned around and traded to the Golden State Warriors for Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway.

UPDATE: THE NETS FALL TO NO. 3 IN THE DRAFT, BEHIND WASHINGTON AND PHILADELPHIA 

PERCENTAGE-ODDS OF WINNING NO. 1 PICK (Actual Pick)

Former Wildcat Luke Walton blocks a Grant Hill shot. Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

New Jersey Nets  25 % (No. 3)

Minnesota Timberwolves  19.9 (No. 4)

Sacramento Kings 15.6 (No. 5)

Golden State Warriors   10.4 (No. 6)

Washington Wizards   10.3 (No. 1)

Philadelphia 76ers   5.3 (No. 2)

Detroit Pistons  5.3 (No. 7)

Los Angeles Clippers 2.3 (No. 8 )

Utah Jazz 2.2 (No. 9)

Indiana Pacers   1.1 (No. 10)

New Orleans Hornets  .08 (No. 11)

Memphis Grizzlies .07 (No. 12)

Toronto Raptors  .06 (No. 13)

Houston Rockets  .05 (No. 14)

HOW IT WORKS

According to NBA.com:

Fourteen ping pong balls numbered 1-14 are placed in a rotating hopper. Each lottery team has one representative locked in a private room with the hopper, league officials and independent auditors. When the lottery begins, the hopper is turned and an official selects four balls from the hopper. Each four-number combination is assigned to a team based on the team’s lottery odds. The Nets, for example, have 250 combinations. If the first four-number combination pulled from the hopper matches on of those, the Nets would win the lottery.

After the first combination is awarded, all balls are returned to the hopper and another four balls are retrieved. Whichever team has this combination is awarded the No. 2 pick. In the event the team which has the No. 1 pick also wins the No. 2 pick, the second set of balls are replaced in the hopper and another four are selected. The same occurs for the No. 3 pick.

After the top three picks are awarded, the rest of the draft order follows reverse league standings, with tiebreakers having been broken by coin toss at the end of the regular season. Only then are the picks announced live on stage. The team representatives on the stage do not know if they have won before it is announced by NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver.

Arizona alum Richard Jefferson takes it to former ex-Wildcat Channing Frye in the NBA Western Conference semifinals. Frye and the Suns swept the Spurs to advance to the conference finals. Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

AND THEN, THERE WERE TWO

Former University of Arizona stars Channing Frye and Luke Walton are butting heads in the Western Conference Final with the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.

Of the two, Walton is the only former Wildcat to hoist the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy, winning last season with the Lakers.

SPEAKING OF THAT LARRY O’BRIEN TROPHY

 Named after former NBA Commissioner, the Larry O’Brien trophy stands 2-feet tall and weighs more than 14 pounds.

Unlike the Stanley Cup, the winning team gets to keep the Tiffany and Co.-made trophy, valued at $13,500.

The hardware, remodeled and re-named in 1984, was first won by the Boston Celtics over the Los Angeles Lakers — two teams seemingly on a collision course to meet again in this year’s NBA Finals.

 …

ABOUT THAT CELTIC-LAKERS RIVALRY

Easily the most recognizable rivalry the NBA has to offer, the Celtics and Lakers have met in the finals 11 times dating back to 1959 when the Lakers played in Minneapolis. The Celtics have dominated the rivalry, winning all but two of those matchups.

 …

HOW WE GOT HERE

Channing Frye is one of two former Wildcats vying for an NBA title. Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

 Which colleges have the most alumnal bragging rights as the final four NBA teams battle for a league title?

That would be Duke University. Of the 56 players competing in their respective conference finals, three of them are former Blue Devils.

Seven colleges — including Arizona — have two players still playing. Stanford is the only program with players on the same team (Phoenix Suns: Jarron Collins, Brook Lopez).

Nine players have ties to the PAC-10.

…

THE MATCHUPS 

ORLANDO MAGIC v. BOSTON CELTICS (2-0) 

“Black Arts or Luck, Which Wins Out?”

Battle to see whom will head to the NBA Finals in two out of the last three seasons

 Game Three, Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS (2-0) v. PHOENIX SUNS 

“Kobe Beefs It Up”

Bryant steps up to score 61 points in first two games

Game Three, Sunday, 5 p.m.