I'll Be Quirky: Towson

Do you think Bruce Zimmermann ever gets together and has lunch with Bruce Springsteen and Jordan Zimmermann?

The Flying Dutchmen began the most pivotal part of the regular season in most impressive fashion Saturday afternoon, when they never trailed as they earned a fourth straight win by beating Delaware, 86-62. The Dutchmen are slated to continue this telling trek this #alliteration afternoon, when they visit Towson for another classic ECC clash (hi Litos!). Here’s a look back at the win over the Blue Hens and a look ahead to the Tigers.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Aaron Estrada and Warren Williams shared the team lead with 17 points apiece — this was historic, as you’ll read shortly! — and each had complete games as the Dutchmen led by double digits for the final 28-plus minutes. The teams combined to miss 14 of their first 18 shots before a nostalgic 3-point play by Williams put the Dutchmen ahead for good at 7-4 — also historic, as you’ll read shortly! The Dutchmen maintained a lead of between two and seven points until Estrada and German Plotnikov had five points apiece in a 14-1 run that extended the lead to 29-11 with 5:36 left. Williams headed to the bench with his second foul 19 seconds later and Delaware took advantage by outscoring the Dutchmen 14-8 the remainder of the half. But the Blue Hens turned the ball over down 10, missed a 3-pointer down 12 and, turned the ball over down 10 and missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Dutchmen carried a 37-25 lead into the locker rooms. The Blue Hens got within 13 twice early in the second half before the Dutchmen scored seven straight points to take a 49-29 lead. The Dutchmen led by at least 18 the rest of the way and led by as many as 27 in the final two minutes. Estrada added seven rebounds, four assists and four steals while turning the ball over just twice. Williams, limited to 20 minutes because of foul trouble, was 6-of-8 from the field and had six rebounds, two blocks and one steal without turning the ball over one game after he committed six turnovers. Jaquan Carlos keyed the strong defensive effort and posted a Speedy Claxton-like stuffed boxscore with 14 points, six assists, five rebounds and five steals. Tyler Thomas finished with 16 points. Darlinstone Dubar went scoreless in just 15 minutes but had a team-high seven rebounds.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Delaware, 1/14)

3: Aaron Estrada

2: Warren Williams

1: Jaquan Carlos

SEASON STANDINGS

Aaron Estrada 37

Tyler Thomas 24

Darlinstone Dubar 21

Warren Williams 10

Jaquan Carlos 10

Amar’e Marshall 6

Nelson Boachie-Yiadom 5

Griffin Barrouk 1

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

No! But it took lots of digging to find the most recent 86-62 win, which the Dutchmen recorded in the opening game of the 1960-61 season against Long Island University. My parents were in middle school back then!

The Dutchmen have recorded five unicorn score victories this season after recording 11 unicorn score victories last season, no unicorn scores in 2020-21, 13 unicorn scores in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn scores in 2018-19. The term unicorn score was coined by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won. You may also know it as a “Scorigami,” a term popularized in the NFL.

WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?

Another win, another history-making Keith Hernandez! Warren Williams converted a nostalgic 3-pointer to put the Dutchmen ahead for good at 7-4 with 14:28 left in the first half. It’s the first Keith Hernandez for Williams and the first time in the history of this award (November 2022-pres) that the Keith Hernandez has been collected with the nostalgic 3-point play. Here’s the video I posted to commemorate the occasion!

Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Princeton, 11/7/22 (1:11 left 2H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Iona, 11/11/22 (:35.2 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. George Washington, 11/14/22 (5:09 left 2H)

German Plotnikov go-ahead 3-pointer vs. San Jose State. 11/17/22 (6:32 left 2H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking jumper vs. UNC Greensboro, 11/26/22 (14:56 left 1H)

Aaron Estrada go-ahead jumper vs. Quinnipiac, 11/27/22 (17:28 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Old Westbury, 12/22/22 (19:02 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking jumper vs. Delaware, 12/29/22 (19:42 left 1H)

Aaron Estrada tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/5/23 (19:27 left 1H)

Aaron Estrada tie-breaking jumper vs. William & Mary, 1/7/23 (8:37 left 1H)

German Plotnikov tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Monmouth, 1/11/23 (7:50 left 1H)

Warren Williams tie-breaking nostalgic 3-pointer vs. Delaware 1/14/23 (14:28 left 1H)

Williams is the sixth player to collect a Keith Hernandez.

Tyler Thomas 4

Aaron Estrada 3

German Plotnikov 2

Warren Williams 1

Jaquan Carlos 1

Darlinstone Dubar 1

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER NINETEEN GAMES

With Saturday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 12-7. This ties the 2022-23 team for the 27th-best record in school history through 19 games. This marks the Dutchmen’s third straight 12-7 start and the eighth 12-7 start in program history. (The Dutchmen have now had the same record this year and last after 16, 17, 18 and 19 games. Quirky!) Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 19 games:

NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 10-9

1976-77: 14-5

1999-2000: 14-5

2000-01: 15-4 (marked seventh win in program-record 18-game winning streak)

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 14-5

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 13-6

2004-05: 13-6

2005-06: 15-4 (most recent 15-4 start)

2006-07: 14-5

2015-16: 13-6 (most recent 13-6 start)

2018-19: 16-3 (most recent 16-3 start, marked 13th win in the 16-game winning streak)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 14-5

1961-62: 17-2 (most recent 17-2 start)

1962-63: 13-6

1963-64: 16-3

Some other notable 19-game records:

2016-17: 9-10 (most recent 9-10 start, under .500 for good; loss in 19th game marked fifth loss of Mihalich-era record six-game losing streak)

2013-14: 7-12 (most recent 7-12 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)

2012-13: 5-14 (most recent 5-14 start)

2011-12: 6-13 (most recent 6-13 start)

2003-04: 8-11 (most recent 8-11 start)

1995-96: 7-12 (loss in 19th game marked fifth loss of Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)

1994-95: 5-14 (win in 19th game marked second win of three-game winning streak, the first streak in Wright’s first year)

1997-98: 11-8 (most recent 11-8 start)

1993-94: 3-16 (only 3-16 start, 84-76 win over Central Connecticut in 19th game was lone regular season ECC win and also the first game I ever covered, VBK’s last team)

1990-91: 10-9 (most recent 10-9 start)

1987-88: 4-15 (only 4-15 start, loss in 19th game was ninth loss of program-record 12-game losing streak)

1985-96: 10-9 (over .500 for good)

1964-65: 9-10 (under .500 for good)

1960-61: 17-2 (first 17-2 start)

1959-60: 18-1 (most recent 18-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 19th game was eighth win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)

1956-57: 9-10 (under .500 for good)

1955-56: 18-1 (VBK’s first year, first 18-1 start)

1947-48: 13-6 (won season finale)

1945-46: 12-7 (won season finale)

1943-44: 7-12 (won season finale)

Hofstra has never been 19-0, 2-17, 1-18 or 0-19 through 19 games. 

Three seasons were completed in fewer than 19 games:

1936-37: 10-7

1937-38: 10-4

1938-39: 10-8

Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43, 1945-46, 1948-49, 1949-50, 1951-52, 1954-55, 1957-58.

This feature is inspired by Greg Prince, who measures how the current Mets compare, record-wise, to previous teams through the same point in the season.

NUMBER TEN THROUGH FIFTY-ONE

With Saturday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 33-18 (.647) as head coach. That’s tied with Butch van Breda Kolff for the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 51 games at the helm. A tie! And the first of a few!

Paul Lynner 40-11 (.784, 51st game was the 21st game of his second season in 1963-64)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 33-18 (.647, 51st game was the 25th game of his second season in 1956-57)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 33-18 (.647, 51st game was the 19th game of his second season in 2022-23)

Mo Cassara 27-24 (.529, 51st game was the 18th game of his second season in 2011-12)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 24-27 (.471, 51st game was the 22nd game of his second season in 1989-90)

Dick Berg 23-28 (.451, 51st game was the 24th game of his second season in 1981-82)

Joe Mihalich 23-28 (.451, 51st game was the 18th game of his second season in 2014-15)

Roger Gaeckler 18-33 (.353, 51st game was the third game of his third season in 1974-75)

Jay Wright 17-34 (.333, 51st game was the 23rd game of his second season in 1995-96) 

Tom Pecora 17-34 (.333, 51st game was the 19th game of his second season in 2002-03)

How about that — ties for second, sixth and ninth/last place. I wonder what ever happened to those two guys tied for last?

The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenures of Jack Smith (1943-46) and Frank Reilly (1947-55).

Three coaches had one-season tenures lasting fewer than 33 games at Hofstra. McDonald went 18-6 in the lone season of his second stint in 1946-47 while Joe Harrington went 14-14 in 1979-80 and Mike Farrelly went 13-10 in 2020-21.

(Fun fact: Hofstra lost in van Breda Kolff’s 52nd game at the helm)

WINNING IN THE NEW YEAR (again)

The win Saturday afternoon improved the Dutchmen to 4-0 this month and kept them on pace for the winningest calendar year in program history. #Facts This is the fifth time this century the Dutchmen have opened at least 4-0 in January. But the Dutchmen opened up 5-0 in January just once — in 2019, when they went 7-0 and the CAA just went ahead and gave them the automatic bid because there was no reason to play the rest of the season.

GO FOURTH YOUNG DUTCHMEN (again)

The four-game winning streak is tied for the longest of the season for the Dutchmen, who opened the season with four straight victories. Even more notable and impressive: This is the fifth straight full season — i.e. each of the last six seasons except the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign — in which the Dutchmen have mounted at least two winning streaks of four or more games.

The Dutchmen had two four-game winning streaks and a six-game winning streak last season. In 2019-20, they had a five-game winning streak and an eight-game winning streak before finishing the season with a four-game winning streak (sigh). The Dutchmen had a 16-game winning streak and a four-game winning streak in 2018-19 and two four-game winning streaks in 2017-18. And even in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, the Dutchmen had a five-game winning streak and a three-game winning streak that ended with an 81-78 overtime loss to Northeastern in which the Huskies overcame a 19-point second-half deficit.

WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN (part one)

The Dutchmen never trailed Saturday. It was their third wire-to-wire win of the season and the second in 16 days following a 67-51 win over Hampton on Jan. 5 and an 87-73 win over Delaware on Dec. 29. Why did I mention the scores in reverse order? Because…

WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN (part two)

…the Dutchmen have now obviously posted two wire-to-wire wins this season over Delaware. If ever there was a quirky stat to look up, this is it! And this marks the first time since at least the 2005-06 season — the furthest back the play-by-play logs go at the Hofstra athletics site — that the Dutchmen have never trailed in sweeping a season series. Impressive, and it probably means they’re doomed in the CAA Tournament. #Doom Oh and if you liked the quirky nature of that stat, just wait!

THE DEFENSE DIDN’T REST

The Dutchmen allowed 62 points, which is tied for the most points they’ve surrendered during their four-game winning streak. The four-game streak of allowing 62 points or fewer #SelectiveNumbers is the longest for the Dutchmen since they surrendered 62 points or fewer in four straight games from Dec. 28, 2014 through Jan. 5, 2015. Spanning two years! The Dutchmen opened that streak with an 88-62 win over Long Island University (the game in which Juan’ya Green posted the only triple-double in school history) before beating Central Connecticut State 84-56 on Dec. 31, knocking off UNC Wilmington 68-56 on Jan. 3 and defeating Delaware 71-58 on Jan. 5.

LUCKY THIRTEEN (part one)

Speaking of defense, the Dutchmen had 13 steals Saturday — the most steals they’ve had in a game since finishing with 15 steals in an 89-84 win over Charleston on Feb. 28, 2022.

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE AND THRICE AS NICE

Now THIS might be the quirkiest fact we’ve ever uncovered here. The Dutchmen had two players share the team lead in scoring for the third straight game Saturday, when Aaron Estrada and Warren Williams had 17 points apiece. The streak began with Estrada and Tyler Thomas scoring 20 points each in a 75-62 win over William & Mary on Jan. 7 before Thomas and Williams had 18 points apiece in last Wednesday’s 77-57 win over Monmouth. THAT was the first time the team lead in scoring was shared in back-to-back games since way back on Jan. 21-24, 2004. And THIS is the first time since at least the 1988-89 season — as far back as my records go at home — that the Dutchmen have had players share the team lead in scoring in three straight games! I know I said this on Saturday, but now THAT’S quirky!

Here’s the list of the five times two players have shared the team lead in scoring in at least two straight games since 1988-89. Some real blast from the past names!

Darius Burton/Seth Meyers 18 pts vs. Southwest Texas State 12/1/95

Seth Meyers/Rob Ogden 16 pts vs. Eastern Washington 12/2/95

Kenny Adeleke/Rick Apodaca 15 pts vs. William & Mary 1/19/02

Kenny Adeleke/Rick Apodaca 22 pts vs. Drexel 1/23/02

Kenny Adeleke/Carlos Rivera 20 pts vs. St. John’s 12/2/03

Kenny Adeleke/Loren Stokes 12 pts vs. Columbia 12/6/03

Wendell Gibson/Loren Stokes 18 pts vs. James Madison 1/21/04

Kenny Adeleke/Wendell Gibson 20 pts vs. William & Mary 1/24/04

Aaron Estrada/Tyler Thomas 20 pts vs. William & Mary 1/7/23

Tyler Thomas/Warren Williams 18 pts vs. Monmouth 1/11/23

Aaron Estrada/Warren Williams 17 pts vs. Delaware 1/14/23

EXCELLENT ESTRADA

Aaron Estrada, as you may have just read, shared the team lead in scoring with Warren Williams Saturday, when both players scored 17 points. Estrada has at least held a share of the team lead in scoring 11 times in the 16 games in which he’s played this season and 28 times in the 48 games in which he’s played since he debuted for the Dutchmen last season — a figure that’s doubly impressive considering Estrada didn’t lead the Dutchmen in scoring in any of his first seven games in 2021-22.

ESTRADA’S DOUBLE-DIGIT STREAK

With his 17 points Saturday, Aaron Estrada extended his streak of double-digit scoring efforts to nine games. Estrada, who has missed three games during his current streak, has scored in double figures in 15 of 16 games this season and in 42 of 48 games since debuting for Hofstra last season. He scored in double figures in 13 of the 37 games in which he played for Saint Peter’s and Oregon from 2019 through 2021. 

WINNING WARREN WILLIAMS

Warren Williams continued his strong stretch Saturday afternoon, when he shared the team lead with 17 points while adding six rebounds, two blocks and one steal. Williams has 35 points in his last two games, the most points he’s collected over a two-game stretch since way back on Mar. 7-8, 2019, when he capped his freshman year for Manhattan by scoring a combined 37 points in MAAC Tournament games against Fairfield and Canisius. The 27 points Williams scored against Canisius remains a career-high.Williams has scored at least eight points in all six CAA games after scoring eight points or more just three times in his first eight games from Nov. 25 through Dec. 22.

CENTER OF ATTENTION

In tying for the team lead in scoring in each of the last two games, Warren Williams has become the the first center to hold at least a share of the team lead in consecutive games since Isaac Kante led the Dutchmen with 18 points against UNC Wilmington on Jan. 30, 2021 and again with 21 points against the Seahawks the next day. Kante led the Dutchmen in scoring four times in 2020-21.

CARLOS PULLS A CLAXTON AT THE FIVE (AND FIVE AND FIVE) AND DIME

Jaquan Carlos had a second straight strong #Alliteration game Saturday, when he finished with 14 points, five rebounds, six assists and five steals. Carlos is the first Hofstra player to collect at least 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals since Zach Cooks had 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals in a 98-84 win over Detroit Mercy on Nov. 27, 2021. But Carlos has quite a gap to make up if he wants to catch Speedy Claxton in 10-5-5-5 games. Claxton had at least eight such games at Hofstra from 1996-2000, with the possibility of more that I haven’t been able to uncover (full research available only for the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons). 

CARLOS HEATING UP

Jaquan Carlos had a second straight strong game from 3-point land Saturday, when he was 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Carlos is 6-of-8 from 3-point land in his last two games. The six 3-pointers equal the number of treys he hit over a nine-game span from Nov. 30 through Jan. 5, during which Carlos was 6-of-32 from long distance. Carlos has also scored in double figures in a career-high three straight games after reaching double figures just three times — all this season — in his first 35 games with the Dutchmen.

NO DOUBTING THOMAS

Tyler Thomas continued his efficient play Saturday, when he scored 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Thomas has scored in double figures in each of the last eight games, his longest such streak since he scored in double figures in 11 straight games for Sacred Heart from Nov. 30, 2021-Jan. 17, 2022.

GERMAN TUNES IN TO THE OCHO

German Plotnikov had another solid game off the bench Saturday, when he scored eight points in 25 minutes. It was the sixth time this season Plotnikov has scored at least eight points as a reserve, second-most on the Dutchmen behind Warren Williams (nine times #FerrisBuellerVoice).

MARSHALL’S RETURN?

Redshirt freshman Amar’e Marshall, who fell out of the rotation after a fast start in non-conference play, saw considerable time off the bench again Saturday, when he scored five points in 12 minutes. Marshall has scored 11 points over 25 minutes in the last two games after scoring just six points over 17 minutes in the first four CAA games. 

ALL BOARDS, NO POINTS

Darlinstone Dubar closed out a quiet homestand Saturday by collecting a team-high seven rebounds but going scoreless in 15 minutes. The scoreless effort was the second of the season for Dubar, who didn’t score against Saint Mary’s on Nov. 19, while the 15 minutes were the fewest he’s played in a game in which he was healthy since he played 12 minutes against Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 25. However, as loyal readers of I’ll Be Quirky know, Dubar is the second player this season to finish with no points and seven rebounds. Jaquan Carlos also did so a mere 11 days ago against Hampton. Before that, no one had finished with no points and at least seven rebounds since Rokas Gustys had no points and 10 rebounds in an 88-82 win over Rider on Dec. 9, 2017. 

BRYCE IS ON THE BOARD

With the starters getting some time off at the end of the lopsided win, graduate senior Bryce Washington scored five points over the final 2:25 by hitting a 3-pointer and then sinking a pair of free throws on the Dutchmen’s next possession. The points were the first in CAA play for Washington, who also extended the longest — by at least one measure — stretch of perfect free throw shooting by a Hofstra player. Washington is 4-for-4 this season but hadn’t taken a free throw prior to Saturday since draining both of his attempts against Saint Mary’s on Nov. 19.

PETEY POINTS

The lopsided win resulted in a really neat moment in the final minute, when walk-on Petey Galgano — a graduate transfer who is attending Hofstra Law School — scored the Dutchmen’s final points by scoring his first Division I points on a putback (and then rightfully yelling with joy). Galgano and fellow walk-on Aidan Best have each scored a basket this season, making this the first season since 2013-14 in which multiple walk-ons have scored. Adam Savion and Dan Steinberg each scored for the Dutchmen in Joe Mihalich’s first season.

LUCKY THIRTEEN (part two)

Made you wait a while for this one! The Dutchmen used all 13 active players in Saturday’s win. Per Loyal Reader EvanJ, this is the first time 13 players have appeared in a game for the Dutchmen since a 68-52 win over St. Francis (NY) on Dec. 13, 2008. That was 461 games ago!

OVER THE AIR

Today’s game is slated to be carried live on FloHoops.com (subscription required) and is also on NBC Sports Washington if you happen to be in the Baltimore/Washington area. Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

SCOUTING TOWSON

The Tigers, under 12th-year head coach Pat Skerry, are 11-7 this season and 3-2 in CAA play following a 68-48 win over Monmouth on Saturday.

The Dutchmen and Tigers had two common opponents in non-conference play, Both teams beat UNC Greensboro, with the Dutchmen defeating the Hornets 65-53 on Nov. 26, nine days (PLAY STORY OF A GIRL) after Towson earned a 56-53 win. The Dutchmen fell to Massachusetts 71-56 on Dec. 11 while the Tigers knocked off the Minutemen, 67-55, on Nov. 10.

Today marks the first time the Dutchmen are opposing a CAA foe with whom they share common opponents. Both teams beat Monmouth and the Dutchmen swept Delaware, which beat Towson.

The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish second in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 111th at KenPom.com. The Tigers, who were picked to finish first, are ranked 153rd.

According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank second in the CAA in offensive efficiency (109.1 points per 100 possessions) and fourth in defensive efficiency (103.7 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 68.3 possessions per 40 minutes, the fifth-most in the league. The Tigers rank fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (105.0 points per 100 possessions) and fifth in defensive efficiency (103.9 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 63.4 possessions per 40 minutes, the fewest in the league. 

Graduate student guard Nicolas Timberlake, who was named to the preseason all-CAA first team and is a potential captain of the Andrey Semenov How-Hasn’t-That-Guy-Used-Up-All-His-Eligibility-Yet team, leads the Tigers with 15.7 points per game and ranks second with 2.7 assists per game. Redshirt senior guard Cam Holden, another preseason all-CAA first team selection, ranks second on the Tigers with 14.5 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game and first with 4.7 assists per game, but just returned Saturday and came off the bench following a three-game suspension for violating team rules. Senior forward Charles Thompson, ANOTHER preseason all-CAA first team selection, leads the Tigers with 7.7 rebounds per game and is averaging 12.3 points per game.

KenPom.com predicts a 70-69 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 2 1/2-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 8-8-2 against the spread this season.

THE ECC RACE

It’s back! But in modified form because of the dreadful unbalanced schedule. The Dutchmen are slated to play Delaware and Towson twice apiece but Drexel just once. So wrong. Delaware, Towson and Drexel all play each other twice apiece, the way it was intended. Thus, the very real champion of the very real ECC (hi Litos) will be determined by winning percentage. A win today would put the Dutchmen in the driver’s seat for this very prestigious title.

HOFSTRA 2-0 1.000

Towson 1-1 .500

Delaware 1-2 .333

Drexel 0-1 .000

ALL-TIME VS. TOWSON

Hofstra is 46-29 against Towson in a series that began during the 1982-83 season, when both schools were in the East Coast Conference. Towson swept the season series in almost identical fashion last year, when the Tigers earned a 78-66 win in Maryland on Jan. 11 before beating the Dutchmen 78-68 at the Arena on Feb. 3. It was the first season sweep for Towson since the 2016-17 campaign.

Hofstra and Towson opposed one another in the ECC and the North Atlantic Conference/America East before moving together to the CAA for the 2001-02 school year. Hofstra has faced only two opponents as often as it’s faced Towson: Longtime conference rivals Delaware and Drexel.

THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY

No, seriously, how is Nicolas Timberlake still playing for you bias! (Really)

Wait, Tom Brady didn’t retire bias! (Our pal Pat Skerry, a huge Patriots fan, will surely be watching the indefatigable and insufferable Brady tonight against the Cowboys)

Bruce Zimmermann bias! (The Orioles pitcher played at Towson)

Towson isn’t a state but your proper name is Towson State bias! (Always gotta trot out some variation of that one)