Second Thoughts

Bargoers get free taste of UCF losses

TNT analyst Charles Barkley ignored his doctor’s advice and traveled from Phoenix to Houston to visit colleague Craig Sager, who just underwent his third bone marrow transplant as he continue to battle acute myeloid leukemia.
TNT analyst Charles Barkley ignored his doctor’s advice and traveled from Phoenix to Houston to visit colleague Craig Sager, who just underwent his third bone marrow transplant as he continue to battle acute myeloid leukemia.

The University of Central Florida Knights went winless last season -- a clean 0-12.

After their fourth loss of 2015, an Orlando bar named The Basement promised to give out free beer on game days until UCF was able to scratch one in the win column.

Although there were hiccups -- like running out of beer -- the giveaway seemed to be a hit. One year later, the promotion is going strong.

From kickoff until the final whistle, the bar will offer free Coors Light, managing partner Logan Berkowitz said Friday. He said when the bar started the promotion after the Knights' 0-3 start last season, he and the rest of bar ownership and management hadn't imagined it lasting all season.

According to ESPN's Darren Rovell, The Basement will keep on shelling out the free brews after supplying a reported 15,000 last season. UCF will open its season hosting South Carolina State at 6 p.m Central today.

"It's kind of an odd thing," said Berkowitz, a UCF graduate like other managers and owners of the bar. "We don't want people to think we're rooting against UCF."

Riley's hot take

Miami Heat President Pat Riley recently told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that trading for Shaquille O'Neal was "bigger than any acquisition that we ever made, including the Big Three."

Bigger than drafting Dwyane Wade in 2003? Bigger than the 2010 signings of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, who won two titles in four years?

"The seminal moment to really make us really, really legitimate," Riley told Winderman of O'Neal's arrival. "He turned our franchise around. He gave us real legitimacy."

O'Neal will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next week, which is one reason for Riley's praise. But one has to wonder: If Wade had re-signed with the Heat this summer instead of Chicago, or if James never went back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, would Riley's comments be different?

Upbeat Sager

Former NBA player and current TNT analyst Charles Barkley didn't let hip replacement surgery keep him from visiting Turner Sports sideline reporter Craig Sager in the hospital.

As The Associated Press explained via USA Today, Sager underwent his third bone marrow transplant Wednesday since he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2014.

Stacy, Sager's wife, couldn't be with Sager during the transplant because she caught a cold and could have infected the beloved television personality.

Enter Barkley, who traveled from Phoenix to Houston against his own doctor's orders.

"Craig Sager is one of the most interesting people I've ever met," said Barkley, who has worked for years with Sager at TNT. "We go to see Sager to cheer him up, and by the time you leave, you're like, 'Is anything wrong with him?' He has the most positive attitude.

"When you go to try and cheer him up, his attitude is so upbeat, he cheers you up."

Pregame stumble

Western Kentucky players were a bit too fired up for Thursday's regular-season opener against Rice.

One WKU player tripped and fell while running onto the field before the contest, and this set into motion a domino effect that resulted in several of his teammates taking spills.

The incident didn't prevent Western Kentucky from jumping out to a 30-7 lead in the first half of a 46-14 victory.

Sports on 09/03/2016

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