James Franklin was fired as head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions and Nebraska head man Matt Rhule is almost certain to take his place. Rhule and Penn State AD Pat Kraft are longtime buddies. Rhule is a Penn State alum. Kraft will leak names of interest and canvas the field, but Rhule has to be his top target. My only question: have we reached the era of coaches changing schools mid-season? We’re definitely in the mid-season firing era, but would Rhule really leave a 5-1 team right now to show up in Happy Valley? Time matters more than ever in college football. Rhule could get a head start on both the recruiting and transfer windows. Should Nebraska flame out to end the season, would hiring Rhule look as attractive as it does now? Would PSU fans (and boosters) see enough value in hiring an 8-4 coach that they’d open their wallets to pay for what will surely be an entirely turned over roster? None of these questions are fun, but every Penn State player is effectively a free agent now. Operating without a coach (or budget) puts next year in jeopardy as much as this year has become a disaster. Of course, leaving Nebraska right now would be disgusting. But on the list of all the disgusting things college football stomachs, it might not be gross enough to prevent it from happening.

Anyone want to take a stab at what makes next Tuesday important? Pint Night in San Luis Obispo? That’s right. Times have changed since a Young KMARK ran downtown for dollar beers at such institutions like Frog and Peach, SLO Brew, and MoTav. Apparently they sell the kids “$3 off all beer” on Tuesday’s now. Raw deal. What’s a good deal? NBA Opening Night. Just when you’ve absorbed all the football you can handle, plus the MLB Playoffs, you get a heaping scoop of hoops on your plate. Basketball is back so let’s run through a menu of narratives. Allow me to introduce what the chef’s prepared:

Primi

- The East is atrocious. Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum suffered devastating achilles injuries in the playoffs and both franchises figure to take the year off. Boston shipped out Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in an event to duck the dreaded Second Apron. After years of marching to the Conference Finals, expect the Celtics to be scrappy, chuck a ton of threes, beat bad teams, but never really contend. Who’s that leave? The Cavs, Magic, and Knicks. Not bad! Some turnover from the Junior Conference and a chance for new teams to make the Leap.

- Giannis is still a Buck (for now). Dame Lillard suffered an achilles tear of his own, got cut over the summer, and re-signed in Portland. The Bucks swallowed Dame’s contract in an effort to bring in former Pacers’ center Myles Turner, but the rest of the roster is suffering from years of trading picks and turnover. If Milwaukee can’t race out to a competitive start, expect the chirping around Giannis’ future to reach a fever pitch.

- The door is so wide open for the Knicks that they showed it Tom Thibodeau and kicked him out. NY returns all their core and added Mike Brown to squeeze more from a one-dimensional offense. It’s a classic enforcer-player’s coach trade, but Brown has been around the league long enough to demand credibility. He’s can be demanding on offensive execution, but this is his last chance to stick as a franchise head coach. Did he learn enough from stops in Cleveland, LA and Sacramento to get the best of NY?

Secondi

- Fat Luka is no more. Perhaps ordering a little different at whatever regional steakhouse he finds himself in. Swapping asparagus for potatoes. Proud of you buddy. Will Luka’s slender physique translate to a career year? Lebron will miss the first month of the season and it’ll be all Luka all the time. Expect a couple huge performances in the next couple of weeks.

- Speaking of last gasps, Kevin Durant is a Rocket. I’ve been tipped by a confidant that HOU is high on his FRAUD WATCH list, and I tend to agree. The Rockets recently lost starting PG Fred Van Vleet to a torn ACL. And isn’t this the same Durant that didn’t move any needle in PHX? He shoved his way to a great destination built on the backs of Amen Thomson and Alperin Sengun, but if either guy proves to be an awkward fit with KD, then the Rockets could struggle out of the gate.

- The League runs through OKC. We heard it all playoffs, but this team is ascending and should be better this year. Did a deep playoff run sap some steam? Probably. Is the West a gauntlet in general? Absolutely. OKC will have to compete with a retooled Denver squad, but SGA isn’t going anywhere and Chet could be even more dangerous.

Contorni

- Wasn’t going to let this preview slide without mentioning Steve Ballmer. The NBA’s investigation into the Clippers’ salary cap manipulation is ongoing even if the news cycle has quieted down. This is still the league’s biggest story and they’re lucky that basketball starting is enough to throw people off the scent. The investigation isn’t likely to conclude before Ballmer hosts the All-Star game in February, but expect more details to drip through the press. I cannot stress enough the magnitude of punishment that will come the Clippers way if they’re found guilty. The fallout will be equivalent (or more) to the Mavs shipping Luka to the Lakers.

Dolce

- And for dessert? The games themselves. The NBA officially moved back to NBC and I’m excited to see the production level of Sunday Night Football applied to basketball.

More NBA content is coming your way. The days of KMARK coasting on a handful of live sports are over. Time to get to work! Watch this space for news NBA and maybe even a tickle of college ball.