The Futon Report

This just broke about a half hour ago. After 12 years of being Toledo’s colorful yet inconsistently successful basketball coach, the Rockets have parted ways with Stan Joplin.

There will probably be further details coming out, but initial reactions are basically those of shock. The timing is about as goofy as one could expect, even coming off an 11-19 season. Most of those losses can be attributed to a brutal nonconference road schedule and the mysterious exile of Kashif Payne. But those with firing authority felt otherwise.

I’m definitely going to miss Joplin patrolling the sidelines for the Toledo Rockets, and the excitement I had for next year’s team suddenly has a confusing flavor to it. ◼ Toledo Blade

Kent State 49, Miami 47 ◼ Miami interim coach Jermaine Henderson has done an admirable job of filling in for Charlie Coles under adverse conditions. And it’s too bad to see the Miami season end in a closely fought, albeit alarmingly low-scoring game against Kent State.

Before Al Fisher’s hesitation jumper to seal the win, coach Henderson had a message for his RedHawks team during the timeout, since Kent was able to take the last shot: Kent State will shoot once, and once only. Thanks to the majesty of ESPN360, here’s an audio snippet of Henderson’s final message (right after Steve Mix quips “take it down to about 4 seconds”):

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Ohio 68, Bowling Green 66, 2OT ◼ I suppose when BGSU has to play two overtimes without Kate Achter, and the second OT without Tara Breske, these kinds of upsets are bound to happen.

So after the BG men bowed out of the season back on Tuesday, I really have no peripheral reason to care about college basketball, except to see if the MAC gets two bids to the men’s tournament.

Michael Jordan doesn’t buy prostitutes. Just so you know. ◼ SbB

Washington Nationals fans: pick your crappy music! ◼ SbB

The NFL should bring in more suspended sprinters. ◼ SbB

Robert Porcher, doctor’s office assaulter. ◼ SbB

HollaMAC Girls is your eye on the Mid-American Conference women’s basketball tournament. Here’s how the quarterfinals shaked out:

This much we know: Someone in Ohio’s going to win the MAC championship, as all four teams who advanced are from that sorta-heart-shaped region.

Toledo 65, Ball State 60 ◼ The heck? So after dropping seven straight games, UT has now rattled off four straight at the right time, following up a mild first-round upset of Buffalo Monday with an embiggened upset of the Cardinals Tuesday. What if Mark Ehlen’s team just keeps winning all the way through the conference tournament? Does he still resign?

Holla: Ta’Yani Clark, UT: 25 points (5-for-7 from 3 pt.), 9 rebounds; Kiley Jarrett, BSU: 13 points, 5 assists, 4 steals; Tamesha Scotton, UT: 11 points, 8 rebounds Read more

Todd Jones spring training ERA so far: 24.55. ◼ Detroit Free Press

If Chad Johnson punched his coach, why is he still with the Bengals? ◼ Vitamin Z