There has been no shortage of roster movement, both outgoing and incoming, for the NC State baseball program this offseason. The latest addition to the team is former Clemson relief pitcher P.J. Labriola, who announced his commitment to the Wolfpack on Thursday.

Labriola made 16 appearances for the Tigers in 2022, striking out 16 and walking five over 10-2/3 innings. He finished the season with a 5.06 ERA. Labriola is draft eligible but I figure theres a pretty good chance hes at NC State in 23 for his redshirt junior season.

Labriola is the second lefthanded reliever the Pack has added through the portal, joining Rio Britton. Based on this fun fact from Labriolas bio, his move to NC State was one of destiny:

Interesting facts about family/parents One of his great-grandfathers played in the minor leagues, and the other was Jim Valvanos godfather

To recap the transfer additions so far, aside from Labriola:

Rio Britton (LHP / Oregon): Had a 3.20 ERA in 34 appearances in 2022. Thirty-five strikeouts and 20 walks over 39-1/3 IP.

Kalae Harrison (SS / TAMU): Slashed .162/.295/.216 in 19 games (13 starts) in 2022. Started all 56 games for the Aggies in 21 but hit only .224/.311/.286. That glove plays, clearly.

Parker Nolan*** (CF / Davidson): Hit .310/.442/.663 with 15 homers this season.

Matt Suggs*** (C / UNCW): Hit .245/.332/.511 with 13 homers in 22.

Carter Trice (2B / ODU): Hit .289/.395/.606 with 17 homers this season.

(*** player is draft eligible this year)

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Well see how things play out as the MLB Draft gets underway Sunday, but if both Nolan and Suggs make it to Raleigh, the Packs offense will be looking pretty darn good.

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NC State baseball continues to add through the transfer portal - Backing The Pack

1.) New England Revolution is not playing as poorly as they did during their CCL collapse in March/April, but they arent demonstrating a consistent string of results either. How would you categorize the teams form right now?

I think frustrating is the word that comes to mind but I also dont think this Revs season was unexpected to a degree at least as far as the inconsistency. Yes, the CCL collapse against Pumas stung and the Revs have let other results slip away including that 1-1 draw with the Philadelphia Union in late May where the Revs put up a 3.0 xG on 4 of 22 shooting and only scored via a penalty and gave up an equalizer moments later.

The 10-game unbeaten streak was nice however even though it had more draws than wins in it. The Revs were always going to have some sort of transition midseason with their outgoing players and Ive always maintained the Revs were playing a split season in 2022. The first half was all about the CCL run and the second half was getting new players acclimated for a playoff run. New England was never going to maintain their Shield winning form and win every game by one goal, but while I think this is a playoff team, it is a little disappointing for the Revs to currently be on the outside looking in at the halfway mark even if New England is still within striking distance of 4th place and a home game in November.

2.) Without Adam Buksa and Matt Turner, who are the next men up? How is the team adapting without two stars?

Well, I can tell everyone that we are all just wicked excited for Djordje Petrovic in goal. In just a few short weeks the Serbian international signed from Cukaricki already has a highlight reel full of ridiculous double saves and a couple of standout performances against NYCFC in both Open Cup and league play. As far as shot stoppers go, Petrovic is already pretty darn good and is only going to get better. Yes, distribution wise hes made a few mistakes being too aggressive going forward with the ball that have led to costly turnovers but you can see the talent and potential he already has.

Albanian international Giacomo Vrioni is still sorting out his visa paperwork but when he does join up with the Revs as a DP it will be to take over as the #9 in Adam Buksas role. Vrioni already has the resume of an established goal scorer and hes not just an aerial threat either. The other newcomer is Colombian Dylan Borrero as a U22 Initiative signing who is also settling in quite nicely into the starting lineup. Not entirely a like for like Tajon Buchanan replacement, but pretty close, I think Borrero is a little more natural in the middle of the field but the ability to just beat someone in space is something the Revs did miss early in the year. Really excited to see how he and Sebastian Lletget combine tactically in the attacking midfield on either side of Carles Gil in a role that isnt quite a shuttling center mid nor an always stay wide winger but somewhere in between.

3.) What do the Revs look like going into the back half of the season? Are they a playoff contender?

Playoff contender, yes. MLS Cup contender however depends on how much Vrioni adds up front and if the Revs make any other additions. New England did well to secure the Petrovic and Borrero signings before the end of the offseason window and were able to quickly secure Vrioni at the beginning of July to replace Buksa, but if the Revs are going to win that elusive MLS Cup theyll need to spend the next few months building up their chemistry and form for a big playoff run. We saw NYCFC kind of underachieve in the regular season last year but their talent carried them to the Cup and theres no reason to think the Revs couldnt do something similar.

The reigning league MVP in Carles Gil, big time golazo machine Gustavo Bou, a cast of talented newcomers, one of the best fullback duos in the league in DeJuan Jones and Brandon Bye, and veterans like Polster, Farrell, McNamara, and Boateng absolutely have the talent to pull this off. Winning the Shield in record fashion last year was not a fluke, the core of this Revs team is talented and the pieces theyve replaced have already shown to have a lot of potential. Its up to Bruce Arena and the rest of the coaching/front office staff to get this squad to realize that full potential because this championship window is about as open as its going to be but the new look Revs model as a selling team makes it difficult to maintain regular season form if a couple of major pieces get sold every couple of summers. New England is making strides to catch up to the rest of the league as far as DP spending and their new training ground, but the playoffs will always be such a crapshoot so at this point Ill take a meh regular season and a barnstorming Cup run for 2022.

4.) Are there any notable injuries? What are your score/lineup predictions?

No injuries and only Andrew Farrell out on red card suspension so Jon Bell gets the start. Matt Polster came on as a second half sub at Yankee Stadium and could be in line for his first start since his return from injury.

4-2-3-1: Petrovic; Jones, Bell, Kessler, Bye; Kaptoum, Polster; Borrero, Gil, Lletget; Bou

Maybe the best lineup available for the Revs currently though that other CDM spot next to Polster has been in flux this year. The Revs need a rebound game and play the Union well but at best this is a 1-1 draw though with the form Philly is in Petrovic standing on his head might not be enough.

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Talking New England Revolution with the Bent Musket - Brotherly Game

Were only one business day away from SEC Media Days, so that means it must be football season, right? Maybe not, but being out of season has never stopped me from talking about football. With that in mind, I sat down and did my first ever very unofficial SEC season predictions.

For this exercise, I didnt just pick numbers at random, I went through and picked a winner for each game on the schedule, and these are the results.

Not exactly a bold prediction here, but I think the Tide are ready to go on a roll after embarrassingly losing two whole games in 2021. They take their nearly 90% blue chip ratio, finish undefeated and win the West, as is tradition. Eat at Arbys.

Obviously if Bama goes undefeated, that means the Aggies one loss is the Crimson Tides revenge game in Tuscaloosa. In most of my season predictions Ive tried to be more conservative and say that A&M will drop one other game along the way and go 10-2, but when it came down to choosing individual games, I just couldnt resist putting A&M on top in every game but one. The Ags finish second in the West for the third time in five years and set themselves up nicely for a New Years Six Bowl (and a very outside chance at a Playoff spot if some weirdness happens).

Arkansas is a team thats very hard to predict. They had an outstanding 2021 season, but lost a fair amount of production with several super seniors and WR Treylon Burks. They also return QB KJ Jefferson and made some good additions in the portal, including Bama LB Drew Sanders. But the Hogs schedule is brutal, opening the season by hosting Cincinnati before traveling to BYU later in the season, in addition to their SEC West slate. I have them losing to A&M and Bama, and also dropping the game in Provo to BYU (who I think could be a darkhorse playoff contender in 2022).

Ole Miss is coming off a fantastic 2021, but has a lot of turnover entering 2022. They replaced Matt Corral and Jerrion Ealy via the portal with Jaxson Dart (elite QB name) from USC and Zach Evans from TCU. But perhaps more importantly, lost both coordinators (Lebby to OU, Durkin to A&M). I think that lack of continuity could cost them some close games, and the way the schedule falls, I have them starting 8-0 only to drop each of their last four games to A&M, Bama, Arkansas and (miserably for Rebel fans), the Egg Bowl to Mississippi State.

Bulldog fans may end up viewing this as a disappointment, especially since they lead the SEC in returning production. But having a letdown when expectations seem to be highest is vintage Mike Leach. Theyll take down LSU, Auburn and Ole Miss (which may salvage their season emotionally, at least), but lose their remaining SEC games, which includes a pretty brutal stretch that sees them host A&M and Arkansas before road games at Kentucky and Alabama. Oh and throw Georgia in there for good measure.

Brian Kellys first season in Baton Rouge falls about as flat as his attempted southern accent. The Tigers will get off to a promising 4-1 start, including wins over Florida State and Auburn, but an absolute gauntlet looms in the back half of the year: Tennessee, at Florida, Ole Miss, Alabama, at Arkansas, UAB, at A&M. I think they lose a couple and then the snowball effect has them Texas-ing this thing to bowl ineligibility despite a talented roster.

Goodnight, Bryan Harsin. Auburn brings back Tank Bigsby, but outside of that this may be the least talented squad theyve had there in quite some time, especially after losing Bo Nix to the transfer portal and signing the 9th-best class in the conference. At least Vanderbilt is there to keep them from going winless in conference play for the first time since the Gene Chizik era.

Much like Bama in the West, Georgia continues their run of dominance. Especially since their West foes this year are Auburn and Mississippi State, its hard to see anyone posing too much of a challenge, though I think Tennessee and Kentucky have a chance.

Despite losing to Alabama and Georgia, the Vols run the rest of the table and get to their first 10-win season since the Phil Fulmer era. With Hendon Hooker leading Josh Huepels offense, I think Tennessee has the firepower to keep up with almost anyone this season. Hopefully their defense (90th in college football) can improve enough to make that a reality.

The fact that some people in Lexington will view this as a disappointment shows how far Mark Stoops has taken this program since he took over in 2013. I have the Wildcats starting the season 6-1 (dropping the game vs. Ole Miss) before losing two of their final five games (vs. Tennessee and Georgia). The good news? Theyre about to have a two-game win streak over Florida for the first time in almost 50 years.

Florida is one of the harder teams to predict this season. After a very subpar 2021, Billy Napier comes to Gainesville from Lafayette hoping to right the ship. With a 60% blue chip ratio, they still have the talent to compete, and that alone may win them a few games, but I think its too soon to expect them to seriously contend. The Gators will have an inauspicious start to the season, going 1-3 against Utah, Kentucky, USF (W) and Tennessee, but will win six of their final eight games (losing only to Georgia and A&M), capping off the season with a win over rival FSU for the fourth straight year.

I like what Shane Beamer is doing in Columbia, but they probably overachieved a bit when they went 7-6 (including a bowl win over North Carolina). But their schedule is a beast. In addition to the SEC East foes, they get A&M and Arkansas from the West, and of course finish the season with what I believe will be a Clemson teams that returns to contender status. I think they lose those games, as well as to Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.

I want to believe in Mizzou, but the cards seem to be stacked against them this year, especially after losing QB Connor Bazelak to the transfer portal (now at Indiana). Sadly, the only Power 5 team I see them beating this year is Vanderbilt. Their projected win total this year is around 5.5, so I guess give me the under.

Ah, Vandy. Its just so hard to see them doing anything meaningful in the SEC, even though guys like Derek Mason and James Franklin have gotten them to respectability a few times in the past decade. But the Dores havent won a conference game sine 2019, and I dont see that changing this year.

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Predicting the final 2022 SEC standings - Good Bull Hunting

Last updated on January 23, 2022

Looking for different types of modular additions for your home? Look no further as weve got the best ideas here. Read on!

Prefab or prefabricated home is a type of dwelling thats manufactured in advance from factories instead of on-site. Its shipped pre-made and ready to assemble, they typically cost less than conventional homes.

And its not limited to houses. In fact, you can have a prefab addition added to your home, be it a bump-out or a small structure in your backyard. Were talking about extra rooms, a garage, an office, or even a guest house.

They cant be fully customized (thats the nature of prefabrication) but theyre quick to build yet provide the same (often higher) durability and quality of a traditional house thanks to modern technology.

And thats the reason why weve made a list of these ideas for modular home additions, to help you make the right choice as it can be a make-or-break decision.

Table of Contents

1of 21

Modular home construction is an effective way to build additions for your house when you want to get something for high quality and yet fast building time. The speed is very important as building additions will temporarily disrupt your lifestyle. There are 2 basic types of addition, an attached to the side and the other one is on top of a one-story home.

2of 21

A prefab shed can be a great addition to your lot especially if you need something quickly for storage. It has become popular over the years because it doesnt take a lot of effort to build them. They come in multiple sizes and shape and some can be bought pre-engineered if you want to build one.

3of 21

If youre gonna have family or friends to come over but dont have a guest house, then a prefab one is the perfect option. It can be build quickly and comes in different materials, shapes and sizes for any type of budget.

4of 21

Prefab garages can be considered if you have a free space in your lot but dont have a garage yet. It has plenty of varieties, inexpensive, and faster to build. It is not as durable compared to a traditional one but modern technology improved their quality.

5of 21

When you want a quick workspace in your backyard, a prefab studio is a viable option. You dont have to be confused looking at dozens of screws, bolts, or wood which usually eats up a lot of time. A prefab studio is ready for you to use once delivered.

6of 21

Modular home additions are assembled in sections and they can be customized but not to the full extent. Theyre much faster to build just like prefabs and depending on the budget can be really durable.

7of 21

As it is in the name, a granny pod allows the elderly or someone to look after to live in a backyard cottage. A prefab one is much quicker to build in the backyard which is important if youre in a hurry for grandma and grandpa.

8of 21

Also known as a mother in law apartment or sometimes guest house, its usually built attached or located in the same place as a single-family home. Building one from scratch costs a lot so a prefab can be considered for a quicker, affordable price.

9of 21

When most of your work involves being at home, why not have a prefab office if you have space in your backyard? Its quick, affordable and can give you the privacy you need when doing your job, away from disturbance.

10of 21

Known as secondary suites, an accessory dwelling is like your second modular home attached near the main home. Its used mainly to gain extra income via rent from family members but it can be a relaxing area too.

11of 21

Installing a second-story addition might cost a lot but its one way to enlarge an already existing house especially for smaller ones. It was one size fits all before but now it can be fully customized to suit your needs.

12of 21

Adding a master bedroom to an already pre-existing home is possible if you have the funds. It can improve the homes value significantly and buying a prefab one can lower the cost by a great margin.

13of 21

Every woman of the house needs a she shed, just like a man needs his man cave. Its made for relaxing and built with soft colors and comfortable furniture. You can build one on your own or get a prefab for a less expensive and quicker route.

14of 21

A sunroom is an ideal place to unwind and relax as it lets you embrace the outdoors while protecting you from the elements or bugs. It improves home value by up to 47% and getting a prefab one is a great option for a quicker, cheaper sunroom.

15of 21

If youre living in a limited space, then consider adding an outdoor office shed. It can be custom designed to suit your needs. It can be a home office, an extra kitchen, craft space or even playing the instruments. Its smaller, quicker to build, and much cheaper.

16of 21

Making a lean-to to an existing building is actually pretty easy and can be done by yourself even without prior experience. Its cost effective and easier compared to other buildings. Its typically used as a small shelter or storage area.

17of 21

If you want to increase the value of your home but want to do it the cheapest way and stay creative then why not make a do it yourself room. You can use an existing space like an unfinished basement. It can be any type of room like a lounge, gym, or even home office.

18of 21

When youre running out of space for your home, getting the best room addition floor plans is something you must do. It will give you lots of ideas on what you can do, like the number of rooms you can add.

19of 21

Modular homes arent just the big, full family house but theres also what you call modular cabins which are smaller and have a more vintage, rustic structure. They also come cheaper compared to conventional modular homes that you can do on your own if you have the right skills.

20of 21

Double wide mobile homes suits well in an open and spacious floor plan and it adds appeal to the exterior style of a property. Even though its made this way, an addition, even to a mobile home must be close but never attached.

21of 21

Prefab houses are usually more affordable than traditional houses by 10% to 20%. It is also 1 to 4 months faster to build than conventional homes and theyre mostly built in factories and then the company will just deliver it to you. According to HomeAdvisor, the cost of a prefab addition starts at $3,000 and can run up the balance to $30,000.

Related reading:

How to Build a Guest House Cheap [8 Ideas]

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How to Make a Manufactured Home Look Like a House (Site-built Home)

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26 Types of Prefab Homes (Full List)

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21 Prefab Additions You Need to Know About If You're Short ...

Hello, everyone, I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas and joyous holiday season. The festive period has gotten some of us here at PSA in the mood. Yesterday, Jesse compiled his Christmas wishlist of the four things hes hoping to see from the Yankees once the new CBA is ratified, and earlier today, Matt remembered some great Yankees stocking stuffers. Sticking with the theme, I thought Id look back on the best Christmas presents the Yankees have received and rank them by fWAR.

Granted, the Yankees have never signed nor traded for a player on Christmas Day itself, so Ive expanded the window of consideration by a week on either end. Ive also decided only to tally the WAR accrued in the uninterrupted Yankees tenure following their signing/trade, which is why Roger Clemens signed to his penultimate Yankees contract December 30, 2002 Dave Righetti extended December 23, 1987 and Tommy John brought back for second Yankees stint December 21, 1987 all miss out on inclusion in this list. With those qualifications covered, lets look under the Christmas tree.

Prior to the 2003 season, the Yankees signed Gary Sheffield to a three-year, $39 million contract. Even in his age-35 and age-36 seasons, Sheffield was still one of the best sluggers in the game, topping 30 home runs and 120 RBIs en route to a pair of All-Star appearances.

However, a collision with Torontos Shea Hillenbrand in May 2006 led to wrist surgery. That all but ended Sheffields Yankee career, as he didnt return until September and was traded the following offseason with Bobby Abreu now entrenched in right field.

After a masterful two seasons in Houston, during which he transformed into one of the best pitchers in the game, the Yankees signed Gerrit Cole to a record-setting, nine-year, $324 million contract in the 2019-20 offseason. And while he has been far and away the best Yankees pitcher and a top starter in the league since joining, its fair to say Cole so far has not fully delivered on the promise of his arrival, with the Yankees crashing out of the 2021 Wild Card game while their ace tried to pitch on an injured hamstring.

In the winter of 1921, the Yankees acquired Bullet Joe Bush as part of a three-player return in a trade that sent Rip Collins, Roger Peckinpaugh, Bill Piercy, Jack Quinn, and $100,000 to the Red Sox. He finished fourth in 1922 AL MVP balloting and was part of the 1923 that won the Yankees inaugural World Series title. In three seasons in the Bronx, Bush went 62-38 with a 3.44 ERA and 297 strikeouts, pitching at least 250 innings in each campaign.

David Wells signed on for his first Yankees stint prior to the 1997 season and chose number 33 in homage to Babe Ruth. Boomer memorably pitched the 15th perfect game in MLB history and second in Yankees history on May 17, 1998, reportedly while severely hungover.

Wells would go on to win his second World Series ring that year before being traded to the Blue Jays in the offseason as part of the package that brought Roger Clemens to the Bronx.

Sad Sam Jones was the second of three players included in the aforementioned 1921 trade between New York and Boston. He pitched a no-hitter September 4, 1923, becoming only the third player in MLB history to toss a no-hitter without recording a strikeout. He also clinched the 1923 World Series over the Giants, converting the save in the deciding Game 6. Across five seasons with the Yankees, Jones went 67-56 with a 4.06 ERA and 363 strikeouts.

Following a breach-of-contract dispute with the As in 1974 when Oakland owner Charlie Finley refused to pay an agreed $50,000 to a life insurance annuity, an arbitrator granted Hunter free agency. Soon after, he became the most expensive player in baseball, signing a groundbreaking five-year, $3.35 million contract with the Yankees. He was a part of the World Series winning squads of 1977 and 1978, but struggled with arm injuries in the final years of his career following back-to-back 300-plus inning seasons in 1974 and 1975. Hunter was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987 but sadly passed away from Lou Gehrigs disease in 1999.

After playing the first 10 years of his career with the Yomiuri Giants, Matsui signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Yankees in December of 2002. Godzilla terrorized opposing pitchers from his first season in the bigs, narrowly missing out on the Rookie of the Year award after two writers took issue with his age.

Matsui capped of his Yankees tenure in style, winning the 2009 World Series MVP after going 8-for-13 with three home runs and eight RBIs, including his six-RBI smackdown in the decisive Game 6 over the Phillies.

The Yankees signed Luis Severino as a 17-year-old international free agent in 2011. Despite some early growing pains after debuting in 2015, Severino vaulted himself onto the national stage with a pair of five-plus-win seasons in 2017 and 2018, looking like one of the new aces in the league. Unfortunately, injuries have limited him to just 18 innings since the start of the 2019 season, and the Yankees are hoping he can rediscover some of his dominant form three years and two major injuries removed from sustained success.

The Yankees acquired David Cone from the Blue Jays right before the trade deadline in 1995 and extended him for three years, $19.5 million that winter. He was an integral member of the most recent Yankees dynasty that won four titles in five years. He also pitched the 16th perfect game in MLB history just a year after his teammate Wells feat.

In an amazing twist, that day was Yogi Berras first return to Yankee Stadium after a long feud with George Steinbrenner, and the Hall of Fame catcher caught the ceremonial first pitch that day from Don Larsen, whose perfect game he caught in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series.

After a two-year stretch in which he won the 2000 AL MVP and was worth almost 17 wins, Jason Giambi signed a seven-year, $120 million contract with the Yankees. Although he never quite hit the heights of his final years in Oakland, Giambi was arguably one of the most underrated players on his Yankees teams, routinely leading the league in walks while still hitting for power.

In seven years in the Bronx, Giambi batted .260/.404/.521 with 209 home runs, 604 RBIs, and a 145 wRC+, narrowly missing out on a ring with the team when his 2009 option was declined.

Following his heroics in his half-season with the Brewers, Sabathia signed a then-record seven-year, $161 million contract for a pitcher as part of the inaugural season for the new Yankee Stadium. He helped deliver a title that year and was dominant in his first three seasons in the Bronx, putting up a trio of five-plus-win seasons.

However, chronic issues stemming from a 2011 torn meniscus in his right knee sapped the southpaw of velocity and effectiveness in the latter years of his Yankees tenure, though a change in form did lead to a mini-resurgence from 2016-18 until his retirement in 2019.

And finally, who more appropriate to top the list of most valuable Yankees Christmas presents than the WAR king himself, Babe Ruth. On December 26, 1919, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold the rights to Ruth to the Yankees for $100,000 and a $350,000 loan from Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, secured by a mortgage on Fenway park. The rest is history, as Ruth would go on to win four World Series with the Yankees, setting the single-season home run record at 60 in 1927 broken by Roger Maris in 1961 the career home run record at 714 broken by Henry Aaron in 1974 and the single-season WAR record of 15 wins in 1923, in the process becoming the most iconic legend in the history of the game.

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How have past Yankees holiday additions performed after ...

When Gagan and Jasmin Arneja bought a Bay Area hillside home designed in 1975, they knew it would need some work. But with big windows offering expansive views over San Francisco and an interior lined with distinctive redwood-plywood paneling, there was already a lot about the house they liked.

So after closing on it in 2011 for about $1.5 million, they moved in without changing a thing. We believe it takes at least three to four years before you understand the quirks, and the pros and cons, of a house, said Ms. Arneja, a photographer. We didnt want to tear it up or remodel it before we even had a chance to get to know the house.

The house changes through the seasons, added Mr. Arneja, a software engineer at Arista Networks, noting that the home, designed by the architect Albert Lanier, has overhangs that allow the interior to be flooded with sunlight in the winter, while shading it in the summer something they wouldnt have understood without living there.

The couple, who are in their late 40s, also couldnt help but notice the shortcomings. The three-story house is nestled into a hillside, with the main entrance and primary living space on top. But the bedrooms, one level down, seemed shoddily finished, and the level below that wasnt finished at all. The home also had inefficient single-pane windows, and its original kitchen and bathrooms were in desperate need of updating.

By 2016, the Arnejas were finally ready to make some changes, but they werent looking to do a gut renovation. They wanted to retain the redwood paneling they loved, while expanding the house to make it more comfortable for family visits (Mr. Arnejas parents sometimes stay for months when visiting from India), improve its energy efficiency, replace its 1970s fixtures and appliances, and add a few stylistic touches to make it their own.

Finding the right architect for such a job wasnt easy. They engaged one, but soon realized they had very different ideas about how the house should be updated. They switched to another, but found his proposed design too heavy handed as well.

Its like going through bad relationships, Ms. Arneja said. The house needed an architect who wasnt so driven by ego, and who was mature and confident enough in their ability to take on the renovation of a house with a strong architectural identity and not feel like they had to put their imprint over it.

Fortunately, Monica Viarengo, a landscape designer who had been consulting with the couples second architect, believed she knew just the right person for the job: her husband, Brett Terpeluk, the principal of Studio Terpeluk. When the Arnejas met him, it felt like a perfect match.

I think Bretts sensibility veers toward the Italian sensibility, Mr. Arneja said. Its not about creating these blank, clean, modern lines; its really about, in totality, how everything feels warm.

Mr. Terpeluk saw why the couple wanted to preserve so much. When I walked into the house, the architecture just really resonated with me, he said. It has such a beautiful, almost mystical quality, in the way the space embraces you. Taking a curatorial approach to maintaining that, while upgrading the house, was the right approach.

His plan called for expanding and finishing the bottom level, to make space for an office and a media room with a kitchenette that looks out to a new garden designed by Ms. Viarengo; updating the bedrooms and bathrooms on the second level; and making surgical additions to the main living spaces on the top floor.

Throughout, Mr. Terpeluk worked with Beatrice Santiccioli, a color consultant, to coat new architectural elements in unexpected hues. The cabinetry in the renovated kitchen is finished in minty green and soft pink lacquer, and a nearby console is coated in sunny yellow. The primary bedroom has built-in cabinetry with aubergine hues, and the connected bathroom has similarly colored mosaic tile.

Every level has access to outdoor spaces, including the garden, an internal courtyard and balconies, mostly through floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass doors.

Underfoot, Mr. Terpeluk installed whitewashed Douglas fir flooring with deep brown knots, reclaimed from old pier pilings, where the house previously had dark-stained oak. Then he tied all three levels together with a sculptural folding-steel staircase featuring a handrail resembling a shepherds crook. Descending the stairs is now kind of a cinematic experience, Mr. Terpeluk said, as it snakes past the various colors of the different levels.

The Arnejas moved out when construction began in the fall of 2017 and returned to their completed home in the summer of 2020, after spending about $500,000 on the renovation. It took nearly a decade of dreaming, designing and building, but now that their 3,200-square-foot home is complete, they know their patience paid off.

We use every single part of the house every day, Ms. Arneja said, as they move between spaces for sleeping, working, eating and relaxing. And when no one is staying with them, she added, the guest room doubles as a workout room.

The end result is a house thats different than what we started with, but doesnt destroy what was already here, Mr. Arneja said. It enhances it.

For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @nytrealestate.

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They Broke Up With Two Architects Before Finding the Right One - The New York Times

LAWRENCE As Ochai Agbaji reflected on Kansas mens basketballs double overtime win Monday against Texas Tech, he recalled a conversation he had with Christian Braun postgame in the locker room.

Agbaji said he was telling Braun that whether theyre down one possession or a couple, no one should count them out. The senior guard was telling his junior guard teammate that they have the offense that can hit the shots, and a defense that can embody the right mentality. And after the Jayhawks 94-91 victory against the Red Raiders, after how Kansas has won some of its recent games, its hard to argue with Agbaji.

Kansas is now 17-2 overall with a 6-1 mark in Big 12 Conference play. Head coach Bill Selfs squad is riding a five-game winning streak, with four of those five wins coming by three points or less. Thanks to Agbaji hitting a 3-pointer late in the first overtime the Jayhawks were able to force a second, and a couple free throws from Braun late in the latterhelped seal the win.

RELATED: In the wake of his dad's death, Bill Self coaches Kansas to come-from-behind win at Kansas State

RELATED: Recap: Kansas men's basketball survives double-overtime thriller against Texas Tech

All I can say is the game was unbelievable, freshman forward KJ Adams Jr. said. I couldnt have dreamed a better finish for this game, and this is why I came here, for big games like that, and have incredible moments like that I can tell people down the road.

Braun, who had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists, said: You dont really get tired in those games, to be real honest. You do, but you know the crowd and just the game in general are so fun. The atmosphere is so fun to play in that dont really get tired … If youre out there youve got to produce.

Here are some takeaways from Kansas win against Texas Tech (15-5, 5-3 in Big 12). The Jayhawks entered the game fifth in the latest coaches poll, and the Red Raiders 14th.

If that 3-pointer in overtime wasnt enough to prove how valuable Agbaji was for Kansas, take a look instead at the career-high 37 points he scored against one of the nations top defenses. Take a look at how he shot 7-for-12 from behind the arc, which was better than his 6-for-11 mark on 2s. Take a look at his seven rebounds and two assists to go along with that, with only a few turnovers despite how much the ball was in his hands for the more than 46 minutes he played.

Self understands that its too early to determine any postseason awards, but its hard to disagree with him when he says Agbaji has to be among the top two or three players in the discussion for national player of the year. Agbaji has been an instrumental piece in so many recent wins for the Jayhawks. And even if more come, hell continue to remain as even-keel as he has been.

Thats the way I am, said Agbaji, who added this would have to be the best game hes ever played. Thats the way Im just going to stay. Im not going to be, like, over here gloating about it. I mean, its always Im always going to give the credit to my teammates because I wouldnt have gotten any of those points without them. So, its always going to be on them. Its just the person I am.

Kansas is now through seven games in conference play, and there isnt a significant separation between teams in the standings. Theres no telling if one game will be the difference between the Jayhawks and a team like Baylor at seasons end. Theres no telling if winning a game like this at home, will mean theres less pressure on Kansas to have to win a game on the road later on.

Of course, theres still No. 13 Kentucky coming up on Saturday. Self understands thats a significant game, for the team and maybe even more so for the fans. But both Braun and Agbaji spoke postgame about how there isnt a break coming up for the Jayhawks when it comes to their conference opponents, and beating Kentucky wont directly help Kansas win the conference.

That means surviving against Texas Tech matters.

The next three games after Kentucky are on the road at No. 24 Iowa State, at home against No. 4 Baylor and on the road at No. 25 Texas. Then come two games at home against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, teams that gave Kansas tough games away from home earlier this season.

Super-senior guard Remy Martin played 22 minutes off the bench for Kansas, the most of any non-starter for Self. He finished with four points on 2-for-7 shooting from the field, four rebounds and five assists with one turnover. But once he was subbed out of the game with about five minutes left in regulation, he never returned.

Martin watched from the bench as Kansas lost an eight-point lead and went to overtime. He watched as the Jayhawks looked as if they were on the brink of defeat, before Agbajis heroics. He watched as they sealed the victory in the second overtime.

Self was clear postgame as to why.

I dont want to be negative, but who would (Martin) go in for? Self said. So, I mean, we need to rebound the ball. So, I didnt think it was a time that you play two little guards.

Self kept Agbaji, Braun, redshirt sophomore guard Dajuan Harris Jr. and redshirt sophomore forward Jalen Wilson in the game through both overtimes. Senior forward David McCormack and Adams split most of the rest of the time, with super-senior guard Jalen Coleman-Lands appearing late in the first overtime for a quick stretch in a 3-point shooting situation.

Agbaji can still remember how well Bryson Williams, Texas Techs super-senior forward, played against Kansas last season when Williams played for UTEP. Agbaji, understandably, still remembershow well Williams played against the Jayhawks when the Red Raiders hosted them earlier this season. And in Allen Fieldhouse, Williams play offensively didnt decline.

Williams found success against a number of Kansas defenders, and finished 14-for-19 from the field, 4-for-4 from behind the arc and 1-for-1 from the free-throw line. That amounted to 33 points, leading Texas Tech in that category by far.

Hes a great player, Agbaji said about Williams. Hes a really good post-man, like really good around the basket, really good touch, and he can shoot the 3. So, hes just a dangerous, complete player.

Williams ability to hit shots helped make up for junior guard Terrence Shannon, Jr. and redshirt junior guard Kevin McCullar both struggling to do so. Neither of the latter played the last time these two teams met, but their additions to the lineup this time around didnt come with significant point totals that Red Raiders fans might have anticipated.

Since the death of Selfs father last week, there has been an outpouring of support on social media and elsewhere. On Monday, that continued. Not only was there a moment of silence to honor Selfs dad, but there was a sign in front of the student section on one end that read, Just load the wagon.

Its part of a quote that Self has recalled his father telling him before. Self said he did not see the sign, but expressed appreciation for that and more.

Everybodys been so nice to us, and I know everybody goes through similar things and so many people have been through so much more that what I have or what my family has, Self said. But everybody's been so nice and we are very appreciative to all the well-wishes and the thoughts and prayers and I know my mom is overwhelmed by it. So, thats very nice of everybody.

Jordan Guskey coversUniversity of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

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5 takeaways from Kansas mens basketballs double overtime win against Texas Tech - The Topeka Capital-Journal

Jan 20, 2022

Tim BontempsESPN

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN had just played host to one of the season's most thrilling comebacks. It was Jan. 6, and New York Knicks fans had witnessed a ridiculous buzzer-beating bank shot 3-pointer by RJ Barrett that capped a 24-point rally and win against the Boston Celtics.

It was the Knicks' fifth victory in their last seven games and a reason for excitement in the home locker room. But for Julius Randle, whose 22 points and eight rebounds aided New York's great escape, something seemed off when he sat down at the podium.

Randle's answers were clipped, and terse. After a couple minutes of awkward silences and short replies, he was asked what message he was trying to send by giving a thumbs down to the hometown fans following a bucket midway through the fourth quarter.

"Shut the f--- up," he said, responding to the MSG fans who had rained down boos early in the game with the Knicks trailing by double figures.

It was a sudden release of frustration -- emblematic of a season that hasn't gone how Randle or the Knicks had hoped. The feel-good story he and the Knicks authored during a spirited run to the 2021 Eastern Conference's No. 4 seed had dissipated with mounting losses through the first half of the 2021-22 season.

Friday, Jan. 21Bulls at Bucks, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 26Knicks at Heat, 7:30 p.m.Suns at Jazz, 10 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 28Lakers at Hornets, 7:30 p.m.Knicks at Bucks, 10 p.m.

All times Eastern

After breaking a seven-year playoff drought, the pillars of New York's run -- combined with the franchise's offseason roster additions -- have yielded mediocre results as the Knicks find themselves fighting for a spot in the play-in.

It all leads to one question: Which ending -- last season's frantic finish for home-court advantage or another seat at the lottery dais -- is ahead for the Knicks?

"[The Knicks] are a classic example," an Eastern Conference executive said, "of what happens when you go from the hunter to the hunted."

FOUR KEYS POWERED the Knicks' breakout season in 2020-21: Randle's rise into an All-NBA player, New York finishing with the league's No. 4 defense, midseason acquisition Derrick Rose's resurgence as a Sixth Man finalist and Barrett's sophomore leap.

Those pillars of last season's surprise run have teetered on the edge of collapse.

Randle, last season's Most Improved Player, has seen his shooting numbers decline: from 41% on 3s last season to 31% in 2021-22.

Some of that could be expected; even this year's 31% clip from behind the arc is the third highest of Randle's career. But Randle also ranks among the top five in difficulty of shots created off the dribble, per Second Spectrum's tracking. He has also run a league-leading 651 isolation and post-up plays this season; among the 31 players who have run at least 225 such plays, Randle ranks 27th in efficiency.

Randle has seen his points per drive drop from 1.12 last season -- which was just outside the league's top 10 -- to 1.03, which ranks 32nd out of 63 players with at least 100 direct drives this season, per Second Spectrum.

"They thought they had a guy they were going to be able to build around, and acted that way," a Western Conference scout said. "It may not be the case."

Said a second Eastern Conference executive: "He is still good, but he's not an All-NBA player like he was last year. That's a big difference."

The Knicks have stood behind Randle. Coach Tom Thibodeau has pointed out the ways his struggling star is impacting the game beyond making shots, while teammates have preached the importance of his energy on the court.

But while the offense -- Randle's in particular -- has been troublesome, the team's defense has been a larger issue. Thibodeau, a defensive guru, is overseeing a team that slipped to 16th from its fourth-ranked unit last season.

Two of the main reasons: poor transition defense and a sharp decline in 3-point defense. The transition numbers are ugly, as New York went from ranking 11th last season to 27th this season, allowing 1.33 points per possession.

And the Knicks were the NBA's best team at defending opposing 3-pointers last season. They were also the luckiest. The 2.3% gap between what their opponents shot (33.7%) and what they were expected to shoot (36.0) was easily the biggest difference in the league, per Second Spectrum tracking, nearly twice as big as the second-place Utah Jazz.

This year, that gap has dropped to 1.3%. As a team, the Knicks have dropped to 15th overall in opponent 3-point percentage allowed.

Rose, meanwhile, has been sidelined since Dec. 16 with a right ankle injury that will keep him off the court until near the All-Star break in mid-February.

The 33-year-old guard, who reunited with Thibodeau at last season's trade deadline, has been the leader of a bench unit that routinely outperformed the starting unit; the Knicks are 9.8 points per 100 possessions better with Rose on the court.

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The team's best and most consistent offensive threat during its first-round loss to the Atlanta Hawks in last year's playoffs, Rose averaged 19.4 points per game and hit over 47% of his 3s in the series as the Hawks successfully limited Randle's impact.

"Just having his leadership out there, just making the game a lot easier," Knicks forward Taj Gibson said about Rose's impact on the Knicks. "He makes it a lot easier for the young guys, too. But then, at the same time, just having him not here, a lot of guys had to step up."

Enter Barrett, who through the first half of the season failed to build on the career-best numbers he flashed in his sophomore campaign.

But after averaging 15 points on 40% shooting through the end of December, Barrett has started to turn things around in 2022. He's averaging 23 points in January on 45% shooting from the floor and 44% from 3-point range, including three 30-point performances -- matching the number he'd had in his first two-plus seasons.

After missing six games in mid-December due to COVID-19, Barrett said last week he's feeling good physically again. His play has backed up that belief.

Barrett spent three games hovering in the mid-20s in minutes while he improved his conditioning, then scored 26 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder on New Year's Eve. Since then, his play has taken off -- the 21-year-old wing has averaged 23 points, 6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game since, and hit over 44% of his shots from 3.

"There's no ceiling really on what he can do," Knicks guard Evan Fournier said recently of Barrett. "When he scores on all three levels, he becomes less predictable. So that allows him to do what he does best, which is be aggressive and drive.

"When he plays like that, it makes the job easy for everyone because he draws a lot of attention and he's a willing passer. So hopefully he [keeps] it going."

THE KNICKS CONTINUED the process of remaking their roster last week, when they moved Kevin Knox and a protected 2022 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for forward Cam Reddish, a former lottery pick and Duke teammate of Barrett's whom they hope can improve with a change of scenery.

New York's offseason splashes -- signing Kemba Walker off waivers and adding Fournier via sign and trade with the Celtics -- haven't had the impact the Knicks hoped, particularly in boosting New York's offense, which continues to rank among the league's bottom third.

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Alan Hahn speculates that the Knicks might make another move to complete the team after trading for Cam Reddish.

Walker was benched early in the season after New York's starting lineup was getting outscored by more than 15 points per 100 possessions while playing more minutes than any five-man unit in the NBA at that time. Walker only returned to the court when Thibodeau had no choice but to play him after the team's COVID-19 outbreak.

Walker was brilliant in late December, but, after playing nearly 36 minutes per game over a six-game stretch, he missed three weeks with knee soreness before returning Tuesday.

Some of the Knicks' issues this season are out of their control. The most prominent is something they haven't experienced in almost a decade: the burden of expectations.

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Last season, the Knicks were predicted to finish with one of the league's worst records. So hovering around .500 halfway through the season was deemed a success -- and stampeding home with 14 wins in their final 18 games was hailed as a remarkable achievement. Following up with a nearly identical record at this same point was never going to be celebrated the same way.

"It's a long season," Thibodeau said. "We started last season like this as well."

One problem: This isn't last season's East. The Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers -- two of the East's bottom five teams last season -- are currently among the group battling for the conference's best record. The Toronto Raptors, following a 12th-place finish while playing home games in Tampa, Florida, in 2020-21, are back in the mix as a play-in contender.

Add in the fact that ESPN's Basketball Power Index says New York owns the second-hardest remaining schedule in the league, and an attempt to make a repeat trip to the playoffs won't be easy -- let alone matching last season's No. 4 seed.

"It's hard to argue [the Knicks] should be anything other than what they are right now," a Western Conference executive said. "I don't think Julius is going to suddenly be more efficient, and I don't think Kemba, Fournier or even Rose -- when he's healthy -- are going to get better defensively."

Added an Eastern Conference scout: "Everything fell into place for them last year, and they haven't been able to repeat it."

And while the Knicks have won five of their last eight games, they still have a ways to go to replicate last season's formula -- a stout defense paired with just enough offense led by Randle, Barrett and Rose -- and prove its 2021 playoff run wasn't fool's gold.

"Each day you can't look backwards [and] you can't look too far down the road," Thibodeau said. "You just have to look at today. Put everything into today."

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Julius Randle, the New York Knicks and the burden of expectations - ESPN

Washington The Supreme Court will consider a pair of cases involving the use of race in admissions processes at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, it said Monday.

With the decision to take up the bids brought by students who applied to the schools, members of the organization Students for Fair Admissions, a Supreme Court that now boasts an expanded conservative majority will reconsider the issue of affirmative actionat both private and public institutions.

It's unclear when the court will hear arguments in the legal fights, but the cases join other politically charged court battles over abortion and the Second Amendmentthat are currently under consideration by the justices.

The challenges targeting university admissions policies at the public and private institutions are the latest that seek to end affirmative action in college admissions, which has been used at universities to foster diversity among student bodies. Nine states have banned affirmative action at public universities.

The composition of the Supreme Court has changed considerably since it last weighed in on the use of race in university admissions, in a 2016 decision involving the University of Texas. The majority opinion in that dispute was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, and the high court found the school's race-conscious admissions program to be lawful.

But Kennedy retired in 2018 and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who joined Kennedy in the majority, died in 2020. The Supreme Court's conservative majority has now grown to 6-3 with the additions of Justice Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

The first dispute stems from a lawsuit a group of students filed against Harvard in 2014 alleging its admissions process violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by penalizing Asian American applicants. Students for Fair Admissions claimed the Ivy League school intentionally discriminates against Asian American students during the admissions process by assigning them lower ratings than other races and limiting the number of Asian Americans it admits.

Students for Fair Admissions was founded by Edward Blum, who has mounted numerous challenges to race-conscious admissions policies and opposes affirmative action.

Harvard has rejected the claim of intentional discrimination from the students and argued it considers race in its admissions process "only in a flexible and nonmechanical way."

In 2019, a federal district court in Massachusetts sided with Harvard in the suit and said the elite school did not intentionally discriminate against Asian American applicants. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the district court's ruling in late 2020.

Students for Fair Admissions appealed the 1st Circuit's decision to the Supreme Court in February 2021 and asked the justices to overrule the court's 2003 decision known as Grutter v. Bollinger that allowed higher-education institutions to use race as a factor in admissions. That case, which involved the University of Michigan Law School's use of racial preferences in admissions, "is wrong in every way historically, legally, factually, practically, and morally," the group told the Supreme Court in a filing in May.

Students for Fair Admissions had the backing of the Trump administration in lower court proceedings. But the Biden administration is supporting Harvard in the case and, in response to a request by the Supreme Court in June to weigh in on the dispute, argued the case is a flawed vehicle for reconsidering its past decisions on affirmative action.

The student group identified "no sound reason" for the court to take up its case, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar told the justices. She also said overturning its precedent on affirmative action would "profoundly unsettle expectations" of colleges and universities that have relied on those decisions.

In urging the Supreme Court to reject the appeal from Student for Fair Admissions, lawyers for Harvard also warned the court of the consequences of reconsidering its decisions on affirmative action.

"Individualized admissions systems that take some account of race as one factor among many have become part of the fabric of our society. Most Americans value racial and ethnic diversity and support programs that promote diversity on college campuses," they told the court in December. "Reconsideration of the court's precedents is unwarranted and would have profound negative repercussions."

In the second challenge to the University of North Carolina's use of race in admissions, Asian American students argue the public school "awards racial preferences to African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans," but not White or Asian American applicants.

Students for Fair Admissions brought its case against the University of North Carolina in 2014, claiming the school violated the 14th Amendment and federal law through its admissions policies. A federal district court sided with the university last year, finding its use of race is consistent with Supreme Court precedent.

A federal appeals court had not reviewed the district court's decision, though Students for Fair Admissions urged the high court to hear both the Harvard and University of North Carolina cases together, which the justices will do.

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Tessa Thompsons portrayal of Valkyrie has already courted a legion of fans, with a scene-stealing performance in Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame. The character is expected to return into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in this years Thor: Love and Thunder, and one of the first details revealed about the film was that Valkyrie would be looking for a queen to rule alongside her in New Asgard. Given the ways Ragnarok made headlines for not showing Valkyries comic-accurate bisexuality, that news definitely resonated with LGBTQ+ fans and according to Thompson, her storyline in Love and Thunder will be paving new ground.

Its totally exciting, Thompson recently explained to The Wrap. We talk so much about representation and obviously, in terms of the LGBTQIA community, theres still so much work to be done. But if you look at the comics in the canon, there are so many queer characters! Its hard because Taika [Waititi] and I wouldve even liked to go further, but in the context of the movies, theres only so much we can do. Unfortunately, theres not a lot of time invested in love stories in Marvel movies in general. I think that will be a little different on the new Thor, which is exciting. And getting to play a character that historically is not written for somebody that looks like me, all of that felt exciting.

Thompson previously spoke about the ability to bring more positive LGBTQ+ representation to the MCU, something that the franchise has begun to add in recent years.

The truth is these movies travel globally in such huge ways, and if you can represent people that are of color, if you can represent people with disabilities, if you can represent the LGBTQIA community inside of these films, its a pretty big deal, Thompson told Variety in 2020. I think its really important for everybody, but for young people especially, to be able to show up to those movies and see projections of themselves. So Im really excited that were able to continue to push the bounds of that and that Im able to do that with Valkyrie. Because theres so many cool queer characters in the comic books, and they should have a place on screen.

Thor: Love and Thunder is set to be released on July 8th exclusively in theaters.

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Love and Thunder Star Tessa Thompson Says Films Love Story Will Be Different Than Other Marvel Movies - newsconcerns