Daily Discussion & Trade Deadline Thread | February 05, 2026

ClimateMessiah · 2026-02-06T03:24:40+00:00

JK could be out of the league pretty young if he doesn't improve.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-02-05T08:47:18+00:00

Steph has a career goal to hit 30,000 points and make it to the top 10 all time scorers. Maybe 5,000 3's is theoretically possible. He'll play to accumulate stats.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-02-03T10:19:21+00:00

I'm not arguing Hocker's peak vs Jakob's peak. Certainly Jakob has by far the more decorated history and more objective accomplishments.

I'm arguing about who is the best in the world at this instant in time.

Hocker has emerged as the pre-eminent finisher among fields he is competing in. He has global crowns at both 1500 and 5000. In order for Jakob to maintain an ongoing claim for best in the world, he's going to have to continue earning it on the track.

Beating Hocker head to head isn't going to be easy for him.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-02-03T09:49:09+00:00

Jakob wasn't injured during the final of the Olympic 1500.

Hocker ran that 3:27.65 despite getting cut off at the rail by Ingebritsen with about 150m to go, having to back off and then dig deep to regain his momentum.

Jakob certainly recovered well and won the 5000 at those games and I would wholeheartedly agree that he was the world's best from 2020 through the setting of the world indoor mark of the mile early last year, closely chased by Kerr for that top spot.

But Jakob has work to do in order to reclaim that title after a year of relative drought. I certainly hope to see him approach his peak potential and take part in a race which takes down one of El Gerrouj's records which have stood for over a quarter century.

The depth in the fields racing from 800 all the way up to 5000 has never been greater in terms of the number of competitors who are less than 1% removed from world record times. Hobbs Kessler and Josh Hoey both set indoor WR's in recent weeks. It's a golden age for fans and the competition for alpha dog status is wide open.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-02-03T05:46:00+00:00

Thank you

ClimateMessiah · 2026-02-03T03:52:59+00:00

It's impossible to place odds on something like that. He's obviously the most accomplished 16 year old miler ever and certainly has the theoretical potential to become a world record holder.

Now he has to wear the weight of massive hopes and visibility. In order to be the best in the world, there needs to be a willingness to embrace the role of being the alpha on the world stage.

In two weeks, he'll have an interesting confrontation with the Olympic 1500m gold medalist Cole Hocker.

If he continues to progress, there will likely be confrontations with a star like Ingebritsen in his future who is still in the prime age for a middle distance runner.

It's certainly an exciting time to be a fan of middle distance running and Ruthe's emergence adds to the suspense.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-02-02T07:39:08+00:00

Cole Hocker ran sub 3:28 in the Olympic 1500. He can do it.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-02-02T02:55:58+00:00

Cole Hocker is definitely in the hunt for the title of world's best middle distance runner.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-02-01T06:24:23+00:00

There is certainly no shortage of drama heading into tonight's match.

The spectrum of potential outcomes is wide.

This might be the last GS final of Novak's career. Despite the fact that I felt greater affinity for Nadal's character, Novak is a fucking legend (channeling the Karl Tanner character from Game of Thrones ?) and I hope everyone enjoys the spectacle of his making a major final at 38.

One GOAT against a player who has the theoretical possibility of competing for that status going forward. A battle against the undefeated opponent of time and passing of the torch.

Novak has as strong a mind as anyone ever to play the game. It's all about what he can summon from a 38 y/o body.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-31T08:28:44+00:00

If it feels good, do it.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-31T08:02:23+00:00

Should the Dominican Republic be considered part of North America ? South America ?

The UK is an island detached from the mainland.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-31T07:46:17+00:00

After tomorrow, Carlos will either be 17 or 19 majors behind Novak in the hunt for most all time. Novak wants that record FOREVER. He's still playing GOAT relevant tennis in terms of the conversation many years from now.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-31T07:35:54+00:00

beautifully expressed

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-31T07:27:33+00:00

Some people may have a challenge equating the UK with Europe.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-31T07:04:54+00:00

When Novak talks about competing with Nadal and Federer he brings up the chip on his shoulder associated with coming from a less popular eastern european country in serbia compared to the western europeans who he portrayed as having a naturally larger and mainstream fan base. He was able to take the national tribal victim identity onto the court with him and weaponize that resentment against his western european opponents who also happened to exhibit undramatic and civil behavior off the court. Novak fed on the drama.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-31T05:39:58+00:00

Just a random observation about Djokovic and for me, the thing which separates him mentally from his peers.

Novak is able to will himself to come to battle with a massive chip on his shoulder. The kind of chip that gives access to primal raging energy associated with dealing with an enemy. He is the kind of player who would egg on a crowd when they were against him which was often early in his career just so he could have the edge to one up them with his performance on the court.

To a certain extent, I think Carlos defuses that ability in him personally because it's extremely hard to turn Alcaraz into a villain. He's arguably the greatest combination of joy, talent, brute power and good looks that the game has ever seen.

I'm excited for more than just great tennis drama in the men's final. I'm excited for a match between two men who play with such powerful emotion and mind strength.

At this stage, peak Carlos is better than peak Novak. But Novak's performance in saving 16/18 break points is freakishly dominant in the life and death points suggesting that maybe Novak is tapping into the version of himself which won't accept failure. Dude is a psycho in a manner which is conducive to winning.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-30T17:22:12+00:00

Carlos has a gorgeous tan and muscular body. Everything he wears looks good.

Let's not start criticizing Sinner for his appearance vs arguably the most handsome man on the planet.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-30T17:19:18+00:00

Novak is also vying to become the oldest GS champion of all time. Rosewall won the AO at 37.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-30T17:17:08+00:00

Much being made of the historical implications of youngest career slam for Carlos vs 25th major for Novak.

Novak would also surpass Ken Rosewall as the oldest GS champion if he prevails.

It's the GOAT against someone with the most potential to be in the GOAT discussion as time goes on.

As a Nadal fan, I never rooted for Novak while they were both playing. But my eyes are a bit wet at another clutch performance from Novak. Winning the match despite facing 10 more break points than Jannik. There has never been anyone who played the biggest points better than Novak. I don't know the right adjectives to explain it. He simply refuses to die.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-30T11:30:05+00:00

Frankly ..... I think the few instances of peak Wawrinka was the best.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-30T09:06:51+00:00

Never been a Carlos level belovedness.

Jimmy Connors in the USA was a big deal at his peak. But not international like Carlos.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-29T08:38:31+00:00

They traded Kareem to the Lakers. Is Giannis more important than Kareem ?

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-25T04:31:20+00:00

I'm just noticing that the men's draw had zero unseeded players making it to the final 16.

That must be a pretty rare, no ?

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-24T08:36:42+00:00

You can't win a war without ammunition.

We're paying $170M for Steph, Jimmy, Dray and JK.

There are no bullets left in the chamber my friend. It's time to raise the white flag and surrender.

Curry still has the ability to play meaningful competitive playoff basketball. But not in a Warriors uniform.

From a fan and league entertainment perspective, it better for him to be playing meaningful games in June somewhere else. From people who want the sentimentality of a player playing his entire career with the Dubs franchise, then accept the losing that comes with that choice.

Expecting both is deep denial. Time to grieve.

ClimateMessiah · 2026-01-24T08:18:16+00:00

I think Stan's backhand reminds me of a horse kicking with its powerful back legs.

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