There are so many things that I want to write about right now. I'll try and hit them all real quick.
Women's NCAA Tournament
For the first time in my history, I am writing about women's college basketball. Hold the phones. But truthfully, I am interested in it and interested in the tournament. The foreshadowing was apparent when I called a close friend after seeing the UNC Lady Heels had been placed in the toughest bracket in tournament history. We proceeded to discuss this fact for at least two and a half minutes, which seemed like an eternity to us both.
But honestly? I kinda like it. Obviously it helps that North Carolina has a talented, exciting squad. However, I found myself fairly engrossed in other tournament games. The parody helps the women's game and the overall level of talent has increased significantly. I also think that as former great players have aged and gotten into coaching that the game has benefitted from a teaching and experience standpoint. Examples include Jenn Rizzoti (former UCONN Husky and Nat'l POY) who coaches at Hartford and Dawn Staley (former Virginia guard and WNBA great) who coaches at Temple. Both ladies built programs at schools that tasted little success prior to now.
All in all, go Lady Heels and go women's NCAA hoops. It is a different game, but still a game worth watching.
WWE
Warning: the following section is about wrestling. First off, Jay Marrioti of the Chicago sportswriting and ESPNs "Around the Horn" fame went off on the WWE and the pro wrestling Hall of Fame after winning on the show yesterday. Jay has no clue about wrestling and just took the opportunity to bash something he long ago deemed as low class, pointless, and apparently harmful to society. Dear Around the Horn guys: get off NASCAR and rasslin'. People still watch these events. Don't try to understand it and don't bash it either. Just accept it, realize that the people who follow them both are indeed still people, and get over it.
Now, Wrestlemania XXII is this weekend. Very exciting, although I still have to find somewhere to watch. Basically I just wrote this to spread the word that Wrestlemania is this weekend. So give it a shot.
MLB 2006
Predictions coming soon. FYI.
Barry Bonds
I could rant and rave, but I won't. I just think baseball is a joke with all this steroids mess. Barry is clearly an idiot, but baseball brought this upon itself. Enough for now.
Duke lacrosse
This is clearly a sad story. However, I think the general public is far too shocked to see something like this take place. Short of rape, I do not find it surprising that a collegiate team is guilty of anything else that took place. Obviously the rape allegations are very serious, but these allegations alone are what made this a national story. Otherwise, "lacrosse players throw wild party with strippers involved" is a semi-regular occurrance. I am not a lax player. I do not intend to single them out. But from what I have witnessed at various schools, not just mine, wild parties thrown by teams are the norm. Heck, regular students throw wild parties all the time. But the "manly" sports are known for the most alcohol, weed, hazing, and sex. Anyone who has attended a sizable college and was not aware of this prior to this story is either ignoring the facts or just really naive.
From personal experience, I have seen the effects of gatherings involving teams that involved lots of "hooking up" and in two cases, exotic dancers. Not having attended myself, I did not see what went on. However, hearing some of the stories straight from participants, these wild nights are regular occurrances.
All I am saying is no one should be so shocked and dismayed all of the sudden. It has been going on forever, as seen in the reaction of the coaches and players. They really see nothing wrong with what took place except for the alleged sexual assault because it is normal to them. This particular case was bound to happen at some point, as no one has done anything to prevent such circumstances.
NCAA Final Four
Florida vs America's Underdog: I'm not jumping on the bandwagon and picking Mason, nor am I cheering for them just because they are underdogs. I like Billy Donovan and would like to see him win a title. My prediction is a Gators win if they control the tempo. Easier said than done, as none of the victims Mason beat along the way have succeeded in forcing tempo. If it's close with five minutes left, all bets are off. Crazy things happen in the tourney at that point, so Florida must be leading solidly late in the game. I got UF by 14, 77-63.
UCLA vs LSU: First team to 60 wins? Probably so. I like the players on both squads. If UCLA plays a quality zone and forces LSU to shoot over it, the Bruins are a good bet. But, if LSU is hitting shots and crashing the boards, the Bayou Bengals are a better bet. LSU by 5, 66-61 in a "shootout."
If LSU and Florida play, I like...um...tough choice. We'll wait and see if I have to make it on Monday.
You make me wanna walk...like a camel. Peace hommies.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Monday, March 27, 2006
Who?
It is finally here. The grandest stage, the big time. Two weeks worth of predictions, brackets, frustration, & exuberance. We are down to the last four teams of the NCAA Tournament and only one question remains:
Who the heck is George Mason?
Georgie was a patriot who was close friends with George Washington. But he is also apparently the namesake of a university in Fairfax, VA, that apparently plays college basketball and apparently plays it rather well.
For the next week, Cinderella will get so much airplay that the Walt Disney Co surely has to be making money off copyright usage. We will hear so much about the Patriots from the Colonial Athletic Association and how they represent the equality mid-major schools are seeking. They have justified their entrance into the NCAA Tournament and validated the selection committee. Every analogy possible will be thrown out there by the media: David topples Goliath, the little engine that could, the team that shocked the world, and the list goes on.
I’m already sick of it. Normally I would say “don’t get me started” to a topic like this; however, I now have a blog, so not only am I getting started, I’m going all the way to town on this one.
First of all, I do not feel that George Mason has been disrespected in any way. I felt from the beginning that they belonged in the NCAA Tournament. End of discussion. This was not a case of “who is better: GMU or Hofstra?” The discussion was and should still be, “did the committee get the 34 best at-large teams in the tournament?” The answer was, and still is, no. But George Mason was not a team that should have been left out. They won the CAA, played a tougher schedule than Hofstra, and were frankly a better team. If anything, I thought they should have been a higher seed than the 11-seed they were given. More than likely, the suspension of Tony Skinn for his crotch-shot in the CAA semis cost the Patriots the 9 or 10-seed they deserved. The only question posed against George Mason being included in the tournament was “over Hofstra?” My response is that the committee compares the entire landscape of candidates, not head-to-head for just two teams.
Second, George Mason should not have been favored in three of the four games they won in the NCAA Tournament. They had a decent shot against Michigan St and were clearly better than Wichita St. However, both North Carolina and Connecticut had a right to be favored and confident entering their contests with the Patriots. All this smoke that Mason coach Jim Larranaga has blown about being disrespected is just that: smoke. What does he expect? It is all opinion and of course people will side with the favored teams. That is why they play the game and the better team on that day wins. So far, George Mason has been the better team. Credit to Coach Larranaga for using the doubt to motivate his players and credit his players for turning the motivation into production on the court.
Third, Tony Skinn is not a great story. Verne Lundquist is one of the best play-by-play guys in broadcasting, but if he mentioned how great a story Tony Skinn was one more time, I was going to find a high ledge. Someone please tell me how a guy who has attended three schools because of academic issues is a great story. How is someone who acts like a thug a great story? How is a guy who punches an opposing player in the gonads a great story? Fine, I’ll tell you why he is a great story: he persevered. He has not given up and people have not given up on him. That is great. Great. But do not praise a guy for making a mistake like that. Yes, he learned, and yes, his coach handled the situation properly. But that is not a great story. His perseverance is. I just wonder if he was not a quality basketball player if he would be considered a great story (and I wonder this is every case, not just Tony Skinn’s).
The biggest benefactors of George Mason’s Final Four run are the other three teams involved. What, there are still three other teams? That’s funny no one has said anything about them. I challenge you to ask five people today to name the Final Four and see how many of them know about GMU but cannot name the other three teams. One might think their advantage lies on the court, as George Mason is no UCONN, Duke, Texas, or Villanova.
But that is not the case. Mason is still playing because they deserve to be playing. They’ve won the required number of games and beaten four very good teams. The advantage is that the Patriots, the mid-majors, the CAA, and Coach Larranaga will be the talk of the town all week long. Otherwise, coaches John Brady and Ben Howland’s first Final Four appearances would be the talk. Billy Donovan’s failures in March. The draft status of Joakim Noah, Al Hortford, Tyrus Thomas, Tasmin Mitchell, Jordan Farmar, Big Baby Davis, and Aaron Afflalo. The return of UCLA. Instead, theses three programs can sit back and watch all the spotlight (if they want to) shine on George Mason.
Truthfully, Florida is the favorite. When all four of these teams have played their best, Florida has looked to be the best of them. I told someone during the second half of the Florida/Kentucky game in Gainesville on ESPN’s Saturday night game back in January that if Florida played as well as they did that night, they could win the whole thing this year. Of course they played terrible for two weeks after that and I reneged. And I also said the same thing about roughly twenty other teams this season. And I picked Stanford to be a 1-seed at the beginning of the year. But, details aside, Florida has looked nasty at times.
LSU is so young, but so talented. John Brady has done a fantastic job this season, proving me very wrong. I have questioned his coaching abilities and I was off-base to do so. Obviously recruiting the state of Louisiana has been his bread and butter, as nearly all the quality players on his team are in-state recruits. Tyrus Thomas is a kid that everyone else missed on, and LSU nearly did. He received a scholarship only after another recruit had academic problems and lost his roster spot. Thomas redshirted last season and is now projected as an NBA lottery pick. Amazing.
Finally, UCLA is rekindling its John Wooden mojo. Ben Howland’s job out there has been phenomenal. I give credit to him for selling these young guys on returning UCLA to glory and keeping a lot of LA guys at home for college. Also, credit to these players for taking the chance by staying and buying into what Coach Howland preaches. This team has flown under the radar this season due to injury problems, but plays with such grit and determination (pretty different from most recent UCLA teams).
An edited version of this story, along with an added paragraph, may be on the Bracketography site soon. I sent it in, we'll see if it makes it. I at least think my usage of the word "gonads" should be published. More on the Final Four later this week.
Who the heck is George Mason?
Georgie was a patriot who was close friends with George Washington. But he is also apparently the namesake of a university in Fairfax, VA, that apparently plays college basketball and apparently plays it rather well.
For the next week, Cinderella will get so much airplay that the Walt Disney Co surely has to be making money off copyright usage. We will hear so much about the Patriots from the Colonial Athletic Association and how they represent the equality mid-major schools are seeking. They have justified their entrance into the NCAA Tournament and validated the selection committee. Every analogy possible will be thrown out there by the media: David topples Goliath, the little engine that could, the team that shocked the world, and the list goes on.
I’m already sick of it. Normally I would say “don’t get me started” to a topic like this; however, I now have a blog, so not only am I getting started, I’m going all the way to town on this one.
First of all, I do not feel that George Mason has been disrespected in any way. I felt from the beginning that they belonged in the NCAA Tournament. End of discussion. This was not a case of “who is better: GMU or Hofstra?” The discussion was and should still be, “did the committee get the 34 best at-large teams in the tournament?” The answer was, and still is, no. But George Mason was not a team that should have been left out. They won the CAA, played a tougher schedule than Hofstra, and were frankly a better team. If anything, I thought they should have been a higher seed than the 11-seed they were given. More than likely, the suspension of Tony Skinn for his crotch-shot in the CAA semis cost the Patriots the 9 or 10-seed they deserved. The only question posed against George Mason being included in the tournament was “over Hofstra?” My response is that the committee compares the entire landscape of candidates, not head-to-head for just two teams.
Second, George Mason should not have been favored in three of the four games they won in the NCAA Tournament. They had a decent shot against Michigan St and were clearly better than Wichita St. However, both North Carolina and Connecticut had a right to be favored and confident entering their contests with the Patriots. All this smoke that Mason coach Jim Larranaga has blown about being disrespected is just that: smoke. What does he expect? It is all opinion and of course people will side with the favored teams. That is why they play the game and the better team on that day wins. So far, George Mason has been the better team. Credit to Coach Larranaga for using the doubt to motivate his players and credit his players for turning the motivation into production on the court.
Third, Tony Skinn is not a great story. Verne Lundquist is one of the best play-by-play guys in broadcasting, but if he mentioned how great a story Tony Skinn was one more time, I was going to find a high ledge. Someone please tell me how a guy who has attended three schools because of academic issues is a great story. How is someone who acts like a thug a great story? How is a guy who punches an opposing player in the gonads a great story? Fine, I’ll tell you why he is a great story: he persevered. He has not given up and people have not given up on him. That is great. Great. But do not praise a guy for making a mistake like that. Yes, he learned, and yes, his coach handled the situation properly. But that is not a great story. His perseverance is. I just wonder if he was not a quality basketball player if he would be considered a great story (and I wonder this is every case, not just Tony Skinn’s).
The biggest benefactors of George Mason’s Final Four run are the other three teams involved. What, there are still three other teams? That’s funny no one has said anything about them. I challenge you to ask five people today to name the Final Four and see how many of them know about GMU but cannot name the other three teams. One might think their advantage lies on the court, as George Mason is no UCONN, Duke, Texas, or Villanova.
But that is not the case. Mason is still playing because they deserve to be playing. They’ve won the required number of games and beaten four very good teams. The advantage is that the Patriots, the mid-majors, the CAA, and Coach Larranaga will be the talk of the town all week long. Otherwise, coaches John Brady and Ben Howland’s first Final Four appearances would be the talk. Billy Donovan’s failures in March. The draft status of Joakim Noah, Al Hortford, Tyrus Thomas, Tasmin Mitchell, Jordan Farmar, Big Baby Davis, and Aaron Afflalo. The return of UCLA. Instead, theses three programs can sit back and watch all the spotlight (if they want to) shine on George Mason.
Truthfully, Florida is the favorite. When all four of these teams have played their best, Florida has looked to be the best of them. I told someone during the second half of the Florida/Kentucky game in Gainesville on ESPN’s Saturday night game back in January that if Florida played as well as they did that night, they could win the whole thing this year. Of course they played terrible for two weeks after that and I reneged. And I also said the same thing about roughly twenty other teams this season. And I picked Stanford to be a 1-seed at the beginning of the year. But, details aside, Florida has looked nasty at times.
LSU is so young, but so talented. John Brady has done a fantastic job this season, proving me very wrong. I have questioned his coaching abilities and I was off-base to do so. Obviously recruiting the state of Louisiana has been his bread and butter, as nearly all the quality players on his team are in-state recruits. Tyrus Thomas is a kid that everyone else missed on, and LSU nearly did. He received a scholarship only after another recruit had academic problems and lost his roster spot. Thomas redshirted last season and is now projected as an NBA lottery pick. Amazing.
Finally, UCLA is rekindling its John Wooden mojo. Ben Howland’s job out there has been phenomenal. I give credit to him for selling these young guys on returning UCLA to glory and keeping a lot of LA guys at home for college. Also, credit to these players for taking the chance by staying and buying into what Coach Howland preaches. This team has flown under the radar this season due to injury problems, but plays with such grit and determination (pretty different from most recent UCLA teams).
An edited version of this story, along with an added paragraph, may be on the Bracketography site soon. I sent it in, we'll see if it makes it. I at least think my usage of the word "gonads" should be published. More on the Final Four later this week.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Sweet 16
I forgot to post picks for this weekend. I'm watching Duke vs LSU & Memphis vs Bradley right now, but I'm still keeping my same picks. I have Duke, Texas, Memphis, UCLA, UCONN, George Mason, Villanova, & Georgetown advancing to the Elite Eight. Duke, UCLA, UCONN & 'Nova to the Final Four. I'm glad to see that for all my problems in the early rounds that none of my Final Four teams are gone entering the Sweet 16. However, Duke is in trouble right now and surely at least one team I picked will fall. I'd guess that Villanova would be that team simply because all three remaining teams in the Minneapolis Region have a size advantage over Villanova. I'm not changing my picks though, I just think that of my Final Four teams that Villanova is the most likely to fall early. In the end, I still like UCONN. That hasn't changed since the season started. I just hope it holds up.
I have to admit, I think Duke or Villanova's players most deserve a title. What do I mean by that? I think those teams' players, especially the seniors, have been through a lot. Duke takes everyone's best shot and has fallen short the last three years. All the crap JJ & Shelden put up with from fans is just sad. I can't believe how cruel fans have been in general to these guys, myself included at times. JJ has grown on me over time and I have always respected Williams. To see those guys go out with a title would seem to justify their careers. Now I didn't say I'm pulling for them; after all, they are the true rival of the ole alma mater. But, in the world of college basketball, it would seem Right.
Villanova also has some great seniors. Their class came in with loads of hype and was disappointing their first two seasons. Things came together last year for them, but this year has just been special. Coach Jay Wright has a solid program growing into a potential Big East beast for years to come. But, this class plays so hard and took a chance on going to 'Nova when few others were. When I say they play hard, I'm talking hard. Diving, taking charges, attacking the rim. It is fun to watch and would be even more fun on the big stage in Indianapolis.
Ok, enjoy the games this weekend. I'll be watching the Lady Heels this weekend hoping to pull them on to the Final Four in Boston. I'll holla...
I have to admit, I think Duke or Villanova's players most deserve a title. What do I mean by that? I think those teams' players, especially the seniors, have been through a lot. Duke takes everyone's best shot and has fallen short the last three years. All the crap JJ & Shelden put up with from fans is just sad. I can't believe how cruel fans have been in general to these guys, myself included at times. JJ has grown on me over time and I have always respected Williams. To see those guys go out with a title would seem to justify their careers. Now I didn't say I'm pulling for them; after all, they are the true rival of the ole alma mater. But, in the world of college basketball, it would seem Right.
Villanova also has some great seniors. Their class came in with loads of hype and was disappointing their first two seasons. Things came together last year for them, but this year has just been special. Coach Jay Wright has a solid program growing into a potential Big East beast for years to come. But, this class plays so hard and took a chance on going to 'Nova when few others were. When I say they play hard, I'm talking hard. Diving, taking charges, attacking the rim. It is fun to watch and would be even more fun on the big stage in Indianapolis.
Ok, enjoy the games this weekend. I'll be watching the Lady Heels this weekend hoping to pull them on to the Final Four in Boston. I'll holla...
Sunday, March 19, 2006
NCAA First Weekend Wrap-up
I suppose it is time to wrap up this weekend's action. I will admit, first off, that my interest has declined significantly due to the elimination of the Tar Heels. I guess I just felt like it was a premature end to the season, and the finality is still sinking in. Refer to the previous posting for extended thoughts/reactions from the loss. However, there are many things much bigger than one team or one tournament, so life must go on. On that note, let's look back briefly at the weekend that was.
Yawners: Duke and Memphis both advanced to the Sweet 16 with little trouble. West Virginia also waltzed in, with an assist from Northwestern St. Texas was challenged by Penn, but NC State rolled over after a half or so. Florida and Georgetown each faced few problems as well.
Close Calls: Boston College, LSU, UCONN.
Worst Pick: Take your pick. Kansas and UNC were both in my Elite Eight and each is gone. Slight nod to KU for going out earlier.
Best Pick: Georgetown and Washington. Come on Hoyas, one more round, you make me look goooood.
2nd round fizzles: Way to get those awesome second round matchups we all wanted to see. Kansas vs Pitt, UNC vs Michigan St, Iowa vs West Va were all blown up by first round upsets. When an upset occurs, that typically makes the second round watered down. But, this year, Bradley, Wichita St, and George Mason continued their upsetting ways and advanced.
Cinderella Shoe Factory: There's only supposed to be one Cinderella each year. It seems that a factory has opened, with slippers placed on Bradley, George Mason, and Wichita St. For my money, all three of these teams were certainly worthy of NCAA bids. Bradley and Mason obviously should have been seeded higher, but I argued that point in my projected bracket. I had Mason a 9-seed and the Braves a 10-seed. One run will end in the Sweet 16, as Wichita St and GMU play one another. Likely too will Bradley's run, as they meet top-seed Memphis in the Oakland region.
Power Outage: Nice one Big Ten. Thanks for playing, see y'all next year. No Big Ten team advanced to the second weekend this season. So much for that "best conference" label they gave themselves. If you break things down by seeding, assuming the top four seeds in each region are supposed to advance to the Sweet 16, the Big Ten lost three "favored" teams: 3-seed Iowa, 4-seed Illinois, and 2-seed Ohio St. The SEC advanced 2 of 3 (Tennessee), the ACC 2 of 3 (UNC), the Pac-10 1 of 1, plus Washington, the Big East 2 of 2, plus G'town and WVU, and the Big-12 1 of 2 (Kansas). I'd say the Big East is flexing its muscle. Add in C-USA's Memphis, the WCC's Gonzaga, and the three Cinderellas to form the final sixteen teams.
Best Games: BC/Pacific, Tenn/Winthrop, Washington/Illinois, GWU/UNC-W, A&M/LSU.
So the general developing themes thus far are the upsets (as usual), the mid-major conference success, and the Big Ten's failure. Somewhat overshadowed is the run by all four number one seeds to the Sweet 16. Yes, they should all advance, but it does not always happen. We'll see if they all survive the second weekend. My question is what do the so-called "mid-majors" want? Equality, yes, but what does that mean? A TV deal? Go find one. National press? They're getting it now and certainly receive a great deal during the season from second tier media sources, especially the internet. If they want to be considered majors, then win a championship. For years, non-major leagues have been populated by major programs: UNLV, Cincinnati, Louisville, UMASS, DePaul, and Gonzaga recently. These programs have helped elevate the leagues in which they play. A few weeks ago, West Coast Conference coaches complained that having to go through Gonzaga was hurting the other teams' chances to make the Big Dance. Do they realize that until Gonzaga blew up that few people could name three teams in this league?
My mid-major rant will conclude with this: the gap is closing. But, do not be fooled by the supposed lack of respect mantra from mid-major leagues. When these leagues start their spiel about being "disrespected" and "overlooked" ignore it. They are good teams, so when they start acting like it, they will be recognized as such. The whining is part of what keeps them as "mid-majors" to begin with. So do not categorize teams and look for the best squads, period.
Other random observations:
Yawners: Duke and Memphis both advanced to the Sweet 16 with little trouble. West Virginia also waltzed in, with an assist from Northwestern St. Texas was challenged by Penn, but NC State rolled over after a half or so. Florida and Georgetown each faced few problems as well.
Close Calls: Boston College, LSU, UCONN.
Worst Pick: Take your pick. Kansas and UNC were both in my Elite Eight and each is gone. Slight nod to KU for going out earlier.
Best Pick: Georgetown and Washington. Come on Hoyas, one more round, you make me look goooood.
2nd round fizzles: Way to get those awesome second round matchups we all wanted to see. Kansas vs Pitt, UNC vs Michigan St, Iowa vs West Va were all blown up by first round upsets. When an upset occurs, that typically makes the second round watered down. But, this year, Bradley, Wichita St, and George Mason continued their upsetting ways and advanced.
Cinderella Shoe Factory: There's only supposed to be one Cinderella each year. It seems that a factory has opened, with slippers placed on Bradley, George Mason, and Wichita St. For my money, all three of these teams were certainly worthy of NCAA bids. Bradley and Mason obviously should have been seeded higher, but I argued that point in my projected bracket. I had Mason a 9-seed and the Braves a 10-seed. One run will end in the Sweet 16, as Wichita St and GMU play one another. Likely too will Bradley's run, as they meet top-seed Memphis in the Oakland region.
Power Outage: Nice one Big Ten. Thanks for playing, see y'all next year. No Big Ten team advanced to the second weekend this season. So much for that "best conference" label they gave themselves. If you break things down by seeding, assuming the top four seeds in each region are supposed to advance to the Sweet 16, the Big Ten lost three "favored" teams: 3-seed Iowa, 4-seed Illinois, and 2-seed Ohio St. The SEC advanced 2 of 3 (Tennessee), the ACC 2 of 3 (UNC), the Pac-10 1 of 1, plus Washington, the Big East 2 of 2, plus G'town and WVU, and the Big-12 1 of 2 (Kansas). I'd say the Big East is flexing its muscle. Add in C-USA's Memphis, the WCC's Gonzaga, and the three Cinderellas to form the final sixteen teams.
Best Games: BC/Pacific, Tenn/Winthrop, Washington/Illinois, GWU/UNC-W, A&M/LSU.
So the general developing themes thus far are the upsets (as usual), the mid-major conference success, and the Big Ten's failure. Somewhat overshadowed is the run by all four number one seeds to the Sweet 16. Yes, they should all advance, but it does not always happen. We'll see if they all survive the second weekend. My question is what do the so-called "mid-majors" want? Equality, yes, but what does that mean? A TV deal? Go find one. National press? They're getting it now and certainly receive a great deal during the season from second tier media sources, especially the internet. If they want to be considered majors, then win a championship. For years, non-major leagues have been populated by major programs: UNLV, Cincinnati, Louisville, UMASS, DePaul, and Gonzaga recently. These programs have helped elevate the leagues in which they play. A few weeks ago, West Coast Conference coaches complained that having to go through Gonzaga was hurting the other teams' chances to make the Big Dance. Do they realize that until Gonzaga blew up that few people could name three teams in this league?
My mid-major rant will conclude with this: the gap is closing. But, do not be fooled by the supposed lack of respect mantra from mid-major leagues. When these leagues start their spiel about being "disrespected" and "overlooked" ignore it. They are good teams, so when they start acting like it, they will be recognized as such. The whining is part of what keeps them as "mid-majors" to begin with. So do not categorize teams and look for the best squads, period.
Other random observations:
- The CBS Sportsline "March Madness on Demand" live feed is great. Not only could I watch/listen to games at work, but I also followed games online all weekend, watching a second contest while my local CBS affiliate showed our area game. The slight delay is annoying, as I saw the scores change on the scoreboard crawler on television before I saw a basket converted online. Otherwise, awesome.
- Dear CBS: please sell advertising to a more varied client list. If I saw one Applebee's/Gilligan's Island commercial, I saw it a thousand times. It led to a dialogue over the phone discussing which guy was more annoying (the tall dude on the right won out). Nick G IMed me this quote after the loss on Sunday: "those two Applebee's singers can suck it and get off my tv." Amen to that, my thoughts exactly.
- Anyone else catch the "Brad...Pitt" joke by Verne Lundquist during the Pittsburgh/Bradley game? The scoretracker had abbreviations for each score and it spelled out Brad Pitt. Then Jim Nantz got jealous because he usually makes all the corny jokes and repeated the line to Billy Packer during the Villanova game; Billy was not so amused.
- Shout out to he who kicked a whole in the wall of my former place of residence. Luckily it happened before, so we already had supplies handy.
Hurt
Heartbroken is probably the best way to describe it. As I wrote a few weeks back, last year ended in the ultimate feeling of satisfaction, pure and utter joy, exultation, a rush of goodness, "yeeeeeeaaaahhhh." But one team's joy is another's ultimate pain and heartbreak.
Today, we are reminded what that heartbreak feels like. Two words: it sucks. But for all we hurt as fans, our beloved team of Tar Heels - the coaches, the players, the support staff - hurt much worse. So our hurt is for them.
For Roy Williams, who is so graceful in defeat every season, yet so emotional about this defeat and this team. We hurt for him because he says this team was the most fun to coach; he will never coach them again. Coach felt like he messed up and let the team down in calling for the press/trap in a situation it was not needed. Truthfully the press might should have been used earlier and more often. Our hurt for Coach Williams will subdue as spring turns to summer, summer to fall, and we party at Late Night with Roy yet again; but, we know how dear this group was to him personally.
For the assistant coaches who labor so tirelessly to recruit, develop, teach. Their seasons last the entire year, as they now turn their efforts to recruiting for the 2007 class: Kevin Love, Kyle Singler, Derrick Rose, Julian Vaughn, Tyrell Reed, etc. But will they all return? Quietly, last off-season almost led to a staff change, as Assistant Coach Steve Robinson was nearly hired by the Richmond Spiders to coach its team. Who knows if Coach Rob, the former head man at Florida St, will be lured somewhere this off-season, taking another assistant with him. But for now, we know each of them is questioning himself, what could have been done differently, just like our head coach. Our hurt is for them too.
For the managers who will not pour another Gatorade, rebound another shot, chart points per possession, or experience the unity of being part of this team again.
For the freshmen, all five of them, who have never hurt in March before. Will Tyler Hansbrough return? It remains to be seen; he probably would benefit from developing in the college game as opposed to on an NBA bench, but his potential may be enough to make him a first round NBA Draft selection. Yet, these freshmen grew up before our eyes and played with so much heart. Their talent is evident to everyone, but the fans who follow the team closely have seen that this talent is complemented with such great character and desire. We hurt for them because, until now, they were naive to the finality of a season. Now they know what it means for your season to end.
For the walk-ons who saw such little action, but cheered and worked the entire way. Why? Because it means that much to just have a spot on the team, to put that jersey on. In five years, few of us will remember all their names. But they will know. They will know they were a part of the team, and they will recall the pain of a season ended.
For the returnees: Wes, Q, Reyshawn. They never played much before this season. But this year, each of them grew up and became men on the basketball court. Wes is too short, Q too eratic, Reyshawn too passive; each of these theories were dispelled by their play as the season wore on. The three of them will be back next season, but who knows exactly in what role. Reyshawn will most likely be a pre-season All-ACC first teamer, but Q and Wes could lose minutes to guys two and three years younger. But today, this year, they gave it their all. And they too feel the pain.
For Damien Grant, the forgotten senior lost to injury. His playing career never materialized because of his back and knees, but he provided leadership and support the whole way.
For Byron Sanders, By-ron, the Colonial, Scram-Cheese. The guy who plays with such heart against better players. He grew into a contributor, the guy who you couldn't help but smile at simply due to his effort. He helped lead this team of young'uns, providing advice and setting an example of hard work. His career playing basketball is over, but his life of impacting people and society is just beginning.
Finally, for David Noel. As an aside, I cried after the loss. But not a tear was selfish; they were all for David. I've met him only in passing, talked to him only as a bystander. Yet, to anyone who was one of his peers, we all feel like we know him. Of course we do not, other than on the court and around campus. But this was the guy who we always liked. For all the superstars, David was the one who seemed like the most fun, the most relaxed, the coolest dude, the "guy I'd most want to hang out with." No, it's not a man-crush, but a sense of respect, and the sense that he has been a man for a while now. Not The Man, as he never tried to be that. But a man nonetheless. Papa Noel took this team and made it his team. It did not have to be that way, but it sure was better for it. He led them on the court and no doubt taught them all how to be better men off the court. So to see his career end with anything other than a victory was incredibly tough. Without being in the locker room, you know this emotional man shed tears and will in the coming days and weeks as it sinks in that his college basketball career is over. But it must be said that he got everything possible out of himself and his career. He laid it all out on the court everytime he played and his legacy as a Tar Heel should reflect that. So, in effect, by hurting for David Noel, we hurt for them all, because he is so much a part of every guy associated with this team. Instead of a national title, we are left with only one more chant for our leader. One more DA-VID...NO-EL
The tears have subsided and the initial hurt and shock are more subdued. But the empathy we have for our team will remain for a long time. Sure, there is another season next year, a season that will be full of promise and potential. But our run with this team, the 2005-2006 Tar Heels, is over. I was fortunate enough to get a 2005-2006 team-signed ball before the season started. Initially, I thought about how I might look back in ten years and laugh about how bad the team associated with that ball turned out to be. Instead, I will always look at that ball and remember a team that overachieved, played hard, and seemed to love playing and being together. We will smile at these 2005-2006 Tar Heels in ten years. But for now, we just hurt for them.
.
Today, we are reminded what that heartbreak feels like. Two words: it sucks. But for all we hurt as fans, our beloved team of Tar Heels - the coaches, the players, the support staff - hurt much worse. So our hurt is for them.
For Roy Williams, who is so graceful in defeat every season, yet so emotional about this defeat and this team. We hurt for him because he says this team was the most fun to coach; he will never coach them again. Coach felt like he messed up and let the team down in calling for the press/trap in a situation it was not needed. Truthfully the press might should have been used earlier and more often. Our hurt for Coach Williams will subdue as spring turns to summer, summer to fall, and we party at Late Night with Roy yet again; but, we know how dear this group was to him personally.
For the assistant coaches who labor so tirelessly to recruit, develop, teach. Their seasons last the entire year, as they now turn their efforts to recruiting for the 2007 class: Kevin Love, Kyle Singler, Derrick Rose, Julian Vaughn, Tyrell Reed, etc. But will they all return? Quietly, last off-season almost led to a staff change, as Assistant Coach Steve Robinson was nearly hired by the Richmond Spiders to coach its team. Who knows if Coach Rob, the former head man at Florida St, will be lured somewhere this off-season, taking another assistant with him. But for now, we know each of them is questioning himself, what could have been done differently, just like our head coach. Our hurt is for them too.
For the managers who will not pour another Gatorade, rebound another shot, chart points per possession, or experience the unity of being part of this team again.
For the freshmen, all five of them, who have never hurt in March before. Will Tyler Hansbrough return? It remains to be seen; he probably would benefit from developing in the college game as opposed to on an NBA bench, but his potential may be enough to make him a first round NBA Draft selection. Yet, these freshmen grew up before our eyes and played with so much heart. Their talent is evident to everyone, but the fans who follow the team closely have seen that this talent is complemented with such great character and desire. We hurt for them because, until now, they were naive to the finality of a season. Now they know what it means for your season to end.
For the walk-ons who saw such little action, but cheered and worked the entire way. Why? Because it means that much to just have a spot on the team, to put that jersey on. In five years, few of us will remember all their names. But they will know. They will know they were a part of the team, and they will recall the pain of a season ended.
For the returnees: Wes, Q, Reyshawn. They never played much before this season. But this year, each of them grew up and became men on the basketball court. Wes is too short, Q too eratic, Reyshawn too passive; each of these theories were dispelled by their play as the season wore on. The three of them will be back next season, but who knows exactly in what role. Reyshawn will most likely be a pre-season All-ACC first teamer, but Q and Wes could lose minutes to guys two and three years younger. But today, this year, they gave it their all. And they too feel the pain.
For Damien Grant, the forgotten senior lost to injury. His playing career never materialized because of his back and knees, but he provided leadership and support the whole way.
For Byron Sanders, By-ron, the Colonial, Scram-Cheese. The guy who plays with such heart against better players. He grew into a contributor, the guy who you couldn't help but smile at simply due to his effort. He helped lead this team of young'uns, providing advice and setting an example of hard work. His career playing basketball is over, but his life of impacting people and society is just beginning.
Finally, for David Noel. As an aside, I cried after the loss. But not a tear was selfish; they were all for David. I've met him only in passing, talked to him only as a bystander. Yet, to anyone who was one of his peers, we all feel like we know him. Of course we do not, other than on the court and around campus. But this was the guy who we always liked. For all the superstars, David was the one who seemed like the most fun, the most relaxed, the coolest dude, the "guy I'd most want to hang out with." No, it's not a man-crush, but a sense of respect, and the sense that he has been a man for a while now. Not The Man, as he never tried to be that. But a man nonetheless. Papa Noel took this team and made it his team. It did not have to be that way, but it sure was better for it. He led them on the court and no doubt taught them all how to be better men off the court. So to see his career end with anything other than a victory was incredibly tough. Without being in the locker room, you know this emotional man shed tears and will in the coming days and weeks as it sinks in that his college basketball career is over. But it must be said that he got everything possible out of himself and his career. He laid it all out on the court everytime he played and his legacy as a Tar Heel should reflect that. So, in effect, by hurting for David Noel, we hurt for them all, because he is so much a part of every guy associated with this team. Instead of a national title, we are left with only one more chant for our leader. One more DA-VID...NO-EL
The tears have subsided and the initial hurt and shock are more subdued. But the empathy we have for our team will remain for a long time. Sure, there is another season next year, a season that will be full of promise and potential. But our run with this team, the 2005-2006 Tar Heels, is over. I was fortunate enough to get a 2005-2006 team-signed ball before the season started. Initially, I thought about how I might look back in ten years and laugh about how bad the team associated with that ball turned out to be. Instead, I will always look at that ball and remember a team that overachieved, played hard, and seemed to love playing and being together. We will smile at these 2005-2006 Tar Heels in ten years. But for now, we just hurt for them.
.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Picks
Atlanta Region:
1st round: Duke, UNC-W, Syracuse, LSU, So Illinois, Iowa, NC State, Texas
2nd round: Duke, LSU, Iowa, Texas
Sweet 16: Duke, Texas'
Elite 8: Duke
Thoughts: As alluded to yesterday, picking Duke over Texas was my toughest pick in this entire pool. I initially went with the Longhorns and honestly think they have a great chance. They are deep and have a huge frontline. But I have seen Duke so much this year and really just picked them because they've won close games all year. SIU over West Virginia is the only real upset here, and I honestly think the Salukis could dance their way to the Sweet 16. On the flip side, no one has said a word about Iowa. No one said anything about Marquette or Syracuse three years ago either.
Oakland Region:
1st round: Memphis, Arkansas, Pitt, Kansas, Indiana, Gonzaga, Marquette, UCLA
2nd round: Memphis, Kansas, Indiana, UCLA
Sweet 16: Kansas, UCLA
Elite 8: UCLA
Thoughts: Obviously I haven't let go of the talent Indiana has yet. Now that I made this selection, they will probably lose in the first round to SDSU. Pitt/KU is an impossible selection, a toss-up really. Great potential matchup by the selection committee. Marquette/Bama also was a tough pick. I think Memphis can beat Pitt, but KU is a tougher matchup. Very similar teams, keep in mind that Memphis has no tournament experience aside from Rodney Carney. In the end, UCLA gets it done if they get by IU. This region will make/break everyone's bracket because there is no favorite.
DC Region:
1st round: UCONN, UAB, Washington, Illinois, Michigan St, N Carolina, Seton Hall, Tennessee
2nd round: UCONN, Washington, N Carolina, Tennessee
Sweet 16: UCONN, N Carolina
Elite 8: UCONN
Thoughts: UCONN's to lose, like I said in my preview. No really tough picks here for me, I just hope I did not jinx my boys. Keep in mind, for those who know me, that UCONN has been my number two team for about 17 years now. I have faith in Coach Calhoun to fire these guys up, and I will be pulling for them (but only after the Tar Heels are eliminated). In a head-to-head matchup, it's not even a question as to who I cheer for. UCONN - I support; Carolina - I am.
Minneapolis Region:
1st round: Villanova, Arizona, Nevada, BC, Wisc-Milwaukee, Florida, G'town, Ohio St
2nd round: Villanova, BC, Florida, G'town
Sweet 16: Villanova, G'town
Elite 8: Villanova
Thoughts: The bottom half of this bracket is going to explode, like I said yesterday. I went the safe route, picking only OU to lose in the first round. But Georgetown was too tempting to pass up in round two. My luck will probably be that No Iowa beats the Hoyas and then Ohio St. Oh well. Villanova vs BC is a huge potential matchup. Overall, I could see this region falling apart as well, especially if 'Nova fell in the second round to underachieving Arizona or steady Wisconsin. The Wildcats kind of remind me of the 2000 Tar Heels squad that knocked off Stanford, etc, en route to a surprise Final Four berth. Not saying Arizona will do it (I did not pick them to do so), but just that the pattern of their season is similar.
Final Four:
UCONN over Villanova in the rubber match (both teams won at home in matchups earlier this season). I just think UCONN is too big up front and Coach Cal will provide an advantage in preparing his Huskies to play a team they have already seen twice. In the other matchup, I like Duke over UCLA. Just too much talent and experience, plus the Coach K edge. I also think Texas would defeat UCLA if they were to play here.
UCONN over Duke in the National Championship Game. We've seen this exact matchup in the '99 title game and the '04 Final Four. UCONN won both times. I think depth would be a factor, as will Marcus Williams having a size/strength advantage over Greg Paulus.
Summary:
For UCONN to win, a perimeter player has to get hot and stay hot, a la Rip Hamilton or Ben Gordon. Rudy Gay is the most talented player, but a hot shooting Denham Brown or Rashad Anderson will be necessary to win it all.
Remember how exciting last year's tournament was? Some good first round upsets (KU, Syracuse), huge second rounders (West Va, NC State, etc), and the best day of Elite Eight games in history. This year will be great, but last year may have set us up for a letdown. The big early upsets are fun, but they often cut down on the number of quality games later in the tournament. Hopefully we'll see some of both.
Carolina fans, as I wrote two weeks ago, remember how it felt last season. Some team, some fanbase will experience the same thing this season. Be happy for them, for they will deserve it. Enjoy everyone.
1st round: Duke, UNC-W, Syracuse, LSU, So Illinois, Iowa, NC State, Texas
2nd round: Duke, LSU, Iowa, Texas
Sweet 16: Duke, Texas'
Elite 8: Duke
Thoughts: As alluded to yesterday, picking Duke over Texas was my toughest pick in this entire pool. I initially went with the Longhorns and honestly think they have a great chance. They are deep and have a huge frontline. But I have seen Duke so much this year and really just picked them because they've won close games all year. SIU over West Virginia is the only real upset here, and I honestly think the Salukis could dance their way to the Sweet 16. On the flip side, no one has said a word about Iowa. No one said anything about Marquette or Syracuse three years ago either.
Oakland Region:
1st round: Memphis, Arkansas, Pitt, Kansas, Indiana, Gonzaga, Marquette, UCLA
2nd round: Memphis, Kansas, Indiana, UCLA
Sweet 16: Kansas, UCLA
Elite 8: UCLA
Thoughts: Obviously I haven't let go of the talent Indiana has yet. Now that I made this selection, they will probably lose in the first round to SDSU. Pitt/KU is an impossible selection, a toss-up really. Great potential matchup by the selection committee. Marquette/Bama also was a tough pick. I think Memphis can beat Pitt, but KU is a tougher matchup. Very similar teams, keep in mind that Memphis has no tournament experience aside from Rodney Carney. In the end, UCLA gets it done if they get by IU. This region will make/break everyone's bracket because there is no favorite.
DC Region:
1st round: UCONN, UAB, Washington, Illinois, Michigan St, N Carolina, Seton Hall, Tennessee
2nd round: UCONN, Washington, N Carolina, Tennessee
Sweet 16: UCONN, N Carolina
Elite 8: UCONN
Thoughts: UCONN's to lose, like I said in my preview. No really tough picks here for me, I just hope I did not jinx my boys. Keep in mind, for those who know me, that UCONN has been my number two team for about 17 years now. I have faith in Coach Calhoun to fire these guys up, and I will be pulling for them (but only after the Tar Heels are eliminated). In a head-to-head matchup, it's not even a question as to who I cheer for. UCONN - I support; Carolina - I am.
Minneapolis Region:
1st round: Villanova, Arizona, Nevada, BC, Wisc-Milwaukee, Florida, G'town, Ohio St
2nd round: Villanova, BC, Florida, G'town
Sweet 16: Villanova, G'town
Elite 8: Villanova
Thoughts: The bottom half of this bracket is going to explode, like I said yesterday. I went the safe route, picking only OU to lose in the first round. But Georgetown was too tempting to pass up in round two. My luck will probably be that No Iowa beats the Hoyas and then Ohio St. Oh well. Villanova vs BC is a huge potential matchup. Overall, I could see this region falling apart as well, especially if 'Nova fell in the second round to underachieving Arizona or steady Wisconsin. The Wildcats kind of remind me of the 2000 Tar Heels squad that knocked off Stanford, etc, en route to a surprise Final Four berth. Not saying Arizona will do it (I did not pick them to do so), but just that the pattern of their season is similar.
Final Four:
UCONN over Villanova in the rubber match (both teams won at home in matchups earlier this season). I just think UCONN is too big up front and Coach Cal will provide an advantage in preparing his Huskies to play a team they have already seen twice. In the other matchup, I like Duke over UCLA. Just too much talent and experience, plus the Coach K edge. I also think Texas would defeat UCLA if they were to play here.
UCONN over Duke in the National Championship Game. We've seen this exact matchup in the '99 title game and the '04 Final Four. UCONN won both times. I think depth would be a factor, as will Marcus Williams having a size/strength advantage over Greg Paulus.
Summary:
For UCONN to win, a perimeter player has to get hot and stay hot, a la Rip Hamilton or Ben Gordon. Rudy Gay is the most talented player, but a hot shooting Denham Brown or Rashad Anderson will be necessary to win it all.
Remember how exciting last year's tournament was? Some good first round upsets (KU, Syracuse), huge second rounders (West Va, NC State, etc), and the best day of Elite Eight games in history. This year will be great, but last year may have set us up for a letdown. The big early upsets are fun, but they often cut down on the number of quality games later in the tournament. Hopefully we'll see some of both.
Carolina fans, as I wrote two weeks ago, remember how it felt last season. Some team, some fanbase will experience the same thing this season. Be happy for them, for they will deserve it. Enjoy everyone.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
NCAA Tournament Preview
No doubt this will be the longest entry I have ever had, as the coverage of the NCAA Tournament is quite extensive. I will try to remain organized in this order: Region-by-region preview, potential upsets, darkhorse teams, overhyped/underhyped, key players, coaches, conferences, the ACC more specifically, 5 to Thrive review, and finally the Tar Heels.
Atlanta Region:
I honestly think the committee did a good job of one thing: balancing the regions. For instance, ESPN.com broke down the bracket thoughts of seven or eight analysts into a chart. The toughest region and easiest region answers all varied. The parody of teams seeded 2-6 is largely to thank. It all depends on the matchup and which team shows up, as many of these squads have been very inconsistent.
That being said, I think Atlanta is fairly easy for Duke & Texas to meet in the Elite 8. George Washington is a squad I have doubted all year; add in the injury to Pops M-B and they have no chance against Duke if they play them. Texas’ strength is its frontline play, which Cal could match in the second round. However, Cal must be a wounded NC State team first. Either way, the ‘Horns are the strongest of these teams. This region gets interesting in the 3/6 pod. So Illinois is strong and West Va has been up and down all year. That being said, if the Mountaineers got hot, they could see the Elite 8 again this year. Iowa is not a strong shooting team, but finds a way to win (as you should). Everyone is sleeping on the Hawkeyes… me included. Finally, LSU is by far the best team in the 4/5 pod. Syracuse is prime for an upset and Texas A&M has improved.
The Sweet 16 & Elite 8 rounds are the toughest to predict here. Texas could have a fit with West Va, but should defeat either Iowa or WVU. LSU may not have quite enough against Duke; plus, I think the coaching edge favors Duke in a huge way. Duke & Texas meeting in the regional final was the game I sat and stared at the longest. I’m still not sure who I would pick if they met. I have seen Duke all year though and find them to be the real deal. What a game it would be…hopefully better this time than it was in December when Duke won by 31 points.
Oakland Region:
No clue on this region. I think overall it is the weakest region, and could provide the most upsets (esp in the second round). No one believes in Memphis, but I think they will see the Sweet 16 at least. Kansas/Pitt in the second round is a toss-up if they were to play. I do not buy Gonzaga and really think Indiana would beat them, but only if SDSU does not knock IU out first. UCLA is the most balanced team in the region. They hit shots and play great defense that keeps them in ballgames when their offense is dragging.
It is tough to predict anything here because every single high seed has a tough road to the Sweet 16. I can predict that this region will make or break brackets across the country (except for the choice of the correct Nat’l Champ). The reason is there is no clear favorite because so many people will pick a team other than Memphis or UCLA to win it. Gonzaga got the national vote on ESPN.com, KU is hot, Pitt is solid, and Indiana has a coach to play for. Should be fun.
Washington DC Region:
UCONN is the overwhelming favorite to win this region. Mainly because it is the most talented team and no one else in the region is particularly scary. I really believe the only way someone else advances is if UCONN falls early. The Huskies (of Connecticut) matchup well with most everyone here because of their overwhelming size, depth, and experience. The key area is defense. If UCONN fails to play solid defense, the road to Indy will prove much tougher. Regardless, they can probably still get there.
The other teams in this region face challenges early. Tennessee has been a sexy pick to be upset in the first round. I think Bruce Pearl will use this to motivate his team to play well, as he is a master motivator already. The second round game for the Vols against either Seton Hall or Wichita St has also been a popular upset choice. It certainly could happen. Michigan St has also been a popular Sweet 16/Elite 8 choice for many. George Mason will not go quietly in the first round and the Tar Heels also provide a solid roadblock mule. This potential second round matchup has fans drooling. Washington and Illinois both should watch out early on, especially the Huskies. Utah St is a good team and could pull the upset.
Overall, this region is UCONN’s to lose. It is a very tough region for everyone else because the lower seeds are all so good. Add the potential of playing UCONN and everyone else would call this a tough region. But not the Huskies.
Minneapolis Region:
I have seen analysts and brackets that picked Villanova and Boston College from this group and that is really about all. Only Hubert Davis (former Tar Heel) on ESPN picked Ohio St that I have seen, but I am sure there are others. Villanova obviously needs Allen Ray to be healthy and play strong to advance. After watching BC last weekend in person, I know they are hot right now. Just don’t pick them because they are hot. Pick the Eagles because they are experienced and seem to be on a mission. I was not sold on them at the start of the season and I was right until late January. Now, they look pretty good. However, a tough first round game with Pacific awaits in Salt Lake City on Thursday at 12:30EST…all that after a brutal weekend in the ACC Tournament. Survive and advance.
The bottom half of this bracket is a time bomb waiting to explode, 24 style. Every team has a tough first round matchup, including Ohio St. The Davidson Wildcats are good, but more on this later. Georgetown has also been a popular Sweet 16 choice, but getting by No Iowa will be a challenge. The game will be low scoring and could look a great deal like the West Va/Creighton first rounder last year. Florida & Oklahoma will both be pushed and each has shaky tournament resumes in recent years. Each team has been to a Final Four (UF in 2000, OU in 2002), but each has been upset numerous other years.
All in all, the trend has been to anoint the winner of BC/Villanova as the Final 4 team from this region. I would put my money there at this point, mostly because the lower half of the region looks prime to fall apart. In general, both BC & ‘Nova are stronger right now than anyone else. That does not mean that logic or a hot streak will hold up.
Potential Upsets:
Five upsets that could happen, but I more than likely do not have the coconuts to pick:
Davidson over Ohio St. I know, OSU is one of my 5 to Thrive. And I do not think this will happen. But it could. I would even say it is more likely than Winthrop over Tennessee.
South Alabama over Florida. Both teams love to run, so I do not think the style of USA (that’s South Alabama) will be as much of an advantage as it could have been. This will only happen if the Gators forget about Hortford and Noah inside and chuck up threes all day. Just dump the ball low where you have a huge advantage and advance.
SDSU over Indiana. A make-or-break game for me, as IU has Sweet 16 potential. I thought the Hoosiers were Final Four good back in December, and the talent (minus injured DJ White) is still there. But the Aztecs are a solid club. It could happen, and lots of people will predict it too.
UAB over UCONN. Huh? I thought UCONN was unbeatable. Well, yeah, but UAB is faster a lightning. If UAB get by Kentucky, if UAB pressures UCONN into a ton of turnovers, and if UAB rebounds harder than it ever has, the Blazers will lose by five. But if Marcus Williams got in foul trouble for UCONN…
Oral Roberts over Memphis. Nah.
Darkhorse Teams:
· Indiana. Like I said, the talent is still there and the
region is not that tough. The first round game will be very tough and they must hit their threes the entire way. The reason I stand by them is Marco Killingsworth in the middle could be this tournament’s Sean May inside. Having said that, SDSU will probably beat them and make me look stupid.
· Georgetown. Princeton-style offense with Hibbert inside
could be a problem for the Minneapolis region. Furthermore, if G’town played Villanova in the regional finals, familiarity would play a factor, as it did the last time these teams met in the NCAA Tournament (’85 finals won by 8-seed Villanova).
· Others to watch – Arizona/Wisconsin winner, Boston College (do they count?), Marquette (Novak could be this year’s Pittsnogle), So Illinois (the darkest horse of them all).
Over/Under Hyped:
Over: Tennessee, Syracuse, Michigan St (I may regret that), Florida, Gonzaga, West Va.
Under: LSU, Indiana, Nevada, Washington
Players:
I like Brandon Roy at Washington, Steve Novak at Marquette, Terence Dials at Ohio St, Joakim Noah at Florida, all the freshmen at LSU/KU/UNC, and Marcus Williams for UCONN. Other guys who are more of role players on good teams will be instrumental to their teams’ advancing include McRoberts and Paulus at Duke (if Paulus play like he did in the ACC Tournament, they will be in the Final Four at least), Denham Brown at UCONN, Jason Frazier at Villanova, Darius Washington Jr. at Memphis, and Brad Buckman at Texas.
Coaches:
Nothing specific, but mid-major coaches will use the big stage to project themselves into bigger jobs. Funny, if mod-majors are supposed to be this great thing, why do coaches always leave these schools for BCS conference jobs? Oh yeah, they make more money because these programs make more money. Yeah, college basketball is an educating business. I wouldn’t mind seeing Rick Barnes win himself a title; same for Bill Self. They are two of the best coaches to have not won a title at this point. Oh wait, Rick Barnes fought with Dean Smith and I went to Carolina…but seriously, Barnes is a terrific coach and deserves to win it someday.
Conferences:
The Missouri Valley has a lot to prove. A LOT. BM-ing about not getting enough teams in can only be validated by wining in the tournament, which the league has not done much of recently. Utah St and Air Force had better not get blown out, as their bids were quite controversial. I also think the SEC and Pac-10 must have good showings. The Pac-10 has been bashed all year and needs a good run. The SEC, I personally believe, is over-seeded in the regions except for LSU (who should have been higher maybe). Tennessee and Florida are over-seeded, as are Kentucky and possibly Arkansas. Furthermore, since Kentucky’s mid-90s dominance and consecutive ’94-’95 appearances by the Arkansas Hogs, only Florida in 2000 has made the Final Four from the league. The Pac-10 has had only one team (Arizona in ’01) in the Final Four during the same time period. Time to walk the walk fellas.
ACC:
Duke will be disappointed with anything less than a Nat’l Title. I think they are at least Final Four good. Avoiding LSU and/or Texas would make their path very smooth. What I do not think people outside the league recognize is Duke never lacks intensity for an entire game. Coach K recognizes it before they take the court and kicks it out of his guys immediately. But the Devils talent is solid this year as well. Last year’s squad clearly overachieved in garnering a 1-seed; this year’s is legit.
Boston College & Carolina each have the ability to make Final Four runs. BC is truthfully a better team and would have its toughest matchup in the Sweet 16 potentially with Villanova. I think one weakness here is how laid back Al Skinner is. He is a terrific coach and has implemented a perfect system for this squad. However, BC has traditionally come out flat in games against lesser competition. I’m not knocking Coach Skinner, as I think he is underrated nationally. I am questioning the team’s ability to maintain intensity and close out a game.
Carolina on the other hand still has little tournament experience. I think the youngsters will be wide-eyed Friday night against Murray St, much like they were the first time they put on the Carolina uniforms in the season-opener against Gardner Webb. Hansbrough actually mouthed “whoa” coming out of the tunnel and Ginyard could not stop smiling during warmups. If the Heels survive what could be a close opening round game with Murray St, they should be fine after that.
Finally, NC State must ignore the doubt everyone else has about them and play its game. The Wolfpack’s largest weakness right now (besides health) is confidence. Cedric Simmons is a key down low. Getting him going inside will free the shooters up for better shots around the perimeter. State has a tendency to shoot bad early on and get down on themselves. Instead, work the ball inside and then start firing at will. Texas will pose a tremendous challenge in the second round should State knock off over-seeded Cal.
5 to Thrive:
Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio St, Washington, and LSU. Those were my choices two weeks ago, really a month ago. All have Final Four ability, but some got a tough draw. Kansas has the best chance because the Jayhawks were placed in a wide-open region. Washington has the worst path simply because Utah St, Illinois, UCONN is a tough road for any team. Ohio St, as I mentioned early, does not look as promising to me, but I do not know why. Honestly, I liked this squad under the radar more than as a favorite. If the Buckeyes feed the beast in the middle, Big Ten POY Terence Dials, they may be ok. UNC, like Washington, has to contend with UCONN should they advance that far. Michigan St is clearly in the way should both teams advance; remember, the Spartans were picked by many prognosticators in the pre-season as a Final Four team. Finally, LSU is a wildcard right now. I know they have the talent, but Tyrus Thomas must be fully healthy for the Tigers to be at full strength. The Tigers could definitely give Duke a problem and have the frontcourt to play with Texas. So, we’ll see how well I predicted a month ago in about two weeks.
North Carolina Tar Heels:
If you aren’t a Carolina fan, quit reading and skip to the bottom. Quickly, the Tar Heels must work everyone into the offense. Relying on Tyler down low will win a game, but not a championship. Terry must play smarter than he did in the ACC Tournament, especially where foul trouble is concerned. Other teams outside the league are at a disadvantage because they do not realize how strong and durable Hansbrough is, how good a shooter Wes Miller is, or how athletic Noel and Terry are. As a team, rebounding, taking care of the ball, and free throws are keys (like always for most every team). All in all, someone must get hot along with Hansbrough down low for the tournament and just fill the bucket (that would be you Reyshawn Terry). Big picture: one game at a time for UNC, but looking ahead, pray UCONN loses. I like the chances against Illinois again and think Washington is a decent matchup. However, I would not bother thinking about that too much. Either way, it has been a great season, far exceeding most fans’ expectations. When we all sat around and counted wins that we needed to get just to make the tournament, we allowed ourselves the best-case scenario. That scenario was 10-6 in the league, a 5-seed, and losing in the Sweet 16. So far, the team exceeded both those best-case scenarios. It will be sad if they lose, but sad only because a great ride ended in disappointment for the players and coaches. As fans, we have been treated to the most fun season in quite sometime. Remember this as you watch the next few weeks.
Ok, that wraps it up. I am ready for some Madness. My picks will be up tomorrow at some point, maybe as late as tomorrow night. They will be the same picks I enter in a private league on yahoo!, so there are plenty of close friends to verify their legitimacy. Enjoy the tournament everyone.
Atlanta Region:
I honestly think the committee did a good job of one thing: balancing the regions. For instance, ESPN.com broke down the bracket thoughts of seven or eight analysts into a chart. The toughest region and easiest region answers all varied. The parody of teams seeded 2-6 is largely to thank. It all depends on the matchup and which team shows up, as many of these squads have been very inconsistent.
That being said, I think Atlanta is fairly easy for Duke & Texas to meet in the Elite 8. George Washington is a squad I have doubted all year; add in the injury to Pops M-B and they have no chance against Duke if they play them. Texas’ strength is its frontline play, which Cal could match in the second round. However, Cal must be a wounded NC State team first. Either way, the ‘Horns are the strongest of these teams. This region gets interesting in the 3/6 pod. So Illinois is strong and West Va has been up and down all year. That being said, if the Mountaineers got hot, they could see the Elite 8 again this year. Iowa is not a strong shooting team, but finds a way to win (as you should). Everyone is sleeping on the Hawkeyes… me included. Finally, LSU is by far the best team in the 4/5 pod. Syracuse is prime for an upset and Texas A&M has improved.
The Sweet 16 & Elite 8 rounds are the toughest to predict here. Texas could have a fit with West Va, but should defeat either Iowa or WVU. LSU may not have quite enough against Duke; plus, I think the coaching edge favors Duke in a huge way. Duke & Texas meeting in the regional final was the game I sat and stared at the longest. I’m still not sure who I would pick if they met. I have seen Duke all year though and find them to be the real deal. What a game it would be…hopefully better this time than it was in December when Duke won by 31 points.
Oakland Region:
No clue on this region. I think overall it is the weakest region, and could provide the most upsets (esp in the second round). No one believes in Memphis, but I think they will see the Sweet 16 at least. Kansas/Pitt in the second round is a toss-up if they were to play. I do not buy Gonzaga and really think Indiana would beat them, but only if SDSU does not knock IU out first. UCLA is the most balanced team in the region. They hit shots and play great defense that keeps them in ballgames when their offense is dragging.
It is tough to predict anything here because every single high seed has a tough road to the Sweet 16. I can predict that this region will make or break brackets across the country (except for the choice of the correct Nat’l Champ). The reason is there is no clear favorite because so many people will pick a team other than Memphis or UCLA to win it. Gonzaga got the national vote on ESPN.com, KU is hot, Pitt is solid, and Indiana has a coach to play for. Should be fun.
Washington DC Region:
UCONN is the overwhelming favorite to win this region. Mainly because it is the most talented team and no one else in the region is particularly scary. I really believe the only way someone else advances is if UCONN falls early. The Huskies (of Connecticut) matchup well with most everyone here because of their overwhelming size, depth, and experience. The key area is defense. If UCONN fails to play solid defense, the road to Indy will prove much tougher. Regardless, they can probably still get there.
The other teams in this region face challenges early. Tennessee has been a sexy pick to be upset in the first round. I think Bruce Pearl will use this to motivate his team to play well, as he is a master motivator already. The second round game for the Vols against either Seton Hall or Wichita St has also been a popular upset choice. It certainly could happen. Michigan St has also been a popular Sweet 16/Elite 8 choice for many. George Mason will not go quietly in the first round and the Tar Heels also provide a solid roadblock mule. This potential second round matchup has fans drooling. Washington and Illinois both should watch out early on, especially the Huskies. Utah St is a good team and could pull the upset.
Overall, this region is UCONN’s to lose. It is a very tough region for everyone else because the lower seeds are all so good. Add the potential of playing UCONN and everyone else would call this a tough region. But not the Huskies.
Minneapolis Region:
I have seen analysts and brackets that picked Villanova and Boston College from this group and that is really about all. Only Hubert Davis (former Tar Heel) on ESPN picked Ohio St that I have seen, but I am sure there are others. Villanova obviously needs Allen Ray to be healthy and play strong to advance. After watching BC last weekend in person, I know they are hot right now. Just don’t pick them because they are hot. Pick the Eagles because they are experienced and seem to be on a mission. I was not sold on them at the start of the season and I was right until late January. Now, they look pretty good. However, a tough first round game with Pacific awaits in Salt Lake City on Thursday at 12:30EST…all that after a brutal weekend in the ACC Tournament. Survive and advance.
The bottom half of this bracket is a time bomb waiting to explode, 24 style. Every team has a tough first round matchup, including Ohio St. The Davidson Wildcats are good, but more on this later. Georgetown has also been a popular Sweet 16 choice, but getting by No Iowa will be a challenge. The game will be low scoring and could look a great deal like the West Va/Creighton first rounder last year. Florida & Oklahoma will both be pushed and each has shaky tournament resumes in recent years. Each team has been to a Final Four (UF in 2000, OU in 2002), but each has been upset numerous other years.
All in all, the trend has been to anoint the winner of BC/Villanova as the Final 4 team from this region. I would put my money there at this point, mostly because the lower half of the region looks prime to fall apart. In general, both BC & ‘Nova are stronger right now than anyone else. That does not mean that logic or a hot streak will hold up.
Potential Upsets:
Five upsets that could happen, but I more than likely do not have the coconuts to pick:
Davidson over Ohio St. I know, OSU is one of my 5 to Thrive. And I do not think this will happen. But it could. I would even say it is more likely than Winthrop over Tennessee.
South Alabama over Florida. Both teams love to run, so I do not think the style of USA (that’s South Alabama) will be as much of an advantage as it could have been. This will only happen if the Gators forget about Hortford and Noah inside and chuck up threes all day. Just dump the ball low where you have a huge advantage and advance.
SDSU over Indiana. A make-or-break game for me, as IU has Sweet 16 potential. I thought the Hoosiers were Final Four good back in December, and the talent (minus injured DJ White) is still there. But the Aztecs are a solid club. It could happen, and lots of people will predict it too.
UAB over UCONN. Huh? I thought UCONN was unbeatable. Well, yeah, but UAB is faster a lightning. If UAB get by Kentucky, if UAB pressures UCONN into a ton of turnovers, and if UAB rebounds harder than it ever has, the Blazers will lose by five. But if Marcus Williams got in foul trouble for UCONN…
Oral Roberts over Memphis. Nah.
Darkhorse Teams:
· Indiana. Like I said, the talent is still there and the
region is not that tough. The first round game will be very tough and they must hit their threes the entire way. The reason I stand by them is Marco Killingsworth in the middle could be this tournament’s Sean May inside. Having said that, SDSU will probably beat them and make me look stupid.
· Georgetown. Princeton-style offense with Hibbert inside
could be a problem for the Minneapolis region. Furthermore, if G’town played Villanova in the regional finals, familiarity would play a factor, as it did the last time these teams met in the NCAA Tournament (’85 finals won by 8-seed Villanova).
· Others to watch – Arizona/Wisconsin winner, Boston College (do they count?), Marquette (Novak could be this year’s Pittsnogle), So Illinois (the darkest horse of them all).
Over/Under Hyped:
Over: Tennessee, Syracuse, Michigan St (I may regret that), Florida, Gonzaga, West Va.
Under: LSU, Indiana, Nevada, Washington
Players:
I like Brandon Roy at Washington, Steve Novak at Marquette, Terence Dials at Ohio St, Joakim Noah at Florida, all the freshmen at LSU/KU/UNC, and Marcus Williams for UCONN. Other guys who are more of role players on good teams will be instrumental to their teams’ advancing include McRoberts and Paulus at Duke (if Paulus play like he did in the ACC Tournament, they will be in the Final Four at least), Denham Brown at UCONN, Jason Frazier at Villanova, Darius Washington Jr. at Memphis, and Brad Buckman at Texas.
Coaches:
Nothing specific, but mid-major coaches will use the big stage to project themselves into bigger jobs. Funny, if mod-majors are supposed to be this great thing, why do coaches always leave these schools for BCS conference jobs? Oh yeah, they make more money because these programs make more money. Yeah, college basketball is an educating business. I wouldn’t mind seeing Rick Barnes win himself a title; same for Bill Self. They are two of the best coaches to have not won a title at this point. Oh wait, Rick Barnes fought with Dean Smith and I went to Carolina…but seriously, Barnes is a terrific coach and deserves to win it someday.
Conferences:
The Missouri Valley has a lot to prove. A LOT. BM-ing about not getting enough teams in can only be validated by wining in the tournament, which the league has not done much of recently. Utah St and Air Force had better not get blown out, as their bids were quite controversial. I also think the SEC and Pac-10 must have good showings. The Pac-10 has been bashed all year and needs a good run. The SEC, I personally believe, is over-seeded in the regions except for LSU (who should have been higher maybe). Tennessee and Florida are over-seeded, as are Kentucky and possibly Arkansas. Furthermore, since Kentucky’s mid-90s dominance and consecutive ’94-’95 appearances by the Arkansas Hogs, only Florida in 2000 has made the Final Four from the league. The Pac-10 has had only one team (Arizona in ’01) in the Final Four during the same time period. Time to walk the walk fellas.
ACC:
Duke will be disappointed with anything less than a Nat’l Title. I think they are at least Final Four good. Avoiding LSU and/or Texas would make their path very smooth. What I do not think people outside the league recognize is Duke never lacks intensity for an entire game. Coach K recognizes it before they take the court and kicks it out of his guys immediately. But the Devils talent is solid this year as well. Last year’s squad clearly overachieved in garnering a 1-seed; this year’s is legit.
Boston College & Carolina each have the ability to make Final Four runs. BC is truthfully a better team and would have its toughest matchup in the Sweet 16 potentially with Villanova. I think one weakness here is how laid back Al Skinner is. He is a terrific coach and has implemented a perfect system for this squad. However, BC has traditionally come out flat in games against lesser competition. I’m not knocking Coach Skinner, as I think he is underrated nationally. I am questioning the team’s ability to maintain intensity and close out a game.
Carolina on the other hand still has little tournament experience. I think the youngsters will be wide-eyed Friday night against Murray St, much like they were the first time they put on the Carolina uniforms in the season-opener against Gardner Webb. Hansbrough actually mouthed “whoa” coming out of the tunnel and Ginyard could not stop smiling during warmups. If the Heels survive what could be a close opening round game with Murray St, they should be fine after that.
Finally, NC State must ignore the doubt everyone else has about them and play its game. The Wolfpack’s largest weakness right now (besides health) is confidence. Cedric Simmons is a key down low. Getting him going inside will free the shooters up for better shots around the perimeter. State has a tendency to shoot bad early on and get down on themselves. Instead, work the ball inside and then start firing at will. Texas will pose a tremendous challenge in the second round should State knock off over-seeded Cal.
5 to Thrive:
Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio St, Washington, and LSU. Those were my choices two weeks ago, really a month ago. All have Final Four ability, but some got a tough draw. Kansas has the best chance because the Jayhawks were placed in a wide-open region. Washington has the worst path simply because Utah St, Illinois, UCONN is a tough road for any team. Ohio St, as I mentioned early, does not look as promising to me, but I do not know why. Honestly, I liked this squad under the radar more than as a favorite. If the Buckeyes feed the beast in the middle, Big Ten POY Terence Dials, they may be ok. UNC, like Washington, has to contend with UCONN should they advance that far. Michigan St is clearly in the way should both teams advance; remember, the Spartans were picked by many prognosticators in the pre-season as a Final Four team. Finally, LSU is a wildcard right now. I know they have the talent, but Tyrus Thomas must be fully healthy for the Tigers to be at full strength. The Tigers could definitely give Duke a problem and have the frontcourt to play with Texas. So, we’ll see how well I predicted a month ago in about two weeks.
North Carolina Tar Heels:
If you aren’t a Carolina fan, quit reading and skip to the bottom. Quickly, the Tar Heels must work everyone into the offense. Relying on Tyler down low will win a game, but not a championship. Terry must play smarter than he did in the ACC Tournament, especially where foul trouble is concerned. Other teams outside the league are at a disadvantage because they do not realize how strong and durable Hansbrough is, how good a shooter Wes Miller is, or how athletic Noel and Terry are. As a team, rebounding, taking care of the ball, and free throws are keys (like always for most every team). All in all, someone must get hot along with Hansbrough down low for the tournament and just fill the bucket (that would be you Reyshawn Terry). Big picture: one game at a time for UNC, but looking ahead, pray UCONN loses. I like the chances against Illinois again and think Washington is a decent matchup. However, I would not bother thinking about that too much. Either way, it has been a great season, far exceeding most fans’ expectations. When we all sat around and counted wins that we needed to get just to make the tournament, we allowed ourselves the best-case scenario. That scenario was 10-6 in the league, a 5-seed, and losing in the Sweet 16. So far, the team exceeded both those best-case scenarios. It will be sad if they lose, but sad only because a great ride ended in disappointment for the players and coaches. As fans, we have been treated to the most fun season in quite sometime. Remember this as you watch the next few weeks.
Ok, that wraps it up. I am ready for some Madness. My picks will be up tomorrow at some point, maybe as late as tomorrow night. They will be the same picks I enter in a private league on yahoo!, so there are plenty of close friends to verify their legitimacy. Enjoy the tournament everyone.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Sights & Sounds of the ACC Tournament
The ACC Tournament is my basketball mecca each season. Truthfully, my team has not played well in it recently and I usually end up disappointed. But watching tons of quality basketball over a long weekend is a high for me. I have been fortunate enough to have attended parts of 11 tourneys, mostly in North Carolina (exceptions are Atl in '01 & DC in '04). I have seen UNC win it only twice ('91 & '94). Nonetheless, the excitement is there every year.
It is hard to communicate how intense this tournament is for the fans, especially those in North Carolina. I do not think the players & coaches value it as much as the fans & media, with Duke the only real exception. Except for the Big East tournament, I do not think any other BCS Conference tournament is anywhere near as exciting and intense as the ACC. Great basketball combined with emotional highs and lows make for good drama every season.
With that, here are some observations:
It is hard to communicate how intense this tournament is for the fans, especially those in North Carolina. I do not think the players & coaches value it as much as the fans & media, with Duke the only real exception. Except for the Big East tournament, I do not think any other BCS Conference tournament is anywhere near as exciting and intense as the ACC. Great basketball combined with emotional highs and lows make for good drama every season.
With that, here are some observations:
- Decent crowd on Thursday, especially the early session. Credit to Wake Forest fans for buying the tickets outside and supporting their Deacs. I cannot believe I just said that.
- Clemson lost a heartbreaker yet again. You could feel the lead and the game slipping away. Most of the Clemson athletics people looked like they had been punched in the gut.
- FSU was flat. So was Ga Tech. Virginia Tech played hard, but just lacked the buckets they needed late.
- Props to UVA fans for making the trip. The Cavs made the game with Carolina in the quarters very close and rather ugly to watch. Combined sixty-some-odd free throws in the game. Look out for Virginia next season.
- NC State - what was that? Their fans knew it too, they never got into the game and just seemed sick the entire time.
- Semifinals were both good games. Wake put up a valient effort, but came up short and seemed to run out of gas against Duke. BC vs UNC was a battle that everyone enjoyed.
- What a terrific final. Emotional, back-and-forth game with great plays by both teams. I think Redick showed why he is the Player of the Year. He was so clutch.
The Greensboro Coliseum is outdated. Badly. 32 urinals and 8 stalls total for the men's restrooms upstairs. There were lines all weekend, even during normal timeouts. The concourse is not wide enough and food options are sometimes found in only one booth in the entire arena. Only souvenir cups were sold for $5 a piece, which is unreal. The arena was freezing every day but Friday when it felt like hell. Somehow parking was not an issue. Overall, much worse arena than MCI Center in DC, but a better atmosphere.
Other observations: the drummer for the Miami band was one of the best I have ever seen in a pep band. Boston College has dumb cheers. The Wake Forest band apparently had a guy kicked out by the refs during Friday's game (I missed it). To be on the dance teams for FSU & Miami, you have to actually be able to dance; This requirement is foreign to most other ACC schools (Clemson surprisingly is an exception). And, the Miami dancers all had huge butts. How do I know? I sat upstairs and could still tell that they all had back. During the late game Thursday night, a dance off/striptease broke out between a Maryland girl upstairs and another downstairs. They fought for videoboard time and attention for the entire second half. High comedy. Not sure about this, but did some schools do away with student tickets? I never saw sections that were definitely college kids; I know UNC's were on the last two rows downstairs.
Ok, that about does it. If you ever have the chance, go to the ACC Tournament. It is in St. Petersburg, FL next year. Quite a long drive, but I plan on making it. NCAA thoughts coming up next.
Monday, March 13, 2006
NCAA Tournament Thoughts
So I managed to forget my actual projected bracket at home; thus, I will give a summary of how my projections looked before delving into the actual bracket itself.
I correctly predicted 63 out of the 65 teams. Therefore, the quest for perfection continues. I had both Cincinnati and Michigan in the Field of 65 and Air Force and Utah St out. As I have mentioned to those I have talked to since Sunday night, I am perfectly ok with Michigan being left out in favor of Utah St. Michigan was my last team in the tournament and Utah St my second team out of the field (Hofstra was the first team out for me, with Missouri St third and Florida St fourth). However, Cincinnati being left out would be hilarious if it was not so painful for their team. Other experts I saw after the brackets came out last night had projected Cincy as high as a 9-seed; I believe I had them a 10-seed. Either way, that means there were between 10-14 teams that were considered lesser bids than the Bearcats. I have to wonder if the fact that Cincinnati's inclusion would have put the Big East at nine bids or the cloudiness of the coaching situation at Cincy factored in to the committee's decision. Furthermore, Air Force was not in my first four out; they were seventh I believe. I do feel Air Force is a good team, but their resume is laughable to me. "Big" victories over Miami and Georgia Tech just does not get it done.
The committee was also very inconsistent. Including teams with similar resumes to Maryland, Florida St, Missouri St, Hofstra, & Cincy makes me scratch my head. How Air Force gets in with a pathetic strength of schedule while Hofstra is left out confuses me. The seeding of the tournament is, of course, contraversial. Gonzaga & George Washington both felt cheated; I agreed completely with Gonzaga a 3-seed and had GWU a 6-seed, close to a 7. I did not have Tennessee a 2-seed; I had them a 4-seed. Pitt and Illinois both should have been a line higher at least. Rewarding Syracuse for the Big East tournament title is fine, but a 5-seed is unreal. The Orange went from a "bubble bubble" meaning barely in or barely out to a 5-seed? Maryland did the same thing two years ago and lost to Syracuse in the second round.
George Washington did not win the A-10 tourney. Syracuse played its way in; Florida St, Michigan, BYU, Maryland, Colorado, (and I thought Air Force) all played their way out in league tournaments.
I will be posting ACC Tournament Sights and Sounds at some point this week. I will also cover the NIT quickly and give a tournament preview by Wednesday. Now, for The Blue Team.
Carolina took one on the chin Saturday after a grind-it-out victory over Virginia Friday night. BC killed the Tar Heels in the paint on their way to shooting 62%. It was a very frustrating loss, as even though BC is very good and serves as a tough match-up, I still feel like Carolina could have won that game. I'd love to play a third time in Indianapolis. I am concerned about the draw of Michigan St in the second round of the NCAAs, but do not overlook George Mason beating the Spartans. Murray St, the first round opponent for UNC, is a quality team as well. The two teams played a tough first round game in Florida during the '95 tournament (UNC won by ten I think). Hopefully the Tar Heels will avoid an outcome similar to the last team they were a 3-seed: 1999, West Regional, lost to Weber St. *Insert shudder/punch/expletive here*
Ok, NCAA Hannakah is upon us. Enjoy filling out your brackets. I will be emailing out a league set up on yahoo for everyone who wants to do a pool. No money, but it will be fun.
Happy belated 3-11 day to everyone. Bling bling.
I correctly predicted 63 out of the 65 teams. Therefore, the quest for perfection continues. I had both Cincinnati and Michigan in the Field of 65 and Air Force and Utah St out. As I have mentioned to those I have talked to since Sunday night, I am perfectly ok with Michigan being left out in favor of Utah St. Michigan was my last team in the tournament and Utah St my second team out of the field (Hofstra was the first team out for me, with Missouri St third and Florida St fourth). However, Cincinnati being left out would be hilarious if it was not so painful for their team. Other experts I saw after the brackets came out last night had projected Cincy as high as a 9-seed; I believe I had them a 10-seed. Either way, that means there were between 10-14 teams that were considered lesser bids than the Bearcats. I have to wonder if the fact that Cincinnati's inclusion would have put the Big East at nine bids or the cloudiness of the coaching situation at Cincy factored in to the committee's decision. Furthermore, Air Force was not in my first four out; they were seventh I believe. I do feel Air Force is a good team, but their resume is laughable to me. "Big" victories over Miami and Georgia Tech just does not get it done.
The committee was also very inconsistent. Including teams with similar resumes to Maryland, Florida St, Missouri St, Hofstra, & Cincy makes me scratch my head. How Air Force gets in with a pathetic strength of schedule while Hofstra is left out confuses me. The seeding of the tournament is, of course, contraversial. Gonzaga & George Washington both felt cheated; I agreed completely with Gonzaga a 3-seed and had GWU a 6-seed, close to a 7. I did not have Tennessee a 2-seed; I had them a 4-seed. Pitt and Illinois both should have been a line higher at least. Rewarding Syracuse for the Big East tournament title is fine, but a 5-seed is unreal. The Orange went from a "bubble bubble" meaning barely in or barely out to a 5-seed? Maryland did the same thing two years ago and lost to Syracuse in the second round.
George Washington did not win the A-10 tourney. Syracuse played its way in; Florida St, Michigan, BYU, Maryland, Colorado, (and I thought Air Force) all played their way out in league tournaments.
I will be posting ACC Tournament Sights and Sounds at some point this week. I will also cover the NIT quickly and give a tournament preview by Wednesday. Now, for The Blue Team.
Carolina took one on the chin Saturday after a grind-it-out victory over Virginia Friday night. BC killed the Tar Heels in the paint on their way to shooting 62%. It was a very frustrating loss, as even though BC is very good and serves as a tough match-up, I still feel like Carolina could have won that game. I'd love to play a third time in Indianapolis. I am concerned about the draw of Michigan St in the second round of the NCAAs, but do not overlook George Mason beating the Spartans. Murray St, the first round opponent for UNC, is a quality team as well. The two teams played a tough first round game in Florida during the '95 tournament (UNC won by ten I think). Hopefully the Tar Heels will avoid an outcome similar to the last team they were a 3-seed: 1999, West Regional, lost to Weber St. *Insert shudder/punch/expletive here*
Ok, NCAA Hannakah is upon us. Enjoy filling out your brackets. I will be emailing out a league set up on yahoo for everyone who wants to do a pool. No money, but it will be fun.
Happy belated 3-11 day to everyone. Bling bling.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
League Tournaments, Bracket Projection
I will cut to the chase now and give conference tournament predictions quickly. Also, I will post my final projected bracket alongside the real bracket on Monday or Tuesday of next week. Yes, it will be honest, and yes, it will be completed before 6pm on Sunday night. I will be in Greensboro for the ACC Tournament and doubt I find internet access to put anything up between now and then. I forget how time consuming making a bracket is, as I ahve had little time to do so lately. I do however have my current Field of 65 that I will attempt to paste below. Now, on to the predictions.
ACC: Duke over BC (reverse UNC bias? No, BC is a matchup nightmare for the Heels)
A-10: Charlotte over St. Louis (I'm telling you, GWU does not win this tournament. They're due.)
Big East: UCONN over Villinova (I don't know what else to pick, these two are too good to bet against)
Big Ten: Illinois over Wisconsin (No clue here, there are five teams that could win this. Note: If Ohio St wins the Big Ten tournament, it will receive a number one seed, guarenteed. See last year's Washington team.)
Big 12: Texas over Oklahoma (OU too physical for KU? Either way, Texas wins and grabs a 2-seed)
C-USA: Memphis over UAB (avenging last week's loss in Birmingham)
Mountain West: BYU over UNLV (major bubble problems if this happens for San Diego St & Air Force)
Pac-10: UCLA over Washington (wouldn't be surprised to see some upsets out here. If Cal loses to USC, they will not make the NCAA Tournament. What about USC or Stanford winning the whole thing?)
SEC: Florida over Alabama/Kentucky (UF typically plays well in this tournament, just not the NCAA Tournament. I don't think LSU can win it without star freshmen Tyrus Thomas)
WAC: Nevada over La Tech (Nevada must win this league to keep a bubble team from losing a spot, as the WAC is a 1-bid league right now)
I figure there are 51 bids locked up at this point (31 automatic bids plus 20 at-larges).
As things stand now, I have the following bubble teams in the Field of 65: Indiana, Arkansas, UAB, Northern Iowa, Kentucky, Cincinnati, George Mason. These teams would have to be blown out in opening rounds of league tourneys to fall out. In George Mason and No Iowa's cases, a lot of the teams below them would have to go on runs to push them out.
The following are really on the bubble, but would be in right this second: Missouri St., Michigan, Cal, Bradley, Seton Hall, Florida St, Texas A&M. All of these last six need to win some games this weekend to solidfy status, with the exception of Bradley & Mo State. The Braves & Bears can simply sit and wait, hoping that no one does enough to by-pass them and force them on the dark side of the bubble.
The following teams are on the outside looking in currently:
Air Force: win Mtn West tournament to get auto bid; lose in finals to SDSU will keep them on bubble, but I don't think that would be enough to get in.
BYU: same as Air Force. These teams should meet in semi-finals of Mtn West tournament, with the loser eliminated from at-large contention as far as I am concerned.
Syracuse: Orange just did part one by beating Cincinnati in the opening round of the Big East Tournament. If they beat UCONN, they're probably in. If they get destroyed, things do not look good. The question now is can Cincinnati make the tournament without Syracuse getting a bid too? Tough decision.
Hofstra/Creighton: Same case. Both have finished playing, Hofstra much better than Creighton. Basically they have to wait and see if teams move up the bubble or down it. Things do not loo good for Creighton, but Hofstra may get in over George Mason based on two wins over the Patriots in the last two weeks.
Colorado: Very simple. Beat Baylor and Texas A&M in the Big 12 Tournament to steal A&M's spot. Either way, I think one of the two (Colorado or A&M) will get in.
Maryland: Win at least two in the ACC Tournament (over Ga Tech & BC) and then don't get blown out in the semis...and then hope teams ahead of them lose. I'm not buying Maryland or Syracuse's arguments; then again, I don't buy Hofstra, George Mason, Creighton, Missouri St & Bradley's either. Hmm.
Utah St: Win the WAC Tournament. I don't think an at-large bid is likely, too many teams to jump over.
In conclusion, it should be a fun weekend. Be sure to watch the Selection Show on CBS Sunday night at 6pm for the beginning of what I call NCAA Hoops Hanukkah (no offense please). This is a fun time, so enjoy the conference tournaments this weekend.
ACC: Duke over BC (reverse UNC bias? No, BC is a matchup nightmare for the Heels)
A-10: Charlotte over St. Louis (I'm telling you, GWU does not win this tournament. They're due.)
Big East: UCONN over Villinova (I don't know what else to pick, these two are too good to bet against)
Big Ten: Illinois over Wisconsin (No clue here, there are five teams that could win this. Note: If Ohio St wins the Big Ten tournament, it will receive a number one seed, guarenteed. See last year's Washington team.)
Big 12: Texas over Oklahoma (OU too physical for KU? Either way, Texas wins and grabs a 2-seed)
C-USA: Memphis over UAB (avenging last week's loss in Birmingham)
Mountain West: BYU over UNLV (major bubble problems if this happens for San Diego St & Air Force)
Pac-10: UCLA over Washington (wouldn't be surprised to see some upsets out here. If Cal loses to USC, they will not make the NCAA Tournament. What about USC or Stanford winning the whole thing?)
SEC: Florida over Alabama/Kentucky (UF typically plays well in this tournament, just not the NCAA Tournament. I don't think LSU can win it without star freshmen Tyrus Thomas)
WAC: Nevada over La Tech (Nevada must win this league to keep a bubble team from losing a spot, as the WAC is a 1-bid league right now)
I figure there are 51 bids locked up at this point (31 automatic bids plus 20 at-larges).
As things stand now, I have the following bubble teams in the Field of 65: Indiana, Arkansas, UAB, Northern Iowa, Kentucky, Cincinnati, George Mason. These teams would have to be blown out in opening rounds of league tourneys to fall out. In George Mason and No Iowa's cases, a lot of the teams below them would have to go on runs to push them out.
The following are really on the bubble, but would be in right this second: Missouri St., Michigan, Cal, Bradley, Seton Hall, Florida St, Texas A&M. All of these last six need to win some games this weekend to solidfy status, with the exception of Bradley & Mo State. The Braves & Bears can simply sit and wait, hoping that no one does enough to by-pass them and force them on the dark side of the bubble.
The following teams are on the outside looking in currently:
Air Force: win Mtn West tournament to get auto bid; lose in finals to SDSU will keep them on bubble, but I don't think that would be enough to get in.
BYU: same as Air Force. These teams should meet in semi-finals of Mtn West tournament, with the loser eliminated from at-large contention as far as I am concerned.
Syracuse: Orange just did part one by beating Cincinnati in the opening round of the Big East Tournament. If they beat UCONN, they're probably in. If they get destroyed, things do not look good. The question now is can Cincinnati make the tournament without Syracuse getting a bid too? Tough decision.
Hofstra/Creighton: Same case. Both have finished playing, Hofstra much better than Creighton. Basically they have to wait and see if teams move up the bubble or down it. Things do not loo good for Creighton, but Hofstra may get in over George Mason based on two wins over the Patriots in the last two weeks.
Colorado: Very simple. Beat Baylor and Texas A&M in the Big 12 Tournament to steal A&M's spot. Either way, I think one of the two (Colorado or A&M) will get in.
Maryland: Win at least two in the ACC Tournament (over Ga Tech & BC) and then don't get blown out in the semis...and then hope teams ahead of them lose. I'm not buying Maryland or Syracuse's arguments; then again, I don't buy Hofstra, George Mason, Creighton, Missouri St & Bradley's either. Hmm.
Utah St: Win the WAC Tournament. I don't think an at-large bid is likely, too many teams to jump over.
In conclusion, it should be a fun weekend. Be sure to watch the Selection Show on CBS Sunday night at 6pm for the beginning of what I call NCAA Hoops Hanukkah (no offense please). This is a fun time, so enjoy the conference tournaments this weekend.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Changes, Kirby Puckett, NASCAR HOF
First off, I have decided to alter how this blog works. I do not think disclosing where I went to school, who I currently work for, or what teams I typically favor makes me biased. In fact, this disclosure probably gives me added credit as a writer/opinionist who attempts to separate himself from his preferences and look at things from a neutral perspective. As I have said before, I am probably hyper-critical of the teams I watch the most and the teams that I cheer for.
That being said, I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am a Tar Heel & have been since birth. I do not think basketball success is our birthright, as I was a freshmen during the 8-20 season. I have seen the worst of times and the best of times as a student. I appreciate the fortunate position my alma mater finds itself in within the world of college basketball. Read the entry below if you do not believe me.
I am a fan of the ACC and think the league is, on a year-to-year basis, the best in the nation. Not every season, but overall. I currently work for the Clemson Tigers and watch ACC ball almost religiously. I will tell you the shortcomings of the league; maybe this summer when there is little to write about I will tell you what they are. I also have a great respect for the other "BCS" league, as well as the "mid majors". I honestly think that the big picture of collegiate athletics is so much more important than any league or any team, North Carolina included. Sometime I'll also tell you what I like about college sports and what I don't like. Why? It's my blog, I own The Blue Team.
Power charge aside, on to a serious matter. Kirby Puckett, former centerfielder for the Minnesota Twins and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer died today following a serious stroke. Prayers go out to his family. Puckett was one of the good guys in the league and arguably the most popular player in Minnesota ever. I mean, for real, people thought this dude walked on water. Turns out after his career was over, he ran into a few personal/family problems and his image took a hit. I personally don't know Kirby Puckett and never will until heaven. However, I think he proved to be human, and we all make mistakes. He made some following his retirement, but please do not hold this against him. We all make mistakes and his were magnified by being a celebrity. I choose to remember Puckett as one of the most passionate players to ever put on cleats professionally. Though Puckett is at the root of one of my most troubling sports memories ('91 World Series loss by the Atlanta Braves), he carried himself well and made the game so much fun. You could not help but love watching him play because he so clearly loved playing. Puckett also did a great deal for his community. The Twin Cities are better off because of his impact. So take some time and read the journalistic eulogies of Puckett. He was a good guy and will be missed by many, especially his family. God bless and many prayers.
Finally, on a lighter note, Charlotte has been named the recipient of the new NASCAR Hall of Fame. I am excited because of my ties to the area and having worked in the industry as an intern at Lowe's Motor Speedway one summer. But, I am more excited because I anticipate this doing a great deal for the city of Charlotte. The Queen City has been somewhat slow to embrace its role as the center of the NASCAR universe. The citizens all love racing, but the decision-makers have been hesitant to be identified as such because of the perception of NASCAR being a "redneck sport." The backing by the city demonstrates how far the sports has come in casual fan appeal, as well as being a money-making industry. I'm glad also to see NASCAR's governing body sticking to its roots in Charlotte and rewarding the location that helped initiate and substain all this growth. Finally, it should help keep the All-Star race in the QC for the years to come. Good decision NASCAR.
Ok, I'm out. Tournament stuff tomorrow & maybe Wednesday. I got to put together a bracket preview of some sort and make major conference tournament predictions. Ever since I can remember I been poppin' my collar, poppin' poppin' my collar...
That being said, I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am a Tar Heel & have been since birth. I do not think basketball success is our birthright, as I was a freshmen during the 8-20 season. I have seen the worst of times and the best of times as a student. I appreciate the fortunate position my alma mater finds itself in within the world of college basketball. Read the entry below if you do not believe me.
I am a fan of the ACC and think the league is, on a year-to-year basis, the best in the nation. Not every season, but overall. I currently work for the Clemson Tigers and watch ACC ball almost religiously. I will tell you the shortcomings of the league; maybe this summer when there is little to write about I will tell you what they are. I also have a great respect for the other "BCS" league, as well as the "mid majors". I honestly think that the big picture of collegiate athletics is so much more important than any league or any team, North Carolina included. Sometime I'll also tell you what I like about college sports and what I don't like. Why? It's my blog, I own The Blue Team.
Power charge aside, on to a serious matter. Kirby Puckett, former centerfielder for the Minnesota Twins and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer died today following a serious stroke. Prayers go out to his family. Puckett was one of the good guys in the league and arguably the most popular player in Minnesota ever. I mean, for real, people thought this dude walked on water. Turns out after his career was over, he ran into a few personal/family problems and his image took a hit. I personally don't know Kirby Puckett and never will until heaven. However, I think he proved to be human, and we all make mistakes. He made some following his retirement, but please do not hold this against him. We all make mistakes and his were magnified by being a celebrity. I choose to remember Puckett as one of the most passionate players to ever put on cleats professionally. Though Puckett is at the root of one of my most troubling sports memories ('91 World Series loss by the Atlanta Braves), he carried himself well and made the game so much fun. You could not help but love watching him play because he so clearly loved playing. Puckett also did a great deal for his community. The Twin Cities are better off because of his impact. So take some time and read the journalistic eulogies of Puckett. He was a good guy and will be missed by many, especially his family. God bless and many prayers.
Finally, on a lighter note, Charlotte has been named the recipient of the new NASCAR Hall of Fame. I am excited because of my ties to the area and having worked in the industry as an intern at Lowe's Motor Speedway one summer. But, I am more excited because I anticipate this doing a great deal for the city of Charlotte. The Queen City has been somewhat slow to embrace its role as the center of the NASCAR universe. The citizens all love racing, but the decision-makers have been hesitant to be identified as such because of the perception of NASCAR being a "redneck sport." The backing by the city demonstrates how far the sports has come in casual fan appeal, as well as being a money-making industry. I'm glad also to see NASCAR's governing body sticking to its roots in Charlotte and rewarding the location that helped initiate and substain all this growth. Finally, it should help keep the All-Star race in the QC for the years to come. Good decision NASCAR.
Ok, I'm out. Tournament stuff tomorrow & maybe Wednesday. I got to put together a bracket preview of some sort and make major conference tournament predictions. Ever since I can remember I been poppin' my collar, poppin' poppin' my collar...
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Remember how you felt
“It’s not supposed to happen like this. We are a better team, higher ranked. We have more talent. And it’s our Senior Day; our guys have been through so much. Heck, it’s MY Senior Day. It simply can’t happen like this.”
Those were my thoughts one year ago this weekend. 3:47 remained on MY Senior Day in
No doubt the scene was very similar in
You believe for so many reasons. You believe because of how you pictured this day in your mind each year of your college career. Playing the arch rival, beating the arch rival. There is no nightmarish ending, nothing depressing about it. No matter how bad things look, your team pulls it out. That just makes the entire experience that much more memorable. You believe because that’s what being a great team is all about. No great team ever thinks it is going to lose. Down twenty? No problem. Need a half-court shot at the buzzer? Been there, done that. Beat the rival in the final seconds? It’s almost expected. You believe because it’s all you know to do.
This time last year, all I could do was believe. Surrounded by close friends who are also diehard fans, we all were thinking the same thing. “It’s not supposed to end like this.” Yet, we still believed. And as the now famous comeback took place, our belief grew with each basket, each steal, each roar of the crowd. Silently, my buddies and I watched and cheered as the Tar Heels made a nearly improbable comeback. We never said anything to each other about it. Why? Because we knew that each of us believed. It is unspoken among everyone; you just accept that everyone believes. This faith is heightened under such extenuating circumstances such as a deficit late in a big game. After Marvin Williams hit the go-ahead bucket and subsequent free throw, our belief turned to complete joy and eventually tears. The fairy tale ended exactly as it was supposed to end. Belief became reality, and Senior Day was seemingly perfect. MY Senior Day was perfect.
A year later, the same cannot be said for the Blue Devil seniors. So put yourself in those evil dark blue shoes. Tonight, Duke entered the game as the better team. They are highly ranked and supremely talented. They are led by a senior class of players that have been through a great deal. No, there has been no 8-20 season, but there has been adversity and success without the crowning achievement of a national title. It was to be an evening of celebrating the careers of six seniors, especially the four leaders, and more specifically, two All-Americans. More than that, it was to be a celebration of four years for many Duke students. Some of the most supportive fans in the country packed Cameron Indoor Stadium for the last time as an undergraduate. No doubt many great memories filled their collective minds. Yet, the best memory was yet to come. Why? Because they all believed.
Except the best memory never came. At least not the way it was planned. Surely everyone that witnessed the battle of two rivals will remember it. But instead of a memory filled with tears of joy, the darker blues will remember tears of sadness. Tears of disappointment. Tears of finality. Either way, you go to your Senior Day expecting to cry a little bit, because you know it is the last game you will watch as a student. But, at each of these schools, you enter Senior Day expecting those tears to occur after a victory. There is just no other way for it all to end.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.” That is what every Duke senior thought following
And no Duke senior will get another chance to believe as a student. The emptiness that comes with realizing it is over is indescribable. For that finality to come accompanied by a loss is bitterly disheartening.
“That could have been me. Just as this game is ending in emptiness for the Cameron Crazy seniors and the Duke players, last year’s game could have been the same for me. Instead of burning a copy of MY Senior Day game to DVD, I would have wanted to turn away every time I saw the game on television. Instead of crying tears of joy and soaking up the moment with my best friends, I could have been crying bitterly. It could have been me.”
As Saturday’s game came to a close, this is what I thought. ESPN zoomed in on a Cameron Crazy seemingly in prayer with seventeen seconds left; that was me last year, praying desperately for my belief to be rewarded, for my Senior Day fairy tale to come true.
So recent graduates, do you remember what it felt like at the end last year? That feeling is the exact opposite of how Duke’s seniors feel right now. I know what you’re thinking; “good, I hate Duke, they should feel like and I am happy about it.”
But really, no one’s fairy tale should end like that. No one’s belief should go unrewarded. Everyone, even the hated Blue Devils, deserve to believe and win the last game of their college careers. The feeling of happiness and joy found in winning on your Senior Day is something every player should experience, every student should experience.
So as you are celebrating the huge win (and remember, it is only one win), remember the other side. Remember how you felt and think about how they feel now. Even though they are ‘rich kid northern transplants,’ remember that those rich kids are people too. Remember that it was their belief that was shattered. Empathize because it could have been us. And one day, it will be us. No doubt
Sometimes, the fairy tale does not come true. And that’s sad, even when it is Duke.
Congratulations to the Duke seniors on outstanding careers. And, congratulations to the senior Duke students on believing for four incredible years. Keep believing even after your Senior Day, as that’s all these four years were: learning how to believe.
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