I was ecstatic after George Mason's close victory over Villanova. Nova was on their game, particularly in the first half. Mason is a second half team, but waited until rather late in the game to turn it on. Once Mason guarded the three and took the ball to the paint, the tide turned.
Ohio State is a good team. Sullinger is going to be difficult to defend. But Mason can make him a liability when the Patriots have the ball. Mason's big guys are adept at driving to the hoop from the elbow. The key for Mason will be defensive rebounding and guarding the three.
During the Mason-Nova game, the thought that VCU was a better team than Nova entered my brain. When VCU went on a three-point shooting tear, they kept it up throughout the game against Mason in the conference tournament. Villanova's defense was effective early, but Mason eventually figured it out. VCU kept switching up its defense against Mason, which was far more effective.
I want to wish Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, and Julian Vaughn well. Georgetown's loss was sad. But VCU is that good. There's been talk that VCU's performance has been a surprise. As a Georgetown fan who watches the Colonial, I was very worried about this game. Some of the ESPN analysts who argued that VCU shouldn't be in the tournament will try and tell you that these wins don't change their initial point, that VCU didn't deserve to get in; once in, sure they are capable of winning.
It's a stupid argument. If they win two games, how can you argue they don't deserve to be in the tournament? It's nonsensical. Guys like Dick Vitale, Digger Phelps, and Jay Bilas should just admit they were wrong. They didn't watch VCU; they should've. They'll do better next year. Maybe they should stop questioning when a #11 seed from the Colonial is selected as an at large bid.
Spero Dedes made so many mistakes, it was embarrassing. I'm not a guy who dumps on announcers. Good announcers make watching the game better and I like most of the guys who do the NCAA Tournament. But Dedes is terrible. He went on and on about Akron's conference tournament final against Iona. I was virtually certain Iona wasn't in the MAC. But he kept talking about this non-existent game. I'm a Miami (Ohio) fan, but I felt the need to look it up (I was devastated after Akron beat Miami in the conference quarters, so I couldn't watch the final).
Of course, Akron beat Kent State in the MAC final. Iona is in the MAAC, which I was sure of as well. They lost to St. Peter's in the conference final. Dedes said that the Aggies were up by 7 when the Seminoles were and later that the Seminoles were up by 5 when they were clearly up by 7. He said that the Georgetown-VCU game had reached the midway point of the first half at the 15:00 mark. His partner, Bob Wenzel, who I like, made the unforgivable mistake of saying Mason made the Final Four in '05. Of course, it was '06.
They should get one of the litany of ESPN broadcasters (except for Brad Nessler, Dave O'Brien, and Mike Patrick) that are good. John Sciambi, Sean McDonough, Dave Pasch, or Dan Shulman would be better, just to name a few.
Wenzel made a great point when he said, "we'll learn about some of these cinderellas in the coming days." It's so true. Broadcasters have no idea about midmajors. It's ridiculous. It's why they thought VCU didn't belong in the tournament. They didn't see them play. How could they know? But they should watch the midmajors and not just Butler and Gonzaga. It's their job to be an expert on college basketball.
It would be like if a kidney doctor only knew some diseases involving the kidney. Or if a southern African specialist couldn't tell you a thing about Namibia. And if these bigwigs won't do it, I'd love to.
Showing posts with label G'town. Show all posts
Showing posts with label G'town. Show all posts
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Friday, June 27, 2008
2008 NBA Draft Recap
The Knicks chose Danilo Gallinari with the 6th pick in the Draft. Jay Bilas described him as lacking lateral quickness. They showed clips of him driving to the basket and I had to rub my eyes and look closely to make sure the replays weren't in slow motion. They weren't. Apparently, he is a weak defender.
Recent Italian players drafted include: Marco Belinelli (drafted 18th in 2007, 2.9 ppg in 33 games for Golden State) and Andrea Bargnani (drafted 1st in 2006, 10.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg for his NBA career so far). Of course, Nikoloz Tskitishvili played in the Italian league before he was drafted 5th in 2002 and averaged 2.9 ppg for his career. So that isn't a good recommendation for the Italian league. Gallinari's father played with new Knicks coach, Mike D'Antonio in Italy, which also speaks ill of the pick. Listen, nepotism is fine in some cases. If D'Antonio feels like he owes Gallinari's father, let the son be a ball boy or a water boy, don't draft him with the 6th pick in the NBA Draft.
Gallinari is evidently a good shooter. The Knicks need shooting. They also need everything else! Eric Gordon, Joe Alexander, D.J. Augustin, Brook Lopez, and Jerryd Bayless were picked immediately after Gallinari. We'll see if any of them stack up a better career than Gallinari and check back later. I think they will. I hope I'm wrong.
Russell Westbrook at 4 to Seattle is interesting. There is no guarantee that a great college defender will be a stopper in the NBA. Michael Finley comes to mind. Westbrook hopes he will be as good Finley. With so many Freshmen chosen, I suspect that some will be gems and others will be total busts. I'm reminded of the 2001 Draft with high schoolers. Well, actually they were all busts in that one. Rose, Beasley, and Mayo (who was just traded to Memphis) will probably all be stars.
Two Freshmen who should have stayed in school are Bill Walker and Davon Jefferson. Had they stayed, both could have been stars for big conference schools next year. That could have possibly led to a lottery pick next year. Jefferson wasn't drafted. Walker was picked by Washington and then shipped to Boston. Assuming he makes the team, if he can cope with sitting on the bench for a couple of years, Boston might be the perfect place for Walker. Garnett, Pierce, and Allen will be good role models. Walker might be a sleeper.
A number of seniors that went late have the chance to contribute in the NBA and one might even be a star. D.J. White, Joey Dorsey, Kyle Weaver, Sonny Weems, Sean Singletary, Shan Foster, and Joe Crawford all fit the bill. Mario Chalmers and Chris Douglas-Roberts are two Juniors who played in the NCAA championship game that I expect big things from.
Georgetown had two players drafted. Roy Hibbert was picked by Toronto and is likely on his way to Indiana in a trade. I think he'll be Sam Bowie-like, which is not bad for the 17th pick. It's a freaking disaster however if it's the 2nd pick and before some guy named Michael Jordan. Patrick Ewing Jr. was picked by the Kings and belongs with the seniors group above. His heart will keep him in the league for a while. Look at Chuck Hayes, Karl Landry, and the glamour boy, Shane Battier. Ewing will follow in their footsteps. Unfortunately, Folarin Campbell and Will Thomas from George Mason weren't drafted. Best of luck fellas.
Recent Italian players drafted include: Marco Belinelli (drafted 18th in 2007, 2.9 ppg in 33 games for Golden State) and Andrea Bargnani (drafted 1st in 2006, 10.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg for his NBA career so far). Of course, Nikoloz Tskitishvili played in the Italian league before he was drafted 5th in 2002 and averaged 2.9 ppg for his career. So that isn't a good recommendation for the Italian league. Gallinari's father played with new Knicks coach, Mike D'Antonio in Italy, which also speaks ill of the pick. Listen, nepotism is fine in some cases. If D'Antonio feels like he owes Gallinari's father, let the son be a ball boy or a water boy, don't draft him with the 6th pick in the NBA Draft.
Gallinari is evidently a good shooter. The Knicks need shooting. They also need everything else! Eric Gordon, Joe Alexander, D.J. Augustin, Brook Lopez, and Jerryd Bayless were picked immediately after Gallinari. We'll see if any of them stack up a better career than Gallinari and check back later. I think they will. I hope I'm wrong.
Russell Westbrook at 4 to Seattle is interesting. There is no guarantee that a great college defender will be a stopper in the NBA. Michael Finley comes to mind. Westbrook hopes he will be as good Finley. With so many Freshmen chosen, I suspect that some will be gems and others will be total busts. I'm reminded of the 2001 Draft with high schoolers. Well, actually they were all busts in that one. Rose, Beasley, and Mayo (who was just traded to Memphis) will probably all be stars.
Two Freshmen who should have stayed in school are Bill Walker and Davon Jefferson. Had they stayed, both could have been stars for big conference schools next year. That could have possibly led to a lottery pick next year. Jefferson wasn't drafted. Walker was picked by Washington and then shipped to Boston. Assuming he makes the team, if he can cope with sitting on the bench for a couple of years, Boston might be the perfect place for Walker. Garnett, Pierce, and Allen will be good role models. Walker might be a sleeper.
A number of seniors that went late have the chance to contribute in the NBA and one might even be a star. D.J. White, Joey Dorsey, Kyle Weaver, Sonny Weems, Sean Singletary, Shan Foster, and Joe Crawford all fit the bill. Mario Chalmers and Chris Douglas-Roberts are two Juniors who played in the NCAA championship game that I expect big things from.
Georgetown had two players drafted. Roy Hibbert was picked by Toronto and is likely on his way to Indiana in a trade. I think he'll be Sam Bowie-like, which is not bad for the 17th pick. It's a freaking disaster however if it's the 2nd pick and before some guy named Michael Jordan. Patrick Ewing Jr. was picked by the Kings and belongs with the seniors group above. His heart will keep him in the league for a while. Look at Chuck Hayes, Karl Landry, and the glamour boy, Shane Battier. Ewing will follow in their footsteps. Unfortunately, Folarin Campbell and Will Thomas from George Mason weren't drafted. Best of luck fellas.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
So Long Hibbert, Wallace, and Ewing
Georgetown lost today. Roy Hibbert, Jonathan Wallace, and Patrick Ewing have played their last college game.
Hibbert came to Georgetown with limited skill despite his 7'2" frame. He was mocked by opposing fans. In four year, Hibbert turned into a star and an NBA player. Jonathan Wallace followed his coach from Princeton to Georgetown and started every game possible throughout his college career. He was the leader on the floor for the Hoyas. Ewing was often attacked for being the son of a Hall of Fame player who shared his name, number, and college address. But none of that defined the younger Ewing. His game was more heart than talent, hard work as opposed to hand-me-down.
Not to take away anything from the amazing Stephen Curry and from Lovedale, but the game turned on three bad foul calls against Hibbert. His first and second fouls were pulled from thin air. His fourth followed suit. That changed the complexion of the game. It's a shame that the college game can't be officiated with more consistency.
To Hibbert, Wallace, and Ewing, best of luck in all of your endeavors.
Hibbert came to Georgetown with limited skill despite his 7'2" frame. He was mocked by opposing fans. In four year, Hibbert turned into a star and an NBA player. Jonathan Wallace followed his coach from Princeton to Georgetown and started every game possible throughout his college career. He was the leader on the floor for the Hoyas. Ewing was often attacked for being the son of a Hall of Fame player who shared his name, number, and college address. But none of that defined the younger Ewing. His game was more heart than talent, hard work as opposed to hand-me-down.
Not to take away anything from the amazing Stephen Curry and from Lovedale, but the game turned on three bad foul calls against Hibbert. His first and second fouls were pulled from thin air. His fourth followed suit. That changed the complexion of the game. It's a shame that the college game can't be officiated with more consistency.
To Hibbert, Wallace, and Ewing, best of luck in all of your endeavors.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Reaction to Men's NCAA Tourney Seeds
Yet again it's time to dust off the ole Circumcised Penis Index (CPI) to determine how the committee faired.
Someone hates Butler
The most glaring atrocity is Butler getting a #7 seed. My brother and I spent an hour yelling at each other over this injustice and we agreed! Butler was 29-3 and beat numerous big conference bubble teams. They lost to a very good Drake team and two of their conference's top teams, both on the road. They should have been much higher, maybe even a 4 seed.
Butler, South Alabama, Gonzaga, Davidson = Screwed
It was astounding that after all of the recent mid-major success, the teams in those conferences got screwed royally again. There were only six at large bids awarded to non-major conference teams. Butler's 7 seed is a tragedy, but they have to face a South Alabama team that was also underrated. So both teams are screwed. It doesn't help Butler that the game is in Alabama. Man, that makes me so angry. Gonzaga was also a 7 seed and they face Davidson who is a 10 seed. Both teams are underrated, particularly Davidson who has won 22 in row. There is no way Arkansas (9 seed), Texas A&M (9), Mississippi State (8), or Miami FL (7) would have gone 20-0 in the Southern Conference or 26-6 overall with Davidson's schedule. Three of those loses were to North Carolina (by 4), to Duke (by 6) and to UCLA (by 12). The sad thing for Gonzaga is they play in North Carolina, the home state of opponent Davidson.
Mid-major Blood Bath
There are so many games featuring mid-major teams, it must have been deliberate. I mentioned the two matchups above where I would be content if all teams were two seeds higher. UNLV meets Kent St. in an 8-9, and Drake plays Western Kentucky in a 5-12. If you've watched these teams, you know that they could beat a major conference team of the same seed as their opponent. Instead, the mid-majors will beat themselves up in the first round. I have thought of the possibility that this actually guarantees some mid-majors will be in the second round. But the mid-majors would win against power conference teams anyway. In addition, I'd move up all but Drake, who got a fair seed.
Up and Down
So who would I knock down a few seeds? UCONN down from a 4. Oklahoma down from a 6. Marquette down from a 6. Miami FL down from a 7. Mississippi St. down from an 8. Arkansas down from a 9. Who am I moving up besides those above? West Virginia up from a 7. St. Mary's up from a 10. Cal St. Fullerton up from a 14.
You're Out
There are some teams that I can't believe made it in. Villanova should not have made it. There is no way Arizona should have made it. They were 8-10 in the conference. VCU was 15-3 in their conference. It's true that the top of the Pac 10 is better than the top of the CAA and the bottom of the CAA is worse than the bottom of the Pac 10, but there is far more overlap than the major conferences would like to admit. Winning 7 more conference games than another team should count for something. Oregon also should not have made it. Baylor is the prime example of a team that shouldn't get in. Their only major non-conference win was against Notre Dame. They only beat Kansas State in the conference, stacking up wins against weaker Big 12 opponents. I'm not convinced Kansas St should be in either, but I digress. Baylor was 9-7 in the conference and 21-10 overall with only two wins of note. How is that better than a team with a much better record? The system is fixed against mid majors.
Kentucky has a terrible record but were 12-4 in conference. I can see a case for them to be in. But they should have gotten a worse seed than 11. I don't think there's anything wrong with giving an at large team a 13 or 14 seed if that's what they deserve.
Favorites and Locals
George Mason got a 12 seed and will face Notre Dame. If we can stop their perimeter game, I like our chances. The 12 seed is a bit disappointing, but we're in a good spot in the bracket. Kansas State got an 11 seed and we beat them, but of course that doesn't matter, that would make too much sense. Georgetown got a 2 seed. That's what the Hoyas deserve, but I don't like the potential second round matchup. It's either an underrated Gonzaga team or an underrated Davidson team near their home. I also don't like that DC area teams will face off early. Six area teams made it and Georgetown plays UMBC while Mount St. Mary's faces Coppin State in the opening round game. The other team is American.
Championship Week
Championship week was exciting as usual. I was very impressed by Georgia's run into the tournament. I don't believe teams with such a poor record should have the opportunity to play into the NCAA tournament, but I can't take anything away from Georgia's run, winning two games on Saturday, because of a tornado delay, and winning again today. Miami OH should be very proud of their season. They gave Kent State quite the scare in the MAC semifinal. Tim Pollitz left a little floater just a bit short at the end of the game that would have sent it into overtime. They dictated tempo against a very talented Kent State team and nearly pulled off the upset.
Someone hates Butler
The most glaring atrocity is Butler getting a #7 seed. My brother and I spent an hour yelling at each other over this injustice and we agreed! Butler was 29-3 and beat numerous big conference bubble teams. They lost to a very good Drake team and two of their conference's top teams, both on the road. They should have been much higher, maybe even a 4 seed.
Butler, South Alabama, Gonzaga, Davidson = Screwed
It was astounding that after all of the recent mid-major success, the teams in those conferences got screwed royally again. There were only six at large bids awarded to non-major conference teams. Butler's 7 seed is a tragedy, but they have to face a South Alabama team that was also underrated. So both teams are screwed. It doesn't help Butler that the game is in Alabama. Man, that makes me so angry. Gonzaga was also a 7 seed and they face Davidson who is a 10 seed. Both teams are underrated, particularly Davidson who has won 22 in row. There is no way Arkansas (9 seed), Texas A&M (9), Mississippi State (8), or Miami FL (7) would have gone 20-0 in the Southern Conference or 26-6 overall with Davidson's schedule. Three of those loses were to North Carolina (by 4), to Duke (by 6) and to UCLA (by 12). The sad thing for Gonzaga is they play in North Carolina, the home state of opponent Davidson.
Mid-major Blood Bath
There are so many games featuring mid-major teams, it must have been deliberate. I mentioned the two matchups above where I would be content if all teams were two seeds higher. UNLV meets Kent St. in an 8-9, and Drake plays Western Kentucky in a 5-12. If you've watched these teams, you know that they could beat a major conference team of the same seed as their opponent. Instead, the mid-majors will beat themselves up in the first round. I have thought of the possibility that this actually guarantees some mid-majors will be in the second round. But the mid-majors would win against power conference teams anyway. In addition, I'd move up all but Drake, who got a fair seed.
Up and Down
So who would I knock down a few seeds? UCONN down from a 4. Oklahoma down from a 6. Marquette down from a 6. Miami FL down from a 7. Mississippi St. down from an 8. Arkansas down from a 9. Who am I moving up besides those above? West Virginia up from a 7. St. Mary's up from a 10. Cal St. Fullerton up from a 14.
You're Out
There are some teams that I can't believe made it in. Villanova should not have made it. There is no way Arizona should have made it. They were 8-10 in the conference. VCU was 15-3 in their conference. It's true that the top of the Pac 10 is better than the top of the CAA and the bottom of the CAA is worse than the bottom of the Pac 10, but there is far more overlap than the major conferences would like to admit. Winning 7 more conference games than another team should count for something. Oregon also should not have made it. Baylor is the prime example of a team that shouldn't get in. Their only major non-conference win was against Notre Dame. They only beat Kansas State in the conference, stacking up wins against weaker Big 12 opponents. I'm not convinced Kansas St should be in either, but I digress. Baylor was 9-7 in the conference and 21-10 overall with only two wins of note. How is that better than a team with a much better record? The system is fixed against mid majors.
Kentucky has a terrible record but were 12-4 in conference. I can see a case for them to be in. But they should have gotten a worse seed than 11. I don't think there's anything wrong with giving an at large team a 13 or 14 seed if that's what they deserve.
Favorites and Locals
George Mason got a 12 seed and will face Notre Dame. If we can stop their perimeter game, I like our chances. The 12 seed is a bit disappointing, but we're in a good spot in the bracket. Kansas State got an 11 seed and we beat them, but of course that doesn't matter, that would make too much sense. Georgetown got a 2 seed. That's what the Hoyas deserve, but I don't like the potential second round matchup. It's either an underrated Gonzaga team or an underrated Davidson team near their home. I also don't like that DC area teams will face off early. Six area teams made it and Georgetown plays UMBC while Mount St. Mary's faces Coppin State in the opening round game. The other team is American.
Championship Week
Championship week was exciting as usual. I was very impressed by Georgia's run into the tournament. I don't believe teams with such a poor record should have the opportunity to play into the NCAA tournament, but I can't take anything away from Georgia's run, winning two games on Saturday, because of a tornado delay, and winning again today. Miami OH should be very proud of their season. They gave Kent State quite the scare in the MAC semifinal. Tim Pollitz left a little floater just a bit short at the end of the game that would have sent it into overtime. They dictated tempo against a very talented Kent State team and nearly pulled off the upset.
Monday, November 26, 2007
My Teams on TV
Here's a list of games featuring my teams that I've been able to watch on tv. Keep in mind I don't have your HDs or Tivos or whatever. I got the same good old basic cable that we've had since 1988.
Buffalo Bills 5-6
opponent - result
Pittsburgh - L
NY Jets - W
Dallas - L
Baltimore - W
Cincinnati - W
New England - L
Jacksonville - L
I'm glad I've got to watch so many Bills games this season. It's probably more games than I've been able to see over the last several years combined. They've been an easy team to root for, filled with underdogs and featuring exciting games.
New York Knicks 3-9
opponent - result
Denver - W
Chicago - W
The only thing that could turn this team around is if I'm able (and willing) to watch them.
college basketball
George Mason Patriots 5-1
opponent - result
Vermont - W
Kansas State - W
Villanova - L
Mason is a team with the talent to make the NCAA tournament and then ruin your bracket again. Folarin Campbell and Will Thomas are the team's best players and both started in the 2006 Final Four. The role players are quite talented as well.
Miami RedHawks 3-1
opponent - results
Southern California - L
Mississippi State - W
Bramos and Tim Pollitz are the two best players for a team that utilizes a methodical style. They have plenty of hardworking role players. With wins over Xavier and Mississippi State, Miami is on their way to creating a strong resume to make the NCAA Tournament, where their style could upset somebody.
Georgetown Hoyas 3-0
I haven't seen Georgetown play yet. Roy Hibbert, Jesse Sapp, DeJuan Sommers, and Jonathan Wallace are the best returning players from last year's Final Four team.
college football
Miami RedHawks 6-6
opponent - result
Akron - W
Couldn't really tell you anything about them. I'm just not a college football fan because of the stupid BCS. All I know it that Akron game was probably the most boring game I've ever watched, despite the combined 4 interceptions in the end zone.
Buffalo Bills 5-6
opponent - result
Pittsburgh - L
NY Jets - W
Dallas - L
Baltimore - W
Cincinnati - W
New England - L
Jacksonville - L
I'm glad I've got to watch so many Bills games this season. It's probably more games than I've been able to see over the last several years combined. They've been an easy team to root for, filled with underdogs and featuring exciting games.
New York Knicks 3-9
opponent - result
Denver - W
Chicago - W
The only thing that could turn this team around is if I'm able (and willing) to watch them.
college basketball
George Mason Patriots 5-1
opponent - result
Vermont - W
Kansas State - W
Villanova - L
Mason is a team with the talent to make the NCAA tournament and then ruin your bracket again. Folarin Campbell and Will Thomas are the team's best players and both started in the 2006 Final Four. The role players are quite talented as well.
Miami RedHawks 3-1
opponent - results
Southern California - L
Mississippi State - W
Bramos and Tim Pollitz are the two best players for a team that utilizes a methodical style. They have plenty of hardworking role players. With wins over Xavier and Mississippi State, Miami is on their way to creating a strong resume to make the NCAA Tournament, where their style could upset somebody.
Georgetown Hoyas 3-0
I haven't seen Georgetown play yet. Roy Hibbert, Jesse Sapp, DeJuan Sommers, and Jonathan Wallace are the best returning players from last year's Final Four team.
college football
Miami RedHawks 6-6
opponent - result
Akron - W
Couldn't really tell you anything about them. I'm just not a college football fan because of the stupid BCS. All I know it that Akron game was probably the most boring game I've ever watched, despite the combined 4 interceptions in the end zone.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Final Four Recap
It felt like Georgetown never really got into the game against Ohio State in the semis. The Hoyas hung tough, as they have the previous three games, but couldn't make their customary surge at the end. Instead, Ohio State squirted away in the final few minutes.
Greg Oden got in early foul trouble and wasn't a factor in the first half. Roy Hibbert lasted longer, and was more effective in the first frame, but he too committed his 2nd foul early. Both centers played well in the second half. Jeff Green didn't assert himself to the degree the Hoyas needed. He only played well in spurts. Mike Conley has been amazing this tournament and he continued that trend. It's certainly disappointing to watch another one of my teams lose in the national semifinals again. But it's been a remarkable run. Georgetown had a great season and I'm proud of them. They showed that hustle and discipline still play an important part of college basketball. And a few pro prospects never hurt.
You've got to feel bad for Arron Afflalo. For the second straight year, Corey Brewer and the Florida Gators frustrated him and ended his dream. He ended with 17 points, all in the second half, and none of them very important to the ultimate outcome. Florida dominated this game with their size. The battle of the ugly-off was no contest. Noah was just one of three-headed monster (Horford and Richard), whereas Lorenzo Mata is not as talented as any of that trifecta.
Monday night features a rematch of the college football championship. Florida's trying to repeat their football team's result and as men's national basketball champion. Unfortunately, I like their chances.
Greg Oden got in early foul trouble and wasn't a factor in the first half. Roy Hibbert lasted longer, and was more effective in the first frame, but he too committed his 2nd foul early. Both centers played well in the second half. Jeff Green didn't assert himself to the degree the Hoyas needed. He only played well in spurts. Mike Conley has been amazing this tournament and he continued that trend. It's certainly disappointing to watch another one of my teams lose in the national semifinals again. But it's been a remarkable run. Georgetown had a great season and I'm proud of them. They showed that hustle and discipline still play an important part of college basketball. And a few pro prospects never hurt.
You've got to feel bad for Arron Afflalo. For the second straight year, Corey Brewer and the Florida Gators frustrated him and ended his dream. He ended with 17 points, all in the second half, and none of them very important to the ultimate outcome. Florida dominated this game with their size. The battle of the ugly-off was no contest. Noah was just one of three-headed monster (Horford and Richard), whereas Lorenzo Mata is not as talented as any of that trifecta.
Monday night features a rematch of the college football championship. Florida's trying to repeat their football team's result and as men's national basketball champion. Unfortunately, I like their chances.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Elite 8 Recap
By George it's happened again! Last year, George Mason, my graduate school, shocked most of the nation to advance to the Final Four. This year Georgetown, the school mom teaches at, has made the Final Four after their third straight comeback win.
North Carolina held the lead over Georgetown for much of the game thanks to an overwhelming advantage at the free throw line. But Georgetown stayed confident. Whenever Roy Hibbert entered the game, the Hoyas seemed to click on offense. Unfortunately, he was in foul trouble for much of the game. With 25 seconds to go, Jonathan Wallace threw up a three that went in to tie the game. The Hoyas defense continued their stout ways on UNC final possession of regulation. In overtime, UNC did not score a point until there were only 7 seconds left in the game. It was an outstanding defensive display, and I'm quite happy.
Florida beat Oregon thanks to Lee Humphry's shooting. UCLA out-defended Kansas and Brandon Rush, who looks like the offspring of his brother Kareem and Paul Pierce. Memphis' Joey Dorsey claimed that he was actually the mighty Goliath and Ohio State's 7 foot star Greg Oden was the lowly David, before their contest. The someone reminded Dorsey that David won that fight. I guess that's what Memphis education gets you. And just like Goliath, Dorsey and Memphis lost.
I got the Final 4 completely correct, which sort of makes up for my earlier stumbles. But I still don't understand why CBS doesn't call it their "Ace Sunday Lineup." It's gold.
Goodbye The George Michael Sports Machine.
North Carolina held the lead over Georgetown for much of the game thanks to an overwhelming advantage at the free throw line. But Georgetown stayed confident. Whenever Roy Hibbert entered the game, the Hoyas seemed to click on offense. Unfortunately, he was in foul trouble for much of the game. With 25 seconds to go, Jonathan Wallace threw up a three that went in to tie the game. The Hoyas defense continued their stout ways on UNC final possession of regulation. In overtime, UNC did not score a point until there were only 7 seconds left in the game. It was an outstanding defensive display, and I'm quite happy.
Florida beat Oregon thanks to Lee Humphry's shooting. UCLA out-defended Kansas and Brandon Rush, who looks like the offspring of his brother Kareem and Paul Pierce. Memphis' Joey Dorsey claimed that he was actually the mighty Goliath and Ohio State's 7 foot star Greg Oden was the lowly David, before their contest. The someone reminded Dorsey that David won that fight. I guess that's what Memphis education gets you. And just like Goliath, Dorsey and Memphis lost.
I got the Final 4 completely correct, which sort of makes up for my earlier stumbles. But I still don't understand why CBS doesn't call it their "Ace Sunday Lineup." It's gold.
Goodbye The George Michael Sports Machine.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Sweet 16 Recap
Heading into Thursday's games, I could have correctly predicted 6 out of the 8 possible games. I got 4 of those correct. All of my Final 4 teams are still in, which hasn't happened for me this late in the tournament for quite some time. But it's not a good feeling. The lack of upsets is unsettling. I knew it was coming too, but there's something in my DNA that doesn't allow me to be conservative or root for the favorite.
Thursday's games were exciting. Southern Illinois exhibited their excellent defense against Kansas. Unfortunately, a couple of calls went against them and a couple of balls didn't bounce their way. There was controversy at the end of the Memphis-Texas A&M game. With 3.1 seconds left, Texas A&M in bounded the ball and a Memphis player tipped it out of bounds. The clock continued to read 3.1 seconds. The referees eventually determined that 1.1 seconds ran off. Some believed that only a few tenths of a second should be subtracted because the ball bounced out of bounds immediately after being touched. Replays showed that the balled bounced out and then took a big bounce. But all of that is irrelevant. The whistle blew early and Texas A&M should have had more time to run the ball up and get a better shot on the last play of the game.
Ohio State impressively came back from down 20 to Tennessee. Greg Oden, who was in foul trouble for much of the game, closed the game out with a block. UCLA beat Pittsburgh. Friday saw Florida come back to beat Butler and Oregon hold off UNLV. UNC made a dramatic comeback against USC. USC coach Tim Floyd received a technical foul at the end of the game solidifying his team's fate. He's a moron. At least now he has more time to devote to defending O.J. Mayo.
Georgetown won in dramatic fashion. Down 1, with Roy Hibbert fouled out, Jeff Green was double teamed. The clock was fading fast. Green split the defense and banked home the winning shot. Seth Davis and Clark Kellogg called it a travel after the fact, because he lifted his stationary foot. It's not a travel unless that stationary foot comes back down, which it did not. Otherwise, every lay-up ever would be a travel. It's a shame that the so-called experts don't know the rules and worse that they have the power to tarnish a wonderful win for Georgetown. Hibbert and Green both had big second halves for the second straight game. The Hoyas can't get off to their customary slow start against the Tar Heels Sunday, and I don't believe they will.
Thursday's games were exciting. Southern Illinois exhibited their excellent defense against Kansas. Unfortunately, a couple of calls went against them and a couple of balls didn't bounce their way. There was controversy at the end of the Memphis-Texas A&M game. With 3.1 seconds left, Texas A&M in bounded the ball and a Memphis player tipped it out of bounds. The clock continued to read 3.1 seconds. The referees eventually determined that 1.1 seconds ran off. Some believed that only a few tenths of a second should be subtracted because the ball bounced out of bounds immediately after being touched. Replays showed that the balled bounced out and then took a big bounce. But all of that is irrelevant. The whistle blew early and Texas A&M should have had more time to run the ball up and get a better shot on the last play of the game.
Ohio State impressively came back from down 20 to Tennessee. Greg Oden, who was in foul trouble for much of the game, closed the game out with a block. UCLA beat Pittsburgh. Friday saw Florida come back to beat Butler and Oregon hold off UNLV. UNC made a dramatic comeback against USC. USC coach Tim Floyd received a technical foul at the end of the game solidifying his team's fate. He's a moron. At least now he has more time to devote to defending O.J. Mayo.
Georgetown won in dramatic fashion. Down 1, with Roy Hibbert fouled out, Jeff Green was double teamed. The clock was fading fast. Green split the defense and banked home the winning shot. Seth Davis and Clark Kellogg called it a travel after the fact, because he lifted his stationary foot. It's not a travel unless that stationary foot comes back down, which it did not. Otherwise, every lay-up ever would be a travel. It's a shame that the so-called experts don't know the rules and worse that they have the power to tarnish a wonderful win for Georgetown. Hibbert and Green both had big second halves for the second straight game. The Hoyas can't get off to their customary slow start against the Tar Heels Sunday, and I don't believe they will.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
NCAA Tournament, Day 3
The Georgetown game made me sweat a bit and it wasn't just from eating hot wings. Although the hot wings were solely responsible for the diarrhea. Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green stepped it up in the second half to defeat Boston College. In their first game Sommers was huge; today it was Jonathan Wallace. The Hoyas play Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16 on Friday.
The rest of the day was exciting. Maryland somehow lost, even though they are better than the 1992 Dream Team. And Mike Jones! Who? Mike Jones! He is so great; he almost caught that pass at the end of the game. Maryland was drastically overrated and Butler took them out. VCU gave Pittsburgh a scare. Down 19, the Rams came back and sent the game into overtime. The Panthers Fields missed two free throws at the end of regulation, but played well in the overtime.
Ohio State made a late surge to send their game against Xavier into overtime. With Greg Oden fouled out, Mike Conley took over the game in the extra period and the Buckeyes finished with more points. Texas A&M outlasted Louisville and UNC pulled away from Michigan State towards the end. UCLA appeared on their way to an easy victory until Indian stormed back, but came up short. That seems to be the theme of the tournament.
Coming into the day, I could win 6 out of 8. I won 5, losing Michigan State. Three of my Final 4 teams, Georgetown, UCLA, and Ohio State advanced and I lost none of my Elite 8 teams. All in all, a good day.
The rest of the day was exciting. Maryland somehow lost, even though they are better than the 1992 Dream Team. And Mike Jones! Who? Mike Jones! He is so great; he almost caught that pass at the end of the game. Maryland was drastically overrated and Butler took them out. VCU gave Pittsburgh a scare. Down 19, the Rams came back and sent the game into overtime. The Panthers Fields missed two free throws at the end of regulation, but played well in the overtime.
Ohio State made a late surge to send their game against Xavier into overtime. With Greg Oden fouled out, Mike Conley took over the game in the extra period and the Buckeyes finished with more points. Texas A&M outlasted Louisville and UNC pulled away from Michigan State towards the end. UCLA appeared on their way to an easy victory until Indian stormed back, but came up short. That seems to be the theme of the tournament.
Coming into the day, I could win 6 out of 8. I won 5, losing Michigan State. Three of my Final 4 teams, Georgetown, UCLA, and Ohio State advanced and I lost none of my Elite 8 teams. All in all, a good day.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Reaction to Men's NCAA Tourny Seeds
It's time to dust off the ole Circumcised Penis Index (CPI) to determine how the committee faired.
Should be in
I'm glad that a number of pundits agree that Drexel should have made it in. The committee claimed that sure, the Dragons played and won a number of non-conference road games, but they didn't take care of business in their conference. They were 13-5 in a confernce with VCU, ODU, and a Final Four team from last year, George Mason. The committee said that reasonable minds can differ, and they can, but unreasonable minds can leave Drexel out of the tournament.
Jim Boeheim convinced me that Syracuse belongs in as well. They were 10-6 in the Big East playing the top teams that conference has to offer. This belief is not influenced by the fact that the left nostril of a college professor of mine reminded me of Jim Boeheim.
Air Force was ranked for almost the entire season and beat some teams that just made it in.
Should be out
Arkansas was 7-9 in the SEC. That is bad. I would argue it is worse than 10-6 in the Big East and 13-5 in the Colonial, and you know what, I would win that argument. Their schedule was ranked 15 toughest (sarcastic clapping), that's great, but try winning some more of those tough contests. Making the SEC tournament final shouldn't be enough to get in.
I remember when Illinois was good and deserved to be in. They didn't win the tough games that they played this year. And I'm really starting to dislike their Amerindian-bashing. I know I need to kick out one more team to make it even, but nobody's paying me for this shit. Eh, how 'bout Stanford. Five big wins, but 12 losses.
Amerindians at Illinois
These teams were treated unfairly. Nevada lost 5 games all year. Other teams of similar ilk (SIU, Butler) got better seeds. Nevada was ranked in the top 10 for much of the year and got a 7 seed. Notre Dame got a 6, which is not a tragedy, but I'll take this time to mention that the Big East was vastly undervalued. Each team was slightly downgraded, but overall the Big East were the Orangemen and Redmen of college basketball. Wright State, named after either the innovative flying brothers or the former San Francisco 49er defensive back (where's my fact checker when I need her), won the Horizon League over Butler. Not just the fluky tournament, they won the regular season too!
Provided sexual favors
Maryland got a 4 seed. Even Maryland alum were anticipating a 6 seed and were ready to be quite pleased. Looks like losing to the worst team in the conference twice helped. Virginia Tech's 5 seed is not as outrageous as Maryland's 4, but the ACC was overrated at the expense of the Big East. Purdue should not be 3 spots better than Illinois (who shouldn't have been in). Vanderbilt got the same seed as the number 2 team in the Big East, Louisville. It pains me to dog a "mid-major" but Butler is a bit too high; move Nevada up instead. Memphis was essentially a "mid-major" conference winner and somehow got a 2 seed.
The pundits
I'm sure Winthrop is a lovely school with lovely people associated with it. But they ain't George Mason. There's only one George Mason and that's George Mason. Every pundit needs to shut-the-hell up and stop acting like you didn't publicly humiliate us at Mason before the tournament started last year. Jay Bilas pulls the same shit every year. He admittedly ignores the RPI in favor of strength of schedule which is determined by... duh, RPI moron! Digger Phelps believe Kansas State should be in because the beat Texas Tech and Texas Tech beat somebody in the tournament. He's clueless. And how come zero pundits are willing to put their balls on the line and actually pick a Final Four sleeper?
My favorite teams
Georgetown got a 2 and will face Belmont. Hopefully the Hoyas can win that derby. Sorry. Miami got a 14 and plays Oregon. The seed is a bit disappointing and Oregon is very talented, but maybe the clash of styles works in the Redhawks favor.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
One of Those Days
Today was a good day. The Miami Redhawks were down by 2 points with 6.6 seconds to play against Akron. My brother, a Miami alum, didn't get to watch the game, but a friend fed him the play-by-play at the end of the game. I can imagine how that went, "Middleton missed the free throw. We got the ball. Up to Penno, who shoots for three. WHAAAOHMYGAWD-WEWONYESYESWEWONYESYESITSOVERWEWONWEAREDANCING-BIGDANCEBABYYEEEEAAAAHH!"
For the layperson, who doesn't speak Ecstatic-fan, Penno banked home a winning three-point shot that sent Miami to the NCAA Tournament. As it turned out, the clock started late on the rebound. Penno got his shot off with well over a second to go in the game and the ball went through the net with triple zeros showing on the clock. To anyone who has half-a brain it seemed clear: the timekeeper messed up a bit, but thankfully it didn't matter. You can't act as if the clock started on time, because Miami would have shot the ball earlier.
But that's not how the MAC works. They don't use logic. Instead, they inexplicably added 0.6 seconds on the clock to give Akron a chance. After the game, Akron's coach Keith "Crybaby" Dambrot showed little class, though his team caught a bit of a break. His whining takes away from the good play of Wood and Travis. The entire episode takes away from Tim Politz's amazing tournament. Miami's probably going to get anywhere from an 11-13 seed.
Georgetown beat Pittsburgh easily. I still believe that the Hoyas deserve a #1 seed, but a #2 is probably in order. While the Hoyas were winning on the Knicks home court, the Knicks beat the Wizards on Georgetown's floor, thanks to a Steve Francis buzzer-beating three. I didn't realize the Blair High School grad was still alive.
In the name of sentimental underdogs, here's hoping Sidney Lowe and his NC State Wolfpack can win one more. Old Dominion and Drexel are looking better as at large bids. Now the committee needs to come through.
For the layperson, who doesn't speak Ecstatic-fan, Penno banked home a winning three-point shot that sent Miami to the NCAA Tournament. As it turned out, the clock started late on the rebound. Penno got his shot off with well over a second to go in the game and the ball went through the net with triple zeros showing on the clock. To anyone who has half-a brain it seemed clear: the timekeeper messed up a bit, but thankfully it didn't matter. You can't act as if the clock started on time, because Miami would have shot the ball earlier.
But that's not how the MAC works. They don't use logic. Instead, they inexplicably added 0.6 seconds on the clock to give Akron a chance. After the game, Akron's coach Keith "Crybaby" Dambrot showed little class, though his team caught a bit of a break. His whining takes away from the good play of Wood and Travis. The entire episode takes away from Tim Politz's amazing tournament. Miami's probably going to get anywhere from an 11-13 seed.
Georgetown beat Pittsburgh easily. I still believe that the Hoyas deserve a #1 seed, but a #2 is probably in order. While the Hoyas were winning on the Knicks home court, the Knicks beat the Wizards on Georgetown's floor, thanks to a Steve Francis buzzer-beating three. I didn't realize the Blair High School grad was still alive.
In the name of sentimental underdogs, here's hoping Sidney Lowe and his NC State Wolfpack can win one more. Old Dominion and Drexel are looking better as at large bids. Now the committee needs to come through.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
My Men's College Basketball Teams
Georgetown - The Hoyas are the hometown team and mom teaches at the medical school. if they win the Big East Tournament they should get a #1 seed in the East in the big tournament. Got it? Center Roy Hibbard has something no other player from a contending school has: a 7'2" stature. Throw in the all-around expertise and experience of 6'9" forward Jeff Green, the good play of Jonathan Wallace, and the bench led by the energetic Patrick Ewing Jr. and the Hoyas are my choice for champ.
George Mason - My grad school. The Patriots followed their Final Four trip its worst season in a decade. Gabe Norwood was the only senior who got playing time. He was a nice role player, but it was far from the three senior leaders of last year. Next year Folarin Campbell, Will Thomas, and Monroe will be seniors and the team's record will be much better than 18-15. Jordan Carter and Dre Smith will probably be starters from the beginning and GMU should get off to a good start. Mason will probably get an NIT bid this year.
Miami (OH) - My brother's school. Still could win the MAC tournament. I didn't get to watch the Red Hawks this year, but it seems Charley Coles recruits these very athletic guys and then squanders the strength of their game by playing this slow-down offense. Peavy had a good year from what I understand. I'm just thankful that my brother graduated and I never have to drive down windy Route 27 fearing for my life that one of the local yokels from Hamilton with their red Klan candles in their windows will, well... you know.
Goucher - My college. The Division III Gophers struggled this season. At least it was better than last year. When 7-18 is an improvement, it might be time for a change at coach.
In other news:
The CAA should at least be a 2-bid league. Not only was it a Final Four conference last year, but ODU and Drexel deserve to make it this year. Both have good records which result in good RPIs. ODU beat Georgetown at Georgetown. Drexel has 14 true road wins and has beaten some tournament teams as well.
George Mason - My grad school. The Patriots followed their Final Four trip its worst season in a decade. Gabe Norwood was the only senior who got playing time. He was a nice role player, but it was far from the three senior leaders of last year. Next year Folarin Campbell, Will Thomas, and Monroe will be seniors and the team's record will be much better than 18-15. Jordan Carter and Dre Smith will probably be starters from the beginning and GMU should get off to a good start. Mason will probably get an NIT bid this year.
Miami (OH) - My brother's school. Still could win the MAC tournament. I didn't get to watch the Red Hawks this year, but it seems Charley Coles recruits these very athletic guys and then squanders the strength of their game by playing this slow-down offense. Peavy had a good year from what I understand. I'm just thankful that my brother graduated and I never have to drive down windy Route 27 fearing for my life that one of the local yokels from Hamilton with their red Klan candles in their windows will, well... you know.
Goucher - My college. The Division III Gophers struggled this season. At least it was better than last year. When 7-18 is an improvement, it might be time for a change at coach.
In other news:
The CAA should at least be a 2-bid league. Not only was it a Final Four conference last year, but ODU and Drexel deserve to make it this year. Both have good records which result in good RPIs. ODU beat Georgetown at Georgetown. Drexel has 14 true road wins and has beaten some tournament teams as well.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
The White Guy At The End Of Georgetown's Bench
After my long run of sarcastic posts, let me be seriously for a moment.
Georgetown defeated Savannah State rather handily Wednesday night. This allowed Coach Thompson to empty his bench and give some of his lesser players some time on the floor.
Georgetown has two white players. Both entered the game. When they so much as touched the ball, the Georgetown faithful at MCI went absolutely crazy. There is not much that exemplifies the racism in America better than the way white fans cheer or jeer white players.
Of course players who are little-used tend to be fan-favorites. But it's pretty obvious that white basketball players are heavily preferred by white fans. This Georgetown example, which was so blatant and ridiculous, shows how even a foreign white player is more popular than any black player on the team, even the senior Bowman or the leading scorer Hibbert.
Some white liberal fans disparage white players, thinking that they are being sensitive to black people. In reality, they are really chastising white players for being out of place. They shouldn't be using there bodies, they should be using their minds. Of course, this type of prejudice dates back to the days of slavery.
Hopefully, we can get to the point where players are not lauded based on their race, but on their character and athletic ability.
Georgetown defeated Savannah State rather handily Wednesday night. This allowed Coach Thompson to empty his bench and give some of his lesser players some time on the floor.
Georgetown has two white players. Both entered the game. When they so much as touched the ball, the Georgetown faithful at MCI went absolutely crazy. There is not much that exemplifies the racism in America better than the way white fans cheer or jeer white players.
Of course players who are little-used tend to be fan-favorites. But it's pretty obvious that white basketball players are heavily preferred by white fans. This Georgetown example, which was so blatant and ridiculous, shows how even a foreign white player is more popular than any black player on the team, even the senior Bowman or the leading scorer Hibbert.
Some white liberal fans disparage white players, thinking that they are being sensitive to black people. In reality, they are really chastising white players for being out of place. They shouldn't be using there bodies, they should be using their minds. Of course, this type of prejudice dates back to the days of slavery.
Hopefully, we can get to the point where players are not lauded based on their race, but on their character and athletic ability.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Review of Championship Week
Well we've come to the end of championship week in college basketball (unless you count tomorrow). I meant to get a haircut this past Monday, but always there was a college basketball game, so I said to myself, "I'll watch the game and maybe I'll get a haircut tomorrow." But, my friends, tomorrow has yet to arrive.
Of the many memorable moments, only a few are memorable enough for me to remember them right now. We'll start with today's Conference USA championship. Now my brother and I were rooting for Louisville, to free up another tournament spot. The Memphis freshman Darius Washington, who had played beautifully when it counted the most, drew a foul shooting a three with no time left on the clock. Memphis was down 2. Washington strolled to the line with a confidence seldom seen from a freshman. He made the first, they were down 1. The second shot rimmed out, still down 1. The final shot: Washington released the ball from his hands, the ball struck the rim and rolled around until it fell. And with the ball, Washington fell too, his head buried in his jersey in mortification. He fell to the ground. The announcer appropriately mentioned, "Somebody's gotta help that kid up." A teammate and his coach tried to pick him up, but Washington was pasted to the ground. In his mind he had lost the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament for his team.
I heard a delayed yell from upstairs. It was my brother, Ian, in glee. I couldn't help but think to myself, as much as I wanted Louisville to win, I wish he would've made just one more and then Memphis lose in overtime? Ian came downstairs and I jumped into his arms screaming with joy. Ian was screaming for joy too. Then, when we collected ourselves, I said how truly heartbreaking that moment was. Ian replied, "I was kinda hoping he'd make one and then Louisville win in overtime."
Of course, that miss got his senior teammate off the hook, who fouled a Louisville player while the player was shooting and making a three.
Early in the SEC tournament South Carolina was playing Ole Miss or somebody. The SC player made a three to tie the game with very little time left. Ole Miss inbounded the ball and SC intercepted the pass and called timeout. During the timeout the refs determined the shot was only a two-pointer. South Carolina eventually lost. Of course this brings up a couple of issues. First, there was no indisputable evidence according to replays that says whether that shot was a two or a three, so you have to stay with the original call on the floor, which was a 3. Then, Ole Miss, threw an errant pass forcing the issue, because they assumed they were tied. Of course, up one, they would have taken a more conservative approach.
The Big East semifinal between UCONN and Syracuse featured over 50 offensive rebounds from both teams combined. 50 offensive rebounds!
Nate Robinson from Washington earned my respect big time. Not only is he short, although much taller than me, this guy can play. Short people can play, often times much better than big guys. Washington impressed me, especially winning a couple close games.
A tip for Nevada: When you're up by one, and the other team is shooting a free throw, you might want to box out. I apologize for not giving you this memo before your game with Boise State.
A New Mexico Lobos fan held up a horrible sign during their semifinal game in my Mountain West conference tournament. It read:
SEE YOU AT
THE DANCE
DYKES!
Of course, it's not that bad, because the sign was referring to ESPN college basketball announcer Jimmy Dykes, who felt the Lobos poor strength of schedule may have kept them out of the NCAA Tournament unless they won the MWC championship, which they did. The fan evidently realized the potential disaster and a friend held up a makeshift sign that said "Jimmy" beside DYKES to reprieve the unintentionally offensive poster.
Who I strongly feel should be in or out:
IN:
NC State - They've done enough in the ACC tournament to compensate for their below .500 conference record. Beating Wake Forest solidified their selection.
Miami (OH) - They won the regular season MAC championship. The MAC was rated the 9th best conference. The 9th rated conference always gets 2 teams in. Miami is the logical choice winning the regular season title and beating teams like Purdue and Witchita St. on Bracket Buster weekend.
St. Mary's - They should probably get in because they have so many wins in the 7th rated conference. They are clearly the 2nd best team in a conference that includes Gonzaga.
OUT:
Maryland - I've live in Maryland my entire life, they should not make it this year. They beat Duke twice, which is very good. But they were below .500 in their conference and did nothing in the ACC tournament. They lost to Clemson 3 times. 3 times! They couldn't win when it counted. They're also on a bad losing streak to end the year. It would be a sports travesty if they made it in.
Notre Dame - I've actually grown to like Chris Thomas, but their RPI is bad. They also lost when it counted in the Big East tourney. To Rutgers! They also lost some important home games towards the end.
Virginia Tech - If you put Maryland in, then you got to put Vtech in too, and Clemson for that matter. Virginia Tech actually won as many conference games as they lost, until they lost in the tournament. Their weak schedule hurts too.
Miami (Fl) - If they make it in, we know that the commissioner of the ACC and the Miami (FL) athletic director have had sex with people other than their spouses within the last week.
Indiana - Their run a few years ago was really inspiring. I really like Mike Davis. Please, please, please don't fire him you racist hicks. But at 15-13, unless many of those 13 losses were against NBA teams, Western Conference NBA teams, (not the Warriors), then there is no way they should make it in.
DePaul - nope, pick a more deserving non-major conference team (see above).
Vanderbilt - hell no.
Teams that I don't care so much if they get in, but here's my opinion anyway:
Georgetown - I root for Georgetown. They'll make it next year. They struggled at the end too much to make it this year.
Iowa - I'm not so sure. Logic says no. They were behind Indiana in the conference, but they may have played their way in the tournament.
Texas A & M - Not this year. That tourney loss sealed their fate.
UAB - Beating DePaul helps, but how many teams does Conference USA deserve? I say 3, Louisville, Cincinnati, Charlotte.
UCLA - An announcer said if you give their resume to a different school they're not getting in. But, barring some immediate discovery involving teleportation, they'll make it, and have a good seed.
Seeds:
Gonzaga - don't screw 'em just cuz they lost last year.
Pacific - give 'em a decent seed, like a 7.
Georgia Tech - If they win the ACC tournament, maybe a 6, or stretching it, a 5. Remember they were 8-8 in conference play. Elder is not Lew Alcindor.
Illinois is a 1. if Duke wins, they're a 1. If Kentucky wins, they're a 1. If Kentucky loses, they still might be a 1. The other 1 should go to Louisville or UNC. Don't give it to Kansas. Can't wait til the Big Dance!
Of the many memorable moments, only a few are memorable enough for me to remember them right now. We'll start with today's Conference USA championship. Now my brother and I were rooting for Louisville, to free up another tournament spot. The Memphis freshman Darius Washington, who had played beautifully when it counted the most, drew a foul shooting a three with no time left on the clock. Memphis was down 2. Washington strolled to the line with a confidence seldom seen from a freshman. He made the first, they were down 1. The second shot rimmed out, still down 1. The final shot: Washington released the ball from his hands, the ball struck the rim and rolled around until it fell. And with the ball, Washington fell too, his head buried in his jersey in mortification. He fell to the ground. The announcer appropriately mentioned, "Somebody's gotta help that kid up." A teammate and his coach tried to pick him up, but Washington was pasted to the ground. In his mind he had lost the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament for his team.
I heard a delayed yell from upstairs. It was my brother, Ian, in glee. I couldn't help but think to myself, as much as I wanted Louisville to win, I wish he would've made just one more and then Memphis lose in overtime? Ian came downstairs and I jumped into his arms screaming with joy. Ian was screaming for joy too. Then, when we collected ourselves, I said how truly heartbreaking that moment was. Ian replied, "I was kinda hoping he'd make one and then Louisville win in overtime."
Of course, that miss got his senior teammate off the hook, who fouled a Louisville player while the player was shooting and making a three.
Early in the SEC tournament South Carolina was playing Ole Miss or somebody. The SC player made a three to tie the game with very little time left. Ole Miss inbounded the ball and SC intercepted the pass and called timeout. During the timeout the refs determined the shot was only a two-pointer. South Carolina eventually lost. Of course this brings up a couple of issues. First, there was no indisputable evidence according to replays that says whether that shot was a two or a three, so you have to stay with the original call on the floor, which was a 3. Then, Ole Miss, threw an errant pass forcing the issue, because they assumed they were tied. Of course, up one, they would have taken a more conservative approach.
The Big East semifinal between UCONN and Syracuse featured over 50 offensive rebounds from both teams combined. 50 offensive rebounds!
Nate Robinson from Washington earned my respect big time. Not only is he short, although much taller than me, this guy can play. Short people can play, often times much better than big guys. Washington impressed me, especially winning a couple close games.
A tip for Nevada: When you're up by one, and the other team is shooting a free throw, you might want to box out. I apologize for not giving you this memo before your game with Boise State.
A New Mexico Lobos fan held up a horrible sign during their semifinal game in my Mountain West conference tournament. It read:
SEE YOU AT
THE DANCE
DYKES!
Of course, it's not that bad, because the sign was referring to ESPN college basketball announcer Jimmy Dykes, who felt the Lobos poor strength of schedule may have kept them out of the NCAA Tournament unless they won the MWC championship, which they did. The fan evidently realized the potential disaster and a friend held up a makeshift sign that said "Jimmy" beside DYKES to reprieve the unintentionally offensive poster.
Who I strongly feel should be in or out:
IN:
NC State - They've done enough in the ACC tournament to compensate for their below .500 conference record. Beating Wake Forest solidified their selection.
Miami (OH) - They won the regular season MAC championship. The MAC was rated the 9th best conference. The 9th rated conference always gets 2 teams in. Miami is the logical choice winning the regular season title and beating teams like Purdue and Witchita St. on Bracket Buster weekend.
St. Mary's - They should probably get in because they have so many wins in the 7th rated conference. They are clearly the 2nd best team in a conference that includes Gonzaga.
OUT:
Maryland - I've live in Maryland my entire life, they should not make it this year. They beat Duke twice, which is very good. But they were below .500 in their conference and did nothing in the ACC tournament. They lost to Clemson 3 times. 3 times! They couldn't win when it counted. They're also on a bad losing streak to end the year. It would be a sports travesty if they made it in.
Notre Dame - I've actually grown to like Chris Thomas, but their RPI is bad. They also lost when it counted in the Big East tourney. To Rutgers! They also lost some important home games towards the end.
Virginia Tech - If you put Maryland in, then you got to put Vtech in too, and Clemson for that matter. Virginia Tech actually won as many conference games as they lost, until they lost in the tournament. Their weak schedule hurts too.
Miami (Fl) - If they make it in, we know that the commissioner of the ACC and the Miami (FL) athletic director have had sex with people other than their spouses within the last week.
Indiana - Their run a few years ago was really inspiring. I really like Mike Davis. Please, please, please don't fire him you racist hicks. But at 15-13, unless many of those 13 losses were against NBA teams, Western Conference NBA teams, (not the Warriors), then there is no way they should make it in.
DePaul - nope, pick a more deserving non-major conference team (see above).
Vanderbilt - hell no.
Teams that I don't care so much if they get in, but here's my opinion anyway:
Georgetown - I root for Georgetown. They'll make it next year. They struggled at the end too much to make it this year.
Iowa - I'm not so sure. Logic says no. They were behind Indiana in the conference, but they may have played their way in the tournament.
Texas A & M - Not this year. That tourney loss sealed their fate.
UAB - Beating DePaul helps, but how many teams does Conference USA deserve? I say 3, Louisville, Cincinnati, Charlotte.
UCLA - An announcer said if you give their resume to a different school they're not getting in. But, barring some immediate discovery involving teleportation, they'll make it, and have a good seed.
Seeds:
Gonzaga - don't screw 'em just cuz they lost last year.
Pacific - give 'em a decent seed, like a 7.
Georgia Tech - If they win the ACC tournament, maybe a 6, or stretching it, a 5. Remember they were 8-8 in conference play. Elder is not Lew Alcindor.
Illinois is a 1. if Duke wins, they're a 1. If Kentucky wins, they're a 1. If Kentucky loses, they still might be a 1. The other 1 should go to Louisville or UNC. Don't give it to Kansas. Can't wait til the Big Dance!
Friday, February 04, 2005
Lou Dobbs Thinks Killing is Fun
Normally I don't watch these pundit-type shows unless I want to watch some mindless drivel (although the Surreal Life is more entertaining, FLAVA FLAV!), but I was flipping through the channels after the Daily Show and came to an interesting story on Lou Dobbs' CNN program. The screen said something about Iran. However, I had come at the end of the segment. The next story was about Lt. Gen. James Mattis.
Evidently Lt. General Mattis stated at a panel discussion, "Actually, it's a lot of fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right upfront with you, I like brawling.''
Now, I had heard Mr. Dobbs call George Bush's tax cut for the richest one percent in the United States, "abysmal economics," before, so I figured that Mr. Dobbs was a voice of reason.
To my surprise, for the next five minutes, I was given a lecture by Lou Dobbs on how heroic this man has been, and that anyone who dared to criticize Lt. General Mattis' statements was overly politically correct.
Well, Mr. Dobbs, Mr. Lou Dobbs, it doesn't take a retard to realize that killing people is wrong. In fact, there's a Commandment about it. Maybe if the Ten Commandments were allowed on the stairs of the Alabama Supreme Court, you would know that. (By the way, that was a joke, I "killed" two birds with one stone there. Where's my medal?) Well, if killing people is wrong, surely enjoying killing people must be wrong too. Let me give you an example of what is and isn't politically correct. If I were to call you, Mr. Dobbs, big boned instead of the fat ass that you are, that would be because of political correctness. However, Lt. General Mattis' statements about enjoying murdering human beings are not merely politically incorrect, they are wrong. This is not what a hero is made of. A hero is someone who saves lives, not takes them. A hero is someone who makes people's lives better, not murders them. A hero is a single mother who raises two sons on her own and still finds the energy to go back to school and eventually teach mind-body medicine to medical students at Georgetown, not a homicidal maniac. It doesn't matter if the murder is wearing a uniform or not, he is a murderer. And, Mr. Dobbs, since you condone his actions, what does that make you?
(Shout out to ma! FYI, she's the Georgetown one, not the homicidal maniac).
Evidently Lt. General Mattis stated at a panel discussion, "Actually, it's a lot of fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right upfront with you, I like brawling.''
Now, I had heard Mr. Dobbs call George Bush's tax cut for the richest one percent in the United States, "abysmal economics," before, so I figured that Mr. Dobbs was a voice of reason.
To my surprise, for the next five minutes, I was given a lecture by Lou Dobbs on how heroic this man has been, and that anyone who dared to criticize Lt. General Mattis' statements was overly politically correct.
Well, Mr. Dobbs, Mr. Lou Dobbs, it doesn't take a retard to realize that killing people is wrong. In fact, there's a Commandment about it. Maybe if the Ten Commandments were allowed on the stairs of the Alabama Supreme Court, you would know that. (By the way, that was a joke, I "killed" two birds with one stone there. Where's my medal?) Well, if killing people is wrong, surely enjoying killing people must be wrong too. Let me give you an example of what is and isn't politically correct. If I were to call you, Mr. Dobbs, big boned instead of the fat ass that you are, that would be because of political correctness. However, Lt. General Mattis' statements about enjoying murdering human beings are not merely politically incorrect, they are wrong. This is not what a hero is made of. A hero is someone who saves lives, not takes them. A hero is someone who makes people's lives better, not murders them. A hero is a single mother who raises two sons on her own and still finds the energy to go back to school and eventually teach mind-body medicine to medical students at Georgetown, not a homicidal maniac. It doesn't matter if the murder is wearing a uniform or not, he is a murderer. And, Mr. Dobbs, since you condone his actions, what does that make you?
(Shout out to ma! FYI, she's the Georgetown one, not the homicidal maniac).
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