CONQUERING THE 2008 NCAA TOURNAMENT: March 2008

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Davidson: Cherishing Learning & Wearing Top Hats

With an outstanding education comes a suave confidence that the ladies cannot deny. Annie...I now know why you married Phil. Go Wildcats!!!

1020 & 8101

Predictions For Sunday's Elite Eight Games

Nothing too impressive about picking two number one seeds to win last night (which they did), but at least I wasn't wrong. With these last two games, the Final Four will be set.

Texas over Memphis

Reasons:

Never have all four number one seeds reached the Final Four in the history of the NCAA Tournament. And until it happens...it cannot happen...because it has not happened. How insightful is that? Not that Texas is some huge upset, they may have been in line for a number one seed themselves before they lost to Kansas in the Big 12 title game.
How can I be FOR Rick Barnes and AGAINST western PA's own John Calipari in a game that matters? I'm not really sure...just call it a hunch.
The game is being played in Houston. Who do you think that favors?
Memphis has an unfortunate knack for losing in the Elite Eight, having bowed out of the Tournament in this spot the past two years. I don't believe that's because Memphis doesn't have national champion type talent, but I don't think the absurdly soft Conference USA schedule adequately prepares them for crunch time.
I feel that A.J. Abrams and D.J. Augustin are well suited to handle the athletic, turnover causing guards of Memphis. Texas defeated UCLA, Tennessee, and Kansas this year...and these two were a huge part of those victories.
Confidence in this pick: 6.5

Kansas over Davidson

Reasons:

I'm not listing any reasons as to why I'm making this pick. This is what I think will logically happen. That's not to say that this is what I want to happen. Davidson has been on one helluva ride...and I hope it continues.
Confidence in this pick: N/A

1020 & 8101

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Predictions For Saturday's Elite Eight Games

I was a solid 3 of 4 with Friday's Sweet Sixteen picks...including the amazing Davidson pick. Now we're on to the Elite Eight. Let's bang these out so I can get to sleep.

UCLA over Xavier

Reasons:

Ben Howland may lose sometime during this NCAA Tournament, but he's not going to be denied here.
Both head coaches have very direct ties to Pitt. I'm going with the coach that helped transform Pitt basketball into the respected program that it is today.
Kevin Love and that outstanding razor-thin line beard thingy of his.
PAC 10 over A-10. Every single time. Unless it was something like Oregon State vs. La Salle...then nobody would care.
Davidson rocked the college basketball universe and made it to the Elite Eight...why the hell couldn't this also be the year that four number 1 seeds reach the Final Four?
Confidence in this pick: 7.8

What's that Mr. Robert Goulet? You like UCLA in this game too and want to spring past Matt G. in the race for more labels? Then go right ahead!

North Carolina over Louisville

Have you seen North Carolina play a game in this NCAA Tournament? Seriously? Have you watched what they've done in systematically tearing teams apart? I don't care if Louisville has a "chance", I'd be a fool to go against UNC here.
How awesome would a North Carolina vs. Davidson Final Four game be? Think about that for a few seconds...let that soak in. (Let it be known that I am NOT jinxing either team by saying this. I'm merely asking the reader to think about something theoretically)
Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
What a coaching match-up!!! Dean Smith going against Denny Crum in what will surely be a battle for the ages!!! What's that you say? Crum isn't coaching them anymore and this entire two-post bit about Denny Crum isn't funny? Fair enough.
HAVE YOU SEEN HOW NORTH CAROLINA HAS PLAYED THROUGHOUT THIS NCAA TOURNAMENT?!?!?
Confidence in this pick: 9.5

1020 & 8101

Davidson Wins! Davidson Wins!

It's really late and I don't believe that I can give the Davidson victory the justice it deserves right now. So for the time being, I will defer to people that actually write about college basketball for a living to praise the Wildcats. Enjoy it Phil & Annie. I might just have to make a completely random trip to Notre Dame to watch the Kansas game with you.

Davidson vs. Wisconsin Highlights

Davidson vs. Wisconsin Postgame

1020 & 8101

Where The Hell Was Dell Curry???

CBS has betrayed me. I'll get to Davidson's amazing run to the Elite Eight soon enough, but right now I'm irate that the technical people at CBS let me down and let me down hard. We're talking about a betrayal of Judas'esque proportions. And it's all because of the absence of one man.

WHERE THE HELL WAS DELL CURRY?!?!?

The father of Davidson superstar Stephen Curry was nowhere to be seen during the broadcast of Davidson's spectacular upset of Wisconsin on Friday night. We've been subjected to countless cut-a-ways of Dell during Davidson's first two games in the NCAA Tournament. Then...for reasons that defy comprehension and DEMAND explanation...there was no Dell Curry face time at all during his son's sweet sixteen triumph. After borderline overexposure, CBS decides to keep the cameras off of Dell during the biggest game of his son's life? I'm not even mad about looking ridiculous on my over/under bet (Who am I kidding...of course I'm mad about this). I'm more disappointed that after living and rejoicing with Mr. & Mrs. Curry over the past couple of weekends, we were denied the opportunity to share in their joy during what had to be one of their proudest moments as parents.

I should end my post there as that was pretty damn heartfelt. But I have to say a few more things. I'm going double-or-nothing and carrying my prediction over to the Elite Eight game against Kansas where I GUARANTEE that there will be 7 or more cut-a-ways to Dell Curry. This MUST happen! I refuse to go one more round with this Davidson team without the pleasure of sharing the highs and lows with the Curry family. I'm too invested at this point. I've mocked how CBS defaulted to Stephen's dad so often during the tournament, but I think I've talked about it so much at this point that I NEED those cut-a-ways in my life! I'm sad and lonely without them!

I thought that there may have been a chance that Mr. and Mrs. Curry (for some reason) were not in attendance Friday night to see their son lead Davidson to victory yet again. This article proves that they were, in fact, at the game. Dell is even quoted in the article.

I'm disheartened by the decision that CBS made to not include Mr. and Mrs. Curry in their broadcast. We get three shots of Lebron James and none of the Curry family? What a freaking abomination.

What a fantastic ride this Davidson team is on right now. What a fantastic ride this Davidson team is taking the nation on right now. What a fantastic time for the Curry family. I hope to see you early and often during the Kansas game Mr. Curry. Go Wildcats!!!

1020 & 8101

Friday, March 28, 2008

Predictions For Friday's Sweet Sixteen Games

I picked 3 out of 4 games correctly on Thursday (only missing the Xavier overtime win over West Virginia). Now it's time to do one better and go a perfect 4 of 4 on Friday.

Davidson over Wisconsin

Reasons:

Has any other team in recent NCAA tournament memory been more of a media darling than this Davidson team? Screw George Mason...what they did was unexpected, but nobody out there, just two years later, can name a single player from that team. Davidson has a superstar and, for whatever reasons, are extremely likable. Maybe that's what happens when a team actually has student-athletes. Plus...the University of Davidson is covering the hotel, bus fare, and tickets for all students who want to road trip to Detroit for Friday's game against Wisconsin. I ask again...has there been a more endearing team in recent NCAA tournament history than Davidson? I think not. This story NEEDS to continue.
Wisconsin is a pretty good (and boring) team. The problem with the Badgers and Bo Ryan's system is that they are never too far ahead in a game, and they're never too far behind. All that needs to happen for a Davidson upset to happen is for Wisconsin to let the Wildcats stick around, gain confidence, and let the Cinderella wave carry them through.
Nobody outside of Packer (that's Green Bay, not Billy) country is excited about seeing Wisconsin in the Elite Eight. (actually...Billy Packer hates mid-majors, so he's probably rooting for Wisconsin to move on as well)
Davidson has the hottest player in the tournament so far wearing their uniform. So that's a good thing. By the way...did you know that Stephen Curry is (former NBA player) Dell Curry's son?
I want Davidson to win. Good enough reason? Phil and Annie will be rooting for Davidson tonight, and so will I. As I told Phil a few days ago, I'm officially on the Davidson bandwagon. They are my adopted team for as long as they last in this tournament. Go Cats! (Plus...Gus Johnson is calling this game. That's a good omen.)
Confidence in this pick: 7.5

Stanford over Texas

Reasons:

I have this sneaky feeling that we're not quite done seeing and hearing about the Lopez twins just quite yet.
I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't trust Rick Barnes in an important game at all. I'm sorry for any Texas fans out there, you have a very talented team, but I don't have any confidence in your head coach.
A Stanford vs. UCLA contest in the Final Four would be outstanding. (It would be their 4th meeting this season) Plus, I think Trent Johnson wants to see if the refs would have the guts to give him a double technical in a Final Four game. He's quoted as saying, "Why should my approach change?" So he's obviously saying that Stanford has won every game this tournament that he has been eject from, so why would he mess with success? If the refs actually DID throw him out of a Final Four game, this would prove, without a doubt, all of the conspiracy theories out there about UCLA getting every favorable call (and non-call). We shall call this the 'John Wooden Rule'.
Texas point guard D.J. Augustin is outstanding. But I'm on-board the Mitch Johnson bandwagon right now and if Johnson could handle the pressure and play of Marquette's guards, I'm thinking he can hold his own against Augustin.
I've railed against Stanford all season (blog) long. And now they're going to prove me wrong. I can just feel it.
Confidence in this pick: 6.3

Kansas over Villanova

Reasons:

Kansas simply has too much talent with Brandon Rush, Darrell Arthur, Mario Chalmers, and company. The Jayhawks are probably the most athletic and most talented team in this NCAA Tournament. (My apologies to Cornell...you're good too.) (sorry Matt)
Can a fashionable coach win the NCAA Tournament? I'm not so sure. When was the last time that happened? Jay Wright's greatest strength may turn out to be his greatest weakness. Stay tuned. (sorry Matt)
If Bill Self can reach the Elite Eight with this Kansas team, I may finally stop giving him a hard time about being a choke artist in the NCAA Tournament. He's good at not being good in March. So I believe that to avoid further ridicule from me, Self and his Kansas squad will be properly motivated to win this game. (sorry Matt)
The Jayhawks have depth and experience that Villanova cannot come close to matching. Unless Kerry Kittles still has some eligibility left at 'Nova, then they might have a shot. (sorry Matt)
I picked Kansas to win it all in Tim's pool. So what am I supposed to do here? Have them losing to a #12 seed in the Sweet Sixteen? I think not. (sorry Matt)
Confidence in this pick: 9.4

Memphis over Michigan State

Reasons:

I thought about this one for awhile, because I really want to go with Michigan State. You might ask, "Why not just pick Michigan State here? This is a stupid blog that 6 people are reading. So who really cares?" Now that's a very good point and it's well taken. But more than anything, I want to get my pick right. So I'm going with the team that I think will win the game, it's as simple as that. If Michigan State wins, it would make Pitt's loss look much better. I just don't think it's going to happen.
One reason I don't think it's going to happen - Michigan State is from the Big Ten. Michigan State scored 36 points in a loss to Iowa earlier this year. I cannot pick Michigan State with this kind of information bouncing around in my head.
What's that John S.? Memphis coach John Calipari is from Western PA and attended the prestigious Clarion University? If that's the case, then I MUST pick Memphis in this game.
If Memphis loses by 5 points or less, and missed free throws were involved, then we're going to have to hear Calipari defend his team and defend their free throw shooting for another 12 months and I can't deal with that anymore. So my pick here is partially reflecting my prayer that this doesn't happen.
Memphis is a darn good team. I don't know how many rounds they have to get through before the nation starts to realize this. It's going to take more than Tom Izzo and Michigan State to bring down the Tigers. Speaking of which...remember when Memphis used to be Memphis State and had Anfernee (later to be known as Penny) Hardaway on their team?
Confidence in this pick: 8.2

1020 & 8101

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Predictions for Thursday's Sweet Sixteen Games

Being that I'm out of every pool that I entered, I've decided to make some predictions on Thursday's games:

West Virginia over Xavier

Reasons:

WVU's Joe Alexander can go crazy at times and win a game by himself.
I cannot doubt Bob Huggins anymore (unless he loses this game).
I don't believe that Drew Lavender's ankle is completely healthy.
The Big East MUST have at least two teams reach the Elite Eight.
If Xavier wins, it would actually help a few of my brackets. Therefore, it's not going to happen.
Confidence in this pick (out of 10): 7.5

North Carolina over Washington State

Reasons:

North Carolina will score more than 41 points (Sorry again Notre Dame fans).
Washington State has never won a big game in their history.
Even if the game is somehow close, CBS will "fix" the outcome in UNC's favor because the CBS announcers have invested too much time in loving Tyler Hansbrough for their run to end with this game.
I trust Roy Williams more than I trust.....um.....uhh.....thinking hard over here.....who is Washington State's head coach anyway???
Things might get intense in Chaz and Liz's place if UNC goes out this early, and I'm praying against that happening.
Confidence in this pick: 9.7

UCLA over Western Kentucky

Reasons:

Western Kentucky is about to experience what experts call a "letdown".
Kevin Love and his amazing outlet passes are not going to be denied.
I think I've almost recovered from Ben Howland leaving Pitt, and am almost ready to trust him and give him credit as an amazing college basketball coach.
As we've seen all along, the refs are going to make sure UCLA wins no matter what.
Western Kentucky beat Drake (the pride of Des Moines Iowa), and now they are going to get what's coming to them.
Confidence in this pick: 8.8

Louisville over Tennessee

Reasons:

Denny Crum is still coaching Louisville, right? What's that...Rick Pitino is coaching them now? Didn't he used to coach Kentucky? And the Boston Celtics? Hmmm...interesting...I guess I like Rick Pitino as much as Denny Crum in a big game (unless it was with the Celtics)
James Lofton may or may not have a serious injury and Tennessee has spent the last three days downplaying that "injury'. We all saw what happened with Tom Brady in the Super Bowl after the Patriots tried to hide his "injury". Not good.
Big East over SEC. It's as simple as that.
Unless Bruce Pearl has the guts to wear that bright orange sports coat, Tennessee won't have a chance.
If Tennessee wins, it would actually help a few of my brackets. Therefore, it's not going to happen.
Confidence in this pick: 7.9

You heard it here first.

1020 & 8101

Did You Know That Stephen Curry Is Dell Curry's Son?

I forgot the initial guarantee that gave me the idea to make a list of guarantees for the second weekend of the Tournament in the first place!

I guarantee that CBS will cut away to shots of Dell Curry in the stands at least 9 times during the Davidson vs. Wisconsin game this weekend. I think, "Did you know that Stephen Curry is Dell Curry's son?" insight has surpassed, "Did you know that Duke and North Carolina's campuses are only 8 miles apart?" on my list of infuriating things commentators say to sound informative. I'm putting the Dell Curry cut-away shot over/under at 7.5, I'm obviously taking the over on this one. If anyone else wants to put action on this, I'm completely game.

1020 & 8101

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Announcers For The Regional Semifinals & Finals

For the 3 people who care (me being one of those people), here is the list of Thursday and Friday's games, along with the broadcasting duos that will be calling them. (Announcers stay in the same region for Saturday and Sunday's finals)

Thursday:

Xavier vs. West Virginia (Phoenix, 7:10pm) -- Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
North Carolina vs. Washington St. (Charlotte, 7:27pm) -- Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas
UCLA vs. Western Kentucky (Phoenix, 9:40pm) -- Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
Tennessee vs. Louisville (Charlotte, 9:57pm) -- Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas

Friday:

Wisconsin vs. Davidson (Detroit, 7:10pm) -- Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
Texas vs. Stanford (Houston, 7:27pm) -- Jim Nantz and Billy Packer
Kansas vs. Villanova (Detroit, 9:40pm) -- Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
Memphis vs. Michigan State (Houston, 9:57pm) -- Jim Nantz and Billy Packer

This is great news for fans of Davidson and Villanova. Gus and Len were dealt a bad hand when all of their Denver games where underwhelming last weekend. I'm sensing that Gus has some built up energy that's just dying to get out, and hopefully he'll be able to work some of that out in the games on Thursday. Imagine if the Davidson vs. Wisconsin game is tied with 2 minutes to go! Good times! I like the games that Raftery and Lundquist were given. Bill should have a blast with the Xavier vs. West Virginia contest. And we should take note that Packer wasn't given a game featuring a mid-major. Nantz and Packer get what could be two amazing games, let's hope that Packer doesn't ruin them by talking about how Duke isn't in the tournament anymore, or worse, defending a blatant non-call for the entire game. I like these pairings a lot.

1020 & 8101

Second Weekend Guarantees

It's been too long since I've made any guarantees with regard to the NCAA Tournament. So it seems like as good a time as any to harness my inner Anthony Smith and make some predictions about the Tournament's second weekend. So without further adieu:

I guarantee that North Carolina does not score 100 points against Washington State. However, the Tar Heels may double the 41 points put up by Notre Dame against the Cougars. Sorry to bring that up again Irish fans. Hey, I have a ND sweatshirt, so I was hurt a little too. I've already been given shit about that loss twice this week while wearing that sweatshirt, so I feel your pain. (Not really.)
I guarantee that Billy Packer mentions Tyler Hansbrough at least 3 times during his work this upcoming weekend. Packer and Jim Nantz threw a 'Hansbrough Love-Fest' Party last weekend as UNC scored over 100 points in each blowout win. Packer doesn't let his man-crushes (or his outlandish opinions) go very easily.
I guarantee that the Stanford vs. Texas game is the best game of the weekend. How subjective is that? Very.
I guarantee that Rick Pitino and Bruce Pearl don't wear their white and orange suits, respectively, during the Louisville vs. Tennessee contest. Even though they most definitely SHOULD!!!
I guarantee that Jay Wright will be the best dressed coach of the weekend. But watch out for Xavier coach Sean Miller. The former Pitt star is always classy and composed, never looking uncomfortable or out of place in his wardrobe. He's not on Wright's level, but Miller is far above the Burlington Coat Factory (10 suits for $1,500) level that many other college hoops coaches are trapped in. Miller also has a knack for picking a solid tie. This may be due in part to his wife dressing him, but either way, he's the one executing the plays.
I guarantee that there are more commercials featuring medications for blood pressure, impotence, and swollen prostates during the games this weekend than there will be made free-throws by Memphis against Michigan State.
I guarantee that Davidson (+5) and Western Kentucky (+12.5) both cover the spread. Bold? Maybe. But even Anthony Smith can't be wrong 100% of the time.

1020 & 8101

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Thoughts & Feelings On The Tourney's Opening Weekend

After a rather dull Thursday, the NCAA Tournament did what it does best over the next three days...providing entertainment, excitement, frustration, and disappointment. I was entertained by Bill Raftery and Gus Johnson, excited about Davidson's outstanding performance, frustrated by my brackets, and disappointed about an early end to Pitt's season. Since bullet-points are a crutch used by people who cannot compose paragraphs or organize their thoughts well...here are some thoughts and feelings about the Tourney's opening weekend, in bullet-point form:

I refused to jump on the Davidson bandwagon before the tournament began, because I believed that wagon was already full after their performance in the tournament last year. In hindsight, I completely over thought this issue. Just because Davidson and Stephen Curry (son of Dell Curry, if you didn't know) were on my radar all season long did not mean that they were on anyone else's radar. Unfortunately, I avoided choosing Davidson as one of my Bracket Busters because in my mind, they were already America's darling team and a sexy first-round upset pick. I will pat myself on the back and point out that I was already on the Davidson train way back in this blog's second post. Coach Bob McKillop deserves some huge props, it's one thing to come up with a game-plan to beat Elon (a notable seed), it's a completely different thing to come up with a game-plan to beat Gonzaga and Georgetown. Well done Bob. Stephen Curry is hands-down the most outstanding player of this tournament so far. On this sport's biggest stage, he has thrived when it mattered most. Curry scored 30 of his 40 points against Gonzaga in the second half, and followed that by scoring 25 of his 30 points against Georgetown in the second half. That's just sick! When was the last time anybody put up 25 against the Hoyas in a half?!? Credit also needs to be given to Jason Richards, Davidson's point guard, who played all 40 minutes against Georgetown, scored 20 points, and had 5 assists with only one turnover against the Hoyas' pressure defense. My friend Phil went to Davidson and is the only reason I knew about this program prior to last season. I told him Sunday night that I've officially hopped aboard the Davidson bandwagon and he gladly welcomed me. There is no reason that this Davidson team cannot beat Wisconsin on Friday. With the lights-out shooting of Stephen Curry and the outstanding point guard play of Jason Richards, anything is possible...if not downright probable.
I'm becoming more and more obsessed with point-guard play, as I truly believe a college team's success is directly related to the quality of the man that's distributing the ball. With that in mind...the following stat astounded me: Stanford's point guard, Mitch Johnson, had 16 assists and only 1 turnover while playing 44 minutes in the Cardinal's overtime victory against Marquette. He played all but one minute of the game and only had one turnover against the athletic guards of Marquette. I'm in awe of that line. Point guards never get enough of the credit, even though they are the most crucial element to how a team performs and functions. Oh...I forgot to mention that Johnson ran this team to near perfection and kept them composed after head coach, Trent Johnson, was ejected from the game. Perhaps the most unsung performance of the first round. Outstanding game Mitch.
The fact that four double-digit seeds all won games at the same site (Tampa Bay) seems like a complete statistical anomaly to me. Tim Brando and Mike Gminski had a blast calling those games and everyone in attendance got their money's worth. I was sad to see Drake (the pride of Des Moines, Iowa) get bounced, but their overtime, last second loss to Western Kentucky may go down as the best game of this tournament. #12 Villanova and #12 Western Kentucky move on to the Sweet Sixteen. Thank you Tampa Bay.
Villanova coach Jay Wright did look quite dapper during the Wildcat's upset victory over #5 Clemson, but how the heck did he not get charged with a technical foul near the end of that game? *(I need to make a correction here - Jay Wright was assessed a technical foul with 2:59 left in the Clemson game. What I meant to question here was that he was not given a 2nd technical foul and ejected from the game. Please see my comment below)* He was out of control and showing up the refs. The officiating needs to be more consistent across the board during the NCAA Tournament. Mild-mannered Stanford coach, Trent Johnson, gets thrown out of a game and Wright doesn't even get one technical? I saw palming get called at least 4 times over the weekend after not seeing it called all season. Various Pitt players were getting mauled at the end of the Michigan State game and not getting whistles after the game had been called tight up to that point. And everyone knows by now that UCLA's Josh Shipp assaulted Texas A&M's Donald Sloan on the potential game-tying basket. All we're asking for is a little consistency. None of this, 'we're putting the whistles away for the final 3 minutes of the game', bullcrap. And don't call palming out of the blue just to make a point. The games should be called the same in November as they are in March.
After going 7-1 in the first round...the Big East slid a bit and is a combined 10-5 going into the Sweet Sixteen with only 3 teams remaining (Louisville, West Virginia, & Villanova). That's not too bad, but when you figure that the Big Ten has 2 teams in the Sweet Sixteen, 3 doesn't seem like enough. The fact that West Virginia and Villanova made the Sweet Sixteen, I believe says plenty about the depth and overall quality of the Big East.
I'm terrified that Bill Self (Kansas) and Rick Barnes (Texas) are safely into the Sweet Sixteen and actually appear to be doing a decent job. Is this an omen? Should I sell all my investments now? Is this merely a tease, setting up greater disappointment and heartbreak later? Can these men actually coach and use occasional common sense? Stay Tuned...

1020 & 8101

Monday, March 24, 2008

Thank You Loyal Readers: I'm Back

The first weekend of the NCAA Tournament is over, and for a brief moment (hardly a shining one), I thought this blog was over too. There is more to life than March Madness. And while I knew this fact before I began the ambitious endeavour buzzing on the screen in front of you, the project (as well as myself) felt as if it had run it's course. This was meant to be an entertaining creative outlet for myself, as well as a distraction.....and after a little more than a month, that's exactly what this feels like, a distraction. My brackets are horrendous, I'm exhausted, and I'm burnt out.

However...there is something to be said for completing what one starts...and for following through on a commitment that one has made. This blog is not going to "make" my life, and it's not going to change the bigger things taking place in and around my universe. But the parallels between this project and my current world are oftentimes scary. If I cannot demonstrate the simplest forms of commitment, character, and resolve with this blog...how could I possibly expect the same from myself with regard to the actual, moment-to-moment existence that is my life? There is nothing noble in running. There is nothing honorable in simply giving up. When our heart and our gut lead us somewhere, there was probably a damn good reason as to why we ended up at that "somewhere" in the first place. Being frustrated, confused, and exhausted should never be permitted to triumph over one's initial desires and ambitions. There is something to being honest. There is something to staying true. There is something to never giving up. There is something to making a commitment. There is something in following through. And there is something to being there for the people that were there for you all along.

It is for these (and many other) reasons that I am going to push forward, continue with, and finish this blog. Thank you my friends and loyal readers. For the random hits this blog has received from places like Honolulu, Berkeley CA, and Arizona, I thank you. For the devoted readers I've had for awhile but didn't even realize, like Brian in Notre Dame and the person who keeps checking out this blog from Oak Park, I thank you. And a very HUGE and heart-felt thanks to all of the loyal friends who have contributed to this blog, shared comments, and have been reading since the beginning: Annie, Phil, Chaz, Liz, Matt G., John S., and Senator Nate...I thank you.

I'm back. We're down to 16 teams. 15 games left to be played. Let's rock and roll!

Mr. Raftery, do you have anything to say in closing?

Bill: "This blog is going to be followed through to completion.....with ALACRITY!!!"

Thank you Bill Raftery, thank you.

1020 & 8101

Friday, March 21, 2008

Thoughts on Thursday's Games

Ignore the fact that the games on Thursday were generally boring and predictable, it was still the opening day of the NCAA Tournament and was therefore, outstanding. I've really sand-bagged this blog the last couple of days and am looking to come back strong on Friday. But before that happens, here are some thoughts on the opening Thursday of the tournament.

The good news: One of my Bracket Buster teams (UNLV) advanced to the second round. The bad news: UNLV defeated one of my Bracket Buster teams (Kent State) on their way to the second round, and held the Golden Flashes to 10 points in the first half...10 POINTS!!! Thank goodness Kent State played another one of my Bracket Buster teams, because if they had not, I would look even more stupid than I do right now.
We should all rejoice that the Stanford vs. Cornell game is finally over. I swear...if I heard one more dumpy announcer making one more stupid comment about the average SAT scores of these two teams, I think I was going to shove an icepick into my ear. You're NOT being funny, you're NOT being clever, and you're NOT going to unseat Bill Raftery or Gus Johnson. So just shut up.
Lots of chalk with the results from today. Lots of chalk. Remember the days when there were two crazy upsets by the dinner break on Thursday? If you think things have been predictable and boring the last two years...wait until next year...when the three-point line is moved back a foot and the major programs are stacked again with another outstanding freshman class. It's going to get harder and harder for these smaller schools to pull off the improbable in March. Man I'm getting sour! I sound like Bob Smizik! Maybe I need a mini-vacation away from this blog.
I better give my two cents on the Duke/Belmont "thriller". (I hate how any game that is somehow decided in the last half-minute is hyperrbolically labeled a "thriller". There should be higher standards for the use of such strong descriptive words.) Commentators and analysts have been saying that Belmont "lost" this game more than Duke actually "won" it. I must disagree here. The main reason that Belmont was in the game at all in the final minutes was because their coach, Rick Byrd, was smart enough to substitute players at nearly every whistle, keeping Belmont rested and fresh in order to push the tempo and wear Duke down. And last night we saw that Duke (now to be referred to as: Gerald Henderson and 4 exhausted white guys) can be worn down. Where was their depth? How did this team hang with North Carolina? When is Steve Wojokowski going to rip off his assistant coach's suit and sub himself into the game and show these punk kids how it's done? Both Duke and Belmont had numerous opportunities to step up and make shots in the final three minutes. Neither team took control and both looked nervous. It was just a matter of which team was actually going to execute. This was never Belmont's game to "lose" by any stretch of the imagination. They had a 2 point lead and a 1 point lead for a brief period of time in the second half before losing by a point. Belmont played a hell of a game to make it close and interesting, and for that, I give them all the credit. The one mistake I believe that Coach Byrd did make was calling all of those timeouts in the last minute and a half of the game. His team was playing very well by just rolling with the natural flow of the game. Once he started calling timeouts, he messed up the flow and momentum of the game and of his team. He also slowed them down enough to fixate on the moment, to have enough time to breathe and ponder the fact that they COULD, in fact, upset the #2 seed Blue Devils. Once you start thinking in these games, you're done.
The Big East was well represented in Thursday's games, going a perfect 4-0. Pitt was the standout team from the Conference, defeating Oral Roberts by 19 points. Notre Dame could only beat George Mason by 18. Pity. How great would it be for the Big East to get all 8 teams into the round of 32? And to think...Pitt won this league's tournament. Good stuff.
Mississippi Valley State got destroyed by UCLA and only managed to score 29 points, the lowest point total by any team in the tournament since the field expanded to 64 (65) teams. This is embarrassing for MVS and embarrassing for the NCAA Selection Committee. The Committee tried to get too cute here and attempted to be nice and they ended up looking like idiots. Mississippi Valley State deserved to play in the "opening round" game on Tuesday against Coppin State, based on their profile. MVS won the SWAC Tournament with a RPI of 228. That's out of 341 schools mind you. Instead, Mount Saint Mary's (winner of the NEC Tournament) played in the "opening round" game on Tuesday with a RPI of 159. That's 69 points higher than Mississippi Valley State!!! What the hell is going on here?!?!? It seems that there is a certain degree of reverse racism going on in this situation. The NCAA knows that it won't look good if the "opening round" game continually features two schools from historically black conferences. The "play-in" game cannot just feature the Conference Champs from the MEAC, SWAC, or Southland Conference every year (is what the Selection Committee is basically saying). This would be embarrassing to the various schools, players, and fans of these programs. What's embarrassing is that the NCAA is so ashamed of the "opening round" game, it's gone to extensive lengths to protect it's own ass from ridicule about the particular game! Don't try to make the play-in game more interesting by not putting the two worst teams in the game. And don't be hypocritical with the selection process involved with choosing the two teams that play in this game. The two worst teams in the Tournament field should be playing in this game. I don't care which conferences these two teams come from, they should be the two worst teams. Don't try to play hero and attempt to protect the integrity of the historically black conferences. Is there more dignity in losing the "opening round" game by two points, or in scoring 29 points in the first round to UCLA? If the NCAA is truly embarrassed with the play in game (which they are), they should make it interesting by pairing the last team into the field with the first team on the outside of the bubble. This way...every single Conference Tournament champion earns the right to play on opening weekend (no matter which Conference they are from), and the play in game suddenly becomes interesting. A lot more people would have watched Villanova play Arizona State play this past Tuesday night than watched Mount Saint Mary's play Coppin State. I want honesty and consistency from you NCAA. You can't save your ass all the time. And you can't make yourself look better by trying to cover other people's asses out of selfishness and self-interest.
Mississippi Valley State may have scored the fewest points in the history of the modern tournament...but they still scored more points in each half (16 & 13) than Kent State scored in the first half (10) and Winthrop scored in the second half of their game (11).
Wow...this column was way too negative and way too wordy. I am verbose, for better and for worse. Enjoy the games on Friday.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Pitt vs. Oral Roberts: Running Diary

Ok...I'm done from my little vacation away from this blog. The NCAA Tournament is underway and it's time for me to get back on the horse. All of my brackets have been filled out, and three games are already in the books. I'm feeling better now that it's a more reasonable time of day for me to be awake and people to be alive. I also have a mini-fridge full of bottled water and beer along with some amazing chicken from Sesame Inn, so I'm more than ready to go. I have a new rule for myself this year: Anytime Pitt wins the Big East Tournament as a #7 seed, is picked by Coach Bob Knight to win the National Championship, and plays Oral Roberts in the first round...I just have to keep a running diary of what takes place. Here are some things you should know about Oral Roberts before the action gets underway:

Oral is almost always a crowd pleaser
More often than not, Oral comes out on top
Oral has a knack for getting hot at the right times
It's almost impossible to overrate Oral
Oral is good

Whew...after getting that out of my system, let us get to the game.

3:05 pm - Gus Johnson and Len Elmore welcome us to Denver for the Pitt/Oral match-up. I'm so glad to be listening to Johnson doing a Pitt game. Even though Gus shines at the ending of close games, I'm hoping we avoid that scenario this afternoon.

3:38 pm - Sorry for the delay...phone call and food. Pitt is currently on an 18-0 run and has pulled out in front of Oral 28-13. Gilbert Brown has been impressive (on the one dunk, he looked as if he was still elevating as he threw it down) and Levance Fields has, again, been a master at running the point. Pitt has also made 6 of 7 free throws. This is very fun to watch.

3:42 pm - Pitt 34 - Oral 15, Ronald Ramon just made a three point jumper. The kid knocks them down as if they were free throws. Errr...he knocks them down as if they were free throws for a team that shot free throws well.

3:47 pm - Is it possible that Gus could become bored with this game? Is it possible that a game like this allows him to conserve his energy and be absolutely outlandish later in the tournament? Is it possible that I'm jinxing things by talking about this in the first half?

3:49 pm - I'm sorry...but (this) Oral is terrible! Pitt is good...but I've never seen them get such easy chances on offense. Every possession it seems like we're getting an uncontested 13 footer, a wide open three-point shot, or an all too easy lay-up. They have been picking and choosing which shot to take and make every trip down. I can't wait until the second half when Ramon will only shoot NBA-range three-pointers and Sam Young will only shoot fade-aways, just to add a degree of difficulty. This is unreal.

3:52 pm - Pittsburgh 47 - Oral 24 at Halftime. Wow. Coming up...Live Look-Ins!!!

3:55 pm - Kent State has a total...TOTAL of 10 points at halftime against UNLV. I'm sure glad I didn't pick Kent State as a Bracket Buster team. Yep...I'm sure glad of that.

4:08 pm - These 2:30 games are all disasters right now! Pitt is up by 23, UNLV is up by 25, Purdue is up by 19, and Marquette is up by 9. No wonder the ratings have gone down the last couple of years. I need to start drinking to make this more interesting. Bring on the spelling errorz!!!

4:11 pm - Did you know that Len Elmore has a law degree from Harvard? One finds these things out during blow-outs in the Thursday afternoon games.

4:14 pm - Pitt isn't going to show Oral anything new or special here, they want to have a few surprises for teams down the road in the Tournament. I fully expect Jamie Dixon to pull a Milton Berle here in the second half...only putting (pulling) out enough to win.

4:26 pm - I just spent over 10 minutes trying to find a good link about that Milton Berle urban legend and I can't find a good one. When I do, I'll let you know. This is what I'm doing with my day now. And to think that people are out there right now at work using their skills and abilities to build self-esteem and support their families. By the way...Pitt 61 - Oral 37.

4:32 pm - This sad display by Oral Roberts is making me even more angry that they defeated IUPUI in the Summit League Championship game, costing me a valuable Conference Champion pick.

4:35 pm - CBS keeps cutting away to the Marquette vs. Kentucky game during timeouts in an attempt to sell us on the idea that an 8 point game is "competitive" compared to the 20+ point blowouts going on everywhere else right now. People might actually go outside or spend time with family if the games keep going like this.

4:44 pm - Although all of these games suck right now, this is still fun. But Phil...this would be ten times more fun if we could sit around all day and watch these games together while bs'ing, making fun of each others picks, and commenting on various announcers and coaches. Someday we will.

4:50 pm - Marquette beat Kentucky, it was never really close. Levance Fields has 23 points and Pitt is leading by 23. I'm more interested in the Pittsburgh Steelers cutting Cedrick Wilson for allegedly punching his ex-girlfriend at Patrone Mexican Bar and Grill in Wexford, PA. For those who don't know...Wexford is in the north suburbs of Pittsburgh and is about 12 minutes from my house. This north-suburb crime is getting out of hand! Didn't Santonio Holmes do the exact same thing a few years ago? But because it happened out of state and because he was a 1st round draft pick, he's still on the team. Gotta love the Rooney family setting different standards depending on the quality of their players.

4:56 pm - No upsets so far today. Back in the day I remember it almost being the rule that there was a notable upset during the afternoon session of the Thursday NCAA Tourney games. The top teams are just too good. As much as I hate to say it, I'm feeling a lot of chalk over the first two days this year.

4:58 pm - As I expected, Dixon didn't throw anything new at Oral Roberts in the second half. (Oral has actually outscored Pitt in the second half so far, 36-33) He knows that there are scouts from Michigan State and Memphis in the crowd, he's not letting them see anything until they potentially see it for the first time. Smart move. The Pitt lead has "shrunk" to 20, Pitt 80 - Oral 60.

5:05 pm - PITT WINS! PITT WINS! PITT WINS! After unloading his bench and putting in the walk-ons, Pittsburgh defeats Oral Roberts, 82-63. Another outstanding game by the Pitt defense. The only thing Oral had going for them was their three-point shooting, and once Pitt was able to defend that properly and shut them down, Oral didn't have a chance. The coaching staff did a great job preparing for that game, Pitt made it look downright easy. Outstanding game by Levance Fields. Michigan State is next on Saturday. I like this Pitt team's chances. By the way...Pitt was only an 8.5 point favorite here, so they easily covered the spread. I don't know why the hell I didn't put $50 down on this game, my mistake. Well done boys. Now I need a cigarette and a bathroom break.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

March Madness Profile #3: Bill Raftery

With the announcing duos for Thursday and Friday's games being released yesterday, it is time to highlight one of the greats...Mr. Bill Raftery. As I've said multiple times throughout this blog, it won't completely be NCAA Tournament time until I hear Raftery announce: "Verne Lundquist, (insert team name) goes MANTAMAN!" His personality, enthusiasm, and style is as much a part of March Madness as brackets and 12 over 5 upsets. I hate to bring Billy Packer into this, but Raftery excels in the areas where Packer sucks. Raftery approaches his job with humility and doesn't see himself as bigger than the game, he has a sense of humor, and he adds to the overall viewing experience. He is able to do these things because first and foremost, Bill Raftery is a fan of college hoops just like us. He is a fan of the sport, fan of the competition, and fan of the pageantry of March Madness. There is a sense of genuineness and authenticity when one hears Raftery calling a game. One gets the feeling that Bill would be doing the same thing if he were watching the game in his living room and there wasn't a microphone in front of him (or a big check involved). The best announcers and announcing duos rise to the top, due in large part to the following three things: 1) Chemistry - The play-by-play guy and the color commentator have to click on some level. If they don't, neither one of them is going to be any good, and the broadcast is going to suffer. This is why good friends and life-long announcing partnerships are usually the best (is this turning into a marriage/relationship column?). Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery are an outstanding duo because they get along so well, allow each other the space to contribute to a broadcast, and have been paired together for so long. Verne's style makes Bill better and Bill's style makes Verne better. It's a perfect combination. 2) Enthusiasm - This is the factor that sets Bill Raftery apart as an individual announcer. He comes across as genuinely excited and enthralled during college basketball games. He's a fan of the game, this is very important. Some announcers speak and act as if it's a struggle for them to be commentating on a particular game for us, the viewing public. This is not a problem for Bill Raftery as he would be as jazzed for a game featuring Utah State as he would be for a UNC/Duke match-up. This enthusiasm is infectious as he can make the viewer care about any game at practically any time. He's happy doing his job. And this translates over the television so well as we should be happy to have the opportunity to listen to him. 3) Individuality - Chemistry and enthusiasm are essential to being a great broadcaster, but they have to be joined with (and maybe, in part, help to create) an announcers overt individuality. Raftery has this in bunches. He was a college basketball coach for more than a decade and has been announcing games for over 23 years. This experience gives him credibility when sharing his unique insights and opinions. Time and experience has only allowed Raftery to expand his ever-growing repertoire of hoops related catch-phrases. Some of my personal favorites:

"Give it to the big fella!"
"Send it in, (insert player's name)!"
"...with the kiss!"
"With the sweet kiss, off the glass..."
"With a little dipsy do"
"Dagger!"
"Onions!"
"With disdain to the tin!"
"Put a little english on it"
"With the teardrop, that'll make you cry"
"We got a little nickel-dimer here"
"With authority!"
"A Large Edifice!"

There was also this exchange:

Verne Lundquist: "I hope Dwyane Wade likes cajun cooking!" ... (dramatic 5 second pause) ... Bill Raftery: "JAMBALAYA!" - I actually remember this exchange, I don't think I saw it live but I believe it was played on Sports Center over and over again. (This is a Seinfeld/Newman reference by the way) The long pause followed by Raftery's over-the-top delivery just kills me. I wish this clip was on Youtube, because just thinking about it makes me laugh.

In 2007, Raftery along with his broadcast partner, Verne Lundquist, made a classic exchange after Memphis' Douglas-Roberts made an emphatic jam in Ohio State's regional final victory.
Raftery: "The speed! Done with alacrity! Sitting over there, he was salivating at an opportunity." Lundquist: "I'm still stunned at 'alacrity'." Raftery: "Don't ask me to spell it."

In the clip I'm posting, Raftery uses the word 'alacrity' again. It is a word, it means promptness, eagerness, and willingness. A good SAT word. Bill Raftery is not only entertaining, he is downright educational!

Bill Raftery is beyond hype and shtick. I'm a huge Gus Johnson fan, but Johnson is riding a wave of hype and popularity that is almost Obama'esque. Hype can only go so far and last so long. Let's hope that Johnson can sustain his 'game' and his abilities long past this period of hype. Raftery is not only beyond the hype, he transcends it. He was throwing out catch-phrases when the current crop of Sports Center anchors were in nursery school. Raftery is so steady and so consistent that his name really shouldn't come up when discussing "good" and "bad" college basketball commentators. This is because he practically IS college basketball announcing! There will never be another Bill Raftery. There can't be. He is the archetype. He is the prototype. He is THE college basketball color commentator of the last two generations. Earlier in this blog I commented on how we should be thankful for being able to experience the era when Gus Johnson was in his prime. The exact same should be said for being able to experience Bill Raftery in his prime (he's still there right now, I'll fight anyone on this). Granted, he doesn't have as many quality years left in him as Johnson, but when the day comes to tell my kids about Gus Johnson, I'd be remiss in not mentioning the Legend, Bill Raftery, first. Without Bill Raftery and his unique style, there never would have been a place for Gus Johnson in basketball. When Raftery finally calls it quits and retires the catch-phrases, it will truly be a time for "Onions."

Play-In Game, NIT, & CBI Picks

Very quickly before the games get underway tonight:

Play-In Game:

I'm picking Mount Saint Mary's to defeat Coppin State in the Play-In game tonight. The University of Dayton has had the privilege of hosting the Play-In game ever since it was introduced in 2001. Every year I get into an argument with someone about whether or not the Play-In game is actually a NCAA Tournament game. OF COURSE IT IS!!! 65 teams make the field, how complicated can this be? The Play-In game is listed on the official bracket. These teams have won their Conference Tournament and therefore have made the NCAA Tournament. There are always "haters" of the Play-In game, and these gripes will probably never go away. I'm not debating the fact that it's a shame that one of these two teams won't be part of the regional festivities on Friday (being interviewed by the national media, rubbing elbows with the famous, getting the opportunity to be blown-out by a #1 seed, etc.). What I am saying is that the Play-In game is completely, definitely, and with out a doubt...part of the NCAA Tournament. Coppin State's run to a conference championship is a fun little story as they are the first 20+ loss team to ever make it in to the NCAA Tournament. I also have history with Coppin State, being present for their historical upset when they defeated #2 South Carolina as a #15 seed in 1997. With all of that being said, I'm going with Mount Saint Mary's here because they are the better team by far and they defeated my Robert Morris squad in the semifinals of the NEC Tournament. I can't have Robert Morris losing to a team that lost to Coppin State. Hail the Play-In game. Thank you good people of Dayton!

NIT:

I just filled out a NIT bracket and I discovered that there is less rhyme, reason, and logic involved with filling out a NIT bracket than there was filling out a SWAC Tournament bracket. For anyone who cares, this is how I see the NIT playing out:
Round of 16: #4 California over #1 Ohio State, #3 Dayton over #2 Illinois State, #1 Virginia Tech over #4 VCU, #2 Ole Miss over #6 Charlotte, #1 Arizona State over #4 Southern Illinois, #2 Florida over #3 Creighton, #5 Maryland over #8 Robert Morris, #3 Florida State over #7 Stephen F. Austin
Round of 8: #3 Dayton over #4 California, #1 Virginia Tech over #2 Ole Miss, #1 Arizona State over #2 Florida, #3 Florida State over #5 Maryland
Final Four: #1 Virginia Tech over #3 Dayton, #1 Arizona State over #3 Florida State
NIT Champion: #1 Virginia Tech over #1 Arizona State

CBI (College Basketball Invitational):

There is yet another postseason tournament in college basketball this year, the CBI. Odds are you haven't heard of this...and even if you have...you probably don't care. And that's a good thing...you shouldn't care. Fans of the colleges and universities that make this tournament shouldn't care. I don't care. But...if there is a bracket involved, I will fill it out. So here are my CBI picks:
Round of 8: #1 Washington over #3 Nevada, #1 UTEP over #3 Tulsa, #1 Virginia over #4 Rider, #1 Bradly over #3 Ohio
Final Four: #1 Washington over #1 Virginia, #1 Bradley over #1 UTEP
CBI Champion: #1 Bradley over #1 Washington

Some more information on the CBI for those who are confused, amazed or interested:

Introducing the CBI:

What's the CBI? The College Basketball Invitational is a new 16-team tournament that selects teams left over after the NCAA tournament makes its 65 picks and NIT make its 32 picks.
Who runs it? The Gazelle Group, a company based in Princeton, N.J., that also organizes preseason tournaments.
What's the reason for the tournament? To give more teams a chance to play in the postseason. The NIT reduced its field from 40 to 32 teams in 2007 and also now must take regular-season conference champs that don't quality for the NCAA tournament. CBI organizers felt that left out some deserving teams who could put on an interesting tournament. They used Washington's situation in 2007 as one of its prime examples, when the Huskies went 19-13 and didn't make the NIT.
The format? Teams are seeded in groups of four in four geographic regions. Washington is the No. 1 seed in the West Region. Each regional winner advances to the semifinals. There, the teams will be reseeded with the higher seeds hosting. The two semifinal winners will play a best-of-three championship series alternating at home sites, with the higher seed hosting Game 1 and Game 3, if necessary. That means the two finalists could play six games.
TV coverage: Eleven games will be shown on Fox College Sports.

Dapper Coaches! - We Had This Theory First!!!

Matt and Phil! Check out this column that breaks down the Tournament based on the appearance and fashion sense of the various coaches. Absolutely creepy. I knew we were on to something here. The whole "Best-Dressed Coach" thing really needs to be turned into a column on this blog now. And I have to eat some crow here because I hated on Jay Wright. I've done a little research and fully admit my mistake. This article has Jay Wright and Villanova defeating Bob Huggins and West Virginia in the National Championship. This creates an interesting dilemma Matt as we basically all agree that those two coaches are on different planets with regard to appearance and fashion sense. This blog just gets better every day.

Robert Goulet on Kansas

I'm going to let Mr. Robert Goulet provide some analysis on various teams in the NCAA Tournament. We're going to start with the Kansas Jayhawks (#1 seed in the Midwest). Mr. Goulet...what do you think of Bill Self's boys?

Announcers for Thursday & Friday's Games

Information that is almost as important as the actual brackets came out yesterday when CBS announced which broadcasting duos would be calling the games on Thursday and Friday. The bracket gods are truly shining on me this year because Pitt won the Gus Johnson sweepstakes! This Pitt team HAS to be a team of destiniy! WE GOT GUS! Mr. Johnson will be paired up with Mr. Len Elmore to call the Pitt/Oral Roberts, Michigan State/Temple, Notre Dame/George Mason, and Washington State/Winthrop games. You better believe that CBS wanted Gus Johnson announcing a pair of 5 vs. 12 games. Phil...I have some bad news...Billy Packer and Jim Nantz are doing the Davidson/Gonzaga game. I don't know what to tell you. You can always hit mute or turn on an internet radio fee. In other Big Dance announcing news...fans of Tennessee, American University, South Alabama, Butler, St. Joseph's, Oklahoma, Boise State, and Louisville can rejoice because they will have the outstanding tandem of Bill Raftery and Verne Lundquist calling their games. I can't wait until Friday, around 12:16 pm, when Raftery announces that Tennessee opens in the "MANTAMAN!!!"

Thursday Games:

(12) Temple (21-12) vs (5) Michigan State (25-8) 12:20 PM South (Denver): Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
(14) Georgia (17-16) vs (3) Xavier (27-6) 12:20 PM West (Washington, DC): Craig Bolerjack and Bob Wenzel
(16) Portland State (23-9) vs (1) Kansas (31-3) 12:25 PM Midwest (Omaha): Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner
(11) Kentucky (18-12) vs (6) Marquette (24-9) 2:30 PM South (Anaheim): Dick Enberg/Carter Blackburn and Jay Bilas
(11) Baylor (21-10) vs (6) Purdue (24-8) 2:50 PM West (Washington, DC): Craig Bolerjack and Bob Wenzel
(9) Kent State (28-6) vs (8) UNLV (26-7) 2:55 PM Midwest (Omaha): Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner
(13) Oral Roberts (24-8) vs (4) Pittsburgh (26-9) 3:00 PM South (Denver): Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
(14) Cornell (22-5) vs (3) Stanford (26-7) 4:55 PM South (Anaheim): Dick Enberg/Carter Blackburn and Jay Bilas
(11) Kansas State (20-11) vs (6) USC (21-11) 7:10 PM Midwest (Omaha): Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner
(15) Belmont (25-8) vs (2) Duke (27-5) 7:10 PM West (Washington, DC): Craig Bolerjack and Bob Wenzel
(13) Winthrop (22-11) vs (4) Washington State (24-8) 7:20 PM East (Denver): Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
(9) Texas A&M (24-10) vs (8) BYU (27-7) 7:25 PM West (Anaheim): Dick Enberg/Carter Blackburn and Jay Bilas
(14) Cal State Fullerton (24-8) vs (3) Wisconsin (29-4) 9:40 PM Midwest (Omaha): Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner
(12) George Mason (23-10) vs (5) Notre Dame (24-7) 9:50 PM East (Denver): Gus Johnson and Len Elmore
(16) Mississippi Valley State (17-15) vs (1) UCLA (31-3) 9:50 PM West (Anaheim): Dick Enberg/Carter Blackburn and Jay Bilas
(10) Arizona (19-14) vs (7) West Virginia (24-10) 9:50 PM West (Washington, DC): Craig Bolerjack and Bob Wenzel

Friday Games:

(15) American (21-11) vs (2) Tennessee (29-4) 12:15 PM East (Birmingham): Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
(10) Davidson (26-6) vs (7) Gonzaga (25-7) 12:25 PM Midwest (Raleigh): Jim Nantz and Billy Packer
(10) St. Mary's (CA) (25-6) vs (7) Miami (FL) (22-10) 12:30 PM South (Little Rock): Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
(12) Western Kentucky (27-6) vs (5) Drake (28-4) 12:30 PM West (Tampa): Tim Brando and Mike Gminski
(10) South Alabama (26-6) vs (7) Butler (29-3) 2:45 PM East (Birmingham): Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
(15) UMBC (24-8) vs (2) Georgetown (27-5) 2:55 PM Midwest (Raleigh): Jim Nantz and Billy Packer
(13) San Diego (21-13) vs (4) UConn (24-8) 3:00 PM West (Tampa): Tim Brando and Mike Gminski
(15) Austin Peay (24-10) vs (2) Texas (28-6) 5:00 PM South (Little Rock): Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
(16) Play-In Winner (TBD) vs (1) North Carolina (32-2) 7:10 PM East (Raleigh): Jim Nantz and Billy Packer
(11) St. Joseph's (21-12) vs (6) Oklahoma (22-11) 7:10 PM East (Birmingham): Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
(13) Siena (22-10) vs (4) Vanderbilt (26-7) 7:20 PM Midwest (Tampa): Tim Brando and Mike Gminski
(9) Oregon (18-13) vs (8) Mississippi State (22-10) 7:25 PM South (Little Rock): Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
(9) Arkansas (22-11) vs (8) Indiana (25-7) 9:50 PM East (Raleigh): Jim Nantz and Billy Packer
(14) Boise State (25-8) vs (3) Louisville (24-8) 9:50 PM East (Birmingham): Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
(12) Villanova (20-12) vs (5) Clemson (24-9) 9:50 PM Midwest (Tampa): Tim Brando and Mike Gminski
(16) UT Arlington (21-11) vs (1) Memphis (33-1) 9:55 PM South (Little Rock): Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel

Monday, March 17, 2008

Conference Tournament Results: March 16th

It's over. The end finally came. I'm exhausted. The final 5 Conference Tournaments wrapped up on Sunday. The results have already been forgotten as the Official Bracket has been released and the nation has moved on to things like office pools and plotting how to skip work on Thursday. But these Conference Tournament results have not been lost on me. My ambitious project of filling out 30 Conference Tournament brackets has come to an end. What an experience it was. If any of you readers know of anyone else in the nation that did or has done what I did...please direct them my way because I'm going to need a support group. My Final Stats: I correctly predicted 12 of 30 Conference Champions (40%). Overall I got 174 of 265 games correct (65.7%). I don't know if that's good or bad. But I do know that it's over. CBS and ESPN...if you'd like me to do this for you next year...I'd more than welcome a personalized check and a chance to meet Bill Raftery (CBS) or Erin Andrews (ESPN).

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC):

Actual Champion: North Carolina (40th NCAA appearance)
My Predicted Champion: North Carolina
Bracket Winning Percentage: 72.7% (8 of 11 games correct)
Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 68.6% (155 of 226 games correct)
Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 42.3% (11 of 26 correct)

Big 12 Conference:

Actual Champion: Kansas (37th NCAA appearance)
My Predicted Champion: Texas (lost in finals to Kansas)
Bracket Winning Percentage: 63.6% (7 of 11 games correct)
Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 68.4% (162 of 237 games correct)
Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 40.7% (11 of 27 correct)

Big 10 Conference:

Actual Champion: Wisconsin (14th NCAA appearance)
My Predicted Champion: Wisconsin
Bracket Winning Percentage: 60% (6 of 10 games correct)
Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 68% (168 of 247 games correct)
Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 42.9% (12 of 28 correct)

Southeast Conference (SEC):

Actual Champion: Georgia (10th NCAA appearance, first since 2002)
My Predicted Champion: Tennessee (lost in semifinals to Arkansas)
Bracket Winning Percentage: 27.3% (3 of 11 games correct)
Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 66.3% (171 of 258 games correct)
Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 41.4% (12 of 29 correct)

Southland Conference:

Actual Champion: Texas-Arlington (1st NCAA appearance)
My Predicted Champion: Stephen F. Austin (lost in semifinals to Northwestern State)
Bracket Winning Percentage: 42.9% (3 of 7 games correct)
Overall Bracket Winning Percentage: 65.7% (174 of 265 games correct)
Overall Predicted Champion Winning Percentage: 40% (12 of 30 correct)

Hail Coach Knight! Hail The Smartest Man Alive!!!

I just figured out how to post videos in the actual blog, instead of directing you (my faithful readers) to other pages and windows. May I mark this discovery by showing you the greatest prediction of all time. Listen to who Coach Bob Knight picks to win the NCAA Championship. (his picks start with about 1:25 left in the clip) Team of Destiny!!! I really chose the best year to cover and obsess over March Madness.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Chaney vs. Calipari: 1994

In discussing the best and worst dressed college basketball coaches, I recalled some great John Chaney memories. The following video is one of my favorite. Notice the style with which Chaney wears that shirt and tie. A well-wrinkled and worn white button up shirt, and the tie loosened...a lot. Please don't miss out on John Chaney's death threat to John Calipari (it happens right after Chany approaches Calipari at the microphone stand). This was Atlantic 10 basketball at it's finest. We can only hope that this kind of passion and lunacy can happen one day in the future. John Chaney: "You remember that, when I see you, I'm gonna kick your ass! (slight pause) KICK YOUR ASS!!!" Enjoy.

Chaney vs. Calipari: 1994

Selection Show Running Diary

Selection Sunday is finally here! Today's events will set into motion all of the games, upsets, and gambling ramifications which will take place over the next three weeks. The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee has been sequestered in Indianapolis all week debating the merits of various at-large teams while doing copious amounts of cocaine. With Pitt winning the Big East Tournament for the first time in five years, and keeping with my theme of "Conquering The 2008 NCAA Tournament"...I just had to keep a running diary of what took place during the Selection Show. I'm hoping the CBS studio team will provide a lot of unintentional comedy, not to mention the fact that they will give about 35 teams "a chance" after seeing the brackets.

6:00 pm - CBS throws out a studio team of Greg Gumbel, Clark Kellogg, and Seth Davis. I actually don't mind Seth Davis. But I'm counting the minutes until Kellogg says something outlandish that will be proven wrong 10 minutes into the games on Thursday.

6:01 pm - UNC is the overall number one seed, the 12th time they have been a #1seed, and the Tar Heels are headed to the East Region.

6:02 pm - Gumbel is sporting some kind of purplish handkerchief in his suit coat pocket...nicely done.

6:03 pm -Memphis is the #1 in the South, UCLA #1 in the West, and Kansas #1 in the Midwest (I really like this Kansas team, although Bill Self still scares me).

6:03 pm - Seth Davis has some kind of subtle checkered patterned suit on. The CBS studio team is donning some classy threads.

6:04 pm - Jim Nanz and Billy Packer make their first appearance! Nantz looks worried that he's going to have to spend the next 3 weeks with this crabby older gentleman sitting to his right. Jim's pre-game preparations include fake smiling and fake laughing.

6:09 pm - East region is slowly announced. The play in game is Mt. st. Mary's and Coppin State. What a crucial game to the tournament! Gotta love the annual play-in game on Tuesday in Dayton Ohio. I need to write a column on that game. Indiana fell to an 8 seed? Hard times for the Hoosiers. Notre Name as a 5 seed against this years George Mason...George Mason!!! Say it isn't so Phil, Annie, Chaz, and Johnny! Butler is the 10th ranked team in the country and they get a 7 seed? Curious. If Louisville is getting a 3 seed...Pitt better fucking get a 3 or a 4 seed. That is if conference tournaments mean anything to the Selection Committee. Kellogg says that Indiana has been playing well lately...what team has he been watching?!?!? Their women's softball team? Davis has much better insight...noting that Tennessee was perhaps a better 2 seed than to be placed in the same region as UNC, and that South Alabama not only got a 10 seed...but gets to play a de facto home game at Birmingham against Butler in the first round. Seems like a really good draw for the Tar Heels.

6:17 pm -Midwest region is slowly announced. Did i call UNLV getting an 8 seed or what? NO!!!!!!!!! Two of my bracket busters are paired against each other in the first round (#8 UNLV vs. #9 Kent State)!!! Fuck!!!! Everything is going to hell! I guess one of them has to win that game though, which means one of my picks will follow through with a victory. Villanova got an at large bid? As a 12 seed? That's it, i quit. This project is over. Georgetown is a 2 seed? Pitt beat them twice this season. Things keep looking good for Pitt's seeding. (I'm setting myself up here for the disappointment and anger of them getting a #6 seed) Nice...UMBC (my first Bracket Buster) gets the privilege of knocking off G-town.Gonzaga 7 vs. Davidson 10...sexy match-up. I like Clemson as a 5 and USC as a 6. This region presents a first-round match-up with two fantastic freshman squaring off with USC's OJ Mayo playing Michael Beasley and Kansas State. Davis just called Siena over Vandy in the first round! People need to hold him accountable for this! Kellogg just called Georgetown's draw "favorable", again...what the hell is he basing these statements on?

6:25 pm - South region is slowly announced. Yikes...Oregon not only got in, but they got a #9 seed? The PAC 10 is getting some mad love this year. But where is Arizona? Nice! Nice! Nice! Pitt gets a 4 seed! AND they get to play Oral Roberts in the first round!!! I get to write about Oral for another week! The bracket gods are truly shining on me! A 3 seed seems too low for Stanford, but I do like the clash of styles in their potential second round game against Marquette. Davis is calling out the Selection Committee for putting the Atlantic 10 champion, Temple, at a 12 seed and St. Joesph's at an 11 seed. He also just put Texas in the final four. Again, commentators need to be held accountable with these picks. This region is looking like the strongest of the bunch so far...with Memphis, Texas, Stanford, and Pitt. It's only been 3 minutes, but I'm liking Pitt's draw here with Oral Robers and a potential second round game against Michigan State or Temple. I'll take Pitt against a Big Ten team anytime. I was typing too much to notice if Kellogg said anything outrageous, I'm sure it happened, but I missed it. I'll make sure to catch whatever he says after they announce the West region.

6:33 pm - West region is slowly announced. You have to like UCLA here, right? Drake is a 5 seed, normally prone to an upset, but they are too good to lose to Western Kentucky. Gotta love Drake to make some noise. Not many slots left, I'm sensing some serious bubble issues coming soon. Arizona is in as a 10 seed. Love Xavier here as a 3 seed...but they are playing this year's team of destiny in the first round, the SEC Tournament Champs, Georgia Bulldogs! Baylor is in. They sure waited to the last second on that one. Great story there with Coach Scott Drew and company. Davis just called Drake to go to the sweet sixteen. Kellogg just said to "keep an eye on West Virginia", and Davis just kind of nodded his head. Seth Davis has to do something there in order to keep from falling asleep.

No Arizona State, no Ohio State, no VCU, no Syracuse, no Illinois state, no Virginia Tech, no UMASS, no UAB, no Dayton. Wow...Dayton had a RPI of 32. Arizona State was the school that was robbed the most here. Oh well. Should have won your respective conference tournaments.

6:39 pm - Back to Billy Packer!!! Bring on the controversy! "I think Davidson is George Mason", quotes Mr. Packer. (me - shaking my head in awe) You're about a year behind the Davidson bandwagon Billy. Thanks for coming along. Not to mention the fact that there is some scientific theory out there that can prove that Davidson cannot, indeed, be George Mason. Apparently Billy has some questions coming up (says Mr. Jim Nantz), so I'll be sure to stay tuned for that. I'm patiently waiting for Billy Packer to make a guarantee. Here is an article reviewing the Selection Show from two years ago. The best part is where Hiestand says, "There weren't many surprises left for CBS' actual selection show. Except, that is, when CBS' Billy Packer began analyzing a bracket that hadn't been announced yet." Classic. I love March Madness.

6:47 pm - Good god. Nantz and Packer interviewing Tom O'Connor, head of the Selection committee. Time for Packer to be Packer, or at least time for him to throw a punch. Packer to O'Connor, "The RPI is something we always kid about, and talk about". I'm glad to know that they are chums. Nothing like kissing the ass of power. Packer seems to be hung up on the ACC (#1 in Conference RPI) only getting 4 bids when the Big East got 8 teams. I don't see him letting this go throughout the tournament, even after 6 Big East teams reach the sweet sixteen as opposed to 1 ACC team. Packer to O'Connor, "We cross paths so many times throughout the course of the winter". Again...glad to know that Packer is chums with people high up on the Selection committee. Nothing too outlandish happening here...Packer didn't throw a player, coach, team, race, or gender under the bus.

6:55 pm - Kellogg goes out on a limb and predicts all #1 seeds to reach the final four. Seth Davis has more balls...going with Tennessee, Kansas, Texas and UCLA. Kellogg's sleepers...Notre Dame, Clemson, Michigan State, and West Virginia. Seth's sleepers...Saint Joesph's, USC Temple, Arizona. Davis picks Temple over Michigan State. And Davis just named UCLA as his national champion, Kellogg agrees with him, also taking the Bruins. I can't WAIT to hear some ridiculous predictions by Kellogg on Thursday.

Hey...Cold Case and Dexter are on CBS tonight! Maybe I'll stick around and keep a running diary of those shows. Maybe not.

Have fun filling out your brackets folks. Let's rock and roll.

Countdown To The Selection Show

There is so much to comment on before the brackets come out. I don't think I'm going to be able to cover everything I'd like, but I at least want to hit on a few things and give some hints as to what's coming in the very near future of this blog. (13 hours until the bracket is announced)

Can enough even begin to be said about what the University of Georgia did on Saturday? Because of the intense storms in and around Atlanta, Georgia had to play TWO SEC Tournament games in a matter of 12 hours...and won them both!!! Both wins were big upsets and the first game went to overtime. They will now play in the Tournament final later today as the #e6 seed, with a shot to go to the NCAA Tournament. Absolutely crazy. I'm not eloquent enough to properly put this in perspective. Just chew on those facts for awhile and I'll try to find a link to an article that gives this story justice.
If anyone wants to debate the merit/importance of the play-in game on Tuesday, I'd have some fun with that. Maybe I'll devote an entire 1,500 word column on that game alone. We'll see. It's probably going to be Mississippi Valley State against some other unfortunate team fighting it out for the right to play UNC in the first round.
Please don't think that I'm forgetting that Pitt won the Big East Tournament last night. That spectacular story will be given the proper exposure as soon as I'm capable of doing just that. What a win. Go Panthers! Joe Lunardi (on ESPN's bracketology page) currently has Pitt as a #3 seed!
I'll be keeping track of all the NCAA pools that I enter. This will take a day or two for me to sort out, but I'll come up with a system to stay on top of it. I may comment on other people's brackets in the pools I'm involved with, but I need to keep things manageable also. We'll see what I can get away with and what's fun.
With the comments and help of Matt and Phil, I'd like to devote a column to the best (and possibly worst) dressed coaches in college basketball. If Annie or anyone else has anything to say about that, please feel free to share your thoughts in any comment section. Continute referring to the post that started this discussion to keep up on the debate.
Bill Raftery will have his own column by the time the games tip-off on Thursday, I promise.
I'm working on a way-too-ambitions column entitled, "The Rushmore Quote Guide To The 2008 NCAA Tournament", that I only hope and pray will be finished in time for the games on Thursday.
Please read this story about Blake Hoffarber, who made the unreal shot that won the game for Minnesota over Indiana on Friday (You NEED to watch the video on the page too). Laettner-esque is correct. What he did three years ago in high school is even more sick. Great story. His shot is the reason I ran the above photo.

Bracket Busters (Definitely! Maybe?) #5

Ladies & Gentleman...for my final Bracket Busters selection...may I please introduce to you...the UNLV Runnin' Rebels!!!

I know I come across as a bandwagon jumper by picking UNLV here. My master plan was to have BYU win the Mountain West Conference, then select UNLV as my 5th and final Bracket Buster. If that scenario had played out...I would have successfully chosen a Conference Champion (which would have helped my stats) and been able to select UNLV for this column while they were under the radar (which would have helped my cred). But that dream scenario didn't quite happen, so here I am, choosing the Mountain West Champs, UNLV. I still like this pick. I couldn't go with BYU here as they have been nationally ranked for awhile and didn't have the feel of a successful sleeper team. UNLV has been trying their best for a decade to move beyond the successful, but controversial, Jerry Tarkanian era...where controversy and scandal were just as common as winning Conference Championships. (gotta love the towel chewing though) The Runnin' Rebels won the MWC last year and made a nice splash in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the sweet sixteen after upsetting #2 seed Wisconsin. Nobody has been talking about this UNLV team as a threat in the tournament (until today's game - damn!), which is one of the reasons why I like them to win a game or two next weekend. Here are a few other reasons why I've selected UNLV as my fifth and final Bracket Buster team:

The Runnin' Rebels beat BYU twice over the course of the year and they also have a win over San Diego (both NCAA tournament teams).
UNLV has a RPI of 24 after their MWC Championship. That's pretty darn good, and better than teams such as Notre Dame, USC, Purdue, and Virginia Tech. The fact that the Mountain West has a conference RPI of 9, helps the Rebels cause here.
Going along with my last bullet point, if UNLV is actually as good as their #24 RPI, then they are probably going to get grossly mis-seeded as an 8, 9, or 10 seed. I like their chances against any team they would play in those circumstances. My point of listing these Bracket Busters was to pick teams (that don't get a lot of hype) that I liked to get a win or two in the NCAA Tournament. I think UNLV is going to be put in a great position to win at least one game. Because you're going to take the team with a top 25 RPI (UNLV) over a team with an RPI in the high 30's or 40's (Kansas State, Mississippi State, etc.) every single time, regardless of their seeding. I'm just trying to help you play the odds here people.
You have to love any team where the mascot's name includes the letter 'N' followed by an apostrophe. UNLV doesn't have any place in their program for the letter 'G'!
Head coach Lon Kruger deserves a ton of credit for the turn-around at UNLV. Last year's NCAA Tournament appearance was the team's first since 2000, and their first Tournament WIN in 15 years. He's done a great job of changing the culture of that basketball program. UNLV has now back-to-back MWC Tournaments and is looking for back-to-back sweet sixteen appearances.
It's time for the final edition of America's favorite running segment! Notable UNLV alumni include: Ronnie Vannucci (drummer for The Killers), Kenny Mayne (ESPN anchor and personality), William Macbeth (President of the Bellagio Hotel and Casino), John Ensign (current Nevada Senator), Ickey Woods (former NFL player), Randall Cunningham (former NFL player), Adam Scott (PGA golfer), Cecil Fielder (former MLB player), and Shelley Berkley (current congressional rep. for Nevada's 1st district).

I've now chosen my five Bracket Buster teams: UMBC, Drake, Kent State, South Alabama, and UNLV. I have a very good chance of all five teams making the NCAA Tournament, with only South Alabama needing an at-large bid. I'll be keeping track of how these teams fair during the Big Dance. I would not be surprised if two or even three of these teams reach the sweet-sixteen. Happy Busting.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Friday, March 28, 2008

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Monday, March 24, 2008

Friday, March 21, 2008

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Monday, March 17, 2008

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Which program has the best chance of winning the national championship this season?

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