Impressive. That's all that can be said about that performance by the defending champs. They kind of flaked out for the last six or seven minutes but other than that it was a supremely business-like victory.
Obviously the big story of the game was Aaron Afflalo. He picked up three early fouls and wasn't a factor at all until he started hitting shots in the last few minutes. It can be argued that they were questionable calls against Afflalo, but frankly I don't think it would have mattered. Brewer played a brilliant game on both ends and if Afflalo was in the game, he wouldn't have made up the difference. It was complete dominance. Al Horford was a manchild on the glass with 17 rebounds. Someone lit a fire under Noah in the second half and we saw that raw and uncontrollable emotion that is going to make him a lot of money. What shocked me was Humphrey getting open looks. I felt that Florida's guards would not have the types of games they did against Oregon because of UCLA's superior perimeter defense, but Brewer and Humphrey both had big games which ended up being the main difference.
It was clear with Afflalo out, UCLA had very few other scoring options and couldn't keep up with the Gators. They were fortunate to be down by only six at the half, and then Florida asserted its dominance and the game was over. The final margin is nowhere near indicative of how the game went in the second half. Florida was the better team, with or without Afflalo.
As far as the future pros, Brewer helped himself the most. His shot was on and his defense was superb as always. Afflalo's first extended playing time was early in the second half and Brewer frustrated him every time down the floor. His versatility is impressive. At times he got matched up against Collison on switches and was able to keep up with his quickness. There are a lot of guards who can't say that. Brewer also made a block on a fast break that displayed his outstanding athleticism. He is certainly a lottery pick. As far as Noah, I still don't necessarily see why he is a top five pick, but I love his fire. I just don't see how his game translates. He doesn't have a go-to offensive move, he can't shoot. His value is on defense and on the glass and I'm not sure that's enough to justify a lottery pick. I love Horford's game. As I said, his performance on the boards was outstanding, and he displays some developing offensive moves. I would rank the three Florida guys 1. Brewer 2. Horford 3. Noah. Afflalo could benefit from another year but I wouldn't blame him for coming out. He has a warrior's mentality but he can back it up on the offensive end, unlike Noah. His defense is solid. Today's game really isn't indicative of the season he has had.
Bottom line is the two best teams are moving on. Preview and prediction tomorrow.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
G-Town vs. Ohio State: Second Half
Well, Greg Oden showed up in a big way. He wasn't overly dominant, but there was a clear difference in the game when he was in. Ohio State already had the advantage over the Hoyas without Oden, and his assertiveness was the icing on the cake that put the Buckeyes over the top. Conley wasn't as freakishly awesome in the second half, but he didn't need to be because of Oden's presence, who also noticeably affected Georgetown's offense. The backdoor cuts weren't there because Oden was there waiting.
Hibbert played an outstanding game when he was in, but the foul trouble caught up to him. Jeff Green simply did not show up. It is inexplicable for the Big East Player of the Year to get only five shots and nine points in the biggest game of his life. He should have demanded the ball to go through him on every possession when Hibbert was out. He needed to step up and carry his team but he didn't do it. His draft stock just took a hit in my opinion because this was a situation where he had to shine. Oden stepped up when he finally got on the floor, while Green was on the floor the whole time and wasn't heard from.
All that said, Ohio State was the better team. Their personnel was better and it turned out to be a terrible match-up for Georgetown, who had no answer for Conley's quickness. The Buckeyes are a more well rounded team in terms of overall talent, which was glaring.
Now, on to the rematch!
Hibbert played an outstanding game when he was in, but the foul trouble caught up to him. Jeff Green simply did not show up. It is inexplicable for the Big East Player of the Year to get only five shots and nine points in the biggest game of his life. He should have demanded the ball to go through him on every possession when Hibbert was out. He needed to step up and carry his team but he didn't do it. His draft stock just took a hit in my opinion because this was a situation where he had to shine. Oden stepped up when he finally got on the floor, while Green was on the floor the whole time and wasn't heard from.
All that said, Ohio State was the better team. Their personnel was better and it turned out to be a terrible match-up for Georgetown, who had no answer for Conley's quickness. The Buckeyes are a more well rounded team in terms of overall talent, which was glaring.
Now, on to the rematch!
G-Town vs. Ohio State: First Half
Well, I said foul trouble would be a huge issue for the big men. I also said Hibbert would be the one to get into foul trouble, and that Ohio State would be less affected because of their abundance of talent. I was right on some stuff, wrong on others.
Jeff Green needs to show up. If Hibbert picks up an early third, Green may have to carry the Hoyas offensively. The Buckeyes showed that they have other guys who can step up the scoring with Oden on the bench, but Hibbert means too much to Georgetown on the offensive end, much more than Oden does for OSU. Therefore, when Hibbert is out, the Hoyas are hurting. That said, the scoring is right where Georgetown wants it. They can't beat the Buckeyes in a track meet. This game will be decided in the 50s which exponentially improves the Hoyas chance at victory.
For Ohio State, Mike Conley did what Green could not. As Jim Nantz said, in his infinite wisdom, "Conley is the best player on the floor," and he was right. His 11 points were an unstoppable 11 points because nobody on G-Town can check him. If Oden comes back strong and stays out of foul trouble in the second half, this game is over.
Jeff Green needs to show up. If Hibbert picks up an early third, Green may have to carry the Hoyas offensively. The Buckeyes showed that they have other guys who can step up the scoring with Oden on the bench, but Hibbert means too much to Georgetown on the offensive end, much more than Oden does for OSU. Therefore, when Hibbert is out, the Hoyas are hurting. That said, the scoring is right where Georgetown wants it. They can't beat the Buckeyes in a track meet. This game will be decided in the 50s which exponentially improves the Hoyas chance at victory.
For Ohio State, Mike Conley did what Green could not. As Jim Nantz said, in his infinite wisdom, "Conley is the best player on the floor," and he was right. His 11 points were an unstoppable 11 points because nobody on G-Town can check him. If Oden comes back strong and stays out of foul trouble in the second half, this game is over.
Friday, March 30, 2007
The Eve of Judgement Day
Has it ever been okay to get this jacked up for the Final Four? Last year's Final Four was exciting for the sole reason that George Mason was in it. No one cared about Florida, UCLA, or LSU. All of the hype going in was for Mason even though everyone knew they had very little chance at winning the whole thing. This year is a totally different monster. It's hard to know where to start, but somehow it's all been covered. There's the rematch of last year's title game (though this year's matchup promises to be better), the meeting of big, big men, the return to prominence of one of the nation's most prestigious programs, and on and on and on, not to mention the emerging Billy Donavon-Kentucky storyline. It wouldn't be difficult to argue that these four teams are the best four teams in the country. Last year, it wouldn't have been difficult to argue that none of the Final Four teams were among the four best in the country.
That's what makes tomorrow so special. The best are taking on the best. The knock against the NCAA tournament is that it rarely crowns America's best team as champion. Instead, it basically hands the trophy to the pretty good team that gets hot at the right time. This year, the team that emerges with the title will be America's best college basketball team. I am way too jacked up for tomorrow. It's going to be hard to concentrate during my 18-mile run tomorrow because of what awaits me when I finish: the greatest Final Four of my lifetime. I'll have a full recap tomorrow.
That's what makes tomorrow so special. The best are taking on the best. The knock against the NCAA tournament is that it rarely crowns America's best team as champion. Instead, it basically hands the trophy to the pretty good team that gets hot at the right time. This year, the team that emerges with the title will be America's best college basketball team. I am way too jacked up for tomorrow. It's going to be hard to concentrate during my 18-mile run tomorrow because of what awaits me when I finish: the greatest Final Four of my lifetime. I'll have a full recap tomorrow.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
What will happen on Saturday: Part 2
Looking back on my last post, I realize that it came across as an endless rant about how fouls affect the play of big men, leading to a completely pointless conclusion that whether Hibbert, Oden, both, or neither get into foul trouble, Ohio State will win. Sorry for wasting you time, but trust me on the pick. Ohio State advances. Now on to the main event.
Florida vs. UCLA
Oh baby! This one has me excited. Really excited. I thought I was excited after Blair Phillips blocked the game-winning field goal attempt against Oklahoma, and I was, but that wasn't as prolonged as this one. I am jacked for this game.
On UCLA's side, they are on a serious role. Although the Kansas game was relatively close, it was clear who was the better team. This UCLA team is better than last year's. Aaron Afflalo has emerged as one of the best players in America. Darren Collison is the glue and he is better suited to Ben Howland basketball (or "BenBall" as some refer to it as) than Jordan Farmar was. This team was the most consistent team in the country up until their last two games leading up to the Dance (losses to Washington and Cal). For the entire year I was touting the Bruins as the best team in America, even after they came to Eugene and left with an L. On Florida's side, they have the championship swagger and the experience. However, I think the experience cancels out because UCLA was here last year also. It was an advantage up until now against Jackson State, Purdue, Butler, and Oregon but UCLA has been there, done that. As far as the swagger goes, UCLA has it just as much as Florida. The Gators are not playing with the attitude that they did during last year's tournament, and UCLA is coming off a dominant performance against the uber-talented Jayhawks.
So how do these teams match-up? Florida beat Oregon with solid perimeter play. Green and Humphrey played outstanding and were knocking down their shots. However, UCLA is the best perimeter defensive team in America. They will not allow Florida's guards to get the looks they did against Oregon, who inexplicably continued to go under ball screens. UCLA won't do that. Florida will have to win this game with Noah, Horford, and the rest of their big men. They have been good in the tournament, but nowhere near as good as they can be. Maybe they don't have the same fire as they did last year. Maybe they are on the verge of completely exploding for huge games in Atlanta. The bottom line is they haven't played like they can, and they are going to have to step up big time to beat the Bruins. Florida's advantage is down low and they will need to utilize that to win because, as good as UCLA is, they have nothing for Noah and Horford. Matta, Aboya, and Mbah-Moute are serviceable but not on their level.
In my bracket, I have Florida winning this game (have I mentioned that I picked all four Final Four teams?) and I am going to stick with, though I am nowhere near as confident in the pick as I was at the beginning of the tournament. I love where UCLA is at and I haven't been overly impressed with how Florida has played thus far. Frankly, if I hadn't filled out a bracket I might pick UCLA in this one. But I'm sticking to my guns and going with Florida. I think Noah and Horford will have solid games. It will be close all the way to the end. As I said a couple of days ago, UCLA games will always be close because of the Bruins' style of play. Florida will have just enough, and they will move on to face Ohio State in the title game.
Yup, Florida-Ohio State. Just like football. Obviously, I am not going to make a pick for that match-up because it isn't even official yet. What's the point in making predictions for a game that may or may not happen? Yeah, I know, ESPN did it with their remarkably pointless fictitious college football playoff but I'm not as cool as them so I can't do it. Just take it to the bank. Florida-Ohio State.
Florida vs. UCLA
Oh baby! This one has me excited. Really excited. I thought I was excited after Blair Phillips blocked the game-winning field goal attempt against Oklahoma, and I was, but that wasn't as prolonged as this one. I am jacked for this game.
On UCLA's side, they are on a serious role. Although the Kansas game was relatively close, it was clear who was the better team. This UCLA team is better than last year's. Aaron Afflalo has emerged as one of the best players in America. Darren Collison is the glue and he is better suited to Ben Howland basketball (or "BenBall" as some refer to it as) than Jordan Farmar was. This team was the most consistent team in the country up until their last two games leading up to the Dance (losses to Washington and Cal). For the entire year I was touting the Bruins as the best team in America, even after they came to Eugene and left with an L. On Florida's side, they have the championship swagger and the experience. However, I think the experience cancels out because UCLA was here last year also. It was an advantage up until now against Jackson State, Purdue, Butler, and Oregon but UCLA has been there, done that. As far as the swagger goes, UCLA has it just as much as Florida. The Gators are not playing with the attitude that they did during last year's tournament, and UCLA is coming off a dominant performance against the uber-talented Jayhawks.
So how do these teams match-up? Florida beat Oregon with solid perimeter play. Green and Humphrey played outstanding and were knocking down their shots. However, UCLA is the best perimeter defensive team in America. They will not allow Florida's guards to get the looks they did against Oregon, who inexplicably continued to go under ball screens. UCLA won't do that. Florida will have to win this game with Noah, Horford, and the rest of their big men. They have been good in the tournament, but nowhere near as good as they can be. Maybe they don't have the same fire as they did last year. Maybe they are on the verge of completely exploding for huge games in Atlanta. The bottom line is they haven't played like they can, and they are going to have to step up big time to beat the Bruins. Florida's advantage is down low and they will need to utilize that to win because, as good as UCLA is, they have nothing for Noah and Horford. Matta, Aboya, and Mbah-Moute are serviceable but not on their level.
In my bracket, I have Florida winning this game (have I mentioned that I picked all four Final Four teams?) and I am going to stick with, though I am nowhere near as confident in the pick as I was at the beginning of the tournament. I love where UCLA is at and I haven't been overly impressed with how Florida has played thus far. Frankly, if I hadn't filled out a bracket I might pick UCLA in this one. But I'm sticking to my guns and going with Florida. I think Noah and Horford will have solid games. It will be close all the way to the end. As I said a couple of days ago, UCLA games will always be close because of the Bruins' style of play. Florida will have just enough, and they will move on to face Ohio State in the title game.
Yup, Florida-Ohio State. Just like football. Obviously, I am not going to make a pick for that match-up because it isn't even official yet. What's the point in making predictions for a game that may or may not happen? Yeah, I know, ESPN did it with their remarkably pointless fictitious college football playoff but I'm not as cool as them so I can't do it. Just take it to the bank. Florida-Ohio State.
What will happen on Saturday
As I have made abundantly clear, I picked all four Final Four teams correctly. I have been flaunting my bracket prediction prowess about for the past couple of days, and as a result I believe that my predictions for Saturdays games are valid. You should listen. What I say in the ensuing paragraphs is gold. Treat it as such.
Georgetown vs. Ohio State
The sexyness of this matchup cannot be overestimated. Greg Oden and Roy Hibbert may be the most legit centers in the country. In college, a lot of teams play 6-8, 6-9, or 6-10 guys at center because that's all they've got. These guys are centers and will be at the next level. The key here will be foul trouble. Bill Simmons, whether you like him or not, made a great point a couple of weeks ago regarding foul trouble in college basketball. Though the proportion of game minutes to fouls is the same in college as in the NBA (1 foul for every 8 minutes), foul trouble is much more of an issue at the college level. If a guy gets two first half fouls in college, he is crippled for not only the rest of the half (if he isn't on the bench) but for the second half as well because a third foul would be a death wish. In the NBA, a guy can get three first half fouls and still be far from serious trouble. Frankly, a pro isn't in trouble until he gets five, and even that can be argued because getting a sixth foul is difficult. The point is that one of these guys will get into foul trouble. The question is: which one? My money is on Hibbert, for a couple of reasons. First, Oden, though he has gotten into foul trouble a lot in the tournament, is a fabulous defender and is adept at avoiding cheap fouls that plague big men. If he commits a foul, it's a legit foul, not a nickel-dimer. Hibbert is more likely to commit a foul he doesn't need to, like clobbering a guy on a drive trying to block a shot instead of simply trying to affect the shot like Oden does. Also, since Jeff Green is option #1 for the Hoyas, Hibbert won't be asked to do a ton on offense. On the other hand, the Buckeye offense is better when Oden gets touches. Hibbert will have to play more one-on-one defense and hence will see more foul possibilities. There you go. I have inconclusively proven that Hibbert will get into foul trouble.
However, even if Oden gets into foul trouble, the Buckeyes might still be in good shape. Remember, they were a top five team before Oden was playing. They went toe-to-toe with Carolina at Carolina. If Oden sits, there is still enough talent to stay in the game. Throughout the tournament, the Buckeyes have been solid when Oden has been in foul trouble. Jeff Green is a great player, and I would love to see him in a Blazer uniform next year, but he would be asked to carry G-Town with Hibbert on the bench, while the Buckeyes have a handful of guys who can pick up the scoring if Oden is out. Where Oden's presence would really be missed would be on the defensive end, but if OSU can make it an up and down game without Oden on the floor, that would cancel out Oden's absence.
I like Ohio State to win. They have more talent up and down the roster if one of their studs goes cold. Foul trouble amongst the big men will be a big issue, but Ohio State is more prepared to deal with it if Oden is out. Take it to the bank! OSU in the title game!
Florida-UCLA later.
Georgetown vs. Ohio State
The sexyness of this matchup cannot be overestimated. Greg Oden and Roy Hibbert may be the most legit centers in the country. In college, a lot of teams play 6-8, 6-9, or 6-10 guys at center because that's all they've got. These guys are centers and will be at the next level. The key here will be foul trouble. Bill Simmons, whether you like him or not, made a great point a couple of weeks ago regarding foul trouble in college basketball. Though the proportion of game minutes to fouls is the same in college as in the NBA (1 foul for every 8 minutes), foul trouble is much more of an issue at the college level. If a guy gets two first half fouls in college, he is crippled for not only the rest of the half (if he isn't on the bench) but for the second half as well because a third foul would be a death wish. In the NBA, a guy can get three first half fouls and still be far from serious trouble. Frankly, a pro isn't in trouble until he gets five, and even that can be argued because getting a sixth foul is difficult. The point is that one of these guys will get into foul trouble. The question is: which one? My money is on Hibbert, for a couple of reasons. First, Oden, though he has gotten into foul trouble a lot in the tournament, is a fabulous defender and is adept at avoiding cheap fouls that plague big men. If he commits a foul, it's a legit foul, not a nickel-dimer. Hibbert is more likely to commit a foul he doesn't need to, like clobbering a guy on a drive trying to block a shot instead of simply trying to affect the shot like Oden does. Also, since Jeff Green is option #1 for the Hoyas, Hibbert won't be asked to do a ton on offense. On the other hand, the Buckeye offense is better when Oden gets touches. Hibbert will have to play more one-on-one defense and hence will see more foul possibilities. There you go. I have inconclusively proven that Hibbert will get into foul trouble.
However, even if Oden gets into foul trouble, the Buckeyes might still be in good shape. Remember, they were a top five team before Oden was playing. They went toe-to-toe with Carolina at Carolina. If Oden sits, there is still enough talent to stay in the game. Throughout the tournament, the Buckeyes have been solid when Oden has been in foul trouble. Jeff Green is a great player, and I would love to see him in a Blazer uniform next year, but he would be asked to carry G-Town with Hibbert on the bench, while the Buckeyes have a handful of guys who can pick up the scoring if Oden is out. Where Oden's presence would really be missed would be on the defensive end, but if OSU can make it an up and down game without Oden on the floor, that would cancel out Oden's absence.
I like Ohio State to win. They have more talent up and down the roster if one of their studs goes cold. Foul trouble amongst the big men will be a big issue, but Ohio State is more prepared to deal with it if Oden is out. Take it to the bank! OSU in the title game!
Florida-UCLA later.
Monday, March 26, 2007
So......that's it.
There is a scene in the movie Deep Impact in which the president (played amazingly by Morgan Freeman) goes on the air and informs the United States that the Titan missiles they sent up to deflect an asteroid headed for earth have failed. He completes his announcement with a very simple "So, that's it." That's pretty much how I felt after yesterdays game.
Many may point to missed opportunities. The Ducks went stride for stride against a team they had no right to go stride for stride with. For the most part, Florida played into Oregon's hands. I was fairly certain that the Gators would pound pound pound until the Oregon frontline lay on the court in submission. In fact, they sort of played into the hands of the smaller, less burly Ducks. The Gators won with great games from Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey. The Ducks wanted to make it about the backcourt play because if it came down to the big men, Oregon would have no shot. The Ducks were in foul trouble but not in horrible foul trouble until the last couple of minutes when guys began fouling out. In short, the game was played how it had to be played for Oregon to win.
In the end, it wasn't meant to be. Sure we could point to the rebounding edge but that was no shock. Oregon would never ever outrebound Florida if they played a million times. That was no big deal. We could point to the 43-16 edge Florida had in free throw attempts but, again, that was to be expected. Oregon had to spend fouls and make the Gator bigs knock down foul shots in order to prevent easy buckets every time down. This strategy was accentuated by the fact that Adam Zahn and Ray Schafer actually saw the floor late in the first half. The free throws were inconsequential. We could point to the frighteningly bad night Tajuan Porter had but that's the nature of a streaky shooter. He got the shots he wanted but they just weren't falling. Bummer. He wasn't going to be hitting like he was against the Rebels. Plus, Malik Hairston played one of his best games of the year. He wouldn't have had that kind of game if Porter were on. Brooks also showed up in a big way to supplement the lost points from TP.
The bottom line is Oregon was outclassed on the floor. Florida is really good. Oregon played well, it just wasn't meant to be. No excuses. Congrats to Florida. Heck, I had them winning this game in my bracket. I also had UCLA, Ohio State, and Georgetown in the Final Four. That's right! Four for Four baby! I won't lie, it's a nice ego stroke.
This Final Four might be the most intriguing in recent memory. On the one hand, we've got a rematch of last year's title game. Really, not much needs to be said about Florida v. UCLA. Florida has experience, they have a swagger, they have four first round draft picks. UCLA has the best defense in the country, they have Ben Howland, they have UCLA across the chest. We couldn't ask for a better match-up. In the other game, we have the ridiculous head-to-head of Greg Oden and Roy Hibbert, two legit 7-footers who will be playing in the league. We have the #1 team in the polls with an insane amount of talent up and down the roster going up against the reemergence of Hoya Paranoia. I don't know which game is better. All I know is I am jacked for Saturday.
Since I was four for four in picking the Final Four, I am going to go ahead and consider my predictions on these two games worth paying attention to. Did I mention I picked not one, not two, not three, but all four of the Final Four teams? Yeah, you should probably listen to what I have to say on this issue because, more likely than not, I'm right. But I'm gonna leave you hanging. Tomorrow, I will tell you who is going to win on Saturday. Since it's pretty much a lock that it's going to be correct (since I picked all four Final Four team and all, I suggest those of you who want to be surprised stay away from the Zoo for a little while. At least until after Saturday. For those of you who want to make some money, come back tomorrow so you can promptly make your bets afterward.
Many may point to missed opportunities. The Ducks went stride for stride against a team they had no right to go stride for stride with. For the most part, Florida played into Oregon's hands. I was fairly certain that the Gators would pound pound pound until the Oregon frontline lay on the court in submission. In fact, they sort of played into the hands of the smaller, less burly Ducks. The Gators won with great games from Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey. The Ducks wanted to make it about the backcourt play because if it came down to the big men, Oregon would have no shot. The Ducks were in foul trouble but not in horrible foul trouble until the last couple of minutes when guys began fouling out. In short, the game was played how it had to be played for Oregon to win.
In the end, it wasn't meant to be. Sure we could point to the rebounding edge but that was no shock. Oregon would never ever outrebound Florida if they played a million times. That was no big deal. We could point to the 43-16 edge Florida had in free throw attempts but, again, that was to be expected. Oregon had to spend fouls and make the Gator bigs knock down foul shots in order to prevent easy buckets every time down. This strategy was accentuated by the fact that Adam Zahn and Ray Schafer actually saw the floor late in the first half. The free throws were inconsequential. We could point to the frighteningly bad night Tajuan Porter had but that's the nature of a streaky shooter. He got the shots he wanted but they just weren't falling. Bummer. He wasn't going to be hitting like he was against the Rebels. Plus, Malik Hairston played one of his best games of the year. He wouldn't have had that kind of game if Porter were on. Brooks also showed up in a big way to supplement the lost points from TP.
The bottom line is Oregon was outclassed on the floor. Florida is really good. Oregon played well, it just wasn't meant to be. No excuses. Congrats to Florida. Heck, I had them winning this game in my bracket. I also had UCLA, Ohio State, and Georgetown in the Final Four. That's right! Four for Four baby! I won't lie, it's a nice ego stroke.
This Final Four might be the most intriguing in recent memory. On the one hand, we've got a rematch of last year's title game. Really, not much needs to be said about Florida v. UCLA. Florida has experience, they have a swagger, they have four first round draft picks. UCLA has the best defense in the country, they have Ben Howland, they have UCLA across the chest. We couldn't ask for a better match-up. In the other game, we have the ridiculous head-to-head of Greg Oden and Roy Hibbert, two legit 7-footers who will be playing in the league. We have the #1 team in the polls with an insane amount of talent up and down the roster going up against the reemergence of Hoya Paranoia. I don't know which game is better. All I know is I am jacked for Saturday.
Since I was four for four in picking the Final Four, I am going to go ahead and consider my predictions on these two games worth paying attention to. Did I mention I picked not one, not two, not three, but all four of the Final Four teams? Yeah, you should probably listen to what I have to say on this issue because, more likely than not, I'm right. But I'm gonna leave you hanging. Tomorrow, I will tell you who is going to win on Saturday. Since it's pretty much a lock that it's going to be correct (since I picked all four Final Four team and all, I suggest those of you who want to be surprised stay away from the Zoo for a little while. At least until after Saturday. For those of you who want to make some money, come back tomorrow so you can promptly make your bets afterward.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
So Sweet to be Elite
Despite Maarty Leunen's best attempts to completely give the game away, the Ducks march on with a victory over the Runnin' Rebels. Aaron Brooks was absent, as was Bryce Taylor, but Tajuan Porter showed up in a big way to lead the O into a showdown with the defending champs. The last couple of minutes really pissed me off for a couple of reasons. First of all, we had an opportunity to really make a statement by closing out the game and winning by about 20. Instead, we try to run out the clock and Vegas all of a sudden gets hot and we win by four. I'm not mad, just irritated. Honestly, what the hell was up with Maarty Leunen. In a two minute span, he committed three turnovers, missed two free throws, and gave up an offensive rebound that led to a Rebel bucket. It reminded me of the days of Ian Crosswhite trying to give games away for the Ducks two years ago. Anyway, we won so take that Maarty and whoever paid him off.
I went for a two hour, 16-mile run this morning to try and figure out how the Ducks can win on Sunday and I couldn't figure it out. Oregon's two starting big men (Leunen and Malik Hairston) aren't quick enough to hang with Joakim Noah and aren't strong enough to hang with Al Horford. I could see Joevan Catron checking Horford for a period of time but I could also see him getting into immediate foul trouble. There are some fouls to give off the bench with Mitch Platt, Ray Schafer, and Adam Zahn but they are complete liabilities on offense. If Leunen and Catron, the only legit and effective big men, get in foul trouble, the Ducks are done. As far as the perimeter, I wouldn't be surprised to see Corey Brewer on Brooks to start the game. Brooks struggled against UNLV and will probably be looking for his shot early. If they put a long, athletic guy like Brewer on him early, it could frustrate Aaron and neutralize him like he was against Vegas. That would leave it up to Porter to hit long threes to keep Oregon in it, which may work against UNLV but it won't work against the defending national champions. This game may look a lot like the last time Oregon was in an Elite 8 when they lost to Kansas in 2002. The Ducks stayed in it for about a half before KU imposed their will with outstanding inside play and rebounding in the second half. That's probably what will happen tomorrow.
Another issue could be the absolute shock of facing a good team. Oregon's last five games have looked something like this: Cal, an exhausted USC team, Miami (OH), Winthrop, UNLV. Not exactly world beaters. The game before Cal was Arizona and the game before Arizona was Oregon State. The last time Oregon played a game against real competition was Feb 22 and 24 against the Washington schools. It may be difficult to adjust to playing a team that has Oregon completely overmatched.
As for the games today, does it get any better? Both could literally go either way. Memphis showed the nation a little somethin-somethin by beating A&M. So did Ohio State by overcoming a huge deficit against Tennessee. I like Ohio State to advance in a close one. The other game could end up being a classic. Neither team will run away from the other. UCLA won't allow it because of the defense they play and Kansas won't allow it because of their insane level of talent at every position. I picked UCLA to win this game in my bracket and I'm sticking with it because the game is in San Jose and Ben Howland can outcoach Bill Self. This is not a Pac-10 homer pick. I don't like UCLA. Not on the level that I hate Oregon State or Washington. I'm just jealous of UCLA's success and the fact that Kevin Love jilted the O for Westwood. I respect the Bruins, but I don't necessarily want to see them win. I do see them winning tonight though.
Speaking of Pac-10, I know I should have been rooting for USC last night but I was not. Part of it was for the same reason I won't exactly be rooting for UCLA tonight. But the other reason was the possibility of a North Carolina-Georgetown match-up 25 years later. For a 19 year old, I happen to be in touch with my historical side and it would be sweet to see the two teams on the floor with John Thompson, Patrick Ewing, and all the G-Town alumns in the house along with the UNC guys like Dean Smith and maybe James Worthy, Sam Perkins, and, dare I say, His Airness himself? I get chills thinking about it. I have the Hoyas in Atlanta in my bracket so I'm picking them in this one, though I had them playing the Hook 'Ems in tomorrows game. I know, total brain fart. I was under the impression that Kevin Durant would somehow be able to overcome Rick Barnes' "coaching" and lead them on a Carmelo-esque run. I forgot that Durant probably trusts Barnes to an extent and will do what he tells him to do which eliminates any possibility of Texas winning anything. My Final Four teams are still alive (Florida, UCLA, G-Town, Ohio State) and I still think they will all advance.
For those of you who have missed it, the Blazers have surpassed their win total from two years ago and are now 4-0 without Zach Randolph. If this learning curve continues, the Blazers are a solid playoff team in two years. They have the Rookie of the Year in Brandon Roy, the second best rookie in the league in Lamarcus Aldridge (he put up 27 and 14 last night), a coach who I trust, and an abundance of other young talent. Not to mention one of the best young front office guys in the league (Kevin Pritchard). I will jump off the Autzen Footbridge if he isn't hired as the new GM. It's not that big of a leap and there's no chance I would actually die but I would be badly bruised so it would make a nice statement. By the way, I want Jeff Green in a Blazer uniform next year. My second choice would be Al Thornton. I have a soft spot for guys who have had solid college careers. That's why I liked Carmelo over Lebron, Bogut over Marvin Williams, and Brandon Roy over everybody. It's the same reason I don't like Josh McRoberts, Brandon Wright, Hasheem Thabeet, Spencer Hawes, and anybody else who has a fabulous "upside." Give me ready-made talent who can contribute and are used to leading a team over a guy who may be a specimen but has never been "the guy" at a high-level and has never been looked to in a big situation to win a game. Brandon Roy is Portland's go-to guy in big spots. He takes all the big shots and has single-handedly won at least four or five games this year with his clutch play late in games this year. Long story short, I like college players. I like guys who have won conference player of the year awards, have been first-team all-Americans, and guys who have been the best players on their team.
I went for a two hour, 16-mile run this morning to try and figure out how the Ducks can win on Sunday and I couldn't figure it out. Oregon's two starting big men (Leunen and Malik Hairston) aren't quick enough to hang with Joakim Noah and aren't strong enough to hang with Al Horford. I could see Joevan Catron checking Horford for a period of time but I could also see him getting into immediate foul trouble. There are some fouls to give off the bench with Mitch Platt, Ray Schafer, and Adam Zahn but they are complete liabilities on offense. If Leunen and Catron, the only legit and effective big men, get in foul trouble, the Ducks are done. As far as the perimeter, I wouldn't be surprised to see Corey Brewer on Brooks to start the game. Brooks struggled against UNLV and will probably be looking for his shot early. If they put a long, athletic guy like Brewer on him early, it could frustrate Aaron and neutralize him like he was against Vegas. That would leave it up to Porter to hit long threes to keep Oregon in it, which may work against UNLV but it won't work against the defending national champions. This game may look a lot like the last time Oregon was in an Elite 8 when they lost to Kansas in 2002. The Ducks stayed in it for about a half before KU imposed their will with outstanding inside play and rebounding in the second half. That's probably what will happen tomorrow.
Another issue could be the absolute shock of facing a good team. Oregon's last five games have looked something like this: Cal, an exhausted USC team, Miami (OH), Winthrop, UNLV. Not exactly world beaters. The game before Cal was Arizona and the game before Arizona was Oregon State. The last time Oregon played a game against real competition was Feb 22 and 24 against the Washington schools. It may be difficult to adjust to playing a team that has Oregon completely overmatched.
As for the games today, does it get any better? Both could literally go either way. Memphis showed the nation a little somethin-somethin by beating A&M. So did Ohio State by overcoming a huge deficit against Tennessee. I like Ohio State to advance in a close one. The other game could end up being a classic. Neither team will run away from the other. UCLA won't allow it because of the defense they play and Kansas won't allow it because of their insane level of talent at every position. I picked UCLA to win this game in my bracket and I'm sticking with it because the game is in San Jose and Ben Howland can outcoach Bill Self. This is not a Pac-10 homer pick. I don't like UCLA. Not on the level that I hate Oregon State or Washington. I'm just jealous of UCLA's success and the fact that Kevin Love jilted the O for Westwood. I respect the Bruins, but I don't necessarily want to see them win. I do see them winning tonight though.
Speaking of Pac-10, I know I should have been rooting for USC last night but I was not. Part of it was for the same reason I won't exactly be rooting for UCLA tonight. But the other reason was the possibility of a North Carolina-Georgetown match-up 25 years later. For a 19 year old, I happen to be in touch with my historical side and it would be sweet to see the two teams on the floor with John Thompson, Patrick Ewing, and all the G-Town alumns in the house along with the UNC guys like Dean Smith and maybe James Worthy, Sam Perkins, and, dare I say, His Airness himself? I get chills thinking about it. I have the Hoyas in Atlanta in my bracket so I'm picking them in this one, though I had them playing the Hook 'Ems in tomorrows game. I know, total brain fart. I was under the impression that Kevin Durant would somehow be able to overcome Rick Barnes' "coaching" and lead them on a Carmelo-esque run. I forgot that Durant probably trusts Barnes to an extent and will do what he tells him to do which eliminates any possibility of Texas winning anything. My Final Four teams are still alive (Florida, UCLA, G-Town, Ohio State) and I still think they will all advance.
For those of you who have missed it, the Blazers have surpassed their win total from two years ago and are now 4-0 without Zach Randolph. If this learning curve continues, the Blazers are a solid playoff team in two years. They have the Rookie of the Year in Brandon Roy, the second best rookie in the league in Lamarcus Aldridge (he put up 27 and 14 last night), a coach who I trust, and an abundance of other young talent. Not to mention one of the best young front office guys in the league (Kevin Pritchard). I will jump off the Autzen Footbridge if he isn't hired as the new GM. It's not that big of a leap and there's no chance I would actually die but I would be badly bruised so it would make a nice statement. By the way, I want Jeff Green in a Blazer uniform next year. My second choice would be Al Thornton. I have a soft spot for guys who have had solid college careers. That's why I liked Carmelo over Lebron, Bogut over Marvin Williams, and Brandon Roy over everybody. It's the same reason I don't like Josh McRoberts, Brandon Wright, Hasheem Thabeet, Spencer Hawes, and anybody else who has a fabulous "upside." Give me ready-made talent who can contribute and are used to leading a team over a guy who may be a specimen but has never been "the guy" at a high-level and has never been looked to in a big situation to win a game. Brandon Roy is Portland's go-to guy in big spots. He takes all the big shots and has single-handedly won at least four or five games this year with his clutch play late in games this year. Long story short, I like college players. I like guys who have won conference player of the year awards, have been first-team all-Americans, and guys who have been the best players on their team.
Friday, March 23, 2007
The Past Five Days
Sorry about the delay. Finals week has been hell. I never want to hear about the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus ever again. In case you're wondering, there are two parts to it. The first states: Let a function f be integrable on [a,b]. Set F(x) equal to the integral from 1 to x of the the function f(t)dt for some x on [a,b]. If f is continuous at some point c on [a,b] then F is differentiable at c and the derivative of F(c)=f(c). The second part is far less important because you need to know that anti-derivative of a function before utlizing it. Anyway, that's why you come to this blog.
Much has happened since the O's glorious win over the Winthrop juggernaut that everyone and their dog was falling for. Now the same is happening with with UNLV. Who could blame the pundits for jumping on the Rebels? Tarkanian is a great coach. They are loaded with talented guys like Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony, and Stacey Augmon, and they might just go undefeated. Oh wait.....that was like 15 years ago? Than what's the big deal? Oh, that's right, Lon Krueger is their coach. You remember Lon Krueger. He's another one of those Mike Montgomery-Rick Pitino-Tim Floyd types who thought their semi-success in college could parlay them into being the next Red freaking Auerbach. He's some kind of genius, so much so that Oregon has no shot against the Rebs. Not to mention the fact that they also have Kevin Krueger. What's the only thing more difficult than matching up with one Krueger? Matching up with two of them! Let's forget that Oregon went 8-5 against tourney teams. Sure, UNLV went 5-2 but their tourney teams have combined for one win in the Dance while Oregon's have combined for 13. It won't be a walk tonight, but I don't see Oregon losing. Not at this point. They'll get throttled by Florida but not by UNLV.
In other news, Josh McRoberts is headed to the NBA. What has the world come to? The worst part is somebody is actually going to draft this guy. I am no Duke hater. I like Coach K and I respect the program so don't view this as some anti-Duke view of the world. McRoberts is a stiff. He is 6-10 but has no go-to offensive move, can't play the post-up game, doesn't rebound, has no range (which you would hope for from a big guy who can't play big), very little defensive give-a-crap....in short, I feel bad for whoever drafts this guy. Speaking of which, Draft Express currently has J-Mac getting picked at #18 by Philly. Wow, that's great for the Sixers. Now they'll have not one but two Shavlik Randolphs, except this one is going to cost them a first round pick. Seriously, if Billy King drafts McRoberts, he should be forced to stand naked atop the Rocky statue banging a skillet with a wooden spoon chanting "I drafted Josh." Come to think of it, anybody who makes that pick should be relegated to that fate. Anybody who wants Josh McRoberts need look no further than Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Jeff Green, Julian Wright, Corey Brewer, and Al Thornton as guy who could do McRoberts' job about 1000 times better than McRoberts. I can't wait to see J-Mac starring in next season's D-league all-star game. He's the next Pops Mensah-Bonsuh!
As expected, Rick Barnes completed his "Sabatoging of Kevin Durant's career" mission by sitting idly by while USC's second half lead grew and grew and grew.....and grew and grew to 17 before he had the sense to call a timeout. I don't have the gamelog in front of me but it basically went "Texas turnover, USC lay-up, Texas miss, USC lay-up, Texas turnover, USC three-pointer" for about 6 minutes. This whole time, Barnes has a terrified look on his face as if to say "I sure hope nobody notices that I'm doing a better job of tanking this game than the Milwaukee Bucks are of tanking the rest of their season." Seriously though, Barnes is an outstanding recruiter. He has had top 5 talent every year. Look at some of the players he has coached: PJ Tucker, Lamarcus Aldridge, TJ Ford, Daniel Gibson, Kevin Durant, etc. Give that kind of talent to Tom Izzo and he's got two titles. With Rick Barnes, simply put, you don't have two titles. At this point, the University of Texas pretty much recruits itself. Anybody who has been to Austin knows what I'm talking about. At this point, I would seriously think about going another direction if I'm the UT brass. Look at all the quality coaches jumping ship. Steve Alford to New Mexico? Tubby Smith to Minnesota? These guys are leaving plum real estate for a studio apartment. There has got to be somebody out there (Tony Bennet, Chris Lowery, Mark Few?) who would be willing to take a job with the Hook 'Ems.
I think it might be time the NCAA ditches the domes for regional finals. They are necessary for the Final Four but not for anything else. Anyone remember last year in Atlanta for the Duke-LSU-Texas-West Virginia region. That place was dead, half-full, and dead some more. Same for Minneapolis for Florida-Villanova-Boston College-Georgetown. Meanwhile, the environments in Oakland and DC were electric. How about this year? The best game of the tournament so far has been Tennessee-Ohio State, but the Alamodome was about half-full for the amazing last ten minutes. Some of the problems could be that a) Tennessee didn't have any fans at the game, b) all the A&M fans left after the Aggies lost, and c) the game ended past people's bed times. Those are all valid. Hey, another reason might be that the game was being played in a cavernous behemouth meant for football!! As I said, they need it for the Final Four, which, like the Super Bowl, will draw not matter what. But the regional semi-finals and finals don't need that much leg room. The atmosphere suffers, the experience suffers. If you don't believe me, watch the games tonight. I'll bet my bottom dollar that the Meadowlands will be alive and then some, while the atmosphere at the Edward Jones Dome will suffer because of the echoes from all the crickets. See if you can't tell the difference.
By the way, I like Florida big over Butler, Oregon comfortably but not in a blow-out over former Blazer great Greg Anthony's alma-mater, Carolina to have way too much talent for the Conquest, and Georgetown to stay hot over Vandy. Yes, I picked all the higher seeds. Sue me. It has worked out pretty well so far this tournament. Remember when I was giving suggestions for picking the bracket and I told you to not chase Cinderella and play it safe? Damage control? I was right. Just thought I'd throw that in.
Much has happened since the O's glorious win over the Winthrop juggernaut that everyone and their dog was falling for. Now the same is happening with with UNLV. Who could blame the pundits for jumping on the Rebels? Tarkanian is a great coach. They are loaded with talented guys like Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony, and Stacey Augmon, and they might just go undefeated. Oh wait.....that was like 15 years ago? Than what's the big deal? Oh, that's right, Lon Krueger is their coach. You remember Lon Krueger. He's another one of those Mike Montgomery-Rick Pitino-Tim Floyd types who thought their semi-success in college could parlay them into being the next Red freaking Auerbach. He's some kind of genius, so much so that Oregon has no shot against the Rebs. Not to mention the fact that they also have Kevin Krueger. What's the only thing more difficult than matching up with one Krueger? Matching up with two of them! Let's forget that Oregon went 8-5 against tourney teams. Sure, UNLV went 5-2 but their tourney teams have combined for one win in the Dance while Oregon's have combined for 13. It won't be a walk tonight, but I don't see Oregon losing. Not at this point. They'll get throttled by Florida but not by UNLV.
In other news, Josh McRoberts is headed to the NBA. What has the world come to? The worst part is somebody is actually going to draft this guy. I am no Duke hater. I like Coach K and I respect the program so don't view this as some anti-Duke view of the world. McRoberts is a stiff. He is 6-10 but has no go-to offensive move, can't play the post-up game, doesn't rebound, has no range (which you would hope for from a big guy who can't play big), very little defensive give-a-crap....in short, I feel bad for whoever drafts this guy. Speaking of which, Draft Express currently has J-Mac getting picked at #18 by Philly. Wow, that's great for the Sixers. Now they'll have not one but two Shavlik Randolphs, except this one is going to cost them a first round pick. Seriously, if Billy King drafts McRoberts, he should be forced to stand naked atop the Rocky statue banging a skillet with a wooden spoon chanting "I drafted Josh." Come to think of it, anybody who makes that pick should be relegated to that fate. Anybody who wants Josh McRoberts need look no further than Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Jeff Green, Julian Wright, Corey Brewer, and Al Thornton as guy who could do McRoberts' job about 1000 times better than McRoberts. I can't wait to see J-Mac starring in next season's D-league all-star game. He's the next Pops Mensah-Bonsuh!
As expected, Rick Barnes completed his "Sabatoging of Kevin Durant's career" mission by sitting idly by while USC's second half lead grew and grew and grew.....and grew and grew to 17 before he had the sense to call a timeout. I don't have the gamelog in front of me but it basically went "Texas turnover, USC lay-up, Texas miss, USC lay-up, Texas turnover, USC three-pointer" for about 6 minutes. This whole time, Barnes has a terrified look on his face as if to say "I sure hope nobody notices that I'm doing a better job of tanking this game than the Milwaukee Bucks are of tanking the rest of their season." Seriously though, Barnes is an outstanding recruiter. He has had top 5 talent every year. Look at some of the players he has coached: PJ Tucker, Lamarcus Aldridge, TJ Ford, Daniel Gibson, Kevin Durant, etc. Give that kind of talent to Tom Izzo and he's got two titles. With Rick Barnes, simply put, you don't have two titles. At this point, the University of Texas pretty much recruits itself. Anybody who has been to Austin knows what I'm talking about. At this point, I would seriously think about going another direction if I'm the UT brass. Look at all the quality coaches jumping ship. Steve Alford to New Mexico? Tubby Smith to Minnesota? These guys are leaving plum real estate for a studio apartment. There has got to be somebody out there (Tony Bennet, Chris Lowery, Mark Few?) who would be willing to take a job with the Hook 'Ems.
I think it might be time the NCAA ditches the domes for regional finals. They are necessary for the Final Four but not for anything else. Anyone remember last year in Atlanta for the Duke-LSU-Texas-West Virginia region. That place was dead, half-full, and dead some more. Same for Minneapolis for Florida-Villanova-Boston College-Georgetown. Meanwhile, the environments in Oakland and DC were electric. How about this year? The best game of the tournament so far has been Tennessee-Ohio State, but the Alamodome was about half-full for the amazing last ten minutes. Some of the problems could be that a) Tennessee didn't have any fans at the game, b) all the A&M fans left after the Aggies lost, and c) the game ended past people's bed times. Those are all valid. Hey, another reason might be that the game was being played in a cavernous behemouth meant for football!! As I said, they need it for the Final Four, which, like the Super Bowl, will draw not matter what. But the regional semi-finals and finals don't need that much leg room. The atmosphere suffers, the experience suffers. If you don't believe me, watch the games tonight. I'll bet my bottom dollar that the Meadowlands will be alive and then some, while the atmosphere at the Edward Jones Dome will suffer because of the echoes from all the crickets. See if you can't tell the difference.
By the way, I like Florida big over Butler, Oregon comfortably but not in a blow-out over former Blazer great Greg Anthony's alma-mater, Carolina to have way too much talent for the Conquest, and Georgetown to stay hot over Vandy. Yes, I picked all the higher seeds. Sue me. It has worked out pretty well so far this tournament. Remember when I was giving suggestions for picking the bracket and I told you to not chase Cinderella and play it safe? Damage control? I was right. Just thought I'd throw that in.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Hey Rick Majerus! How does THAT taste!
So Winthrop hit four of their first six threes. That was pretty much the extent of their Cinderella run at the Ducks. Remember Craig Bradshaw, the guy who according to all the experts, would have too much size for the Oregon big men? 3-6 from the field. Non-factor. Winthrop was supposed to be this athletic, up-tempo team that would be able to stay with Oregon. I didn't see it. I was thoroughly unimpressed by "This Year's George Mason."
Maybe now some of the college basketball pundits will recognize, especially Rick Majerus. I like Rick. He was a good coach, he's a likeable guy, and he is a great analyst. But he was flat-out wrong about the "Ore-Gone" Ducks. So was Seth Davis and Clark Kellog. So was Digger Phelps. Everyone and their mother was picking Winthrop and I think I know why. Last year, Mason proved that it could be done. Now everyone is looking for that team that will do it this year. Winthrop was a trendy pick, and for the "experts" whose introduction to Oregon basketball was the first-round game against Miami (OH), it was easy for them to pick Winthrop. Forgive them. They didn't know Oregon is the Pac-10 champ. They didn't know Oregon has defeated UCLA, Wazzu (twice), Zona at Zona, Georgetown at Georgetown. They didn't know, they didn't care. They didn't want to know. Now they better take a look because this team is for real. Frankly, I expected to see a closer game. Now, I can't wait to watch ESPN tonight to see Digger and Majerus and all the other Ignorant to Ore-Gones try to justify Winthrop's demise.
And make no mistake, that's what it will be. It won't be what Oregon did right, but what Winthrop did wrong. That's all we heard from Ian Eagle during the telecast. "Winthrop just isn't executing" or "The Eagles just can't get anything going." Ian is another guy I like, but he wanted so badly for Winthrop to keep the Cinderella run going it was absurd. He didn't acknowledge Oregon's D once. Really, none of this lack of notoriety matters. If we keep winning, people will notice. UNLV is DAN-GER-OUS. Granted, Wisconsin was clearly a tired team that peaked midseason and ran out of gas in the Big Ten tourney. But UNLV is for real. They have 30 wins, and that's no joke.
That said, this is a great opportunity for Oregon. Beat UNLV and get a shot at the defending national champs and, in my opinion, the best team in America. Florida would beat Oregon 9 times out of 10, but all it takes is one. But first things first. UNLV is on tap. Let's hope people notice.
Maybe now some of the college basketball pundits will recognize, especially Rick Majerus. I like Rick. He was a good coach, he's a likeable guy, and he is a great analyst. But he was flat-out wrong about the "Ore-Gone" Ducks. So was Seth Davis and Clark Kellog. So was Digger Phelps. Everyone and their mother was picking Winthrop and I think I know why. Last year, Mason proved that it could be done. Now everyone is looking for that team that will do it this year. Winthrop was a trendy pick, and for the "experts" whose introduction to Oregon basketball was the first-round game against Miami (OH), it was easy for them to pick Winthrop. Forgive them. They didn't know Oregon is the Pac-10 champ. They didn't know Oregon has defeated UCLA, Wazzu (twice), Zona at Zona, Georgetown at Georgetown. They didn't know, they didn't care. They didn't want to know. Now they better take a look because this team is for real. Frankly, I expected to see a closer game. Now, I can't wait to watch ESPN tonight to see Digger and Majerus and all the other Ignorant to Ore-Gones try to justify Winthrop's demise.
And make no mistake, that's what it will be. It won't be what Oregon did right, but what Winthrop did wrong. That's all we heard from Ian Eagle during the telecast. "Winthrop just isn't executing" or "The Eagles just can't get anything going." Ian is another guy I like, but he wanted so badly for Winthrop to keep the Cinderella run going it was absurd. He didn't acknowledge Oregon's D once. Really, none of this lack of notoriety matters. If we keep winning, people will notice. UNLV is DAN-GER-OUS. Granted, Wisconsin was clearly a tired team that peaked midseason and ran out of gas in the Big Ten tourney. But UNLV is for real. They have 30 wins, and that's no joke.
That said, this is a great opportunity for Oregon. Beat UNLV and get a shot at the defending national champs and, in my opinion, the best team in America. Florida would beat Oregon 9 times out of 10, but all it takes is one. But first things first. UNLV is on tap. Let's hope people notice.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Pat Kilkenny: Nice Man
For those of you not a part of O Nation, the University of Oregon recently hired a new athletic director to replace outgoing AD Bill Moos. More on that in a second, but first I want to pass along this story regarding Kilkenny's inexplicably generous gesture to the student body. Apparently, a good number of U of O students were camping out outside the Casanova Center the other night to get their hands on the 55 tickets for the NCAA tournament made available to students (a tenth of the total alotment, per policy). Kilkenny showed up in the morning with his wife and not only presented them with an insane amount of donuts and coffee, he also announced that all of the tickets would be paid for...by him. Not only that, Kilkenny would foot the bill for a chartered bus to take the students to Spokane for the Ducks' first round game against Miami (OH) and, hopefully, their second round game against the Domer/Winthrop winner. All told, that's about 6 grand out of his pocket, and another 3 grand if the O advances to the second round.
Granted, this isn't that big of a deal for a guy as well off as Kilkenny. He sold his San Diego-based Arrowhead General Insurance Agency in 2006 with premiums upwards of $1 billion. He also happens to be one of the U of O's biggest boosters. The south plaza at Autzen Stadium is called the Pat Kilkenny South Plaza. This may get you wondering: how did Pat Kilkenny, a booster with no AD experience, get the job at Oregon? Well, it started when he paid outgoing AD Bill Moos $1.8 million to step down. Nobody really knows why exactly but it probably has something to do with Moos' inability to make headway when it comes to the basketball program's new arena project. For about 5 years, Moos has been trying to get money together to build the new arena but fundraisers have left for greener pastures and planning has stalled. Kilkenny has stated that the arena project is one of his main focuses.
So if you followed that correctly, you will realize that our biggest booster was pissed that Moos wasn't making progress in regards to the arena, so he paid Moos to leave. Then he was hired by UO President Dave Frohnmayer. Some may call this shady. The guy essentially pays for the job. And he's a booster nonetheless. Shouldn' t the NCAA be a tad bit concerned that a booster is leading the athletic department at a major institution, especially in an era where boosters have been known to pay high school coaches to get their kids to go to, say, Alabama? When boosters have more control over what goes with a team than the AD himself? And now one of these evil-doers has the keys to the mansion? Yes, some would call it shady. What would I call it? Brilliant!
And how could you not? Who has a more vested interest in the success of the program than the guy who has paid boatloads of cash to get practice facilities and stadium additions and locker rooms built? This is like having a fan in the driver's seat. It's perfect and I am a big proponent of the move. Kilkenny has a chance to really shake things up. What does he have to worry about? His future as AD? He was only given a two-year contract. And what's going to happen if it isn't extended? What does he care? He has millions and millions of dollars in the bank to play with.
This really seems like an owner situation. Bob Toledo, while coaching at UCLA, once said that Phil Knight was the best owner in college sports. It was meant to be humorous, and it was, even to people here at the O who have witnessed the transformation from a simple University in Eugene to Nike U. Now, someone may make the comment that Pat Kilkenny is the best owner in college sports and it won't be humorous. It will be true! He footed the bill for student tickets. What's to stop him from footing at least part of the bill for the new arena? Moos couldn't get it done, so Pat will do it himself, with his own cash! That would probably be the dirtiest situation in the history of college sports. Think about it: the athletic director single-handedly paying for a new arena. Frankly, this could really get ugly. Or it could be a home run.
How many of us have thought to ourselves: if I were running things we would be sooooooo much better? That's right, all of us. Now the University of Oregon has a fan, not just a bureaucratic hand-waver, in charge. He represents us, even if we can't relate to his fabulous wealth. But we can relate to his love of Oregon athletics, and I can't wait to see where this goes.
Granted, this isn't that big of a deal for a guy as well off as Kilkenny. He sold his San Diego-based Arrowhead General Insurance Agency in 2006 with premiums upwards of $1 billion. He also happens to be one of the U of O's biggest boosters. The south plaza at Autzen Stadium is called the Pat Kilkenny South Plaza. This may get you wondering: how did Pat Kilkenny, a booster with no AD experience, get the job at Oregon? Well, it started when he paid outgoing AD Bill Moos $1.8 million to step down. Nobody really knows why exactly but it probably has something to do with Moos' inability to make headway when it comes to the basketball program's new arena project. For about 5 years, Moos has been trying to get money together to build the new arena but fundraisers have left for greener pastures and planning has stalled. Kilkenny has stated that the arena project is one of his main focuses.
So if you followed that correctly, you will realize that our biggest booster was pissed that Moos wasn't making progress in regards to the arena, so he paid Moos to leave. Then he was hired by UO President Dave Frohnmayer. Some may call this shady. The guy essentially pays for the job. And he's a booster nonetheless. Shouldn' t the NCAA be a tad bit concerned that a booster is leading the athletic department at a major institution, especially in an era where boosters have been known to pay high school coaches to get their kids to go to, say, Alabama? When boosters have more control over what goes with a team than the AD himself? And now one of these evil-doers has the keys to the mansion? Yes, some would call it shady. What would I call it? Brilliant!
And how could you not? Who has a more vested interest in the success of the program than the guy who has paid boatloads of cash to get practice facilities and stadium additions and locker rooms built? This is like having a fan in the driver's seat. It's perfect and I am a big proponent of the move. Kilkenny has a chance to really shake things up. What does he have to worry about? His future as AD? He was only given a two-year contract. And what's going to happen if it isn't extended? What does he care? He has millions and millions of dollars in the bank to play with.
This really seems like an owner situation. Bob Toledo, while coaching at UCLA, once said that Phil Knight was the best owner in college sports. It was meant to be humorous, and it was, even to people here at the O who have witnessed the transformation from a simple University in Eugene to Nike U. Now, someone may make the comment that Pat Kilkenny is the best owner in college sports and it won't be humorous. It will be true! He footed the bill for student tickets. What's to stop him from footing at least part of the bill for the new arena? Moos couldn't get it done, so Pat will do it himself, with his own cash! That would probably be the dirtiest situation in the history of college sports. Think about it: the athletic director single-handedly paying for a new arena. Frankly, this could really get ugly. Or it could be a home run.
How many of us have thought to ourselves: if I were running things we would be sooooooo much better? That's right, all of us. Now the University of Oregon has a fan, not just a bureaucratic hand-waver, in charge. He represents us, even if we can't relate to his fabulous wealth. But we can relate to his love of Oregon athletics, and I can't wait to see where this goes.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Play-in...um, I mean "Opening Round" Game
For those of you who missed it, Niagara beat FAMU in the Opening Round game of the NCAA tournament. The title "opening round" is meant to imply that this game represents the start of the NCAA Tournament, the beginning of March Madness. I am willing to bet however that there were very few people outside of Niagara, New York and Tallahassee, Florida that were glued to their screens hanging on the outcome of every possession. In fact, even the players seemed a bit indifferent. It had the feel of a JV game taking place just before a high-profile Varsity game. The stands are packed with people anticipating the big boys to take the floor and who don't really care who wins the JV game. Meanwhile, the JV kids are just trying to get the game over with because they are semi-embarrassed because they know that people are secretly laughing at them for not being Varsity players and being relegated to having to play the show before the show. That's what the Opening Round game is. All of the teams that are actually in the tournament are preparing for the Big Dance while NU and FAMU are in Dayton, Ohio playing a game that allegedly means something but everyone, including the players, coaches, and fans, realizes does not.
I couldn't help but feel for the players. Think about the supreme elation those guys felt after winning their conference tournaments. They were going to the grown-up's table. They were in the show. In didn't matter if it meant getting slaughtered by a real contender. They were going to get to experience the madness and maybe, just maybe, be one of those teams that everyone would be talking about. Maybe Niagara would be this year's Mason, FAMU the next Gonzaga. And then, on Selection Sunday, the ball dropped. They would actually have to play a game before becoming the sacrificial lamb to Kansas. Bummer. It's like being told you are getting a car for your birthday and then being handed the keys to a Geo Prizm or a Ford P.O.S. Sort of takes the luster off, doesn't it?
Apparently, the city of Dayton has really embraced this game and have made it an "event" or something. Hey, that's cool. It's great that they try their darndest to make the two teams feel like they are real-life bona-fide tourney teams. That doesn't make it okay to exile two teams that nobody cares about off to a game that nobody cares about, the winner of which will be another bug on the bottom of a national powerhouse's shoe.
The idea of the Opening Round game is decent enough. It allows for one more at-large team. Thank goodness, because without this riveting match-up of MEAC champ vs. MAAC champ, teams that epitomize mediocrity, like Illinois and Arkansas, wouldn't have the opportunity to salvage their seasons with a tourney victory (I hope the sarcasm shines through that last sentence). My deal is if you're going to have one Opening Round game for one of the #16 seeds, have an Opening Round game for all of the #16 seeds. Make it an actual event. Having four Opening Round games on the Tuesday prior to the start of the tourney may actually be somewhat interesting. Plus, each #16 seed gets the equal disadvantage of having to play a game before getting beaten to a pulp by a contender.
The other change that should be made is that conference champions shouldn't be forced to play in the Opening Round. They earned their way in. They earned the right to experience March Madness. Did Arkansas really earn it? Was 7-9 in the SEC West and a cotton cushy draw in the SEC tourney really worthy of a bid? Meanwhile, Niagara and FAMU each finished second in their respective conferences, won over 20 games, and each rolled through their conference tournaments to win a spot in the actual Dance. Maybe the "worst" teams in the tourney shouldn't be forced to play on Tuesday. Maybe the last teams picked should have to play. Maybe the Opening Round game should be Arkansas vs. Illinois. It wouldn't have to be for a 16 seed, but perhaps a 13 seed, which is usually the seed that the last team in the tournament gets.
The point is simple. The NCAA wants people to think the Opening Round game is part of the Madness. It isn't. Everyone knows that, including the players in the game. It's too bad and it isn't fair. Unfortunately, it probably isn't going to change. As I said, the concept isn't ill-conceived because it allows an extra at-large. But does that at-large deserve it? And why should two conference champions be forced to play in the game-they-want-you-to-think-matters-but-actually-doesn't? Talk amongst yourselves.
I couldn't help but feel for the players. Think about the supreme elation those guys felt after winning their conference tournaments. They were going to the grown-up's table. They were in the show. In didn't matter if it meant getting slaughtered by a real contender. They were going to get to experience the madness and maybe, just maybe, be one of those teams that everyone would be talking about. Maybe Niagara would be this year's Mason, FAMU the next Gonzaga. And then, on Selection Sunday, the ball dropped. They would actually have to play a game before becoming the sacrificial lamb to Kansas. Bummer. It's like being told you are getting a car for your birthday and then being handed the keys to a Geo Prizm or a Ford P.O.S. Sort of takes the luster off, doesn't it?
Apparently, the city of Dayton has really embraced this game and have made it an "event" or something. Hey, that's cool. It's great that they try their darndest to make the two teams feel like they are real-life bona-fide tourney teams. That doesn't make it okay to exile two teams that nobody cares about off to a game that nobody cares about, the winner of which will be another bug on the bottom of a national powerhouse's shoe.
The idea of the Opening Round game is decent enough. It allows for one more at-large team. Thank goodness, because without this riveting match-up of MEAC champ vs. MAAC champ, teams that epitomize mediocrity, like Illinois and Arkansas, wouldn't have the opportunity to salvage their seasons with a tourney victory (I hope the sarcasm shines through that last sentence). My deal is if you're going to have one Opening Round game for one of the #16 seeds, have an Opening Round game for all of the #16 seeds. Make it an actual event. Having four Opening Round games on the Tuesday prior to the start of the tourney may actually be somewhat interesting. Plus, each #16 seed gets the equal disadvantage of having to play a game before getting beaten to a pulp by a contender.
The other change that should be made is that conference champions shouldn't be forced to play in the Opening Round. They earned their way in. They earned the right to experience March Madness. Did Arkansas really earn it? Was 7-9 in the SEC West and a cotton cushy draw in the SEC tourney really worthy of a bid? Meanwhile, Niagara and FAMU each finished second in their respective conferences, won over 20 games, and each rolled through their conference tournaments to win a spot in the actual Dance. Maybe the "worst" teams in the tourney shouldn't be forced to play on Tuesday. Maybe the last teams picked should have to play. Maybe the Opening Round game should be Arkansas vs. Illinois. It wouldn't have to be for a 16 seed, but perhaps a 13 seed, which is usually the seed that the last team in the tournament gets.
The point is simple. The NCAA wants people to think the Opening Round game is part of the Madness. It isn't. Everyone knows that, including the players in the game. It's too bad and it isn't fair. Unfortunately, it probably isn't going to change. As I said, the concept isn't ill-conceived because it allows an extra at-large. But does that at-large deserve it? And why should two conference champions be forced to play in the game-they-want-you-to-think-matters-but-actually-doesn't? Talk amongst yourselves.
Monday, March 12, 2007
The Divine Secrets of filling out a bracket
There is no magic potion or special secrets to filling out brackets. A lot of it is just a crap shoot. Obviously nobody had George Mason in the Final Four last year. In fact, very few people probably had LSU and Florida in the Final Four. This thing is damn near impossible to really predict. However, as a two-time winner of Oregon School for the Deaf's bracket pool (my mom works there and she always let me fill out her bracket) I deem myself qualified to pass along some things that I look for when filling out my Tourney bracket.
1. Damage Control. Nobody is going to pick every game right. Not me and, I sorry to be the one to break this, not you. The key is damage control. Everybody tries to look for the big upsets, the bracket busters, the next George Mason. The problem with that is what if you pick a 14 over a 3 because you have unequivicably identified the obvious upset but then that 3 not only wins but goes on to the Final Four or the Elite Eight? Your bracket is screwed! Stay with the safe picks because it will benefit you down the line when those people who went for the upsets have nobody left passed the Sweet 16. That's not to say that you shouldn't pick upsets. Hell, I have VCU beating Duke, ODU beating Butler, Creighton beating Nevada. Just don't try to do something stupid. Take the prudent route.
2. Who's hot? This is an obvious one. If a team is peaking going into the tourney, stick with them. That's why Georgetown is the hot pick this year. They are playing maybe the best ball in the country. Don't go against them just because everyone is going for them. If they are hot, go with it. That's why I have G-Town, Florida, and Ohio State in Atlanta. They all won their conference tournaments and they are all playing well. I also have Oregon in the Elite Eight as a Hot Team/Homer pick as well as Texas. These teams are hot. Go with 'em.
3. Let the stars come out. Make sure a team has a star player who can carry them if the rest of the team isn't producing. In the Big Dance, the Big Stars come out. This is why I have Texas in the Elite Eight. Would Texas be sniffing a 4 seed, would they have even been in those games with Kansas if not for Kevin Durant? No. They would be an 8 or 9 but nowhere near a 4. Marquette loses in the first round because their star, Dominic James, is playing like crap. Memphis doesn't make it out of the Sweet 16 because, although they are talented, they will lose to the star power/home court advantage that Texas A & M will bring with Acie Law in San Antonio. Let the stars guide you, not blind you.
4. Coaching, coaching, coaching. Look for good coaches with history of success in the tournament. This is one reason why I was hesitant with the Texas pick. Rick Barnes can't coach worth crap but the star power/hotness that the Hook 'Ems bring to the table outweighs the ineptitude on the sidelines. I have UCLA in the Final Four because they may be the best coached team in America. Plus, they don't have to leave Californ-Eye-Ay until Atlanta. If Michigan State were a little more talented, I would pick them to go far. Tom Izzo has made 3 Final Fours and an Elite Eight. Last year was an aberation. I have them beating Marquette in an intriguing 8-9 game and would have them going further if there was more talent on that team. If a team has a coach, they have a chance. That winning attitude and mentality that guys like Howland and Izzo bring rubs off on the players.
5. Balance. For some reason, people have come to the conclusion that guardplay wins in March. I stopped falling for that in 2002 when Your Oregon Ducks, with arguably the best backcourt in the country (Luke Ridnour, Freddie Jones, Luke Jackson) got outrebounded by about 1000-5 in the Elite Eight to the Nick Collison led Kansas Jayhawks. This year, the Ducks once again have a great backcourt, better than Florida's, but they wouldn't have a 9 year olds chance at Neverland Ranch against the Gators thanks to Joe Noah and Al Horford. The big guys have to show up too. Don't fall for the "just guards" theory. If that were the case, Virginia Tech would be a lock for the Final Four. USC would be in the Elite Eight. Just keep it balanced.
As you can see, there are numerous contradictions in these theories. I have UCLA in the Final Four even though they lost their last two (not hot). I have Duke losing in the first round despite having Coach K (good coaching). I have Texas beating UNC even though you could argue that the star factor cancels out due to Carolina's depth, and Roy Williams is clearly a better coach than Rick Barnes. The point is, as I said at the top, there is no perfect formula. There are no magic theories. This is what I look for. It may not be what you look for. Whatever works, trust it. Go with it. Feel it. That being said, we'll all be tearing up our brackets by about 1 PM Thursday afternoon so what does it matter?
1. Damage Control. Nobody is going to pick every game right. Not me and, I sorry to be the one to break this, not you. The key is damage control. Everybody tries to look for the big upsets, the bracket busters, the next George Mason. The problem with that is what if you pick a 14 over a 3 because you have unequivicably identified the obvious upset but then that 3 not only wins but goes on to the Final Four or the Elite Eight? Your bracket is screwed! Stay with the safe picks because it will benefit you down the line when those people who went for the upsets have nobody left passed the Sweet 16. That's not to say that you shouldn't pick upsets. Hell, I have VCU beating Duke, ODU beating Butler, Creighton beating Nevada. Just don't try to do something stupid. Take the prudent route.
2. Who's hot? This is an obvious one. If a team is peaking going into the tourney, stick with them. That's why Georgetown is the hot pick this year. They are playing maybe the best ball in the country. Don't go against them just because everyone is going for them. If they are hot, go with it. That's why I have G-Town, Florida, and Ohio State in Atlanta. They all won their conference tournaments and they are all playing well. I also have Oregon in the Elite Eight as a Hot Team/Homer pick as well as Texas. These teams are hot. Go with 'em.
3. Let the stars come out. Make sure a team has a star player who can carry them if the rest of the team isn't producing. In the Big Dance, the Big Stars come out. This is why I have Texas in the Elite Eight. Would Texas be sniffing a 4 seed, would they have even been in those games with Kansas if not for Kevin Durant? No. They would be an 8 or 9 but nowhere near a 4. Marquette loses in the first round because their star, Dominic James, is playing like crap. Memphis doesn't make it out of the Sweet 16 because, although they are talented, they will lose to the star power/home court advantage that Texas A & M will bring with Acie Law in San Antonio. Let the stars guide you, not blind you.
4. Coaching, coaching, coaching. Look for good coaches with history of success in the tournament. This is one reason why I was hesitant with the Texas pick. Rick Barnes can't coach worth crap but the star power/hotness that the Hook 'Ems bring to the table outweighs the ineptitude on the sidelines. I have UCLA in the Final Four because they may be the best coached team in America. Plus, they don't have to leave Californ-Eye-Ay until Atlanta. If Michigan State were a little more talented, I would pick them to go far. Tom Izzo has made 3 Final Fours and an Elite Eight. Last year was an aberation. I have them beating Marquette in an intriguing 8-9 game and would have them going further if there was more talent on that team. If a team has a coach, they have a chance. That winning attitude and mentality that guys like Howland and Izzo bring rubs off on the players.
5. Balance. For some reason, people have come to the conclusion that guardplay wins in March. I stopped falling for that in 2002 when Your Oregon Ducks, with arguably the best backcourt in the country (Luke Ridnour, Freddie Jones, Luke Jackson) got outrebounded by about 1000-5 in the Elite Eight to the Nick Collison led Kansas Jayhawks. This year, the Ducks once again have a great backcourt, better than Florida's, but they wouldn't have a 9 year olds chance at Neverland Ranch against the Gators thanks to Joe Noah and Al Horford. The big guys have to show up too. Don't fall for the "just guards" theory. If that were the case, Virginia Tech would be a lock for the Final Four. USC would be in the Elite Eight. Just keep it balanced.
As you can see, there are numerous contradictions in these theories. I have UCLA in the Final Four even though they lost their last two (not hot). I have Duke losing in the first round despite having Coach K (good coaching). I have Texas beating UNC even though you could argue that the star factor cancels out due to Carolina's depth, and Roy Williams is clearly a better coach than Rick Barnes. The point is, as I said at the top, there is no perfect formula. There are no magic theories. This is what I look for. It may not be what you look for. Whatever works, trust it. Go with it. Feel it. That being said, we'll all be tearing up our brackets by about 1 PM Thursday afternoon so what does it matter?
Sunday, March 11, 2007
OK, my bad
So I initially thought this would be a college football blog. I also thought that the end of a season would be a perfect time to start a college football blog. Ummmm.....yeaaaahhhhh. Not true. So screw that idea. Instead of writing about college football only, all the time, exclusively, and nothing else, I will instead write about whatever I want. It will mostly be sports (of all shapes and sizes) and politics and whatever else. One thing that is for sure is I will actually post often. I hope. We'll see how this goes.
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