Hopefully, Tonight's Action Will be Better

So far, I must say that the games of the NCAA Tournament have not been stellar. Last night, was especially lackluster. In no games did we have both teams play well, therefore, we had 3 blowouts. The only game that was not a blowout was Pitt vs Xavier, because no team could score consistently enough to pull away. But at least that game had drama, Levance Fields hit a huge three with under a minute left to give Pitt the lead that they wouldn't relinquish.

The rest of the games were borderline awful. Memphis was down by as much as 24 against Missouri. Memphis could not take care of the ball well enough to counter the full court Missouri defense. Purdue was just completely rattled by Thabeet and UConn. Kramer could not find a way to score in the second half, and Purdue just missed a bunch of jump shots. UConn has looked like the strongest team in this year's tournament, despite the allegations made against them.

The embarrassing performance of the day came from Duke. That was probably the worst game I have ever seen a Duke team play. They were completely inept on offense, they had no rhythm or flow. Gerald Henderson was rendered useless, and no one besides Singler could pick up the slack. Villanova's defense designed by Jay Wright exposed Jon Scheyer as a point guard, took away any advantage Duke might have had, and 'Nova rolled to an easy victory. I am still convinced that VCU was 'Nova's biggest challenge before they got to the Elite 8, but Eric Maynor couldn't hit the shot to beat UCLA. Now, 'Nova seems to have a head of steam, and I think they can handle Pitt to reach the Final Four.

Moving towards today's games, you probably know what will have my undivided attention. Syracuse takes the court against Oklahoma in Memphis. That game should be close and competitive, but I thought the Villanova vs Duke game was going to be great. The key for Syracuse is for Arinze Onuaku to stay out of foul trouble, because if he does, he is one of the few players in the country that has the size and strength to contain Blake Griffin. If the 2-3 zone collapses into the middle, it's up to the Oklahoma guards, and their 4 players that shoot over 37% from behind the arc, to make their shots. If they do, Oklahoma will have the advantage. However, if they miss, it will lead to open court opportunities for the Syracuse guards to make plays.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I think Gonzaga has the personal to match up with North Carolina and make that a close game. Each team has an array of weapons that can score the ball, but who will make the key stops in stretch time? Louisville should be on upset alert tonight. Arizona has been playing their best basketball of the season in the tournament, despite many believing they were not tournament worthy. The big 3 of Budinger, Wise, and Hill are three potential pro prospects who can take over the game. Louisville has not played great in their 2 games in the tournament. If they don't pick up their play, Arizona will win this game.

If there is a game that is completely a toss-up, it is Michigan State vs Kansas. Tom Izzo's team can go 10 deep, and has four fully capable guards who can make big plays. Kansas will counter with Sherron Collins, one of the best scoring point guards in the nation. Cole Aldrich will attempt to protect the interior once again. This game is a toss-up.

An Absolute Injustice

I saw this disturbing story (here) about NFL RB Ryan Moats trying to rush to the hospital to visit his dying mother-in-law and being stopped by a police officer for running a red-light. Before you read my reaction, read the story and watch the video.

Reaction: This is an example of an arrogant police officer that needs to be fired. He obviously was looking for a fight, and had no regard for the family's extreme circumstances. The officer's name is Robert Powell, and he has been, in effect, suspended for his conduct. He also reportedly pointed his gun at Ryan Moats's wife as she was leaving the car.

This was not the time for a lecture, if you want to give him a ticket, then quickly write him a ticket. Moats clearly explained why he ran the light to the officer, and that didn't seem to matter at all. It is not like Moats wasn't willing to accept the consequences, he just wanted the process accelerated, something that the officer could have easily done. The tragic part of the story is that those 13 minutes of unnecessary banter did cost Ryan Moats a chance to see his mother in law for the final time. She died before he could rush in and see her.

Game of the Day: Day 2

Day 2 of the NCAA Tournament had a lot more action then day 1. The games were closer and more competitive, especially during the last session. It was also a better day for my bracket, as I correctly picked Arizona and Cleveland State's upsets. I still have a slim lead over President Obama. Here is the game of the day, from CBS Sports. There was plenty of choices, including Cedric Jackson taking down Wake Forest, or Wisconsin's furious comeback against Florida State. However, I think we can all agree on this.


Watch CBS Videos Online

Bill Raftery is simply the best. ONIONS, DOUBLE ORDER! The best color analyst in college basketball hands down.

NCAA Tournament Day 1 Recap

Watch CBS Videos Online

Day one did lack surprises, and there was only a couple of good games. One of them was in the early session, when Memphis was pushed by the 15 seed Cal State Northridge. However, Memphis turned the switch on midway through the second half, and won the game by double digits. The same type of game was in Philly, where Villanova was challenged by the 14 seed American. 'Nova found themselves in shooting contest early on, and American built a 14 point lead. The higher seed eventually flipped the script and win the game by attacking the basket.

The game I was looking forward to yesterday was UCLA (6) vs VCU (11). It turned out to be the best game of the day, but the worst game of the day for my bracket. I had VCU going to the Elite 8, and I'm still convinced that they were one shot away from making a good run. Eric Maynor missed a last second shot that would have won the game for VCU. I felt that VCU played better than UCLA for most of the game, but they could not get over the hump and take the lead. If Maynor's shot would have dropped, VCU would have been a tough out for anyone in the tournament.

Overall, I was 13 of 16 in my picks. I am never good at picking the 8-9 game, and it was another failure on Thursday, 0 for 2. My only other loss on the day was VCU. Yesterday was a lot of safe games, not many upsets expected, or delivered. The only upset was sort of expected, Western Kentucky (12) over Illinois (5). On Friday, more exciting games are on tap, and it will be harder to pick over 75%, as many did on day 1. Syracuse (3) plays the early game against Stephen F. Austin (14), that will have my undivided attention for the start of the games.

The R2S Bracket Challenge vs. President Obama

Watching this fun story on ESPN gave me a fun idea for the blog. The R2S bracket, which is at the bottom of the page, will go head-to-head against President Barack Obama in a bracket challenge. Following his campaign, it was obvious to see that our President is a huge sports fan, and might have more knowledge then you might think. Here's the ESPN piece.




So, it is R2S vs. President Ba-Chalk Obama. He only has one real upset, but it is a good one (VCU). Still, our Final Four differs on only one team, but he has UNC winning it all, while I have Syracuse coming out of the South. And what is his beef against the Pac-10, aren't you supposed to be nice to your in-laws. Oh well, it should be fun and I like that our President made a bracket. Keep track of the score on the right side of the page, and we'll see who comes out on top. Feel free to join it if you want while there is still time left. It is on ESPN.com and a link is also on the right side of the page.

Breaking Down the Brackets: Final Four and Summary

The Final Four is the last section of the 5 post Breaking Down the Brackets series. To view what I think of each region, view the previous posts that are below this one. To view my bracket in its entirety, look at the bottom of the page.

Final Four- Memphis vs. Louisville: An old rivalry, when these two school were in the same conference. Now, Louisville plays in the rough and tough Big East, and Memphis plays in the soft and shallow C-USA. As simple as this sounds, I think that will be the difference in the game. Louisville is used to seeing the athletes that Memphis has, while Memphis has not seen a team this good during conference play. Can Tyreke Evans handle the full court, relentless press of Louisville? I saw Evans play a few games in high school, and enough of his college games to know that he is not a natural point guard. However, Memphis has been rolling since Evans was inserted at the point. That move was made at the beginning of conference play, where their toughest test is Tulsa (they did play a solid game out of conference during that span against Gonzaga). Is it that Memphis has been that good since Evans was the point, or have they just been untested. That risk alone makes me select Louisville to play in the Championship Game.

Final Four- Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh: A Big East game between Pitt and Syracuse, making it 3 Big East teams in the Final Four. In their game in conference play, Pitt handled Syracuse by double digits in Pittsburgh. That was one of the few Syracuse games that I didn't see, because I was in Washington DC for President Obama's Inauguration. More on President Obama in the next post, but back to this game. Both teams have been playing better since their last game against each other. Pittsburgh can not get sastified by getting past the Sweet 16, something they have not done since 1974. They need to keep their eyes on the prize, and hope that Blair doesn't get in foul trouble. Assuming that he does not, Pittsburgh has the better team at all posistions. Combine that with the fact that Pitt has been more consistent than Syracuse makes me select Pitt to face Louisville in the Championship Game.

Championship Game- Pittsburgh vs. Louisville: Another Big East battle, a rematch between Pitt and Louisville. Louisville won their previous meeting in Freedom Hall, a game that proved crucial in winning the Big East regular season title. Pitt was undefeated at the time, and poised to take the #1 spot in the polls. A lot more will be on the line in this game. The key of this game, as with all Louisville games, is how will Pitt handle the press. Levance Fields is as steady as point guards get, but will he be rattled by the Louisville trap? The answer is no! Fields has the best assist to turnover ratio in the country, and has seen this trap before. He knows what to expect, and how to not only get the ball up the court, but also attack the press. Louisville has no answer down low for Dejuan Blair, unless they want to double team, which leaves Sam Young open. Pitt has too many options, and they will defeat Louisville to win the National Championship.

Recap:
Final Four: Louisville, Memphis, Pitt, Syracuse
Championship Game: Louisville vs. Pitt
Champion: Pitt
Cinderella Teams: Cleveland State (13) to the Sweet 16 ; VCU (11) to the Elite 8

Breaking Down the Brackets: South Region

The final region of the bracket, the South region. To view the other 3 regions, see the previous posts.

Top Seed: North Carolina is the top seed of this region. The Tar Heels have a lot of talent, maybe the most talent in the country. "Psycho T" Tyler Hansbrough is a tremendous player, and he has help on the wings with Danny Green and Wayne Ellington. This team is experienced, the nucleus of the team went to the Final Four last year. When healthy, UNC could win it all, but are they healthy? Their hopes rely on the toe of Ty Lawson, and Coach Roy Williams said that his toe will not be 100%.

Upsets: The underdogs will win a few games in the first round. I have the 9, 10, 11, and 12 seeds all winning their first games. The spread offense of Michigan (10) will disrupt the struggling Clemson (7) team. I like Dionte Christmas to get hot in one tournament game, and that will be enough for Temple (11) to get by Arizona State (6). Another 12-5 upset, Western Kentucky (12) will pull the magic again, and upset Illinois (5). However, I am going with the higher seeds to make the Sweet 16.

Sweet 16: The only 1-2-3-4 Sweet 16 on my bracket is in the South region. First, it's North Carolina vs. Gonzaga (3). This game will depend of Ty Lawson's toe, so we are forced to guess his health. I don't like to pick a team with a huge variable like an injury, so I will go with Gonzaga to pull off the upset. The other matchup is Oklahoma against Syracuse. Blake Griffin has been the best in the country this year, but Oklahoma has been inconsistent since Griffin concussion. Also, I do not trust the Oklahoma guard play to win them an important game. Arinze Onuaku has the size to handle Griffin, and the Syracuse guards win them this game.

Elite 8: The Syracuse Orange against the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Seriously, if I have Syracuse going this far, do you think I am gong to let Gonzaga stand in the way of me picking them for the Final Four? I like Gonzaga's team, they have more weapons this year than any other year they have been in the tournament. Matt Bouldin is a point guard that has been through the battles, and knows how to win. If you look at it player-for-player, Syracuse has more talent, in fact, Syracuse has as much talent as anyone outside Pitt and North Carolina in the country. The guard combo of Flynn, Devendorf, and Rautins can score with anyone. Arinze Onuaku is a terrible free throw shooter, but he is a big man who defends and scores. It is a matter of them playing together, and I think they have learned how to at the end of the season. Syracuse in the Final Four.

Breaking Down the Brackets: East Region

Next up, the East region, the region that Dick Vitale has called the best region in the tournament. See below for my picks on the Midwest and West regions.

Top Seed: The Pittsburgh Panthers are the top seed of the region, and the second ranked top seed. When Pitt stays out of foul trouble, they are nearly unstoppable, just ask UConn. Levance Fields is a perfect point guard, a great passer and dribbler that does not turn the ball over. Dejuan Blair is an absolute beast in the paint, and Sam Young is one of the most underrated scorers in the country. However, if Pitt gets in foul trouble, mainly Blair, then the team takes a step back, just like in their game against Providence.

Upsets: This region has the cinderella team of the NCAA Tournament this year. That squad is VCU (11). Virginia Commenwelth has tournament experience; two years ago they took out Duke in the first round on a game winning shot by Eric Maynor. Mark it down; Eric Maynor will be this year's Stephen Curry. You may not know of him now, but by the end of the first weekend, everyone will know his name. He is a guard averages 23 points per game, and has a knack for taking over close games with his scoring and defense, as he has shown in the CAA and NCAA Tournaments. They also have a foreward in Larry Sanders that can provide the scoring inside. Last year, I said that Davidson would make the Elite 8 before the tournament started, this year I think VCU is capable of that kind of run.

Sweet 16: I have VCU in the Sweet 16 against a team that pulled an upset to get there, Texas (7) knocking off Duke (2). I have the Rams of VCU, and Eric Maynor being able to outscore Abrams of Texas. The 11 seed VCU moves onto the Elite 8. I have chalk at the top of the region, with Pitt facing Xavier (4). Pitt does everything that Xavier is strong at, but better. Xavier is athletic and tough, but so is Pitt. I'll take the top seeded Panthers.

Elite 8: The cinderella team VCU against the heavy favorite Pitt. Can VCU pull off the stunning upset? Sure, they could, just as Davidson could have defeated Kansas last year. It will be a great game, but I think Pitt will overwhelm VCU with their tempo and physical play. Pitt goes to the Final Four.

Breaking Down the Brackets: West Region

One down, three to go, let's fo through the West region:

Top Seed: UConn is the lowest ranked of the four to seeds. Many feel that Memphis deserved the top seed, but they will have a chance to decide it on the court, as Memphis and UConn are both in the West bracket. The Huskies have a had great season with tons of quality wins, but they are only 4-3 without their second leading scorer Dyson.

Upsets: A lot of chalk when it comes to this region. My only true upset is Utah State (11) over Marquette (6). Marquette has not shown they are a strong team without Dominic James, and are ripe to be taken down in the first round by Utah State's center who didn't even play high school ball. A mild upset in the first round is Maryland (10) over Cal (7), but that isn't really an upset.

Sweet 16: UConn should be realtively unchallenged before reaching the Sweet 16, but then they will go up against a stingy Purdue (5) team. Purdue will pull off the upset and once again send UConn home early. Purdue can force opponents into long scoring droughts, and UConn is prone to falling into those droughts. Purdue is looking strong, and since Hummel has come back from his injury, the Boilermakers have been rolling. On the bottom of the bracket is a potentially fantastic game between Missouri (3) and Memphis (2). Both teams rely on their athleticism, and both teams like a fast tempo. The differnce will be that Memphis is a deeper, and more experinced team, so they get the nod.

Elite 8: Purdue vs. Memphis in the regional final, and a battle of contrasting styles. Memphis will want to get out and run, while Purdue would pefer a half court pace. Purdue won't be able to contain the Memphis athleticisim because Purdue hasn't seen a team like this in the Big 11 (that's what I call the Big 10). Memphis goes to the Final Four.

Breaking Down the Brackets: Midwest Region

Here it is, my NCAA Tournament picks. We'll take it region, by region, and then the Final Four picks. At the end, I'll have my tournament summary. Let's get right to it, first the Midwest.

Top Seed: Louisville is coming off of their Big East title, and they have really impressed me the way they have improved throughout the season. I have confidence in Rick Pitino, so much so that I had them in my Final Four last year. I have them reaching the Sweet 16 after taking out Siena in round 2.

Upsets: The Midwest is my region of upsets. One of my 12-5 upsets is Arizona (12) over Utah (5). Arizona does have impressive wins, and Utah is over-seeded. I am also picking Cleveland State (13) to upset Wake Forest (4). Cleveland State is a tough team, they beat Syracuse and Butler on the road, and can play a zone that will force Wake to take tough jumpers, which isn't their strength. One more upset for you in this region is North Dakota State (14) over Kansas (3). Kansas is a boom or bust Tournament team, and they are due for a bust. In the tournament, I like the small conference teams that have a big scorer, and Ben Woodside of North Dakota State fits that description.

Sweet 16: Cleveland State is my surprise team making the Sweet 16 by beating Arizona in round 2. However, their run ends here, Louisville marches on to the Elite 8. West Virginia (6) vs Michigan State (2) is my other regional semi-final. I like the tough, physical defense of West Virginia to carry them onto the Elite 8. The big three of Ruoff, Butler, and Ebanks should carry the Mountaineers on offense.

Elite 8: A Big East match-up in the regional final, Louisville against West Virginia. Just like in the regular season, I like Louisville to win and get to the Final Four. Their press is relentless, and it wears on teams throughout the game. I also really like Terrence Williams, because he does everything the team needs for it to win.

I Used to Like Joe Lunardi...

However, I came across on ESPN.com . Joe Lunardi is great a picking the teams that will make the tournament, but hopefully he is not as good at selecting winners.



Seriously, Temple? I would understand having Syracuse lose to Arizona St in the 2nd round, but not Temple. I have seen Christmas play a few times, and he can get hot, but Temple over Syracuse? Stick to making brackets, not filling them out.

The NCAA Tournament Announcing Schedule, Rounds 1 and 2

I not only watch the games for the college basketball, but I love hearing the numerous announcer pairings. My favorite is Gus Johnson, his reactions and spontaneity is just priceless. I will watch a game between teams I am not really interested in just because Gus Johnson is announcing the game. Hopefully, he will have a few opportunities for a trademark call; like Dequan Cook's shot against Xavier a two year's ago, or "Batista with the CAAATCH" from Gonzaga against UCLA.

The other play-by-play announcers that I really like are Kevin Harlan and Ian Eagle. Harlan's voice when a spectacular play happens, or when it is a close game immediately gets me excited. His call from last year's NBA playoffs, "Lebron James, with no regard for human life" is one of my favorite calls of all time. Ian Eagle is very similar, plus he went to Syracuse. My favorite color announcers are Bill Raftery and Jay Bilas. Coincedentally, they both called the greatest game I have ever seen, the Big East Tournament game between Syracuse and UConn that went 6 overtimes.

Here is the schedule for the NCAA Tournament rounds 1 and 2, and the announcers calling the game (from Awful Announcing). I'm happy that Syracuse gets to play on Friday, and has Ian Eagle as the play-by-play announcer, but I'm disappointed that they play at 12:15. It will be tough for me to see that game.

The fans who won this year's "Annual Gus Johnson Lottery" are as follows: Boston College, USC, Michigan State, Robert Morris, West Virginia, Dayton, Kansas and North Dakota State (GO BISON!)

Greensboro- Jim Nantz, Clark Kellog
Philadelphia- Dick Enberg, Carter Blackburn, Jay Bilas
Kansas City- Tim Brando, Mike Gminski
Portland- Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner
Dayton- Verne Lundquist, Bill Raftery
Miami- Ian Eagle, Jim Sparnarkel
Minneapolis- Gus Johnson, Len Elmore
Boise- Craig Bolerjack, Dan Wenzel

ROUND ONE

Thursday, March 19th:

LSU vs. Butler (Greensboro, 12:20pm)- Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg
Memphis vs. Cal. St. Northridge (Kansas City, 12:25pm)- Tim Brando/Mike Gminski
BYU vs. Texas A&M (Philadelphia, 12:30pm)- Dick Enberg or Carter Blackburn/Jay Bilas
Purdue vs. Northern Iowa (Portland, 2:30pm)- Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner
North Carolina vs. Radford (Greensboro, 2:50pm)- Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg
California vs. Maryland (Kansas City, 2:55pm)- Tim Brando/Mike Gminski
Connecticut vs. Chattanooga (Philadelphia, 3pm)- Dick Enberg or Carter Blackburn/Jay Bilas
Washington vs. Mississippi St. (Portland 5pm)- Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner
Texas vs. Minnesota (Greensboro, 7:10pm)- Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg
Clemson vs. Michigan (Kansas City, 7:10pm)- Tim Brando/Mike Gminski
Villanova vs. American (Philadelphia, 7:20pm)- Dick Enberg or Carter Blackburn/Jay Bilas
Gonzaga vs. Akron (Portland, 7:25pm)- Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner
Duke vs. Binghamton (Greensboro, 9:40pm)- Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg
Oklahoma vs. Morgan State (Kansas City, 9:40pm)- Tim Brando/Mike Gminski
UCLA vs. VCU (Philadelphia, 9:50pm)- Dick Enberg or Carter Blackburn/Jay Bilas
Illinois vs. Western Kentucky (Portland, 9:55pm)- Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner

Friday, March 20th

Syracuse vs. Stephen F. Austin (Miami, 12:15pm)- Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel
Oklahoma St. vs. Tennessee (Dayton, 12:25pm)- Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery
Kansas vs. North Dakota State (Minneapolis, 12:30pm)- Gus Johnson/Len Elmore
Marquette vs. Utah State (Boise, 12:30pm)- Craig Bolerjack/Bob Wenzel
Arizona State vs. Temple (Miami, 2:45pm)- Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel
Pittsburgh vs. E. Tennessee St. (Dayton, 2:55pm)- Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery
West Virginia vs. Dayton (Minneapolis, 3pm)- Gus Johnson/Len Elmore
Missouri vs. Cornell (Boise, 3pm)- Craig Bolerjack/Bob Wenzel
Utah vs. Arizona (Miami, 7:10pm)- Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel
Louisville vs. Alabama St./Morehead St. (Dayton, 7:10pm)- Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery
Boston College vs. USC (Minneapolis, 7:20pm)- Gus Johnson/Len Elmore
Xavier vs. Portland State (Boise, 7:25pm)- Craig Bolerjack/Bob Wenzel
Wake Forest vs. Cleveland State (Miami, 9:40pm)- Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel
Ohio State vs. Siena (Dayton, 9:40pm)- Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery
Michigan State vs. Robert Morris (Minneapolis, 9:50pm)- Gus Johnson/Len Elmore
Florida State vs. Wisconsin (Boise, 9:55)- Craig Bolerjack/Bob Wenzel

ROUND TWO

Saturday, March 21st

Villanova/American vs. UCLA/VCU (Philadelphia, 1:05pm)- Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas
Memphis/Cal St. Northridge vs. California/Maryland (Kansas City, 3:20pm)- Tim Brando/Mike Gminski
Connecticut/Chattanooga vs. BYU/Texas A&M (Philadelphia, 3:35pm)- Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas
Purdue/N. Iowa vs. Washington/Mississippi State (Portland, 5:40pm)- Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner
North Carolina/Radford vs. LSU/Butler (Greensboro, 5:45pm)- Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg
Oklahoma/Morgan State vs. Clemson/Michigan (Kansas City, 5:50pm)- Tim Brando/Mike Gminski Gonzaga/Akron vs. Illinois/Western Kentucky (Portland, 8pm)- Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner Duke/Binghamton vs. Texas/Minnesota (Greensboro, 8:05pm)- Jim Nantz/Clark Kellogg

Sunday, March 22nd

Syracuse/Stephen F. Austin vs. Arizona State/Temple (Miami, 12:10pm)- Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel
Florida State/Wisconsin vs. Xavier/Portland State (Boise, 2:20pm)- Craig Bolerjack/Bob Wenzel
Kansas/N. Dakota State vs. West Virginia/Dayton (Minneapolis, 2:30pm)- Gus Johnson/Len Elmore
Wake Forest/Cleveland State vs. Utah/Arizona (Miami, 2:40pm)- Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel
Oklahoma State/Tennessee vs. Pittsburgh/E. Tennessee State (Dayton, 2:50pm)- Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery
Missouri/Cornell vs. Marquette/Utah State (Boise, 4:50pm)- Craig Bolerjack/Bob Wenzel
Michigan State/Robert Morris vs. Boston College/USC (Minneapolis, 5pm)- Gus Johnson/Len Elmore
Ohio State/Siena vs. Louisville/Alabama State or Morehead State (Dayton, 5:10pm)- Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery

Awful Announcing: Your NCAA Tournament Announcing Schedule (Rounds 1 &2)

Watch College Basketball for College Basketball

It is Bracket Monday, everyone wants to know, who's in your final 4? Comparing brackets are sharing your reasoning is one of the best parts about this time of year. Starting Thursday, the games will dominate, but there is one pet peeve that I have with some people while watching games.

I hate when people watch college basketball, especially the NCAA Tournament, and continue to bring up pro ball. These watch the players as if they were scouts, instead of watching the game for the entertainment. Enjoy what you are seeing at this level, worry about how they will do in the NBA once they declare for the draft.

Enjoy watching Tyler Hansbrough for the four years in which he gave it all for North Carolina. This guy is one of the best college basketball players you will see, especially with all of these one and done players. He will set the ACC scoring record in his first round game this year. He plays the game with the kind of passion that makes the college game great. I don't want to hear one person downplay what he is doing now and say that it doesn't really matter, because he won't be able to do this in the pros. Right now, I don't care what he does in the NBA, he is a joy to watch in college.

Last year's tournament had Stephen Curry, the most entertaining player in college basketball last season. He became a star during this time last year, by hitting amazing shots and putting up 30+ against teams they had no business beating. However, constantly I had to listen to; he has a small frame and he won't be able to get his shot off in the NBA, and the length of the NBA would shut him down. He is too small to be a shooting guard and not fast enough to be a point guard. ENOUGH! Watch one of the greatest performances in tournament history and appreciate what you are currently seeing.

So this year, let's all adapt my philiosophy about watching what you are seeing and liking it. Judge what you are seeing now, not what you think he will do a year or two from now.

Selection Sunday Review

The brackets are set, and there are a few surprises. First of all, Louisville captures the #1 overall seed, a spot that most thought North Carolina wrapped up. The rest of the one seeds were as followed:

Midwest-Louisville
East- Pitt
South- North Carolina
West- UConn

The next thing that jumped off the page, was that Arizona made the tournament. St. Mary's should have made the tournament over Arizona. Arizona's record was 19-13, and only 9-9 in the Pac-10 while losing 5 of their last 6. Meanwhile, St. Mary's had a tough out of conference schedule, playing teams away from home, and still had a solid record. They were also beating Gonzaga before their best player Pat Mills got hurt. This is the primary example of my overall issue with the selections this year which is that only 4 of the 34 at large bids went to the non-power conference schools. It is continuing the disturbing trend of phasing out the mid-majors.

My other issue, which is small but worth mentioning, is that although Louisville got the top overall seed, the commitee puts them at a serious disadvantage in a potential second round game. If Ohio State beats Siena in the first round, they will face Louisville in round 2, which would be played in Dayton, Ohio. I'm sure the top overall team is not thrilled about having to play a virtual road game in the second round.

I have no more problems with the bracket. I like the fact that Syracuse got a 3 seed in the South by fighting valiently in the Big East tournament. They probably jumped from a 5 to a 3 seed. Mississippi State's win today really saved the SEC from looking even worse, only 3 teams. The West looks like the toughest bracket, when looking at the top 5 seeds. Memphis as a 2, Missouri as a 3, and Purdue as a 5 is tough. Marquette's seeding was interesting, because they were a top 3 seed before Dominic James was lost for the season. They dropped all the way to a 6.

I won't reveal my preditions until later in the week. I will tell you my final four, as well as the upsets and Cinderella Story. I will also post a link where you can view my entire bracket. This should be a blast, as always.

Something Else on the Sports Calendar

A break in the college basketball posts to let you know about something else that is worth paying attention to. Last night in the World Baseball Classic, Team USA was housed by Puerto Rico 11-1. That forces the USA to play in elimination game against the Netherlands tonight. The Netherlands have already knocked out the Dominican Republic from the Classic, could they possibly take out another favorite? I have enjoyed watching this team, especially Jimmy Rollins, but team USA does lack power. They will try to stay alive in Miami, and end their two game losing skid.

Selection Sunday Preview

The day has finally arrived, Selection Sunday will relieve the tension for many teams across the country. The two main storylines heading into the unveiling of the brackets are; who will be the #1 seeds, and which of the bubble teams will make it in the Tournament.

The four #1 seeds are an interesting story. For a while, it seemed like Pitt, UNC, and UConn were locks. Then Louisville made their presence known, and would have the edge over Memphis for the final #1 seed. However, in the epic Big East Tournament game, UConn lost to Syracuse in 6 OT's. That was enough for ESPN bracket expert Joe Lunardi to knock UConn of the 1 line. He has UNC, Pitt, Memphis, and Louisville as the 1 seeds.

I disagree with Memphis derserving of a 1 seed, they don't play anyone in conference. No team from the C-USA should be a 1 seed unless they were near perfect out of conference, which Memphis wasn't. They lost to Syracuse, Georgetown, and Xavier. Syracuse and Georgetown were not exactly powerhouses in the Big East this season, and neither would Memphis if they played in that grueling conference. I would keep UConn as a 1 seed, despite their overtime loss to Syracuse. Look what it took to beat them, an epic performance. Half of their losses were to Pitt, and they were dominate in most of their other games.

The bubble teams, as always, will be a tough call. St. Mary's is an interesting case. They played a stretch of their season wthout Mills, who is one of their best players. I wonder if the commitee will hold that against them. Their resume' might be a bit short, but they would be dangerous if let in. Maryland probably did enough in their conference tournament to get it, but their inconsistancies still leave room for doubt. We will see who's in and who's out at 6pm.

3/14 Conference Tournament Quick Hits

This will be a running post, updated throughout the day:

• North Carolina, again without Lawson, falls to Florida State in ACC Semis
• Michigan State lost all hope in getting a #1 seed by losing to Ohio State
• Memphis routs Tulsa to win the C-USA; 61 straight conference wins
• Binghamton punches their NCAA Tournament ticket
• Put Mississippi State of the bubble. Their victory over #16 LSU should put them in
• Maryland failed to improve their resume' by losing to Duke. They might be the toughest team to declare in or out
• The magic ends for Baylor as their season ends with a loss in the Big 12 Final
• But the magic for USC gets them into the NCAA Tournament by winning the Pac-10
• Syracuse finally ran out of gas and lost to Louisville in the Big East Final
  

Where's Dick Vitale?

It's Championship Week, the last week in that ESPN gets live coverage of games, and I haven't heard Dick Vitale all week. Where is he? I have watched countless hours of ESPN, from the small conference tournament games, to the ACC and Big East Tournaments, and I can't find him. He is in the top 3 of my favorite color announcers in the sport, and ESPN's #1 college basketball guy. He is not even in studio to offer his opinions. This is the biggest time of the year for college basketball, a strange time for Vitale to go missing. If anyone knows why, respond in the comments section.

Update: Dick Vitale is calling the ACC second semifinal between Duke and Maryland. He has replaced Len Elmore and is working with Mike Patrick.

The NCAA Tournament Format is Perfect

This time of year, with conference tournament games going on, and bubble teams see their chances pop, you hear a lot of coaches and commentators come up with theories that would make the tournament better. They include expanding the tournament to 128 teams, or eliminating the automatic bids and letting the 64 most deserving teams in, or putting a cap on the numbers of teams per conference in The Big Dance. None of those would make the tournament better, it is perfect the way it is.

All of those theories do one thing that I would extremely dislike, take away the significance of championship week. These last 10 days of college basketball have been almost as entertaining as the NCAA tournament itself. Every day we have had games that basketball fans live for, close games down the stretch decided by a single possession. I love watching the small conference championship games. These teams are usually evenly matched, they give it their all, and it seems like it always comes down to the final shot. Then the fans of the winning team storm the court as ESPN brings up the graphic that it is their first NCAA Tournament birth since 19xx. Meanwhile, you can see the tears well up in the eyes of the loser. Expanding the tournament field, or not giving automatic bids to conference tournament champions would take away this drama.

The aspect of the bubble teams is another reason why this week is interesting. Conference tournaments have a lot to do with how many bubble teams get into the Big Dance. The Big 12 tournament is the perfect example of how a team can rise out of nowhere and steal a bid from a bubble team. That team from nowhere is Baylor, a team that was below average in the Big 12. There is no way that they will get a bid unless they win the Big 12 tournament. All of the sudden, they get hot and beat Kansas and made it to the finals. Now, if they get a win, they would clinch a spot in the NCAA Tourney, which will make one fewer spot for a bubble team such as Maryland or Creighton. A similar situation happened in the A-10, with Duquesne and Temple in the finals.

It is fun to see all of the different teams to pay attention to during this time of year. It is almost as entertaining as the NCAA Tournament. Changing the way they select the teams in the NCAA Tournament would take away from intrigue of this week.

3/13 Conference Tournament Qucik Hits

Some important storylines from the games on Friday the 13th, as I continue to be obsessed with the Big East Tournament:

• Maryland surprised me today by coming up with a huge win against #9 Wake Forest. That might have pushed the Terps in the NCAA tournament.
  
• Baylor's magical run continues by knocking out Texas to advance to the Big 12 Championship. Baylor needs to win the Big 12 to make the NCAA tournament, only one win away
• Louisville uses a big second half to move onto the Big East Final by beating 'Nova
• With no Ty Lawson, North Carolina struggled to a close victory against VA Tech
• Patriot League Final: American defeats Holy Cross
• Temple defeated Xavier to reach the A-10 final for the 2nd straight year
• Michigan lost to Illinois, is Michigan's resume' good enough?
• Same question goes to Kentucky after their loss
• Duke and Boston College went back and forth, BC missed a last second shot to give Duke the win
• Florida and Auburn battled each other tough in a game between bubble teams. Auburn pulled it out to win an important game
  
• Are you serious? Another OT game for Syracuse, this time West Virginia the opponent. Syracuse absolutely gutted out a win. I am proud of this team, they show heart and they left everything out there today.
  

One Day After: Just as Sweet

Wow is still the word that comes in my head when I think of the Syracuse vs. UConn Big East Tournament game. I can't begin to go into all of the aspects that made that great. So many great moments; Devendorf's shot that would have won it, UConn's half court shot that hit the back iron, Rautins' three to tie it, Flynn stellar play while playing 67 of the 70 minutes. Here are the highlights via ESPN, but even they don't give the game its justice.




I have had a day to have this sink in, and I still think this is the greatest game I have ever seen. I picked a tremendous game to have the R2S live blog. And also, the right team won. Syracuse will face West Virginia tonight at 9pm ET on ESPN in the Big East Tournament Semi-Finals.

ESPN Highlight

Syracuse vs. UConn Live Blog

Tonight at 9pm eastern on ESPN, Syracuse will battle UConn in the Big East Tournament Quarterfinals. I plan to have a live blog this game using "Cover It Live". The more people who participate, the better. It should be a fun game.

BTW- I am a Syracuse fan, one of the few things I am not objective about.

3/12 Conference Tournament Quick Hits (Afternoon Games)

(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

I mentioned Marquette and Villanova in the previous post, here are some notes from other notable conference tournament games.

• Baylor scored the upset of the day, knocking off top seeded Kansas in the Big 12 Tourney
  
• Kansas State gave an overrated Texas team a scare, but Texas prevailed down the stretch
  
• Louisville probably ended Providence's chances of making the tournament
• Georgia Tech was terrible in conference, but knocked off #17 Clemson in the ACC Tourney
• Arizona needed a win to keep their NCAA Tournament streak alive, but fell to Arizona State
• Northwesten lost, and will likely remain the only BCS school to not make the NCAA Tourney
• Kentucky got a win, and probably need one or two more
• In a rematch of last year's A-10 final, Temple defeated St. Joe's
  

Marquette vs. Villanova, Fantastic Game

I listened to and watched most of this game, and this was the best early game of the day. I was questioning whether Marquette even deserved to be in the tournament, especially after falling behind by 16 at halftime. They have been playing like a team that was undeserving of a bid since Dominic James was lost for the season. However, the second half was a different story. The Golden Eagles battled back valiantly, taking the lead with under a minute left. Villanova had the last possession, and the last laugh, as Dwayne Anderson layed the ball in as the time expired to give 'Nova the 1 point win. It was a tremendous game at The Garden, and the Wildcats will move on to face Louisville.

I live in the Philadelphia market, so I get to see a lot of the 'Nova games. One thing that stands out is that Jay Wright deserved the Big East Coach of the Year. He needs to get more national recognition for what he has done with 'Nova. I don't think that his teams have the talent to be a force in the Big East, but he brings the best out of his players. He never recruits a center, and that might keep him from making the Final Four, but 'Nova has been competitive with the UConn's and Pitt's of the conference. 'Nova Nation is happy to have him as a coach, it's about time the country realizes why.

Jazz Lose, But Still a Threat

The Jazz might have had their 12 winning streak snapped by losing to the Hawks on Wednesday, but they still are a major threat to the Lakers in the West. This team has all of the components to reach the NBA Finals, especially if the Lakers don't have Bynum.

The media, especially ESPN, has already basically put the Lakers in the Finals. That thought is completely absurd. They will not have an easy time fighting through this conference. The Jazz have a system that can pose problems for any team in the playoffs. The Jazz will run Deron Williams on pick and rolls throughout the game, and he will make solid decisions with the basketball. A healthy Carlos Boozer is a perfect player to have set a pick, because he can fade out and hit the jumber, or roll to the rim and attack the basketball. Okur can also set a high screen, because he is a big man who can consistantly hit the 3.

Utah has one of the best home court advantages in the NBA. The crowd is so close to the court that it can be intimadating in clutch situations, and their home record shows they are tough to beat. Utah also has every bit the experience in the playoffs that the Lakers do, and a coach that can match the experience of Phil Jackson.

The Lakers better look in the review mirror, the Jazz will not back down.

Dominican Republic Goes Down, An Upset?

The star-studded Dominican Republic team fell to the Netherlands in 11 innings with a 2-1 final. Some people will call this an upset, maybe the biggest since the "Miracle" in 1980. While it may have been an exciting game, we do not have enough of a scope of the World Baseball Classic to judge the magnitude of the upset. Sure, you could look at the rosters on paper and see that the DR has a lot more talent than the Netherlands. Even the Netherlands' manager called the win "a miracle", but future years will tells us how big of "a miracle" this really was.

In the NBA Playoffs, an 8 seed beating a 1 seed in a series is a tremendous upset. The team that just sneaked in beating the team that had the best record in the conference is rare in the NBA, in fact, it has only happened twice. Meanwhile, in the NHL, a 8-1 or 7-2 first round upset is no surprise, it near;y happens every year. Contrast that with the NCAA Tournament, where the 16 seed has never beat a 1 seed.

Was the Netherlands over the DR upset a 16 over a 1 in the NCAA Tourney? An 8 over a 1 in the NBA? Or was it just a lower seeded NHL team winning a first round game? We cannot say until we see more World Baseball Classics. If favorites and powerhouses dominate the event in future years, then we can call this upset spectacular. However, if the countries with low profile players constantly take out these powerhouses, then the Netherlands win would just be one of the bunch.

First Post; Big East Tournament Expansion

Welcome to the Resorts to Sports blog. This is my first post, so I hope you enjoy. Tell me what you think, voice your opinion about the topic in the comments section.

Expanding the Big East Tournament, Not a Good Idea

At first, a bigger Big East Tournament sounded like it would be fun. Who doesn't like more relevant college basketball games at The Garden, right? The problem is, the expanded tournament is detrimental to the conference's bubble teams, as we saw on Tuesday.

When you have a conference that is as top heavy as the Big East, you are going to have teams at the bottom of the conference that are doormats. However, with the format that the Big East has this year, those doormats can ruin the resume' of the bubble teams. The Cincinnati Bearcats and Georgetown Hoyas found that out the hard way.

Depaul was winless in the Big East tournament this season, and with the previous format, they would not have been invited to New York, but this season, everyone gets an invite. However, for one game, they put it all together and defeated Cincinnati in the opening round. With that loss, Depaul punctured Cincinnati's bubble, they won't make the tournament. If Cincinnati were to beat Depaul, it would have done nothing to build the resume', but the loss is devastating. It is a classic lose-lose situation.

Meanwhile, with the previous format, the Bearcats would have faced Providence in round 1. That is a game the Cincinnati would have rather played, because a win would have earned them some respect from the Selection Committee, and maybe a NCAA Tourny berth. And that Tourny berth would have made the Big East look stronger.