Word around Columbus (site of the McDonald's All American game which is on TV right now) is that UK recruits are being told that Kentucky will be losing 5 players to the NBA this offseason.
According to CatsPause, UK target Doron Lamb said that Coach Cal told him "the whole freshmen class is leaving", and that there will be 9 open scholarships. the question is whether Cal meant that literally. Patterson, Wall, Cousins, Bledoe are all gone according to MANY reports. Then there's the 3 seniors that are obviously gone. Liggens and Harrelson are both coming back. That leaves 3 question marks: Daniel Orton, Darnell Dodson, and John Hood.
- Ortons dad apparently told Jerry Tipton of the LHL that his son will declare for the draft, but not hire an agent which would leave the door open for his possible return to Lexington. A followup came out saying Orton has yet to declare.
- Reports are also popping up that Darnell Dodson will be transferring. I don't know the basis for these rumors and a transfer just doesn't make sense here. Darnell got plenty of playing time and even a couple of starts for one of the top teams in the country.
- Some also believe that John Hood will be moving on and transferring. Although him transferring would make a lot more sense than Dodson, this is merely speculation.
This past October we were introduced to a completely new UK squad at Big Blue Madness. Prepare yourself for a possible deja vu come this October as we could see as many as 9 new Cats taking the floor at Rupp.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Building For The Future
Now, I'm not here to claim that I know how to build a successful college basketball program or recruit for the present and the future, but I'm going to throw my two cents in anyway.
Coach John Calipari has proved that year in and year out he can recruit the best of the best, one and done after one and done. This is great, players want to play for a coach that can put you in the NBA, and Calipari is certainly the guy, but at some point, you have to recruit for the future and for the university. I know Coach Cal says that he will recruit the best of the best, as he should, but his entire class year in and year out should not be four 5 star players. Recruiting is not hardly a science, as players who are ranked high can be busts, and players that are ranked low, can be superstars, ie. Dwane Wade. But instead of recruiting just the best talent at each position, maybe Calipari should take a page from the Tom Izzo/Coach K playbook, and recruit the best players that fit your style and that fit your program.
If Calipari continues to recruit the way he has in the past, Kentucky will have the best players in the country year in and year out, but at the same time, will have the least experienced players year in and year out. In the future, wouldn't it be better to have a class of four players that look something like: three 4 stars and a superstar one and done type player. We all know that a superstar recruit can have an immediate impact on a programs success, but what about future success within the program. Not to toot the same horn over and over, but if you look at Michigan States recruiting classes, they are normally what I explained an ideal class to be, a few solid guys who can contribute as Freshman, but will get better and better down the road, and more importantly, leave their respected university with a degree. Say what you want about Izzo and his style of play, but Michigan State has reached the Final Four 6 out of the last 12 seasons, that is getting it done. If you have a class where you have the opportunity to get four guys like we did in the 2009 class, take it, but this should not be a yearly thing. If Cal can recruit a couple program guys to go along with a couple elite guys, not only will we have great talent, but the programs graduation rate will improve and the team will be more tournament built for the future.
As a student at the University of Kentucky, a lifelong resident of the commonwealth, and someone who has bled blue my entire life, I pay roughly 10,000 dollars a year to the university that I have loved my entire life. I want the players that play for our program to realize that they have 30,000 fellow students and millions of Kentuckians that would kill to have their opportunity, not just the opportunity to play for college basketballs greatest program, but the opportunity to receive a free education from the commonwealths flagship institute. I am proud of what we accomplished this season, but I would also hope that we have a program where the players understand what "Kentucky" means, and how great it is to wear that across their chest.
Basically, what I am trying to say is, maybe the best talent is not the best for the program, build for the future, and take pride in our university, the commonwealths college.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Lovin' the Ville'
According to the Louisville Courier Journal, Louisville Head Coach, and social playboy, Rick Pitino, will recieve a 4 year extension. So, with all of the talk that our boy, Ricky P, could possibly jolt for another job has went out of the window. Pitino will be battling it out with Cal's Cats over the next few seasons, and surely enjoying a few hearty meals at Porcinis.
Expansion to 96, Not So Much....68 is Relevant
Expansion is a term used in sports when talking about starting something new, whether it be a new franchise in the NBA, MLB, etc. or starting new leagues in various sports. Now, the term expansion is being thrown around in Division I, NCAA basketball. This type of "expansion" would be expanding the 64-team basketball tournament, held every March, to 96 teams!
This idea is outrageous! I know what the NCAA is dreaming of: dollar signs, cash registers' exploding, and swimming in "moolah", but is the money worth "watering down" the tourney with boring games? To those still dreaming, "Yes", but to the college basketball fan who enjoys the thrill of March Madness, "No!"
Think about the teams you would have in the tourney, I mean does college basketball really want the stigma of, "Hey, we don't have to play hard, we can have a losing record and still get in the field." Don't get me wrong not all teams with losing records are going to get in, but some will, and it makes regular season conference play irrelevant, as well as, conference tournaments.
What I do propose is expanding the field to 68. Every one-seed would be rewarded by having two teams play "play in games" to see who will play each. They already have one a year, what is the problem with having three more? This would also give three more at-large bids. If look year after year, people usually complain about three or four teams who didn't make it. This year, Mississippi State, Virginia Tech, and Illinois were all talked about as being "NCAA worthy", with this system all three would've made the field.
I feel a 68 team field would love most happy, 96 however, is just too many teams. You what they say, "if it isn't broke, don't try to fix it". With all the complaining going on year after year, what is it going to hurt to try?
Until Next Time, Adios!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Cin-cinn-ati (Part 2)
We have already looked at Ardolis Chapman and his role this year, and a look at potential players on the trading block this season. Now lets look at some more questions the Cincinnati Reds have going into the 2010 MLB season.
3. How will Edinson Volquez bounce back after Tommy John Surgery?
Statistics show that it is tough for pitchers to bounce back after Tommy John Surgery because of the unpredictable nature of how they will come back from the injury. Volquez showed he had dominate stuff before his injury with a great fastball and maybe the best changeup in the game. Now, it's time to play "the waiting game" and see just what productivity Volquez can have this season. Look for him to come back slowly this year; I just can't see him bouncing back to form this season after the extensive surgery he has went threw over the past year.
4. Who is going to play left field for the Reds this year?
With Stubbs in center and Bruce in right, the left fielder for this season is still up for grabs for the 2010 Reds. A host of Reds have been looked at this spring training to fill the void in left. Some of the names vying for the opening day spot are: the resigned Johnny Gomes, Wladimir Balentin, Chris Dickerson, Laynce Nix, and Josh Anderson.
Garrett Anderson's name has also been thrown around, if the Reds were to sign the veteran he would make a nice addition in left. Look for the Reds to keep this race within the team and go with what they have now. They will platoon this position until they find their answer. They need production out of this position, if they find this, the season might be plentiful for the Reds. Big thing is they need an answer quickly.
My prediction would be that Gomes will be your opening day starter in left. He hits well, but is lacking in the defensive department. The power hitter will probably get the start after being resigned. If he hits, he stays, if not, well there are plenty of mediocre talent to choose from. haha
5. Can Jay Bruce be the player they need him to be?
Bruce will need to bounce back from a sophomore campaign in which he had 22 HR's and 58 RBI's. A nagging wrist injury cost the young right fielder last year, but this year they need more production out of Bruce.
The right-fielder is a "all or nothing" hitter, what I mean is he has power to all fields but strikeouts have hampered his production. He is sometimes a dead pull hitter who needs to spray around the baseball to all fields. If he can do this and be consistent he will become a hitter who hits around .290 to.300 all year, the Reds will be set with a lot of good sticks in the middle of their lineup. Shorten the cut and used the whole field Brucey!
These are 5 big questions the Reds have for the season, I will have more info to come on the infield, outfield, starting pitching rotation, and the bullpen of the Reds in the days to come.
I will even have what I think to be their overall record as well!
Until Next Time, Adios!
3. How will Edinson Volquez bounce back after Tommy John Surgery?
Statistics show that it is tough for pitchers to bounce back after Tommy John Surgery because of the unpredictable nature of how they will come back from the injury. Volquez showed he had dominate stuff before his injury with a great fastball and maybe the best changeup in the game. Now, it's time to play "the waiting game" and see just what productivity Volquez can have this season. Look for him to come back slowly this year; I just can't see him bouncing back to form this season after the extensive surgery he has went threw over the past year.
4. Who is going to play left field for the Reds this year?
With Stubbs in center and Bruce in right, the left fielder for this season is still up for grabs for the 2010 Reds. A host of Reds have been looked at this spring training to fill the void in left. Some of the names vying for the opening day spot are: the resigned Johnny Gomes, Wladimir Balentin, Chris Dickerson, Laynce Nix, and Josh Anderson.
Garrett Anderson's name has also been thrown around, if the Reds were to sign the veteran he would make a nice addition in left. Look for the Reds to keep this race within the team and go with what they have now. They will platoon this position until they find their answer. They need production out of this position, if they find this, the season might be plentiful for the Reds. Big thing is they need an answer quickly.
My prediction would be that Gomes will be your opening day starter in left. He hits well, but is lacking in the defensive department. The power hitter will probably get the start after being resigned. If he hits, he stays, if not, well there are plenty of mediocre talent to choose from. haha
5. Can Jay Bruce be the player they need him to be?
Bruce will need to bounce back from a sophomore campaign in which he had 22 HR's and 58 RBI's. A nagging wrist injury cost the young right fielder last year, but this year they need more production out of Bruce.
The right-fielder is a "all or nothing" hitter, what I mean is he has power to all fields but strikeouts have hampered his production. He is sometimes a dead pull hitter who needs to spray around the baseball to all fields. If he can do this and be consistent he will become a hitter who hits around .290 to.300 all year, the Reds will be set with a lot of good sticks in the middle of their lineup. Shorten the cut and used the whole field Brucey!
These are 5 big questions the Reds have for the season, I will have more info to come on the infield, outfield, starting pitching rotation, and the bullpen of the Reds in the days to come.
I will even have what I think to be their overall record as well!
Until Next Time, Adios!
BREAKING NEWS
John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins named AP All-Americans today. They are only the 9th pair of teammates to be selected together and the first since JJ Reddick and Sheldon Willliams of Duke in 2006. They are also UK's first All-Americans since Ron Mercer in 1997. Ohio State junior Evan Turner, Syracuse junior Wes Johnson and Villanova senior Scottie Reynolds round out the list.
Cin-cinn-ati (Part 1)
You got to love the spring time, leaves start to bud back on trees, flowers start to bloom, and another year on the diamond picks up full speed ahead! This year our boys to the north, the Cincinnati Reds have playoff aspirations just like all the other 31 teams in the MLB. Its been 14 years since the Reds made the post-season, they would like to change that 2010. The Reds have a good nucleus in tact, but there is always question marks when it comes to small market ballclubs like the Reds. Lets look at some of these questions for this years club.
1. Where does Ardolis Chapman fit in the rotation?
The Cuban fireballer signed a lucrative contract this winter to the tune of 6 yrs. for 30 million dollars! This is big bucks for a small market ballclub to invest in a pitcher who hasn't even taken a major league mound yet. Considering they're paying him "mucho dinero" all Reds fans are hoping he comes along quickly and can get in the rotation as soon as possible.
He has shown signs of brilliance so far in spring training, with his 100 mph fastball and sharp slider he could turn out to be a gem. I look at the Reds letting him get some starts in the minor's before bringing him up to "the show". One thing is for certain this "flamethrower" has Cincy fans dreaming of a festive future and October appearances. If things keep progressing, Chapman keeps improving, the Reds could get back to the top. With a young rotation, Chapman could be, "just what the doctor ordered" to go with Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey, and youngster Mike Leake.
A rotation with those four, including Chapman could end up being the best young rotation in baseball for years to come.
2. Who will be on the trading block this season?
You'll hear me say this over and over, but small market ballclubs aren't able to afford and spend like bigger market clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox, and teams like the Reds have to look to build young talent. This being said, even if they build this talent, sometimes it even gets too good to afford.
Teams like the Reds grow talent and look for journeymen, players who have been around the league and are looking for a job. Sometimes these journeymen are either traded for or signed in the off-season, and sometimes they have big years, want more money, and have to be traded for younger talent.
Now that you know how the "monopoly" of baseball works, lets look at some of the players who might have to be traded:
-Bronson Arroyo- Great pitcher who changes speeds better than anyone in the league, a big market team may need a pitcher like Arroyo for the stretch run
-Aaron Harang- Another older pitcher with a live fastball and a great slider, he also might be needed by a playoff contender around July as well.
- Ramon Hernandez- Good inside out hitter that can be traded for a younger talent. If Ryan Hanigan keeps improving he could be trade bait.
- Brandon Phillips- Maybe the best overall second baseman in baseball, he will be expensive to keep around Cincy for the long-term.
Now if the Reds are in the playoff hunt this could change, but if not look for the Redlegs to shop these players.
More underlying Reds questions to come.
Until Next Time, Adios!
"The Battle for 2nd Place" aka the NCAA Women's Tournament
UK Hoops pulled off a nice upset over #1 seed Nebraska last night, advancing them to the Elite Eight in the women's tournament. This is a very good run for the Lady Cats as Matthew Mitchell and co. are putting the program on the map. Fortunately, Kentucky can make it all the way to the title game before they have to play the juggernaut that is UConn.
Just how good is UConn? Only 7 times in history have a men's basketball team had a perfect undefeated season. UConn's womens team has already done it 3 times under coach Geno Auriemma, and will in all likelyhoold do it a 4th this season. They've won 75 games in a row, dating back to February 5th 2008. This season they have won every single game by double digits, and 30 of their 36 wins have came by 25+. They have won their first three games in the tournament this season by a combined 148 points, easily a new record.
Good luck to UK Hoops, and let's hope they make it all the way to the championship game and pull off what would be one of the biggest upsets in sports history.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Don't Forget
Kentucky still has one team left fighting to get to the Final 4, Matthew Mitchell's UK Hoops squad are playing Nebraska right now in the Sweet 16 for a trip to the Elite 8. Tune in and support the UK women's team.
The Domino Effect
You might be wondering as you read the title of this post, what is The Domino Effect? Well guys and gals, it is a chain reaction of small change, then another small change, and so on. This effect will now be the portrait of UK basketball during the Calipari campaign.
We all know our boys Wall, Cousins, Patterson, Bledsoe, and even Orton will probably test the NBA Draft waters, but does this mean Calipari and the Cats will have a "North Carolina-esque", NIT year in 2010-11? The answer is no.
Lets get back to the domino effect, what I mean by making this metaphor is to say Coach Cal is going to get recruits to the Bluegrass every year, and those players will be good enough in his "dribble drive system" to probably leave after their freshman or sophomore season. Just like this year, we will see a multitude of talent each year hitting the hardwood at Rupp Arena. That being said, it will be talent that is green, and needs to be taught.
Calipari is a wizard at teaching young talent to play the game. Look at his past track record, his last two point guards were lottery picks after their freshman season, and John Wall will be the third. This year he could have up to five lottery picks under his belt. The man can flat out bring young talent together, now he has to prove if he can win the big one with 18 and 19 year old young men.
He has five straight thirty win seasons, say what you will but no one else has ever accomplished this feet, not even the "Baron of the Bluegrass" himself: Adolph Rupp can boast of this accomplishment. My question is will this Domino Effect ever bring an eighth national title to the bluegrass?
I believe it will eventually, but we all know UK fans can get a little impatient. My advice to Coach Cal: bring in the John Wall's and Demarcus Cousins's types every year, but remember the vetrans like Chris Douglas-Roberts and Joey Dorsey you had at Memphis. These older types led you to a national championship game that you almost won. Look for a couple of guys who may take a little more time to check out some of the scenery around Lexington, because you eventually will need a couple of leaders on the court, over the age of 19. I know Patterson was 21 this year but it was only year one of the Calipari/UK love affair. Coach needs to mold a couple of floor generals like him, then these little changes I speak of every year, will have us cutting the nets down and claiming number 8!!!
Until Next Time, Adios!
What a ride
Maybe it was Confucius, maybe it was Forrest Gump...but somewhere in time, a wise man (or woman, no sexism from me) once said "Don't frown because it's over, smile because it happened". These are words that the Big Blue Nation need to keep in mind as we spend the rest of the weekend mourning the loss of our basketball season.
It was some bittersweet irony that UK was knocked out of the tournament on the 1 year anniversary of Billy Clyde's dismissal. It also serves as a reminder of the remarkably fast fashion that John Calipari brought this program out of the gutter and returned it to a household name.
Not much to say about the game itself. You don't shoot 12.5% from behind the arc AND shoot 55% from the free throw line all in the same game and expect to win it. You'd have a tough time beating the Auburn's and LSU's of the basketball world with numbers like those, much less a top 5 team like West Virginia.
Hang in there folks. Baseball season is firing up and all you Reds fans like me have the first 2-3 months of the season to look forward to when they fool us into thinking they might be contenders.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Napier's Final 4
Mr Napier is out doing spring baseball today. But through the power of this new technology we call "text messaging", he was able to send me his Final Four picks before the games begin today...
Kansas St.
Kentucky
Michigan St.
Duke
Kansas St.
Kentucky
Michigan St.
Duke
Quentin Tarantino's Final Four Prediction
Happy 47th birthday to the man behind the brilliance of Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino.The relevance of this to the NCAA Tournament, and this weekends Elite 8 games is shaky, they have about as much in common as Audrey Hepburn washing a car while embattled former USC coach, Tim Floyd, brushes his hair. Now that you are confused, let's talk about my picks to go to the Final Four.
East Region
I really don't know what else to say, I picked Kentucky to go to the Final Four in my bracket, and I am sticking with my guns. I think West Virginia will turn the game tonight into a slugfest that only a University of Tennessee team would know about, but in the end, I think Kentucky will be too much for the Mountaineers.
Winner: Kentucky
West Region
I really want to pick Butler to win and go back to their hometown for the Final Four, it's a great story and their coach, Brad Stevens, doesn't look much older than me. As bad as I want to pick Butler, I had Kansas State going in my bracket, so once again, I will stick with that selection. Kansas State will be just too much in the athleticism department, my heart says Butler, but my head says Kansas State.
Winner: Kansas State
South Region
Baylor has came a long way from the tragedy and controversy that plagued the team in 2003, Scott Drew has done something remarkable in Waco, and should be applauded. In this game, we're going to see two great defensive teams, Baylor looked great against Saint Mary's last night in the Sweet 16, but Duke has looked great all the way through the tournament thus far. I'm sticking with the trend and picking who I had in my bracket, Duke is heading to Indy.
Winner: Duke
Midwest Region
I don't think I am the only person who would have never thought that Tennessee vs. Michigan State would been the Midwest regional final, but one thing I have learned over the years in filling out a bracket is that you never go against Michigan State, I put them in the Final Four nearly every year, but this year, I went in another direction, thanks a lot Georgetown. Now, Tennessee, the job that Bruce Pearl has done this season is nothing short of amazing, they have defeated the #1 and 2 teams this season after losing their leading scorer, and now, to top it all off, they are in the Elite 8. Normally, it would be a no brainer for me, I never pick against Tom Izzo, but with the loss of Kalin Lucas and the great story of the Volunteers, it makes this decision a tough one. I'm gonna go with the SEC, and go with Tennessee to be the 2nd school from a so called bad basketball conference to reach the Final Four this season.
Winner: Tennessee
Your thoughts.
The MADNESS continues...and Neil's Final Four prediction
Another day, another upset
- But is Tennessee knocking off Ohio St. really much of an upset? THEE Ohio St. University was ranked much higher, but we all know what UT is capable of since they've already beaten both Kentucky and Kansas this season.
Evan Turner had 31 points (and his 7 rebounds and 5 assists), but he needed 34. But his final 3 point attempt was swatted back into his face by JP Prince, and "Rocky Top" advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history.
- The rest of the higher seeded teams took care of business. Baylor absolutely destroyed Saint Marys, earning their first Elite Eight appearance in the modern tournament era. They'll face Duke, who took care of Purdue, at 5:05pm on Sunday.
- The clock struck midnight for this year's Cinderella, as Tom Izzo and Sparty sent Northern Iowa back to Cedar Falls. Michigan St. has made it to the Elite Eight for the 7th time in 15 years under Izzo.
Final Four predictions!
Here we go....
- Butler vs. Kansas St.
I think momentum and motivation will be the key in this game. For those that don't know, Butler University is in Indianapolis. Getting to play in the Final Four is big enough. Playing in the Final Four when it's 6 miles from your campus would just be unreal.
Winner: Butler
- West Virginia vs. Kentucky
West Virginia committed 23 turnovers in the Sweet 16 without Truck Bryant running the point. If they even get close to that number against UK, I don't see any way they pull off the win. The Mountaineers, however, are a very good team defensively. We all know of Kentucky's inconsistency from behind the arc this season. They struggle against even the bad teams when they're cold from long range. On the other hand, they are capable of blowing out any team in the country when they knock down open jumpers. Kentucky needs to play smothering defense to force WV turnovers and get in transition. Improved free throw shooting is also a MUST. The Cats are a miserable 59% from the charity stripe in the tournament. Luckily the games haven't been close enough for it to matter up to this point. But if you shoot that poorly from the free throw line in a close game, you typically lose.
Winner: Kentucky
- Tennessee vs. Michigan State
I'm torn on this one. History tells us two things: Don't bet on Bruce Pearl in March, and don't bet against Tom Izzo in March. But something is pulling me towards UT in this one. Their style of play creates a great way to beat a team without it's star player. The Vols force roughly 17 turnovers a game so Michigan St. could really miss Kalin Lucas in that aspect. As far as coaching goes, Izzo has a huge advantage. But I give UT the advantage in both personnel since Lucas is out, and style of play.
Winner: Tennessee
- Baylor vs. Duke
Duke is a fantastic 3 point shooting team and Baylor runs a 2-3 zone. This is the primary basis for my prediction. But if Scheyer and Singler are both having an off night from long range, the Dukies could be in trouble. Duke must find a way to be physical of defense and slow down Baylor's Ekpe Udoh under the glass.
Winner: Duke
Friday, March 26, 2010
Lame Duck Tubby?
Tubby Smith has already been a candidate for the job at Auburn this off season, well let's look at the possibility that Smith leaves the cold tundra of Minnesota and heads to the Pacific Northwest to become the Oregon Ducks next head coach. With Ernie Kent being fired after 13 seasons, the Ducks are shooting high with their list of possible coaching replacements, candidates such as:- Mark Few
- Billy Donovan
- Jamie Dixon
- Tubby Smith
All of these names have been thrown around, the first three aren't going to happen. Few has turned down Arizona and Indiana in the last two years, Donovan said no to Kentucky and the Orlando Magic, while Dixon turned down California and Arizona, all of these guys are content. But Tubby is the intriguing candidate, he is at a job that he seems to be fine with, but can he really take Minnesota to the next level? In fact, can he get them to be a team to compete for Big Ten Championships? Which based upon the tournament thus far, is the best conference in America. If Smith were to make the jump to Oregon, he would walk into a situation where he would have new and great facilities, unlimited resources (thanks in part to Nike CEO, Phil Knight,) a higher salary, and the chance to play in an easier conference at a school with a larger recruiting base.
Now, I have no idea if Tubby would take this opportunity, in fact, if Oregon calls, he might hang up the phone before they get to the part about wearing a different jersey every game, but I think this would be a good fit for both Tubby and Oregon. You can say what you want about Coach Smith and his time at Kentucky, but there is no better tactician or adjustment coach in college basketball, with a good staff and the ability of Tubby to teach defense and get his guys to play hard, he can succeed there. If Oregon is smart, they will make their first call to the man we all know as Tubby.
Let's hear your thoughts.
South Region and a BOLD PREDICTION
Looks like I am 2 for 4 so far in picking the Sweet 16 games. I'm hoping Northern Iowa and Ohio State pull threw tonight along with the two picks from this region so I don't look like too much of a fool!
No. 4 seed Purdue vs No.1 seed Duke: Purdue is without Robbie Hummel and it will really be hard for JaJuan Johnson and crew to pick up the slack against the Blue Devils. Duke comes into this game firing on all cylinders. "The Big Three" (Scheyer, Singler, and Smith) are primed for a stretch run. If Duke, is shooting the ball well it will open up their offense, and that is where they shine. Running Scheyer off of screens and hitting shots early will open Smith's ability to drive and create. Singler will contribute where needed, and Zoubek, as well as the Plumlee's will be counted on for rebounding and low post scoring. Look for the elder of the Plumlee's, Miles, to have a big game inside. Duke has an obvious advantage in this game size-wise.
Purdue will have to get production from Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant to even stay close in this game. With the size disadvantage the need to keep "Duke's Bigs" off the boards. I just don't see Purdue having answers for that size.
Predicted Winner: Duke
N0.10 seed Saint Mary's vs No. 3 seed Baylor: All I can say is Omar Sanham, what a job he's done in first two tourney games, scoring 61 points and collecting 19 rebounds. Baylor needs to use their size and athleticism to hold the big guy in check. They will not only will they have to deal with Sanham, but Mickey McConnell comes into the game leading the nation in 3-point percentage at 52 percent. They run a controlled offense and might be the most fundamentally sound team left in the tourney; they don't beat themselves.
Baylor will try to speed the Gaels up and use their athleticism to cause turnovers. Guards Tweety Carter and sharp shooter LaceDarius Dunn will look to create havoc and turn this into a track meet. Epke Udoh will give the unenviable task of guarding Sanham. Baylor will need to control him and get out on the guards of Saint Mary's.
I see this being a great game, but I love the Gaels in this one! They just stretch the defense so much, and that makes Sanham effective. Too much for Baylor to overcome.
Predicted Winner: Saint Mary's
I'm going ahead and throwing out my Bold Prediction for the weekend, which was almost ruined last night. I have been thinking about this all week, and if Xavier would have beat K State last night it wouldn't have came to be.
Bold Prediction: A mid-major will make the Final Four! Write it down! Northern Iowa, Saint Mary's, and Butler, who is already in the elite 8, are all dangerous. One of these teams will get to Indy!
Until Next Time, Adios!
No. 4 seed Purdue vs No.1 seed Duke: Purdue is without Robbie Hummel and it will really be hard for JaJuan Johnson and crew to pick up the slack against the Blue Devils. Duke comes into this game firing on all cylinders. "The Big Three" (Scheyer, Singler, and Smith) are primed for a stretch run. If Duke, is shooting the ball well it will open up their offense, and that is where they shine. Running Scheyer off of screens and hitting shots early will open Smith's ability to drive and create. Singler will contribute where needed, and Zoubek, as well as the Plumlee's will be counted on for rebounding and low post scoring. Look for the elder of the Plumlee's, Miles, to have a big game inside. Duke has an obvious advantage in this game size-wise.
Purdue will have to get production from Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant to even stay close in this game. With the size disadvantage the need to keep "Duke's Bigs" off the boards. I just don't see Purdue having answers for that size.
Predicted Winner: Duke
N0.10 seed Saint Mary's vs No. 3 seed Baylor: All I can say is Omar Sanham, what a job he's done in first two tourney games, scoring 61 points and collecting 19 rebounds. Baylor needs to use their size and athleticism to hold the big guy in check. They will not only will they have to deal with Sanham, but Mickey McConnell comes into the game leading the nation in 3-point percentage at 52 percent. They run a controlled offense and might be the most fundamentally sound team left in the tourney; they don't beat themselves.
Baylor will try to speed the Gaels up and use their athleticism to cause turnovers. Guards Tweety Carter and sharp shooter LaceDarius Dunn will look to create havoc and turn this into a track meet. Epke Udoh will give the unenviable task of guarding Sanham. Baylor will need to control him and get out on the guards of Saint Mary's.
I see this being a great game, but I love the Gaels in this one! They just stretch the defense so much, and that makes Sanham effective. Too much for Baylor to overcome.
Predicted Winner: Saint Mary's
I'm going ahead and throwing out my Bold Prediction for the weekend, which was almost ruined last night. I have been thinking about this all week, and if Xavier would have beat K State last night it wouldn't have came to be.
Bold Prediction: A mid-major will make the Final Four! Write it down! Northern Iowa, Saint Mary's, and Butler, who is already in the elite 8, are all dangerous. One of these teams will get to Indy!
Until Next Time, Adios!
Sweet 16
- Butler 63, Syracuse 59
The Sweet 16 began last night and was kicked off with a bang was the second #1 seed was sent packing. Butler, whose 23 game winning streak is the current longest in Division I, scored 11 unanswered to end the game. The Bulldogs only committed 7 turnovers the entire game, compared to Syracuse who committed 12 in the 1st half alone (18 total).
I said before the Tourney kicked off that Syracuse had the easiest route to the Final Four of all the #1 seeds. However I also said that Cuse was unworthy of a #1 seed with the way they ended their regular season compared to West Virginia, and last night proved it. Last night's loss moved Syracuse's record to 6-4 over their last 10 games of the season.
Butler will take on Kansas State, who beat Xavier in a 2OT thriller that we'll discuss shortly. This is Butler's first ever trip to the Elite Eight.
- Kansas State 101, Xavier 96 (2OT)
This was a fantastic game. K-State avoided the upset but Xavier just would not go away. Xavier was down 3 with 5 seconds left regulation, and Terrell Holloway was fouled on a 3 point shot. He sank all 3 free throws with ease to send the game to overtime. Then in overtime, Xavier found themselves down 3 yet again. Jordan Crawford, little brother of UK alum Joe Crawford, and famous for posterizing Lebron in a pickup game, sank a 35 footer to send it to double OT.
Kansas St. advances to their first Elite Eight since 1988.
- Kentucky 62, Cornell 45
Hey, "David" can't win 'em all, right? David came out and punched Goliath right in the mouth from the opening tipoff when Cornell took an early 10-2 lead. Kentucky responded in monster fashion however, going on a 30-6 run to end the half.
Kentucky's 62 points were it's 3rd lowest total of the season. But defensively, Kentucky was near flawless. Cornell was the nation's top 3-point shooting team, and the Cats held them to just 24% from behind the arc.
Looking ahead to today's games
- #6 Tennessee vs. #2 Ohio State, 7:07pm....Evan Turner might be the best player in the nation. But if UT loses this one, Bruce Pearl will challenge him to a sweating contest, a battle where Turner stands no chance.
- #10 Saint Mary's vs. #3 Baylor, 7:27pm...Both teams have looked impressive and this one could go either way.
- #9 Northern Iowa vs. #5 Michigan State, 9:37pm...Can NIU do it again? Or will Ali Farokhmanesh suffer from the "Sports Illustrated curse"? Sparty isn't nearly as good as Kansas obviously, but Tom Izzo is one of the most feared coaches in the NCAA tourney no matter how much talent his teams have.
- #4 Purdue vs. #1 Duke, 9:57pm...Purdue has already made it further than most thought they would without Robbie Hummel. However, Duke has developed themselves a nasty little habit of underachieving in the tournament, not making the Elite Eight since 2004 despite getting 27+ wins in 4 of the last 5 seasons.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Your take on UK/Cornell?
A few quick thoughts before I run out the door for the day. Someone will be around later to preview Day 1 of the Sweet 16 at some point...
How exactly does Cornell pull the upset? They will have to be money from the 3 point line for starters. Kentucky needs to turn up the pressure on both sides of the ball and speed this game up as much as possible. Cal said on his weekly show that Cornell will want to run out the shot clock, and it's more than obvious that The Big Red doesn't have the horses to run with Kentucky's athletes.
Post your opinions, and GO BIG BLUE!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
DeMarcus Cousins Would Like You To Quit Calling Him Stupid
If you are an elitist, northeastern writer who would love to get with the Cornell Big Red, DeMarcus Cousins would like you to know that he is tired of the "smart guys" vs. "dumb guys" talk leading up to Thursday's game with Cornell.Now, we have seen everyone from Jay Bilas to the lastest, Dan Shaugnessy of the Boston Globe make this assumption.
Cousins says, "We are here to play basketball. It's not a spelling bee." Good point Boogie.
And if you know DeMarcus, as shown in the picture to your left, he has a style that only he could pull off, and while wearing his trademark specs, he would go on to say, "Maybe I should wrap white tape around these glasses." I'm glad that he has spoke his mind and let everyone know how he and probably the rest of the guys on the team feel about the bashing that they have been getting from the Northeast media.
The biggest thing about all of this that bugs me is that, these writers act like that our guys are non deserving, because one day they will make millons of dollars in the NBA, but really, of these two teams, which of it's players probably had the hardest life growing up. For Cornell we see a bunch of guys who are intelligent and probably good young men, but more than likely grew up as trust fund babies, not to bash these guys for what they have, but before all of these members of the media want to go off saying who is deserving and who should win this game, they need to look at which of these teams players have waited their whole life for this opportunity. Which guys have made it through economic and racial struggles to reach a point that they can say, "I beat the odds, and I made it," when one of these so called "journalist" want to attack a University and a group of young men who have worked their entire life for this opportunity, they need to have a justifiable reason, until then, lay off.
East Region
-The East Region has many questions surrounding it as the quartet of teams march in to Syracuse trying to survive and make it to Indy, to the 2010 Final Four.
-Some of these questions include:
1. Can West Virginia win without its starting PG Darryl Bryant?
2. Can Cornell keep up their winning ways and make it to the Final Four?
3. Will Washington prove that the west coast was better than most gave it credit for this season.
4. Can a young Kentucky team make it to Indy?
-All of these questions will be answered this weekend, but I am going to make my predictions about them first.
No. 12 seed Cornell vs No. 1 seed Kentucky: I'm not even going to mention Mark Coury, read my post entitled "What's all the Fuss About?" to see what I think about all the hysteria that is Mark Coury, and his connections between Kentucky and Cornell. That fees better! haha. Now to the game, Kentucky will be tested by this half court oriented ball club. Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman come into this game hot! Cornell is shooting over 50 percent from the field, in the tourney, thanks to these two. Kentucky will use their superior, athletic guards: Eric Bledsoe, John Wall to shut these two down. DeMarcus Cousins will try to dominate the post, but will be challenged by 7-footer Jeff Foote inside.
This game has all the variables to be a classic. Look for Cornell to try to limit UK's possessions and try to run the shot clock down every possession. UK on the other hand, will try to get out in transition and try not to have to run a lot of half court sets against the Big Red. If that is the case, the Cats will need to shoot well and when they're missing, rule the offensive glass with Cousins and Patrick Patterson.
Key to the game: Kentucky must get out on the Cornell shooters, in Cornell's losses to Kansas, Syracuse, and Seton Hall they shot right around or a little over 30 percent from 3-point range. I feel like the Cats will do this and pull out a close one!
Predicted Winner: Kentucky
No. 11 seed Washington vs No. 2 seed West Virginia: You know, I had it in my mind yesterday to pick Washington even before the injury to Bryant. Now I have even more reason to stick with my initial pick.
Isiah Thomas and Quincy Pondexter have caused havoc for Marquette and New Mexico in their first two tourney games and I see the same happening in this one. Joe Mazzulla will have to pick up the slack at PG and try to keep one of these guards in front of him, Devin Ebanks will have to do the same with the other.
Two ways I feel West Virginia can win this game: DeSean Butler and Ebanks will have to combine for at least 40 to 45 points and the big men down low will have to hit the offensive glass, if West Virginia can get 10 to 15 offensive boards and slow the game down, they can pound the ball inside to Kevin Jones and Wellington Smith.
What I feel will be their downfall is the relentless pursuit of the Washington offense. However, if the Huskies allow the Mountaineers to hit the glass this upset will not happen. Look for Pondexter and Thomas to have a big game and knock the Mountaineers off!
Predicted Winner: Washington
Until Next Time, Adios!
-Some of these questions include:
1. Can West Virginia win without its starting PG Darryl Bryant?
2. Can Cornell keep up their winning ways and make it to the Final Four?
3. Will Washington prove that the west coast was better than most gave it credit for this season.
4. Can a young Kentucky team make it to Indy?
-All of these questions will be answered this weekend, but I am going to make my predictions about them first.
No. 12 seed Cornell vs No. 1 seed Kentucky: I'm not even going to mention Mark Coury, read my post entitled "What's all the Fuss About?" to see what I think about all the hysteria that is Mark Coury, and his connections between Kentucky and Cornell. That fees better! haha. Now to the game, Kentucky will be tested by this half court oriented ball club. Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman come into this game hot! Cornell is shooting over 50 percent from the field, in the tourney, thanks to these two. Kentucky will use their superior, athletic guards: Eric Bledsoe, John Wall to shut these two down. DeMarcus Cousins will try to dominate the post, but will be challenged by 7-footer Jeff Foote inside.
This game has all the variables to be a classic. Look for Cornell to try to limit UK's possessions and try to run the shot clock down every possession. UK on the other hand, will try to get out in transition and try not to have to run a lot of half court sets against the Big Red. If that is the case, the Cats will need to shoot well and when they're missing, rule the offensive glass with Cousins and Patrick Patterson.
Key to the game: Kentucky must get out on the Cornell shooters, in Cornell's losses to Kansas, Syracuse, and Seton Hall they shot right around or a little over 30 percent from 3-point range. I feel like the Cats will do this and pull out a close one!
Predicted Winner: Kentucky
No. 11 seed Washington vs No. 2 seed West Virginia: You know, I had it in my mind yesterday to pick Washington even before the injury to Bryant. Now I have even more reason to stick with my initial pick.
Isiah Thomas and Quincy Pondexter have caused havoc for Marquette and New Mexico in their first two tourney games and I see the same happening in this one. Joe Mazzulla will have to pick up the slack at PG and try to keep one of these guards in front of him, Devin Ebanks will have to do the same with the other.
Two ways I feel West Virginia can win this game: DeSean Butler and Ebanks will have to combine for at least 40 to 45 points and the big men down low will have to hit the offensive glass, if West Virginia can get 10 to 15 offensive boards and slow the game down, they can pound the ball inside to Kevin Jones and Wellington Smith.
What I feel will be their downfall is the relentless pursuit of the Washington offense. However, if the Huskies allow the Mountaineers to hit the glass this upset will not happen. Look for Pondexter and Thomas to have a big game and knock the Mountaineers off!
Predicted Winner: Washington
Until Next Time, Adios!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
What's all the Fuss About?
Mark Coury, a former UK player is now playing at Cornell, an Ivy League school in Ithaca, NY. You might be wondering why is this newsworthy? What's the big deal?
The big deal is that the Cornell Big Red will now take the court Thursday night in Syracuse to play the Kentucky Wildcats, the No. 1 seed of the East Region. The No. 12 seed Cornell comes into this "Sweet 16" game after pumbling No. 5 seed Temple and No. 4 seed Wisconsin. Coury is a reserve for Cornell averaging 2.5 pts and 2.4 rebounds a game this season. But he is the "talk of the town" at the moment; one might note during Billy Gillispie's first year at the program he started 29 games! It even causes one to say, "This guy started at Kentucky and can't at Cornell?"
Truth be told, Coury had no business starting at UK and might be the worst starting player talent wise, to ever play for the Cats. Say what you will, Coury can still say he was a starter at the UK. He worked hard in practice and done everything he could on the court, and as a UK fan I commend him for that.
What I can't figure out is, why is this frowned upon? Coury left school to take a 4.0 GPA to a place with a great business school. Good for him, but it seems to me like its one of those things critics say and then turn and laugh. Almost writing stories just for sarcasm. Look Coury came in as a walk-on, started 29 games (like I said before) but only averaged between 10-15 minutes a game. Is this what Cornell wants to be represented by? A smart guy, who played on a sub-par UK team, who only played 10 minutes a game.
I kind of like the sarcasm, it means UK basketball is back on top, and the media will spare no punch when it comes to crawling under Kentucky fans skin. A wise man once said, "if your on top, they'll do anything to knock you down." Some columnists' might say there just trying to do a human interest story here, but that's bologna! They know the difference in tradition when it comes to the Cats and the Big Red.
All the luck in the world to Coury and the Big Red, but I just can't wait till this game is over so I don't have to hear about how he used to start at Kentucky. By the way, thanks Billy Clyde!
Eat it up now, because gameday is approaching; CBS will get a nice shot of Coury shaking all his old buddies hands, thing is he only played with 3 out of the 12 that now make up the 2010 UK basketball team. By the way, don't forget to slow-mo the block when he comes inside on Cousins, maybe Patterson, or heck maybe even his pal Perry Stevenson. Maybe they can show that on replay and gives writers another ridiculous article to write.
Until Next Time, Adios!
The big deal is that the Cornell Big Red will now take the court Thursday night in Syracuse to play the Kentucky Wildcats, the No. 1 seed of the East Region. The No. 12 seed Cornell comes into this "Sweet 16" game after pumbling No. 5 seed Temple and No. 4 seed Wisconsin. Coury is a reserve for Cornell averaging 2.5 pts and 2.4 rebounds a game this season. But he is the "talk of the town" at the moment; one might note during Billy Gillispie's first year at the program he started 29 games! It even causes one to say, "This guy started at Kentucky and can't at Cornell?"
Truth be told, Coury had no business starting at UK and might be the worst starting player talent wise, to ever play for the Cats. Say what you will, Coury can still say he was a starter at the UK. He worked hard in practice and done everything he could on the court, and as a UK fan I commend him for that.
What I can't figure out is, why is this frowned upon? Coury left school to take a 4.0 GPA to a place with a great business school. Good for him, but it seems to me like its one of those things critics say and then turn and laugh. Almost writing stories just for sarcasm. Look Coury came in as a walk-on, started 29 games (like I said before) but only averaged between 10-15 minutes a game. Is this what Cornell wants to be represented by? A smart guy, who played on a sub-par UK team, who only played 10 minutes a game.
I kind of like the sarcasm, it means UK basketball is back on top, and the media will spare no punch when it comes to crawling under Kentucky fans skin. A wise man once said, "if your on top, they'll do anything to knock you down." Some columnists' might say there just trying to do a human interest story here, but that's bologna! They know the difference in tradition when it comes to the Cats and the Big Red.
All the luck in the world to Coury and the Big Red, but I just can't wait till this game is over so I don't have to hear about how he used to start at Kentucky. By the way, thanks Billy Clyde!
Eat it up now, because gameday is approaching; CBS will get a nice shot of Coury shaking all his old buddies hands, thing is he only played with 3 out of the 12 that now make up the 2010 UK basketball team. By the way, don't forget to slow-mo the block when he comes inside on Cousins, maybe Patterson, or heck maybe even his pal Perry Stevenson. Maybe they can show that on replay and gives writers another ridiculous article to write.
Until Next Time, Adios!
Kanter to UK
Evan Daniels from scout.com has reported that 2010 5 star Center, Enes Kanter has committed to Kentucky, Kanter was previously a Washington commit. Big get for the Cats, we should see the class shape up over the next 3 weeks.
NFL Mock Draft 1.0 (Cont.) 25-32
Lets finish out the first round with a fury! Here is picks 25-32.
25. Baltimore Ravens- Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma. Gresham will be a nice addition for Joe Flacco and company. They have already went out this off-season and traded for Anquan Boldin, so it looks as if the Ravens will look to throw the ball more. Gresham is the best pass-catching TE on my board, and what he lacks in blocking, he will make up for in receiving. If he can stay healthy this is a can't miss for the Ravens.
26. Arizona Cardinals- Jerry Hughes, LB, TCU. Hughes will be great in the Cardinals 3-4 scheme; Arizona has a lot of free agents and Hughes will be valuable in this system. Watch out for the blitz when it comes to this guy, he can fly off the edge in pass rushing situations.
27. Dallas Cowboys- Earl Thomas, S, Texas. This will be a steal for the Cowboys! Thomas is a hard hitter and is masterful in coverage. He is a top 15 talent and will make an immediate impact for the Boys. look for Dallas maybe to move up however to get a tackle, but if not Dallas will welcome Thomas to an already explosive defense.
28. San Diego Chargers- Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State. They could go Terrance Cody here, but look for the Bolts to draft a productive RB like Mathews to fill the void now in San Diego after the release of LaDainian Tomlinson.
29. New York Jets- Jared Odrick, DE, Penn State. Rex Ryan is a defensive guy and Odrick is their answer at DE in Ryan's 3-4 scheme. He has speed and toughness, two things you need to play for Ryan.
30. Minnesota Vikings- Devin McCourty, CB. Rutgers. McCourty proved his coverage abilities at the combine, The Vikes need a cover corner, he's the best on the board. Perfect fit!
31. Indianapolis Colts- Brian Price, DT, UCLA. Best player on the board at this point. He can cause interior problems for other teams and will help upgrade the Colts defensive line.
32. New Orleans Saints- Sean Witherspoon, LB, Missouri. With Fujita not with the club anymore Witherspoon will step right in and the Saints the athleticism he departed with. He will play outside and will a threat on day one.
Here is the first round! I will change it if I feel it necessary. With the draft a month away look for a couple of changes.
Until Next Time, Adios!
25. Baltimore Ravens- Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma. Gresham will be a nice addition for Joe Flacco and company. They have already went out this off-season and traded for Anquan Boldin, so it looks as if the Ravens will look to throw the ball more. Gresham is the best pass-catching TE on my board, and what he lacks in blocking, he will make up for in receiving. If he can stay healthy this is a can't miss for the Ravens.
26. Arizona Cardinals- Jerry Hughes, LB, TCU. Hughes will be great in the Cardinals 3-4 scheme; Arizona has a lot of free agents and Hughes will be valuable in this system. Watch out for the blitz when it comes to this guy, he can fly off the edge in pass rushing situations.
27. Dallas Cowboys- Earl Thomas, S, Texas. This will be a steal for the Cowboys! Thomas is a hard hitter and is masterful in coverage. He is a top 15 talent and will make an immediate impact for the Boys. look for Dallas maybe to move up however to get a tackle, but if not Dallas will welcome Thomas to an already explosive defense.
28. San Diego Chargers- Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State. They could go Terrance Cody here, but look for the Bolts to draft a productive RB like Mathews to fill the void now in San Diego after the release of LaDainian Tomlinson.
29. New York Jets- Jared Odrick, DE, Penn State. Rex Ryan is a defensive guy and Odrick is their answer at DE in Ryan's 3-4 scheme. He has speed and toughness, two things you need to play for Ryan.
30. Minnesota Vikings- Devin McCourty, CB. Rutgers. McCourty proved his coverage abilities at the combine, The Vikes need a cover corner, he's the best on the board. Perfect fit!
31. Indianapolis Colts- Brian Price, DT, UCLA. Best player on the board at this point. He can cause interior problems for other teams and will help upgrade the Colts defensive line.
32. New Orleans Saints- Sean Witherspoon, LB, Missouri. With Fujita not with the club anymore Witherspoon will step right in and the Saints the athleticism he departed with. He will play outside and will a threat on day one.
Here is the first round! I will change it if I feel it necessary. With the draft a month away look for a couple of changes.
Until Next Time, Adios!
West Region
The West Region will play in Salt Lake City and two of those teams are mid-major's. This is how I see the matchups playing out.
No. 5 seed Butler vs No.1 seed Syracuse: Syracuse comes in to this game looking regenerized and primed for a final four run. Wesley Johnson is shooting the ball well again after injuring his hand during the last part of the regular season and the 2-3 zone of Jim Boeheim's can be a pest to teams who haven't seen a lot of zone play. Butler will have trouble with it and will be hard for speedy guard Shelvin Mack to penetrate the zone and find open looks for Gordon Heyward, who is only 1-10 shooting 3-pointers in the tourney so far. If he isn't hitting it could be a long night for the Bears. Matt Howard will also need to rebound well against a much bigger and athletic Syracuse ball club.
If Andy Rautins can keep it "raining threes" and Syracuse can continue to shoot at a 50 percent clip, this game could get ugly for the Bears. On the other hand, if Butler can get Mack and Heyward shooting, not let the Orange score easy in transition, hold Rautins and Johnson in check, this ball club might have a chance. I just believe Syracuse is too athletic for the Bears.
Predicited Winner: Syracuse
No. 6 seed Xavier vs No. 2 seed Kansas State: Kansas State guards Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen have combined for 85 points in the their first two tourney games; it is easy to see, you have to control tempo and slow these two down. There is another x-factor however, the Wildcats have a big front line who love to rebound. Xavier will need to limit K State's second chances and hold them to one shot a possession to pull off the upset.
Jordan Crawford will try to continue his performance in the tourney, scoring 55 points in the first two games, but I believe that the quickness of K State will prove to be too much for Crawford and Xavier to overcome. Look for the Wildcats to get out in transition early and give Xavier fits on the defensive end with their length and big bodies inside.
Predicted Winner: Kansas State
Until Next Time, Adios!
No. 5 seed Butler vs No.1 seed Syracuse: Syracuse comes in to this game looking regenerized and primed for a final four run. Wesley Johnson is shooting the ball well again after injuring his hand during the last part of the regular season and the 2-3 zone of Jim Boeheim's can be a pest to teams who haven't seen a lot of zone play. Butler will have trouble with it and will be hard for speedy guard Shelvin Mack to penetrate the zone and find open looks for Gordon Heyward, who is only 1-10 shooting 3-pointers in the tourney so far. If he isn't hitting it could be a long night for the Bears. Matt Howard will also need to rebound well against a much bigger and athletic Syracuse ball club.
If Andy Rautins can keep it "raining threes" and Syracuse can continue to shoot at a 50 percent clip, this game could get ugly for the Bears. On the other hand, if Butler can get Mack and Heyward shooting, not let the Orange score easy in transition, hold Rautins and Johnson in check, this ball club might have a chance. I just believe Syracuse is too athletic for the Bears.
Predicited Winner: Syracuse
No. 6 seed Xavier vs No. 2 seed Kansas State: Kansas State guards Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen have combined for 85 points in the their first two tourney games; it is easy to see, you have to control tempo and slow these two down. There is another x-factor however, the Wildcats have a big front line who love to rebound. Xavier will need to limit K State's second chances and hold them to one shot a possession to pull off the upset.
Jordan Crawford will try to continue his performance in the tourney, scoring 55 points in the first two games, but I believe that the quickness of K State will prove to be too much for Crawford and Xavier to overcome. Look for the Wildcats to get out in transition early and give Xavier fits on the defensive end with their length and big bodies inside.
Predicted Winner: Kansas State
Until Next Time, Adios!
Monday, March 22, 2010
History Made
The University of Kentucky Hoops team just defeated Michigan State to advance to the Sweet 16, the first time in the modern field of 64 for the women's team to do so. Congrats to Matthew Mitchell's squad, and best of luck for the rest of the tournament.If you are a fan of pressure defense, then you will love this team. Also, A'dia Mathies and Victoria Dunlap are straight ballers.
Great year for Kentucky Basketball.
Mock Draft 1.0 (Cont.) Picks 17-24
I am beating Borders to the punch this time, lets take a look at picks 17-24 for Mock Draft 1.0.
17. San Francisco 49ers- Joe Haden, CB, Florida. I look for the 49ers to trade one of their first round picks, but for Mock Draft purposes Haden is the pick for them at 17. Haden didn't have a good combine and this once top 10 draft pick, will drop a little on my board. However, I still have him has the top CB on my board and it will be a nice addition to the Niners if they decide not bring Nate Clements back.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers- Mike Iupati, OT/G, Idaho. Talk about a big, burely, offensive lineman! Iupati will be welcomed with open arms; he will help lead the Steelers back to smashmouth football and give them a formable inside run blocker at the OG position. Welcome back Steelers.
19. Atlanta Falcons- Everson Griffen, DE, USC. Atlanta could look at running back and safety at this point in the draft, but I think they will try to bolster the defensive line with this pick. Griffen will be an edge rusher with great closing speed. Look for Griffen to be a starter soon after his arrival.
20. Houston Texans- Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State. Dunta Robinson opted out in free agency, so this is a must need position for the Texans. Wilson showed power at the combine and the ability to burst and cover at the Senior Bowl. This is a "can't miss" player for the Texans and he will help in the secondary immediately.
21. Cincinnati Bengals- Taylor Mays, S, USC. With the signing of Antonio Bryant the Bengals will look to the future and draft a freakish athlete in Mays. He has trouble in pass coverages, but this will be a pick to look to future with. Mays will be a great addition for the Bengals. Aaron Hernandez or Jermaine Gresham could go at this pick as well.
22. New England Patriots- Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan. Graham had an outstanding Senior Bowl and led the nation last year in tackles for loss. Graham has great speed at the edge and will prove to help in run defense.
23. Green Bay Packers- Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. Character concerns has caused this once thought to be top 10 draft pick to fall, but the Packers are in desperate need of help on the line. He is what the doctor ordered in Green Bay: a great pass-blocker to help Aaron Rodgers get some extra time to look down field for receivers.
24. Philadeaphia Eagles- Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida. Not a lot to say here, Eagles need a center and Pouncey is the best in this year's class. What he lacks in physical ability, he makes up for in cerebral ability. Great pickup for the Eagles.
Look for some trades in this part of the draft, a lot of teams will move up to try to get some players like S Earl Thomas from Texas and DT Brian Price from UCLA
25-32 to come.
Until Next Time, Adios!
17. San Francisco 49ers- Joe Haden, CB, Florida. I look for the 49ers to trade one of their first round picks, but for Mock Draft purposes Haden is the pick for them at 17. Haden didn't have a good combine and this once top 10 draft pick, will drop a little on my board. However, I still have him has the top CB on my board and it will be a nice addition to the Niners if they decide not bring Nate Clements back.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers- Mike Iupati, OT/G, Idaho. Talk about a big, burely, offensive lineman! Iupati will be welcomed with open arms; he will help lead the Steelers back to smashmouth football and give them a formable inside run blocker at the OG position. Welcome back Steelers.
19. Atlanta Falcons- Everson Griffen, DE, USC. Atlanta could look at running back and safety at this point in the draft, but I think they will try to bolster the defensive line with this pick. Griffen will be an edge rusher with great closing speed. Look for Griffen to be a starter soon after his arrival.
20. Houston Texans- Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State. Dunta Robinson opted out in free agency, so this is a must need position for the Texans. Wilson showed power at the combine and the ability to burst and cover at the Senior Bowl. This is a "can't miss" player for the Texans and he will help in the secondary immediately.
21. Cincinnati Bengals- Taylor Mays, S, USC. With the signing of Antonio Bryant the Bengals will look to the future and draft a freakish athlete in Mays. He has trouble in pass coverages, but this will be a pick to look to future with. Mays will be a great addition for the Bengals. Aaron Hernandez or Jermaine Gresham could go at this pick as well.
22. New England Patriots- Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan. Graham had an outstanding Senior Bowl and led the nation last year in tackles for loss. Graham has great speed at the edge and will prove to help in run defense.
23. Green Bay Packers- Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. Character concerns has caused this once thought to be top 10 draft pick to fall, but the Packers are in desperate need of help on the line. He is what the doctor ordered in Green Bay: a great pass-blocker to help Aaron Rodgers get some extra time to look down field for receivers.
24. Philadeaphia Eagles- Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida. Not a lot to say here, Eagles need a center and Pouncey is the best in this year's class. What he lacks in physical ability, he makes up for in cerebral ability. Great pickup for the Eagles.
Look for some trades in this part of the draft, a lot of teams will move up to try to get some players like S Earl Thomas from Texas and DT Brian Price from UCLA
25-32 to come.
Until Next Time, Adios!
Midwest Region
The Midwest region was supposed to be the "Rock Chalk Jayhawk" region, but that is why they play the games. Here is my opinion on the matchups in this now, wide open, region.
No. 9 seed Northern Iowa vs No. 5 seed Michigan State: Kalin Lucas might be injured, but Tom Izzo will still have his team ready to play, and they better be because Northern Iowa has played the role of giant killer once and they will look to do it again. Ali Farokhmanesh shot "lights out" against Kansas and will look to do it again against the Spartans. I suspect Izzo will have his eye on this kid and one of his bigger guards will get the assignment to shut the "pure shooter" down. Korie Lucious, Durrell Summers, and Chris Allen might all guard him to give him some different looks and it will help to keep a fresh man on him. My question is how are they going to stop Jared Eglseder inside. This big man lit up Cole Aldrich in the second round and I don't know if the Spartans can limit his touches.
Northern Iowa, on the other hand, will have to contend with sharp shooting Durrell Summers and crew. Michigan State loves to run a lot of high post plays, so look for the Spartans to try to come out and get Summers open for some looks early. Without Lucas however, someone will have to pick up the slack, Raymar Morgan will look to be a "stat stuffer" and also look for his shot more in this game.
I don't look for this to be a high scoring affair, ball control will once again be a key for UNI, if they limit the possessions of the Spartans I feel like this is a very winnable ballgame for them.
I am predicting they do, and without Lucas it will be hard for the Spartans to beat the Panthers.
Predicted winner: Northern Iowa
No.6 seed Tennessee vs No.2 seed Ohio State: These two teams matchup nicely on paper, but this game will come down to one name, "Bobby Maze" if this kid can keep it together for the Volunteers and help them to control pace, UT can pull off the upset; if however, he gets careless, turns the ball over, and looks for his jump shot too much, OSU can rule and march on.
Scotty Hopson, J.P. Prince, Wayne Chism: all long and athletic, on the filp side, Evan Turner, David Lighty, William Buford, all can score at will. Tennessee will need to not only need good guard play from Maze but will need to limit OSU in the fast break game, and use quick guard play to get Turner frustrated and maybe cause some turnovers. Look for UT to pressure the ball and then drop back in a zone.
OSU needs to be stingy and play right up in the Volunteers grill. If they get up early this game could out of hand, but if they let UT get open looks, this one could get interesting.
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Unitl Next Time, Adios
No. 9 seed Northern Iowa vs No. 5 seed Michigan State: Kalin Lucas might be injured, but Tom Izzo will still have his team ready to play, and they better be because Northern Iowa has played the role of giant killer once and they will look to do it again. Ali Farokhmanesh shot "lights out" against Kansas and will look to do it again against the Spartans. I suspect Izzo will have his eye on this kid and one of his bigger guards will get the assignment to shut the "pure shooter" down. Korie Lucious, Durrell Summers, and Chris Allen might all guard him to give him some different looks and it will help to keep a fresh man on him. My question is how are they going to stop Jared Eglseder inside. This big man lit up Cole Aldrich in the second round and I don't know if the Spartans can limit his touches.
Northern Iowa, on the other hand, will have to contend with sharp shooting Durrell Summers and crew. Michigan State loves to run a lot of high post plays, so look for the Spartans to try to come out and get Summers open for some looks early. Without Lucas however, someone will have to pick up the slack, Raymar Morgan will look to be a "stat stuffer" and also look for his shot more in this game.
I don't look for this to be a high scoring affair, ball control will once again be a key for UNI, if they limit the possessions of the Spartans I feel like this is a very winnable ballgame for them.
I am predicting they do, and without Lucas it will be hard for the Spartans to beat the Panthers.
Predicted winner: Northern Iowa
No.6 seed Tennessee vs No.2 seed Ohio State: These two teams matchup nicely on paper, but this game will come down to one name, "Bobby Maze" if this kid can keep it together for the Volunteers and help them to control pace, UT can pull off the upset; if however, he gets careless, turns the ball over, and looks for his jump shot too much, OSU can rule and march on.
Scotty Hopson, J.P. Prince, Wayne Chism: all long and athletic, on the filp side, Evan Turner, David Lighty, William Buford, all can score at will. Tennessee will need to not only need good guard play from Maze but will need to limit OSU in the fast break game, and use quick guard play to get Turner frustrated and maybe cause some turnovers. Look for UT to pressure the ball and then drop back in a zone.
OSU needs to be stingy and play right up in the Volunteers grill. If they get up early this game could out of hand, but if they let UT get open looks, this one could get interesting.
Predicted Winner: Ohio State
Unitl Next Time, Adios
Day 4
The first weekend of this year's edition is complete, yesterday was very calm, however there were several games that went down to the final shot.
- Here are my opinions on day 4.
- Xavier and Cornell, became the 4th and 5th mid-major to make this year's SWEET 16. Xavier avenged last year's loss to Pittsburgh and Cornell showed why they are for real in dismantling Wisconsin. Jordan Crawford led the way for the upstart Xavier ball club, while Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman set the nets "on fire" for the Big Red of Cornell.
- Michigan State beat Maryland on a last second three by Korie Luscious after having a 16-point lead in the second half. The Spartans barely scraped by, but might have loss senior guard Kalin Lucas in the process as he went down to an apparent achilles injury.
- I am now 1 for 2 in Bold Predictions as Syracuse and Duke both won in convincing fashion.
This was a great first weekend of the tourney, this week I will cover each region and the matchups in each.
I will even have another Bold Prediction that you will probably laugh at, but in this blogger's opinion is very feasable.
Until Next Time, Adios!
- Here are my opinions on day 4.
- Xavier and Cornell, became the 4th and 5th mid-major to make this year's SWEET 16. Xavier avenged last year's loss to Pittsburgh and Cornell showed why they are for real in dismantling Wisconsin. Jordan Crawford led the way for the upstart Xavier ball club, while Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman set the nets "on fire" for the Big Red of Cornell.
- Michigan State beat Maryland on a last second three by Korie Luscious after having a 16-point lead in the second half. The Spartans barely scraped by, but might have loss senior guard Kalin Lucas in the process as he went down to an apparent achilles injury.
- I am now 1 for 2 in Bold Predictions as Syracuse and Duke both won in convincing fashion.
This was a great first weekend of the tourney, this week I will cover each region and the matchups in each.
I will even have another Bold Prediction that you will probably laugh at, but in this blogger's opinion is very feasable.
Until Next Time, Adios!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Thanks, Dino Gaudio
- Surely you didn't think I forgot about the BIG BLUE? No way, I just wanted to make a special post thanking Dino Gaudio for helping the Cats get to next weekend.
- Dino, you sly dog, did you really think putting your star forward, Al-Farouq Aminu, back on the court with two fouls wasn't going to result in his third? With the score tied at 19, Aminu picked up his third foul with 11:39 left in the first half, sealing the fate of the Demon Deacons. I appreciate this, leaving your best player out there with two fouls when your still close, absolutely brilliant Dino, and Cats fans appreciate you so. You rendered Ish Smith ineffective and your squad was down 16 at the half. Well done sir, well done!
- Anytime Dino wants to come over and have dinner he is welcome! We can have an old-fashioned southern dinner: soup beans, pone of cornbread, fried potatoes, sliced onion, and mustard greens to top it off. Just come on over Dino, your welcome in the Bluegrass state. Once again thank you, and we'll e-mail you a piece of the title!
-Until next time, Adios!
- Dino, you sly dog, did you really think putting your star forward, Al-Farouq Aminu, back on the court with two fouls wasn't going to result in his third? With the score tied at 19, Aminu picked up his third foul with 11:39 left in the first half, sealing the fate of the Demon Deacons. I appreciate this, leaving your best player out there with two fouls when your still close, absolutely brilliant Dino, and Cats fans appreciate you so. You rendered Ish Smith ineffective and your squad was down 16 at the half. Well done sir, well done!
- Anytime Dino wants to come over and have dinner he is welcome! We can have an old-fashioned southern dinner: soup beans, pone of cornbread, fried potatoes, sliced onion, and mustard greens to top it off. Just come on over Dino, your welcome in the Bluegrass state. Once again thank you, and we'll e-mail you a piece of the title!
-Until next time, Adios!
Give Napier Credit
As bad as I hate to admit it, Brandon Napier boldly picked Northern Iowa to defeat Kansas yesterday in his post. He will now clean his vipercated tail and cloven-hoofs, while spitting fire onto his computer screen.
Day 3
What can you say but "Wild and Wacky"? I'm going to get straight into a crazy first weekend on this year's tourney.
- Here is my opinion's on yesterday!
- David has sleighed Goliath, as two mid-major's take down two of the big names in college basketball this year. Northern Iowa pulled the upset of the tourney so far taking down the overall number one Kansas. Ali Farokhmanesh shooting the ball as if he were Jimmy Chitwood straight out of Hickory, and the big boy in the middle Jared Eglseder, doing his thing against a so-called "lottery pick" in this year' NBA draft in Cole Aldrich. Can you say Greg Ostertag? The Panthers shot 36 for 42 from the charity stripe and controlled the tempo throughout. Kansas was sleeping, and woke up to find the nightmare was real. Oklahoma City was the last stop for the Jayhawks this season, and UNI is still "cutting a rug".
- Omar Sanham, Omar Sanham, this is what Villanova coach Jay Wright saw in his sleep last night. The "Big White Hope" for the Saint Mary Gaels boasted 32 pts and 7 rebounds, after just having 29 and 12 against Richmond in the first round. My question is, after watching the Richmond game, and knowing you are limited in the big man department: why not run a zone? Obviously, the Gaels can shoot with Mickey McConnell, who leads the nation in three point percentage (51%), but you let one, overweight big man rule the roost. Wright in my opinion should have packed it in and let the Gaels beat his Wildcats from the outside, lets face it, they can't hit 'em all. Sanham dominated each Villanova defender that "tried" to guard him during this game, double teams didn't help, I don't know if five men could have helped yesterday, either way the Gaels are dancing into the round of 16.
- Lets hear from Compton, Long Beach, to Spokane baby! The West Coast has arrived in this year's tourney! With Saint Mary's and Washington all ready in the sweet 16, two more teams are going to try to prove the experts wrong, and say, "The west coast is here, and not as bad as you would like us to be." East coast bias? Well, look at the tourney and its teams; they selection commitee knows who the fans go to watch. This year, the west coast is getting a even. With California and Gonzaga to play today the west coast could potentially get 4 teams in the round of 16! With a fourth of the teams being from the West Coast, they might have a legitimate gripe. At least, we know they can beat up on the Big East, the best conference in the nation, just saying.
- Tomorrow, if many more mid-major's make the sweet 16, you are going to have to hear my spill about "parody", and how it is working liking a John Mayer song, except it's not working "against me", but against coaches and "job se-cur-ity!
- Another wacky day to end the weekend, we'll see.
- 1 for 1 on bold predictions so far, so lets try to go 2 for 2 today shall we.
- Bold Prediciton: Another number one seed will drop today! Tell all your friends, the Dukies will have trouble with California, and their big three. Syracuse better have Rautins dialed in or the Zags could march out of Buffalo and send the Cuse back down the road!
- By the way, Shelby Valley way to go in showing "mountain pride", way to bring a state championship back to the 15th!
- Until next time, Adios!
- Here is my opinion's on yesterday!
- David has sleighed Goliath, as two mid-major's take down two of the big names in college basketball this year. Northern Iowa pulled the upset of the tourney so far taking down the overall number one Kansas. Ali Farokhmanesh shooting the ball as if he were Jimmy Chitwood straight out of Hickory, and the big boy in the middle Jared Eglseder, doing his thing against a so-called "lottery pick" in this year' NBA draft in Cole Aldrich. Can you say Greg Ostertag? The Panthers shot 36 for 42 from the charity stripe and controlled the tempo throughout. Kansas was sleeping, and woke up to find the nightmare was real. Oklahoma City was the last stop for the Jayhawks this season, and UNI is still "cutting a rug".
- Omar Sanham, Omar Sanham, this is what Villanova coach Jay Wright saw in his sleep last night. The "Big White Hope" for the Saint Mary Gaels boasted 32 pts and 7 rebounds, after just having 29 and 12 against Richmond in the first round. My question is, after watching the Richmond game, and knowing you are limited in the big man department: why not run a zone? Obviously, the Gaels can shoot with Mickey McConnell, who leads the nation in three point percentage (51%), but you let one, overweight big man rule the roost. Wright in my opinion should have packed it in and let the Gaels beat his Wildcats from the outside, lets face it, they can't hit 'em all. Sanham dominated each Villanova defender that "tried" to guard him during this game, double teams didn't help, I don't know if five men could have helped yesterday, either way the Gaels are dancing into the round of 16.
- Lets hear from Compton, Long Beach, to Spokane baby! The West Coast has arrived in this year's tourney! With Saint Mary's and Washington all ready in the sweet 16, two more teams are going to try to prove the experts wrong, and say, "The west coast is here, and not as bad as you would like us to be." East coast bias? Well, look at the tourney and its teams; they selection commitee knows who the fans go to watch. This year, the west coast is getting a even. With California and Gonzaga to play today the west coast could potentially get 4 teams in the round of 16! With a fourth of the teams being from the West Coast, they might have a legitimate gripe. At least, we know they can beat up on the Big East, the best conference in the nation, just saying.
- Tomorrow, if many more mid-major's make the sweet 16, you are going to have to hear my spill about "parody", and how it is working liking a John Mayer song, except it's not working "against me", but against coaches and "job se-cur-ity!
- Another wacky day to end the weekend, we'll see.
- 1 for 1 on bold predictions so far, so lets try to go 2 for 2 today shall we.
- Bold Prediciton: Another number one seed will drop today! Tell all your friends, the Dukies will have trouble with California, and their big three. Syracuse better have Rautins dialed in or the Zags could march out of Buffalo and send the Cuse back down the road!
- By the way, Shelby Valley way to go in showing "mountain pride", way to bring a state championship back to the 15th!
- Until next time, Adios!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Congrats to Shelby Valley
Shelby Valley has made it to the championship game of the KHSAA State Tournament, giving a 20 point smackdown to Mason Co. earlier this morning.
We'll be cheering them on as they represent Eastern Kentucky and the 15th region in particular tonight against Louisville Ballard for all the marbles.
Wake Forest Preview
If you are like me and the rest of the world, you've probably always wondered what a Deamon Deacon is, many believe that since Wake Forest was founded as a Baptist college, that the mascot has biblical meanings, to me it's just a creeper with a funny hat, and obviously riding a motorcycle, as the picture to your left shows. But, enough about the mascot, lets talk about Billy Packer's alma mater's basketball team, that fact alone should give you enough hate for tonight's game.Wake is a team that can really be physical and athletic and also kill you with their speedy guards, remind you of anyone?
-The first guy to watch out for is do it all forward Al-Farouq Aminu, the highly touted recruit is in his Sophomore year, and has proved all season long why he was a top 5 player coming out of high school. Aminu averages roughly 16 and 11 a game, not too shabby for this center piece of the Demon Deacons attack. Also, Wake has 7 footer Chas McFarland clogging up the middle, with size and physicality inside, one would think that this team has controlling, boring guards, but that is the exact opposite. Starting with Ish Smith, this guy can flat do it all, he's quick, he's tough, he's confident and if you watched the Texas game, he's clutch. Smith is a Devan Downey type player, but has an edge over Downey in the sense that he has size inside and guys who can beat you off the dribble and rebound. C.J. Harris, a young guard who has showed a lot in his debut season, averaging 10 ppg, will join Smith in the backcourt along with veteran L.D. Williams, to lead the Deamon Deacons.
-They are coached by Dino Gaudio, think of an older version of Joey from Friends, except with a clipboard. How you doin'?
-This is actually a team that could do quite well against the Cats, they have speedy, crafty guards, and size and athleticism to compliment that. Kentucky probably has a slight advantage at every position, but not a big one, especially at Power Forward. This is a team that has a similar makeup as Kentucky, maybe not as talented, but the same kind of team. It will be interesting to see what Wake Forest does in this game, will they let Ish Smith push the ball and use his speed, or will they try to be like the rest of the country and slow the Wildcats down, my guess is that they will go into the game with the plan of being methodical and limiting Kentucky's possessions, but at times they will get lost and be erratic.
-The keys to the game will be rebounding, turnovers and Kentucky's other guys, allow me to elaborate, we all know that Wall, Patterson and Cousins can show up, but if we have another game like we did from Bledsoe, or any other guy for that matter, the Cats are gonna be tough to beat in this tournament.
I'm gonna say that the Cats struggle a little today and will be frustrated by Smith and Aminu, but at the end of the day, hold on and win the game, I'll go with....Kentucky by 9, that's just a guess, it has nothing to do with the fact that -9 is the spread. So, get ready baskeball fans, we are down to 32.
Day 2
Day two wasn't exciting as day one, but it was still a great day of college basketball.
- Here are some of my opinions from day two!
- Cornell can play! This team is balanced all the way around and if you have had a chance to watch them, they don't make mistakes. They beat a prominent Temple team who came into the game leading the nation in field goal percentage defense. Cornell came out and laid it to the Owls. Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman can flat out shoot and seven footer Jeff Foote can control the paint. Wisconsin better be ready to bang it out with this crew, if they don't watch it, the Big Red can send them back to Madison. Both these teams slow it down, so it will be boring, but close.
- Rick Pitino with a 9 seed, and ousted in the first round? Yeah, it seems crazy but it is the truth this year. Louisville looked as if they were wading in quicksand last night as California took care of business. The cards looked lackluster defensively letting the Golden Bears get out to a 22-4 lead and offensively couldn't throw it in the ocean. They went 5-19 from the three point arc and let Cali shoot 51% from the field. Pitino better get his boys in gear for next year! He needs to get the defensive intensity up and get his guards to pass the ball better; if not it could be deja vu for the Cards next year. Thanks Ricky P. for ruining my bracket!
- The Pac-10 has came to play; this conference was said to be down all year but has looked great, going 2-0 in their first round games. Like they say, this time of the year, you can start over, and that is what Washington and Cal has done. Both teams have great guard play and love to get out and go, wouldn't surprise me to see one of these teams playing next weekend.
Bold Prediction:
A number one seed will not make it to next weekend. Kansas has a cake walk if they play from start to finish against Northern Iowa. However, Cal has their big three to match Duke's trio. Gonzaga has showed this year it can beat anyone at anytime when they distribute and don't stay perimeter happy, watch out Cuse. Yes, Kentucky will be matched at every position against Wake Forest. All these teams better come ready to play or it could be a quick tourney for the "Big 4".
Until Next time, Adios!
- Here are some of my opinions from day two!
- Cornell can play! This team is balanced all the way around and if you have had a chance to watch them, they don't make mistakes. They beat a prominent Temple team who came into the game leading the nation in field goal percentage defense. Cornell came out and laid it to the Owls. Louis Dale and Ryan Wittman can flat out shoot and seven footer Jeff Foote can control the paint. Wisconsin better be ready to bang it out with this crew, if they don't watch it, the Big Red can send them back to Madison. Both these teams slow it down, so it will be boring, but close.
- Rick Pitino with a 9 seed, and ousted in the first round? Yeah, it seems crazy but it is the truth this year. Louisville looked as if they were wading in quicksand last night as California took care of business. The cards looked lackluster defensively letting the Golden Bears get out to a 22-4 lead and offensively couldn't throw it in the ocean. They went 5-19 from the three point arc and let Cali shoot 51% from the field. Pitino better get his boys in gear for next year! He needs to get the defensive intensity up and get his guards to pass the ball better; if not it could be deja vu for the Cards next year. Thanks Ricky P. for ruining my bracket!
- The Pac-10 has came to play; this conference was said to be down all year but has looked great, going 2-0 in their first round games. Like they say, this time of the year, you can start over, and that is what Washington and Cal has done. Both teams have great guard play and love to get out and go, wouldn't surprise me to see one of these teams playing next weekend.
Bold Prediction:
A number one seed will not make it to next weekend. Kansas has a cake walk if they play from start to finish against Northern Iowa. However, Cal has their big three to match Duke's trio. Gonzaga has showed this year it can beat anyone at anytime when they distribute and don't stay perimeter happy, watch out Cuse. Yes, Kentucky will be matched at every position against Wake Forest. All these teams better come ready to play or it could be a quick tourney for the "Big 4".
Until Next time, Adios!
"The Madness": Day 2 recap and Day 3 preview
RIP- Neil's Bracket: 3/16/10 - 3/19/10Well it was fun while it was lasted. My bracket always takes much more time to create than it does to destroy. With 5 of my Sweet 16 teams already gone (including 1 that I had in the Elite 8) my bracket can be laid to rest for another 360 days or so, when i'm sure to create another masterpiece gone terribly wrong.
The 1st round of the NCAA Tournament is officially over. There are some interesting matchups in Round 2 for today and tomorrow, but let's look at a few of yesterday's games before moving ahead...
No real upsets on Friday
#4 Wisconsin ALMOST lost to #13 Wofford (who?), and #5 Michigan St. barely beat #12 New Mexico St. But with the exception of Temple, all teams seeded 5 or better took care of business.Temple lost to #12 Cornell, but several people were calling that one anyway. Not to mention that a 12 seed has beaten a 5 seed in 20 of the last 22 tournament. Nothing shocking here.
Former-UK faces were sent packing on Friday
Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, and Travis Ford are all "gone fishin'" as of last night.
- Tubby and Minnesota were took down at the hands of Xavier.
- I think almost everyone predicted a win for Slick Rick's squad and a Round 2 showdown with Coach K. Instead, California handled the Dirty Birds with ease.
- In a moment of genius, the Cowboys of Oklahoma St. were my suprise pick to the Elite 8. Instead, they got flat out spanked by Georgia Tech. I still wish Matt Pilgrim was at UK though.
Day 3
8 games on the menu for today. I see some games where somebody should have their finger on the "upset alert" button.
- #10 Saint Marys vs. #2 Villanova
If Villanova plays like they did on Thursday, they WILL lose. If Robert Morris can take them to OT, this Saint Marys squad will beat them by 10+ if Nova isn't able to shape up after the near upset.
- #13 Murray St. vs. #5 Butler
Maybe its a Kentucky bias, but i'm feeling an upset here too. Don't worry, i'm not going TOO far out on a limb...I just think it's a possibility.
- #14 Ohio vs. #6 Tennessee
I don't see an upset here, i'm just REALLY hoping for one. I think UT's much better than a 6 seed and Ohio can be content with their 1 huge upset.
- #11 Washington vs. #3 New Mexico
New Mexico definitely looked good on Thursday, but a Mid-Major as a 3 seed just scares me. Earlier in the week Tyler asked the question of which team seeded 10 or lower in the tourney has a shot at making some noise, and Washington was my pick.
- #11 Old Dominion vs. #3 Baylor
I honestly don't have any logic behind this one. Just a feeling.
So there you have it. Villanova, New Mexico, Butler, and Baylor...you've been warned!
The 1st round of the NCAA Tournament is officially over. There are some interesting matchups in Round 2 for today and tomorrow, but let's look at a few of yesterday's games before moving ahead...
No real upsets on Friday
#4 Wisconsin ALMOST lost to #13 Wofford (who?), and #5 Michigan St. barely beat #12 New Mexico St. But with the exception of Temple, all teams seeded 5 or better took care of business.Temple lost to #12 Cornell, but several people were calling that one anyway. Not to mention that a 12 seed has beaten a 5 seed in 20 of the last 22 tournament. Nothing shocking here.
Former-UK faces were sent packing on Friday
Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, and Travis Ford are all "gone fishin'" as of last night.
- Tubby and Minnesota were took down at the hands of Xavier.
- I think almost everyone predicted a win for Slick Rick's squad and a Round 2 showdown with Coach K. Instead, California handled the Dirty Birds with ease.
- In a moment of genius, the Cowboys of Oklahoma St. were my suprise pick to the Elite 8. Instead, they got flat out spanked by Georgia Tech. I still wish Matt Pilgrim was at UK though.
Day 3
8 games on the menu for today. I see some games where somebody should have their finger on the "upset alert" button.
- #10 Saint Marys vs. #2 Villanova
If Villanova plays like they did on Thursday, they WILL lose. If Robert Morris can take them to OT, this Saint Marys squad will beat them by 10+ if Nova isn't able to shape up after the near upset.
- #13 Murray St. vs. #5 Butler
Maybe its a Kentucky bias, but i'm feeling an upset here too. Don't worry, i'm not going TOO far out on a limb...I just think it's a possibility.
- #14 Ohio vs. #6 Tennessee
I don't see an upset here, i'm just REALLY hoping for one. I think UT's much better than a 6 seed and Ohio can be content with their 1 huge upset.
- #11 Washington vs. #3 New Mexico
New Mexico definitely looked good on Thursday, but a Mid-Major as a 3 seed just scares me. Earlier in the week Tyler asked the question of which team seeded 10 or lower in the tourney has a shot at making some noise, and Washington was my pick.
- #11 Old Dominion vs. #3 Baylor
I honestly don't have any logic behind this one. Just a feeling.
So there you have it. Villanova, New Mexico, Butler, and Baylor...you've been warned!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Mock Draft 1.0 (Cont.)
Well played Borders, the duel is on! I will win the rubber match! haha
First off, I believe I am going to have to refute my number 6 pick from yesterday. Neil, can do the same as well as free agent signings come about. I am changing the pick after the recent trade and signing of Charlie Whitehurst? Why do that, I have no clue but whatever floats Carroll's boat. Taking on a chance on a career backup, young or not, is risky. However, here is where I see the Seahawks going now instead of taking Clausen.
6. Seattle Seahawks- C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson. Neil has him going 14, but I see the Seahawks going ahead and pulling the trigger on this pick at 6. Spiller, is the best running back in this draft and will be a big help from the 26th ranked rushing offense that the Seahawks had a year ago. This will help take some pressure off Hasselback to make 40-45 passes a game. Good pick up at 6 for the Seahawks.
- Now 9-16
9. Buffalo Bills- Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. Clausen will stay at this pick on my board, the Bills need a QB for the future and I think Clausen, like I said yesterday, has already played in a pro system and will adapt quickly to coverages in the NFL. Clausen is precisely what the Bills need; I also think it is the right choice here, I mean he isn't going to go straight out and perform, but he has more upside than J.P. Losman had when the Bills drafted him. I don't think Ryan Fitzpatrick is the answer either.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida. Look for this upstart end to stay in the same state he played in college. He is dynamic and cut out of the Mario Williams breed. It may take him a year, but his upside, down the road, is what the Jags are looking for. They have Derrick Harvey and Aaron Kampan, so Pierre-Paul can learn and is great value at this pick.
11. Denver Broncos- Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. With Brandon Marshall getting ready to leave "Rocky Mountain High, Colorado" Bryant is a nice addition at this pick. Marshall leaving will hurt, and Bryant is risky here since he hasn't played an organized game since January; however, they need help quickly. He is a downfield threat that the Broncos will need, not to mention he is the top WR prospect on my board.
12. Miami Dolphins- Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee. Miami has picked up Karlos Dansby in the off-season to fill their linebacker needs, look for Miami to booster its D Line here with Williams. He presents a big frame who can rush the passer and stop the run. Brian Price could go at this pick, but I have Williams rated higher, and I think he is a better value pick for the Dolphins.
13. San Francisco 49ers- Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. I was torn between whether the niners would go CB at this pick or want to boost their line. With this being a draft full of talent at the tackle position look for the niners to go this way and pick a CB later on in the draft. Bulaga has been at the forefront of the Iowa running attack for the last two years and I believe Frank Gore will welcome him with open arms.
14. Seattle Seahawks- Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. Another tackle, what a shock lol! Williams will fill in nicely for departing Walter Jones. He has the tools to step right in and help the sixth pick in the draft: Spiller, make an immediate impact. This is the RT of the future for the Seahawks.
15. New York Giants- Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama. Did you see McClain in the national championship game? He's an animal at stopping the run and can stunt from the LB position, perfect fit for the Giants. Now that Antonio Pierce is "gone like the wind", McClain is also the tackler they need at the ILB position. Speed isn't the only thing in football, and this player is an absolute, through and through "football player". I'm going to go out on a limb and list him as my favorite for defensive rookie of the year.
16. Tennessee Titans- Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas, He's undersized, but tough as nails; Kindle brings great run-stopping ability to the Titans and can get after the QB.
17-24 coming up!
Until next time, Adios
First off, I believe I am going to have to refute my number 6 pick from yesterday. Neil, can do the same as well as free agent signings come about. I am changing the pick after the recent trade and signing of Charlie Whitehurst? Why do that, I have no clue but whatever floats Carroll's boat. Taking on a chance on a career backup, young or not, is risky. However, here is where I see the Seahawks going now instead of taking Clausen.
6. Seattle Seahawks- C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson. Neil has him going 14, but I see the Seahawks going ahead and pulling the trigger on this pick at 6. Spiller, is the best running back in this draft and will be a big help from the 26th ranked rushing offense that the Seahawks had a year ago. This will help take some pressure off Hasselback to make 40-45 passes a game. Good pick up at 6 for the Seahawks.
- Now 9-16
9. Buffalo Bills- Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. Clausen will stay at this pick on my board, the Bills need a QB for the future and I think Clausen, like I said yesterday, has already played in a pro system and will adapt quickly to coverages in the NFL. Clausen is precisely what the Bills need; I also think it is the right choice here, I mean he isn't going to go straight out and perform, but he has more upside than J.P. Losman had when the Bills drafted him. I don't think Ryan Fitzpatrick is the answer either.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida. Look for this upstart end to stay in the same state he played in college. He is dynamic and cut out of the Mario Williams breed. It may take him a year, but his upside, down the road, is what the Jags are looking for. They have Derrick Harvey and Aaron Kampan, so Pierre-Paul can learn and is great value at this pick.
11. Denver Broncos- Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. With Brandon Marshall getting ready to leave "Rocky Mountain High, Colorado" Bryant is a nice addition at this pick. Marshall leaving will hurt, and Bryant is risky here since he hasn't played an organized game since January; however, they need help quickly. He is a downfield threat that the Broncos will need, not to mention he is the top WR prospect on my board.
12. Miami Dolphins- Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee. Miami has picked up Karlos Dansby in the off-season to fill their linebacker needs, look for Miami to booster its D Line here with Williams. He presents a big frame who can rush the passer and stop the run. Brian Price could go at this pick, but I have Williams rated higher, and I think he is a better value pick for the Dolphins.
13. San Francisco 49ers- Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. I was torn between whether the niners would go CB at this pick or want to boost their line. With this being a draft full of talent at the tackle position look for the niners to go this way and pick a CB later on in the draft. Bulaga has been at the forefront of the Iowa running attack for the last two years and I believe Frank Gore will welcome him with open arms.
14. Seattle Seahawks- Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. Another tackle, what a shock lol! Williams will fill in nicely for departing Walter Jones. He has the tools to step right in and help the sixth pick in the draft: Spiller, make an immediate impact. This is the RT of the future for the Seahawks.
15. New York Giants- Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama. Did you see McClain in the national championship game? He's an animal at stopping the run and can stunt from the LB position, perfect fit for the Giants. Now that Antonio Pierce is "gone like the wind", McClain is also the tackler they need at the ILB position. Speed isn't the only thing in football, and this player is an absolute, through and through "football player". I'm going to go out on a limb and list him as my favorite for defensive rookie of the year.
16. Tennessee Titans- Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas, He's undersized, but tough as nails; Kindle brings great run-stopping ability to the Titans and can get after the QB.
17-24 coming up!
Until next time, Adios
Neil's NFL mock 17-24
I don't know if it's possible to OD you on March Madness, but if so, we certainly don't want to be guilty of it. So I will keep trucking with my NFL Mock Draft...
17. San Francisco 49'ers - Trent Williams, OT Oklahoma. If the 2010 Draft plays out like the more recent ones, Williams will be long gone. The last couple of years have seen several OT's go in Round 1. But I just see too many teams with more pressing needs. With that said, San Fran gets themselves a very solid Tackle in Trent Williams.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers - Rolando McClain, ILB Alabama. You can never have enough good LBs in Dick LeBeau's defense. McClain is the clear cut #1 inside linebacker in this draft.
19. Atlanta Falcons - Sean Weatherspoon, OLB Missouri. Another BPA. The Dirty Birds would've went with a corner until they signed Dunta Robinson. Weatherspoon is solid and a very good OLB.
20. Houston Texans - Earl Thomas, S Texas. To win the AFC South, you have to beat the Colts. The Texans can't do this with their current secondary. Thomas is a fantastic player and would be an immediate upgrade.
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Mike Iupati, G Idaho. I really think Cincy should take Jermaine Gresham here. But this is a solid pick too. The Bengals need help on the O-line too, especially at Guard, which is where Iupati will be.
22. New England Patriots - Jermaine Gresham, TE Oklahoma. The Pats lost Ben Watson in free agency. Plus with Wes Welker suffering a bad injury late in the season, this will give Brady another great target to throw to.
23. Green Bay Packers - Kyle Wilson, CB Boise State. Kurt Warner absolutely humiliated the Packers secondary in the playoffs. Green Bay is a solid team but they must improve in this area.
24. Philadelphia Eagles - Anthony Davis, OT Rutgers. I've actually seen Anthony Davis in the Top 10 in some mock drafts. But as i've said before, we have seen so many OT's taken in Round 1 over the last 2-3 years that teams simply have more glaring needs. This is why I have Davis slipping so far. Andy Reid will be thrilled to get such a good player this late in the draft.
Neil's NFL Mock, 9-16
I've been challenged to a mock draft duel. Actually this is Year 3 that Brandon and I have had this battle. The gloves are off, it's go time!
9. Buffalo Bills - Bruce Campbell, OT Maryland. Campbell put up monster numbers at the Combine. So as far as physical attributes go, he's the top O-lineman in this years draft. At 6'6" and 314lb, Campbell ran a 4.85 40-yard-dash and put up 34 reps on the 225lb bench press.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE South Florida. Let me start by saying I have a very strong feeling that Jacksonville will trade down, or at least try to. Two reasons for this: #1 - They don't have a 2nd round pick. #2 - They need a 2nd round pick to get Tim Tebow. You might not know it, but the Jaguars franchise is in a terrible bind. They can't sell tickets, even when they're playing playoff caliber football. The state of Florida is like the mecca of football, yet nobody cares about the Jags. What you do know though, is that Tim Tebow is thought of as a god down there in the Sunshine State and will put some butts in the seats in Jacksonville
Ok ok ok...enough on that. If they stay in the #10 slot, I think they take Jason Pierre-Paul. He's a monster and the Jags had a league low 14 sacks in 2009. Him along with the recently signed Aaron Kampman will really bring the heat on opposing QBs.
11. Denver Broncos - Dez Bryant, WR Oklahoma State. There's a divorce looming between the Broncos and Brandon Marshall. If (or should I say when?) Marshall leaves Denver, it will create a HUGE hole in their offense. Bryant is the clear cut #1 receiver in this years draft.
12. Miami Dolphins - Sergio Kindle, OLB Texas. History tells us that The Big Tuna loves spending 1st round picks on linebackers. Parcells drafted a linebacker in the 1st with the Giants, Patriots, Jets, and Cowboys. Not to mention, Joey Porter was recently cut and the 36 year old Jason Taylor might not be far behind. This will make for a depleted pass rush in South Beach. Kindle is a great DE/OLB hybrid which would fit in nicely for the Dolphins and their 3-4 defense.
13. San Francisco 49'ers - Joe Haden, CB Florida. This is an example of a team going "BPA" (best player available). The Niners have no glaring needs on their roster, so they simply take the best player left on the board. Haden would have definitely been a Top 10 pick if not for his unimpressive 40-yard-dash time at the Combine.
14. Seattle Seahawks - CJ Spiller, RB Clemson. The Hawks stunk it up on offense in '09. With Spiller, they will get a back who is capable of going the distance any time he touches the ball (think Chris Johnson). He's also a stud in the return game.
15. New York Giants - Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech. Go back and watch Superbowl XLII if you want to see just how much the G-Men value D-linemen. Osi Umenyiora is unhappy and threatening to retire, so the Giants may just call his bluff.
16. Tennessee Titans - Carlos Dunlap, DE Florida. The Titans lost both their starting DE's this offseason, opting not to bring back Javon Kearse and losing Kyle Vanden Bosch to free agency. Dunlap is the best DE left on the board.
Day 1
Day 1 of the NCAA tournament was exciting, captavating, and very surprising. Five double-digit seeds won yesterday, the most to win since 1991, on a first round day; three overtime games, already surpassing last year's number, and the power conference fell hard.
Here are some of my opinions on day one:
- The Big East when 1-3, this seems like the falling of the great wall of China to some, but I don't find it odd. The Big East was much better last year boasting three number one seeds. This year, it was more suceptible to fall. First of all, this is a conference where teams beat and batter each other all year and the conference tourney this year was a "leg killer"! Georgetown played four games in four days last week, Marquette played three, and Notre Dame played three as well. I know they had a week to "loosen back up", but that is a lot of wear and tear. These teams just looked flat out tired on the court. You could tell it as well, G'Town didn't have the legs to play there usually brutal man to man, result they give up 97 points to 9 seed out of the MAC: Ohio. Luke Harangody only scores 4 points in the 51-50 loss to ODU, talk about no legs! Villanova, however, did pick up a win over Robert Morris, in overtime! Villanova came in losing 5 out of 7 and still got a two seed, but that's another story.
This year the Big East was proof that having too many teams in a conference can cause a fatiguing schedule and quick exits in the NCAA tournament.
- I am glad I went back on the Vandy pick. Every year, they play well at the first of the season and die at the end! I guess in my simple little head I thought they would show up this year, glad I smartened up quickly! Kevin Stallings, SEC coach of the year; don't even get me started on that subject. It's official the Vanderbilt Commodores are the Buffalo Bills of the NCAA tournament year after year. THEY CHOKE!
- Finally, Billy D and his fighting Gators. LOL they were really a nice at-large team in this tourney, not! Way to get beat by a mid-major on a neutral court. I bet Billy D wishes he was in New Orleans, with John Wall, and the boys living it up; but no, he's now heading back to Gainsville getting ready to take the NJ Nets phone calls. I can see it now, Billy D. goes up to New Jersey, decides to take the job, gets food poisoning at Coney Island, and decides to head back to Gainsville.
I guess I got a little off subject there, haha. Simply put, No more Noah, Brewer, Green, and Horford= 20-12 seasons, barely or not getting in the tourney year after year, and early exits. U of F can keep him and his pit stains. Better start recruiting Billy D. or this is going to be a revolving door that will never close.
- Day two, more havoc, more excitment, more great games! This guy can't wait!
Until Next Time Adios!
Here are some of my opinions on day one:
- The Big East when 1-3, this seems like the falling of the great wall of China to some, but I don't find it odd. The Big East was much better last year boasting three number one seeds. This year, it was more suceptible to fall. First of all, this is a conference where teams beat and batter each other all year and the conference tourney this year was a "leg killer"! Georgetown played four games in four days last week, Marquette played three, and Notre Dame played three as well. I know they had a week to "loosen back up", but that is a lot of wear and tear. These teams just looked flat out tired on the court. You could tell it as well, G'Town didn't have the legs to play there usually brutal man to man, result they give up 97 points to 9 seed out of the MAC: Ohio. Luke Harangody only scores 4 points in the 51-50 loss to ODU, talk about no legs! Villanova, however, did pick up a win over Robert Morris, in overtime! Villanova came in losing 5 out of 7 and still got a two seed, but that's another story.
This year the Big East was proof that having too many teams in a conference can cause a fatiguing schedule and quick exits in the NCAA tournament.
- I am glad I went back on the Vandy pick. Every year, they play well at the first of the season and die at the end! I guess in my simple little head I thought they would show up this year, glad I smartened up quickly! Kevin Stallings, SEC coach of the year; don't even get me started on that subject. It's official the Vanderbilt Commodores are the Buffalo Bills of the NCAA tournament year after year. THEY CHOKE!
- Finally, Billy D and his fighting Gators. LOL they were really a nice at-large team in this tourney, not! Way to get beat by a mid-major on a neutral court. I bet Billy D wishes he was in New Orleans, with John Wall, and the boys living it up; but no, he's now heading back to Gainsville getting ready to take the NJ Nets phone calls. I can see it now, Billy D. goes up to New Jersey, decides to take the job, gets food poisoning at Coney Island, and decides to head back to Gainsville.
I guess I got a little off subject there, haha. Simply put, No more Noah, Brewer, Green, and Horford= 20-12 seasons, barely or not getting in the tourney year after year, and early exits. U of F can keep him and his pit stains. Better start recruiting Billy D. or this is going to be a revolving door that will never close.
- Day two, more havoc, more excitment, more great games! This guy can't wait!
Until Next Time Adios!
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