It's a good set of games tonight, but in today's USA TODAY Sports column, I'm focused on expectations.
For Indiana, if they lose tonight, the season is a failure. It's harsh, but true. It doesn't take away from Tom Crean's rebuilding job, but they are past the point of "happy to be good again!" and squarely in the "this team can/should win a title" zone. The same goes for Louisville -- maybe even more, which makes a Louisville-Indiana title game so interesting. One team will crap out, guaranteed.
As you roll down the field, expectations change: Because college hoops has this quirky thing where being a national semifinalist is nearly as meaningful as winning it all, simply making the Final Four is the expectation for the other 1-seed Kansas, the 2-seeds Ohio State and Duke, the 3-seeds Michigan State and Florida and the 4-seed Michigan.
Florida is a unique case: Because they made the Elite Eight the past two years, it's "Final Four or fail" for them, even if their seed doesn't quite justify that expectation. For Michigan State, it's the remarkable Izzo streak of every four-year player getting to at least one Final Four. For Michigan, it is simply that they are unlikely to have a team this talented in the near future. Again, that makes a Florida-Michigan regional final absolutely amazing, as it does for Michigan State-Duke.
Miami is an odd case: By seed, it should be "Final Four or bust." But because the program is so nouveau riche -- literally, this season -- you get the sense that getting to the Elite Eight will still be considered pretty good, albeit disappointing for those who thought this team was good enough to get to the Final Four.
As for the rest, it's pretty much all gravy. Oh, Arizona fans can/should be ticked if they don't get to the Elite Eight, but there isn't a huge shame in losing to a strong 2-seed.
Wichita State-LaSalle is fascinating: One of those teams is going to the Elite Eight -- bringing with it a puncher's chance at making the Final Four and earning college hoops immortality that would come with it. Both teams have to be saying to themselves: Why not us? In that case, losing tonight will be hugely disappointing to the loser, even if making the Sweet 16 at all should be cause for celebration.
Give the column a read -- this tension between "win or failure" and "just happy to be here" is a long-standing fascination of mine. Tons more in the column, too. Enjoy the games tonight.
-- D.S.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
3/27 (US Soccer) Quickie
It's funny -- I just got an email ripping me for this morning's USA TODAY Sports column that led with a celebration of the US's huge tie with Mexico last night.
Make no mistake: I am only a casual soccer fan. But the point of the take was that in a month dominated by "survive and advance" and "win or go home," it was refreshing to be reminded that we can enjoy thrilling sports and have the result be... a tie.
In this case, the old adage "a tie is as good as a win" (is that an old adage? maybe I'm thinking of "a walk is as good as a hit") really makes sense -- particularly in that stadium for this US team.
There is a ton of other great stuff in the column today: Brittney Griner! Dirk! Florida Gulf Coast! (Obviously!) And an amazing moment starring Mr. T!
Please give it a look. We're into week 2 on this experiment, and I'd like to know what you think.
Tons of Sweet 16 goodness coming tomorrow.
-- D.S.
Make no mistake: I am only a casual soccer fan. But the point of the take was that in a month dominated by "survive and advance" and "win or go home," it was refreshing to be reminded that we can enjoy thrilling sports and have the result be... a tie.
In this case, the old adage "a tie is as good as a win" (is that an old adage? maybe I'm thinking of "a walk is as good as a hit") really makes sense -- particularly in that stadium for this US team.
There is a ton of other great stuff in the column today: Brittney Griner! Dirk! Florida Gulf Coast! (Obviously!) And an amazing moment starring Mr. T!
Please give it a look. We're into week 2 on this experiment, and I'd like to know what you think.
Tons of Sweet 16 goodness coming tomorrow.
-- D.S.
Monday, March 25, 2013
03/25 (FGCU!) Quickie
Is Florida Gulf Coast the greatest Cinderella in NCAA Tournament history?
It is hard to measure up to NC State '83 or Villanova '85 (both champs) or George Mason 2006 (which made it to the Final Four).
But I would argue that even if they lose to Florida on Friday night, FGCU is in the conversation for Greatest Cinderella Ever, because of their unique confluence of factors.
Start with the unprecedented: They are the first 15-seed to reach the Sweet 16.
They play a highly telegenic style. They have amazing backstories. The program has no history except for this. They don't come from a major (or even mid-major) conference. They are a GIF industry unto themselves.
And there is no reason to believe that it will stop now.
If you asked me heading into the Tournament if there was a team that I thought would beat Florida, I'd say no -- after all, it's why I picked Florida to win it all.
But that didn't account for the "black swan" scenario -- the entirely unforeseen competitor that is a mix of moxie, motivation, method and manpower.
At this point, I am extremely nervous that Florida will lose to FGCU -- even with five days for Billy Donovan to prepare, even with the idea of "regression to the mean," even with Florida's history of smashing Cinderella's slipper (they beat George Mason in the Final Four in '06).
All I know is that what FGCU is doing is unprecedented (way beyond the 15-seed stuff), and that alone qualifies them for NCAA tournament immortality.
Check out the USATODAY.com column here.
-- D.S.
It is hard to measure up to NC State '83 or Villanova '85 (both champs) or George Mason 2006 (which made it to the Final Four).
But I would argue that even if they lose to Florida on Friday night, FGCU is in the conversation for Greatest Cinderella Ever, because of their unique confluence of factors.
Start with the unprecedented: They are the first 15-seed to reach the Sweet 16.
They play a highly telegenic style. They have amazing backstories. The program has no history except for this. They don't come from a major (or even mid-major) conference. They are a GIF industry unto themselves.
And there is no reason to believe that it will stop now.
If you asked me heading into the Tournament if there was a team that I thought would beat Florida, I'd say no -- after all, it's why I picked Florida to win it all.
But that didn't account for the "black swan" scenario -- the entirely unforeseen competitor that is a mix of moxie, motivation, method and manpower.
At this point, I am extremely nervous that Florida will lose to FGCU -- even with five days for Billy Donovan to prepare, even with the idea of "regression to the mean," even with Florida's history of smashing Cinderella's slipper (they beat George Mason in the Final Four in '06).
All I know is that what FGCU is doing is unprecedented (way beyond the 15-seed stuff), and that alone qualifies them for NCAA tournament immortality.
Check out the USATODAY.com column here.
-- D.S.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
3/24 (Wichita State!) Quickie
There is always this moment of hindsight -- when my bracket basically implodes -- when I wonder "What was I thinking?"
Saturday night, that was when Gonzaga -- a team I picked to go to the Final Four -- lost to Wichita State. The Shockers totally earned it, out-playing the top seed in the game's final minutes.
Why did I buy Gonzaga? Why did I ignore their decade of underachievement in the tournament? Why did I buy into this year as different?
In retrospect, my strategy in that region should have been "Anyone BUT Gonzaga."
And so it will be Wichita State playing the winner of Ole Miss and LaSalle for the right to play the winner of Arizona and (presumably) Ohio State to go to the Final Four. Amazing.
It was an awesome night for the NCAA Tournament. A 1-seed losing in the first weekend is big enough, but the Butler-Marquette slugfest -- ousting the Bulldogs -- was an instant classic.
Speaking of shockers (sorry), it was jaw-dropping to see Brad Stevens' team execute so poorly down the stretch. Credit Marquette -- I can't help but think that the buzzer-beating loss to Butler in the preseason gave Marquette that extra edge they needed to push through to the finish.
Meanwhile, I also lost Saint Louis. Oregon is very good. It finally dawned on me that folks griping about Oregon being "under-seeded" had it entirely backwards.
Being under-seeded is a huge advantage. Sure, you start with a 5, but presuming you get past that -- as 12-seeds tend to -- you are playing a 4, rather than a 1- or 2- or 3-seed, which you would if you got seeded "accurately."
And so instead of playing Louisville (and presumptively losing) or playing Duke (and presumptively losing) or playing Michigan State (and presumptively losing), Oregon draws Saint Louis -- a scrappy team of extraordinarily hard workers totally ill-equipped to keep pace with the Ducks' athleticism.
Oregon is in the Sweet 16 BECAUSE they were under-seeded, not DESPITE being under-seeded.
Somehow, my bracket is hovering near the 70th percentile. (I picked Marquette over Butler, but lots of people did, too.) But that ranking will change with every round Gonzaga isn't advancing toward the Final Four I predicted for them -- and shouldn't have.
Among the stronger feelings engendered by the tournament -- "Shoulda." It is frustrating, but helps contribute to what makes it so great.
In the end, I'll trade my mediocre bracket for thrilling nights like this every time.
-- D.S.
Saturday night, that was when Gonzaga -- a team I picked to go to the Final Four -- lost to Wichita State. The Shockers totally earned it, out-playing the top seed in the game's final minutes.
Why did I buy Gonzaga? Why did I ignore their decade of underachievement in the tournament? Why did I buy into this year as different?
In retrospect, my strategy in that region should have been "Anyone BUT Gonzaga."
And so it will be Wichita State playing the winner of Ole Miss and LaSalle for the right to play the winner of Arizona and (presumably) Ohio State to go to the Final Four. Amazing.
It was an awesome night for the NCAA Tournament. A 1-seed losing in the first weekend is big enough, but the Butler-Marquette slugfest -- ousting the Bulldogs -- was an instant classic.
Speaking of shockers (sorry), it was jaw-dropping to see Brad Stevens' team execute so poorly down the stretch. Credit Marquette -- I can't help but think that the buzzer-beating loss to Butler in the preseason gave Marquette that extra edge they needed to push through to the finish.
Meanwhile, I also lost Saint Louis. Oregon is very good. It finally dawned on me that folks griping about Oregon being "under-seeded" had it entirely backwards.
Being under-seeded is a huge advantage. Sure, you start with a 5, but presuming you get past that -- as 12-seeds tend to -- you are playing a 4, rather than a 1- or 2- or 3-seed, which you would if you got seeded "accurately."
And so instead of playing Louisville (and presumptively losing) or playing Duke (and presumptively losing) or playing Michigan State (and presumptively losing), Oregon draws Saint Louis -- a scrappy team of extraordinarily hard workers totally ill-equipped to keep pace with the Ducks' athleticism.
Oregon is in the Sweet 16 BECAUSE they were under-seeded, not DESPITE being under-seeded.
Somehow, my bracket is hovering near the 70th percentile. (I picked Marquette over Butler, but lots of people did, too.) But that ranking will change with every round Gonzaga isn't advancing toward the Final Four I predicted for them -- and shouldn't have.
Among the stronger feelings engendered by the tournament -- "Shoulda." It is frustrating, but helps contribute to what makes it so great.
In the end, I'll trade my mediocre bracket for thrilling nights like this every time.
-- D.S.
Friday, March 22, 2013
3/23 (FGCU!) Quickie
The names are immortal in college hoops history:
Richmond. Santa Clara. Coppin State.
Hampton. Norfolk State. Lehich.
The six 15-seeds that have knocked off a 2-seed, the most exciting and meaningful result possible in the NCAA Tournament (until a 16 eventually beats a 1).
Add to the pantheon: Florida Gulf Coast.
It wasn't close. It wasn't a grinder. It wasn't a nail-biter.
This was FGCU punching Georgetown in the mouth, then continuing to smack them around for the rest of the game (despite the Hoyas' final futile flurry). FGCU earned it all the way, the better team.
(That alley-oop near the end? Ridiculous.)
The Round of 32 is sizing up with a couple of teams that you have to be rooting for, because they deserve the spotlight that comes with being in the Sweet 16:
Ole Miss. VCU. Florida Gulf Coast.
When they play San Diego State on Sunday, FGCU should come in as confident of being a Sweet 16 team as anyone in the field.
More than that, they join arguably the most elite fraternity in college hoops -- the 15-seeds who beat 2-seeds. The name "Florida Gulf Coast" will live in college hoops history and with fans energized by what happened on Friday night.
More:
*My bracket: I'm in the 58th percentile nationally. I went 21-11 in my Round of 64 picks, but lost only two Sweet 16 teams (Wisconsin and Georgetown). Along with the "National Bracket," I am tied for 62nd in the DQR group. Mrs. Quickie is tied for 19th. My two boys -- who picked their own brackets this year -- are tied for 93rd.
*Today's games:
VCU-Michigan is the first (and best) game of the day.
Butler-Marquette is the second-most intriguing.
Give Wichita State a puncher's chance against 1-seed Gonzaga.
12-seeds Oregon and Cal don't feel like Cinderellas if they win.
The only real Cinderella today is Harvard.
-- D.S.
Richmond. Santa Clara. Coppin State.
Hampton. Norfolk State. Lehich.
The six 15-seeds that have knocked off a 2-seed, the most exciting and meaningful result possible in the NCAA Tournament (until a 16 eventually beats a 1).
Add to the pantheon: Florida Gulf Coast.
It wasn't close. It wasn't a grinder. It wasn't a nail-biter.
This was FGCU punching Georgetown in the mouth, then continuing to smack them around for the rest of the game (despite the Hoyas' final futile flurry). FGCU earned it all the way, the better team.
(That alley-oop near the end? Ridiculous.)
The Round of 32 is sizing up with a couple of teams that you have to be rooting for, because they deserve the spotlight that comes with being in the Sweet 16:
Ole Miss. VCU. Florida Gulf Coast.
When they play San Diego State on Sunday, FGCU should come in as confident of being a Sweet 16 team as anyone in the field.
More than that, they join arguably the most elite fraternity in college hoops -- the 15-seeds who beat 2-seeds. The name "Florida Gulf Coast" will live in college hoops history and with fans energized by what happened on Friday night.
More:
*My bracket: I'm in the 58th percentile nationally. I went 21-11 in my Round of 64 picks, but lost only two Sweet 16 teams (Wisconsin and Georgetown). Along with the "National Bracket," I am tied for 62nd in the DQR group. Mrs. Quickie is tied for 19th. My two boys -- who picked their own brackets this year -- are tied for 93rd.
*Today's games:
VCU-Michigan is the first (and best) game of the day.
Butler-Marquette is the second-most intriguing.
Give Wichita State a puncher's chance against 1-seed Gonzaga.
12-seeds Oregon and Cal don't feel like Cinderellas if they win.
The only real Cinderella today is Harvard.
-- D.S.
03/22 (Harvard) Quickie
Harvard: Wow.
The essential tension of the NCAA Tournament is between "Wow, do I want to see an upset!" and "Wow, do I want my bracket to be right!"
Two sides of that yesterday, which I lead today's Morning Win with:
Davidson: How could you not want to see a 14-over-3 upset? Argh! Well, what if you have Marquette to the Elite Eight, like I do? And so I'm resigned to Marquette losing, then jubilant when they break Davidson's heart. It felt horrible, but only until I looked at my bracket.
Harvard: How could you not want to see a 14-over-3 upset? Agreed! Especially if you think New Mexico was going to lose in the next round anyway, like I do? So it is virtually costless for me if the Lobos don't win, relative to the excitement of seeing Harvard pull off one of the most stunning first-round upsets in NCAA Tournament history?*
* - Let's unpack that for a second. First of all, nothing beats a 15-over-2. There have been six of those in history - they are sacrosanct. Next up is the 14-over-3 - there have been 16 of those heading into yesterday. In the column today, I ranked the Top 5 14-over-3s and put Harvard over New Mexico at No. 3, behind '86 Cleveland State over Indiana, which was the climax of "Season on the Brink," and '05's Bucknell over Kansas, because... it was Bucknell over Kansas. So even if you count the 20-some 13-over-4s, that puts Harvard '12 in the Top 20, which ain't bad.
Otherwise, yesterday was notable for Southern hanging with Gonzaga until the finish (which, for a 16-seed, offers about as much March immortality as you can get -- consider that people still remember 16-seed Western Carolina nearly beating 1-seed Purdue in 1996); the two Pac-12 12-seeds KO'ing 5-seeds (a fairly amazing "eff you" to the Selection Committee); and the vicious blowouts, including Syracuse, VCU... and Wichita State just clobbering Pitt.
Today's best? Wisconsin versus Marshall Henderson and Ole Miss is the most intriguing game of the day, at the start of the slate, and UCLA-Minnesota -- by far the most popular upset pick of the first round -- which is the final game of the night and only worth staying up for to see if the wisdom of the crowds (and pundits) is right.
How's your bracket? I went 11-5, and I suspect that most people were right around the 10-/11-/12-win mark. The bigger question is how damaging were your losses? Did you have New Mexico going to the Sweet 16? How about UNLV? The National Bracket went 11-5. President Obama went 10-6. My 4-year-old son, who picked his own bracket this year, went 12-4 to lead the family pool standings.
Enjoy the day and weekend! No Morning Win on USATODAY.com over the weekend, so check back here for shallow, quick-hit goodness!
-- D.S.
The essential tension of the NCAA Tournament is between "Wow, do I want to see an upset!" and "Wow, do I want my bracket to be right!"
Two sides of that yesterday, which I lead today's Morning Win with:
Davidson: How could you not want to see a 14-over-3 upset? Argh! Well, what if you have Marquette to the Elite Eight, like I do? And so I'm resigned to Marquette losing, then jubilant when they break Davidson's heart. It felt horrible, but only until I looked at my bracket.
Harvard: How could you not want to see a 14-over-3 upset? Agreed! Especially if you think New Mexico was going to lose in the next round anyway, like I do? So it is virtually costless for me if the Lobos don't win, relative to the excitement of seeing Harvard pull off one of the most stunning first-round upsets in NCAA Tournament history?*
* - Let's unpack that for a second. First of all, nothing beats a 15-over-2. There have been six of those in history - they are sacrosanct. Next up is the 14-over-3 - there have been 16 of those heading into yesterday. In the column today, I ranked the Top 5 14-over-3s and put Harvard over New Mexico at No. 3, behind '86 Cleveland State over Indiana, which was the climax of "Season on the Brink," and '05's Bucknell over Kansas, because... it was Bucknell over Kansas. So even if you count the 20-some 13-over-4s, that puts Harvard '12 in the Top 20, which ain't bad.
Otherwise, yesterday was notable for Southern hanging with Gonzaga until the finish (which, for a 16-seed, offers about as much March immortality as you can get -- consider that people still remember 16-seed Western Carolina nearly beating 1-seed Purdue in 1996); the two Pac-12 12-seeds KO'ing 5-seeds (a fairly amazing "eff you" to the Selection Committee); and the vicious blowouts, including Syracuse, VCU... and Wichita State just clobbering Pitt.
Today's best? Wisconsin versus Marshall Henderson and Ole Miss is the most intriguing game of the day, at the start of the slate, and UCLA-Minnesota -- by far the most popular upset pick of the first round -- which is the final game of the night and only worth staying up for to see if the wisdom of the crowds (and pundits) is right.
How's your bracket? I went 11-5, and I suspect that most people were right around the 10-/11-/12-win mark. The bigger question is how damaging were your losses? Did you have New Mexico going to the Sweet 16? How about UNLV? The National Bracket went 11-5. President Obama went 10-6. My 4-year-old son, who picked his own bracket this year, went 12-4 to lead the family pool standings.
Enjoy the day and weekend! No Morning Win on USATODAY.com over the weekend, so check back here for shallow, quick-hit goodness!
-- D.S.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
03/21 (First Thursday) Quickie
Last chance to join the Daily Quickie Readers group of the Tournament Challenge -- you can be a part of multiple groups at the same time. Join in!
****
Best day of the sports year? Best day of the sports year.
That's the lead of today's (new!) Morning Win column on USATODAY.com.
The epicenter is the 8 games this afternoon -- watching at night is fun, but watching during the workday, with everyone you know invested in the outcomes (despite not having a deep-seated fan-love of any of the teams) is special.
Here's a little clip from the column, because it's a Quickie tradition:
12:15 (CBS): 3 Michigan State vs. 14 Valpo (Auburn Hills, Mich. - Midwest)
Pick against Tom Izzo in the first round? Yeah, right.
12:40 (truTV): 6 Butler vs. 11 Bucknell (Lexington, Ky. - East)
Against any other 6, Bucknell would be the upset pick.
1:40 (TBS): 8 Pittsburgh vs. 9 Wichita State (Salt Lake City - West)
The classic 8-9 dilemma: Does it even matter?
2:10 (TNT): 4 Saint Louis vs. 13 NM State (San Jose - Midwest)
Billikens are the best team you’ve never watched.
2:45 (CBS) 6 Memphis vs. 11 Saint Mary's (Auburn Hills - Midwest)
Only upset of the day, thanks to Gaels’ running start in First Four.
3:10 (truTV) 3 Marquette vs. 14 Davidson (Lexington - East)
Upset special? It’s a sneaky-trendy pick, but Marquette too tough.
4:10 (TBS) 1 Gonzaga vs. 16 Southern (Salt Lake City - West)
Zags need a tune-up after long layoff.
4:40 (TNT) 5 Oklahoma State vs. 12 Oregon (San Jose - Midwest)
Is Cowboys PG Marcus Smart the Tourney’s top NBA prospect?
Most people's Round of 64 is chalky. (9-over-8 doesn't count.) My entire night slate is chalk (except for 9 Mizzou over 8 Colorado State, which I could have gone either way on, given the Rams' superlative offensive-rebounding skills. This afternoon is about Saint Mary's using the springboard of the First Four to catch Memphis flat-footed and pull off the only upset of the day. (Or so I'm picking.)
Meanwhile: Of the Heat's 24 straight wins, last night's was the most impressive -- down 27 in the 3rd, they still won... The pushback on the NFL's new rules around lowering the head is a pretty good indicator of the institutional issues that caused the brain-injury epidemic in the first place... I'm bummed for my LIU-Brooklyn team that lost in the play-in, but hard not to feel good for James Madison. (BTW: Those LIU uniforms have to be among the 5 coolest in the Tournament field.)
Anyway, check out today's column (and please try to share it around!) and get your bracket into the Daily Quickie Readers group.
Enjoy the day!
-- D.S.
****
Best day of the sports year? Best day of the sports year.
That's the lead of today's (new!) Morning Win column on USATODAY.com.
The epicenter is the 8 games this afternoon -- watching at night is fun, but watching during the workday, with everyone you know invested in the outcomes (despite not having a deep-seated fan-love of any of the teams) is special.
Here's a little clip from the column, because it's a Quickie tradition:
12:15 (CBS): 3 Michigan State vs. 14 Valpo (Auburn Hills, Mich. - Midwest)
Pick against Tom Izzo in the first round? Yeah, right.
12:40 (truTV): 6 Butler vs. 11 Bucknell (Lexington, Ky. - East)
Against any other 6, Bucknell would be the upset pick.
1:40 (TBS): 8 Pittsburgh vs. 9 Wichita State (Salt Lake City - West)
The classic 8-9 dilemma: Does it even matter?
2:10 (TNT): 4 Saint Louis vs. 13 NM State (San Jose - Midwest)
Billikens are the best team you’ve never watched.
2:45 (CBS) 6 Memphis vs. 11 Saint Mary's (Auburn Hills - Midwest)
Only upset of the day, thanks to Gaels’ running start in First Four.
3:10 (truTV) 3 Marquette vs. 14 Davidson (Lexington - East)
Upset special? It’s a sneaky-trendy pick, but Marquette too tough.
4:10 (TBS) 1 Gonzaga vs. 16 Southern (Salt Lake City - West)
Zags need a tune-up after long layoff.
4:40 (TNT) 5 Oklahoma State vs. 12 Oregon (San Jose - Midwest)
Is Cowboys PG Marcus Smart the Tourney’s top NBA prospect?
Most people's Round of 64 is chalky. (9-over-8 doesn't count.) My entire night slate is chalk (except for 9 Mizzou over 8 Colorado State, which I could have gone either way on, given the Rams' superlative offensive-rebounding skills. This afternoon is about Saint Mary's using the springboard of the First Four to catch Memphis flat-footed and pull off the only upset of the day. (Or so I'm picking.)
Meanwhile: Of the Heat's 24 straight wins, last night's was the most impressive -- down 27 in the 3rd, they still won... The pushback on the NFL's new rules around lowering the head is a pretty good indicator of the institutional issues that caused the brain-injury epidemic in the first place... I'm bummed for my LIU-Brooklyn team that lost in the play-in, but hard not to feel good for James Madison. (BTW: Those LIU uniforms have to be among the 5 coolest in the Tournament field.)
Anyway, check out today's column (and please try to share it around!) and get your bracket into the Daily Quickie Readers group.
Enjoy the day!
-- D.S.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
3/20 (Bobby Mo!) Quickie
Be sure to join in the Daily Quickie Readers pool of the Tournament Challenge. (Or maybe it should be called "Morning Winners.")
Today's Morning Win column on USATODAY.com leads off with Robert Morris' awesome upset of Kentucky last night. It is very possible that will be the most exciting result of the month, entirely understanding that the NCAA Tournament doesn't really start until tomorrow.
It's great for Robert Morris. It's great for the (largely irrelevant) NIT. It's great for people who revel in schadenfreude about Kentucky.
Let's be clear: In November, I picked Kentucky to repeat as champs -- so either I am the worst or best person to talk about this. But my big reason was the Calipari "system," a clever arbitrage of the NBA's age limitations.
Calipari promises elite recruits three things: (1) NBA development. (2) Playing time. (3) A chance to compete for a national title.
Clearly, (3) totally fell apart this year. Next up is (2), which also falls apart in the event that this year's highly touted freshmen stick around next year, when even more highly touted freshmen show up. Something's gotta give, because they all expect 30 minutes per game.
Here's betting that Cal runs off the current frosh -- the new guys coming in next year are way better and, again, his system is predicated on "one-and-done," not (as I write in the column) "one-and-one-more."
A few more pieces of extra commentary:
*The near-universal pick of Louisville to win the title by sports pundits is baffling to me. This isn't Kentucky '12; didn't we just finish a season where every day was a new example of "Parity!"
*I don't expect everyone to follow my lead and pick Florida -- but it's pretty validating that the leading prognosticator from last year (Harvard's John Ezekowitz) has Florida winning it all (and my same Final Four: Florida, Louisville, Indiana, Gonzaga) and basically my same bracket. If I am going to fail this year, I'm taking down the reigning King of the Bracket with me.
*Good for NC A&T. Really good for Saint Mary's -- makes the pick of Play-In Game Winner over Memphis that much easier.
*LIU is near and dear to me: My grandfather taught journalism there for 15 years and their awesome '97/'98 team surged just as I moved to Brooklyn. Here's to a huge win, then taking down Indiana.
*As for my picks this year, I'm chalky, with the following exceptions:
Round of 64: Minnesota over UCLA and Saint Mary's over Memphis and Colorado over Illinois. (I also have a few 9-over-8s, but that doesn't count.)
Round of 32: Arizona over New Mexico, Wisconsin over Kansas State, VCU over Michigan. (At this point, 5-over-4 hardly counts.)
Round of 16: Florida over Georgetown, Marquette over Miami. (At this point, 3-over-2 hardly counts.)
Round of 8: Florida over Kansas.
Final Four: Florida over Indiana.
Title game: Florida over Louisville.
Be sure to join in the Daily Quickie Readers pool of the Tournament Challenge. (Or maybe it should be called "Morning Winners.")
-- D.S.
Today's Morning Win column on USATODAY.com leads off with Robert Morris' awesome upset of Kentucky last night. It is very possible that will be the most exciting result of the month, entirely understanding that the NCAA Tournament doesn't really start until tomorrow.
It's great for Robert Morris. It's great for the (largely irrelevant) NIT. It's great for people who revel in schadenfreude about Kentucky.
Let's be clear: In November, I picked Kentucky to repeat as champs -- so either I am the worst or best person to talk about this. But my big reason was the Calipari "system," a clever arbitrage of the NBA's age limitations.
Calipari promises elite recruits three things: (1) NBA development. (2) Playing time. (3) A chance to compete for a national title.
Clearly, (3) totally fell apart this year. Next up is (2), which also falls apart in the event that this year's highly touted freshmen stick around next year, when even more highly touted freshmen show up. Something's gotta give, because they all expect 30 minutes per game.
Here's betting that Cal runs off the current frosh -- the new guys coming in next year are way better and, again, his system is predicated on "one-and-done," not (as I write in the column) "one-and-one-more."
A few more pieces of extra commentary:
*The near-universal pick of Louisville to win the title by sports pundits is baffling to me. This isn't Kentucky '12; didn't we just finish a season where every day was a new example of "Parity!"
*I don't expect everyone to follow my lead and pick Florida -- but it's pretty validating that the leading prognosticator from last year (Harvard's John Ezekowitz) has Florida winning it all (and my same Final Four: Florida, Louisville, Indiana, Gonzaga) and basically my same bracket. If I am going to fail this year, I'm taking down the reigning King of the Bracket with me.
*Good for NC A&T. Really good for Saint Mary's -- makes the pick of Play-In Game Winner over Memphis that much easier.
*LIU is near and dear to me: My grandfather taught journalism there for 15 years and their awesome '97/'98 team surged just as I moved to Brooklyn. Here's to a huge win, then taking down Indiana.
*As for my picks this year, I'm chalky, with the following exceptions:
Round of 64: Minnesota over UCLA and Saint Mary's over Memphis and Colorado over Illinois. (I also have a few 9-over-8s, but that doesn't count.)
Round of 32: Arizona over New Mexico, Wisconsin over Kansas State, VCU over Michigan. (At this point, 5-over-4 hardly counts.)
Round of 16: Florida over Georgetown, Marquette over Miami. (At this point, 3-over-2 hardly counts.)
Round of 8: Florida over Kansas.
Final Four: Florida over Indiana.
Title game: Florida over Louisville.
Be sure to join in the Daily Quickie Readers pool of the Tournament Challenge. (Or maybe it should be called "Morning Winners.")
-- D.S.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
3/19 (Wait, Wait... What's THIS?) Quickie
Wait a second... what's this?
Yes, I'm dabbling at being back in the morning game -- thanks to my pals and colleagues at USA TODAY Sports for the indulgence, patience and support.
So what will you find today? The easiest thing would have been to go big with Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn. The better thing is to talk about the self-doubt we all feel about our bracket when we hit the unofficial halfway point between Selection Sunday and tip-off on Thursday.
But there's more: Love for the First Four, love for the Heat hitting 23 straight wins and -- yes -- a brief item on Tiger and Lindsey.
I think you'll like it. It's zippy (I hope you would expect nothing less) and it is tricked out by my editor Mike Foss with all sorts of photo and GIFfy goodness.
So please check it out and pass it around to your friends and colleagues. Let's see if we've got something here.
-- D.S.
Yes, I'm dabbling at being back in the morning game -- thanks to my pals and colleagues at USA TODAY Sports for the indulgence, patience and support.
So what will you find today? The easiest thing would have been to go big with Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn. The better thing is to talk about the self-doubt we all feel about our bracket when we hit the unofficial halfway point between Selection Sunday and tip-off on Thursday.
But there's more: Love for the First Four, love for the Heat hitting 23 straight wins and -- yes -- a brief item on Tiger and Lindsey.
I think you'll like it. It's zippy (I hope you would expect nothing less) and it is tricked out by my editor Mike Foss with all sorts of photo and GIFfy goodness.
So please check it out and pass it around to your friends and colleagues. Let's see if we've got something here.
-- D.S.
Monday, March 18, 2013
3/18 (Bracket!) Quickie
Add your bracket to the Daily Quickie Readers group!
(You can join as many groups as you want.)
Final Four picks, in order of confidence:
*Louisville (over Duke)
*Florida (over Kansas)
*Indiana (over Marquette)
*Gonzaga (over Ohio State)
I am picking Florida over Louisville in the title game, which is high-risk/high-reward, given that everyone seems to be picking Louisville to win it all (and if not Louisville, then Indiana). It is also totally foolish, given that I am personally rooting for Florida to win it all -- it's like I'm forgetting everything I know about the Quickie jinx.
Yes, I am concerned about picking Gonzaga to the Final Four. There is a certain contrarianism to picking the Zags, given that they are the only 1-seed not to make it to the Final Four on the "national bracket" aggregate of all fans' picks -- a rarity over the past decade. I can understand the impulse to take Ohio State -- the Buckeyes' defense is among the best in the field and Gonzaga has potentially been softened up by playing a cupcake conference schedule.
There is a mind trick about getting behind a (or "the") hot team and getting burned, but this year's Gonzaga team feels closer to a traditional big-conference power than others in years past. (Speaking of which, how many people would be taking Saint Louis to the Elite Eight -- if not Final Four -- if they weren't in Louisville's region? I know I would be.)
There are a handful of specific picks that nag me, in an otherwise chalky bracket: Taking Kansas over VCU... taking Marquette over Butler... taking Duke over Michigan State... and the biggie: Taking Gonzaga over Wisconsin, which underscores how messy my West is: Gonzaga over the two Big Ten Tournament finalists, in addition to going long on Sean Miller and Arizona (taking the 'Cats over New Mexico and into the Sweet 16).
Meanwhile: Happy birthday, Mrs. Quickie -- whose mid-March birthday is right in line with her enthusiasm for the NCAA Tournament.
One more time: Join the Daily Quickie Readers group of the Tournament Challenge.
-- D.S.
(You can join as many groups as you want.)
Final Four picks, in order of confidence:
*Louisville (over Duke)
*Florida (over Kansas)
*Indiana (over Marquette)
*Gonzaga (over Ohio State)
I am picking Florida over Louisville in the title game, which is high-risk/high-reward, given that everyone seems to be picking Louisville to win it all (and if not Louisville, then Indiana). It is also totally foolish, given that I am personally rooting for Florida to win it all -- it's like I'm forgetting everything I know about the Quickie jinx.
Yes, I am concerned about picking Gonzaga to the Final Four. There is a certain contrarianism to picking the Zags, given that they are the only 1-seed not to make it to the Final Four on the "national bracket" aggregate of all fans' picks -- a rarity over the past decade. I can understand the impulse to take Ohio State -- the Buckeyes' defense is among the best in the field and Gonzaga has potentially been softened up by playing a cupcake conference schedule.
There is a mind trick about getting behind a (or "the") hot team and getting burned, but this year's Gonzaga team feels closer to a traditional big-conference power than others in years past. (Speaking of which, how many people would be taking Saint Louis to the Elite Eight -- if not Final Four -- if they weren't in Louisville's region? I know I would be.)
There are a handful of specific picks that nag me, in an otherwise chalky bracket: Taking Kansas over VCU... taking Marquette over Butler... taking Duke over Michigan State... and the biggie: Taking Gonzaga over Wisconsin, which underscores how messy my West is: Gonzaga over the two Big Ten Tournament finalists, in addition to going long on Sean Miller and Arizona (taking the 'Cats over New Mexico and into the Sweet 16).
Meanwhile: Happy birthday, Mrs. Quickie -- whose mid-March birthday is right in line with her enthusiasm for the NCAA Tournament.
One more time: Join the Daily Quickie Readers group of the Tournament Challenge.
-- D.S.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
3/17 (Selection Sunday) Quickie
Join the Daily Quickie Readers group of the Tournament Challenge.
Best sports day of the year? Today is on the short list, if only for that sliver of an hour tonight when Greg Gumbel reads the pairings on the 2013 NCAA Tournament bracket.
I have a tradition going back decades where I scrawl them all down by hand as he says them, then immediately afterward pick the bracket all the way through -- the crushing self-doubt, changes (and change-backs) come later in the night, through Monday morning.
Regardless, there is a day of hoops left. Of the eight teams playing today, 7 are tournament locks and one (Ole Miss) has probably done enough to get itself one of the final at-large bids, even if it doesn't beat Florida for the SEC automatic bid. Today isn't about "must-win" as much as "must-see."
If you want to do well in your pool, there is one game you must watch: Saint Louis vs. VCU. It doesn't matter who wins -- but you must pay attention to how they play. Both teams are strong contenders to make runs to the Sweet 16... possibly the Elite Eight and even the Final Four. Of all of the non-"power" conference teams, these two are the most likely to crash the Final Four. (1-seed Gonzaga doesn't count, because it is... well... a 1-seed; New Mexico is a Sweet 16 team, but I wonder about their offense when they meet elite defensive teams in the second weekend.)
Of the other three games, Miami is fascinating -- nouveau riche on the scene. There are always a few that pull 2- and 3-seeds and flame out in the first weekend. Is Miami one of them?
Ohio State is a Final Four contender (as is Wisconsin, if they can find the offense). Florida is a Final Four contender (and I'm thrilled if experts want to keep sleeping on them -- what I'm looking for with Florida is where they are sent, not seeded).
But even as a Florida fan, the game I'm paying attention to today is the Atlantic 10 title game in Brooklyn between the bruising Billikens and VCU's "Havoc."
More:
*Louisville wins Big East: Also on the short list of Final Four contenders. Great defense, more than good enough offense.
*Kansas wins Big 12: See Louisville. Great D, good enough on offense.
*Indiana loses: Everything you need to know about the uncertainty at the top of college hoops this season is captured by the fact that Indiana and Duke both lost before getting to their conference finals and are still locks as 1-seeds. The bracket is as wide-open this year as it wasn't last year.
Fire up the KenPom.com and get ready for tonight.
-- D.S.
Best sports day of the year? Today is on the short list, if only for that sliver of an hour tonight when Greg Gumbel reads the pairings on the 2013 NCAA Tournament bracket.
I have a tradition going back decades where I scrawl them all down by hand as he says them, then immediately afterward pick the bracket all the way through -- the crushing self-doubt, changes (and change-backs) come later in the night, through Monday morning.
Regardless, there is a day of hoops left. Of the eight teams playing today, 7 are tournament locks and one (Ole Miss) has probably done enough to get itself one of the final at-large bids, even if it doesn't beat Florida for the SEC automatic bid. Today isn't about "must-win" as much as "must-see."
If you want to do well in your pool, there is one game you must watch: Saint Louis vs. VCU. It doesn't matter who wins -- but you must pay attention to how they play. Both teams are strong contenders to make runs to the Sweet 16... possibly the Elite Eight and even the Final Four. Of all of the non-"power" conference teams, these two are the most likely to crash the Final Four. (1-seed Gonzaga doesn't count, because it is... well... a 1-seed; New Mexico is a Sweet 16 team, but I wonder about their offense when they meet elite defensive teams in the second weekend.)
Of the other three games, Miami is fascinating -- nouveau riche on the scene. There are always a few that pull 2- and 3-seeds and flame out in the first weekend. Is Miami one of them?
Ohio State is a Final Four contender (as is Wisconsin, if they can find the offense). Florida is a Final Four contender (and I'm thrilled if experts want to keep sleeping on them -- what I'm looking for with Florida is where they are sent, not seeded).
But even as a Florida fan, the game I'm paying attention to today is the Atlantic 10 title game in Brooklyn between the bruising Billikens and VCU's "Havoc."
More:
*Louisville wins Big East: Also on the short list of Final Four contenders. Great defense, more than good enough offense.
*Kansas wins Big 12: See Louisville. Great D, good enough on offense.
*Indiana loses: Everything you need to know about the uncertainty at the top of college hoops this season is captured by the fact that Indiana and Duke both lost before getting to their conference finals and are still locks as 1-seeds. The bracket is as wide-open this year as it wasn't last year.
Fire up the KenPom.com and get ready for tonight.
-- D.S.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
3/16 (Selection Sunday Eve) Quickie
Today's big winner: Maryland
Every once in a while, conference tournaments matter in a way that has nothing to do with the NCAA Tournament.
Maryland is not going to the NCAA Tournament -- maybe if they beat UNC today and make an improbable run to the ACC title game, they are part of the "First Four" in Dayton.
Duke is out of the ACC Tournament in the quarterfinals -- and yet this season is so shallow at the top that there is seemingly no way they lose their 1-seed status (another reminder the conference tournaments are largely vestigial).
And yet the mediocre Terps beating high-flying Duke yesterday was the highlight of Maryland's season -- and the two-year-old Mark Turgeon Era. It is the kind of win that fans relish not just for the year, but for years.
You could make the same argument for Syracuse -- the Orange are going to the NCAA Tournament. So is Georgetown. And so the win is entirely about pride, bragging rights... having the last word in one of college hoops' best (if soon-to-be-former) rivalries.
As both games wound down simultaneously -- and fans were hammering the "last channel" button on the remote or picture-in-picture function to flip between them -- it was the no-stakes portion of conference-championship week at its high-stakes best.
More:
*Today: So many win-or-go-home automatic NCAA Tournament invites on the line, teams whose names you will know like the back of your bracket notes by Monday morning -- New Mexico State versus Texas-Arlington, Pacific versus UC-Irvine, Montana versus Weber State, Stephen F. Austin versus Northwestern State, Chicago State versus Houston Baptist, Morgan State versus NC A&T, Prairie View A&M versus Southern, Albany versus Vermont.
*There are some intriguing finals: Akron could still get an at-large if they lose the MAC final to Ohio, but they don't want to chance it. UNLV probably doesn't get in without upsetting New Mexico in the Mountain West final. Similarly, Southern Miss is must-win versus Memphis, which is in regardless. Oregon and UCLA are both in, regardless. Kansas and Kansas State are obviously both in, making this about in-state bragging rights (and Kansas getting a 1-seed if they win). Syracuse and Louisville are both in, too; if the Cardinals win, they stake a claim for a 1-seed. (Speaking of 1-seed contenders, Michigan State needs to knock off Ohio State in the B10 finals if they want to stay in contention for a 1-seed, which is on the table.)
*What about Kentucky? I think they are out. It's not like they kept it close versus Vandy. They got blown out and looked terrible in the process. Last weekend's supposedly season-saving win over Florida? Just not enough. I suspect that the NCAA and Selection Committee will conspire to push the profile of the typically ignored "First Four" by slotting Kentucky in that game against a notable fringe mid-major.
*My most intriguing bracket-previewing game of the day? Butler versus St. Louis in the Atlantic 10 semifinals -- both are tournament locks, but both have the moxie to make deep runs. This is a good litmus test, if not for them, then for your confusion over the bracket.
Enjoy the day!
-- D.S.
Every once in a while, conference tournaments matter in a way that has nothing to do with the NCAA Tournament.
Maryland is not going to the NCAA Tournament -- maybe if they beat UNC today and make an improbable run to the ACC title game, they are part of the "First Four" in Dayton.
Duke is out of the ACC Tournament in the quarterfinals -- and yet this season is so shallow at the top that there is seemingly no way they lose their 1-seed status (another reminder the conference tournaments are largely vestigial).
And yet the mediocre Terps beating high-flying Duke yesterday was the highlight of Maryland's season -- and the two-year-old Mark Turgeon Era. It is the kind of win that fans relish not just for the year, but for years.
You could make the same argument for Syracuse -- the Orange are going to the NCAA Tournament. So is Georgetown. And so the win is entirely about pride, bragging rights... having the last word in one of college hoops' best (if soon-to-be-former) rivalries.
As both games wound down simultaneously -- and fans were hammering the "last channel" button on the remote or picture-in-picture function to flip between them -- it was the no-stakes portion of conference-championship week at its high-stakes best.
More:
*Today: So many win-or-go-home automatic NCAA Tournament invites on the line, teams whose names you will know like the back of your bracket notes by Monday morning -- New Mexico State versus Texas-Arlington, Pacific versus UC-Irvine, Montana versus Weber State, Stephen F. Austin versus Northwestern State, Chicago State versus Houston Baptist, Morgan State versus NC A&T, Prairie View A&M versus Southern, Albany versus Vermont.
*There are some intriguing finals: Akron could still get an at-large if they lose the MAC final to Ohio, but they don't want to chance it. UNLV probably doesn't get in without upsetting New Mexico in the Mountain West final. Similarly, Southern Miss is must-win versus Memphis, which is in regardless. Oregon and UCLA are both in, regardless. Kansas and Kansas State are obviously both in, making this about in-state bragging rights (and Kansas getting a 1-seed if they win). Syracuse and Louisville are both in, too; if the Cardinals win, they stake a claim for a 1-seed. (Speaking of 1-seed contenders, Michigan State needs to knock off Ohio State in the B10 finals if they want to stay in contention for a 1-seed, which is on the table.)
*What about Kentucky? I think they are out. It's not like they kept it close versus Vandy. They got blown out and looked terrible in the process. Last weekend's supposedly season-saving win over Florida? Just not enough. I suspect that the NCAA and Selection Committee will conspire to push the profile of the typically ignored "First Four" by slotting Kentucky in that game against a notable fringe mid-major.
*My most intriguing bracket-previewing game of the day? Butler versus St. Louis in the Atlantic 10 semifinals -- both are tournament locks, but both have the moxie to make deep runs. This is a good litmus test, if not for them, then for your confusion over the bracket.
Enjoy the day!
-- D.S.
Friday, March 15, 2013
3/15 (Selection Mania) Quickie
It's that time again: Join the "Daily Quickie Readers" group of ESPN.com's Tournament Challenge.
(Wow, I was just thinking about 2006, when we had more than 10,000 people in the group and it was something like the 3rd-largest non-team-related group in the world. That was also the year that Mrs. Quickie finished in the Top 10 overall, which was crazy.)
Forget the hyper-nostalgia for the Big East: The craziest ending you will get was in the Atlantic 10 pre-quarterfinal in Brooklyn between Charlotte and Richmond. Richmond was leading by three with just 4.7 seconds to play. Then, a wild series:
A 1-and-1 for Charlotte begat a tech on a Richmond player begat a Charlotte lead begat Richmond "fouling" a Charlotte player heaving a half-court "shot" -- another three shots. Then a bunch of technical fouls called on Richmond.
Voila: A seven-point Charlotte win -- a 10-point swing in 5 seconds, which rivals anything Reggie Miller ever did a few miles away at Madison Square Garden.
You hate to see that happen and you feel for Richmond fans. But if ever there was a "that's what makes March so great" bit of freakiness, that's the one.
What to look forward to today:
*Two days 'til Selection Sunday: The half-hour of the bracket reveal is the best 30 minutes of the sports year. Everything is all possibilities and gut-feelings and second-guessing. And that's just your bracket, let alone all of the analysis of the bracket by all of the hoops pundits.
*Sub-.500 Utah has reached the semis of the Pac-12. The game is at 11:30 ET tonight vs. Oregon. I feel for the teams on the Bubble, but how can you not be rooting for Utah to continue the run?
*Big East semis: Syracuse-Georgetown (because of course) and Louisville-Notre Dame (who played those many many OTs the last time they met). All are in the Tournament; this is for pride.
*Kentucky on the hot seat: They play Vandy in the SEC quarters. A loss here to the sub-.500 'Dores would put UK back on the edge of the Bubble, at the mercy of teams like... Utah (ironically, the team Kentucky beat for the title in '98).
*The Mountain West semis: San Diego State vs. New Mexico, UNLV vs. Colorado State. Four bracket-worthy teams likely playing for three spots (with UNM and Colorado State likely already claiming two).
*All the crazy adidas uniforms: I get it -- people in the media hate them. But they are having their intended reaction: We are talking about them. (Hard not to love Notre Dame's highlight-green uniforms from last night, but then again, I wear highlight-neon shoes in my weekly old man basketball league.)
More:
*Steven Jackson to the Falcons: Great fit for both.
*Ed Reed to the Texans? Would be great influence.
*Greg Jennings to Vikings? Harvin replacement?
*Geno Smith wows at Pro Day: Going No. 2 to Jags?
*Kobe: Hawks insist they weren't trying to hurt him.
(Still should have been a foul, which is Kobe's issue.)
*WBC: Does the DR care more than Team USA?
*Nadal: He's back! (beating Fed will inspire that reax).
Join the Tournament Challenge group. Get ready for Selection Sunday.
-- D.S.
(Wow, I was just thinking about 2006, when we had more than 10,000 people in the group and it was something like the 3rd-largest non-team-related group in the world. That was also the year that Mrs. Quickie finished in the Top 10 overall, which was crazy.)
Forget the hyper-nostalgia for the Big East: The craziest ending you will get was in the Atlantic 10 pre-quarterfinal in Brooklyn between Charlotte and Richmond. Richmond was leading by three with just 4.7 seconds to play. Then, a wild series:
A 1-and-1 for Charlotte begat a tech on a Richmond player begat a Charlotte lead begat Richmond "fouling" a Charlotte player heaving a half-court "shot" -- another three shots. Then a bunch of technical fouls called on Richmond.
Voila: A seven-point Charlotte win -- a 10-point swing in 5 seconds, which rivals anything Reggie Miller ever did a few miles away at Madison Square Garden.
You hate to see that happen and you feel for Richmond fans. But if ever there was a "that's what makes March so great" bit of freakiness, that's the one.
What to look forward to today:
*Two days 'til Selection Sunday: The half-hour of the bracket reveal is the best 30 minutes of the sports year. Everything is all possibilities and gut-feelings and second-guessing. And that's just your bracket, let alone all of the analysis of the bracket by all of the hoops pundits.
*Sub-.500 Utah has reached the semis of the Pac-12. The game is at 11:30 ET tonight vs. Oregon. I feel for the teams on the Bubble, but how can you not be rooting for Utah to continue the run?
*Big East semis: Syracuse-Georgetown (because of course) and Louisville-Notre Dame (who played those many many OTs the last time they met). All are in the Tournament; this is for pride.
*Kentucky on the hot seat: They play Vandy in the SEC quarters. A loss here to the sub-.500 'Dores would put UK back on the edge of the Bubble, at the mercy of teams like... Utah (ironically, the team Kentucky beat for the title in '98).
*The Mountain West semis: San Diego State vs. New Mexico, UNLV vs. Colorado State. Four bracket-worthy teams likely playing for three spots (with UNM and Colorado State likely already claiming two).
*All the crazy adidas uniforms: I get it -- people in the media hate them. But they are having their intended reaction: We are talking about them. (Hard not to love Notre Dame's highlight-green uniforms from last night, but then again, I wear highlight-neon shoes in my weekly old man basketball league.)
More:
*Steven Jackson to the Falcons: Great fit for both.
*Ed Reed to the Texans? Would be great influence.
*Greg Jennings to Vikings? Harvin replacement?
*Geno Smith wows at Pro Day: Going No. 2 to Jags?
*Kobe: Hawks insist they weren't trying to hurt him.
(Still should have been a foul, which is Kobe's issue.)
*WBC: Does the DR care more than Team USA?
*Nadal: He's back! (beating Fed will inspire that reax).
Join the Tournament Challenge group. Get ready for Selection Sunday.
-- D.S.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
3/14 (Ugh, No Internet) Quickie
Internet service got bonked, so tapping this out on my phone, which ain't ideal. Nevertheless...
*Big East quarterfinals: The quintessential Big East moment - bloated with nostalgia, brash, gluttonous, likely overrated.
(And vastly overrated in the grand scheme of "But how many of these 6-8 teams actually make the Final Four, let alone win a national title?" Steel yourself for yelps of "1985!" which is all well and good but nearly 20 years old, and I say that as both a yelper and someone who thinks the '85 Final Four was more important than any in history, including the over-exposed Bird-Magic '79 edition. So, yes, I am both conflicted and self-loathing.)
Regardless, it IS a quadruple-header of college basketball featuring a half-dozen "big-t" Tournament teams. Meanwhile, the Big Ten is asking what the fuss is about....
*Welker to Broncos: Of course. The "Ray Allen from the Celtics to the Heat" of NFL deals.
*Amendola to Pats: Makes the Welker "of course" above look like the surprise move of the year.
*RBs on move: In order of effectiveness for the acquiring team - (1) Bush/Lions, (2) Greene/Titans, (3) Mendenhall/Cards (unless Arizona gets itself a good QB).
Caveat: Steven Jackson signing with the Packers would trump all of those.
*Kobe hurts ankle: Ankle hurts Laker playoff run. (Yes, should've been a foul.)
*Carmelo returns to Denver: Unlike Dwight Howard in Orlando, Melo couldn't actually win, which is the sweetest of all comebacks to bitter fans.
*Heat win 20th straight: Can excellence be boring? We are reduced to "Well, at least the Sixers made it interesting."
*Jeter tries SS: Proof ain't in March.
*Pope x Sports: Apparently a huge fan of Argentina's San Lorenzo club. Presumably, he has a string rooting interest in next year's World Cup.
*Is today the final day of Northwester's Carmody Era.
- DS
*Big East quarterfinals: The quintessential Big East moment - bloated with nostalgia, brash, gluttonous, likely overrated.
(And vastly overrated in the grand scheme of "But how many of these 6-8 teams actually make the Final Four, let alone win a national title?" Steel yourself for yelps of "1985!" which is all well and good but nearly 20 years old, and I say that as both a yelper and someone who thinks the '85 Final Four was more important than any in history, including the over-exposed Bird-Magic '79 edition. So, yes, I am both conflicted and self-loathing.)
Regardless, it IS a quadruple-header of college basketball featuring a half-dozen "big-t" Tournament teams. Meanwhile, the Big Ten is asking what the fuss is about....
*Welker to Broncos: Of course. The "Ray Allen from the Celtics to the Heat" of NFL deals.
*Amendola to Pats: Makes the Welker "of course" above look like the surprise move of the year.
*RBs on move: In order of effectiveness for the acquiring team - (1) Bush/Lions, (2) Greene/Titans, (3) Mendenhall/Cards (unless Arizona gets itself a good QB).
Caveat: Steven Jackson signing with the Packers would trump all of those.
*Kobe hurts ankle: Ankle hurts Laker playoff run. (Yes, should've been a foul.)
*Carmelo returns to Denver: Unlike Dwight Howard in Orlando, Melo couldn't actually win, which is the sweetest of all comebacks to bitter fans.
*Heat win 20th straight: Can excellence be boring? We are reduced to "Well, at least the Sixers made it interesting."
*Jeter tries SS: Proof ain't in March.
*Pope x Sports: Apparently a huge fan of Argentina's San Lorenzo club. Presumably, he has a string rooting interest in next year's World Cup.
*Is today the final day of Northwester's Carmody Era.
- DS
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
3/13 (Wednesday) Quickie
Today's big winner: Dwight Howard.
He went back to Orlando for the first time since he left town. The fans were all over him. The Magic were hacking him.
And Howard put on arguably the best regular-season performance of his career: 39 points (including 39 foul shots!) and 16 rebounds, leading the Lakers to yet another must-win as they surge into playoff position.
This is the Howard that the Lakers wanted (needed!), that Kobe obsesses about and that shuts up all of the folks who had been taking pot-shots at him throughout LA's mediocre season.
And yet! Howard is nothing if not mercurial. It would be something to see if he has indeed turned a corner -- maybe last night's game will psychologically free him from everything and put him in video-game mode for the rest of the season (a prerequisite if the Lakers want to do anything interesting).
It is hard not to think "We'll see...." But then you watch what he did last night, and it's like: Oh wow.
If you think the NBA is better for having a competitive and fiesty Lakers team, last night was one of the biggest and best wins of the season.
That is thanks to Howard taking all that the fans and the opposing players could throw at him and proving himself the bigger (way bigger) person for it.
More of today's winners:
*Long Island-Brooklyn, Valpo, South Dakota State: All won their way into the NCAA Tournament. For LIU, it's their third straight trip... for Valpo, it will always inspire memories of Bryce Drew beating Ole Miss (one of my Top 3 favorite NCAA Tournament moments ever)... with South Dakota State, it's about how far their star Nate Wolters (27 pts last night) can carry them.
*NFL Free Agency Mania:
-Mike Wallace to Miami: It was a must-have for the Fins.
-Paul Kruger to Cleveland: Bold move new management needed.
-Martellus Bennett to Chicago: A Bears TE who won't drop the ball.
*Reggie Bush: Who wants him? The Lions clearly do -- and everyone seems to think he would be a great fit with Stafford and Megatron. He will shop himself around (it's Reggie Bush, after all), but here's betting that he ends up circling back with Detroit, a huge change of pace from Miami.
*Chip Kelly: No player captured the Eagles' sad "dream team" aspirations from two years ago like Nnamdi Asomugha. It's not his fault -- he was just intended to be the centerpiece. It didn't work out, and the team cut him yesterday, the most symbolic move they could make to signal the end of the Reid Era and the fresh start with Kelly. (More than symbolic, it saves them some cash.)
*Ryan Nassib: Could the former Syracuse QB become this year's Ryan Tannehill in the NFL Draft? His old college coach Doug Marrone, who now runs the Bills, just cut Buffalo's incumbent starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, leaving the Bills without a QB. Sure, they could be eyeing Geno Smith in the draft, but there is no guarantee Smith drops to the back of the Top 10, when Buffalo is picking. And the trade market (Nick Foles) and free agent market (who knows?) are seemingly thin.
*Notre Dame women's hoops: A week after gutting out a win over UConn to take the Big East regular-season title, they pull it off again in the Big East tournament title game. The East's top dog ain't the Huskies anymore. (Well, at least for now.)
*Miami Heat: 19 straight wins. Let's review the major themes of the streak: They are toying with the league... a repeat NBA championship is an inevitability (the only question is how many losses they take en route to 16 postseason wins)... it's OK that the NBA playoffs have no drama, because this team seems to be THAT good.
*Barcelona: Remember yesterday's previews of the Barca-Milan game, in which all the experts were trying to make sense of how fall Barca had fallen en route to being bounced from the Champions League? That was cute.
Down 0-2 in aggregate to AC Milan in the Champions League round of 16, Barca overwhelmed in the second game 4-0, including 2 goals by the brilliant Lionel Messi. And, once again, we are left wondering what would happen if other sports counted playoff series in terms of aggregate score.
*Today's must-see/must-follow college hoops: Lafayette and Bucknell play for the Patriot League's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament... the (sort of last) Big East Tournament heats up, with "Last Four In"-ish Villanova in a must-win versus St. John's... Your sneaky-good game of the day is Boise State versus San Diego State in the Mountain West quarterfinals; both teams have the potential to go on a run and win the conference tournament (or even make it to the tournament finals and put themselves squarely in the "Last Four In" conversation).
-- D.S.
He went back to Orlando for the first time since he left town. The fans were all over him. The Magic were hacking him.
And Howard put on arguably the best regular-season performance of his career: 39 points (including 39 foul shots!) and 16 rebounds, leading the Lakers to yet another must-win as they surge into playoff position.
This is the Howard that the Lakers wanted (needed!), that Kobe obsesses about and that shuts up all of the folks who had been taking pot-shots at him throughout LA's mediocre season.
And yet! Howard is nothing if not mercurial. It would be something to see if he has indeed turned a corner -- maybe last night's game will psychologically free him from everything and put him in video-game mode for the rest of the season (a prerequisite if the Lakers want to do anything interesting).
It is hard not to think "We'll see...." But then you watch what he did last night, and it's like: Oh wow.
If you think the NBA is better for having a competitive and fiesty Lakers team, last night was one of the biggest and best wins of the season.
That is thanks to Howard taking all that the fans and the opposing players could throw at him and proving himself the bigger (way bigger) person for it.
More of today's winners:
*Long Island-Brooklyn, Valpo, South Dakota State: All won their way into the NCAA Tournament. For LIU, it's their third straight trip... for Valpo, it will always inspire memories of Bryce Drew beating Ole Miss (one of my Top 3 favorite NCAA Tournament moments ever)... with South Dakota State, it's about how far their star Nate Wolters (27 pts last night) can carry them.
*NFL Free Agency Mania:
-Mike Wallace to Miami: It was a must-have for the Fins.
-Paul Kruger to Cleveland: Bold move new management needed.
-Martellus Bennett to Chicago: A Bears TE who won't drop the ball.
*Reggie Bush: Who wants him? The Lions clearly do -- and everyone seems to think he would be a great fit with Stafford and Megatron. He will shop himself around (it's Reggie Bush, after all), but here's betting that he ends up circling back with Detroit, a huge change of pace from Miami.
*Chip Kelly: No player captured the Eagles' sad "dream team" aspirations from two years ago like Nnamdi Asomugha. It's not his fault -- he was just intended to be the centerpiece. It didn't work out, and the team cut him yesterday, the most symbolic move they could make to signal the end of the Reid Era and the fresh start with Kelly. (More than symbolic, it saves them some cash.)
*Ryan Nassib: Could the former Syracuse QB become this year's Ryan Tannehill in the NFL Draft? His old college coach Doug Marrone, who now runs the Bills, just cut Buffalo's incumbent starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, leaving the Bills without a QB. Sure, they could be eyeing Geno Smith in the draft, but there is no guarantee Smith drops to the back of the Top 10, when Buffalo is picking. And the trade market (Nick Foles) and free agent market (who knows?) are seemingly thin.
*Notre Dame women's hoops: A week after gutting out a win over UConn to take the Big East regular-season title, they pull it off again in the Big East tournament title game. The East's top dog ain't the Huskies anymore. (Well, at least for now.)
*Miami Heat: 19 straight wins. Let's review the major themes of the streak: They are toying with the league... a repeat NBA championship is an inevitability (the only question is how many losses they take en route to 16 postseason wins)... it's OK that the NBA playoffs have no drama, because this team seems to be THAT good.
*Barcelona: Remember yesterday's previews of the Barca-Milan game, in which all the experts were trying to make sense of how fall Barca had fallen en route to being bounced from the Champions League? That was cute.
Down 0-2 in aggregate to AC Milan in the Champions League round of 16, Barca overwhelmed in the second game 4-0, including 2 goals by the brilliant Lionel Messi. And, once again, we are left wondering what would happen if other sports counted playoff series in terms of aggregate score.
*Today's must-see/must-follow college hoops: Lafayette and Bucknell play for the Patriot League's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament... the (sort of last) Big East Tournament heats up, with "Last Four In"-ish Villanova in a must-win versus St. John's... Your sneaky-good game of the day is Boise State versus San Diego State in the Mountain West quarterfinals; both teams have the potential to go on a run and win the conference tournament (or even make it to the tournament finals and put themselves squarely in the "Last Four In" conversation).
-- D.S.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
3/12 (Tuesday) Quickie
The best rivalry in sports right now is 49ers-Seahawks.
*They play in the same division.
*They are the top two teams in the NFC.
*Their coaches hate each other, going back to college.
*They are geographically proximate.
*It's the NFL, and the NFL is king.
*Both teams continue to make bold moves.
Yesterday was a collision course -- as close as you'll get to the two teams battling it out with each other on the field:
The Seahawks traded a 1st-round pick for the Vikings' dynamic (and disgruntled) playmaker Percy Harvin (my second-favorite NFL player behind a certain Jets back-up QB). It was a big bet on one of the league's biggest talents, but if -- if -- Harvin is healthy, there isn't a better QB-RB-WR combination in the NFL than Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch and Harvin.
The 49ers used a 6th-round pick to give Baltimore at least something for WR Anquan Boldin, star of the Super Bowl and an incredible complement to the 49ers' existing offense, which centers around Colin Kaepernick, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree. It was a deft move by the smartest franchise in the NFL, if not all of sports.
The two teams will play twice in 2013 in the regular season and -- in part thanks to yesterday's moves -- once in the playoffs for the right to go to the Super Bowl. You don't have to like either team (or notice the distinctly West Coast geography or methodology) to appreciate that they represent Best Sports Rivalry 2.0.
Follow-up: So what rivalries round out the "Right Now" Top 5?
(2) Alabama-LSU
(3) Ravens-Patriots
(4) Nationals-Phillies
(5) Indiana vs. the Big Ten
More of today's winners:
*Gonzaga is in the NCAA Tournament, zipping toward a 1-seed that they are good enough to deserve, despite their flimsy schedule strength.
*James Madison is back in the tournament for the first time since the early-90s... Tourney regulars Western Kentucky, Davidson and Iona are back in, too.
*Today's must-see game: Mount St. Mary's vs. LIU-Brooklyn (one of my favorites) for the Northeast title and auto-bid into the Tournament. Two other bids on the line: The Summit (North Dakota State vs. South Dakota State, which at the very least sounds kind of awesome) and the Horizon (Wright State vs. Valpo). For all six teams involved, this is it -- win and in, lose and there is no consolation.
*San Antonio Spurs: Beat the Thunder, handily, and missing Tony Parker wasn't a problem. There has been a presumption that OKC vanquished San Antonio from true "West contender" status and that it was a glide path for the Thunder back to the NBA Finals. But what makes the Spurs so fascinating is that they refuse to be bumped from the discussion, and last night's win is more evidence that OKC will again have a massive challenge if it wants to hurdle the West's old standard-bearer to earn the right to get demolished by the Heat in the Finals.
*Steve Hutchinson is retiring from the NFL, and most experts see him as a borderline Hall of Famer. Remember when his jumping from the Seahawks (where he paved the road for Shaun Alexander) to the Vikings was a huge deal, because the Vikings put a novel "poison pill" in his contract offer that kept Seattle from keeping him? (It's irony that Seattle yoinked a star from Minnesota yesterday.)
*Darrelle Revis: Is he about to be traded? I'm with Peter King -- how can you trade for him (presumably a lot of good draft picks) let alone give him the new deal he wants without seeing how he plays following his injury and recovery?
*David Garrard: He has signed with the Jets and it's just a matter of time before he out-performs Mark Sanchez, which to Garrard must feel like a delightfully low bar that makes competing in Miami last season with Matt Moore and Ryan Tannehill look like competing with Rodgers and Brady. The obvious follow-up question, of course, is BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR TEBOW?
*The Big East: Begins its final tournament as something resembling the Big East you care (cared?) about. The Catholic 7 will keep the spirit of it going next year and beyond, but there is something about the mix of Syracuse and UConn (two fan bases that always pack Madison Square Garden) with the smaller basketball-only schools that will be missed.
*Manny Ramirez: Signs with a team in Taiwan. The ignominious end to his MLB career is up there with the ultimately ignominious end to Barry Bonds' MLB career. I would have liked to see both finish swinging at MLB pitches before retiring.
*Tom Crean: Apologizes for post-game outburst with Michigan. Don't apologize, Coach: Own it!
*Madden: Who is going to win the spot on this year's Madden video-game cover? I think it will be RGIII in a rout, but the introduction of old-school players is a wild card -- who doesn't want to see Barry Sanders on the Madden cover?
*Today's big non-winner: Adrian Peterson, who is more than a little ticked that the Vikings got rid of the player most likely to keep defenses from stacking everyone in the box against him (not to mention making Minnesota a viable playoff contender).
*Plus: Kyrie Irving, out 3-4 weeks with a shoulder sprain. If there is anything that will limit Irving's sky-high potential, it is his penchant for getting injured.
*And: Mike Vick, who canceled his book tour because of threats he was getting. He may be back in the NFL and he may be contrite, but there is a group of people out there who don't/won't/can't forget. Threats are never the way to go -- they would make more of a statement by peacefully (but loudly) demonstrating wherever he shows up.
*Anyone else still thinking about the DeAndre Jordan-Brandon Knight posterization?
-- D.S.
*They play in the same division.
*They are the top two teams in the NFC.
*Their coaches hate each other, going back to college.
*They are geographically proximate.
*It's the NFL, and the NFL is king.
*Both teams continue to make bold moves.
Yesterday was a collision course -- as close as you'll get to the two teams battling it out with each other on the field:
The Seahawks traded a 1st-round pick for the Vikings' dynamic (and disgruntled) playmaker Percy Harvin (my second-favorite NFL player behind a certain Jets back-up QB). It was a big bet on one of the league's biggest talents, but if -- if -- Harvin is healthy, there isn't a better QB-RB-WR combination in the NFL than Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch and Harvin.
The 49ers used a 6th-round pick to give Baltimore at least something for WR Anquan Boldin, star of the Super Bowl and an incredible complement to the 49ers' existing offense, which centers around Colin Kaepernick, Frank Gore, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree. It was a deft move by the smartest franchise in the NFL, if not all of sports.
The two teams will play twice in 2013 in the regular season and -- in part thanks to yesterday's moves -- once in the playoffs for the right to go to the Super Bowl. You don't have to like either team (or notice the distinctly West Coast geography or methodology) to appreciate that they represent Best Sports Rivalry 2.0.
Follow-up: So what rivalries round out the "Right Now" Top 5?
(2) Alabama-LSU
(3) Ravens-Patriots
(4) Nationals-Phillies
(5) Indiana vs. the Big Ten
More of today's winners:
*Gonzaga is in the NCAA Tournament, zipping toward a 1-seed that they are good enough to deserve, despite their flimsy schedule strength.
*James Madison is back in the tournament for the first time since the early-90s... Tourney regulars Western Kentucky, Davidson and Iona are back in, too.
*Today's must-see game: Mount St. Mary's vs. LIU-Brooklyn (one of my favorites) for the Northeast title and auto-bid into the Tournament. Two other bids on the line: The Summit (North Dakota State vs. South Dakota State, which at the very least sounds kind of awesome) and the Horizon (Wright State vs. Valpo). For all six teams involved, this is it -- win and in, lose and there is no consolation.
*San Antonio Spurs: Beat the Thunder, handily, and missing Tony Parker wasn't a problem. There has been a presumption that OKC vanquished San Antonio from true "West contender" status and that it was a glide path for the Thunder back to the NBA Finals. But what makes the Spurs so fascinating is that they refuse to be bumped from the discussion, and last night's win is more evidence that OKC will again have a massive challenge if it wants to hurdle the West's old standard-bearer to earn the right to get demolished by the Heat in the Finals.
*Steve Hutchinson is retiring from the NFL, and most experts see him as a borderline Hall of Famer. Remember when his jumping from the Seahawks (where he paved the road for Shaun Alexander) to the Vikings was a huge deal, because the Vikings put a novel "poison pill" in his contract offer that kept Seattle from keeping him? (It's irony that Seattle yoinked a star from Minnesota yesterday.)
*Darrelle Revis: Is he about to be traded? I'm with Peter King -- how can you trade for him (presumably a lot of good draft picks) let alone give him the new deal he wants without seeing how he plays following his injury and recovery?
*David Garrard: He has signed with the Jets and it's just a matter of time before he out-performs Mark Sanchez, which to Garrard must feel like a delightfully low bar that makes competing in Miami last season with Matt Moore and Ryan Tannehill look like competing with Rodgers and Brady. The obvious follow-up question, of course, is BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR TEBOW?
*The Big East: Begins its final tournament as something resembling the Big East you care (cared?) about. The Catholic 7 will keep the spirit of it going next year and beyond, but there is something about the mix of Syracuse and UConn (two fan bases that always pack Madison Square Garden) with the smaller basketball-only schools that will be missed.
*Manny Ramirez: Signs with a team in Taiwan. The ignominious end to his MLB career is up there with the ultimately ignominious end to Barry Bonds' MLB career. I would have liked to see both finish swinging at MLB pitches before retiring.
*Tom Crean: Apologizes for post-game outburst with Michigan. Don't apologize, Coach: Own it!
*Madden: Who is going to win the spot on this year's Madden video-game cover? I think it will be RGIII in a rout, but the introduction of old-school players is a wild card -- who doesn't want to see Barry Sanders on the Madden cover?
*Today's big non-winner: Adrian Peterson, who is more than a little ticked that the Vikings got rid of the player most likely to keep defenses from stacking everyone in the box against him (not to mention making Minnesota a viable playoff contender).
*Plus: Kyrie Irving, out 3-4 weeks with a shoulder sprain. If there is anything that will limit Irving's sky-high potential, it is his penchant for getting injured.
*And: Mike Vick, who canceled his book tour because of threats he was getting. He may be back in the NFL and he may be contrite, but there is a group of people out there who don't/won't/can't forget. Threats are never the way to go -- they would make more of a statement by peacefully (but loudly) demonstrating wherever he shows up.
*Anyone else still thinking about the DeAndre Jordan-Brandon Knight posterization?
-- D.S.
Monday, March 11, 2013
3/11 (Monday) Quickie
The play of the weekend -- and the NBA's play of the year -- was the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan posterizing the Pistons' Brandon Knight. First of all, watch it here:
OK, a few things:
*We need to retire the word "posterized" because it won't happen in a more textbook sense than here.
*Brandon Knight may do many productive things in his NBA career, but this is the moment he will be remembered for. (That he stays on the ground juuust a bit too long afterward did him no favors.)
*Why did Knight even try to challenge that lob dunk?
*The camera cut to the kids courtside freaking out is my favorite 3 seconds of video this year.
*The cut to Blake Griffin freaking out isn't bad either.
*The Clippers aren't going to win the NBA title this year. They aren't going to win the West and they probably won't even make it through the conference semifinals. And yet...
This is of a piece with the second most-incredible play of the NBA season -- Jamal Crawford's between-the-legs alley-oop to Blake Griffin, which happened only last week. The gist is this:
If you watch the NBA to see who wins the championship, you're doing it wrong. If you watch the NBA to follow your favorite team, your rooting interest is sincere (I say that as a lifelong Bullets/Wizards fan), but you're doing it wrong.
We watch the NBA for the truly jaw-dropping moments -- like Jordan (who will never again have to worry about sharing a name with that "other" Jordan) over Knight.
UPDATE: Good for Knight that he took to Twitter and displayed a ton of humor about the situation: "It wasn't in the scouting reports that the clippers threw lobs lol" (He might not fully understand the indelibility of the moment, but whether he does or not, good on him for acknowledging it.)
More weekend winners:
*Liberty: As of right now, the best NCAA Tournament story. 15-20 for the season, 6-10 in the conference. But they won four straight in the Big South Conference tournament (including yesterday's title-game win over 1-seed Charleston Southern) and now they are in the NCAA Tournament.
I don't care that they will be stuck in the "First Four" play-in game -- they are in the NCAA Tournament and they validate everything that is awesome about the conference-tournament system (and sort of validate my long-standing theory that we'd be better off getting rid of the conference tournaments and letting every team in an open-to-all mega-tournament.)
*Tiger Woods: ESPN's Scott Van Pelt has had the best reaction to this whole "Is Tiger back?" thing. Here's a representative tweet: "Context: Rory got red hot won 5/19 starts & got to # 1. Tiger now has won 5/19. Luke Donald, # 3 in world, has 5 total...in 237 PGA starts"
I would say that among other things, the win mostly heightens everyone's anticipation for what Tiger can/might/must do at The Masters next month.
*Tom Crean: Walks into Michigan's Crisler Arena and walks out with the first outright Big Ten title for Indiana since '93, barking at a Michigan assistant who was part of the pre-Crean Indiana debacle on his way out. ("You know what you did!" becomes part of Indiana lore.)
A couple of caveats on Indiana's win, which all but secures a No. 1 seed for the Hoosiers, presuming they make it to at least the Big Ten Tournament semifinals:
(1) A team that makes its foul shots beats them.
(2) That was a flagrant foul at the end and Michigan should have gotten both the free throws and the ball, which would have likely changed the game's outcome.
(3) That was Michigan's best defensive performance of the season (and it still wasn't enough).
(4) While appreciating the specific emotional trigger that got him riled up, Tom Crean seems pretty high-strung to navigate his team to six straight wins in the NCAA Tournament.
*Creighton: Fends off Wichita State to become the Mo Valley's automatic rep in the NCAA Tournament. They will be a popular Sweet 16 pick, but the Jays' defense is still a huge question. (Top 10 offense, according to Ken Pom, but by far the worst-rated D -- 77th -- among the Top 16 teams.)
*Miami Heat: That is 18 wins in a row. But the real value of this particular win was the symbolism: Any thought you had that the Pacers might be the team to challenge Miami in the East playoffs should be obliterated like Indiana was by the Heat on Sunday. Again, let's go with my soon-to-be-trademarked phrasing: This season is a "Heat Accompli." (re: here.)
*Dwight Howard: Is he manipulative? Or just flaky? Or just desperate to be loved? I'll say some combination of the last two. The big thing is that the Lakers can't make the playoffs without him stepping up his game (as he did yesterday).
*Matt Kenseth: Three cheers for early-fortysomethings.
*Team USA: Advances to the WBC second round. (Yes, I know you are wildly interested.)
*Cullen Jenkins: Gets $8M and, more importantly, jumps from the Eagles -- who cut him -- to their division rivals in New York, who have a pretty good track record with player personnel decisions.
*Great read: Getting excited for Selection Sunday? Patrick Stevens' daily Bubble Watch is really awesome.
-- D.S.
OK, a few things:
*We need to retire the word "posterized" because it won't happen in a more textbook sense than here.
*Brandon Knight may do many productive things in his NBA career, but this is the moment he will be remembered for. (That he stays on the ground juuust a bit too long afterward did him no favors.)
*Why did Knight even try to challenge that lob dunk?
*The camera cut to the kids courtside freaking out is my favorite 3 seconds of video this year.
*The cut to Blake Griffin freaking out isn't bad either.
*The Clippers aren't going to win the NBA title this year. They aren't going to win the West and they probably won't even make it through the conference semifinals. And yet...
This is of a piece with the second most-incredible play of the NBA season -- Jamal Crawford's between-the-legs alley-oop to Blake Griffin, which happened only last week. The gist is this:
If you watch the NBA to see who wins the championship, you're doing it wrong. If you watch the NBA to follow your favorite team, your rooting interest is sincere (I say that as a lifelong Bullets/Wizards fan), but you're doing it wrong.
We watch the NBA for the truly jaw-dropping moments -- like Jordan (who will never again have to worry about sharing a name with that "other" Jordan) over Knight.
UPDATE: Good for Knight that he took to Twitter and displayed a ton of humor about the situation: "It wasn't in the scouting reports that the clippers threw lobs lol" (He might not fully understand the indelibility of the moment, but whether he does or not, good on him for acknowledging it.)
More weekend winners:
*Liberty: As of right now, the best NCAA Tournament story. 15-20 for the season, 6-10 in the conference. But they won four straight in the Big South Conference tournament (including yesterday's title-game win over 1-seed Charleston Southern) and now they are in the NCAA Tournament.
I don't care that they will be stuck in the "First Four" play-in game -- they are in the NCAA Tournament and they validate everything that is awesome about the conference-tournament system (and sort of validate my long-standing theory that we'd be better off getting rid of the conference tournaments and letting every team in an open-to-all mega-tournament.)
*Tiger Woods: ESPN's Scott Van Pelt has had the best reaction to this whole "Is Tiger back?" thing. Here's a representative tweet: "Context: Rory got red hot won 5/19 starts & got to # 1. Tiger now has won 5/19. Luke Donald, # 3 in world, has 5 total...in 237 PGA starts"
I would say that among other things, the win mostly heightens everyone's anticipation for what Tiger can/might/must do at The Masters next month.
*Tom Crean: Walks into Michigan's Crisler Arena and walks out with the first outright Big Ten title for Indiana since '93, barking at a Michigan assistant who was part of the pre-Crean Indiana debacle on his way out. ("You know what you did!" becomes part of Indiana lore.)
A couple of caveats on Indiana's win, which all but secures a No. 1 seed for the Hoosiers, presuming they make it to at least the Big Ten Tournament semifinals:
(1) A team that makes its foul shots beats them.
(2) That was a flagrant foul at the end and Michigan should have gotten both the free throws and the ball, which would have likely changed the game's outcome.
(3) That was Michigan's best defensive performance of the season (and it still wasn't enough).
(4) While appreciating the specific emotional trigger that got him riled up, Tom Crean seems pretty high-strung to navigate his team to six straight wins in the NCAA Tournament.
*Creighton: Fends off Wichita State to become the Mo Valley's automatic rep in the NCAA Tournament. They will be a popular Sweet 16 pick, but the Jays' defense is still a huge question. (Top 10 offense, according to Ken Pom, but by far the worst-rated D -- 77th -- among the Top 16 teams.)
*Miami Heat: That is 18 wins in a row. But the real value of this particular win was the symbolism: Any thought you had that the Pacers might be the team to challenge Miami in the East playoffs should be obliterated like Indiana was by the Heat on Sunday. Again, let's go with my soon-to-be-trademarked phrasing: This season is a "Heat Accompli." (re: here.)
*Dwight Howard: Is he manipulative? Or just flaky? Or just desperate to be loved? I'll say some combination of the last two. The big thing is that the Lakers can't make the playoffs without him stepping up his game (as he did yesterday).
*Matt Kenseth: Three cheers for early-fortysomethings.
*Team USA: Advances to the WBC second round. (Yes, I know you are wildly interested.)
*Cullen Jenkins: Gets $8M and, more importantly, jumps from the Eagles -- who cut him -- to their division rivals in New York, who have a pretty good track record with player personnel decisions.
*Great read: Getting excited for Selection Sunday? Patrick Stevens' daily Bubble Watch is really awesome.
-- D.S.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
3/10 (Very Sunday) Quickie
Service-y! Don't forget to set your clocks one hour forward.
I should have known that tap-dancing on Kentucky's "First Four Out" status would result in a desperate UK edging my Florida Gators to put themselves back in the proverbial "Last Four In." The final seven minutes of that game (in which Florida didn't score a point) was both maddening as a Florida fan and impressive if you want to see a team playing as hard as it can to avoid an indelibly terrible basketball fate.
Duke throttled UNC: As expected? Duke can lose in the ACC Tournament and still end up with a 1-seed. It would be very (very) interesting if Duke ended up the 1-seed in the South with, say, Florida as a 2-seed, because the Gators present a particularly tough match-up for Duke. (As of now, that ain't gonna happen -- Lunardi has Duke pegged as the 1-seed in the East and Florida bumped off the 2-line.)
Georgetown obliterates Syracuse: In the rivalry's presumptive finale (at least as Big East conference-mates), the Hoyas get the last word, in the process clamping down on the Orange like no team ever has in the Boeheim Era.
I really really want to pick Georgetown to go far in the NCAA Tournament -- and maybe they will, if they can display some of the more-than-Porter offense that they did yesterday to go with that extremely effective D. But I've been bracket-burned by the Hoyas before.
Tournament bids! The Belmont win over Murray State was as exciting as you could hope for. Meanwhile, Florida Gulf Coast may only last the first day, but what a great name. Also: Harvard!
Tiger still up at Doral: He is playing this weekend as well as he has since The Incident. Either he slams the door today and the narrative is something along the lines of "Just wait until Tiger at the Masters!" or he chokes it away and... well, he's not going to choke it away.
NBA: Amare out for 6 weeks. It's the other knee this time. Meanwhile, Dwight Howard is motivated and ready to help Kobe get the Lakers into the playoffs. How can you not be rooting for the Lakers to get in and punch one of the top seeds in the mouth?
NFL Free Agency: Anyone want the game-breaking receiver from the Super Bowl champs? Anquan Boldin cost you and he is probably just a year or two from retirement, but he is available and can clearly make things happen.
Steelers cut James Harrison: In his prime, he was worth the trouble. Unclear where he ends up now. Probably on a desperate loser.
WBC: The US wins...but are you paying attention? (You almost certainly heard about the wild Canada-Mexico brawl.)
Bernard Hopkins: 48 and a boxing champ. Fortysomethings rule!
-- D.S.
I should have known that tap-dancing on Kentucky's "First Four Out" status would result in a desperate UK edging my Florida Gators to put themselves back in the proverbial "Last Four In." The final seven minutes of that game (in which Florida didn't score a point) was both maddening as a Florida fan and impressive if you want to see a team playing as hard as it can to avoid an indelibly terrible basketball fate.
Duke throttled UNC: As expected? Duke can lose in the ACC Tournament and still end up with a 1-seed. It would be very (very) interesting if Duke ended up the 1-seed in the South with, say, Florida as a 2-seed, because the Gators present a particularly tough match-up for Duke. (As of now, that ain't gonna happen -- Lunardi has Duke pegged as the 1-seed in the East and Florida bumped off the 2-line.)
Georgetown obliterates Syracuse: In the rivalry's presumptive finale (at least as Big East conference-mates), the Hoyas get the last word, in the process clamping down on the Orange like no team ever has in the Boeheim Era.
I really really want to pick Georgetown to go far in the NCAA Tournament -- and maybe they will, if they can display some of the more-than-Porter offense that they did yesterday to go with that extremely effective D. But I've been bracket-burned by the Hoyas before.
Tournament bids! The Belmont win over Murray State was as exciting as you could hope for. Meanwhile, Florida Gulf Coast may only last the first day, but what a great name. Also: Harvard!
Tiger still up at Doral: He is playing this weekend as well as he has since The Incident. Either he slams the door today and the narrative is something along the lines of "Just wait until Tiger at the Masters!" or he chokes it away and... well, he's not going to choke it away.
NBA: Amare out for 6 weeks. It's the other knee this time. Meanwhile, Dwight Howard is motivated and ready to help Kobe get the Lakers into the playoffs. How can you not be rooting for the Lakers to get in and punch one of the top seeds in the mouth?
NFL Free Agency: Anyone want the game-breaking receiver from the Super Bowl champs? Anquan Boldin cost you and he is probably just a year or two from retirement, but he is available and can clearly make things happen.
Steelers cut James Harrison: In his prime, he was worth the trouble. Unclear where he ends up now. Probably on a desperate loser.
WBC: The US wins...but are you paying attention? (You almost certainly heard about the wild Canada-Mexico brawl.)
Bernard Hopkins: 48 and a boxing champ. Fortysomethings rule!
-- D.S.
Saturday, March 09, 2013
3/9 (Saturday) Quickie
"You can't win them all." -- Jonathan Toews of the Blackhawks has the right idea. But Chicago's run sure was fun while it lasted (and, after that start, they are still expected to finish with a Cup title).
Now, the new super-streak is the Heat's. Miami won its 17th straight last night. While impressive, all that matters is whether or not Miami wins the title. (Spoiler alert: They will.)
Georgetown-Syracuse: End of an era. I grew up on Georgetown-Syracuse. It is arguably the defining rivalry of the East (Duke-UNC being "South") and the game of the day in college hoops.
I will miss it, but like Texas-Texas A&M, I don't quite understand why the two schools won't schedule a non-conference game against each other. Is everyone THAT petty? (Answer: Yes.)
So let's enjoy this now -- hopefully the game will have all sorts of clips of 80s and early-90s goodness from this fantastic rivalry.
Kentucky's win-or-stay-home moment: As discussed yesterday (see below), Kentucky's loss to Georgia on Thursday night means that they are now outside the NCAA Tournament field of 68, making today's regular-season finale versus Florida (the regular-season SEC champ) a must-win (short of UK storming to an improbable title in the SEC Tournament).
From Florida's perspective, the opportunity to ruin Kentucky's season (and Calipari's blueprint) should be all the motivation they need.
Oh, and UNC-Duke tonight. UNC has this "small ball" mojo going -- that's something that Duke has had some experience with in previous seasons. As well as the Heels are playing right now, Duke is playing better -- but in a season like this, it won't be a surprise if the presumptive 1-seed is upended. (It won't matter -- if Duke loses today and wins the ACC Tournament, it will be a 1-seed.)
Can't decide what was more impressive: Deron Williams' barrage of 3s to start the game versus the Wizards or Kobe's series of dagger 3s to end the game versus the Raptors.
Hey, Tiger is still up top at Doral -- making today a "watch the leaderboard" (if not "watch the tournament") day.
Enjoy your Saturday.
-- D.S.
Now, the new super-streak is the Heat's. Miami won its 17th straight last night. While impressive, all that matters is whether or not Miami wins the title. (Spoiler alert: They will.)
Georgetown-Syracuse: End of an era. I grew up on Georgetown-Syracuse. It is arguably the defining rivalry of the East (Duke-UNC being "South") and the game of the day in college hoops.
I will miss it, but like Texas-Texas A&M, I don't quite understand why the two schools won't schedule a non-conference game against each other. Is everyone THAT petty? (Answer: Yes.)
So let's enjoy this now -- hopefully the game will have all sorts of clips of 80s and early-90s goodness from this fantastic rivalry.
Kentucky's win-or-stay-home moment: As discussed yesterday (see below), Kentucky's loss to Georgia on Thursday night means that they are now outside the NCAA Tournament field of 68, making today's regular-season finale versus Florida (the regular-season SEC champ) a must-win (short of UK storming to an improbable title in the SEC Tournament).
From Florida's perspective, the opportunity to ruin Kentucky's season (and Calipari's blueprint) should be all the motivation they need.
Oh, and UNC-Duke tonight. UNC has this "small ball" mojo going -- that's something that Duke has had some experience with in previous seasons. As well as the Heels are playing right now, Duke is playing better -- but in a season like this, it won't be a surprise if the presumptive 1-seed is upended. (It won't matter -- if Duke loses today and wins the ACC Tournament, it will be a 1-seed.)
Can't decide what was more impressive: Deron Williams' barrage of 3s to start the game versus the Wizards or Kobe's series of dagger 3s to end the game versus the Raptors.
Hey, Tiger is still up top at Doral -- making today a "watch the leaderboard" (if not "watch the tournament") day.
Enjoy your Saturday.
-- D.S.
Friday, March 08, 2013
03/08 (Friday) Quickie
The story of the year in college basketball isn't the turmoil at the top of the rankings. It's not Gonzaga's rise to No. 1. It's not the revival of Indiana or the sublime individual skill of Georgetown's Otto Porter (or the freakishness of IU's Victor Oladipo).
The story of the year in college basketball is Kentucky -- the sport's defending champion -- going from the top of the sport to its dregs in less than a year.
John Calipari was supposed to have cracked the code -- a "Moneyball"-style arbitrage of the NBA's mandatory college year for top prep players, importing a new crop of future Lottery picks on an annually renewable basis, harnessing their talent as a sort of NBA finishing school.
Cal's pitch was brilliant in its simplicity: You've got to spend a year waiting for the NBA Draft -- if you spend it with me, you will play, you will get developed for the NBA and you will compete for a national championship.
But the arbitrage falls apart if Kentucky misses the NCAA Tournament entirely, which they are now on the verge of after choking at mediocre Georgia last night.
With a regular-season finale versus SEC regular-season champ Florida tomorrow at Rupp, UK -- in Calipari's own framing -- is in a win-or-bust situation.
(Needless to say, if there were any concerns about Florida being motivated, the opportunity to effectively end rival Kentucky's season an invalidate the Calipari Model should be enough.)
Granted, Kentucky has been missing Nerlens Noel for weeks -- he was only the No. 1 NBA talent in college hoops -- but they were struggling while he was out there, too.
And, granted, next season Kentucky has the best recruiting class since the Fab Five coming to Lexington. (This season's freshmen were highly touted, too, but not like the '13 prep class.)
The reality is that if Kentucky isn't going to compete for national championships, all Cal offers is playing time (he better hope this season's freshmen don't stick around trying to make good on this season's dud, clogging the pipeline for next season's imports) and a track record of sending players to the NBA. There are plenty of coaches who can deliver that.
The model should work, but like arbitrage on Wall Street, sometimes the model doesn't stand up to the reality of the market.
More:
*Mariano Rivera to retire after '13 season: Only the greatest relief pitcher ever and, arguably, the greatest pitcher ever. Even Yankee-haters respect Rivera. More on this on Monday.
*Thunder hold off the Melo-less Knicks in NYC: Closest thing to a moral victory that the Knicks will get this season. (Meanwhile, is there a more confounding player in the NBA than JR Smith?)
*Tiger shoots co-leading 66 at Doral: All it does is set up "win or fail" expectations for the rest of the weekend. (Beats the alternative, I guess.)
*Blackhawks Watch: At Colorado tonight (loss alert?!), hosting Edmonton on Sunday.
*Jadeveon Clowney takes out $5M insurance policy: Only $95M less than his ultimate market value in the event he blows out his knee next season like teammate Marcus Lattimore.
(Know what the best insurance policy is? Not playing college football and waiting for the 2014 NFL Draft -- like he wouldn't still be the No. 1 overall pick?)
*NFL: Dolphins lock up WR Brian Hartline -- he was Ryan Tannehill's binky, so it makes sense to keep him around. He's no game-breaker, but steady (and very productive last year). But they still need a game-breaker.
*Deals: Rockets lock up GM Daryl Morey through 2018. He is Houston's MVP and the best GM in the NBA.
*The non-Catholic Big East is the new "America 12": Reminds me of "Conference USA," one of the worst names in sports-branding history.
*Civics: Doesn't it feel like Atlanta just built the Georgia Dome?
*Weekend Viewing Guide: Syracuse at Georgetown (noon Saturday), the finale of one of college hoops' best rivalries. Still don't understand why they can't set up an annual non-conference match-up.
(This season, at least, Cuse-G'town is a bigger/better game than Duke at UNC, tomorrow night at 9. Yes, it's a great rivalry, but it lacks real stakes. So UNC loses? Still in the Tournament. So Duke loses? Maybe it makes UNC's season, but Duke still is positioned for a 1-seed if they win the ACC Tournament. It is the fundamental issue with college hoops rivalries in the regular season: There are no real consequences.)
But, occasionally, you get exceptions, like Florida at Kentucky tomorrow at noon -- bringing it back to what we were talking about at the top, the consequences of losing to a rival in the regular season couldn't be bigger for Calipari and the 'Cats.
-- D.S.
The story of the year in college basketball is Kentucky -- the sport's defending champion -- going from the top of the sport to its dregs in less than a year.
John Calipari was supposed to have cracked the code -- a "Moneyball"-style arbitrage of the NBA's mandatory college year for top prep players, importing a new crop of future Lottery picks on an annually renewable basis, harnessing their talent as a sort of NBA finishing school.
Cal's pitch was brilliant in its simplicity: You've got to spend a year waiting for the NBA Draft -- if you spend it with me, you will play, you will get developed for the NBA and you will compete for a national championship.
But the arbitrage falls apart if Kentucky misses the NCAA Tournament entirely, which they are now on the verge of after choking at mediocre Georgia last night.
With a regular-season finale versus SEC regular-season champ Florida tomorrow at Rupp, UK -- in Calipari's own framing -- is in a win-or-bust situation.
(Needless to say, if there were any concerns about Florida being motivated, the opportunity to effectively end rival Kentucky's season an invalidate the Calipari Model should be enough.)
Granted, Kentucky has been missing Nerlens Noel for weeks -- he was only the No. 1 NBA talent in college hoops -- but they were struggling while he was out there, too.
And, granted, next season Kentucky has the best recruiting class since the Fab Five coming to Lexington. (This season's freshmen were highly touted, too, but not like the '13 prep class.)
The reality is that if Kentucky isn't going to compete for national championships, all Cal offers is playing time (he better hope this season's freshmen don't stick around trying to make good on this season's dud, clogging the pipeline for next season's imports) and a track record of sending players to the NBA. There are plenty of coaches who can deliver that.
The model should work, but like arbitrage on Wall Street, sometimes the model doesn't stand up to the reality of the market.
More:
*Mariano Rivera to retire after '13 season: Only the greatest relief pitcher ever and, arguably, the greatest pitcher ever. Even Yankee-haters respect Rivera. More on this on Monday.
*Thunder hold off the Melo-less Knicks in NYC: Closest thing to a moral victory that the Knicks will get this season. (Meanwhile, is there a more confounding player in the NBA than JR Smith?)
*Tiger shoots co-leading 66 at Doral: All it does is set up "win or fail" expectations for the rest of the weekend. (Beats the alternative, I guess.)
*Blackhawks Watch: At Colorado tonight (loss alert?!), hosting Edmonton on Sunday.
*Jadeveon Clowney takes out $5M insurance policy: Only $95M less than his ultimate market value in the event he blows out his knee next season like teammate Marcus Lattimore.
(Know what the best insurance policy is? Not playing college football and waiting for the 2014 NFL Draft -- like he wouldn't still be the No. 1 overall pick?)
*NFL: Dolphins lock up WR Brian Hartline -- he was Ryan Tannehill's binky, so it makes sense to keep him around. He's no game-breaker, but steady (and very productive last year). But they still need a game-breaker.
*Deals: Rockets lock up GM Daryl Morey through 2018. He is Houston's MVP and the best GM in the NBA.
*The non-Catholic Big East is the new "America 12": Reminds me of "Conference USA," one of the worst names in sports-branding history.
*Civics: Doesn't it feel like Atlanta just built the Georgia Dome?
*Weekend Viewing Guide: Syracuse at Georgetown (noon Saturday), the finale of one of college hoops' best rivalries. Still don't understand why they can't set up an annual non-conference match-up.
(This season, at least, Cuse-G'town is a bigger/better game than Duke at UNC, tomorrow night at 9. Yes, it's a great rivalry, but it lacks real stakes. So UNC loses? Still in the Tournament. So Duke loses? Maybe it makes UNC's season, but Duke still is positioned for a 1-seed if they win the ACC Tournament. It is the fundamental issue with college hoops rivalries in the regular season: There are no real consequences.)
But, occasionally, you get exceptions, like Florida at Kentucky tomorrow at noon -- bringing it back to what we were talking about at the top, the consequences of losing to a rival in the regular season couldn't be bigger for Calipari and the 'Cats.
-- D.S.
Thursday, March 07, 2013
3/07 (Thursday) Quickie
Last night's big winner: Jamal Crawford, who pulled off a between-the-legs alley-oop pass to Blake Griffin that was a good reminder that even in a season that feels like a Heat d'accompli as it relates to the playoffs, the sport is built on the night-in-night-out aesthetic brilliance.
Was last night the Heat's best win of the 16 straight? It was arguably the grittiest, the kind of grinder that you typically need en route to 16 wins in the playoffs -- which, at this point, is the only "16" that really matters for Miami.
Speaking of streaks, the Blackhawks -- sports' best ongoing drama right now -- won again, on a last-minute tie-breaking goal in front of an absolutely frenzied home crowd. That's 30 straight games with a point, 11 straight wins and a 2013 season still without a loss. Amazing.
College hoops: It is an early-March truism -- desperate Bubble teams will necessarily play with more urgency (especially at home) than teams that are locked into the Tournament.
That was the story of Villanova over Georgetown, of Iowa State over Oklahoma State, of Xavier over St. Louis and of Georgia Tech over Miami.
Of those four winners, it's probably too-little-too-late for two of them, but for the other two, it is a resume-bolstering moment.
MLB Spring Training: Yankees-Red Sox has lost so much of its luster over the past year or two that it feels like MLB is ripe for a new leading rivalry, and I would nominate the Phillies and Nationals, who really do seem to dislike each other. The Phillies are on the decline, but clearly have enough money invested to want to scratch and claw back into relevancy; the Nationals are on the ascent, and clearly see beating down the former class of the NL East as a stepping stone to their own validity. When Roy Halladay is buzzing Nats in a spring training game, you know you're on to something good and ugly.
Today's viewing guide: Thunder-Knicks and Clippers-Nuggets NBA doubleheader on TNT... in college hoops, it's ostensibly Wisconsin at Michigan State at 9 on ESPN, but why not the opening round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament on ESPN3? All four Mo Valley teams angling to make the quarterfinals have a theoretical chance of playing their way into the NCAA Tournament. All they have to do is win four straight games, and they're in. Easier said than done, but still: Doable!
Today's loser: David Akers, finally released by the 49ers.
-- D.S.
Was last night the Heat's best win of the 16 straight? It was arguably the grittiest, the kind of grinder that you typically need en route to 16 wins in the playoffs -- which, at this point, is the only "16" that really matters for Miami.
Speaking of streaks, the Blackhawks -- sports' best ongoing drama right now -- won again, on a last-minute tie-breaking goal in front of an absolutely frenzied home crowd. That's 30 straight games with a point, 11 straight wins and a 2013 season still without a loss. Amazing.
College hoops: It is an early-March truism -- desperate Bubble teams will necessarily play with more urgency (especially at home) than teams that are locked into the Tournament.
That was the story of Villanova over Georgetown, of Iowa State over Oklahoma State, of Xavier over St. Louis and of Georgia Tech over Miami.
Of those four winners, it's probably too-little-too-late for two of them, but for the other two, it is a resume-bolstering moment.
MLB Spring Training: Yankees-Red Sox has lost so much of its luster over the past year or two that it feels like MLB is ripe for a new leading rivalry, and I would nominate the Phillies and Nationals, who really do seem to dislike each other. The Phillies are on the decline, but clearly have enough money invested to want to scratch and claw back into relevancy; the Nationals are on the ascent, and clearly see beating down the former class of the NL East as a stepping stone to their own validity. When Roy Halladay is buzzing Nats in a spring training game, you know you're on to something good and ugly.
Today's viewing guide: Thunder-Knicks and Clippers-Nuggets NBA doubleheader on TNT... in college hoops, it's ostensibly Wisconsin at Michigan State at 9 on ESPN, but why not the opening round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament on ESPN3? All four Mo Valley teams angling to make the quarterfinals have a theoretical chance of playing their way into the NCAA Tournament. All they have to do is win four straight games, and they're in. Easier said than done, but still: Doable!
Today's loser: David Akers, finally released by the 49ers.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
3/06 (Wednesday) Quickie
Today's biggest winners: (1) Ohio State, (2) Blackhawks, (3) Russell Westbrook, (4) Terrell Sinkfield, (5) Von Miller, (6) Regis.
*Ohio State beats Indiana in Bloomington: ESPN.com's Eamonn Brennan nailed this -- a road win over an elite team was the remaining hole on Ohio State's resume. Time to add the Buckeyes to the short list of teams with the potential to win four straight in late March and make the Final Four.
(As for Indiana, they are still on the list, but -- yep -- those are doubts creeping in. Losing at home on Senior Night is what the old, pre-revived Hoosiers would do.)
*Blackhawks extend point streak: That's 20-0-3 on the season, 29 straight games with a point (extending back to last season) and 10 straight wins. The most must-follow team in sports keeps it going -- at this point it is folly to try to predict when this ride will end.
*Thunder thump the Lakers: Russell Westbrook (37 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists) with a reminder of why he is among the Top 5 most must-see players in the NBA and the X-factor in OKC's run for a second straight West title. Even Kobe tweeted out compliments after the game.
*Name to Know: Terrell Sinkfield, the Northern Iowa wide receiver who dropped by the pre-draft "Pro Day" at the University of Minnesota and ran a reportedly blistering 4.19 (and if that seems too good to be true, he also reported ran a 4.27, which is hardly slouching). Speed alone isn't enough to make it in the NFL -- but it sure helps.
*Von Miller says the Broncos are going to win the Super Bowl: Whatever his motivation, isn't that exactly what you want any player on a contender to say? Like he's supposed to say "We'll try our best!" or "Next year: Making the AFC title game or bust!" The fact that he was inspired by his 6-year-old cousin emerging from a coma makes it all the more inspired. If any player is allowed to make that kind of boast, it should be someone in the argument for best defensive player in the AFC.
*Regis Philbin was the headliner of the official promotion for Fox Sports' new ESPN competitor, Fox Sports 1. Regis will host a daily talk show head-to-head with ESPN's flagship daily shows PTI and Around the Horn -- that won't end well for Regis. It is unclear that Regis resonates with a younger audience, but it is easy to understand the interest in bringing in a "brand name."
The key will be the co-host that they pair with Regis -- the sports version of Kelly Ripa. (It's not without precedent: Michelle Beadle was largely unknown before being paired with Colin Cowherd on ESPN's SportsNation show, where she quickly established herself as the real star of the show.)
In the end, sports talk shows are fun, but sports networks make their money (cable fees and advertising) on showing live events. Fox has the existing assets -- and certainly the deep pockets -- to be competitive when it comes to securing live sports rights (like, say, Big East basketball).
More:
*Tweet of the Day: "Kid Blake: Who are you? Future Blake: you from the future... Don't listen to anything else I've told you just start wearing a cup." (from Blake Griffin, in response to Serge Ibaka merely earning a $25K fine for his groin shot on Griffin from Sunday).
*ICYMI: Don Van Natta's #longread on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell -- the newsy bit was that Goodell's biggest fear is a player dying on the field, but that feels like Goodell's shiny object meant to distract you from the actual issue -- the thousands of hits to the head that, over time, trigger CTE and other brain injuries that inevitably overtake players long after they have put themselves at immediate risk on the field.
*Johnny Football Watch: If Johnny Manziel's family wants an insurance policy for the remaining year he plays college football before going pro, he should just drop out now and work with George Whitfield or another NFL-prep QB coach for the year...
*College football hot stove: Michigan's chances of being nationally relevant in 2014 got a big boost with incumbent starting QB Devin Gardner getting an extra year of eligibility. Michigan's offense got better when he took over for Denard Robinson, and two years from now, he should be an elite QB nationally.
*Conference realignment: For selling their league name and giving up their marquee basketball teams, the Football League Soon To Be Formerly Known As The Big East is going to make a cool $100M. And that's on top of the cash from their TV deal. Not bad...
And the farthest thing from a winner: Man U. fans, watching their side bounced from Champions League by Real Madrid after an entirely iffy red card.
-- D.S.
*Ohio State beats Indiana in Bloomington: ESPN.com's Eamonn Brennan nailed this -- a road win over an elite team was the remaining hole on Ohio State's resume. Time to add the Buckeyes to the short list of teams with the potential to win four straight in late March and make the Final Four.
(As for Indiana, they are still on the list, but -- yep -- those are doubts creeping in. Losing at home on Senior Night is what the old, pre-revived Hoosiers would do.)
*Blackhawks extend point streak: That's 20-0-3 on the season, 29 straight games with a point (extending back to last season) and 10 straight wins. The most must-follow team in sports keeps it going -- at this point it is folly to try to predict when this ride will end.
*Thunder thump the Lakers: Russell Westbrook (37 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists) with a reminder of why he is among the Top 5 most must-see players in the NBA and the X-factor in OKC's run for a second straight West title. Even Kobe tweeted out compliments after the game.
*Name to Know: Terrell Sinkfield, the Northern Iowa wide receiver who dropped by the pre-draft "Pro Day" at the University of Minnesota and ran a reportedly blistering 4.19 (and if that seems too good to be true, he also reported ran a 4.27, which is hardly slouching). Speed alone isn't enough to make it in the NFL -- but it sure helps.
*Von Miller says the Broncos are going to win the Super Bowl: Whatever his motivation, isn't that exactly what you want any player on a contender to say? Like he's supposed to say "We'll try our best!" or "Next year: Making the AFC title game or bust!" The fact that he was inspired by his 6-year-old cousin emerging from a coma makes it all the more inspired. If any player is allowed to make that kind of boast, it should be someone in the argument for best defensive player in the AFC.
*Regis Philbin was the headliner of the official promotion for Fox Sports' new ESPN competitor, Fox Sports 1. Regis will host a daily talk show head-to-head with ESPN's flagship daily shows PTI and Around the Horn -- that won't end well for Regis. It is unclear that Regis resonates with a younger audience, but it is easy to understand the interest in bringing in a "brand name."
The key will be the co-host that they pair with Regis -- the sports version of Kelly Ripa. (It's not without precedent: Michelle Beadle was largely unknown before being paired with Colin Cowherd on ESPN's SportsNation show, where she quickly established herself as the real star of the show.)
In the end, sports talk shows are fun, but sports networks make their money (cable fees and advertising) on showing live events. Fox has the existing assets -- and certainly the deep pockets -- to be competitive when it comes to securing live sports rights (like, say, Big East basketball).
More:
*Tweet of the Day: "Kid Blake: Who are you? Future Blake: you from the future... Don't listen to anything else I've told you just start wearing a cup." (from Blake Griffin, in response to Serge Ibaka merely earning a $25K fine for his groin shot on Griffin from Sunday).
*ICYMI: Don Van Natta's #longread on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell -- the newsy bit was that Goodell's biggest fear is a player dying on the field, but that feels like Goodell's shiny object meant to distract you from the actual issue -- the thousands of hits to the head that, over time, trigger CTE and other brain injuries that inevitably overtake players long after they have put themselves at immediate risk on the field.
*Johnny Football Watch: If Johnny Manziel's family wants an insurance policy for the remaining year he plays college football before going pro, he should just drop out now and work with George Whitfield or another NFL-prep QB coach for the year...
*College football hot stove: Michigan's chances of being nationally relevant in 2014 got a big boost with incumbent starting QB Devin Gardner getting an extra year of eligibility. Michigan's offense got better when he took over for Denard Robinson, and two years from now, he should be an elite QB nationally.
*Conference realignment: For selling their league name and giving up their marquee basketball teams, the Football League Soon To Be Formerly Known As The Big East is going to make a cool $100M. And that's on top of the cash from their TV deal. Not bad...
And the farthest thing from a winner: Man U. fans, watching their side bounced from Champions League by Real Madrid after an entirely iffy red card.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, March 05, 2013
3/05 (Tuesday) Quickie
Today's big winners: Brittney Griner, Notre Dame women's hoops, the Heat (again x 15), Joe Flacco, Kobe, Dwayne Bowe (and Alex Smith), Jack Nicklaus.
First off: In the ongoing discussion about where LeBron James ranks among all-time NBA players (short answer: there is an apples/oranges problem, but he is probably already Top 10 and will finish his career no less than Top 3 but possibly No. 1), we clearly are overlooking one thing:
LeBron isn't even the most dominant basketball player in 2013 -- that would be Baylor's Brittney Griner, who capped Senior Night with 50 points. Greatest women's college hoops player ever? She's in the conversation, that's for sure. Unclear there is an analogue in the NBA for Griner's potential impact on the WNBA -- maybe Patrick Ewing when he came out of Georgetown?
It was a big night for women's college hoops: ND beat UConn for the Big East title in 3 OT, in the women's college hoops game of the year.
Meanwhile, on the LeBron beat: The Heat won their 15th straight. I might as well keep repeating what I said yesterday -- the season is over. Everyone else is playing for second place. And that's OK -- there is nothing wrong with watching basketball played at a near-ideal level by the runaway champs.
Tracking: Carmelo Anthony's knee.
Eating: Joe Flacco, flush with Ravens cash, going to a McDonald's drive-thru.
Talking: Kobe, who says that if Serge Ibaka gave him a groin-shot like Ibaka did to Blake Griffin on Sunday, Kobe "would have smacked" him. Kobe-in-twilight continues to be the best Kobe.
NFL: The Chiefs reached a deal with Dwayne Bowe, who will have as much to say about Alex Smith's impact in KC as anyone except Jamaal Charles.
Golf: Look at Jack Nicklaus with the Tiger-trolling! Jack said Tiger "better get going" if he is going to topple Nicklaus' record for major wins. Five years ago, we all would have said "That's just going to motivate Tiger even more!" Today, of course, it's unclear that the challenge won't unnerve Tiger. There is no "turning it on" for Tiger anymore.
Let's be real: Nicklaus is right.
-- D.S.
First off: In the ongoing discussion about where LeBron James ranks among all-time NBA players (short answer: there is an apples/oranges problem, but he is probably already Top 10 and will finish his career no less than Top 3 but possibly No. 1), we clearly are overlooking one thing:
LeBron isn't even the most dominant basketball player in 2013 -- that would be Baylor's Brittney Griner, who capped Senior Night with 50 points. Greatest women's college hoops player ever? She's in the conversation, that's for sure. Unclear there is an analogue in the NBA for Griner's potential impact on the WNBA -- maybe Patrick Ewing when he came out of Georgetown?
It was a big night for women's college hoops: ND beat UConn for the Big East title in 3 OT, in the women's college hoops game of the year.
Meanwhile, on the LeBron beat: The Heat won their 15th straight. I might as well keep repeating what I said yesterday -- the season is over. Everyone else is playing for second place. And that's OK -- there is nothing wrong with watching basketball played at a near-ideal level by the runaway champs.
Tracking: Carmelo Anthony's knee.
Eating: Joe Flacco, flush with Ravens cash, going to a McDonald's drive-thru.
Talking: Kobe, who says that if Serge Ibaka gave him a groin-shot like Ibaka did to Blake Griffin on Sunday, Kobe "would have smacked" him. Kobe-in-twilight continues to be the best Kobe.
NFL: The Chiefs reached a deal with Dwayne Bowe, who will have as much to say about Alex Smith's impact in KC as anyone except Jamaal Charles.
Golf: Look at Jack Nicklaus with the Tiger-trolling! Jack said Tiger "better get going" if he is going to topple Nicklaus' record for major wins. Five years ago, we all would have said "That's just going to motivate Tiger even more!" Today, of course, it's unclear that the challenge won't unnerve Tiger. There is no "turning it on" for Tiger anymore.
Let's be real: Nicklaus is right.
-- D.S.
Monday, March 04, 2013
3/4 (Monday) Quickie
First of all: Oh my god, that buzzer-beater by the New Rochelle (NY) high school player to win the playoff game. To all the folks saying "Never seen a more incredible shot," I think I agree with you.
I consider the NBA season over. The Heat are going to storm their way to the NBA title, and LeBron is going to carry them there with the greatest individual season since the peak of Michael Jordan. Sunday's win in New York wasn't flashy -- just devastatingly effective. Watching the league's best player at the peak of his effectiveness? There are a lot worse playoff plot lines.
Blackhawks keep winning/not losing: My kids love hockey, so we ended up watching most of the Blackhawks-Red Wings game yesterday, and oh wow, was it entertaining. Much of that had to do with the stakes (Chicago's season-opening point streak), but layer in the rivalry, how hard the Red Wings were playing and how rabid the Detroit fans were about watching the Wings snap Chicago's streak. Then the Hawks ripped their heart out. I have to imagine it is simultaneously thrilling and excruciating for Chicago fans that the incredible start has raised expectations to "Stanley Cup champion or Fail."
Kobe's dunk on Josh Smith (and leading the Lakers back to .500): LeBron may be jaw-dropping in his sheer dominance, but if I had to pick a single player to watch right now, it would be Kobe -- in his career twilight but so maniacally desperate to get the Lakers back into the playoffs that he seems to be playing as hard as he ever has.
CBB: Gonzaga will be No. 1? Covered this yesterday -- I can respect Gonzaga as an excellent team (I have no problem already penciling them into the Final Four, wherever they end up in the bracket) but reject them as having earned the (entirely vestigial) No. 1 spot in the latest regular-season poll. Their strength of schedule is just too spotty.
Michigan holds off Michigan State: Big win for Big Blue, but still don't see Michigan with the defense to win four straight in late March to get to the Final Four.
Meanwhile: No change to yesterday's opinion that Ryan Kelly had the single-best performance by a college basketball player this season on Saturday night in Duke's win over Miami.
MLB: Mike Trout's agent does him no favors griping about his salary. Of course he is wildly underpaid, but it is unclear complaining about it now fixes anything. On the one hand: Yes, some young stars are going to be underpaid relative to market value, often extremely. On the other hand, non-rich teams being able to control their young talent on reasonable contracts is at the heart of what little competitive balance actually exists in baseball. Isn't he satisfied that in 5 or 6 years, Trout is going to command $300 million?
NFL: Peter King has a great detail leading MMQB this week that Bob Kraft didn't want Tom Brady to leave the Pats like Joe Montana left the 49ers. I appreciate that, but if the Patriots had a successor to Brady who was as good as Steve Young was at the tail end of Joe Montana's career, wouldn't a clear-eyed organization like the Patriots do exactly what the 49ers did? Why get sentimental about it now, when sentimentality is precisely what the Pats have NOT stood for during its Belichick/Brady Dynasty?
Dennis Rodman's trip to North Korea: On the "Te'o Scale" of jaw-dropping absurdity, it's at least a 7, possibly an 8.
Get well soon, Bradley Beal.
-- D.S.
I consider the NBA season over. The Heat are going to storm their way to the NBA title, and LeBron is going to carry them there with the greatest individual season since the peak of Michael Jordan. Sunday's win in New York wasn't flashy -- just devastatingly effective. Watching the league's best player at the peak of his effectiveness? There are a lot worse playoff plot lines.
Blackhawks keep winning/not losing: My kids love hockey, so we ended up watching most of the Blackhawks-Red Wings game yesterday, and oh wow, was it entertaining. Much of that had to do with the stakes (Chicago's season-opening point streak), but layer in the rivalry, how hard the Red Wings were playing and how rabid the Detroit fans were about watching the Wings snap Chicago's streak. Then the Hawks ripped their heart out. I have to imagine it is simultaneously thrilling and excruciating for Chicago fans that the incredible start has raised expectations to "Stanley Cup champion or Fail."
Kobe's dunk on Josh Smith (and leading the Lakers back to .500): LeBron may be jaw-dropping in his sheer dominance, but if I had to pick a single player to watch right now, it would be Kobe -- in his career twilight but so maniacally desperate to get the Lakers back into the playoffs that he seems to be playing as hard as he ever has.
CBB: Gonzaga will be No. 1? Covered this yesterday -- I can respect Gonzaga as an excellent team (I have no problem already penciling them into the Final Four, wherever they end up in the bracket) but reject them as having earned the (entirely vestigial) No. 1 spot in the latest regular-season poll. Their strength of schedule is just too spotty.
Michigan holds off Michigan State: Big win for Big Blue, but still don't see Michigan with the defense to win four straight in late March to get to the Final Four.
Meanwhile: No change to yesterday's opinion that Ryan Kelly had the single-best performance by a college basketball player this season on Saturday night in Duke's win over Miami.
MLB: Mike Trout's agent does him no favors griping about his salary. Of course he is wildly underpaid, but it is unclear complaining about it now fixes anything. On the one hand: Yes, some young stars are going to be underpaid relative to market value, often extremely. On the other hand, non-rich teams being able to control their young talent on reasonable contracts is at the heart of what little competitive balance actually exists in baseball. Isn't he satisfied that in 5 or 6 years, Trout is going to command $300 million?
NFL: Peter King has a great detail leading MMQB this week that Bob Kraft didn't want Tom Brady to leave the Pats like Joe Montana left the 49ers. I appreciate that, but if the Patriots had a successor to Brady who was as good as Steve Young was at the tail end of Joe Montana's career, wouldn't a clear-eyed organization like the Patriots do exactly what the 49ers did? Why get sentimental about it now, when sentimentality is precisely what the Pats have NOT stood for during its Belichick/Brady Dynasty?
Dennis Rodman's trip to North Korea: On the "Te'o Scale" of jaw-dropping absurdity, it's at least a 7, possibly an 8.
Get well soon, Bradley Beal.
-- D.S.
Sunday, March 03, 2013
3/3 (Ryan Kelly) Quickie
I'm not a Duke fan (to say the least), but Ryan Kelly wins the weekend.
Coming off a 7-week layoff, his 36-point outburst in front of a frenzied home crowd (and floor-slapping teammates) against a Top 5 team that had previously thrashed the Blue Devils in a win that pole-positions (or "poll-positions") Duke for a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament was THE signature individual performance of the year in college basketball.
The five other college hoops stories I'm paying attention to:
*VCU. Holy moley. What the Rams did to Butler was something I never thought any team would be able to do to Butler. If you weren't at least noodling on the idea of VCU being talented enough to make a Final Four run, this is your moment to start.
*Louisville tops Syracuse at the Dome: The Orange aren't necessarily a team you consider an offensive juggernaut, but they are Top 20 in offensive efficiency. However, Louisville is No. 1 in the country in defensive efficiency, and it showed. The Cardinals have got to be on anyone's short list of bonafide Final Four contenders -- their defense is just too good, and combined with a more than "good enough" offense.
*Shabazz Muhammad didn't exactly dominate college basketball in his one-and-done year (as you might expect a No. 1 national recruit would), but 18 points in a home finale upset of a ranked conference foe isn't a bad finish.
*Otto Porter Watch: 28 and 8 in a G'town win over Rutgers for the should-be/could-be/would-be national player of the year.
*Gonzaga will probably be No. 1, but Saturday's 29-point thrashing of lowly Portland is a good reminder that the Zags play a creampuff schedule. Don't get me wrong: Gonzaga is a very very good team -- I will have no problem penciling them through to the Final Four. But there are a dozen teams that could go 16-0 in the WCC in any given year and many multiples that could put up gaudy win totals playing in that conference.
Watching today: Michigan St-Michigan at 4 on CBS, plus ducking in on the NBA afternoon double-header (Heat-Knicks, Thunder-Clippers) on ABC.
-- D.S.
Coming off a 7-week layoff, his 36-point outburst in front of a frenzied home crowd (and floor-slapping teammates) against a Top 5 team that had previously thrashed the Blue Devils in a win that pole-positions (or "poll-positions") Duke for a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament was THE signature individual performance of the year in college basketball.
The five other college hoops stories I'm paying attention to:
*VCU. Holy moley. What the Rams did to Butler was something I never thought any team would be able to do to Butler. If you weren't at least noodling on the idea of VCU being talented enough to make a Final Four run, this is your moment to start.
*Louisville tops Syracuse at the Dome: The Orange aren't necessarily a team you consider an offensive juggernaut, but they are Top 20 in offensive efficiency. However, Louisville is No. 1 in the country in defensive efficiency, and it showed. The Cardinals have got to be on anyone's short list of bonafide Final Four contenders -- their defense is just too good, and combined with a more than "good enough" offense.
*Shabazz Muhammad didn't exactly dominate college basketball in his one-and-done year (as you might expect a No. 1 national recruit would), but 18 points in a home finale upset of a ranked conference foe isn't a bad finish.
*Otto Porter Watch: 28 and 8 in a G'town win over Rutgers for the should-be/could-be/would-be national player of the year.
*Gonzaga will probably be No. 1, but Saturday's 29-point thrashing of lowly Portland is a good reminder that the Zags play a creampuff schedule. Don't get me wrong: Gonzaga is a very very good team -- I will have no problem penciling them through to the Final Four. But there are a dozen teams that could go 16-0 in the WCC in any given year and many multiples that could put up gaudy win totals playing in that conference.
Watching today: Michigan St-Michigan at 4 on CBS, plus ducking in on the NBA afternoon double-header (Heat-Knicks, Thunder-Clippers) on ABC.
-- D.S.
Saturday, March 02, 2013
03/02 (Very) Quickie
So I guess the real question is which team is going to lose first -- the Heat or the Blackhawks? (The difference is that where the Heat seem to be in a position to steamroll to a championship, it is entirely unclear whether the Blackhawks' season-opening run will carry through to its closing.)
College Hoops Saturday: Is Miami-Duke a play-in game for a 1-seed? Not quite -- ultimately, any meeting in the ACC Tournament would probably be decisive, but today instantly becomes the top line on the resume for the winner.
Other games I'm tracking:
Noon: Alabama at Florida (ESPN), Butler at VCU (ESPN2).
Honestly: Butler-VCU is the day's most must-see game.
2 pm: Wichita State at Creighton (ESPN2)
Another great mid-major battle.
4 pm: Kentucky at Arkansas (CBS)
Back on the wrong side of bubble for UK when they lose.
6 pm: Miami at Duke
Ultimate test for The U. Envision Duke rout here.
9 pm: Arizona at UCLA
Not a big believer in 'Zona. Win here helps.
Joe Flacco's big deal: Is he worthy of being the highest-paid QB in NFL history? That's not really a fair question -- it's just a function of market rates, combined with Flacco pulling off a spectacular playoff run that earned him and his team a championship. So the short answer is: Yes, worthy.
Wow, what happened to Rory McIlroy? At this point, you just hope that he figures out whatever has him psychologically occupied.
Enjoy your Saturday.
-- D.S.
College Hoops Saturday: Is Miami-Duke a play-in game for a 1-seed? Not quite -- ultimately, any meeting in the ACC Tournament would probably be decisive, but today instantly becomes the top line on the resume for the winner.
Other games I'm tracking:
Noon: Alabama at Florida (ESPN), Butler at VCU (ESPN2).
Honestly: Butler-VCU is the day's most must-see game.
2 pm: Wichita State at Creighton (ESPN2)
Another great mid-major battle.
4 pm: Kentucky at Arkansas (CBS)
Back on the wrong side of bubble for UK when they lose.
6 pm: Miami at Duke
Ultimate test for The U. Envision Duke rout here.
9 pm: Arizona at UCLA
Not a big believer in 'Zona. Win here helps.
Joe Flacco's big deal: Is he worthy of being the highest-paid QB in NFL history? That's not really a fair question -- it's just a function of market rates, combined with Flacco pulling off a spectacular playoff run that earned him and his team a championship. So the short answer is: Yes, worthy.
Wow, what happened to Rory McIlroy? At this point, you just hope that he figures out whatever has him psychologically occupied.
Enjoy your Saturday.
-- D.S.
Friday, March 01, 2013
03/01 (March) Quickie
March is here. It is also my daughter's 1st birthday, which is a happy confluence.
*Virginia stuns Duke: As someone who believes that the college hoops regular season's main function is to get everyone ready for the NCAA Tournament, I couldn't care less about the way teams in the Top 5 seem to lose every week as it relates to the utterly useless regular-season "Who's No. 1?" debate (or even the largely useless regular-season "Who are the four 1-seeds?" debate).
The 'Hoos' win over Duke is valuable in one big way: It is an affirmation that it is going to be really hard this year to pick the team that is going to win six straight to win the national title (or even the three other teams that will win four straight and make the Final Four). Every would-be contender has displayed at least a few moments where you can doubt yourself when penciling in their name across a bracket.
Your best bet remains finding those teams with high defensive-efficiency ratings that can also score if they need to (represented by high offensive-efficiency ratings). That puts some of the usual suspects in the mix -- Indiana, Florida, Gonzaga, Louisville, Duke, Kansas, maybe even a wild card like VCU.
But it also should make you skeptical of, say, Georgetown (a team that plays fantastic defense but relies too heavily on one scorer to create any offense) or Michigan (a team that can score but doesn't come close to playing defense at an elite level). Miami and Wisconsin -- and, of course, Final Four stand-by Michigan State -- are intriguing possibilities.
Wrapping it back to last night's "upset," it shouldn't have come as too big of a shock: Virginia's defensive efficiency is in the Top 20 and its offense is underrated (coming in at a respectable No. 31 in KenPom's offensive efficiency ranking). For all of Duke's offensive brilliance, it had trouble stopping UVA's offense -- unsurprisingly, Duke's defense is ranked behind UVA's, along with 20 other teams.
*"Catholic 7" to expand, claim new old name: I sort of loved the "Catholic 7" shorthand for the spin-off basketball-first teams leaving the Big East. But now they are going to buy the name "Big East" from the old league (for whom it barely applied before and certainly doesn't now) for their start-up league, along with adding a few new members: Butler and Xavier, both of whom are big wins for the league -- perennial Top 25 teams (and, perhaps more important, perennial Tournament studs). St. Louis is also going to be added (another Top 25 team) and, reportedly, Creighton is in the mix. That's a bit of a reach, geographically. I would favor VCU.
*Those Adidas uniforms: I typically applaud the apparel companies for trying new things. The "short-sleeve" look doesn't bother me -- if you watched what happened in the NBA with Golden State, this is clearly going to be a bigger thing in basketball -- but the Zubaz-style shorts are awful. I love wearing basketball shorts around (the house, not in public), and I wouldn't wear those if I was given a pair for free, let alone buy them. Maybe I'm not the target market, but this isn't fashion via Oregon football or Maryland basketball -- it is a look that wasn't good back when we first saw it 20 years ago and hasn't gotten any better with age.
*Blackhawks' streak reaches 20: I'm not following their games live, but when I know they are playing the night before, it has become the first score I look for in the morning.
*Kings vs. Sacramento: I used to live in Seattle and have many friends from there who truly lament losing the Sonics and wish daily for an NBA team, but I hope that the Kings stay in Sacramento.
*LeBron wins everything, cont'd: I am not a big fan of the Harlem Shake craze, but the Heat did an incredible version. Consider how well LeBron is playing right now... and how willing he is to have fun with this video. It's really endearing -- the guy has a fantastic sense of humor about himself.
Have a great weekend -- light updates all weekend long, as usual.
-- D.S.
*Virginia stuns Duke: As someone who believes that the college hoops regular season's main function is to get everyone ready for the NCAA Tournament, I couldn't care less about the way teams in the Top 5 seem to lose every week as it relates to the utterly useless regular-season "Who's No. 1?" debate (or even the largely useless regular-season "Who are the four 1-seeds?" debate).
The 'Hoos' win over Duke is valuable in one big way: It is an affirmation that it is going to be really hard this year to pick the team that is going to win six straight to win the national title (or even the three other teams that will win four straight and make the Final Four). Every would-be contender has displayed at least a few moments where you can doubt yourself when penciling in their name across a bracket.
Your best bet remains finding those teams with high defensive-efficiency ratings that can also score if they need to (represented by high offensive-efficiency ratings). That puts some of the usual suspects in the mix -- Indiana, Florida, Gonzaga, Louisville, Duke, Kansas, maybe even a wild card like VCU.
But it also should make you skeptical of, say, Georgetown (a team that plays fantastic defense but relies too heavily on one scorer to create any offense) or Michigan (a team that can score but doesn't come close to playing defense at an elite level). Miami and Wisconsin -- and, of course, Final Four stand-by Michigan State -- are intriguing possibilities.
Wrapping it back to last night's "upset," it shouldn't have come as too big of a shock: Virginia's defensive efficiency is in the Top 20 and its offense is underrated (coming in at a respectable No. 31 in KenPom's offensive efficiency ranking). For all of Duke's offensive brilliance, it had trouble stopping UVA's offense -- unsurprisingly, Duke's defense is ranked behind UVA's, along with 20 other teams.
*"Catholic 7" to expand, claim new old name: I sort of loved the "Catholic 7" shorthand for the spin-off basketball-first teams leaving the Big East. But now they are going to buy the name "Big East" from the old league (for whom it barely applied before and certainly doesn't now) for their start-up league, along with adding a few new members: Butler and Xavier, both of whom are big wins for the league -- perennial Top 25 teams (and, perhaps more important, perennial Tournament studs). St. Louis is also going to be added (another Top 25 team) and, reportedly, Creighton is in the mix. That's a bit of a reach, geographically. I would favor VCU.
*Those Adidas uniforms: I typically applaud the apparel companies for trying new things. The "short-sleeve" look doesn't bother me -- if you watched what happened in the NBA with Golden State, this is clearly going to be a bigger thing in basketball -- but the Zubaz-style shorts are awful. I love wearing basketball shorts around (the house, not in public), and I wouldn't wear those if I was given a pair for free, let alone buy them. Maybe I'm not the target market, but this isn't fashion via Oregon football or Maryland basketball -- it is a look that wasn't good back when we first saw it 20 years ago and hasn't gotten any better with age.
*Blackhawks' streak reaches 20: I'm not following their games live, but when I know they are playing the night before, it has become the first score I look for in the morning.
*Kings vs. Sacramento: I used to live in Seattle and have many friends from there who truly lament losing the Sonics and wish daily for an NBA team, but I hope that the Kings stay in Sacramento.
*LeBron wins everything, cont'd: I am not a big fan of the Harlem Shake craze, but the Heat did an incredible version. Consider how well LeBron is playing right now... and how willing he is to have fun with this video. It's really endearing -- the guy has a fantastic sense of humor about himself.
Have a great weekend -- light updates all weekend long, as usual.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
2/28 (Curry) Quickie
*Well, that Stephen Curry 54-point binge at MSG was just about the most fun thing you'll see in the NBA this season. That Curry's Warriors lost? OK, it happens. The real result is that Curry elevates himself into one of the Top 5 must-see players in the league (behind LeBron, Durant and Kobe but I would argue ahead of Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook).
*Michigan's loss to lowly Penn State is the kind of result that sticks with you on Selection Sunday. I don't care how good their offense is -- Michigan's defense isn't nearly good enough to win four straight in late March to get to a Final Four. That this team was on a short list for 1-seeds is kind of a joke.
*Georgetown's Otto Porter: The answer to the question "Who is college basketball's national player of the year?" One of the handful of most intriguing storylines heading into the NCAA Tournament is how far Porter plus a Top 5 defense can carry Georgetown.
(If you're picking four players to join Porter on an all-America team, go with Indiana's Victor Oladipo, Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk, Creighton's Doug McDermott and Michigan's Trey Burke. Sorry, Cody Zeller. He can anchor the 2nd team, including Duke's Plumlee, Kansas' McLemore, Florida's Murphy and OK St's Smart.)
*Chiefs trade for Alex Smith: Best they could do with a bad hand. Maybe if they weren't picking first overall, they would take Geno Smith. Maybe Andy Reid didn't want to trade for Nick Foles. Maybe they didn't want to risk Matt Barkley not being there at the top of the 2nd round. (Hell, maybe if they saw this coming, they would have traded this year's 1st to the Rams last year for the chance to draft RGIII.) KC's QB situation has been a mess since Joe Montana -- this is as close to stability as they have seen in decades. What could go wrong?
*49ers get 1st pick of 2nd round: So they either get arguably the most valuable player of the 2013 draft or leverage that pick into a trade for, say, Darrelle Revis. Best franchise in football gets better.
-- D.S.
*Michigan's loss to lowly Penn State is the kind of result that sticks with you on Selection Sunday. I don't care how good their offense is -- Michigan's defense isn't nearly good enough to win four straight in late March to get to a Final Four. That this team was on a short list for 1-seeds is kind of a joke.
*Georgetown's Otto Porter: The answer to the question "Who is college basketball's national player of the year?" One of the handful of most intriguing storylines heading into the NCAA Tournament is how far Porter plus a Top 5 defense can carry Georgetown.
(If you're picking four players to join Porter on an all-America team, go with Indiana's Victor Oladipo, Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk, Creighton's Doug McDermott and Michigan's Trey Burke. Sorry, Cody Zeller. He can anchor the 2nd team, including Duke's Plumlee, Kansas' McLemore, Florida's Murphy and OK St's Smart.)
*Chiefs trade for Alex Smith: Best they could do with a bad hand. Maybe if they weren't picking first overall, they would take Geno Smith. Maybe Andy Reid didn't want to trade for Nick Foles. Maybe they didn't want to risk Matt Barkley not being there at the top of the 2nd round. (Hell, maybe if they saw this coming, they would have traded this year's 1st to the Rams last year for the chance to draft RGIII.) KC's QB situation has been a mess since Joe Montana -- this is as close to stability as they have seen in decades. What could go wrong?
*49ers get 1st pick of 2nd round: So they either get arguably the most valuable player of the 2013 draft or leverage that pick into a trade for, say, Darrelle Revis. Best franchise in football gets better.
-- D.S.
2/27 (Is It March Yet?) Quickie
Hard not to feel good for Minnesota fans after last night's win over No. 1 Indiana -- the signature win of Tubby Smith's era and arguably Minnesota's best win since the '97 team zipped to the Final Four.
It is also a reminder that Indiana -- like every other would-be contender -- is fallible, but it is hardly damning to lose on the road to an ultra-motivated opponent (see Florida losing at Tennessee).
No reason not to maintain IU as a Final Four team -- four straight on a neutral court isn't the same as a one-off in a rocking Minneapolis arena in February.
As for Florida? Still a bonafide Final Four contender -- if you're just casually following the Gators, it seems like an ugly road loss. But Florida was playing with 6 guys -- they were missing X-factor Will Yeguete and frosh super-shooter Michael Frazier, both of whom will be back for the Tournament. At full strength, Florida is as good as anyone -- as long as they aren't shipped out West, I'll take a 2- or 3-seed for this team -- all the more likely folks in my bracket pool won't pick them.
(The opposite? Memphis, who hasn't beaten anyone and whose "win streak" was snapped by Xavier. I can't dump Memphis out of my bracket fast enough; meanwhile, Xavier remains one of Those Teams where you will kick yourself for not anticipating the perennial Sweet 16 run. That is: If the Musketeers can even get into the Tournament; they are on the wrong side of the bubble -- last night was a must-win, but they have more work to do. KenPom has them ranked in the 80s, but they finish the regular season with games against Tourney locks St. Louis and Butler. Both are must-win, but if the X-men pull it off, they will be on the right side of the bubble.)
Gonzaga will be No. 1? Apparently, strength of schedule doesn't matter. Look: Gonzaga is a really good team -- over the weekend, I put them in my "if the season ended now" Final Four -- but they benefit tremendously from playing a soft conference schedule.
LeBron scores 40 in 2OT win over Sacramento: Was that the game of the year in the NBA? Regardless, one more superlative for LeBron's season -- highest scoring output for him this year. It is hard to think of a player who had a better month in the last 25 years than LeBron's February.
(Meanwhile, I really hope that LeBron keeps up with his pregame dunking shows -- who in the world thinks those are a bad thing?)
Pacers-Warriors scuffle: Roy Hibbert can look forward to a week or two off. The big winner? Stephen Curry, who took on Indiana's 7-footer.
NFL Draft: Alabama's Dee Milliner runs a 4.37 -- he was already the best DB in the draft. Feels like a can't-miss prospect in a league that is dominated by passing.
Mike Holmgren to the Raiders? He's a retread, but Oakland needs all the help it can get.
Milestones: Vivian Stringer hits 900 wins. After yesterday's talk of 500 wins for Bill Self, 900 is truly rare air.
-- D.S.
It is also a reminder that Indiana -- like every other would-be contender -- is fallible, but it is hardly damning to lose on the road to an ultra-motivated opponent (see Florida losing at Tennessee).
No reason not to maintain IU as a Final Four team -- four straight on a neutral court isn't the same as a one-off in a rocking Minneapolis arena in February.
As for Florida? Still a bonafide Final Four contender -- if you're just casually following the Gators, it seems like an ugly road loss. But Florida was playing with 6 guys -- they were missing X-factor Will Yeguete and frosh super-shooter Michael Frazier, both of whom will be back for the Tournament. At full strength, Florida is as good as anyone -- as long as they aren't shipped out West, I'll take a 2- or 3-seed for this team -- all the more likely folks in my bracket pool won't pick them.
(The opposite? Memphis, who hasn't beaten anyone and whose "win streak" was snapped by Xavier. I can't dump Memphis out of my bracket fast enough; meanwhile, Xavier remains one of Those Teams where you will kick yourself for not anticipating the perennial Sweet 16 run. That is: If the Musketeers can even get into the Tournament; they are on the wrong side of the bubble -- last night was a must-win, but they have more work to do. KenPom has them ranked in the 80s, but they finish the regular season with games against Tourney locks St. Louis and Butler. Both are must-win, but if the X-men pull it off, they will be on the right side of the bubble.)
Gonzaga will be No. 1? Apparently, strength of schedule doesn't matter. Look: Gonzaga is a really good team -- over the weekend, I put them in my "if the season ended now" Final Four -- but they benefit tremendously from playing a soft conference schedule.
LeBron scores 40 in 2OT win over Sacramento: Was that the game of the year in the NBA? Regardless, one more superlative for LeBron's season -- highest scoring output for him this year. It is hard to think of a player who had a better month in the last 25 years than LeBron's February.
(Meanwhile, I really hope that LeBron keeps up with his pregame dunking shows -- who in the world thinks those are a bad thing?)
Pacers-Warriors scuffle: Roy Hibbert can look forward to a week or two off. The big winner? Stephen Curry, who took on Indiana's 7-footer.
NFL Draft: Alabama's Dee Milliner runs a 4.37 -- he was already the best DB in the draft. Feels like a can't-miss prospect in a league that is dominated by passing.
Mike Holmgren to the Raiders? He's a retread, but Oakland needs all the help it can get.
Milestones: Vivian Stringer hits 900 wins. After yesterday's talk of 500 wins for Bill Self, 900 is truly rare air.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
2/26 (Very) Quickie
*Of course Tom Brady took less than market value, ensuring that the Patriots can continue to make moves around him to keep the team competitive. Cripes, it's hard to begrudge that guy.
*But what does it mean for Joe Flacco? Nothing. Flacco is going to get paid, and the only reaction will be to reductively compare Flacco's money-grubbing to Brady's selflessness. In reply, Flacco can just hold up the Super Bowl trophy.
*Manti Te'o runs slow at the combine: The gif of Jim Harbaugh shaking his head is hilarious. Te'o is also smaller than everyone thought. You want to default to "But the heart!" but the reality is that Te'o ain't Ray Lewis. Some contender will reach for him at the end of the 1st round, and he will play well surrounded by lots of other talent (rather than anchoring a defense himself). But a superstar? Nope.
*Lakers lose to Nuggets: Not quite the way to reach the playoffs.
*Kansas survives at Iowa State: Tough place to play, still not sold on KU as a Final Four team. (Meanwhile, I would not have guessed that Bill Self is a 500-win coach. He is No. 54 all-time and only four typically successful seasons away from the Top 30 and the 600-win threshold. The names that might surprise you on the all-time list? Bob Huggins and Mike Montgomery both in the Top 25, with more than 650 wins each. Up next in the 500 club? Jim Larranaga and Dana Altman should both crack the plateau next season. Billy Donovan is two seasons away; Tom Izzo is three seasons away, as is Larry Eustachy.)
*Marquette beats Syracuse: Feels like Sweet 16 is the ceiling for both. (But I caught some of the game last night, and that Marquette student section is awesome.)
*Blackhawks keep winning: Even if you're not a hockey fan, this streak to open the season should have you checking the schedule to see when Chicago is playing and how they're doing.
*Alabama offers scholly to 8th grader: Attention all college basketball coaches: Gabe Shanoff displayed a sweet shot in the 1st-grade basketball league this month. Please feel free to make scholarship offers. (Reminds me of this funny Varsity Dad parody post I did five years ago.)
*Gareth Bale: Whew. Hell of a goal.
-- D.S.
*But what does it mean for Joe Flacco? Nothing. Flacco is going to get paid, and the only reaction will be to reductively compare Flacco's money-grubbing to Brady's selflessness. In reply, Flacco can just hold up the Super Bowl trophy.
*Manti Te'o runs slow at the combine: The gif of Jim Harbaugh shaking his head is hilarious. Te'o is also smaller than everyone thought. You want to default to "But the heart!" but the reality is that Te'o ain't Ray Lewis. Some contender will reach for him at the end of the 1st round, and he will play well surrounded by lots of other talent (rather than anchoring a defense himself). But a superstar? Nope.
*Lakers lose to Nuggets: Not quite the way to reach the playoffs.
*Kansas survives at Iowa State: Tough place to play, still not sold on KU as a Final Four team. (Meanwhile, I would not have guessed that Bill Self is a 500-win coach. He is No. 54 all-time and only four typically successful seasons away from the Top 30 and the 600-win threshold. The names that might surprise you on the all-time list? Bob Huggins and Mike Montgomery both in the Top 25, with more than 650 wins each. Up next in the 500 club? Jim Larranaga and Dana Altman should both crack the plateau next season. Billy Donovan is two seasons away; Tom Izzo is three seasons away, as is Larry Eustachy.)
*Marquette beats Syracuse: Feels like Sweet 16 is the ceiling for both. (But I caught some of the game last night, and that Marquette student section is awesome.)
*Blackhawks keep winning: Even if you're not a hockey fan, this streak to open the season should have you checking the schedule to see when Chicago is playing and how they're doing.
*Alabama offers scholly to 8th grader: Attention all college basketball coaches: Gabe Shanoff displayed a sweet shot in the 1st-grade basketball league this month. Please feel free to make scholarship offers. (Reminds me of this funny Varsity Dad parody post I did five years ago.)
*Gareth Bale: Whew. Hell of a goal.
-- D.S.
Monday, February 25, 2013
2/25 (Monday) Quickie
I don't think it was reasonable to EXPECT Danica to win the Daytona 500, but a Top 10 finish certainly affirms her pole-position start. (That said, that Danica was nudged from what seemed like a sure-fire Top 5 -- Top 3? -- finish to the back of the Top 10 was disappointing.)
All in all, Daytona got what it wanted/needed -- Danica near the front and a largely dramatic finish featuring Jimmie Johnson offering up the racing equivalent of "You all forgot about me, didn't you?"
NFL Offseason: Alex Smith about to be traded to KC? Well, about to be traded somewhere, with the Chiefs the presumptive destination. Smith is right to want to get out of SF, but I think he will find that Andy Reid is a steep drop-off from Jim Harbaugh as a coach that can get the most out of him. Still: It's a chance to start. (Anyone else just as intrigued as to who Harbaugh might bring in as Colin Kaepernick's new back-up? I'm obviously biased, but if any coach can confidently figure out how to deploy Tim Tebow innovatively, it is Harbaugh. What a fit that could be.)
Kobe is the best: "Amnesty THAT" as a tweet after the Lakers beat the Mavs, whose owner Mark Cuban suggested the Lakers should amnesty Kobe after the season.
Heat win 11th straight, beating the Cavs, but of course all anyone wants to talk about is the years-away speculation that LeBron would eventually return to Cleveland, pair with Kyrie Irving and lead the Cavs to a title. As someone who wrote about LeBron being a lock to leave Cleveland years before The Decision, I'm all for this kind of insane speculation -- as soon as LeBron wins a bunch of rings in Miami (and there is no reason to think it won't be three, including last year, '13 and '14), I could absolutely see him returning to Cleveland to try to win a title there. (Honestly? My biggest question is how he would/could co-exist with Irving, who needs the ball in his hands to be most effective.)
Ohio State d. Michigan State: Just when I thought that I had a handle on the Spartans as a potential Final Four team, they lose in Columbus (no shame in that, btw.) Almost assuredly, I will take Michigan State one round too far, Ohio State one round too short and I have given up on trying to make sense of Michigan at all. If I had to pick four Final Four teams today, I'd go with Indiana, Florida, Gonzaga and -- puts finger in the air -- VCU.
NFL Combine: The two biggest things you need to know from yesterday are that West Virginia WR Tavon Austin is going to be a massive NFL star as quickly as next season and that Utah OT Star Lotulelei's heart condition is going to completely vex GMs in the Top 10.
Spring Training: Curtis Granderson out until May with a broken arm. He was already displaced from centerfield and clearly on the back-side of his career, so it is unclear that the Yankees will drop off THAT much without him. Still: Ominous foreshadowing for New York already.
Fashion: Nope, not the Oscars -- yes, I think the Warriors' sleeves are kind of cool. The team clearly responded to them. It's such a change from the norm, I'm not sure I see the league converting to sleeves full-time for every team, but I could definitely see every team having a sleeved version of their uniforms (although I can't see fans buying them in the same way they would buy a standard tank-top, which already looks ludicrous enough as it is on anyone but a kid).
-- D.S.
All in all, Daytona got what it wanted/needed -- Danica near the front and a largely dramatic finish featuring Jimmie Johnson offering up the racing equivalent of "You all forgot about me, didn't you?"
NFL Offseason: Alex Smith about to be traded to KC? Well, about to be traded somewhere, with the Chiefs the presumptive destination. Smith is right to want to get out of SF, but I think he will find that Andy Reid is a steep drop-off from Jim Harbaugh as a coach that can get the most out of him. Still: It's a chance to start. (Anyone else just as intrigued as to who Harbaugh might bring in as Colin Kaepernick's new back-up? I'm obviously biased, but if any coach can confidently figure out how to deploy Tim Tebow innovatively, it is Harbaugh. What a fit that could be.)
Kobe is the best: "Amnesty THAT" as a tweet after the Lakers beat the Mavs, whose owner Mark Cuban suggested the Lakers should amnesty Kobe after the season.
Heat win 11th straight, beating the Cavs, but of course all anyone wants to talk about is the years-away speculation that LeBron would eventually return to Cleveland, pair with Kyrie Irving and lead the Cavs to a title. As someone who wrote about LeBron being a lock to leave Cleveland years before The Decision, I'm all for this kind of insane speculation -- as soon as LeBron wins a bunch of rings in Miami (and there is no reason to think it won't be three, including last year, '13 and '14), I could absolutely see him returning to Cleveland to try to win a title there. (Honestly? My biggest question is how he would/could co-exist with Irving, who needs the ball in his hands to be most effective.)
Ohio State d. Michigan State: Just when I thought that I had a handle on the Spartans as a potential Final Four team, they lose in Columbus (no shame in that, btw.) Almost assuredly, I will take Michigan State one round too far, Ohio State one round too short and I have given up on trying to make sense of Michigan at all. If I had to pick four Final Four teams today, I'd go with Indiana, Florida, Gonzaga and -- puts finger in the air -- VCU.
NFL Combine: The two biggest things you need to know from yesterday are that West Virginia WR Tavon Austin is going to be a massive NFL star as quickly as next season and that Utah OT Star Lotulelei's heart condition is going to completely vex GMs in the Top 10.
Spring Training: Curtis Granderson out until May with a broken arm. He was already displaced from centerfield and clearly on the back-side of his career, so it is unclear that the Yankees will drop off THAT much without him. Still: Ominous foreshadowing for New York already.
Fashion: Nope, not the Oscars -- yes, I think the Warriors' sleeves are kind of cool. The team clearly responded to them. It's such a change from the norm, I'm not sure I see the league converting to sleeves full-time for every team, but I could definitely see every team having a sleeved version of their uniforms (although I can't see fans buying them in the same way they would buy a standard tank-top, which already looks ludicrous enough as it is on anyone but a kid).
-- D.S.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
2/24 (Very Sunday) Quickie
*Unless you already favor a particular driver, how can you not be rooting for Danica today?
*What a terrible day at the track yesterday. NASCAR as an organization -- command and control -- is not good in moments like that.
*Yesterday was about as good as it gets for DC sports fans: Georgetown wins at Syracuse (including Otto Porter with a national-player-of-the-year performance), the Wizards beat the Rockets (including Bradley Beal showcasing why he is a future All-Star) and the Caps obliterate the Devils (including an Ovechkin hat-trick). Take that for what you will that that is "as good as it gets."
*Kentucky was in a must-win yesterday and got it. UK's resume is lackluster, but I think that the Selection Committee will almost assuredly give the defending champs the benefit of a doubt that other bubble teams won't get. (Granted, if UK craps out its remaining regular-season schedule, there isn't much anyone can do for them.)
*Miami was overrated? You don't say!
*I wanted to see something decisive out of Colorado State -- instead, they lost at home to New Mexico. The Mountain West is going to mess up some brackets next month, that's for sure.
*Is Florida good enough to be a 1-seed? Absolutely. But losing solid freshman SG Michael Frazier to an apparent concussion -- on top of a previous injury to Will Yeguete that has him out for at least a few more weeks -- really tests Florida's depth. They were only going to go 7 deep in the Tournament anyway, but now they're down to 6 for the stretch run, which is enough to wear out any team.
*LeBron: Ho-hum, just a triple-double. This is basketball being played at a level unseen since Michael Jordan's BEST days.
*Good start for women fighters in UFC.
*I think yesterday was the day Manti Te'o and the whole ludicrous story became a non-issue with the NFL Draft. Te'o has a bigger issue: He's just OK and certainly not spectacular.
-- D.S.
*What a terrible day at the track yesterday. NASCAR as an organization -- command and control -- is not good in moments like that.
*Yesterday was about as good as it gets for DC sports fans: Georgetown wins at Syracuse (including Otto Porter with a national-player-of-the-year performance), the Wizards beat the Rockets (including Bradley Beal showcasing why he is a future All-Star) and the Caps obliterate the Devils (including an Ovechkin hat-trick). Take that for what you will that that is "as good as it gets."
*Kentucky was in a must-win yesterday and got it. UK's resume is lackluster, but I think that the Selection Committee will almost assuredly give the defending champs the benefit of a doubt that other bubble teams won't get. (Granted, if UK craps out its remaining regular-season schedule, there isn't much anyone can do for them.)
*Miami was overrated? You don't say!
*I wanted to see something decisive out of Colorado State -- instead, they lost at home to New Mexico. The Mountain West is going to mess up some brackets next month, that's for sure.
*Is Florida good enough to be a 1-seed? Absolutely. But losing solid freshman SG Michael Frazier to an apparent concussion -- on top of a previous injury to Will Yeguete that has him out for at least a few more weeks -- really tests Florida's depth. They were only going to go 7 deep in the Tournament anyway, but now they're down to 6 for the stretch run, which is enough to wear out any team.
*LeBron: Ho-hum, just a triple-double. This is basketball being played at a level unseen since Michael Jordan's BEST days.
*Good start for women fighters in UFC.
*I think yesterday was the day Manti Te'o and the whole ludicrous story became a non-issue with the NFL Draft. Te'o has a bigger issue: He's just OK and certainly not spectacular.
-- D.S.
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