Four score

The Final Four has arrived—Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State (R.I.P. Syracuse) and Kansas. From the outside, there are no surprises in those teams. But take a closer look. Only one is a No. 1 seed. Louisville doesn’t have a superstar. Kentucky has Anthony Davis, but not John Wall. Ohio State has Jared Sullinger, but no Oden/Conley/Cook. And Kansas doesn’t have its collection of superstars from years past, “just” Thomas Robinson. But all these teams have a collection of players and a formula that allowed them to reach the Final Four over every other team in the nation. Sometimes, we see a player like Kemba Walker take over the spotlight. Other times, we see a team come together like Duke at just the right time. Who knows what the case will be this year. But either way, it will be a deserving team. It’s a lot harder than it looks these days to become a champion.

Keep on dancing

No Tournament today. The first day in four days without madness. And madness it has been. I’ve always said how unpredictable the NCAA Tournament is, but some of the upsets this year I really could not have predicted. But I guess that’s why it’s called March Madness.

A team dominates one day and loses the next. It happens every year. Winning by 20 in a second round game means nothing. You can easily lose in the next round. Yeah, Ohio State just dominated, but that doesn’t make them unbeatable. Pretty sure Kansas had a great opener last year and we all know what happened after that. The thing I don’t like about the Tournament is that its win or go home. I know that’s the best method with all these teams, but really? You build up all this stuff during the regular season and I guess you get a good seed. But it doesn’t matter if you lose. You’re done. Over. See you next year.

The Big East has failed. Two out of 11 teams are left. They use all their energy during the conference schedule, while teams in the SEC, ACC, Pac-10, Big Ten—okay, basically every other conference, dance around. Love it or hate it, it is what it is.

Life isn’t fair (in basketball), but spring is in the air (in baseball!)

It often seems like a team with too much talent has everything backfire against them. Kentucky? Check. Kansas? Check. Mets of 2006? Check. Pats of ’07? Them too. Yankees from last year? Okay, so no, but every other year this decade the answer would be yes. Often times teams with less talent win because they have the right pieces that come together at the right time, like Michigan State every year, the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals, and the team that beat those undefeated Pats.

It may not be fair and square, but that is how sports are. It would be boring any other way.

Now I’m going to mention baseball briefly before we all suffocate from baseball pre-season mania. It always seems fresh in spring training, like any other sport in the beginning of the season. Let me know how you feel in June. Still, there is something about baseball that I like. Maybe it’s the fact that it is a sign of spring which means that we are closer to summer. Either way, the Mets are shining bright with Reyes, Wright, Beltran (s00n), Santana, K-Rod and our new guy Jason Bay. So much talent. Uh-oh.

Just kidding!

This really is March Madness

Enough of these predictions. “Kansas will win it all.” “Syracuse is going to Indy.” This that blah blah blah. Guess what? We’re all wrong! Even the experts! Gasp! I have never done so poorly in a bracket. But this year the bracket exploded. Something happened, and everyone got messed up. I don’t even know what to think anymore. This year’s tournament has been like no other before it. All bets are off. Too bad Syracuse lost. They were better than Butler. They just didn’t play that way. Maybe next year the tournament won’t be so crazy.

When in doubt, don’t

Now, I’m not looking to jinx Syracuse here. I’m just looking to set some things straight. First off, there have been many doubters (myself included) about Syracuse’s chances to go all the way. Granted, I still think it’s Kansas’ tourney to lose, but Syracuse is awfully close. People are saying Syracuse may not beat Gonzaga, or Pitt, or Kansas State, or whoever. Yes, Arinze Onuaku may be out for a little, and yes, the team did lose two straight to end the season, but this is a team that was ranked number one just a week and a half ago. They hardly lost at all before last week and dominated in all aspects of the game much of the time. They are a team that beat Georgetown twice, demolished Villanova, and beat West Virginia, one of the hottest teams right now. Syracuse did not lose to a team that was bad. They lost to Pitt, Louisville and G’town. Meanwhile, I can’t think of another team that lost to only solid teams. Not even Kansas, who is the favorite by many to win it all. So, am I a little worried about Syracuse’s future? Yes. But will I be after they crush Vermont this Friday and later whoever else comes in their way? No. Let the doubters remain. We’ll catch them by surprise. Then they’ll wish they never underestimated Syracuse basketball.

He'll be back.

We did it!

Hands up!

So here’s the deal. Syracuse is number one. Period. Let’s think here for a second….Kansas and Kentucky lost today. They were two teams ahead of us. They now have the same number of losses as us and play in inferior conferences. They play teams like Nebraska and Arkansas. Purdue is number three for some bizarre reason. They should be easy to leapfrog. With UK, we have a 50/50 chance of jumping over. And with Kansas, how can they stay number one after a loss? Both KU and UK lost, so how can they stay at one and two? The voters need to finally make the right decision and shake things up. Put Syracuse at number one! We just had a gigantic win, and are the best damn team in the country. I get that rankings aren’t super important, and I know that none of this means anything if we don’t win come March. But you know what? We deserve number one. That’s my case. With that being said, shut it down!

Who’s your college basketball team? Oh, that sucks. Mine’s Syracuse

I don’t want to be regretting this post after today’s game, but as long as Syracuse beats Cincinnati on Sunday, we deserve to be number one in the land. Not that rankings mater, but they do to me just to show everyone how wrong they are and how good ‘Cuse really is.

For everyone who thinks their team is the best…you’re wrong. No one tops Syracuse. Kansas? Please. Not when you can barely put away easy teams. Nova? You just lost to a team we killed. Georgetown? You lost to USF and Old Dominion! Kentucky? Come one. We all know this isn’t the SEC of football.

But if Kansas must be number one, we’ll take number two. You know how it goes. First is the worst, second is the best. Unless Syracuse is first. Then it reverses.

Ranking numba 5

I was just sitting down and thinking about how I had nothing to write about. But how could that be possible? I have not written for nearly one week. And this was not a quiet week in sports. Let’s start with today’s revelation. Mark McGwire took steroids. Can’t say I’m surprised. That was anything but a shocker. Next, the NFL Playoffs are going on. I really do not having an interest in watching teams other than the Giants play, but I do have a rooting interest: the Ravens, who beat the Patriots on Sunday. They are my home state team, and have always been my second favorite team behind the Giants. Come this weekend, I will not be rooting for a Manning, in this case Peyton. I will be rooting for the team that hails from the great state of Maryland.

In college basketball, the unbeatens are falling down. Purdue and Kansas lost a week after Syracuse and West Virginia fell. Kentucky and Texas better be next!

Also, I think I completely forgot to mention the Mets signing of Jason Bay. We needed more stability in the outfield with Carlos Beltran. The Mets have a talented team. They did last year too, but it was an injured talented team. If everyone is healthy, the Mets can be good. Maybe even good enough to keep place with the Phillies.

Speaking of Philadelphia, the Eagles lost. Woo hoo! I strongly dislike them.

Meanwhile, Syracuse basketball has regained their spot at number 5 in the rankings after a brief and unnecessary stay at number 7. A message to Texas, Kentucky, Kansas and Villanova: feel free to lose. Texas, you came out of nowhere. Kentucky, star freshies can only take you so far. Kansas, you are weak just like I knew all along. And lastly, Villanova. Scottie Reynolds: I have no more allegiance to you. Syracuse has more wins and a better loss than you. You guys lost to Temple. I guess you didn’t pray before the game.

Those are all my ramblings for today! Thanks for reading!

COLLEGE basketball

Last year, I did a mini college basketball preview about the arcs and certain perennial powers. Here’s a quick recap:

(From Nov. 2008)- The college basketball season is here. The Tar Heels are the national favorites, followed by the likes of perennial powerhouses UCONN and UCLA. The season figures to be entertaining, thanks largely in part to a bunch of players who stayed in school.
But what really is the biggest story at the start of the college basketball season? The new arc? Can you believe it? A line is hogging the spotlight. Both Sports Illustrated and The Washington Post did feature stories on arcs. They were good, but what a shame that an arc is stealing the limelight from the likes of Tyler Hansbrough, Luke Harangody, and Blake Griffin.
It’s all great and good that there is a new arc. But it probably won’t make a difference. So lets focus on the players shooting from the arc, not the arc itself.

 

 

I would like to say that things are the same this year, but that would be far from true. Gone is the dominance of UNC and Hansbrough. In is a lack of dominance, in my opinion at least. The stars that stayed in school last year are gone. Only Harangody is back. The other stars are labeled that way because that is what they have to become to replace the departed players. Kansas is supposed to lead the pack, with All Americans Sherron Colllins and Cole Aldrich. Did you know that those two were bench players in the Jayhawk’s national title team from two years ago? UNC is supposed to remain strong with supposed lottery pick Ed Davis, who is being declared great based on potential,not real life results. However, he did shows glimpses of skill last year.

Lucky Kentucky. They not only get John Calipari, but John Wall and a bunch of other top recruits. All for the price of one! Just kidding. But Kentucky did make the leap from no NCAA to top five team.

The Big East will be down. They lost Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, Terrence Williams, Marquette’s threesome, and a bunch of others. So who’s left? Greg Monroe of Georgetown, who showed great flashes as a freshman last year. Syracuse transfer Wesley Johnson is supposed to be good. We’ll see. Harangody, a proven star, is back. Pitt is down. Louisville and Connectiuct are down key players from last year but not depleted like Marquette and Pitt. Cincy is on the rise, as are Seton Hall and St. Johns. Villanova leads the pack with Scottie Reynolds, while WVU trails closely. I think it’ll be a tight race.

The ACC will be lead by (gasp!) UNC and Duke. But UMD has Greivis Vasquez and Georgia Tech has some good recruits. Wake lost Jeff Teague and James Johnson. UVA has Sylven Landesberg.

In the SEC, they’re still focused on football.

In the PAC 10, Cal leads the way with guards Randle and Christopher. Washington has Isaiah Thomas (different one).

The Big 12 has Texas and Damion James. Also, can Mizzou repeat last year’s magic?

And the Big Ten. I’m feeling the Big Ten. Purdue is loaded with JaJuan Johnson, Robbie Hummel, Chris Kramer and E’Twaun Moore. Michigan State just made the final Four. Michigan and Manny Harris should be good. Wisco is always solid. Illinois was good last year and Penn State should build off their NIT Championship.

It will be an interesting year for sure. Is it too original if I pick Kansas?

 

 

As long as their football team doesn’t get to them first.

Forde Minutes: A look back and a look forward – ESPN–Found this on ESPN. Interesting.

No news is good news…that’s not happening here

After a summer drought, sports news finally seems to be heating up. And it’s not all good. You be the judge: Michael Vick joins the Eagles, Plaxico Burress is going to jail for two years, Brett Favre joins the Vikings. Stephen Strasburg signs with the Nats. Memphis loses its final four appearance. And that’s all within the last three days. Only one of those seems good to me, and that’s the Strasburg signing. It looks good for now at least. Favre is starting to annoying me, I don’t really have an interest in  Vick, and I will miss Plax’s services to the Giants. But he has to pay for what he did. Memphis is an interesting case. Can you imagine if Mario Chalmers hadn’t hit that three to win the title game for Kansas? Memphis would have won. Then who would be given the championship? Glad that was avoided. I’m just glad I am not going to Memphis or Louisville (with Rick Pittino’s issues). Who knows what’s going on in their offices.

For my Mets update, not much has changed. Billy Wagner is healthy, but the Mets may be looking to trade him. David Wright’s outlook doesn’t seem to bright. Livan Hernandez was released.

In Syracuse news, which there has been a lot of, Greg Paulus is starting at QB. Honestly, even if he can’t get the team to respectability, he brought back some buzz to the program, which isn’t a bad thing. And it’s not like he is bad. Also, in 2012, USC is coming to the Meadowlands (the new one) to play Syracuse. Anyone want to get tickets to that game?