Well so far I am 0-1 and I really think that the Minnesota loss is going to hurt the Big Tens chances of winning their second challenge.
Iowa @ Wake Forest
Not much to like about this match-up at all. Neither team is anything to write home about. I will take the home team in this one but I am not confident at all in that prediction.
Georgia Tech @ Northwestern
Georgia Tech is almost as bad as Wake Forest and Iowa, actually they might be worse. I expect John Shurna to lead the Wildcats to an impressive victory at home.
Michigan @ Clemson
We'll go with another Home team victory here as well. The Tigers have much more firepower than the Wolverines. Expect Demontex Stitt and Milton Jennings to out do Hardaway Jr.
Ohio State @ Florida State
My first away team predicted winner. The Ohio State University has way too much firepower for FSU to compete with. I expect Jarrod Sullinger and the Buckeyes to be #1 and undefeated when they venture to Assembly Hall to take on the Illini in late January.
North Carolina @ Illinois
I am going to jinx my Illini with this pick. UNC has not looked good, Harrison Barnes has not looked like an All-American and Illinois has looked improved from last year. I'll take Illinois.
Thoughts on everything sports
Monday, November 29, 2010
ACC/Big Ten Challenge - Virgina @ Minnesota
The Big Ten Challenge Starts tonight. It is the 12th Annual event and the Big Ten won for the first time last season.
We have some very impressive match-ups this year, with North Carolina going to Assembly Hall to take on the Fighting Illini and Michigan State going on the road to Cameron Indoor to take on the Blue Devils. I feel that those games will end up in a split. I will be attending the UNC/Illinois game tomorrow night and expect the Hall to be rocking. You can expect an Arena Adventures 1a from Assembly Hall, as I will travel there numerous times this year, in hopes of watching many Illini triumphs.
As I don't have enough time to properly finish this article before the games start tonight lets start off with our series opener.
Monday, November 29th
Virginia (3-3) at (15) Minnesota (6-0)
I really don't think this game is going to be too close. Minnesota looks good, or maybe North Carolina is just that bad, again. The sweep of UNC and WVU in Puerto Rico was impressive out of Tubby Smith's club. KenPom currently ranks the Golden Gophers 30th and has the Cavaliers ranked 91st.
Minnesota is paced by senior Blake Hoffarber (15.0 ppg, 4.8 apg) and junior Trevor Mbakwe (13.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg). Meanwhile Mike Scott is the only Cavalier scoring double figures with 16.5 ppg and 9.3 rpg.
I'll take Hoffarber and the Gophers to win this one somewhere along the lines of 77-63. I don't think that Blake will need another one of these to take home the W.
We have some very impressive match-ups this year, with North Carolina going to Assembly Hall to take on the Fighting Illini and Michigan State going on the road to Cameron Indoor to take on the Blue Devils. I feel that those games will end up in a split. I will be attending the UNC/Illinois game tomorrow night and expect the Hall to be rocking. You can expect an Arena Adventures 1a from Assembly Hall, as I will travel there numerous times this year, in hopes of watching many Illini triumphs.
As I don't have enough time to properly finish this article before the games start tonight lets start off with our series opener.
 |
| Minnesota guard, Blake Hoffarber |
Virginia (3-3) at (15) Minnesota (6-0)
I really don't think this game is going to be too close. Minnesota looks good, or maybe North Carolina is just that bad, again. The sweep of UNC and WVU in Puerto Rico was impressive out of Tubby Smith's club. KenPom currently ranks the Golden Gophers 30th and has the Cavaliers ranked 91st.
Minnesota is paced by senior Blake Hoffarber (15.0 ppg, 4.8 apg) and junior Trevor Mbakwe (13.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg). Meanwhile Mike Scott is the only Cavalier scoring double figures with 16.5 ppg and 9.3 rpg.
I'll take Hoffarber and the Gophers to win this one somewhere along the lines of 77-63. I don't think that Blake will need another one of these to take home the W.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
CBE Classic Recap
In Arena Adventures, Entry #2, I blogged about the semifinal games of the CBE Classic, which were won by #1 Duke and #4 Kansas St., setting up a top 5 showdown for the title, with pretty much a decided homecourt advantage for the Wildcats. In order to get to the championship game, the consolation matchup between #22 Gonzaga and Marquette had to be played. This was 
an interesting matchup, if not for the teams themselves, but for the universities as these are 2 of the most respected Jesuit schools in the nation. Living in Wisconsin, this is a matchup I would like to see played on a more regular basis as I feel like these schools match up well academically and athletically. As for the game itself, it looked early like a Gonzaga blowout was in order. Steven Gray of Gonzaga was absolutely on fire from 3 in the first half, hitting 4 in a row within the first 10 minutes and a 5th before half to pace the Zags before Marquette settled down and held the Zags to only a 9 point halftime lead. In the 2nd half, Marquette battled back, lead by Jimmy Butler, eventually drawing to within 2 points within the final minute. After Gray split 2 FTs for the Zags, Marquette had 1 final chance to force OT, but Butler's shot from about 30 feet came up a bit short and Gonzaga held on for a 66-63 win. Gray and Elias Harris led the Zags, but the play of Mangisto (Manny) Arop off the bench was the biggest factor in Gonzaga getting the win. His 15 points made up for the missing Robert Sacre, who managed to only score 3 points in the game. This tournament was a good learning experience for Gonzaga, but it was absolutely imperative for the Zags to beat Marquette after dropping decisions to SDSU at home and K-State the previous night as a part of the CBE. However, I foresee both of these teams being factors come March.
As the consolation game wound down, the stands started to fill (with mostly purple-clad fans) in anticipation of the Duke/K-State showdown. With Coach K going for his 800th win as the coach at Duke, the team had extra incentive to down the Wildcats, even though I don't think the Blue Devils really needed any extra motivation. The atmosphere was electric (turning off the lights and doing NBA-style pregame intros didn't hurt either), and after the ball was tipped you could tell both teams were jacked up for this game. K-State was a little too jacked up though, committing foolish turnovers, committing silly (and questionably called) fouls, and shooting just etrocious from the charity stripe. Duke jumped out to an early 10-2 lead and never looked back the whole game, leading by double figures for much of the first half before K-State closed the margin to 8 at half. Kyrie Irving and Nolan Smith were the catalysts for Duke in the first half and throughout the game, blowing by K-State defenders at will and getting open shots for teammates. Curtis Kelly was the only reason K-State was even within striking distance at half, scoring 11 first-half points off the bench.
In the 2nd half it was more of the same, Irving and Smith scoring at will, Kelly being K-State's only offensive weapon, and fouls piling up on the Wildcats. Eventually, the lead swelled to over 20 before Coach K called off the dogs and the final margin of victory was 82-68. Even though the final margin was only 14 points, it seemed as though K-State never
had a chance in the game. Whenever K-State made a run, Duke always had an answer. Additionally, star K-State PG, Jacob Pullen, had arguably his worst career game, scoring only 4 points and taking a host of terrible shots in the 2nd half trying to bring his team back. While K-State has some talented players in Kelly, Rodney MacGruder, and Wally Judge, Pullen is clearly the team leader and #1 offensive option. With him off his game, there was no way K-State was shocking the world with the upset. However, even if Pullen had been on his game, I don't think Duke was going to be denied in KC. The Blue Devils clearly showed why they are #1 and there is no doubt in my mind they should be #1 (as much as it pains me to say that). They may not have the most talent or athletes in the nation, but they have the best coach in the nation, and play the best team basketball. The schedule doesn't get any easier for Duke to defend its #1 ranking, with a tilt against Michigan St. on tap for 12/1/10 as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
To wrap up the CBE, Irving was named tournament MVP, and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by: Mason Plumlee (Duke), Steven Gray (Gonzaga), Jimmy Butler
(Marquette), and Jamar Samuels (KSU). From the tournament I think I learned that Duke is going to be hard to beat all season and is clearly the best team in the nation right now; K-State might be a bit overrated as the loss of Denis Clemente might be greater than originally thought; Gonzaga is a bit overrated as well as their young players need to continue to develop and the lack of a scoring threat from the PG position is going to be damning all season long as teams sag off of Demetri Goodson and his lack of a consistent jumpshot; and Marquette has a chance to do some damage in the Big East if players like Devante Gardner and Jae Crowder continue to grow to support veterans Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom. I think we will see all 4 of these teams in the field of 68 and I will be excited to see each team continue to grow as the season progresses as all have the potential to be good, with Duke and K-State having the potential to make the trip to Houston for the Final Four.
an interesting matchup, if not for the teams themselves, but for the universities as these are 2 of the most respected Jesuit schools in the nation. Living in Wisconsin, this is a matchup I would like to see played on a more regular basis as I feel like these schools match up well academically and athletically. As for the game itself, it looked early like a Gonzaga blowout was in order. Steven Gray of Gonzaga was absolutely on fire from 3 in the first half, hitting 4 in a row within the first 10 minutes and a 5th before half to pace the Zags before Marquette settled down and held the Zags to only a 9 point halftime lead. In the 2nd half, Marquette battled back, lead by Jimmy Butler, eventually drawing to within 2 points within the final minute. After Gray split 2 FTs for the Zags, Marquette had 1 final chance to force OT, but Butler's shot from about 30 feet came up a bit short and Gonzaga held on for a 66-63 win. Gray and Elias Harris led the Zags, but the play of Mangisto (Manny) Arop off the bench was the biggest factor in Gonzaga getting the win. His 15 points made up for the missing Robert Sacre, who managed to only score 3 points in the game. This tournament was a good learning experience for Gonzaga, but it was absolutely imperative for the Zags to beat Marquette after dropping decisions to SDSU at home and K-State the previous night as a part of the CBE. However, I foresee both of these teams being factors come March.
As the consolation game wound down, the stands started to fill (with mostly purple-clad fans) in anticipation of the Duke/K-State showdown. With Coach K going for his 800th win as the coach at Duke, the team had extra incentive to down the Wildcats, even though I don't think the Blue Devils really needed any extra motivation. The atmosphere was electric (turning off the lights and doing NBA-style pregame intros didn't hurt either), and after the ball was tipped you could tell both teams were jacked up for this game. K-State was a little too jacked up though, committing foolish turnovers, committing silly (and questionably called) fouls, and shooting just etrocious from the charity stripe. Duke jumped out to an early 10-2 lead and never looked back the whole game, leading by double figures for much of the first half before K-State closed the margin to 8 at half. Kyrie Irving and Nolan Smith were the catalysts for Duke in the first half and throughout the game, blowing by K-State defenders at will and getting open shots for teammates. Curtis Kelly was the only reason K-State was even within striking distance at half, scoring 11 first-half points off the bench.In the 2nd half it was more of the same, Irving and Smith scoring at will, Kelly being K-State's only offensive weapon, and fouls piling up on the Wildcats. Eventually, the lead swelled to over 20 before Coach K called off the dogs and the final margin of victory was 82-68. Even though the final margin was only 14 points, it seemed as though K-State never
had a chance in the game. Whenever K-State made a run, Duke always had an answer. Additionally, star K-State PG, Jacob Pullen, had arguably his worst career game, scoring only 4 points and taking a host of terrible shots in the 2nd half trying to bring his team back. While K-State has some talented players in Kelly, Rodney MacGruder, and Wally Judge, Pullen is clearly the team leader and #1 offensive option. With him off his game, there was no way K-State was shocking the world with the upset. However, even if Pullen had been on his game, I don't think Duke was going to be denied in KC. The Blue Devils clearly showed why they are #1 and there is no doubt in my mind they should be #1 (as much as it pains me to say that). They may not have the most talent or athletes in the nation, but they have the best coach in the nation, and play the best team basketball. The schedule doesn't get any easier for Duke to defend its #1 ranking, with a tilt against Michigan St. on tap for 12/1/10 as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.To wrap up the CBE, Irving was named tournament MVP, and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by: Mason Plumlee (Duke), Steven Gray (Gonzaga), Jimmy Butler
(Marquette), and Jamar Samuels (KSU). From the tournament I think I learned that Duke is going to be hard to beat all season and is clearly the best team in the nation right now; K-State might be a bit overrated as the loss of Denis Clemente might be greater than originally thought; Gonzaga is a bit overrated as well as their young players need to continue to develop and the lack of a scoring threat from the PG position is going to be damning all season long as teams sag off of Demetri Goodson and his lack of a consistent jumpshot; and Marquette has a chance to do some damage in the Big East if players like Devante Gardner and Jae Crowder continue to grow to support veterans Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom. I think we will see all 4 of these teams in the field of 68 and I will be excited to see each team continue to grow as the season progresses as all have the potential to be good, with Duke and K-State having the potential to make the trip to Houston for the Final Four.
Dear TCU - Stop ruining our fun!
I am pretty sure that is what Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee meant when he told TCU fans that they didn't play a hard enough schedule and shouldn't be included in the hunt for the National Title.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the Ohio State president said, "Well, I don't know enough about the X's and O's of college football," said Gee, formerly the president at West Virginia, Colorado, Brown and Vanderbilt universities. "I do know, having been both a Southeastern Conference president and a Big Ten president, that it's like murderer's row every week for these schools. We do not play the Little Sisters of the Poor. We play very fine schools on any given day. So I think until a university runs through that gantlet that there's some reason to believe that they not be the best teams to [be] in the big ballgame."
I am trying to dissect which gauntlet he meant?
Ohio State played a brutal Non-Conference schedule of Marshall, Ohio and Eastern Michigan all at home. Of those three brutal games, only Ohio is above .500. Talk about a gauntlet.
To give Ohio State credit they did play Miami (FL) (then #12), but this game, again, was at home. Tough to call it a gauntlet when every game you get to choose, you choose to play at home.
In non-conference games TCU hosted then #24 Oregon State and bowl eligible Baylor. TCU also did take advantage of being a powerhouse by scheduling a home game against Tennessee Tech, but unlike Ohio State, TCU went on the road to face Southern Methodist (above .500).
So when we compare Non-Conference schedules, I think it clearly goes the way of the Horned Frogs.
According to Gee, he plays a "gauntlet schedule" so by that you'd assume they play ranked teams on a daily basis, right?
Let's start again with Ohio State. They have played 3 ranked teams, one at home, Miami (FL) and two on the road, Wisconsin and Iowa. Of these 3 games the Buckeyes are 2-1, losing only to the Badgers.
TCU? Well unlike Ohio State, TCU has played a top 10 team, Utah, and the aforementioned Oregon State. While they have also beaten Baylor and Air Force, who both have been ranked during the year.
Ohio State? Not so much. The rest of their schedule consisted of Big Ten cupcakes, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Minnesota, Penn State and, obviously, the final game this weekend against Michigan.
So what does it come down to? Gee was terribly mistaken when he made his comments, he clearly has little to no understanding of college football, other than he realizes that the Power Six, well doesn't quite have the "Power" it use to (although it does have a helluva lot of it).
So if you're TCU Athletic Director Chris Del Conte, what do you do?
"Anytime. Anyplace. Anywhere," Del Conte said. "Buckeyes against the Horned Frogs. Tee it up. Let's go."
Absolutely. Put your money where you just threw your mouth Ohio State. Put up or shut up.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the Ohio State president said, "Well, I don't know enough about the X's and O's of college football," said Gee, formerly the president at West Virginia, Colorado, Brown and Vanderbilt universities. "I do know, having been both a Southeastern Conference president and a Big Ten president, that it's like murderer's row every week for these schools. We do not play the Little Sisters of the Poor. We play very fine schools on any given day. So I think until a university runs through that gantlet that there's some reason to believe that they not be the best teams to [be] in the big ballgame."
I am trying to dissect which gauntlet he meant?
Ohio State played a brutal Non-Conference schedule of Marshall, Ohio and Eastern Michigan all at home. Of those three brutal games, only Ohio is above .500. Talk about a gauntlet.
To give Ohio State credit they did play Miami (FL) (then #12), but this game, again, was at home. Tough to call it a gauntlet when every game you get to choose, you choose to play at home.
In non-conference games TCU hosted then #24 Oregon State and bowl eligible Baylor. TCU also did take advantage of being a powerhouse by scheduling a home game against Tennessee Tech, but unlike Ohio State, TCU went on the road to face Southern Methodist (above .500).
So when we compare Non-Conference schedules, I think it clearly goes the way of the Horned Frogs.
According to Gee, he plays a "gauntlet schedule" so by that you'd assume they play ranked teams on a daily basis, right?
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| Not so fast my Friend! |
Let's start again with Ohio State. They have played 3 ranked teams, one at home, Miami (FL) and two on the road, Wisconsin and Iowa. Of these 3 games the Buckeyes are 2-1, losing only to the Badgers.
TCU? Well unlike Ohio State, TCU has played a top 10 team, Utah, and the aforementioned Oregon State. While they have also beaten Baylor and Air Force, who both have been ranked during the year.
Ohio State? Not so much. The rest of their schedule consisted of Big Ten cupcakes, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Minnesota, Penn State and, obviously, the final game this weekend against Michigan.
So what does it come down to? Gee was terribly mistaken when he made his comments, he clearly has little to no understanding of college football, other than he realizes that the Power Six, well doesn't quite have the "Power" it use to (although it does have a helluva lot of it).
So if you're TCU Athletic Director Chris Del Conte, what do you do?
"Anytime. Anyplace. Anywhere," Del Conte said. "Buckeyes against the Horned Frogs. Tee it up. Let's go."
Absolutely. Put your money where you just threw your mouth Ohio State. Put up or shut up.
What we've learned so far
The road to Houston is underway, after the first two weeks of the college basketball season and the completion of many of the Pre-Season tournaments, what have we learned so far?
Anybody else think the AP wants to re-vote and select Kemba over Harrison Barnes as a preseason All American? Kemba lead the UConn Huskies (more on them later) to the Maui Invitational title with 90 points in three games, three short of the Maui record. Unranked UConn started off with a solid win against Wichita State (many didn't think they'd even win that game) and then beat #2 Michigan State in the second round before burying Top 10 ranked Kentucky in the final. It is still early to name anyone Player of the Year, but Kemba gets my vote for Novembers Player of the Month.
I hate to say it but it's true. Only UConn has, arguably, played better talent and done better. Duke walked through the CBE Classic in Kansas City during Feast Week with a good win over a solid Marquette team and then didn't only beat Kansas State but dominated them in what was considered by many to be a home court advantage for the Wildcats. The Plumblees look good, Nolan Smith is on and Kyrie Irving looks like the stud we thought he'd be.
Yes it's early, but the Big Ten looks really good. Many thought Michigan State would pace the league this year but watch out for the Ohio State University. The Buckeyes look very good behind stud freshman Jared Sullinger and, based on their schedule, might be undefeated and #1 in the nation when they go to Champaign to face the Fighting Illini, which appears to be the teams next test after the dismantling of the Florida Gators. And speaking of Illinois, they have the chance to be a very good team this year as well, they lost to a good Texas team in the Coaches v Cancer last week in Madison Square Garden, but look like they could challenge for a Big Ten Title. And let's not forget about Minnesota who knocked off North Carolina and West Virginia in route a Puerto Rico Tip-Off Championship. The team lost in the suffle in the Big Ten so far is Purdue, who has yet to be tested this season. I expect to see the Boliermakers struggle without Robbie Hummel in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Cassell Coliseum where they play Virginia Tech. Although even with a loss there the team still should come out of non-conference play with two or less losses. I think we'll see one of Michigan State, Ohio State or Illinois win the conference with Purdue and Minnesota close behind them. And I can see numerous Big Ten teams making deep pushes in March, maybe even multiple Final Four Teams.
I waited to have the benefit of hindsight in picking my Final Four, which is awesome because now I can feel much better about leaving North Carolina out of my Elite Eight and much better about putting a few teams in.
Elite Eight
Duke, UConn, Michigan State, Memphis, the Ohio State University,Villanova, Kansas State, and Washington
Final Four
Duke, the Ohio State University, Kansas State and Washington
Championship Game
Duke v the Ohio State University
National Champs
That's right I picked Duke to win back to back titles. Tough call and I hate picking Duke but they are the odds on favorite and going with anybody else but the boys from Durham after the shelling they put on the Wildcats in the CBE Classic in Kansas City would be foolish.
Mid-Major Watch
Top Mid-Major to watch out for: San Diego State without a doubt in my mind. This team has all the pieces of a team that will give the big boys fits in March. Expect Kawhi Leonard, D.J. Gay and Billy White to help the Aztecs to a few March wins.
- Kemba Walker is good.
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| UConn Junior pg, Kemba Walker |
- Duke is the best team in the Nation.
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| Duke forward Kyle Singler and guard Kyrie Irving |
- The Big Ten is the best conference
 |
| Ohio State Fab Freshman Jared Sullinger |
- UConn's hiatus is over, for now.
I waited to have the benefit of hindsight in picking my Final Four, which is awesome because now I can feel much better about leaving North Carolina out of my Elite Eight and much better about putting a few teams in.
Elite Eight
Duke, UConn, Michigan State, Memphis, the Ohio State University,Villanova, Kansas State, and Washington
Final Four
Duke, the Ohio State University, Kansas State and Washington
Championship Game
Duke v the Ohio State University
National Champs
That's right I picked Duke to win back to back titles. Tough call and I hate picking Duke but they are the odds on favorite and going with anybody else but the boys from Durham after the shelling they put on the Wildcats in the CBE Classic in Kansas City would be foolish.
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| San Diego State Sophomore Foward, Kawhi Leonard |
Top Mid-Major to watch out for: San Diego State without a doubt in my mind. This team has all the pieces of a team that will give the big boys fits in March. Expect Kawhi Leonard, D.J. Gay and Billy White to help the Aztecs to a few March wins.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Is Jacksonville for real?
Three weeks ago I sent a buddy of mine a text "We really need to stop winning or we have no chance of landing a franchise QB and getting the franchise on track."
Since then - back to back wins at home against Houston (31-24, The "Law of Gus" win) and Cleveland (24-20).
Boy am I right, and it pains me!
It is the typical Jaguar cycle, we are good enough to get a late teens pick one year and than a pick around 10-14 the next year and blow the picks on decent player we could have gotten 20 picks later, just like the Tyson Alualu pick this past year at #10. Alualu has been playing well and might end up being a solid pro, but the fact remains that we could have traded back 20 picks, acquired an additional pick and still have taken him!
It is this type of management that annoys me to no end. Garrard is not a franchise QB, I'm sorry. Sure he went to the Pro Bowl last year, only because every other QB decided not to play. He has lead to some solid wins, but has also played extremely poor all too often. (Did anyone watch the Monday Night game against Tennessee?)
Unfortunately at this pace I think we will end up winning at least three of our final games. I expect to get destroyed at the Meadowlands next week by the younger Manning, but after that the schedule looks very favorable. At Vince Young-less Titans, Home to the Campbell lead Raiders (Campbell is one of the few NFL starters that is actually worse than Garrard), @ Lucas Oil against the better Manning. Honestly we should win at least one of those games, if not two. That already puts us at .500. We then finish with a Home game against Washington and a road game against the soft Texans. Could Jacksonville really have the potential to be a 10 win team? Does that get us into the playoffs? Am I ok with a playoff appearance?
Wow, all huge questions. I wanted Andrew Luck. Too bad he will be throwing to Steve Johnson next year, the player that is single handily making me look like a fool in my fantasy league. Thanks.
So that leaves Mallet and Locker on the table.
If we end up getting a pick in the early teens, we might get lucky and be able to nab Jake Locker or Ryan Mallet but I doubt it.
Other than the Bills, who would be foolish to draft anyone other then Luck with their first pick, who else needs a QB? The 49ers need one, although I am not sold that they will draft one this year. Depends 100% on Locker and Mallet's combine and interview accomplishments. The Bengals desperately need to replace Carson Palmer. Just ask ESPN Sports Guy, Bill Simmons how he feels about Palmer.
". My favorite thing about Palmer: His conventional statistics keep throwing everyone off his rancid scent -- 1,855 yards (seventh overall), 12 TDs, seven picks, 83 QB rating. Not terrible, right?
So you have to dig a little ... and that's when you find out that he's last in third-down passing (49 percent completion rate, 431 yards, 62 rating), or that defenders have dropped 215 possible Palmer interceptions (approximate), or that his receivers unofficially lead the league in walking off the field shaking their heads at one another (which, by the way, really should be a stat)."
So if I were Marvin Lewis (if I still have a job after this year) or Mike Brown, I would absolutely consider investing in a franchise QB in this draft. Mallet or Locker could learn behind Palmer for a year or two and take over a solid team after that. Expect the Bengals to do the opposite though.
And then there is the Broncos, oh wait they drafted Tim Tebow. My bad.
The Lions? They better hope that Stafford comes back from his injury problems.
Vikings? They had better take a QB. I'd expect Locker to be their pick, he has a lot more upside than Mallet and makes too much sense for them to take, right? Good thing Chilly is gone or they'd probably take someone else.
And then there is the Cardinals. Please tell me they are going to take a QB, please please PLEASE! I am tired of watching Larry Fitzgerald without a QB (cue Bill Bidwill "Hey Kurt, would you like to Favre this shit and come back next year? Larry's been asking for you...).
Then we still have the Redskins and Dolphins that might have a QB need.
Point is, we are not getting a top tier QB unless we lose out.
So I guess that means I am cheering for playoffs, although that hinders the franchises long term ability to field a competitive team.
Let's hope to getting Michael Vick, Kevin Kolb or Donovan McNabb this off-season.
(Hey Kurt, you wanna come back?)
Since then - back to back wins at home against Houston (31-24, The "Law of Gus" win) and Cleveland (24-20).
Boy am I right, and it pains me!
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| David Garrard, Jaguars QB |
It is this type of management that annoys me to no end. Garrard is not a franchise QB, I'm sorry. Sure he went to the Pro Bowl last year, only because every other QB decided not to play. He has lead to some solid wins, but has also played extremely poor all too often. (Did anyone watch the Monday Night game against Tennessee?)
Unfortunately at this pace I think we will end up winning at least three of our final games. I expect to get destroyed at the Meadowlands next week by the younger Manning, but after that the schedule looks very favorable. At Vince Young-less Titans, Home to the Campbell lead Raiders (Campbell is one of the few NFL starters that is actually worse than Garrard), @ Lucas Oil against the better Manning. Honestly we should win at least one of those games, if not two. That already puts us at .500. We then finish with a Home game against Washington and a road game against the soft Texans. Could Jacksonville really have the potential to be a 10 win team? Does that get us into the playoffs? Am I ok with a playoff appearance?
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| Jake Locker, Washington QB |
So that leaves Mallet and Locker on the table.
If we end up getting a pick in the early teens, we might get lucky and be able to nab Jake Locker or Ryan Mallet but I doubt it.
Other than the Bills, who would be foolish to draft anyone other then Luck with their first pick, who else needs a QB? The 49ers need one, although I am not sold that they will draft one this year. Depends 100% on Locker and Mallet's combine and interview accomplishments. The Bengals desperately need to replace Carson Palmer. Just ask ESPN Sports Guy, Bill Simmons how he feels about Palmer.
". My favorite thing about Palmer: His conventional statistics keep throwing everyone off his rancid scent -- 1,855 yards (seventh overall), 12 TDs, seven picks, 83 QB rating. Not terrible, right?
So you have to dig a little ... and that's when you find out that he's last in third-down passing (49 percent completion rate, 431 yards, 62 rating), or that defenders have dropped 215 possible Palmer interceptions (approximate), or that his receivers unofficially lead the league in walking off the field shaking their heads at one another (which, by the way, really should be a stat)."
So if I were Marvin Lewis (if I still have a job after this year) or Mike Brown, I would absolutely consider investing in a franchise QB in this draft. Mallet or Locker could learn behind Palmer for a year or two and take over a solid team after that. Expect the Bengals to do the opposite though.
And then there is the Broncos, oh wait they drafted Tim Tebow. My bad.
The Lions? They better hope that Stafford comes back from his injury problems.
Vikings? They had better take a QB. I'd expect Locker to be their pick, he has a lot more upside than Mallet and makes too much sense for them to take, right? Good thing Chilly is gone or they'd probably take someone else.
And then there is the Cardinals. Please tell me they are going to take a QB, please please PLEASE! I am tired of watching Larry Fitzgerald without a QB (cue Bill Bidwill "Hey Kurt, would you like to Favre this shit and come back next year? Larry's been asking for you...).
Then we still have the Redskins and Dolphins that might have a QB need.
Point is, we are not getting a top tier QB unless we lose out.
So I guess that means I am cheering for playoffs, although that hinders the franchises long term ability to field a competitive team.
Let's hope to getting Michael Vick, Kevin Kolb or Donovan McNabb this off-season.
(Hey Kurt, you wanna come back?)
Arena Adventures: Sprint Center
Arena Adventures: Entry #2
Arena: Sprint Center
City: Kansas City, MO
Date: November 22, 2010
Teams: 2010 CBE Classic Semifinals: #1 Duke vs. Marquette & #4 Kansas St. vs. #22 Gonzaga
Having been to Kansas City before to visit the College Basketball Experience (CBE) I had seen the outside of the Sprint Center before. From afar, the arena looks like a giant tire covered in glass. Very visually appealing, especially since it is less than 5 years old. I had never been to a preseason tournament before so I did not know what to expect in terms of fan attendance and overall atmosphere as the teams are typically coming from quite a ways away. My expectations were a bit higher for this tournament, however, with Kansas St. being a preseason top 5 team in the country and being only 2 hours or so away from KC. Additionally, everyone knows Duke has fans and detractors alike across the nation, plus with them having the #1 ranking in the land, basketball fans in general would be out to see the defending national champion Blue Devils.
The seating bowl of the arena is angled quite sharply, helping for fans to be more on top of the action, granted I would think sitting in the upper levels it could be a bit treacherous after a few beers maybe. I was quite impressed by the turnout of K-State fans for the first game of the day between Duke and Marquette. There were very few empty seats, especially in the lower levels, through the midway point of the first half of Duke/Marquette. I give props to K-State fans (and Gonzaga as well) for using their tickets for both games, not just their team's nightcap against Gonzaga.
As for the on-court action, the first game between Duke and Marquette provided a lot more drama than did the K-State/Gonzaga game, much to my surprise (and chagrin). The Blue Devils ran out to a quick 10 point lead early on behind preseason All-American Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith. Marquette battled the entire half, behind the strong play of Jimmy Butler and some tough post play provided by freshman Davante Gardner who brought some much needed strength to the post for Marquette to combat Duke's immense size. However, Marquette was only able to close to within 9 by the half. Coming out to start the 2nd, Marquette continued to chip away at the lead behind the play of Butler and reserve forward, Jae Crowder, eventually drawing even with the Devils at 57 with just over 10 minutes to play. The Blue Devils proceeded to score the next 9 points, led by the Mason Plumlee, who had a career night of 25 points and 12 rebounds, to put the Golden Eagles away. Marquette made the final score of 82-77 closer than it really was by watching the Devils miss 3 front ends of the 1 and 1 with under a minute left. If Marquette coach Buzz Williams had made the decision earlier to resort to the late-game foul tactics, Marquette might have just had a chance to force OT or get the win. Buzz's end game management was very questionable, especially the full timeout called with 0.9 seconds left down 5. In the end, the #1 Blue Devils had too much size and experience for the Golden Eagles to overcome, but Marquette laid a blueprint for beating Duke. Duke needs to shore up the free throw line in late game situations and Kyle Singler needs to not disappear for long stretches at a time if Duke wants to cut down the nuts at Reliant Stadium in April.
20 minutes after the Duke win, K-State tipped off with Gonzaga. Gonzaga, coming off a home loss to San Diego St. on Tuesday night, was looking to take down a top 5 win in basically a road atmosphere in KC, about 125 miles or so from the little apple of Manhattan, KS. With probably 75% or more of the crowd at the Sprint Center clad in purple and black, this was going to be a big test for the young Zags, and they looked young and shell-shocked from the tip. K-State opened the game on a 10-2 run before the first media timeout on a couple trifectas and a couple drives to the tin. Gonzaga was so discombobulated that coach Mark Few resorted to bringing in walk-on point guard David Stockton into the game at the first media timeout (Yes, Stockton is the son of Gonzaga and Utah Jazz legend John Stockton). Stockton brought some much needed energy and spunk to the Zags, scoring a bucket, dishing 2 assists, and forcing 2 K-State turnovers in the
first 3 minutes on the court. Stockton's lack of size, however, made him an easy target for mismatches or for shooters to shoot over him. This was evidenced by the 3-point barrage K-State showed in the first half, led by Jacob Pullen and Will Spradling. Through most of the first half, the Wildcats were 9/13 from 3-point land, yet only 3/8 from the charity stripe. The hot shooting of K-State helped them build a lead of 17 points, before a 6-0 run by the Zags to end the half on a high note and close the deficit to 11 at 49-38.
The question for the Zags in the 2nd half would be who would step up and lead the comeback with former WCC Player of the Year, Matt Bouldin, no longer eligible due to graduation. The most likely candidates were Steven Gray, who had 35 points in the loss to SDSU, or projected 1st round NBA draft pick Elias Harris who dropped a gooseegg in the first half due to foul trouble. In the end, no one seems to be able to spark the Zags, who managed to get the lead to as few as 6 points early in the 2nd half at 57-51, before K-State steadily pulled away behind Pullen, who scored 18. The balanced scoring and hot shooting of K-State resulted in a final margin of victory of 81-64. Robert Sacre led the Zags with 17 points, who were dominated on the glass 37-24 by the Wildcats as well.
The Wildcats advance to the championship game of the CBE against Duke in the matchup all K-State and Duke fans (and ESPN for that matter) were hoping for when the participating teams were announced in March. This game could be a preview of a national semifinal or final in Houston in 4 months. The key to the game is going to be the free throw line for both squads as well as the stars (Singler for Duke and Pullen for K-State). Whichever teams makes more FTs and is able to better contain the opponent's star should walk out of the Sprint Center tonight with the trophy. K-State has the size to combat the Devils post presence, but do they have the mental toughness and experience? We shall see in front of a very partisan crowd in a few hours.
In the end, all 4 teams get 2 quality games out of this tournament with Gonzaga squaring off against Marquette in the consolation game this evening. No team wants to go 0-2 in a preseason tournament, but the urgency needs to be there for the Zags tonight as they have 2 losses from this tournament already due to the ridiculously quality matchup they were given in SDSU while Duke, K-State, and Marquette were fattening up on the cupcakes of Princeton, Miami (OH), Presbyterian, James Madison, Bucknell, and Green Bay, respectively. Duke and K-State showed why they are national championship contenders in the semifinals while Marquette and Gonzaga should both be solid NCAA teams come Selection Sunday.
Enjoy the championship tilt tonight! I know I will. I'll be tweeting live from the games starting at 6:30 (CST) for the consolation game at @connzag3.
Arena: Sprint Center
City: Kansas City, MO
Date: November 22, 2010
Teams: 2010 CBE Classic Semifinals: #1 Duke vs. Marquette & #4 Kansas St. vs. #22 Gonzaga
Having been to Kansas City before to visit the College Basketball Experience (CBE) I had seen the outside of the Sprint Center before. From afar, the arena looks like a giant tire covered in glass. Very visually appealing, especially since it is less than 5 years old. I had never been to a preseason tournament before so I did not know what to expect in terms of fan attendance and overall atmosphere as the teams are typically coming from quite a ways away. My expectations were a bit higher for this tournament, however, with Kansas St. being a preseason top 5 team in the country and being only 2 hours or so away from KC. Additionally, everyone knows Duke has fans and detractors alike across the nation, plus with them having the #1 ranking in the land, basketball fans in general would be out to see the defending national champion Blue Devils.The seating bowl of the arena is angled quite sharply, helping for fans to be more on top of the action, granted I would think sitting in the upper levels it could be a bit treacherous after a few beers maybe. I was quite impressed by the turnout of K-State fans for the first game of the day between Duke and Marquette. There were very few empty seats, especially in the lower levels, through the midway point of the first half of Duke/Marquette. I give props to K-State fans (and Gonzaga as well) for using their tickets for both games, not just their team's nightcap against Gonzaga.
As for the on-court action, the first game between Duke and Marquette provided a lot more drama than did the K-State/Gonzaga game, much to my surprise (and chagrin). The Blue Devils ran out to a quick 10 point lead early on behind preseason All-American Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith. Marquette battled the entire half, behind the strong play of Jimmy Butler and some tough post play provided by freshman Davante Gardner who brought some much needed strength to the post for Marquette to combat Duke's immense size. However, Marquette was only able to close to within 9 by the half. Coming out to start the 2nd, Marquette continued to chip away at the lead behind the play of Butler and reserve forward, Jae Crowder, eventually drawing even with the Devils at 57 with just over 10 minutes to play. The Blue Devils proceeded to score the next 9 points, led by the Mason Plumlee, who had a career night of 25 points and 12 rebounds, to put the Golden Eagles away. Marquette made the final score of 82-77 closer than it really was by watching the Devils miss 3 front ends of the 1 and 1 with under a minute left. If Marquette coach Buzz Williams had made the decision earlier to resort to the late-game foul tactics, Marquette might have just had a chance to force OT or get the win. Buzz's end game management was very questionable, especially the full timeout called with 0.9 seconds left down 5. In the end, the #1 Blue Devils had too much size and experience for the Golden Eagles to overcome, but Marquette laid a blueprint for beating Duke. Duke needs to shore up the free throw line in late game situations and Kyle Singler needs to not disappear for long stretches at a time if Duke wants to cut down the nuts at Reliant Stadium in April.20 minutes after the Duke win, K-State tipped off with Gonzaga. Gonzaga, coming off a home loss to San Diego St. on Tuesday night, was looking to take down a top 5 win in basically a road atmosphere in KC, about 125 miles or so from the little apple of Manhattan, KS. With probably 75% or more of the crowd at the Sprint Center clad in purple and black, this was going to be a big test for the young Zags, and they looked young and shell-shocked from the tip. K-State opened the game on a 10-2 run before the first media timeout on a couple trifectas and a couple drives to the tin. Gonzaga was so discombobulated that coach Mark Few resorted to bringing in walk-on point guard David Stockton into the game at the first media timeout (Yes, Stockton is the son of Gonzaga and Utah Jazz legend John Stockton). Stockton brought some much needed energy and spunk to the Zags, scoring a bucket, dishing 2 assists, and forcing 2 K-State turnovers in the
first 3 minutes on the court. Stockton's lack of size, however, made him an easy target for mismatches or for shooters to shoot over him. This was evidenced by the 3-point barrage K-State showed in the first half, led by Jacob Pullen and Will Spradling. Through most of the first half, the Wildcats were 9/13 from 3-point land, yet only 3/8 from the charity stripe. The hot shooting of K-State helped them build a lead of 17 points, before a 6-0 run by the Zags to end the half on a high note and close the deficit to 11 at 49-38.The question for the Zags in the 2nd half would be who would step up and lead the comeback with former WCC Player of the Year, Matt Bouldin, no longer eligible due to graduation. The most likely candidates were Steven Gray, who had 35 points in the loss to SDSU, or projected 1st round NBA draft pick Elias Harris who dropped a gooseegg in the first half due to foul trouble. In the end, no one seems to be able to spark the Zags, who managed to get the lead to as few as 6 points early in the 2nd half at 57-51, before K-State steadily pulled away behind Pullen, who scored 18. The balanced scoring and hot shooting of K-State resulted in a final margin of victory of 81-64. Robert Sacre led the Zags with 17 points, who were dominated on the glass 37-24 by the Wildcats as well.
The Wildcats advance to the championship game of the CBE against Duke in the matchup all K-State and Duke fans (and ESPN for that matter) were hoping for when the participating teams were announced in March. This game could be a preview of a national semifinal or final in Houston in 4 months. The key to the game is going to be the free throw line for both squads as well as the stars (Singler for Duke and Pullen for K-State). Whichever teams makes more FTs and is able to better contain the opponent's star should walk out of the Sprint Center tonight with the trophy. K-State has the size to combat the Devils post presence, but do they have the mental toughness and experience? We shall see in front of a very partisan crowd in a few hours.
In the end, all 4 teams get 2 quality games out of this tournament with Gonzaga squaring off against Marquette in the consolation game this evening. No team wants to go 0-2 in a preseason tournament, but the urgency needs to be there for the Zags tonight as they have 2 losses from this tournament already due to the ridiculously quality matchup they were given in SDSU while Duke, K-State, and Marquette were fattening up on the cupcakes of Princeton, Miami (OH), Presbyterian, James Madison, Bucknell, and Green Bay, respectively. Duke and K-State showed why they are national championship contenders in the semifinals while Marquette and Gonzaga should both be solid NCAA teams come Selection Sunday.
Enjoy the championship tilt tonight! I know I will. I'll be tweeting live from the games starting at 6:30 (CST) for the consolation game at @connzag3.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Phil Knight or Fan Art?
Last week new NFL jerseys, supposedly for the 2012 season, were 'leaked' onto the internet. Immediately Nike shot down the rumor stating that they had not leaked NFL versions of their "Pro Combat" game uniforms worn by ten NCAA teams, dubbed "Total Combat." As has been confirmed by many media outlets Nike denies this being the case.
Now I'm no conspiracy theorist, but wouldn't you deny it too? If Phil Knight and Nike had decided to look into new NFL jerseys, and many would agree they do, wouldn't you try to leak this information to get fans reactions? These jersey's are drastically different than current NFL jerseys, wouldn't you want to know if everyone was going to say they are horrible?
If I were Nike and we were contemplating releasing new, revolutionary jerseys, you'd better believe I'd find a way to leak them to the public to get a reaction. And you'd be damned sure I'd deny it up and down the moment someone asked.
Now let's get to the jersey's, I do like a few of them but my Jags one really needs an upgrade. At least the Jags black alternate is somewhat bearable. I think someone thought to hard about putting the jaguar skin on the uni's, solid thought but it just doesn't work for me.
Now if you are an NFL do you agree to go with a total overhaul of your jerseys? Let's think like an owner "Well if we get new jersey's, then that means that every fan will have to buy new jerseys... Sounds like a great idea!" The obvious answer is, absolutely! Doesn't mean us as fans have to like it but you'd better believe if there is money to be made the owners are saying yes.
Unless you're Art Rooney and someone puked all over your Pittsburgh Steelers. Seriously those things are Ugly, with a capital U. What is with that arm band? It looks like something that Allen Iverson should be wearing over in Turkey, not something I am seeing on the gridiron. And speaking of AI, maybe if he'd practiced a bit more he wouldn't be broke playing in Turkey, or maybe he would have scored more than two points last night. But really, here is the million dollar question, where was David Kahn? You can't tell me signing Iverson didn't cross his mind, seriously they need a few more point guards there and/or over paid high draft picks who can't play. Sorry Darko.
Sorry that's already way to much AI isn't it?
Fine back to the gridiron.
I have to say there were a few I liked, the Bengals was solid and I really liked the Patriots, unlike many others. The Jets, Eagles and Falcons were solid. But I think my favorite was the Cardinals. I bet Kurt Warner would come out of retirement to wear one of those bad boys. I don't think Max Hall or Derek Anderson is going to live up to that fierce looking Cardinal though.
I think jersey's based on the Pro Combat NCAA uni's would be a welcome change to the NFL, not everyone will agree but I think it is about time for a change in jerseys.
Oh and if you'd like one last look at Moss in a Vikings Jersey, look no further.
 |
| Nike's Pro Combat Jersey's |
Now I'm no conspiracy theorist, but wouldn't you deny it too? If Phil Knight and Nike had decided to look into new NFL jerseys, and many would agree they do, wouldn't you try to leak this information to get fans reactions? These jersey's are drastically different than current NFL jerseys, wouldn't you want to know if everyone was going to say they are horrible?
If I were Nike and we were contemplating releasing new, revolutionary jerseys, you'd better believe I'd find a way to leak them to the public to get a reaction. And you'd be damned sure I'd deny it up and down the moment someone asked.
 |
| Jaguars Black Alternate "Total Combat" |
Now if you are an NFL do you agree to go with a total overhaul of your jerseys? Let's think like an owner "Well if we get new jersey's, then that means that every fan will have to buy new jerseys... Sounds like a great idea!" The obvious answer is, absolutely! Doesn't mean us as fans have to like it but you'd better believe if there is money to be made the owners are saying yes.
Unless you're Art Rooney and someone puked all over your Pittsburgh Steelers. Seriously those things are Ugly, with a capital U. What is with that arm band? It looks like something that Allen Iverson should be wearing over in Turkey, not something I am seeing on the gridiron. And speaking of AI, maybe if he'd practiced a bit more he wouldn't be broke playing in Turkey, or maybe he would have scored more than two points last night. But really, here is the million dollar question, where was David Kahn? You can't tell me signing Iverson didn't cross his mind, seriously they need a few more point guards there and/or over paid high draft picks who can't play. Sorry Darko.Sorry that's already way to much AI isn't it?
Fine back to the gridiron.I have to say there were a few I liked, the Bengals was solid and I really liked the Patriots, unlike many others. The Jets, Eagles and Falcons were solid. But I think my favorite was the Cardinals. I bet Kurt Warner would come out of retirement to wear one of those bad boys. I don't think Max Hall or Derek Anderson is going to live up to that fierce looking Cardinal though.
I think jersey's based on the Pro Combat NCAA uni's would be a welcome change to the NFL, not everyone will agree but I think it is about time for a change in jerseys.
Oh and if you'd like one last look at Moss in a Vikings Jersey, look no further.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Arena Adventures: Wells Fargo Arena
Arena Adventures: Entry #1
Arena: Wells Fargo Arena
City: Des Moines, IA
Date: November 21, 2010
Teams: Iowa St. Cyclones vs. Creighton Bluejays
I have to preface the remainder of this entry by saying that I don't expect to see either of these teams in the NCAA Tournament come March. That said, today's "neutral site" game between Iowa St. and Creighton certainly had an NCAA Tournament atmosphere. The Wells Fargo Arena is located less than an hour from Ames and about 2.5 hours from Omaha making this a very attendable game for all fans, as evidenced by the 10,000+ that were in attendance on a Sunday afternoon - must have been the sweet "Battle of the Birds" t-shirts given to all fans. While I would say the crowd was probably 2/3 red and gold, the Creighton contingent was certainly loud and proud. The arena itself was a pretty decent place to watch a basketball game. Probably helped having center court seats in the club section of the lower level, but I think even the upper levels would have made for an enjoyable experience. Ingress and egress from the arena was simple and smooth, which is always nice.
As for the game, I would have thought this was a mid-March game for a trip to the Sweet 16 or Elite 8. The level of play was extremely high throughout. Creighton lead most of the way, including by 6 at the half and as many as 12 after a Kaleb Korver 3 to cap a 6-0 run out of the gate in the 2nd half.
ISU answered quick with a run of their own, but Creighton always seemed to have an answer to maintain the lead; whether it was an Antoine Young drive to the goal or a Kenny Lawson, Jr. 3 from the top of the key. As the game entered its final minutes, ISU finally grabbed a 1 point lead with baskets by Diante Garrett (from Milwaukee Vincent - shout out to Tom Diener) and Jamie Vanderbeken.
As the teams traded baskets again, insanity ensued in the final 30 seconds. Down 2, Creighton misses a shot and makes the cardinal sin of basketball...committing an intentional foul by almost ripping the shorts off an ISU player without going for the ball. Garrett makes 1 of 2 FTs on that visit and Melvin Ejim makes 2 of 2 for a 5 point lead. Creighton comes down an Lawson buries a 3 from the wing to cut the lead to 2. After ISU makes 1 of 2 FTs again, Young inexplicably takes the ball to the rack with less than 5 seconds left and draws a foul. He makes the first FT and intentionally misses the 2nd. Spectacularly, he grabs his own rebound and is fouled on a fadeaway jumper with 1.6 seconds left. One would think this is the height of drama with the game on the line, but this is just a helping of what's to come...Young calmly knocks home both FTs to tie the game at 88 and ensure overtime right? Jamie Vanderbeken from ISU had other ideas. Off a great inbounds pass from Scott Christopherson to about 35 feet from the basket, Vanderbeken takes 1 dribble, turns, and fires...SWISH as the horn sounds and the backboard
lights come on!!
In real time, the shot looked late, but the officials called it good. For some ungodly reason, this game was not televised ANYWHERE so the officials could not replay the shot and properly send the game to OT. Either way, this was one hell of a basketball game (best I've ever seen in 20+ of my life so far) and no fan should have left the building too disappointed. Sure, Creighton got the L, but everyone got their money's and travel time's worth.
On a side note, Creighton freshman Doug McDermott looked strong in the post with 16 points, Young could not be stopped on a penetrating drive (scoring 21 total), and Lawson has a smooth stroke from 20 feet and out for a big man (dropping 20 points on 4 triples). On the ISU side, if Garrett learns to regulate his shot selection a bit better, he could be a first or second-team All Big XII performer in my opinion. Ejim had a very quiet 22 points in support of Garrett's 28 as well.
Final Thoughts: This game far exceeding any expectations I had arriving in Des Moines today. Both teams look like they could be competitive in their conferences, especially Creighton in the MVC, as the Big XII will be extremely tough this season for ISU.
On to Kansas City tomorrow for #1/#1 Duke vs. Marquette and #3/#3 Kansas St. vs. #10/#11 Gonzaga in the CBE Classic semifinals. I just hope these games are half as competitive as today's game. A full report on the 2 semifinal games and the Sprint Center will be detailed on Tuesday so stay tuned to Arena Adventures!
Arena: Wells Fargo Arena
City: Des Moines, IA
Date: November 21, 2010
Teams: Iowa St. Cyclones vs. Creighton Bluejays
I have to preface the remainder of this entry by saying that I don't expect to see either of these teams in the NCAA Tournament come March. That said, today's "neutral site" game between Iowa St. and Creighton certainly had an NCAA Tournament atmosphere. The Wells Fargo Arena is located less than an hour from Ames and about 2.5 hours from Omaha making this a very attendable game for all fans, as evidenced by the 10,000+ that were in attendance on a Sunday afternoon - must have been the sweet "Battle of the Birds" t-shirts given to all fans. While I would say the crowd was probably 2/3 red and gold, the Creighton contingent was certainly loud and proud. The arena itself was a pretty decent place to watch a basketball game. Probably helped having center court seats in the club section of the lower level, but I think even the upper levels would have made for an enjoyable experience. Ingress and egress from the arena was simple and smooth, which is always nice.As for the game, I would have thought this was a mid-March game for a trip to the Sweet 16 or Elite 8. The level of play was extremely high throughout. Creighton lead most of the way, including by 6 at the half and as many as 12 after a Kaleb Korver 3 to cap a 6-0 run out of the gate in the 2nd half.
ISU answered quick with a run of their own, but Creighton always seemed to have an answer to maintain the lead; whether it was an Antoine Young drive to the goal or a Kenny Lawson, Jr. 3 from the top of the key. As the game entered its final minutes, ISU finally grabbed a 1 point lead with baskets by Diante Garrett (from Milwaukee Vincent - shout out to Tom Diener) and Jamie Vanderbeken.As the teams traded baskets again, insanity ensued in the final 30 seconds. Down 2, Creighton misses a shot and makes the cardinal sin of basketball...committing an intentional foul by almost ripping the shorts off an ISU player without going for the ball. Garrett makes 1 of 2 FTs on that visit and Melvin Ejim makes 2 of 2 for a 5 point lead. Creighton comes down an Lawson buries a 3 from the wing to cut the lead to 2. After ISU makes 1 of 2 FTs again, Young inexplicably takes the ball to the rack with less than 5 seconds left and draws a foul. He makes the first FT and intentionally misses the 2nd. Spectacularly, he grabs his own rebound and is fouled on a fadeaway jumper with 1.6 seconds left. One would think this is the height of drama with the game on the line, but this is just a helping of what's to come...Young calmly knocks home both FTs to tie the game at 88 and ensure overtime right? Jamie Vanderbeken from ISU had other ideas. Off a great inbounds pass from Scott Christopherson to about 35 feet from the basket, Vanderbeken takes 1 dribble, turns, and fires...SWISH as the horn sounds and the backboard
lights come on!!In real time, the shot looked late, but the officials called it good. For some ungodly reason, this game was not televised ANYWHERE so the officials could not replay the shot and properly send the game to OT. Either way, this was one hell of a basketball game (best I've ever seen in 20+ of my life so far) and no fan should have left the building too disappointed. Sure, Creighton got the L, but everyone got their money's and travel time's worth.
On a side note, Creighton freshman Doug McDermott looked strong in the post with 16 points, Young could not be stopped on a penetrating drive (scoring 21 total), and Lawson has a smooth stroke from 20 feet and out for a big man (dropping 20 points on 4 triples). On the ISU side, if Garrett learns to regulate his shot selection a bit better, he could be a first or second-team All Big XII performer in my opinion. Ejim had a very quiet 22 points in support of Garrett's 28 as well.
Final Thoughts: This game far exceeding any expectations I had arriving in Des Moines today. Both teams look like they could be competitive in their conferences, especially Creighton in the MVC, as the Big XII will be extremely tough this season for ISU.
On to Kansas City tomorrow for #1/#1 Duke vs. Marquette and #3/#3 Kansas St. vs. #10/#11 Gonzaga in the CBE Classic semifinals. I just hope these games are half as competitive as today's game. A full report on the 2 semifinal games and the Sprint Center will be detailed on Tuesday so stay tuned to Arena Adventures!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Dear Zygi Wilf
Would you please man up and fire Brad Childress? Seriously this guy is KILLING my fantasy team. He is so reluctant to give the ball to, arguably, the best back in the league! C'mon Childress, why don't you give the ball to AP more? Yes I do realize he is averaging 22.5 carries a game, but it always seems like Chilly gives him the ball when he shouldn't and doesn't when he should. So what are your reason's Chilly? Because AP fumbles too much? He hasn't lost a fumble all year in 180 carries. It's not AP that is giving the ball to the wrong team, it's your 500 year old QB that likes to dig a hole for you.
So Zygi, I ask you to do what is right for the Black Lightning and help us win an OFFL Championship this season by dismissing the man that gave the Patriots your 3rd rounder for a three week rental player. The decision shouldn't be too hard since the Bears just kicked your butt today.
Oh and if you have a way to get Peyton Manning a few extra bodies so he can produce like he should for us, that'd be great as well.
So Zygi, I ask you to do what is right for the Black Lightning and help us win an OFFL Championship this season by dismissing the man that gave the Patriots your 3rd rounder for a three week rental player. The decision shouldn't be too hard since the Bears just kicked your butt today.
Oh and if you have a way to get Peyton Manning a few extra bodies so he can produce like he should for us, that'd be great as well.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
I'll Take Crosby With the First Pick
So the NHL announced today that its all-star teams will be selected by none other than the players themselves in a type of elementary school, playground style selection method. 2 captains will be named for each side and they will be able to pick from a pool of players and create their own rosters.
I gotta admit, I'm not a big fan of the NHL or the all-star game where defense, goaltending, and especially fighting are optional. However, this is an absolutely great concept for a sport still trying to find its way back into American households (well at least those with access to Versus). I just hope this selection show is televised...preferably with Don Cherry and Barry Melrose assessing each teams selections. The only way this might be made better is if some all-star coaches are tabbed as well. I might actually watch the All-Star game if Lemieux was coaching against Messier or Hull against Orr. Make this happen Bettman since I don't know why the hell you're holding your showcase game in Carolina of all places. Not exactly a hockey hotbed down Tobacco Road...
I gotta admit, I'm not a big fan of the NHL or the all-star game where defense, goaltending, and especially fighting are optional. However, this is an absolutely great concept for a sport still trying to find its way back into American households (well at least those with access to Versus). I just hope this selection show is televised...preferably with Don Cherry and Barry Melrose assessing each teams selections. The only way this might be made better is if some all-star coaches are tabbed as well. I might actually watch the All-Star game if Lemieux was coaching against Messier or Hull against Orr. Make this happen Bettman since I don't know why the hell you're holding your showcase game in Carolina of all places. Not exactly a hockey hotbed down Tobacco Road...
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Millsap takes his talents to South Beach
You might all remember when King James declared he'd be "Taking his talents to South Beach" on the ESPN Special "The Decision".
Tonight LeBron did just that, his first Triple-Double as a member of the Miami Heat and 29th of his career. Unfortunately for the Heat LeBron's 20 points, 11 rebounds and 14 dimes and Wade's 39 points and 6 rebounds was not enough.
Tonight it was Paul Millsap who brought his talents to South Beach, with a career-high 46 points and 9 rebounds Millsap lead the Jazz to a huge second half comeback and 22 point deficit to beat the Big Three. Millsap had 11 points in the last 30 seconds, including three three pointers and a last second put back to force overtime.
Jazz PG Deron Williams was 9-15 with 21 points and 14 dimes, but missed overtime after fouling out.
A big motivator for the Jazz's improbable second half come back was SG Raja Bell's halftime speech where he reminded the Jazz what was at stake, Utah was getting embarrassed in a game many predicted them to lose. source
While Millsap may have made more three pointers tonight then he has in his entire career (2-20 before tonight) he has been draining 3's during summer workouts, leading Star PG Williams to ask Paul to take them during games.
Al Jefferson, Utah's big get this summer after losing All-Star Carlos Boozer this summer, did not play well tonight and was not played much in overtime. One wonders if he is not meshing well with the team? Or if some of his losing habits in Minnesota have not allowed him to reach his potential with the team.
The Heats three losses have come to teams with elite PGs, New Orleans, Boston Celtics and tonight the Utah Jazz.
Regardless, this was a huge win for the Jazz who have struggled early in the season. Jerry Sloan is a great coach and I am looking forward to seeing the Jazz play twice this week on ESPN.
Get your Paul Millsap jersey's here.
I remember playing NCAA 06, Louisiana Tech - National Champs. Thanks Paul!
Tonight LeBron did just that, his first Triple-Double as a member of the Miami Heat and 29th of his career. Unfortunately for the Heat LeBron's 20 points, 11 rebounds and 14 dimes and Wade's 39 points and 6 rebounds was not enough.
Tonight it was Paul Millsap who brought his talents to South Beach, with a career-high 46 points and 9 rebounds Millsap lead the Jazz to a huge second half comeback and 22 point deficit to beat the Big Three. Millsap had 11 points in the last 30 seconds, including three three pointers and a last second put back to force overtime.
Jazz PG Deron Williams was 9-15 with 21 points and 14 dimes, but missed overtime after fouling out.
A big motivator for the Jazz's improbable second half come back was SG Raja Bell's halftime speech where he reminded the Jazz what was at stake, Utah was getting embarrassed in a game many predicted them to lose. source
While Millsap may have made more three pointers tonight then he has in his entire career (2-20 before tonight) he has been draining 3's during summer workouts, leading Star PG Williams to ask Paul to take them during games.
Al Jefferson, Utah's big get this summer after losing All-Star Carlos Boozer this summer, did not play well tonight and was not played much in overtime. One wonders if he is not meshing well with the team? Or if some of his losing habits in Minnesota have not allowed him to reach his potential with the team.
The Heats three losses have come to teams with elite PGs, New Orleans, Boston Celtics and tonight the Utah Jazz.
Regardless, this was a huge win for the Jazz who have struggled early in the season. Jerry Sloan is a great coach and I am looking forward to seeing the Jazz play twice this week on ESPN.
Get your Paul Millsap jersey's here.
I remember playing NCAA 06, Louisiana Tech - National Champs. Thanks Paul!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Preseason Top 15
It's that time of year again when the NCAA Basketball Season starts and every so called "Expert" gives you their predictions of the Final Four. This year I continue to hear Duke, when haven't they been predicted to be in the Final Four? They will be solid but a lot of pressure is on top recruit Kyrie Irving (yes he is good) and Seth Curry. I continue to hear a lot of Michigan State, sure Izzo is a great coach but are they healthy? After that I hear a lot of Kansas State, Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Villanova. Then there is a few people who pick Kansas? They must know something about Josh Selby and his eligibility, without him they are a Sweet 16 team at best. Selby is a game changer and he will be missed at Allen Fieldhouse if he is ruled ineligible by the clearinghouse.
Let's start with the Top 10 tonight and I'll go through 25 in the coming days.
#1 Duke - Yes, you'll find out I hate Duke. Even with the loss of Jon Scheyer, which I feel could really hurt them, they are still the defending champs and they are still ultra talented. Singler is a very good player and Irving and Curry should be as advertised.
#2 Michigan State - Yes I have called out others for this ranking, but you really can't put anyone else here. Izzo gets the most out of his players and is always tough in March. If Lucas is healthy they could easily be the favorite to win the title, saying that it would not shock me to see them not win the loaded Big Ten.
#3 Kansas State - Watch out Bill Self, you're not the top coach in Kansas anymore (actually calling you a coach is a stretch). In just three seasons as head coach at Kansas State, Frank Martin has won 72 games, the same number that Bill Self won in his first three seasons in Lawrence. Kansas State brings back All American, and potential Player of the Year candidate, Jacob Pullen who looks to lead the Wildcats to Houston.
#4 the Ohio State University - Losing Turner hurts, there is no question about that, but Thad Matta has brought in Preseason Freshman of the Year in the Big Ten, Jared Sullinger. Watch out, this kid is good. couple him with Senior guards, David Lighty and Jon Diebler as well as returning starters Dallas Lauderdale and William Buford and you have a potential title contender.
#5 North Carolina - Yes, I hate the Tar Heels but Freshman Phenom Harrison Barnes is just that good. The Heels might start out slow but watch out for them in March. As the team continues to grow and learn to play together they could easily contend for a title come March.
#6 Villanova - It's a tough call in the Big East, 'Nova and Pitt are so close. I'll take the Wildcats and their trio of Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes and Maalik Wayns in the backcourt. Expect the Wildcats to extend their streak to seven straight 20 win seasons and NCAA Tournament births.
#7 Pittsburgh - 'Nova and Pitt are so close in my mind, either could end up winning the Big East. Pitt returns 4 starters from a team taht won 25 games last year, which is a good recipe for success. Add in the fact that the Panthers are 132-11 at home at The Pete and you can understand why the fans expectations are high and nothing but an appearance in Houston will satisfy them.
#8 Kansas - Disclaimer: If Josh Selby is ineligible drop the Jayhawks back 10 spots. Bill Self returns two starters from a team that, well he'd likely not want to discuss what happened last March. Expect Tyshawn Taylor and the Morris twins to have good years, but without Selby, likely Bill Self's best recruit ever, the Jayhawks are not an elite team.
#9 Purdue - Even with the loss of Robbie Hummel this team is still good. E'Twaun Moore, Lewis Jackson and one of the most electric players in the Big Ten JaJuan Johson return for the Boilermakers and coach Matt Painter. The Boilers may not be a preseason title contender without Hummel, but I still expect them to push for a Big Ten Title.
#10 Syracuse - The Orange may have lost a lot of talent (Wes Johnson) but don't underestimate Jim Boeheim's squad. The team returns two starters from last year's 30 win squad and brings in two fab freshmen, Fab Melo and Dion Waiters. The Orange might struggle early but expect them to be among the nations best teams by March.
#11 Illinois - This team has a lot to prove after failing to make the Dance last year. This team brings back all 5 starters from last year and freshman Jereme Richmond has the talent to be special. The team rests on the maturity of Demetri McCamey, he's talked the talk this summer, now he needs to walk the walk. This team has potential, but can they put it all together?
#12 Washington - The Pac10 Champs from a year ago looked very good in March and returns 4 starters, watch for Isaiah Thomas, Abdul Gaddy and Venoy Overton to lead this team this year. I love Thomas and expect him to lead the Huskies to the Pac10 title and at least a few wins in march.
#13 Kentucky - Disclaimer: Kentucky is a fringe top 25 team without key freshman Enes Kanter, and with him they could easily be a few spots higher. John Calipari has another top Freshmen PG in Knight and should have another solid team in March.
#14 Missouri - Things change a lot for the Mizzou Tigers if Top recruit Tony Mitchell becomes eligible in the second semester, with him I might even consider them a Top 10 team. Without him they are a sold team with a chance for a few wins in March.
#15 - Gonzaga - This team could contend for a Final Four, losing Matt Bouldin hurts but the team returns a great one - two punch in Elias Harris and Steven Gray. Expect Mark Few and Gonzaga to win their 11th straight Conference Title and position themselves for a productive March.
Let's start with the Top 10 tonight and I'll go through 25 in the coming days.
#1 Duke - Yes, you'll find out I hate Duke. Even with the loss of Jon Scheyer, which I feel could really hurt them, they are still the defending champs and they are still ultra talented. Singler is a very good player and Irving and Curry should be as advertised.
#2 Michigan State - Yes I have called out others for this ranking, but you really can't put anyone else here. Izzo gets the most out of his players and is always tough in March. If Lucas is healthy they could easily be the favorite to win the title, saying that it would not shock me to see them not win the loaded Big Ten.
#3 Kansas State - Watch out Bill Self, you're not the top coach in Kansas anymore (actually calling you a coach is a stretch). In just three seasons as head coach at Kansas State, Frank Martin has won 72 games, the same number that Bill Self won in his first three seasons in Lawrence. Kansas State brings back All American, and potential Player of the Year candidate, Jacob Pullen who looks to lead the Wildcats to Houston.
#4 the Ohio State University - Losing Turner hurts, there is no question about that, but Thad Matta has brought in Preseason Freshman of the Year in the Big Ten, Jared Sullinger. Watch out, this kid is good. couple him with Senior guards, David Lighty and Jon Diebler as well as returning starters Dallas Lauderdale and William Buford and you have a potential title contender.
#5 North Carolina - Yes, I hate the Tar Heels but Freshman Phenom Harrison Barnes is just that good. The Heels might start out slow but watch out for them in March. As the team continues to grow and learn to play together they could easily contend for a title come March.
#6 Villanova - It's a tough call in the Big East, 'Nova and Pitt are so close. I'll take the Wildcats and their trio of Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes and Maalik Wayns in the backcourt. Expect the Wildcats to extend their streak to seven straight 20 win seasons and NCAA Tournament births.
#7 Pittsburgh - 'Nova and Pitt are so close in my mind, either could end up winning the Big East. Pitt returns 4 starters from a team taht won 25 games last year, which is a good recipe for success. Add in the fact that the Panthers are 132-11 at home at The Pete and you can understand why the fans expectations are high and nothing but an appearance in Houston will satisfy them.
#8 Kansas - Disclaimer: If Josh Selby is ineligible drop the Jayhawks back 10 spots. Bill Self returns two starters from a team that, well he'd likely not want to discuss what happened last March. Expect Tyshawn Taylor and the Morris twins to have good years, but without Selby, likely Bill Self's best recruit ever, the Jayhawks are not an elite team.
#9 Purdue - Even with the loss of Robbie Hummel this team is still good. E'Twaun Moore, Lewis Jackson and one of the most electric players in the Big Ten JaJuan Johson return for the Boilermakers and coach Matt Painter. The Boilers may not be a preseason title contender without Hummel, but I still expect them to push for a Big Ten Title.
#10 Syracuse - The Orange may have lost a lot of talent (Wes Johnson) but don't underestimate Jim Boeheim's squad. The team returns two starters from last year's 30 win squad and brings in two fab freshmen, Fab Melo and Dion Waiters. The Orange might struggle early but expect them to be among the nations best teams by March.
#11 Illinois - This team has a lot to prove after failing to make the Dance last year. This team brings back all 5 starters from last year and freshman Jereme Richmond has the talent to be special. The team rests on the maturity of Demetri McCamey, he's talked the talk this summer, now he needs to walk the walk. This team has potential, but can they put it all together?
#12 Washington - The Pac10 Champs from a year ago looked very good in March and returns 4 starters, watch for Isaiah Thomas, Abdul Gaddy and Venoy Overton to lead this team this year. I love Thomas and expect him to lead the Huskies to the Pac10 title and at least a few wins in march.
#13 Kentucky - Disclaimer: Kentucky is a fringe top 25 team without key freshman Enes Kanter, and with him they could easily be a few spots higher. John Calipari has another top Freshmen PG in Knight and should have another solid team in March.
#14 Missouri - Things change a lot for the Mizzou Tigers if Top recruit Tony Mitchell becomes eligible in the second semester, with him I might even consider them a Top 10 team. Without him they are a sold team with a chance for a few wins in March.
#15 - Gonzaga - This team could contend for a Final Four, losing Matt Bouldin hurts but the team returns a great one - two punch in Elias Harris and Steven Gray. Expect Mark Few and Gonzaga to win their 11th straight Conference Title and position themselves for a productive March.
The Ball is Tipped...
So the college basketball season began tonight with the opening round of the Coaches vs. Cancer classic and I'm guessing not many people even knew that as 2 of the games (Pitt/URI and Navy/Texas) were buried on ESPNU and Illinois/UC-Irvine on ESPN3 only. It's too bad that ESPN can't do a better job of organizing the 24 hour tip-off classic to be the true start of the season. Why is this on November 16th...don't they know most normal humans work on Tuesdays? I can't just have ESPN3 up at work all day long...even though I will probably try to lol.
Even though today starts the regular season there have been quite the results in some of the exhibition games this season. Now I know exhibition games don't mean a whole lot but I don't care if you're playing man-to-man all game instead of your 2-3 zone as was Syracuse's excuse last season for losing to the Le Moyne Dolphins. Xavier should not be losing to Bellarmine, Seattle Pacific should not be beating both Eastern Washington (maybe they should go with a red court like their red football field) and Nevada. I don't care that these are top 10 D-II teams, there is a reason you're a Division I school. Nothing pales in comparison so far though to Bruce Pearl leading his troops into a 15 point embarrassing loss to the U of Indianapolis Greyhounds. Maybe Bruce needs to do a better job at his house parties of getting better recruits if his players are being shown up by a school from the Great Lakes Valley Conference. I give all the props in the world to these D-II teams for taking these games seriously...it's too bad some D-I players are too egotisical to realize they are not head and shoulders above everyone in a TEAM sport as college basketball is.
Even though today starts the regular season there have been quite the results in some of the exhibition games this season. Now I know exhibition games don't mean a whole lot but I don't care if you're playing man-to-man all game instead of your 2-3 zone as was Syracuse's excuse last season for losing to the Le Moyne Dolphins. Xavier should not be losing to Bellarmine, Seattle Pacific should not be beating both Eastern Washington (maybe they should go with a red court like their red football field) and Nevada. I don't care that these are top 10 D-II teams, there is a reason you're a Division I school. Nothing pales in comparison so far though to Bruce Pearl leading his troops into a 15 point embarrassing loss to the U of Indianapolis Greyhounds. Maybe Bruce needs to do a better job at his house parties of getting better recruits if his players are being shown up by a school from the Great Lakes Valley Conference. I give all the props in the world to these D-II teams for taking these games seriously...it's too bad some D-I players are too egotisical to realize they are not head and shoulders above everyone in a TEAM sport as college basketball is.
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