Sunday's final round at Augusta National provided all of the greatness and trainwrecks one could hope for. Greatness came in the form of Charl Schwartzel, who emerged from the pack on the back nine to earn his first Masters green jacket; the trainwreck came in the form of three-round leader Rory McIlroy, who receded into the pack with a National Geographic Explorer triple bogey on the 10th. He followed that with a bogey on 11 and double-bogey on 12. For all intents and purposes, there was a fork in him: he was done. Unlike Tiger Woods, McIlroy was not rude in a 19th hole interview.
McIlroy's final round 80 put him in good company with Sam Snead and Ken Venturi--other third round leaders who fell from the top on a Sunday at Augusta National. Both went on to win the Masters later in their careers. The lesson? McIlroy will be back. Then again, Greg Norman's Fosbury Flop of '96 led to zero green jackets.
It is easy to disparage McIlroy's Sunday performance, which was the worst of the 49 playing, but at least he led or co-led the tournament for 63 holes. Who laid the real eggs over the weekend at Augusta? Who were the turkeys of the 2011 Masters?
Colombia's Camilo Villegas finished dead last of those who made the cut, with a 76 on Sunday and six-over 294 total. South Africa's Ernie Els and Australia's Aaron Baddeley finished tied for 47th, with five-over par totals of 293. Three Americans contended for the dubious moniker of worst of the weekend: Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler, and Bubba Watson. Watson's 78 was the second worst score of the day.
Who can take away several positives from the 2011 Masters? Start with the winner Schwartzel (66-274) and proceed to Adam Scott, Jason Day, Luke Donald, Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera, Bo Van Pelt, K. J. Choi, Ryan Palmer, Lee Westwood, ultra-veteran Fred Couples, and low amateur Hideki Matsuyama. Even Rory McIlroy should walk away with many lessons learned. First and foremost: avoid hitting bad shots!
Drama? Immediately after McIlroy's self-destructive act on the 10th, Tiger had a chance for an eagle on the 15th due to a sensational second shot. However, he missed the routine putt and settled for a birdie. Meanwhile, other players were making great shots of their own. Adam Scott and Jason Day scratched and clawed to the end, while Bo Van Pelt and Luke Donald had some great holes. Angel Cabrera's comeback story was halted in its tracks. Perhaps he was thinking of dinner. Geoff Ogilvy's run, like Tiger's, came up short.
Thus, it was Schwartzel's day. After shooting 34 on the front nine, the 26-year-old Charl scored an amazing 32 on the back nine. Sure, McIlroy lost it. More importantly for the excitement of the game, Schwartzel went out and won it. Apart from one bogey on the 4th, he played perfect golf on Sunday.
South Africa, with Louis Oosthuizen, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Schwartzel, godfather Ernie Els, and grandfather Gary Player, can now claim to be the third most powerful golfing nation. Australia, led by Adam Scott, Jason Day, and Geoff Ogilvy, isn't far behind. Nor is Spain, with Masters vanishing act Alvaro Quiros, serial disappointment Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal, and Miguel Jimenez.
A big positive in Butler Cabin occurred when amateur Matsuyama of Japan won the low amateur trophy. The young golfer said all the right things: returning to school, volunteering time to the earthquake/tsunami relief effort, and only later turning pro. How refreshing! Then again, perhaps his English translator was making up all of the politically correct answers as he went, while Matsuyama was actually talking about spending the next six weeks in Las Vegas on a bender with Anthony Kim.
Additionally in the cabin, Mickelson was an enthusiastic valet for Schwartzel, and Schwartzel was a gracious, modest family-oriented champion.
The back nine excitement was helped immeasurably by the excellent television direction and expert commentary. This combined with the great play by many down the stretch and a tight bunching at the top made the 2011 Masters a benchmark in showcasing golf's dynamics. At the end, Australians, South Africans, Americans, and Englishmen dominated the leaderboard.
K. J. Choi and Angel Cabrera had a few mishits to fall off the pace. Meanwhile, Geoff Ogilvy, Bo Van Pelt, and Jason Day enjoyed hot streaks at the right time to become legitimate contenders. Tiger kept flirting with more birdies, but his putter proved disappointing again.
It was Schwartzel who had the hot hand at the right time: all round long. Not only did he open with a birdie-par-eagle, but he finished with four consecutive birdies to win.
Does anybody understand why Tiger Woods received a standing ovation after parring the 18th and finishing at the time one behind the leader, Adam Scott? Is he really an underdog? Is he really a victim of circumstance? This is a man who not only fired his wife and severed his family, but also fired his swing coach. This is a man who claims he has changed on the course, but as John Feinstein pointed out, he really hasn't improved relations with fans and colleagues. He really hasn't improved his personality, but he has improved his golf game. Tiger is almost all the way back. More majors should come his way.
On the opposite end of the spectrum of public relations, Gary Player remains a true ambassador of the game. Class and enthusiasm ooze from his pores. Fortunately, most young golfers follow the Player model, not the Woods model.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Masters Golf Tournament: Third Day Observations
Rory McIlroy finished with a flurry of three birdies on the back nine Saturday, giving the young man from Northern Ireland a commanding four-shot lead heading into Sunday's Masters competition. With Saturday's two-under 70, McIlroy's three-round total of 204 is beyond impressive. If he were to win, he would be the second youngest Masters champion in history, after Tiger Woods. Perhaps the 30-foot putt he sank on the 17th will be considered the stroke that sealed the deal. Perhaps not.
Apparently, American players' whining about the toughness of Augusta National finally stuck with the PGA, for the course is playing more forgiving for the second consecutive year. Balls are not rolling back into the ponds like in years past. Greens are stickier, too. Thus, while the average scores of the leaders continue to retreat towards par, with McIlroy down to a four-under daily average, the tournament's winner will finish with a double-digit score below par.
The biggest surprise of Saturday was not McIlroy's stability at the top of the leaderboard; it was putty-faced, sausage-shaped Angel Cabrera's 67, giving the 2009 Masters champion a share of second place and a final pairing with McIlroy today. Cabrera gives couch potatoes everywhere hope: at least he does not look capable of running a mile. He does know the course, however, and it would be foolish to rule the wiley Argentine out.
Though McIlroy shows no signs of slippage in concentration, technique, or physical effort, several international golfers besides Cabrera are in a position to pounce if the 21-year-old young gun's nerves and knees turn to jelly. Momentum is not with Korea's K. J. Choi, who shot a 71, or Australia's Jason Day, who posted a routine 72 Saturday. Both of them remain capable of another low score, however, and both are within striking distance four back at 208.
Momentum is with Cabrera, South Africa's Charl Schwartzel (68-208), Australia's Adam Scott (67-209), and England's Luke Donald (69-209), all coming off hot rounds Saturday. Any of them can win it.
Naturally, the media loves to tease the viewership by mentioning the possibility of big finishes by Tiger and Phil, but realistically they are each just too far back to contemplate a fifth and fourth green jacket, respectively. Again, Tiger's putter betrayed him as he betrayed his wife. His two-over 74 left him with a 211 total, seven behind the leader. Meanwhile, Mickelson's adventurous driving and mediocre putting gave him a 71 for a 213 total, nine shots back.
Stinky scores were turned in by Lee Westwood (74-213), Alvaro Quiros (75-213), Ricky Barnes (75-214), Sergio Garcia (75-215), Rickie Fowler (76-215), and Ernie Els (76-221). Els proved that playing without a partner in a major tournament round does not improve one's score due to less distractions. Solo rounds give golfers too much time to think without distraction, and too much time to dialogue with their caddies. That's trouble.
Questions for Sunday's final round:
1) Is Rory McIlroy mentally tough enough to pull off
the victory most pundits have predicted of him?
2) If not, will it be another young player, or a veteran
former winner like Cabrera who is presented with
the 2011 green jacket?
3) Who will have the lowest score today?
4) Of the leaders, who will implode and have the
highest score?
5) How embarrassing a finish will it be for Americans
cumulatively on the leaderboard?
6) What ridiculous percentage of unwarranted
facetime will Tiger Woods receive once he's
mathematically eliminated from receiving another
green jacket?
7) To what degree of self-congratulatory banter will
Jim Nantz sink today as he brings down an
otherwise stellar CBS broadcasting crew?
Expect the unexpected at Augusta National today: meltdowns and trainwrecks are usually more fun to watch than untouchable great performances. Expect great shots and terrible shots, good decisions and horrible decisions. After all, we are talking about the Masters on Sunday. Whoever can string together the most great shots and good decisions will win.
Why can't all televised golf tournaments follow the Masters' lead in restricting advertising to four minutes per hour? Everybody does not own a DVR.
Enjoy the tournament.
Apparently, American players' whining about the toughness of Augusta National finally stuck with the PGA, for the course is playing more forgiving for the second consecutive year. Balls are not rolling back into the ponds like in years past. Greens are stickier, too. Thus, while the average scores of the leaders continue to retreat towards par, with McIlroy down to a four-under daily average, the tournament's winner will finish with a double-digit score below par.
The biggest surprise of Saturday was not McIlroy's stability at the top of the leaderboard; it was putty-faced, sausage-shaped Angel Cabrera's 67, giving the 2009 Masters champion a share of second place and a final pairing with McIlroy today. Cabrera gives couch potatoes everywhere hope: at least he does not look capable of running a mile. He does know the course, however, and it would be foolish to rule the wiley Argentine out.
Though McIlroy shows no signs of slippage in concentration, technique, or physical effort, several international golfers besides Cabrera are in a position to pounce if the 21-year-old young gun's nerves and knees turn to jelly. Momentum is not with Korea's K. J. Choi, who shot a 71, or Australia's Jason Day, who posted a routine 72 Saturday. Both of them remain capable of another low score, however, and both are within striking distance four back at 208.
Momentum is with Cabrera, South Africa's Charl Schwartzel (68-208), Australia's Adam Scott (67-209), and England's Luke Donald (69-209), all coming off hot rounds Saturday. Any of them can win it.
Naturally, the media loves to tease the viewership by mentioning the possibility of big finishes by Tiger and Phil, but realistically they are each just too far back to contemplate a fifth and fourth green jacket, respectively. Again, Tiger's putter betrayed him as he betrayed his wife. His two-over 74 left him with a 211 total, seven behind the leader. Meanwhile, Mickelson's adventurous driving and mediocre putting gave him a 71 for a 213 total, nine shots back.
Stinky scores were turned in by Lee Westwood (74-213), Alvaro Quiros (75-213), Ricky Barnes (75-214), Sergio Garcia (75-215), Rickie Fowler (76-215), and Ernie Els (76-221). Els proved that playing without a partner in a major tournament round does not improve one's score due to less distractions. Solo rounds give golfers too much time to think without distraction, and too much time to dialogue with their caddies. That's trouble.
Questions for Sunday's final round:
1) Is Rory McIlroy mentally tough enough to pull off
the victory most pundits have predicted of him?
2) If not, will it be another young player, or a veteran
former winner like Cabrera who is presented with
the 2011 green jacket?
3) Who will have the lowest score today?
4) Of the leaders, who will implode and have the
highest score?
5) How embarrassing a finish will it be for Americans
cumulatively on the leaderboard?
6) What ridiculous percentage of unwarranted
facetime will Tiger Woods receive once he's
mathematically eliminated from receiving another
green jacket?
7) To what degree of self-congratulatory banter will
Jim Nantz sink today as he brings down an
otherwise stellar CBS broadcasting crew?
Expect the unexpected at Augusta National today: meltdowns and trainwrecks are usually more fun to watch than untouchable great performances. Expect great shots and terrible shots, good decisions and horrible decisions. After all, we are talking about the Masters on Sunday. Whoever can string together the most great shots and good decisions will win.
Why can't all televised golf tournaments follow the Masters' lead in restricting advertising to four minutes per hour? Everybody does not own a DVR.
Enjoy the tournament.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
The Masters Golf Tournament: Second Day Observations
Friday provided more thrills, chills, and spills at the Masters, as the field was cut to 49 for the weekend. As predicted, the leaderboard didn't dip under par as spectacularly as the first day, although there were still some spectacular scores posted by the likes of veteran Fred Couples, mid-career Tiger Woods, and youngster Jason Day. The leader now has a daily score average of five under par, not seven under. Scores should continue to retreat towards a slightly below-par average.
First-day leaders Rory McIlroy and Alvaro Quiros did not collapse as cynics expected, with McIlroy having a terrific front nine of 33 before returning to mortality with a back nine 36. He leads with a 134 total, 10 under par. Quiros struggled at times, but finished with a one over 73 and 138 total.
Australian Jason Day lit up Augusta National with an 8-under 64, leaving him only two behind McIlroy at 136. K. J. Choi missed an easy putt on the 18th, leaving him with a 137 total, three behind the leader, and a pairing with Tiger Woods today.
The two big American stories were Woods and Fred Couples. After a dodgy front nine, where he had three bogies after seven holes, Woods found his old short game groove. Several birdies later, he finished with a 66, tying him with Choi at 137. Couples had a hot start to the day, but had a rougher back nine to finish with a 68 and 139 total: not bad for a 51 year old.
Skilled veterans working themselves into contention while slipping under the media radar included Geoff Ogilvy, Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk, and Steve Stricker. At least one of them will make things hot for young McIlroy and Day.
Some lifetime-exemption status former Masters champs, including Craig Stadler, Jose Maria Olazabal, Tom Watson, Ben Crenshaw, Sandy Lyle, and Mike Weir, did not make the cut. Other big names finding a premature end to Augusta in 2011 were Graeme McDowell, world number one Martin Kaymer, Vijay Singh, Rory Sabbatini, Padraig Harrington, Sean O'Hair, Hunter Mahan, Zach Johnson, and Retief Goosen.
Questions for Saturday:
1) Will average scores continue to retreat towards par
golf?
2) Which golfer or golfers will have the hot hand in
round three?
3) Which of the steady veterans will emerge as a legit
Sunday contender?
4) Which of the young guns will have the biggest fall?
5) Will Fred Couples remain a contender, despite the
middle-age ailment of a bad back?
6) Will Tiger Woods emerge from his bachelor cave
rut and take control of the tournament?
7) Will Phil Mickelson find driving consistency and a
putting touch before it's too late?
8) Will Ernie Els be able to survive a round where he
plays alone, the odd man out of the Saturday
pairings?
There are many deserving players out there, and it's not too late for a Japanese golfer to shoot his way into contention. That would still make the best story and the best aftershock Japan could ever imagine.
First-day leaders Rory McIlroy and Alvaro Quiros did not collapse as cynics expected, with McIlroy having a terrific front nine of 33 before returning to mortality with a back nine 36. He leads with a 134 total, 10 under par. Quiros struggled at times, but finished with a one over 73 and 138 total.
Australian Jason Day lit up Augusta National with an 8-under 64, leaving him only two behind McIlroy at 136. K. J. Choi missed an easy putt on the 18th, leaving him with a 137 total, three behind the leader, and a pairing with Tiger Woods today.
The two big American stories were Woods and Fred Couples. After a dodgy front nine, where he had three bogies after seven holes, Woods found his old short game groove. Several birdies later, he finished with a 66, tying him with Choi at 137. Couples had a hot start to the day, but had a rougher back nine to finish with a 68 and 139 total: not bad for a 51 year old.
Skilled veterans working themselves into contention while slipping under the media radar included Geoff Ogilvy, Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk, and Steve Stricker. At least one of them will make things hot for young McIlroy and Day.
Some lifetime-exemption status former Masters champs, including Craig Stadler, Jose Maria Olazabal, Tom Watson, Ben Crenshaw, Sandy Lyle, and Mike Weir, did not make the cut. Other big names finding a premature end to Augusta in 2011 were Graeme McDowell, world number one Martin Kaymer, Vijay Singh, Rory Sabbatini, Padraig Harrington, Sean O'Hair, Hunter Mahan, Zach Johnson, and Retief Goosen.
Questions for Saturday:
1) Will average scores continue to retreat towards par
golf?
2) Which golfer or golfers will have the hot hand in
round three?
3) Which of the steady veterans will emerge as a legit
Sunday contender?
4) Which of the young guns will have the biggest fall?
5) Will Fred Couples remain a contender, despite the
middle-age ailment of a bad back?
6) Will Tiger Woods emerge from his bachelor cave
rut and take control of the tournament?
7) Will Phil Mickelson find driving consistency and a
putting touch before it's too late?
8) Will Ernie Els be able to survive a round where he
plays alone, the odd man out of the Saturday
pairings?
There are many deserving players out there, and it's not too late for a Japanese golfer to shoot his way into contention. That would still make the best story and the best aftershock Japan could ever imagine.
Friday, April 8, 2011
The Masters Golf Tournament: First Day Observations
The first day at Augusta National is over, and an American is not in the lead. Instead, the lead at a remarkable seven shots under par is shared by a pair of twenty-somethings: 21-year-old Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and 28-year-old Alvaro Quiros of Spain. The opposite of Samson, McIlroy chopped off his long hair early in the week, and it resulted in his lowest score ever at the Masters. Of course, "ever" in his case means three years. Ever improving and currently ranked ninth in the world, McIlroy did not make the cut last year.
Matt Kuchar and Ricky Barnes were the lowest-scoring Americans, three shots back with four-under 68's. Phil Mickelson, as erratic as he was off the tee, shot a respectable 70 thanks to an unbelievably accurate chipping game. Tiger Woods showed traces of his former greatness, winding up at 71, one below par.
It's no surprise to find Europeans and South Africans well represented on the leader board, but Koreans Y. E. Yang and K. J. Choi are doing well so far, too. No question, after the recent troubles in Japan, the sentimental favorites have to be the Japanese contingent. Amateur Hideki Matsuyama shot an even par 72 round, Ryo Ishikawa shot 71, and Hiroyuki Matsuyama shot 70, leaving all three in contention after the first day.
It was great to see octogenarian Arnold Palmer and septuagenarians Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus ambulate around for ceremonial par three's and first tee shots. Even if real history is no longer taught in public schools, it's nice to see real history respected at Augusta.
It was great to see brilliant sports author John Feinstein providing expert commentary on the Golf Channel. It was great to hear the brilliant CBS golf crew melding with Augusta National once again. Yes, even Jim Nantz is tolerable when he's not fawning over old college chum Fred Couples or gushing over yet another corporate sponsor. The insufferable New Age somnambulist music has been reduced before and after commercial breaks, and the breaks are short and few in number during the ESPN broadcast. Well done.
Points of interest on Friday:
1) Will non-Americans continue to dominate the
leader board?
2) Will Asians continue to dominate the amateur
leader board?
3) Will Japan stay represented on the leader board?
4) Will Tiger, Phil, or both make a charge?
5) Will a senior like Couples or Watson make a
charge?
6) Which early leader will do a Greg Norman
collapse?
7) How many of the lifetime exemption, former
Masters winners will make the cut?
We don't know who will be on the leader board after Friday, but one thing is certain: the scores will not be so low. No PGA or local Augusta official wants a winning score of 28 under par, which is what McIlroy and Quiros are on pace to do. The majors are supposed to be tough, not duplicates of Phoenix or the Bob Hope. Scoring conditions were ideal on Thursday: warm, sunny, and calm, with sticky slow-for-Augusta greens and easy pin placements. Nothing can be done about the weather, but greens will be dried out if possible and pin positions will be much tougher.
This doesn't mean the leaders will come back to the pack, but it does mean repeating the feat of 65 will be extremely unlikely. On Friday, Augusta National will be tougher for everybody. Enjoy the greatest show in golf.
Matt Kuchar and Ricky Barnes were the lowest-scoring Americans, three shots back with four-under 68's. Phil Mickelson, as erratic as he was off the tee, shot a respectable 70 thanks to an unbelievably accurate chipping game. Tiger Woods showed traces of his former greatness, winding up at 71, one below par.
It's no surprise to find Europeans and South Africans well represented on the leader board, but Koreans Y. E. Yang and K. J. Choi are doing well so far, too. No question, after the recent troubles in Japan, the sentimental favorites have to be the Japanese contingent. Amateur Hideki Matsuyama shot an even par 72 round, Ryo Ishikawa shot 71, and Hiroyuki Matsuyama shot 70, leaving all three in contention after the first day.
It was great to see octogenarian Arnold Palmer and septuagenarians Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus ambulate around for ceremonial par three's and first tee shots. Even if real history is no longer taught in public schools, it's nice to see real history respected at Augusta.
It was great to see brilliant sports author John Feinstein providing expert commentary on the Golf Channel. It was great to hear the brilliant CBS golf crew melding with Augusta National once again. Yes, even Jim Nantz is tolerable when he's not fawning over old college chum Fred Couples or gushing over yet another corporate sponsor. The insufferable New Age somnambulist music has been reduced before and after commercial breaks, and the breaks are short and few in number during the ESPN broadcast. Well done.
Points of interest on Friday:
1) Will non-Americans continue to dominate the
leader board?
2) Will Asians continue to dominate the amateur
leader board?
3) Will Japan stay represented on the leader board?
4) Will Tiger, Phil, or both make a charge?
5) Will a senior like Couples or Watson make a
charge?
6) Which early leader will do a Greg Norman
collapse?
7) How many of the lifetime exemption, former
Masters winners will make the cut?
We don't know who will be on the leader board after Friday, but one thing is certain: the scores will not be so low. No PGA or local Augusta official wants a winning score of 28 under par, which is what McIlroy and Quiros are on pace to do. The majors are supposed to be tough, not duplicates of Phoenix or the Bob Hope. Scoring conditions were ideal on Thursday: warm, sunny, and calm, with sticky slow-for-Augusta greens and easy pin placements. Nothing can be done about the weather, but greens will be dried out if possible and pin positions will be much tougher.
This doesn't mean the leaders will come back to the pack, but it does mean repeating the feat of 65 will be extremely unlikely. On Friday, Augusta National will be tougher for everybody. Enjoy the greatest show in golf.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
NCAA Basketball Tournament: Tenth Day Lowlights and Lowerlights
Last night's title game was a game for the ages, if you love hand- and body-checking defenses and bricklaying shotwork. Connecticut smothered Butler, 53-41, with a stifling interior defense and its own sluggish offense. For once, Butler faced a team more aggressive than they. As the officials had decided to "let them play" except for the most egregious offenses, Butler's hopes quickly faded. It didn't help that the Bulldogs missed easy layups and open looks, either.
It wasn't going to be easy for Butler to win even if the Bulldogs were hitting their shots, but it was going to be impossible if they weren't. In the first half, Butler scored 22 points, breaking the 20-point barrier thanks to a couple of three-pointers. Fortunately, the Huskies were playing with equal offensive incompetency, winding up with a miniscule 19 at the break.
What could the coaches say at halftime? Both teams had already proven they could score consistently in cavernous Reliant Stadium in Houston in the semifinal games Saturday. So sight lines, depth perception, and unusual backgrounds were not an excuse. Jim Calhoun told his Huskies to "outwork them." Brad Stevens was extremely pleased with the Bulldogs' defensive efforts, including box-out defensive rebounding and aggressive offensive boardwork. Perhaps he was sugarcoating what was painfully apparent to any casual observer: the Bulldogs were denied the paint on offense due to Husky length and athleticism, so they needed to hit the three consistently. If none of their shooters found a groove, it was going to be a long second half. It was an interminable second half.
Perhaps Coach Stevens should have focused more on adjusting his offensive game plan to generate more open looks from higher-percentage distances. Stevens has been lauded for his great game plans in high-stakes games. A great game plan was not apparent last night, although lack of execution made it look worse than it really was. Great halftime adjustments were also not apparent, for the Bulldogs scored even less after the intermission, a paltry 19.
Meanwhile, UConn's Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb led the Huskies to a near-normal 34 second-half points. After two exciting semifinals Saturday, the title game was rather anti-climactic. Sir Charles Barkley called the game "ugly." It was.
Butler made only 12 of 64 field goal attempts, winding up with an all-time title game low of 18.8 shooting percentage. This included an unbelievable 9 of 33 from three-point range. What's unbelievable? They kept launching from outside instead of working inside, even though most shots were bricks.
How bad was it? With the transformation of the Bulldog sharpshooters into myopic gunslingers, the phrase "throwing the game" came to mind. Yes, Las Vegas had said only a VCU title would "hurt the house." Still, a collapse like this had not been seen since the Cardinals drafted Matt Leinert. Was somebody given an offer he couldn't refuse?
Relax. No game was thrown. Instead, legs had become jelly. Butler lost a step. Butler lost loft on jump shots, so the shots lost lift. Therefore, shots banged off front rims. Butler's short bench and both-ends-of-the-floor-all-out-effort game plans had finally caught up with them: the team's first eight were physically fatigued and emotionally drained. Coach Stevens went no deeper on the bench. Putting frosting on the Husky cake, the power conference officials' promotion of aggressive play allowed UConn to outphysical Butler.
How bad was it? The 12 field goal Butler total was the second worst ever recorded. Matt Howard was 1 of 13, Andrew Smith was 2 of 9, and Khyle Marshall was 0 for 2. The guards fared no better, led by Shelvin Mack's 4-for-15 performance. The other guards were a combined 5 for 25. Pathetic.
How bad was it? The Bulldogs were outrebounded, 51 to 40, having no answer for UConn's tall timber and aggressive elbow-flying style. UConn outscored Butler 26-2 in the paint. The Three O's (Okwandu, Oriakhi, and Olander) had 10 blocks for the Huskies.
How bad was it? The only drama in the game's last 10 minutes concerned focusing upon the coaches' futures: would Coach Calhoun retire after a storybook postseason run of eleven consecutive victories and would Coach Stevens follow Shaka Smart's lead at Virginia Commonwealth, signing an extension to remain with Butler? Calhoun says he wants to keep coaching at age 68, but if the NCAA investigation intensifies and sanctions go beyond the three-game coaching suspension, he may decide to throw in the towel.
Stevens, poker face and all, has not given a clue as to what his next move may be. He can afford to wait for an ideal scenario: replacing retiring legends at Duke or UNC, for example. Why would he risk that possibility by taking on a power conference bottom-feeder program like Utah in the interim? (Utah just hired a Montana player and coach who had a spotty record with the Bucks of the NBA.)
Still, recruiting remains an uphill battle at Butler. The Bulldog inside game was dreadfully and brutally exposed by UConn last night. Can Stevens recruit forwards to replace Hayward and Howard, or was he lucky to get two consecutive overachieving shooting stars and power rebounders in a row? Can he recruit a center so Andrew Smith can return to the far end of the bench where he belongs? What are the chances he can recruit another late-blooming shooting guard like Shelvin Mack, presuming Mack skips his senior season?
Here are five bad things about UConn's victory:
1) The two-year Cinderella story of Butler ended poorly.
2) A coach in trouble with the NCAA won his third title.
3) A team from the overhyped Big East conference won another NCAA title (which still does not justify said conference receiving eleven tournament bids).
4) A team from ESPN's backyard won another title: this time it wasn't the women.
5) The BCS college football system dodged another
bullet with this power conference win in basketball.
One good thing about UConn's victory: the tournament is over and all attention can shift to Augusta for golf and the NBA for jockeying of playoff seeding positions.
Congrats to Jimmer Fredette of BYU for adding the Naismith Player of the Year award to his AP Player of the Year. Could the John Wooden Player of the Year honor follow? Time will tell.
It wasn't going to be easy for Butler to win even if the Bulldogs were hitting their shots, but it was going to be impossible if they weren't. In the first half, Butler scored 22 points, breaking the 20-point barrier thanks to a couple of three-pointers. Fortunately, the Huskies were playing with equal offensive incompetency, winding up with a miniscule 19 at the break.
What could the coaches say at halftime? Both teams had already proven they could score consistently in cavernous Reliant Stadium in Houston in the semifinal games Saturday. So sight lines, depth perception, and unusual backgrounds were not an excuse. Jim Calhoun told his Huskies to "outwork them." Brad Stevens was extremely pleased with the Bulldogs' defensive efforts, including box-out defensive rebounding and aggressive offensive boardwork. Perhaps he was sugarcoating what was painfully apparent to any casual observer: the Bulldogs were denied the paint on offense due to Husky length and athleticism, so they needed to hit the three consistently. If none of their shooters found a groove, it was going to be a long second half. It was an interminable second half.
Perhaps Coach Stevens should have focused more on adjusting his offensive game plan to generate more open looks from higher-percentage distances. Stevens has been lauded for his great game plans in high-stakes games. A great game plan was not apparent last night, although lack of execution made it look worse than it really was. Great halftime adjustments were also not apparent, for the Bulldogs scored even less after the intermission, a paltry 19.
Meanwhile, UConn's Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb led the Huskies to a near-normal 34 second-half points. After two exciting semifinals Saturday, the title game was rather anti-climactic. Sir Charles Barkley called the game "ugly." It was.
Butler made only 12 of 64 field goal attempts, winding up with an all-time title game low of 18.8 shooting percentage. This included an unbelievable 9 of 33 from three-point range. What's unbelievable? They kept launching from outside instead of working inside, even though most shots were bricks.
How bad was it? With the transformation of the Bulldog sharpshooters into myopic gunslingers, the phrase "throwing the game" came to mind. Yes, Las Vegas had said only a VCU title would "hurt the house." Still, a collapse like this had not been seen since the Cardinals drafted Matt Leinert. Was somebody given an offer he couldn't refuse?
Relax. No game was thrown. Instead, legs had become jelly. Butler lost a step. Butler lost loft on jump shots, so the shots lost lift. Therefore, shots banged off front rims. Butler's short bench and both-ends-of-the-floor-all-out-effort game plans had finally caught up with them: the team's first eight were physically fatigued and emotionally drained. Coach Stevens went no deeper on the bench. Putting frosting on the Husky cake, the power conference officials' promotion of aggressive play allowed UConn to outphysical Butler.
How bad was it? The 12 field goal Butler total was the second worst ever recorded. Matt Howard was 1 of 13, Andrew Smith was 2 of 9, and Khyle Marshall was 0 for 2. The guards fared no better, led by Shelvin Mack's 4-for-15 performance. The other guards were a combined 5 for 25. Pathetic.
How bad was it? The Bulldogs were outrebounded, 51 to 40, having no answer for UConn's tall timber and aggressive elbow-flying style. UConn outscored Butler 26-2 in the paint. The Three O's (Okwandu, Oriakhi, and Olander) had 10 blocks for the Huskies.
How bad was it? The only drama in the game's last 10 minutes concerned focusing upon the coaches' futures: would Coach Calhoun retire after a storybook postseason run of eleven consecutive victories and would Coach Stevens follow Shaka Smart's lead at Virginia Commonwealth, signing an extension to remain with Butler? Calhoun says he wants to keep coaching at age 68, but if the NCAA investigation intensifies and sanctions go beyond the three-game coaching suspension, he may decide to throw in the towel.
Stevens, poker face and all, has not given a clue as to what his next move may be. He can afford to wait for an ideal scenario: replacing retiring legends at Duke or UNC, for example. Why would he risk that possibility by taking on a power conference bottom-feeder program like Utah in the interim? (Utah just hired a Montana player and coach who had a spotty record with the Bucks of the NBA.)
Still, recruiting remains an uphill battle at Butler. The Bulldog inside game was dreadfully and brutally exposed by UConn last night. Can Stevens recruit forwards to replace Hayward and Howard, or was he lucky to get two consecutive overachieving shooting stars and power rebounders in a row? Can he recruit a center so Andrew Smith can return to the far end of the bench where he belongs? What are the chances he can recruit another late-blooming shooting guard like Shelvin Mack, presuming Mack skips his senior season?
Here are five bad things about UConn's victory:
1) The two-year Cinderella story of Butler ended poorly.
2) A coach in trouble with the NCAA won his third title.
3) A team from the overhyped Big East conference won another NCAA title (which still does not justify said conference receiving eleven tournament bids).
4) A team from ESPN's backyard won another title: this time it wasn't the women.
5) The BCS college football system dodged another
bullet with this power conference win in basketball.
One good thing about UConn's victory: the tournament is over and all attention can shift to Augusta for golf and the NBA for jockeying of playoff seeding positions.
Congrats to Jimmer Fredette of BYU for adding the Naismith Player of the Year award to his AP Player of the Year. Could the John Wooden Player of the Year honor follow? Time will tell.
Monday, April 4, 2011
NCAA Basketball Tournament: Ninth Day Highlights and Lowlights
We're down to two, as in the number of teams left in the Big Dance. Praise must go to the officials for calling the two semifinal games consistently. Players on both sides were equally bloodied in the loosely called contests. Praise does not go to the smarmy Jim Nantz of CBS, although his assistants were competent. Why doesn't the great Gus Johnson or marginally great Marv Albert get a chance to call the Final Four?
Both games were interesting and even exciting in stretches. In the first, Butler beat down Virginia Commonwealth, 70-62. After a slow start, VCU roared out to an 11-5 lead. In many ways, it was the last roar. Butler, after settling down and reducing its turnovers, gained a 34-28 halftime lead due to stifling defense, hustle for loose balls, and aggressive rebounding.
In the victory, Butler had a 16 rebound advantage. Shelvin Mack again had the hot hand, with 24 points on 8 of 11 shooting. Matt Howard, Mr. Hustle, had a poor shooting night, 3 of 10 from the field, and was in foul trouble, but he did make 11 of 12 free throws. Scrappy guard Shawn Vanzant was only 3 of 11 shooting from the field, but he had floor burns, 4 rebounds, and was 4 of 4 from the foul line. He also hit a clutch three down the stretch, winding up with 11 points.
The other two big contributors for Butler were Khyle Marshall with his 9 rebounds and Zack Hahn with his 4 boards and 8 points, including two huge treys. Center Andrew Smith missed some easy buckets, but he sparred inside, clutching 7 rebounds. Ronald Nored and Chase Stigall were a combined 0 for 8 from the field. The scrappiness and defense were great, but the Bulldogs will have to have better overall shooting if they are to beat Connecticut.
How good was the Butler defense? While Jamie Skeen and Bradford Burgess got their points, Brandon Rozzell, Joey Rodriguez, and Ed Nixon were a combined 3 of 18 from the field, including several questionable three-ball launches. The Bulldogs are quicker than they look.
That's a good thing, for UConn is even quicker. Against Kentucky, the Huskies escaped with a 56-55 win largely because the Wildcats couldn't hit the side of Zenyatta's barn. Credit must go in part to the stifling UConn defense, but Kentucky was also missing a lot of open looks. How bad was it? The Wildcats only made 21 of 62 shots from the field, led by star Brandon Knight's 6 for 23 performance. The most important statistic? Terrence Jones was 0 of 5 from the free throw line.
UConn didn't shoot much better, but Kemba Walker was quicker to the ball and the basket than any Wildcat. Walker finished with 18 points and 6 boards, Jeremy Lamb was 12 and 9, Alex Oriakhi was 8 and 10, and Roscoe Smith was 6 and 8. Kentucky deserves credit for coming back from a 10 point halftime deficit, but UConn was the better team.
Shed no tears for Kentucky or Virginia Commonwealth. Kentucky's coach John Calipari has another monster recruiting class coming in next fall. Meanwhile, VCU's coach Shaka Smart, who also won five games in the tournament having started in the First Four, can write his own ticket out of Richmond to a power conference bottom-rung school. After the riots last night, getting out of town might happen sooner than later.
Now we have Butler and Connecticut in the title game tomorrow night. I predict it will be close. I also predict the power conference officials will make it mighty tough for the Bulldogs to prevail. Why? A Horizon League national champion in basketball would give BCS bashers in football a lot of ammunition. At this time, with what's happening in Phoenix related to the Fiesta Bowl, bowl system bashers do not need more ammunition. Enjoy the last game!
Both games were interesting and even exciting in stretches. In the first, Butler beat down Virginia Commonwealth, 70-62. After a slow start, VCU roared out to an 11-5 lead. In many ways, it was the last roar. Butler, after settling down and reducing its turnovers, gained a 34-28 halftime lead due to stifling defense, hustle for loose balls, and aggressive rebounding.
In the victory, Butler had a 16 rebound advantage. Shelvin Mack again had the hot hand, with 24 points on 8 of 11 shooting. Matt Howard, Mr. Hustle, had a poor shooting night, 3 of 10 from the field, and was in foul trouble, but he did make 11 of 12 free throws. Scrappy guard Shawn Vanzant was only 3 of 11 shooting from the field, but he had floor burns, 4 rebounds, and was 4 of 4 from the foul line. He also hit a clutch three down the stretch, winding up with 11 points.
The other two big contributors for Butler were Khyle Marshall with his 9 rebounds and Zack Hahn with his 4 boards and 8 points, including two huge treys. Center Andrew Smith missed some easy buckets, but he sparred inside, clutching 7 rebounds. Ronald Nored and Chase Stigall were a combined 0 for 8 from the field. The scrappiness and defense were great, but the Bulldogs will have to have better overall shooting if they are to beat Connecticut.
How good was the Butler defense? While Jamie Skeen and Bradford Burgess got their points, Brandon Rozzell, Joey Rodriguez, and Ed Nixon were a combined 3 of 18 from the field, including several questionable three-ball launches. The Bulldogs are quicker than they look.
That's a good thing, for UConn is even quicker. Against Kentucky, the Huskies escaped with a 56-55 win largely because the Wildcats couldn't hit the side of Zenyatta's barn. Credit must go in part to the stifling UConn defense, but Kentucky was also missing a lot of open looks. How bad was it? The Wildcats only made 21 of 62 shots from the field, led by star Brandon Knight's 6 for 23 performance. The most important statistic? Terrence Jones was 0 of 5 from the free throw line.
UConn didn't shoot much better, but Kemba Walker was quicker to the ball and the basket than any Wildcat. Walker finished with 18 points and 6 boards, Jeremy Lamb was 12 and 9, Alex Oriakhi was 8 and 10, and Roscoe Smith was 6 and 8. Kentucky deserves credit for coming back from a 10 point halftime deficit, but UConn was the better team.
Shed no tears for Kentucky or Virginia Commonwealth. Kentucky's coach John Calipari has another monster recruiting class coming in next fall. Meanwhile, VCU's coach Shaka Smart, who also won five games in the tournament having started in the First Four, can write his own ticket out of Richmond to a power conference bottom-rung school. After the riots last night, getting out of town might happen sooner than later.
Now we have Butler and Connecticut in the title game tomorrow night. I predict it will be close. I also predict the power conference officials will make it mighty tough for the Bulldogs to prevail. Why? A Horizon League national champion in basketball would give BCS bashers in football a lot of ammunition. At this time, with what's happening in Phoenix related to the Fiesta Bowl, bowl system bashers do not need more ammunition. Enjoy the last game!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Ohio State Tattoogate, Part 3: The Messel with Tressel Grows
There have been three further developments in The Ohio State University's ongoing Tattoogate scandal since I last reported. First, the school announced that linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell was promoted to assistant head coach and interim head coach during Jim Tressel's (at this time) five-game suspension. Coach Tressel's comment? "I have tremendous confidence that Luke will take care of things just as they should be." Presumably, what "should be" does not include permanently replacing Tressel.
Second, it was disclosed by the Columbus Dispatch that Coach Tressel quickly forwarded the Tattoogate e-mails he had received in "confidentiality" from the concerned local alum/attorney to quarterback Terrelle Pryor's "mentor." Said mentor was identified as Ted Sarniak, a glass factory owner from Pryor's hometown in Pennsylvania.
This revelation makes Tattoogate messier on two fronts. First, it means Coach Tressel lied about the reason he lied to his school and the NCAA at the March 8 press conference. In case you forgot, Tressel claimed he held the tattoo parlor/OSU player transactions information to himself for nine months in order to maintain confidentiality and to preserve the sanctity of an ongoing federal drug trafficking investigation. Well, he let a wealthy businessman-booster crucial to Pryor's recruitment to OSU in on the problem early. Why?
Coach Tressel's credibility lies in ruins (pun intended).
Which brings us to the second negative aspect of the revelation: just how involved are the Buckeye boosters with the program? Mr. Sarniak had loaned Pryor a Corvette for his senior high school prom. Mr. Sarniak had accompanied Pryor on his official recruiting visit to Columbus. Mr. Sarniak had dined with two Buckeye assistant coaches the night before Pryor made his official visit to Ann Arbor. You do the math. Worst of all, the revelation shows that Coach Tressel has greater trust in and is closer to a booster than he is to his own administration, school attorneys, or NCAA investigators. If that supposition is untrue, then it's a worse conclusion: Coach Tressel believes a wealthy Buckeye booster has more influence and control over one of his star players than he, the head coach, does. Why? Again, you do the math. Are there other "mentors" helping and guiding other star Buckeye players?
The third major development poses another question. Apparently, according to CBSSports.com, The Ohio State University knew before the March 8 conference that Coach Tressel had forwarded those e-mails to Mr. Sarniak. When Coach Tressel had reluctantly (with an "Uh-huh") affirmed forwarding the e-mails, it was athletic director Gene Smith who had cut off the reporter and Tressel, changing the direction of the conversation. Now, the appearance is one of obfuscation. Since both Mr. Smith and the school president were singing Coach Tressel's praises and providing ringing endorsements of his character at the conference, just how much did they know and when did they know it?
The NCAA investigation will really clamp down like punk rockers The Clash now on Ohio State. First, usual ally Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney will be hard-pressed to defend the Buckeyes now, since he told investigators off for being so lenient on Auburn in the Cam Newton case. Second, these two infractions, one by the players and one by Coach Tressel, occurred within five years of the NCAA penalizing the Buckeyes for the Coach O'Brien-Boban Savovic basketball infractions.
The Buckeyes are repeat violators. The ultimate NCAA sanctions will be severe because of this. The only way the school can mitigate damages is to sever its relationship with Coach Tressel, and possibly with athletic director Gene Smith as well. The University of Southern California did the right thing in severing its ties with former athletic director and playing legend Mike Garrett, and replacing him with Mr. Legal Eagle and playing legend Pat Haden. How soon will Ohio State follow suit?
Would you like a single ray of sunshine in this case? Local Columbus journalists are providing solid investigative reporting. They don't want to be the laughingstock of the sports world. Yet, imagine the pressure put on them by superiors and advertisers and readers to "look the other way."
The outlook is gloomy. In December of 2010, Ohio State was able to keep its roster intact for the Sugar Bowl due to heavy lobbying by Commish Delaney and Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan. With the Fiesta Bowl/John Junker scandal exploding (more on that next week), not a single bowl representative can afford to come to the aid of the Buckeyes this time. As a result, expect forfeitures of all 2010 season victories at the very least. What else? Keep reading this blog for further revelations as the NCAA and The Ohio State keep wresseling with the Tressel Messel.
Second, it was disclosed by the Columbus Dispatch that Coach Tressel quickly forwarded the Tattoogate e-mails he had received in "confidentiality" from the concerned local alum/attorney to quarterback Terrelle Pryor's "mentor." Said mentor was identified as Ted Sarniak, a glass factory owner from Pryor's hometown in Pennsylvania.
This revelation makes Tattoogate messier on two fronts. First, it means Coach Tressel lied about the reason he lied to his school and the NCAA at the March 8 press conference. In case you forgot, Tressel claimed he held the tattoo parlor/OSU player transactions information to himself for nine months in order to maintain confidentiality and to preserve the sanctity of an ongoing federal drug trafficking investigation. Well, he let a wealthy businessman-booster crucial to Pryor's recruitment to OSU in on the problem early. Why?
Coach Tressel's credibility lies in ruins (pun intended).
Which brings us to the second negative aspect of the revelation: just how involved are the Buckeye boosters with the program? Mr. Sarniak had loaned Pryor a Corvette for his senior high school prom. Mr. Sarniak had accompanied Pryor on his official recruiting visit to Columbus. Mr. Sarniak had dined with two Buckeye assistant coaches the night before Pryor made his official visit to Ann Arbor. You do the math. Worst of all, the revelation shows that Coach Tressel has greater trust in and is closer to a booster than he is to his own administration, school attorneys, or NCAA investigators. If that supposition is untrue, then it's a worse conclusion: Coach Tressel believes a wealthy Buckeye booster has more influence and control over one of his star players than he, the head coach, does. Why? Again, you do the math. Are there other "mentors" helping and guiding other star Buckeye players?
The third major development poses another question. Apparently, according to CBSSports.com, The Ohio State University knew before the March 8 conference that Coach Tressel had forwarded those e-mails to Mr. Sarniak. When Coach Tressel had reluctantly (with an "Uh-huh") affirmed forwarding the e-mails, it was athletic director Gene Smith who had cut off the reporter and Tressel, changing the direction of the conversation. Now, the appearance is one of obfuscation. Since both Mr. Smith and the school president were singing Coach Tressel's praises and providing ringing endorsements of his character at the conference, just how much did they know and when did they know it?
The NCAA investigation will really clamp down like punk rockers The Clash now on Ohio State. First, usual ally Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney will be hard-pressed to defend the Buckeyes now, since he told investigators off for being so lenient on Auburn in the Cam Newton case. Second, these two infractions, one by the players and one by Coach Tressel, occurred within five years of the NCAA penalizing the Buckeyes for the Coach O'Brien-Boban Savovic basketball infractions.
The Buckeyes are repeat violators. The ultimate NCAA sanctions will be severe because of this. The only way the school can mitigate damages is to sever its relationship with Coach Tressel, and possibly with athletic director Gene Smith as well. The University of Southern California did the right thing in severing its ties with former athletic director and playing legend Mike Garrett, and replacing him with Mr. Legal Eagle and playing legend Pat Haden. How soon will Ohio State follow suit?
Would you like a single ray of sunshine in this case? Local Columbus journalists are providing solid investigative reporting. They don't want to be the laughingstock of the sports world. Yet, imagine the pressure put on them by superiors and advertisers and readers to "look the other way."
The outlook is gloomy. In December of 2010, Ohio State was able to keep its roster intact for the Sugar Bowl due to heavy lobbying by Commish Delaney and Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan. With the Fiesta Bowl/John Junker scandal exploding (more on that next week), not a single bowl representative can afford to come to the aid of the Buckeyes this time. As a result, expect forfeitures of all 2010 season victories at the very least. What else? Keep reading this blog for further revelations as the NCAA and The Ohio State keep wresseling with the Tressel Messel.
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