The dichotomy was visible again yesterday: one's interest in the Big Dance games is directly related to the degree of disparity between the opponents. Of course, that changes if one has a connection to one or both participants. If that is not a factor, then the average viewer engages more in the David-Goliath matchup than in the Goliath-Goliath or David-David contests.
You can count me as an average viewer, for Sunday's Virginia Commonwealth-Kansas game was much more exciting to me than North Carolina-Kentucky's game. VCU, despite its fantastic start that had the befuddled Jayhawks gasping for air at the wrong end of a 41-27 halftime score, always looked like it would run out of gas. The suspense was terrific, as Kansas found its legs and VCU lost its shot in the first seven minutes of the second half. The lead was down to two for the Rams. Then, magic happened. VCU regained its spark with a reserve guard and the Jayhawks cooled off. The Rams hit a few more three's, and VCU posted a 71-61 win.
Coach Tupaca-Shaka Smart willed his team to victory.
Jamie Skeen had 26 and Brandon Rozzell had 9 for the Rams, while Joey Rodriguez, Ed Nixon, and Toby Veal provided smothering defense. The arrogant Morris twins of Kansas had their trash-talking mouths sealed for the season. That's entertainment.
Meanwhile, the second game between Kentucky and North Carolina held no such allure or comeuppance. It was Goliath versus Goliath. While both schools are in power conferences, they were not overhyped conferences this year. Therefore, they weren't necessarily teams you love to hate, unlike those found in the highly touted Big East and Big Ten.
One could take issue with Kentucky coach John Calipari's resume and trail of NCAA infractions, although he's never been personally proven liable. One could take issue with his one-and-done recruiting philosophy with the largest recruiting budget in Division One basketball.
Still, this year's Wildcats feature two long-termers, DeAndre Liggins and Josh Harrellson, as well as freshman superstars Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones. Kentucky is a public university in a beautiful state that lacks an NBA franchise. Kentucky has beautiful ranches.
Ambivalent feelings also surround the Tar Heels of UNC. North Carolina is a member of basketball royalty, and they aren't innocent when it comes to recruiting ultra-bluechippers who leave school early. Yet, Coach Roy Williams exudes class, even when he moved from Kansas to Chapel Hill. The school is academically respected: it is Cal-Berkeley to Duke's Stanford. Finally, Chapel Hill has been a cultural mecca for alt-rockers for over thirty years.
Therefore, my eyes were glazed over watching the Kentucky-UNC game. The only way to watch a game of minimal interest is to DVR it and fast-forward through more than just the commercials. That's what I did. What did I learn? Calipari is not only a great recruiter, but he is also a great game coach. The Wildcat poise was never in question, even when UNC made its predictable run. As a result, Kentucky won in convincing fashion, 76-69. Were they quicker than the Tar Heels? Outside of center Josh Harrellson, the answer was an emphatic yes. Plus, they utilized more teamwork and floor leadership.
Unfortunately, the brackets lead to David-David and Goliath-Goliath matchups in the Final Four semifinals. Since UConn is ESPN's backyard darling from the overhyped Big East, it will be easy to root for Kentucky. Does it matter who wins the battle of the cinderellas? I like both teams, but it would be a bigger upset to have Virginia Commonwealth go all the way. Remember, VCU was blasted for even being in the tournament. They've had to win five games in the Big Dance to get to this point. Yet, Butler has restored brilliance to basketball in the Hoosier state.
VCU is quicker, while Butler is more fundamentally sound. The biggest question is not who will win, but which coach, Stevens or Smart, will leave their respective team first for a power conference school waving wads of cash and a lavish expense account at them. Only time will tell.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
NCAA Basketball Tournament: Seventh Day Highlights and Lowlights
Saturday's college basketball action reminded me of Charles Dickens: it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Both regional finals provided thrills and chills. One sent a familiar cinderella back to the Final Four, while the other sent the last standing team from the West back to Tucson. Unfortunately, both games were marred by game-changing officiating.
The Butler-Florida game, in which the Bulldogs won 74-71 in overtime, was exciting and well coached on both sides. The victory was exciting and satisfying for anybody not living in Florida or a Florida alum.
In the first half, Vernon Macklin was huge for the Gators. The loose officiating allowed the more physical Florida team to beat up on the smaller Bulldogs.
However, Coach Brad Stevens made adjustments at the half, and Macklin was hindered by a better defense in the second half. Also, the refs started calling the game closer, and Macklin wound up in foul trouble. The Bulldogs had the usual strong performances from Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, and Khyle Marshall. Center Andrew Smith will have to play better next week if the Bulldogs hope to win a title. It was terrific to see a small-budget program like Butler defeat an athletic monolith once again.
In the other game, two powerhouses "duked" it out. UConn deserved to win the game: they took better shots, made better shots, and played with more consistency.
Unfortunately, the officials looked like they were targeting superstar Derrick Williams, for they quickly saddled him with three fouls. He was almost a non-factor the rest of the way, since he couldn't play aggressively. Settling for jump shots, Williams found himself hounded by a tenacious Husky defense. Meanwhile, UConn's one-two punch of Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb put all hopes Wildcat to bed for another year, as the Huskies won 65-63 in regulation.
The West is dead. Another factor in the Big East win: UConn has real size underneath, and they have a good game coach. Arizona's Sean Miller is still working to become a solid game coach. Wildcat tactics as the clock wound down were questionable at best.
Today's games should be equally close. First, a program of basketball royalty, Kansas, takes on cinderella Virginia Commonwealth, with their great coach and swarming defense. The nightcap has two princes of college basketball, North Carolina and Kentucky, fighting it out on a neutral court. Who pulls for Kentucky who isn't from Kentucky or a Kentucky alum? At least, UNC has a clean program and a smaller recruiting budget.
Enjoy the tournament!
The Butler-Florida game, in which the Bulldogs won 74-71 in overtime, was exciting and well coached on both sides. The victory was exciting and satisfying for anybody not living in Florida or a Florida alum.
In the first half, Vernon Macklin was huge for the Gators. The loose officiating allowed the more physical Florida team to beat up on the smaller Bulldogs.
However, Coach Brad Stevens made adjustments at the half, and Macklin was hindered by a better defense in the second half. Also, the refs started calling the game closer, and Macklin wound up in foul trouble. The Bulldogs had the usual strong performances from Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, and Khyle Marshall. Center Andrew Smith will have to play better next week if the Bulldogs hope to win a title. It was terrific to see a small-budget program like Butler defeat an athletic monolith once again.
In the other game, two powerhouses "duked" it out. UConn deserved to win the game: they took better shots, made better shots, and played with more consistency.
Unfortunately, the officials looked like they were targeting superstar Derrick Williams, for they quickly saddled him with three fouls. He was almost a non-factor the rest of the way, since he couldn't play aggressively. Settling for jump shots, Williams found himself hounded by a tenacious Husky defense. Meanwhile, UConn's one-two punch of Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb put all hopes Wildcat to bed for another year, as the Huskies won 65-63 in regulation.
The West is dead. Another factor in the Big East win: UConn has real size underneath, and they have a good game coach. Arizona's Sean Miller is still working to become a solid game coach. Wildcat tactics as the clock wound down were questionable at best.
Today's games should be equally close. First, a program of basketball royalty, Kansas, takes on cinderella Virginia Commonwealth, with their great coach and swarming defense. The nightcap has two princes of college basketball, North Carolina and Kentucky, fighting it out on a neutral court. Who pulls for Kentucky who isn't from Kentucky or a Kentucky alum? At least, UNC has a clean program and a smaller recruiting budget.
Enjoy the tournament!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
NCAA Basketball Tournament: Sixth Day Highlights and Lowlights
Friday night's action can best be described by two words: thrilling and dull. The first two games of the night were one-sided affairs, with North Carolina and Kansas both showing what royal powerhouses they remain. UNC showed off its size, depth, fundamentals, and sound coaching in putting away over-rated Big East conference Marquette, 81-63.
In the other yawner, Kansas (my pick to go all the way) humbled cinderella Richmond, 77-57. The Spiders were caught in their own web of cold shooting, sloppy ballhandling, and poor team defense. The Jayhawks were methodical in dissecting the Spiders, as they put teamwork before self, including Coach Bill Self. They play Self-ish, not selfish, basketball.
The two thrillers came later in the evening, with legitimate nail-biters in Kentucky-Ohio State and Virginia Commonwealth-Florida State. Brandon Knight led the Wildcats with a final jump shot to settle the battle with the Buckeyes, 62-60.
While it was hard to pull for a coach (John Calipari) who has run into strong NCAA sanctions at two previous coaching stops (UMass and Memphis), it was easy to push against the Buckeyes and their crybaby superstar-in-the-making, Jared Sullinger. It was also easy to root against the Big Ten and all things The Ohio State stand for. The Big Ten had seven teams in the tournament, way too many. Of course, the chair of the selection committee is from Ohio State, athletic director Gene Smith.
The other late game saw Virginia Commonwealth upset another surprise team, but one with greater talent and lesser coaching, Florida State, 72-71 in overtime. VCU exhibited tremendous shooting and quickness in its fourth consecutive underdog cinderella victory of the tournament. While the Seminoles were guilty of clock mismanagement down the stretch, Rams coach Shaka Smart kept his team focused and playing smart. VCU may not be part of basketball royalty, but the program has a history of Big Dance runs. However, this is their biggest streak yet.
Is Tupaca-Shaka Smart the coach of the year? Maybe. Remember, the Rams are making this postseason run without star forward Larry Sanders, who left last spring for the NBA. If Smart is not the best coach left, maybe Butler's Brad Stevens is, leading the equally cinderella Bulldogs into the Elite Eight for the second year in a row. Butler also lost a star forward early to the NBA, Gordon Hayward. I don't think Arizona's Sean Miller is as good a game coach as either of the aforementioned individuals, but he's one heck of a recruiter for his age. The Wildcats of Arizona have a young talented team, and a top ten recruiting class for next year.
Today's games should be terrific. Butler will again be undersized, this time against Florida. How will center Andrew Smith rebound from his ankle injury incurred Thursday? Will guards Shawn Vanzant and Shelvin Mack continue to play both ends of the court? Will Matt Howard continue to bear the brunt of the scoring and rebounding load for the Bulldogs? Or will the Gators' triple threat of Alex Tyus, Chandler Parsons, and Kenny Boynton prove too much blue-chip talent for them? Billy Donovan is not exactly chopped liver as a coach, either. Is Florida part of basketball royalty? No, but the team does possess two national titles.
We know Donovan makes $3.5 million per as Florida's coach before incentives. I wonder if Coach Stevens makes 20% as much. If not, he soon will.
The other game pits the Big East's last hope, UConn, against the last hope of the West, Arizona. As you know, this blog is called the wwwesterlies, not the eeeasterlies. You understand where my sympathies and partisanship lie (no pun intended). UConn has two national titles and Arizona one. Neither is a legitimate cinderella regardless of their mediocre seedings, as they belong to power conferences.
Will the Wildcats' Lamont (Mo-mo) Jones, Solomon Hill, and superstar Derrick Williams be able to counter the Huskies' Alex Oriakhi, Jeremy Lamb, and superstar Kemba Walker? It should be fun. Enjoy the tournament!
In the other yawner, Kansas (my pick to go all the way) humbled cinderella Richmond, 77-57. The Spiders were caught in their own web of cold shooting, sloppy ballhandling, and poor team defense. The Jayhawks were methodical in dissecting the Spiders, as they put teamwork before self, including Coach Bill Self. They play Self-ish, not selfish, basketball.
The two thrillers came later in the evening, with legitimate nail-biters in Kentucky-Ohio State and Virginia Commonwealth-Florida State. Brandon Knight led the Wildcats with a final jump shot to settle the battle with the Buckeyes, 62-60.
While it was hard to pull for a coach (John Calipari) who has run into strong NCAA sanctions at two previous coaching stops (UMass and Memphis), it was easy to push against the Buckeyes and their crybaby superstar-in-the-making, Jared Sullinger. It was also easy to root against the Big Ten and all things The Ohio State stand for. The Big Ten had seven teams in the tournament, way too many. Of course, the chair of the selection committee is from Ohio State, athletic director Gene Smith.
The other late game saw Virginia Commonwealth upset another surprise team, but one with greater talent and lesser coaching, Florida State, 72-71 in overtime. VCU exhibited tremendous shooting and quickness in its fourth consecutive underdog cinderella victory of the tournament. While the Seminoles were guilty of clock mismanagement down the stretch, Rams coach Shaka Smart kept his team focused and playing smart. VCU may not be part of basketball royalty, but the program has a history of Big Dance runs. However, this is their biggest streak yet.
Is Tupaca-Shaka Smart the coach of the year? Maybe. Remember, the Rams are making this postseason run without star forward Larry Sanders, who left last spring for the NBA. If Smart is not the best coach left, maybe Butler's Brad Stevens is, leading the equally cinderella Bulldogs into the Elite Eight for the second year in a row. Butler also lost a star forward early to the NBA, Gordon Hayward. I don't think Arizona's Sean Miller is as good a game coach as either of the aforementioned individuals, but he's one heck of a recruiter for his age. The Wildcats of Arizona have a young talented team, and a top ten recruiting class for next year.
Today's games should be terrific. Butler will again be undersized, this time against Florida. How will center Andrew Smith rebound from his ankle injury incurred Thursday? Will guards Shawn Vanzant and Shelvin Mack continue to play both ends of the court? Will Matt Howard continue to bear the brunt of the scoring and rebounding load for the Bulldogs? Or will the Gators' triple threat of Alex Tyus, Chandler Parsons, and Kenny Boynton prove too much blue-chip talent for them? Billy Donovan is not exactly chopped liver as a coach, either. Is Florida part of basketball royalty? No, but the team does possess two national titles.
We know Donovan makes $3.5 million per as Florida's coach before incentives. I wonder if Coach Stevens makes 20% as much. If not, he soon will.
The other game pits the Big East's last hope, UConn, against the last hope of the West, Arizona. As you know, this blog is called the wwwesterlies, not the eeeasterlies. You understand where my sympathies and partisanship lie (no pun intended). UConn has two national titles and Arizona one. Neither is a legitimate cinderella regardless of their mediocre seedings, as they belong to power conferences.
Will the Wildcats' Lamont (Mo-mo) Jones, Solomon Hill, and superstar Derrick Williams be able to counter the Huskies' Alex Oriakhi, Jeremy Lamb, and superstar Kemba Walker? It should be fun. Enjoy the tournament!
Friday, March 25, 2011
NCAA Basketball Tournament: Fifth Day Highlights and Lowlights
For awhile, Thursday was going remarkably well: San Diego State was handling Connecticut. Then the second game started, and BYU, including star Jimmer Fredette, decided to have a slow start against Florida. By the time they had fought their way into a 36-36 tie at halftime, BYU was fighting exhaustion and a hostile pro-SEC crowd.
BYU had an uphill battle, not just because of Florida's bigs and quick guards, but also due to the officiating crew's decision to "let them play." That decision heavily favored Florida, since they had a much deeper bench and could afford to have players beaten up. BYU didn't have that luxury.
BYU's scrappiness had to be commended, for they fought their way into overtime for the second year in a row against the Gators. However, by then Fredette was totally spent, with legs like jelly. Somehow, he had cut his chin on air during a non-foul. Somehow, he had been pushed and banged around while officials were studying the cheerleaders.
Is this an excuse for BYU's loss? No. Florida was the better team, regardless of the promote-thuggery officiating. They were bigger, and their guards played good defense for the most part. Coach Donovan's strategy was sound, and Fredette's teammates weren't able to stay consistently hot like they had been against Gonzaga. The Cougars had a very thin bench, thanks to spotty recruiting, two-year LDS missions, and the school's Honor Code, which had led to star guard Michael Lloyd (who had scored 22 against Florida last year) transferring out last spring and forward Brandon Davies being suspended for this year's postseason. Fredette was held scoreless in overtime, and Florida won 83-74.
While few could say BYU was the better team against Florida, most would say San Diego State was the better team against Connecticut. That's not to say that UConn didn't have the best player on the court, Kemba Walker, who scored 36 points in the victory. The Aztecs had great size, its own star guard D. J. Gay, and a supportive crowd. It did not have the favor of the officiating crew. When Walker did a flop after brushing by an Aztec at the beginning of a time-out, the officials called the Aztec with a technical foul. Two free throws later, the momentum had shifted, and the Huskies were on their way.
It's true the Aztecs did not play smart basketball down the stretch, with many missed opportunities and botched assignments. Still, the officials could have been more balanced.
By the end of the first two games, it looked like officiating crews had it in for teams from the West. That was not the case in the Arizona-Duke game, where the Wildcats from Tucson surprisingly received the lion's share of the calls. As a result, it was Duke getting pushed around. As a result, Arizona's Derrick Williams went wild, turning in a superhuman effort.
Williams had kept his team in the game during the first half when Duke held the advantage. A 19-2 second half run, assisted by several Blue Devils' foul trouble, put the Wildcats ahead to stay. Duke, favored by 8 1/2, lost by 16, 93-77. Coach K will have to wait until next season to break Bobby Knight's record for most career wins. Though disappointed, Coach K was again a model of decorum in defeat, graciously congratulating Williams and the rest of the Wildcats. The West is still alive!
The best game of the night, and the best coaching of the night, occurred in New Orleans between Butler and Wisconsin. Butler was in control for most of the game, but the Badgers fought back, showing tremendous character. Guard Shelvin Mack had an off game, but reliable Matt Howard was rock steady for the Bulldogs. Butler countered Wisconsin's size with quickness and teamwork. The Bulldogs held off the late Badger rally and won 61-54. Will Butler make it two years in a row in the Final Four? Almost as important, how much longer will Butler's Coach Brad Stevens remain with the small school?
It's about game time for Day Six. Time to pull for more underdogs: Virginia Commonwealth and Richmond. Enjoy the tournament!
BYU had an uphill battle, not just because of Florida's bigs and quick guards, but also due to the officiating crew's decision to "let them play." That decision heavily favored Florida, since they had a much deeper bench and could afford to have players beaten up. BYU didn't have that luxury.
BYU's scrappiness had to be commended, for they fought their way into overtime for the second year in a row against the Gators. However, by then Fredette was totally spent, with legs like jelly. Somehow, he had cut his chin on air during a non-foul. Somehow, he had been pushed and banged around while officials were studying the cheerleaders.
Is this an excuse for BYU's loss? No. Florida was the better team, regardless of the promote-thuggery officiating. They were bigger, and their guards played good defense for the most part. Coach Donovan's strategy was sound, and Fredette's teammates weren't able to stay consistently hot like they had been against Gonzaga. The Cougars had a very thin bench, thanks to spotty recruiting, two-year LDS missions, and the school's Honor Code, which had led to star guard Michael Lloyd (who had scored 22 against Florida last year) transferring out last spring and forward Brandon Davies being suspended for this year's postseason. Fredette was held scoreless in overtime, and Florida won 83-74.
While few could say BYU was the better team against Florida, most would say San Diego State was the better team against Connecticut. That's not to say that UConn didn't have the best player on the court, Kemba Walker, who scored 36 points in the victory. The Aztecs had great size, its own star guard D. J. Gay, and a supportive crowd. It did not have the favor of the officiating crew. When Walker did a flop after brushing by an Aztec at the beginning of a time-out, the officials called the Aztec with a technical foul. Two free throws later, the momentum had shifted, and the Huskies were on their way.
It's true the Aztecs did not play smart basketball down the stretch, with many missed opportunities and botched assignments. Still, the officials could have been more balanced.
By the end of the first two games, it looked like officiating crews had it in for teams from the West. That was not the case in the Arizona-Duke game, where the Wildcats from Tucson surprisingly received the lion's share of the calls. As a result, it was Duke getting pushed around. As a result, Arizona's Derrick Williams went wild, turning in a superhuman effort.
Williams had kept his team in the game during the first half when Duke held the advantage. A 19-2 second half run, assisted by several Blue Devils' foul trouble, put the Wildcats ahead to stay. Duke, favored by 8 1/2, lost by 16, 93-77. Coach K will have to wait until next season to break Bobby Knight's record for most career wins. Though disappointed, Coach K was again a model of decorum in defeat, graciously congratulating Williams and the rest of the Wildcats. The West is still alive!
The best game of the night, and the best coaching of the night, occurred in New Orleans between Butler and Wisconsin. Butler was in control for most of the game, but the Badgers fought back, showing tremendous character. Guard Shelvin Mack had an off game, but reliable Matt Howard was rock steady for the Bulldogs. Butler countered Wisconsin's size with quickness and teamwork. The Bulldogs held off the late Badger rally and won 61-54. Will Butler make it two years in a row in the Final Four? Almost as important, how much longer will Butler's Coach Brad Stevens remain with the small school?
It's about game time for Day Six. Time to pull for more underdogs: Virginia Commonwealth and Richmond. Enjoy the tournament!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
NCAA Basketball Tournament: Regional Semifinals Preview
With regional semifinal NCAA tournament action's start only thirty minutes away, here are seven wishes for what usually amounts to the best long weekend of the basketball season.
1. At least one of the three teams representing the West (BYU, Arizona, and San Diego State) wins. Arizona is the biggest underdog, but BYU is the true cinderella. San Diego State has the best chance of advancing.
2. At least one of the small-conference schools (Butler, Richmond, and VCU) wins.
3. Neither of the Big East schools (UConn nor Marquette) advances, to punish the Big East for receiving eleven bids and to put a stop to Eastern bias from the national media. Of course, ESPN, in UConn's backyard, will remain a Big East defender.
4. Neither of the Big Ten schools (Wisconsin nor Ohio State) advances, to punish them for receiving a ridiculously generous seven bids to the tourney.
5. There are no fights.
6. There are no serious injuries.
7. There are no more questionable calls or non-calls by the officiating crews.
I know, it sounds like Fantasyland.
Of the unmentioned teams, I wouldn't mind Kansas or Florida State winning it all. I picked the Jayhawks to become 2011 champions, and the Seminoles I respect for not wussing out on a nickname: they remain the Seminoles. San Diego State remains the Aztecs, too. However, declawed Marquette went from the Warriors and mascot Willie Wampum to the Golden Eagles in 1993.
As nicknames go, the Wildcats (Arizona and Kentucky), the Huskies (UConn), the Bulldogs (Butler), and Cougars (BYU) are blandly generic. The most distinctive or outright odd nicknames belong to Richmond (the Spiders), Wisconsin (the Badgers), Florida (the Gators), Ohio State (the Buckeyes), Duke (the Blue Devils, taken from a French light infantry division of World War I), and North Carolina (the Tar Heels).
It's almost game time. Enjoy the tournament!
1. At least one of the three teams representing the West (BYU, Arizona, and San Diego State) wins. Arizona is the biggest underdog, but BYU is the true cinderella. San Diego State has the best chance of advancing.
2. At least one of the small-conference schools (Butler, Richmond, and VCU) wins.
3. Neither of the Big East schools (UConn nor Marquette) advances, to punish the Big East for receiving eleven bids and to put a stop to Eastern bias from the national media. Of course, ESPN, in UConn's backyard, will remain a Big East defender.
4. Neither of the Big Ten schools (Wisconsin nor Ohio State) advances, to punish them for receiving a ridiculously generous seven bids to the tourney.
5. There are no fights.
6. There are no serious injuries.
7. There are no more questionable calls or non-calls by the officiating crews.
I know, it sounds like Fantasyland.
Of the unmentioned teams, I wouldn't mind Kansas or Florida State winning it all. I picked the Jayhawks to become 2011 champions, and the Seminoles I respect for not wussing out on a nickname: they remain the Seminoles. San Diego State remains the Aztecs, too. However, declawed Marquette went from the Warriors and mascot Willie Wampum to the Golden Eagles in 1993.
As nicknames go, the Wildcats (Arizona and Kentucky), the Huskies (UConn), the Bulldogs (Butler), and Cougars (BYU) are blandly generic. The most distinctive or outright odd nicknames belong to Richmond (the Spiders), Wisconsin (the Badgers), Florida (the Gators), Ohio State (the Buckeyes), Duke (the Blue Devils, taken from a French light infantry division of World War I), and North Carolina (the Tar Heels).
It's almost game time. Enjoy the tournament!
Ohio State Tattoogate, Part 2: The Tressel Messel
This is just a brief update of my lengthy School for Scandal blog. What has happened at The Ohio State University since the prior post? There have been three actions.
First, the NCAA dismissed the school's appeal of the six player suspensions as being without merit. Second, Coach Jim Tressel has publicly apologized for not being more straightforward/less disingenuous in covering up Tattoogate between the time he first received knowledge of it in April of 2010 and the time he was confronted by school officials with the e-mail evidence in January of 2011. Third, Coach Tressel has voluntarily modified his own suspension, boosting it from two games to five games to match the suspensions of five of the six players involved. What a messel!
Of course, the problem remains. Tressel's reaction reminds me of the Raymond Burr character in the classic Rear Window, who grows more and more paranoid as people and canines start sniffing and digging around the garden where he buried the dismembered remains of his wife.
Naturally, the NCAA continues to investigate Tattoogate and The Ohio State. Further sanctions could arise, especially if the school takes no further self-policing actions. Forfeiture of all wins in the 2010 season, including the Sugar Bowl, could be the result.
Loss of scholarships similar to USC's could also be a penalty.
Two more interesting items have surfaced since the previous post. First, former Buckeye star and excellent ESPN/ABC analyst Kirk Herbstreit made public the reasons for moving his family from Columbus to Nashville: a small percentage of rabid Buckeye fans who felt he wasn't homer enough when discussing all things Ohio State football. Sometimes, the truth hurts. Even Herbstreit was fed up with the persecution from the vocal minority.
Second, while the local media may be sugarcoating Tattoogate, the national media has been ratcheting up the scrutiny. One Fox Sports national show has implied that Coach Tressel's superiors must have been informed of the scandal by Tressel last spring and joined in the cover-up, or else Tressel would have been fired for lying to them. Does anyone recall Bruce Pearl's recent firing at Tennessee? This week, an Orlando Sentinel reporter has forecasted Tressel's firing and replacement with, get ready for this, former Florida coach Urban Meyer.
Speculation and rumor flourishes in such an unsettled environment. Will Coach Tressel become the fall guy for a massive conspiracy, or is Tressel truly the only guilty party among Buckeye officials? Certain Ohio State individuals could pop a blood vessel when contemplating this messel! Pursue justice; do not obstruct it.
First, the NCAA dismissed the school's appeal of the six player suspensions as being without merit. Second, Coach Jim Tressel has publicly apologized for not being more straightforward/less disingenuous in covering up Tattoogate between the time he first received knowledge of it in April of 2010 and the time he was confronted by school officials with the e-mail evidence in January of 2011. Third, Coach Tressel has voluntarily modified his own suspension, boosting it from two games to five games to match the suspensions of five of the six players involved. What a messel!
Of course, the problem remains. Tressel's reaction reminds me of the Raymond Burr character in the classic Rear Window, who grows more and more paranoid as people and canines start sniffing and digging around the garden where he buried the dismembered remains of his wife.
Naturally, the NCAA continues to investigate Tattoogate and The Ohio State. Further sanctions could arise, especially if the school takes no further self-policing actions. Forfeiture of all wins in the 2010 season, including the Sugar Bowl, could be the result.
Loss of scholarships similar to USC's could also be a penalty.
Two more interesting items have surfaced since the previous post. First, former Buckeye star and excellent ESPN/ABC analyst Kirk Herbstreit made public the reasons for moving his family from Columbus to Nashville: a small percentage of rabid Buckeye fans who felt he wasn't homer enough when discussing all things Ohio State football. Sometimes, the truth hurts. Even Herbstreit was fed up with the persecution from the vocal minority.
Second, while the local media may be sugarcoating Tattoogate, the national media has been ratcheting up the scrutiny. One Fox Sports national show has implied that Coach Tressel's superiors must have been informed of the scandal by Tressel last spring and joined in the cover-up, or else Tressel would have been fired for lying to them. Does anyone recall Bruce Pearl's recent firing at Tennessee? This week, an Orlando Sentinel reporter has forecasted Tressel's firing and replacement with, get ready for this, former Florida coach Urban Meyer.
Speculation and rumor flourishes in such an unsettled environment. Will Coach Tressel become the fall guy for a massive conspiracy, or is Tressel truly the only guilty party among Buckeye officials? Certain Ohio State individuals could pop a blood vessel when contemplating this messel! Pursue justice; do not obstruct it.
Monday, March 21, 2011
NCAA Basketball Tournament: Fourth Day Highlights
Okay, Sunday's games weren't perfect, but enough of them provided thrills, chills, and controversy to keep one's faith in the basketball tournament alive. Four games were incredibly close, although one never believed Michigan had a real chance against Duke. However, three of the blowouts were enjoyable and satisfying because the losers came from the Big Ten and the Big East.
Sunday proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the national media hype machine, as incarnated by ESPN, has once again unjustly prejudiced the NCAA tournament committee against deserving teams in smaller or western conferences. The prejudice applies not only to Big Dance invitations, but also to seedings of invitees.
Of Big Ten combatants Sunday, only The Ohio State prevailed in a cakewalk over George Mason, 98-66. Meanwhile, Illinois stumbled against a vastly superior Kansas, 73-59, Purdue was overwhelmed by cinderella Virginia Commonwealth, 94-76, and the aforementioned Michigan ran out of gas against Duke, 73-71. Of Big East teams Sunday, Syracuse was upset by fellow Big Easter Marquette, 66-62, and Notre Dame was crushed by Florida State, 71-57.
How could anybody seed Notre Dame and Purdue two and three respectively? Could it be related to the selection committee's crush on the Big Ten, courtesy of chairperson Gene Smith, the athletic director at The Ohio State? We know it's not objective, regardless of the numbers and statistics used. Could it be related to ESPN's over-exposure of the Big East? Chances are.
Eleven Big East teams were invited to the Big Dance. Only two of them, UConn and Marquette, made the Sweet Sixteen. Sir Charles said it best: the conference is over-rated. Still, don't be surprised if UConn makes the Final Four.
Seven Big Ten teams made the tournament, and only two of them remain as well, Wisconsin and The Ohio State. Only the Buckeyes have a shot at the Final Four.
Meanwhile, three Mountain West Conference teams were invited to the Big Dance, and two remain alive. The ACC has proven once again it is the class conference of basketball with three teams surviving to the Sweet Sixteen: Duke, Florida State, and North Carolina.
Speaking of UNC, does anybody really believe Washington was robbed in the final minutes by the refs in its 86-83 loss? Would .8 or .7 seconds added to the clock really have given the Huskies the win? I think not. UW was playing lights out for thirty minutes. They ran out of steam at the end, with bad turnovers and poor decisions. Nobody would argue that Washington was the better team. Yet, the Huskies showed up and put up a great effort against a superior and deeper Tar Heel team. Washington's performance proved that the Pac-10 was as under-rated as the Big East was over-rated.
Finally, the Arizona-Texas game showed off great athleticism, mediocre coaching, and substandard officiating. Longhorns fans are right to question the five-second call and the final no-call. They shouldn't forget prior no-calls and bad calls, however, which evened things out. Arizona almost choked at the end, and it's hard to believe they will be advancing any further, but they did show up and played tough. The Wildcats are back.
It's great to have so many small schools in the Sweet Sixteen, two of whom are located in Richmond, Virginia: the Richmond Spiders and the VCU Rams. Will Butler do it again? Can Duke give Coach K another title? Will BYU ride Jimmer Fredette to the Final Four?
Will VCU be the first team in tournament history to go 7-0? Will The Ohio State find some of its basketball players to be recipients of discounted tattoos and cash for autographed memorabilia? Will they stay quiet or tell the NCAA? Stay tuned.
Sunday proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the national media hype machine, as incarnated by ESPN, has once again unjustly prejudiced the NCAA tournament committee against deserving teams in smaller or western conferences. The prejudice applies not only to Big Dance invitations, but also to seedings of invitees.
Of Big Ten combatants Sunday, only The Ohio State prevailed in a cakewalk over George Mason, 98-66. Meanwhile, Illinois stumbled against a vastly superior Kansas, 73-59, Purdue was overwhelmed by cinderella Virginia Commonwealth, 94-76, and the aforementioned Michigan ran out of gas against Duke, 73-71. Of Big East teams Sunday, Syracuse was upset by fellow Big Easter Marquette, 66-62, and Notre Dame was crushed by Florida State, 71-57.
How could anybody seed Notre Dame and Purdue two and three respectively? Could it be related to the selection committee's crush on the Big Ten, courtesy of chairperson Gene Smith, the athletic director at The Ohio State? We know it's not objective, regardless of the numbers and statistics used. Could it be related to ESPN's over-exposure of the Big East? Chances are.
Eleven Big East teams were invited to the Big Dance. Only two of them, UConn and Marquette, made the Sweet Sixteen. Sir Charles said it best: the conference is over-rated. Still, don't be surprised if UConn makes the Final Four.
Seven Big Ten teams made the tournament, and only two of them remain as well, Wisconsin and The Ohio State. Only the Buckeyes have a shot at the Final Four.
Meanwhile, three Mountain West Conference teams were invited to the Big Dance, and two remain alive. The ACC has proven once again it is the class conference of basketball with three teams surviving to the Sweet Sixteen: Duke, Florida State, and North Carolina.
Speaking of UNC, does anybody really believe Washington was robbed in the final minutes by the refs in its 86-83 loss? Would .8 or .7 seconds added to the clock really have given the Huskies the win? I think not. UW was playing lights out for thirty minutes. They ran out of steam at the end, with bad turnovers and poor decisions. Nobody would argue that Washington was the better team. Yet, the Huskies showed up and put up a great effort against a superior and deeper Tar Heel team. Washington's performance proved that the Pac-10 was as under-rated as the Big East was over-rated.
Finally, the Arizona-Texas game showed off great athleticism, mediocre coaching, and substandard officiating. Longhorns fans are right to question the five-second call and the final no-call. They shouldn't forget prior no-calls and bad calls, however, which evened things out. Arizona almost choked at the end, and it's hard to believe they will be advancing any further, but they did show up and played tough. The Wildcats are back.
It's great to have so many small schools in the Sweet Sixteen, two of whom are located in Richmond, Virginia: the Richmond Spiders and the VCU Rams. Will Butler do it again? Can Duke give Coach K another title? Will BYU ride Jimmer Fredette to the Final Four?
Will VCU be the first team in tournament history to go 7-0? Will The Ohio State find some of its basketball players to be recipients of discounted tattoos and cash for autographed memorabilia? Will they stay quiet or tell the NCAA? Stay tuned.
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