Wednesday, November 30, 2011

11/30: Bobby V, NBA Rumors, etc.

Greetings all... strapped for time so let's go...
  • The Red Sox reportedly hire Bobby Valentine... I'll cop to being under-educated on Bobby V's actual on-field managing techniques, but I do think he's kind of a clown who thinks he's smarter than he could possibly be... that said, they wanted someone with experience and he provides that despite never winning a ring anywhere...
  • The Chris Paul and Dwight Howard rumor mills are churning... reported discussions about Paul to Boston were squelched this morning by a report that Paul would refuse to sign a long-term deal... both have been linked to the Clippers... Howard to the Knicks... Here's what I'll tell you: Don't believe any of it...
  • Vick and Maclin ruled out for Thursday night... somehow, this only matters for fantasy football since the Eagles are DONE, but it's still reported as lead-story news... hmmm...
  • NBA sites are opening on Thursday... woohoo!... at any rate, it's not "fully" operational, but agents can talk to teams as of that day, and things will ratchet up...
  • College Hoops Round-up: Ohio State absolutely pounds Duke... an 85-63 final result and this was over at half with OSU up 19... they mauled them up front led by 21 and 8 from Sullinger, but the Duke guards (aside from Rivers) didn't show up at all with Dawkins and Curry combining for 7 points (and Dawkins totally shut out)... Michigan goes down in a heap in Charlottesville to UVA... 70-58, and this one shocked me... the Cavaliers owned the glass 33-24 and had double the assists... that'll do it... and finally, the ACC/Big 10 challenge is currently 4-2 Big 10... and since the Big 10 is the best basketball league in the country this year (yes, I said it), they should hold serve...

What to watch for...

  • Wisconsin @ UNC - ESPN 9:30 - This is a riveting game... I love Wisconsin (as usual) with Bo Ryan and Jordan Taylor, but you won't see a bigger contrast in styles than this one... I wish UNC was undefeated coming in, but as it stands, I think they'll be angry and win this one by 8-10 at home...
  • Notre Dame @ Gonzaga - ESPN2 11:15 - Rare that a major conference team would go to Spokane... rare tip-off time... and I obviously love this... Gonzaga is the better team...
  • Florida State @ Michigan State - ESPN 7:30 - This may be the best "unranked" matchup you'll see all year.... both of these teams are top-30 for me, and if you like physical ball, this is for you...
  • Virginia Tech @ Minnesota - ESPN2 9:15 - Interested to see how the Gophers react to losing Mbakwe (their best player) for the season...

That'll do it...

Monday, November 28, 2011

11/28: Running the Gamut...

Greetings all... took a little break over the long weekend so a TON to get to here... forgive me if I skip over anything I feel is less important...
  • LSU-Alabama is your BCS 1-2... I guess I'll start here after LSU took apart Arkansas systematically on Friday, and Alabama blasted Auburn on Saturday... are these the 2 best teams in America? Absolutely they are IMO... does it make for the most intriguing game? Depends on who you ask... the criteria is flawed, the system is flawed, but if the entire purpose is to pit the 1 vs. 2 like the BCS states? They have it right at the moment...
  • CFB Round-Up... Michigan knocks off Ohio State... no one cares except me... but when the Victors go 2,926 days without a win, I write about it here... and Lord, please forgive Al Borges for not calling a QB sneak on the 1-inch line... Virginia Tech is the best 1-loss team no one is talking about... 38-0 on the road over a decent UVA team, and if they beat Clemson and go 12-1, I think they should be #4 (and #3 if OK State loses in Bedlam)... Andrew Luck is good... if you thought he was good before, did you REALLY see anything to jump off in the last few weeks? I say no.... USC blasts UCLA by a hilarious 50-0 margin... did I mention the Bruins are playing in the Pac-12 title game at 6-6?.... South Carolina beats up on Clemson... such a typical Clemson performance with apologies to my man, Michael Palmer... Georgia rides Aaron Murray (and Tevin Washington) to a win over GT... no answer for the Jackets once they got behind... and finally, Wisconsin shows, again, that they're the best team in the Big 10 by absolutely taking apart Penn State 45-7... I'm going to say this on the record, Russell Wilson, Montee Ball, and James White form the best backfield in the country...
  • Urban Meyer reportedly accepts the Ohio State job... this has been scattered for a few days but with ESPN jumping on it full-steam on Monday morning, I'll report it... I'm terrified as a Michigan fan because I believe Meyer is a very, very good football coach AND he already has a QB that fits his style in Braxton Miller... They couldn't have found a better hire... I hate everything... Oh... we won on Saturday? Awesome!
  • Bernie Fine fired by Syracuse... the allegations are gaining steam, and this is ugly at this point... I don't even want to discuss it...
  • NFL Round-Up... Philly is done... mercifully... despite 400 yards (what?!) from Vince Young, they couldn't slow down Brady, Welker, and company in their 38-20 defeat... let's go ahead and put a lid on this... Tim Tebow is 5-1... the world is running out of things to say... I'll blame this one on the putrid Chargers and Norv Turner, but it's getting comical in Denver... I love it... Caleb Hanie stinks... sorry Bears fans... it's over.... and speaking of over, TJ Yates is the starting QB for the Houston Texans... goodnight!.... and the Falcons get an ugly win over Minnesota after trying their very best to give it away late thanks to a 100-yard return by Percy Harvin, and some mistakes... that said, big-ups to Mr. Palmer on his 2nd career touchdown...
  • College hoops for a moment... UNC went down in a heap Saturday night in Vegas with a 10-point loss to UNLV... I can't make a sweeping comment on the "state" of their program like I've heard some people do... it's one game... on the road against a real team... this is COLLEGE HOOPS... no one is going undefeated... UNC is still a top-3 team in the country talent-wise and has the best starting 5 in the country... it's going to be okay...
  • The Houston Astros cleaned house of all their management... I don't really have a thought except for that might not be a bad idea after taking a look at their list of assets...

What to watch for...

  • Giants @ Saints - 8:30 ESPN - An actual, competitive Monday night game! Thank you!
  • Long Beach State @ Louisville - 7:00 ESPNU - Worth the price of admission just to check out LBSU's Casper Ware...
  • Xavier @ Vandy - 7:00 ESPN2 - 2 ranked teams you probably know nothing about... but John Jenkins vs. Tu Holloway is nice...

Oh... and while we're here...

  • The NBA is back... I know it's not official, but I can see hoops on the horizon... a 66-game schedule that features at least 1 back-to-back-to-back set of games for EACH team (crazy), 48 conference games, and a really nice opening slate on Christmas... I couldn't be more excited... and with a bunch of different CBA quirks (a new mid-level exception system, different tax rules, etc.), there's a lot for the diehards to sort out... but I know this... the best athletes on the planet take the floor on Christmas... hallelujah...

Enjoy...

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Hoops!!!!!!!!

The lockout is over... And if you see someone dancing in the streets with a slight limp... It's probably me...

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Thanksgiving Weekend Viewing Guide

Greetings all... let's hit all the action from the coming weekend in chronological order...

THURSDAY
  • Packers @ Lions - FOX 12:30 - The Lions game is relevant! It's a miracle!.... I think Detroit gets up for this one and it's competitive... they desperately need to pressure Rodgers here, and if they can do that with just their front 4, they have a chance... the other key is the resurgent Kevin Smith... if he looks like he did last week, they may have a legit running game for the first time all season... Green Bay wins, but close...
  • Dolphins @ Cowboys - CBS 4:15 - This looked like the stinker of the day a month ago (and it probably still is), but Miami is coming on pretty strong recently, and even the Matt Moore/Reggie Bush combo has been effective lately... I still think Dallas kinda cruises here, but they have the ability to lay an egg, and Miami isn't an embarrassment...
  • Texas @ Texas A&M - ESPN 8:00 - The last year of this rivalry in a conference format... not as high-profile as some games in the past here, but the scene in College Station is always electric, and especially against Texas at night...
  • 49ers @ Ravens - NFL Network 8:20 - Great game here... I (still) don't trust Alex Smith on the road, and he'll get a stiff test from the Ravens here... if Baltimore feeds the rock to Ray Rice? I think they win... if they decide to wing it with Joe Flacco 35 times? I like San Fran...

FRIDAY

  • Iowa @ Nebraska - Noon ABC - I honestly had no idea this game was on until I checked the schedule to write this... but it's not a bad matchup... Nebraska has an entertaining offense with Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead... they should hold serve here...
  • Arkansas @ LSU - 2:30 CBS - This is the biggest game of the weekend in either college or pro... I can't possibly pick against LSU in Baton Rouge, especially when Arkansas can't run the ball... but Bobby Petrino is a heckuva college coach offensively (I still hate him) and he and Tyler Wilson can give them a puncher's chance... in the end? I think LSU's defense wins them the game... in the range of 24-17 or so... competitive...
  • Pitt @ West Virginia - 7:00 ESPN - Not a compelling game when you initially look at it... but these teams HATE each other, and there's BCS implications when both have a shot at winning the Big East still...
  • Cal @ Arizona State - 10:15 ESPN - No one cares... but if you're awake and like a lot of points, this may be for you....

SATURDAY

  • Ohio State @ Michigan - Noon ABC - The best rivalry in all of sports (from this totally unbiased blogger)... the traditional noon kick-off, and Michigan hasn't won a game in this rivalry in over 2,000 days... I could write 5,000 words on this game alone probably, but know this... Michigan is favored, Michigan is at home, and I'm still full-scale terrified.... Go blue...
  • Georgia @ Georgia Tech - Noon ESPN - A big rivalry in the state in which I live... I like Georgia in the game... they're playing really well after winning 9 straight (if you throw out last week's look-ahead against Kentucky), and they have the athletes to play GT straight up, and take away the pitchman.... generally a good recipe against that offense... Tech can easily win the game, but they'll need a better-than-average Tevin Washington game to do it...
  • Alabama @ Auburn - 3:30 CBS - Bama is a big-time favorite, and Auburn simply can't match them... I'd be utterly shocked if Auburn won it outright, but in a rivalry game anything can happen...
  • Virginia Tech @ Virginia - 3:30 ABC - Wouldn't have mentioned this one at all if it wasn't for a spot in the ACC title game... but it is... I like the Hokies on the road...
  • Penn State @ Wisconsin - 3:30 ESPN - For the right to play in the Big 10 championship game... Wisconsin is the better team (and the best team in the conference IMO), they're playing at home, and they have about a million less distractions... Badgers by 2 touchdowns-plus...
  • Clemson @ South Carolina - 7:45 ESPN - Pure bragging rights game... but these teams hate each other (remember the brawl a few years ago?) and both are top-20 in nature... I think Clemson is the better team, but they reminded us all why people write them off yearly after that debacle against NC State last week... Close game either way...
  • Notre Dame @ Stanford - 8:00 ABC - Quietly good game... and since the Clemson/SC game doesn't "mean anything", I'll probably be watching this one since it's more compelling... Andrew Luck against a real defense... and I think he's angry...

SUNDAY

  • Vikings @ Falcons - 1:00 FOX - Christian Ponder! Toby Gerhart! It's the NFL on FOX!.... All kidding aside, this is a virtual must-win for the Falcons just because of the way the schedule lays out, and this is a game they absolutely should cruise in... if Peterson was healthy? I'd be worried because he can almost beat you by himself, but short of mailing it in, this is a game Atlanta should control...
  • Bills @ Jets - 1:00 CBS - the "best" of the early games (blech!)... both teams have a fighting chance at the playoffs, but the loser of this one is done... Buffalo is playing pretty badly at the moment, and NY is coming off an angering loss to Denver 10 days before... I like the well-rested Jets...
  • Bears @ Raiders - 4:00 FOX - This would've been more intriguing style-wise if Cutler was playing... but now it's riveting just to see if they can maintain their playoff positioning with Caleb Hanie... Oakland needs this one too, and I like them in the game because, well, Caleb Hanie is playing QB on the other side...
  • Pats @ Eagles - 4:15 CBS - The Eagles staved off elimination with their win over NYG (still need to win out really) but this is the end I think... if Vince Young plays, there's no way he's winning this game... if Vick plays? Puncher's chance, but the Pats are better...
  • Broncos @ Chargers - 4:15 CBS - Loser is pretty much eliminated in the AFC West race... I can't figure out San Diego at all... but no one can... my logic tells me that San Diego should win this game... so I'm picking them... and shielding myself from Tebow fans throwing things at me...
  • Steelers @ Chiefs - 8:20 NBC - Tyler Palko against the Steelers... yikes... this can get ugly in a hurry...

MONDAY

  • Giants @ Saints - 8:30 ESPN - I know it's not technically "weekend" but I figured I'd go ahead and hit this one... probably the best game of the non-Thanksgiving weekend... NYG is a team that you can't trust when they're favored and a team that's terrifying when they're the dog... I think NO is better, but if Eli has it going and they can get ANYTHING out of Jacobs, this will be a competitive game... Give me the Saints..

Enjoy...

11/23: MLB CBA, College Hoops, etc.

Greetings all... lots to get to...
  • Major League Baseball has a new 5-year CBA deal... notice the lack of fanfare?... yep... the new features of the deal include HGH testing, new All-star game participation rules, and new helmets... but the biggest thing?... changes in the way international and amateur signings are evaluated... it's very complicated so I won't do that here, but it'll impact large market teams that have been flooding the market with $ to amass talent...
  • Ryan Braun is your NL MVP... I have no inherent issue with it other than this... what is the criteria? I find that this is an issue that crosses over between sports, but the inconsistency in criteria drives me insane for all MVP awards... the narrative ends up winning the day... oh, and Roy Halladay had a better season than Justin Verlander... think on that...
  • BYU will not join the Big East... I think I missed the part where BYU was supposed to join the Big East... but ummm.... BYU is in Utah....
  • College Hoops Round-up.... Duke holds on against Michigan 82-75... the Wolverines put up 53 2nd half points, but never really recovered from a dreadful start... I really, really like Trey Burke though... on the Duke side, it's clear that they'll have balance, but Austin Rivers is the only guy on that roster who really creates his own shot... Memphis outlasts Tennessee in double-OT.... this was a crazy one (and a 9am local tip-off), but the Barton brothers combined for 46 for Memphis, and Jeronne Maymon (who?!) had 35 and 20 for the Vols... yes, 35 and 20... Kansas beats up on UCLA... the Bruins are pretty bad... especially in the backcourt, but Josh Smith's epic 13 minute, 5 foul, 1 point, 1 rebound performance was a catastrophe for them... and finally, Missouri looks very, very good... they beat Cal by a crazy 39-point margin last night behind 6 guys in double-figures... but hey, Georgia fans... you lost to Cal by 24 and they lost by 40 the next night... good luck this season...

What to watch for...

  • Duke vs. Kansas (Maui Title Game) - ESPN 10:00 - 2 epic programs battling... Duke has never lost in Maui and I expect that to continue unless Thomas Robinson throws up like a 25/15...
  • Memphis vs. Georgetown - ESPN2 5:00 - 5th place game!... Okay, that doesn't matter, but it's still a game that matters on the schedule and these are 2 watchable teams...
  • Michigan vs. UCLA - ESPN2 7:30 - I'm now at the point where I'll be angry if Michigan loses to UCLA...

Until later...

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

11/22: Patriot Domination, Sidney Crosby, etc.

Greetings...
  • Pats 34, Chiefs 3.... What do you really say here? Rob Gronkowski is an elite tight end, Tom Brady is a top-3 QB, Tyler Palko stinks, and that's about all I have... dominant from the jump...
  • Sidney Crosby is back... notice I'm mentioning hockey (and this early, no less) and very few things can do that, but when the league's biggest star misses 11 months with a concussion and comes back with a 4-point game?... worth a note... welcome back...
  • Justin Verlander wins the AL MVP... this one caught me off-guard initially and I can't figure out why... I'm not against the whole "pitcher winning MVP" thing in general, but I feel like the narrative got the best of us here... Verlander was dominant, great, etc. but it wasn't a Pedro in 1999-type season by any stretch (look at the peripherals, he was pretty lucky), and there were other deserving candidates (Bautista, Cabrera, Boston guys)... to win it as a pitcher, you have to be historically good, and I didn't think this qualified...
  • Arizona hires Rich Rodriguez... anyone who reads me knows I'm not the biggest fan, BUT I also believe Rodriguez himself wasn't the issue at Michigan, it was his defensive coordinatior hire of Greg Robinson... that said, I think he'll do a fantastic job at Arizona... no pressure, and he'll have them scoring in the 40's in no time...
  • The Texas Rangers sign Joe Nathan... the bigger story for me is that they're FINALLY going to start Neftali Feliz... it's really a hit-or-miss deal for the Rangers... if he returns to 2009 form, it's a steal... if he pitches like he did at times last year or gets hurt? Bust city... and I really think Mike Adams should be ready to step in if needed...
  • Hoops round-up... Break up the Michigan Wolverines.... forgive my "proud parent" take on this, but it's nice to see the hoops program settling in to top-flight status again... Tim Hardaway led the way with 21 points in yesterday's win over a good Memphis team... Duke got a career-high 18 from Austin Rivers in a 10-point over Tennessee... Kansas eeked by Georgetown at around 2 am EST last night thanks to some clutch FT shooting and a 20/12 game from Thomas Robinson (who I absolutely love)... and there were 2 blowouts in the CBE tourney with Cal blasting an undermanned Georgia team by 24, and Missouri blowing doors over a talent-deprived Notre Dame team... eesh...
What to watch for...
  • Michigan vs. Duke - ESPN 7:00 - I'm obviously psyched for this one... my 2 favorite college hoops teams (sorry Gonzaga) going at it as "Go Blue" tries to avenge last year's brutal tourney loss...
  • Memphis vs. Tennessee - ESPN2 2:00 - Nice afternoon game... and an in-state battle
  • UCLA vs. Kansas - ESPN 9:30 - I can smell UCLA's guards from here, and the Reeves Nelson suspension hurts them, but they might be able to hang if they can contain Thomas Robinson with the Wear twins and Josh Smith...
  • Missouri vs. Cal - ESPN2 10:00 - Sneaky good game late here... 2 ranked teams, and both coming off impressive, dominant wins...
And a final note.. RIP Greg Halman... you may not know the name, but the Seattle Mariners outfielder was fatally stabbed to death in the Netherlands early monday... he was only 24...

Until later...

Monday, November 21, 2011

11/21: Football Wrap, etc.

Greetings all... lots to cover on this monday morning...

COLLEGE

The BCS is in utter turmoil...
  • Down goes Oklahoma State... I know this was on Friday, so I won't actually break it down 3 days later... but this was the first domino as the Pokes went down in a heap in Ames, Iowa...
  • Down goes Oregon... Matt Barkley, everybody... 323 yards and 4 TD for the 2nd best QB in the country, and when USC took a 3 touchdown lead late, it seemed to be over... but Oregon made a furious comeback to get within a shanked field goal late of tying this thing and heading to OT... I had a bit of an issue with the clock management on Oregon's part late... they clearly played for a field goal, and with that offense rattling off 10 yards a play late, I didn't see the reason for that... leaving timeouts on the board isn't something I'd do... but it's tough to REALLY kill Chip Kelly after they were down 20+ points...
  • Down goes Oklahoma... Speaking of ridiculous QB play... Robert Griffin III was inhuman on Saturday night... 551 total yards (not a misprint) including 479 through the air and 4 TDs (and 0 INT)... this one culminated in a ludicrous cross-field TD throw for the win late, and OU never had a chance defensively it seems... This was a bigger upset than the USC/Oregon game for me, and if USC was "allowed" to be ranked in the polls accurately, the country would know that...
  • Down goes Clemson... this one matters a whole lot less than the other 3, but was in a more shocking fashion... 37-13?... to NC State?!... This is such a Clemson thing to do...
  • Michigan takes control of a BCS Bid?.... a 45-17 drubbing over Nebraska in the Big House on Saturday... and as crazy as it sounds, Michigan seems to be in the pole position for a BCS At-large if they can finish off Ohio State (who they haven't beaten since 2003) this Saturday... the Big 10 championship game will be Michigan State and the Penn St./Wisconsin winner... but I'd take 10-2 and a BCS bid in Brady Hoke's freshman year...
NFL
  • Lions 49, Panthers 35 - What an insane game this was... Matthew Stafford throws 5 TD's and NONE of them are to Calvin Johnson (huh?)... Cam Newton has flashes of incredible brilliance, and still manages to throw 4 INT... Detroit is down 27-14 at half and wins by 2 TDs... jeez...
  • Packers 35, Bucs 26 - Probably shouldn't have been this close... my main thought here is Jordy Nelson... the guy seems to be unstoppable at this point, and I can't figure it out... at any rate, it's scary when GB puts up 35 despite getting virtually nothing from Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley... oh, and what an incredible TD run in the first half by Blount... I think he broke 9 tackles
  • Dolphins 35, Bills 8 - RIP Bills....
  • Ravens 31, Bengals 24 - RIP Bengals... I think... Baltimore remembered to give Ray Rice the ball and good things happened...
  • Falcons 23, Titans 17 - I honestly can't believe this game was this close on the scoreboard... I thought Atlanta dominated throughout, and just couldn't capitalize in the red zone... I absolutely HATED the punt at the end of the 1st half from the Titans 37 yard-line, but I guess Mike Smith is understandably gunshy... Shoutout to Michael Palmer on his 11-yarder in the 4th quarter...
  • Bears 31, Chargers 20 - Man, the Chargers stink... but it turns out that the biggest story here came after the game when it was revealed that Jay Cutler has a broken thumb and could miss the rest of the season... that will be the dagger in Chicago, and it's unfortunate because I was actually starting to buy in for once on them... paging Caleb Hanie...
  • Eagles 17, Giants 10 - Such a typical Giants meltdown... how do you lose this game at home to Vince Young? Especially when Desean Jackson gift-wraps you 50 yards on a taunting penalty and Young is COMPLETELY inept for the first 25 minutes or so... Hilarity... I guess the Eagles are still alive somehow...
And finally... RIP Larry Munson... I honestly couldn't stand him, but the long-time Georgia radio voice was a legend in the South...

What to watch for...
  • Kansas City @ New England - ESPN 8:30 - I can't see the Chiefs competing here with Tyler Palko at the helm... but good luck... I'll be watching hoops
  • Michigan vs. Memphis (in Maui) - ESPN2 3:00 - Big game here... 2 top-20 teams playing a 3:00 tip on a Monday... love it... Go blue...
  • Tennessee vs. Duke (in Maui) - ESPN2 5:30 - Another good one here... and a real test for Duke on a neutral court...
  • Georgetown vs. Kansas (in Maui) - ESPN2 11:50 pm - Great late night action... Georgetown has been a bit down recently, and that may continue...
  • Missouri vs. Notre Dame (in KC) - ESPN2 7:30 - Nice game here... I'm excited to see Missouri...
Enjoy...

Friday, November 18, 2011

11/18: Broncos/Jets, NL Cy Young, etc.

Greetings all...
  • Broncos 17, Jets 13 - Um... Tebow being Tebow?... I purposely didn't put Tebow in the title of this post because the narrative about him is so glowing, but the Broncos win again (4-1 with Tebow as starter) despite his 9 of 20, 104 yard passing performance... he was spectacular on the ground on the last drive (50+ yards, several 1st downs and the game-winning TD), but the credit for the win is almost entirely the Broncos defense (and Mark Sanchez)... the Jets were held to only 318 total yards and Denver won the turnover battle... done and done... oh, and they did it while getting nothing from Willis McGahee...
  • Clayton Kershaw named NL Cy Young... no surprise here since he won the pitching triple crown... I firmly believe that the Cy Young winner doesn't need to be on a good team (whereas it's a little more unclear in the MVP race), so I'm totally fine with this despite still being still being in the "give me Halladay or give me death" camp...
  • Virginia Tech stays among the ranks of the "1-loss" with a 24-21 win over UNC... the game wasn't really that close (VT led 24-7 with 7 min to go), Logan Thomas accounted for all 3 touchdowns for VT, and that was that... I think they're the class of the ACC with apologies to Clemson (who beat them, I know)
  • Dale Sveum hired as the Cubs manager... weird choice since Theo Epstein told the world he wanted managerial experience... I guess a 12-game interim stint qualifies?...
  • College Hoops Round-up - Arizona with an impressive 81-72 win over St. John's in a true road game (since SJ was playing at the Garden), 5 guys in double-figures for the 'Cats... Alabama throttles Maryland... that could be a pretty bad Terp team, but winning by 20 despite an awful game from JaMychal Green is impressive... and Miss State completed a mild upset over A&M last night led by Dee Bost's 20... Renardo Sidney? 0-8 FG in 22 minutes... he's my favorite....
  • Oh, and there's now another molestation scandal... this time at Syracuse with an assistant basketball coach and ball boys... I don't know what to say...
What to watch for...
  • Football - OK State @ Iowa State - 8:00 ESPN - ISU is pretty bad so I don't see the Pokes stumbling here, but if it's close at the half, it becomes must-see TV...
  • Davidson @ Duke - ESPNU 6:00 - Seth Curry vs. Stephen's former team... the Coach K hype still abounding from the record-breaker... Davidson doesn't suck... all that...
  • Alabama vs. Wichita State (in PR) - ESPN2 9:00 - This is a really, really nice game... Wichita may be the class of the Valley...
  • Arizona vs. Miss State (in NY) - ESPN2 6:30 - Lots of talent on the court...
  • St. John's vs. Texas A&M (in NY) - ESPN2 4:30 - Afternoon hoops!
Enjoy...

Thursday, November 17, 2011

11/17: Slow Day...

Kind of a slow sports day... but there are things to cover...
  • Down goes Pitt... remember that lone game I mentioned in yesterday's "what to watch for"?... It was Long Beach State at Pitt... and LBSU came out on top led by 28 points from the best guard in the country that you've never heard of in Casper Ware.... I had never seen him play previously (to be honest), but EVERY "expert" you ever read mentions him as a stud and it's one of those situations where if you've seen him, you love him... I'm there... he's a player... at any rate, not a brutal loss for Pitt but possible signs of concern...
  • Joe Maddon and Kirk Gibson named Manager of the Year in each league... I agree with both choices to be honest... Maddon is the best manager in the majors, and Gibson took a team that had no business even competing in the NL to the playoffs... done and done... the issue I have? Multiple people had Fredi Gonzalez on their ballot... no words...
  • Speaking of baseball... the new proposed CBA (Oh.. you didn't know MLB was negotiating? Take note NBA) has two 15-team leagues in play instead of a 16-team NL and 14-team AL... I kind of hate this idea simply because I do NOT want year-long Inter-league play, and that is an absolute must in this system because the math works out as such... oh well... at least they'll be playing baseball in 2012...
  • The Presidents Cup is happening... did you know that?... Tiger went down in his first match, but the US is currently leading... the event is the red-headed step-child of the Ryder Cup, but it's usually semi-compelling...
What to watch for...
  • Football - North Carolina @ Virginia Tech - 8:00 ESPN - Pretty good football game for a Thursday... VT is about as quiet as you can be at 9-1, and they are legit...
  • Maryland vs. Alabama (in Puerto Rico) - 5:00 ESPN2 - A lot of people are high on Alabama... I'm not one of them, but this is a major conference matchup at 5:00 eastern... love it
  • St. Johns vs. Arizona (in New York) - 9:30 ESPN2 - Interested to see the Johnnies after they lost about 10 seniors from last year's giant killer squad... and Arizona has the most talent in the Pac-10 but are trying to replace Derrick Williams...
  • Texas A&M vs. Miss State (in New York) - 7:00 ESPN2 - Miss State has Renardo Sidney... worth the price of admission just to see him (possibly) meltdown...
Enjoy...

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

11/16: Coach K, Lockout Extended, etc.

Greetings all...
  • Coach K is the All-time wins leader.... 903 wins is pretty absurd, but when you consider that he'll probably coach 5+ more years... it gets even crazier... big-ups to him on the accomplishment...
  • College Hoops Round-up... Speaking of Duke... they get the 74-69 win over Mich State despite a bit of a late collapse... Dawkins and Curry combined for 46 points (and 8 triples) for Duke, and Michigan State is now the best 0-2 team in the country... Kentucky overcame Kansas by 10, led by 5 starters in double-figures... what a talented unit.. I can see some stretches where they'll be out-of-sync because of youth, but definitely some crazy pure talent (see Davis, Anthony)... Kansas can't match the athletes, and outside of Taylor and Robinson, you could see the drop-off... Ohio State knocks down Florida 81-74... William Buford led the way with 21 and Sullinger added 16... I don't think OSU is very deep, but they only seem to need 6-7 guys on a yearly basis... for Florida, you can see that they'll be very good on the perimeter (love Brad Beal), but they need to get Patric Young some other help up front...
  • The NBA cancels game through December 15th... the players are going to court... it's a giant catastrophe... I can't even talk about it...
What to watch for...
  • Long Beach State @ Pittsburgh - 9:00 ESPNU - First look at All-american candidate Ashton Gibbs and Pitt...
That's the whole TV slate... I will now light myself on fire...

Monday, November 14, 2011

De-Certify?

First of all... for the full scoop, I'd recommend checking out Adrian Woj over at Yahoo... http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AlzDWLz5NRYqdxN0zPqw_3e8vLYF?slug=aw-wojnarowski_nba_labor_players_union_111411

Now that you may or may not have read that...

The Players Union has rejected the most recent NBA offer, and now will seek to disband the union... what does this mean? well, it's grey area... but it's NOT a positive thing for those of us that want a basketball season...

Basically, the amount of litigation that will take place lends itself to season cancellation sooner rather than later, and the biggest issue is that this is a step the players could've taken in July...

I hate the owners.

11/14: NFL Wrap, Matheny, BCS....

Greetings all... let's get to it, starting with the NFL action from yesterday...
  • Saints 26, Falcons 23 - What a brutal loss... everyone is discussing the decision by Mike Smith to go for it on 4th and 1 from his own 29 in OT... I'll say this, I probably would've punted, but I have NO issue with him going for it at all there... the only place where I take any exception is the decision to not simply QB sneak when you needed about 3 inches... on the whole, I thought the Falcons played pretty well, and had chances to win, but you can't afford to give away points...
  • Cowboys 44, Bills 7 - This is what Dallas looks like when they're right... and I'm suddenly terrified about the Bills being done... that Bills offense simply hasn't been explosive in about a month now outside of Fred Jackson...
  • Steelers 24, Bengals 17 - The champs tell the challengers to go away...
  • Broncos 17, Chiefs - Tim Tebow completed 2 passes... and the Broncos won on the road... with Lance Ball (who!?!?) carrying the ball 30 times... Be prepared for the "Tim Tebow wins football games" line a few times this week...
  • Cards 21, Eagles 17 - Say goodnight to the Eagles... they drop an ugly HOME game to the hapless Cardinals led by John Skelton... I don't even know what to say... they'd have to win out to get to 10-6, so this is pretty much it for Philly... Vick went 16-34 for 128 yards... yeah...
  • Texans 37, Bucs 9 - This one signals (at least a little bit) that Houston is for real... that's a 4 touchdown destruction of a decent team on the road... WITHOUT Andre Johnson...
  • Seahawks 22, Ravens 17 - Such a typical Ravens stinkbomb... I won't discount the power of Qwest, but Seattle shouldn't be beating Baltimore outright... Marshawn Lynch with 32 carries... Ray Rice with 5... there's something wrong there
  • Bears 37, Lions 13 - Absolute beatdown... the Bears led by 30+ late and controlled this one from the outset... Matthew Stafford was flat-out awful (33 of 63 with numerous bad picks), and the Bears rode Devin Hester and the defense to 37 points...
  • Niners 27, Giants 20 - That sound is the one I make when I'm trying desperately not to believe in the Niners... I'm failing...
  • Pats 37, Jets 16 - This game was closer than this... but simply, Tom Brady is good, Mark Sanchez is not... Brady went for 329 and 3 scores (and wasn't even "on" by his standards early), and Sanchez went 20 of 39 with 2 INTs including the game-clinching pick-6...
Elsewhere...
  • The new BCS poll is out... no surprises at the top (LSU #1, OK State #2), but the story is what follows... Alabama sticks at #3 followed by Oregon, Oklahoma and then Arkansas... I won't pretend to know what will happen if everyone wins out except for OK State... stay tuned
  • The St. Louis Cardinals name Mike Matheny their manager... I'm NEVER a fan of hiring a guy as an MLB manager who's never managed at any level... it just usually doesn't end well...
  • We're in crunch-time in the lockout talks for the NBA... the players are mulling an offer from the owners, and if this one goes bad? I'm predicting season cancellation...
What to watch for...
  • Vikings @ Packers - 8:30 ESPN - This should be an annihilation but it'll be fun to watch Aaron Rodgers operate...
  • Washington State @ Gonzaga - Midnight ESPN - This is the kick-off of the yearly 24-hour hoops marathon... and a good choice for the Midnight game... the rest of the big games are on Tuesday evening, so we'll hit that tomorrow...
Enjoy..

Sunday, November 13, 2011

11/13: CFB Wrap-Up...

Greetings all... before we wrap up college football's saturday, please don't forget to check out the preview from yesterday that also covers the NFL as you prep for Sunday... let's get to it...
  • Oregon 53, Stanford 30 - I don't think the score was particularly indicative (after the weird pick-6 late), but Oregon was the better team in this one... they ran for 232 yards (including 20 carries for 146 and 3 TD for LaMichael James), and basically did whatever they wanted to offensively... Stanford's offense wasn't clicking on all cylinders, but 30 points should be enough to win, and it clearly wasn't here... Luck went 27-41 for 271 and 3 TD, but threw 2 picks (one of which was not his fault), and wasn't as spectacular as people want him to be... the loss isn't on him by any stretch (53 points? lol)... but his Heisman "lock" is waning...
  • Down goes Boise... well, if you were to pick a game in the 2nd half of Boise's schedule for them to drop, this was it... but NOBODY was talking about this game prior to kick... it was in Boise and they simply don't lose there... but TCU managed to score 36 points and outlasted an outlandishly bad pass interference call late when Boise's field goal missed at the gun... brutal finish to the dream for Boise (again)...
  • Penn State goes down... obviously not the key story in Happy Valley this week, but Penn State loses their strangle hold on their Big 10 division with a 17-14 loss to Nebraska... really cool moment pre-game with the prayer by both teams, but the Penn State offense is still pretty putrid... alas, they are still in control of their destiny in the race to Indianapolis though...
  • Missouri 17, Texas 5... I'd be lying if I said I saw any of this game... but holding Texas to 5 points after they ran for 400+ yards last week is pretty impressive...
  • South Carolina takes down Florida... the Gators are a total mess... but I still firmly believe that Georgia is the best team in the SEC east...
  • Speaking of Georgia, they absolutely throttled Auburn behind 4 TD passes from Aaron Murray (on just 18 attempts) and a combined 256 yards from Crowell and Carlton Thomas... the seat is pretty hot under Auburn DC Ted Roof...
  • Before my roommate kills me (hi Chris), I better mention the Oklahoma State gauntlet... 66 to 6? on the road in Lubbock?... good gracious... Weeden-to-Blackmon went 6 for 103 and 2 TDs, and this was never competitive... If Weeden beats up on OU in 2 weeks, he MAY be able to sneak into the Heisman discussion (and he's probably already earned an NYC trip barring disaster in Bedlam)...
  • And, of course, the Michigan Wolverines... 31-14 win over Illinois, but here's the thing... the DEFENSE led the way... Allowing only 225 yards total (and it was really much better than that before garbage time), and clamping down the Zookers... I love you Greg Mattison... even Al Borges didn't totally kill me... but maybe that had more to do with the porous Illinois front 7 that allowed Fitzgerald Toussaint to go for 192 yards on 27 carries... that's Mike Hart-like...
Oh... and a quick word on the Carrier classic (hoops mention, sorry)... I couldn't find another outlet for this one, but what an awesome scene... Obama on the scene, two quality programs, and on Veterans day... sick... Enjoy it...

Saturday, November 12, 2011

11/12: Weekend Football Preview...

Not breaking down as many games as normal here... but here we go...
  • Oregon @ Stanford - 8:00 ABC - Obviously the biggest game on the slate here... Stanford absolutely lines up and mauls people, which is overlooked because they have Luck... Oregon has gotten some inconsistent quarterback play from Darren Thomas recently, and haven't been the juggernaut of last year... I think Stanford gets the bump from playing at home, lines up and beats up on the Oregon front 7 a bit, and win a high-scoring game...
  • Nebraska @ Penn State - Noon ESPN - I'll discuss this one from a football standpoint because that's the only thing I'm even semi-qualified to do... I think Nebraska is the better team... more explosive offense, and obviously with less distraction... Penn State has an elite defense, but with the way to struggle to score points, they'll need some big plays to win this one... I like Nebraska
  • Florida @ South Carolina - Noon CBS - This game matters for the SEC East despite how bad Florida has been... eventually, you'd have to think Florida will win one of these, and I'm calling my shot here... they take down the Lattimore-less Gamecocks... I just don't know how...
  • Auburn @ Georgia - 3:30 CBS - This line (Georgia -13) struck me as being way, way inflated... I'm not an Auburn guy this year because I don't think their defense is a strong unit, and with the drop-off in QB play from last year to this year (laughable), they haven't had the same ability to dial-a-score... that said, Michael Dyer will go north of 100 yards here and keep it close enough... I like Georgia and Aaron Murray here, but not to cover...
  • Michigan State @ Iowa - Noon ESPN2 - Huge game in the Big 10 that no one will talk about... Iowa is a different team at home and owns MSU (7 straight)... I can't pick Mark Dantonio on the road...
  • Michigan @ Illinois - 3:30 ESPN - This is a typical spot... Illinois off the bye and playing at home having lost 3 in a row... if they weren't coached by Ron Zook, I'd be worried about stepping into a buzzsaw... the key for me is whether Al Borges is actually WILLING to use Denard Robinson's strengths and put him in the shotgun where he's noticeably better, or whether he's insistent on running out of the I-formation... if it's the latter, Michigan loses...
NFL
  • Saints @ Falcons - 1:00 FOX - Huge game here.. I think the winner of this one takes control of the NFC South race... NO has won the last 2 in Atlanta, and they pose issues when they spread the Falcons secondary out... that said, the Atlanta defense has been much better in recent weeks, and if they can manage to keep everything in front of them, I feel good about the results... Michael Turner goes off here (120+), and Matt Ryan does enough... Falcons 27-21
  • Steelers @ Bengals - 1:00 CBS - Huge game here... I'm a bit of a Cincy believer... Andy Dalton is as good as advertised (really, better), and AJ Green is a stud... but the big thing for Cincy is that this defense is pretty good... Leon Hall is an elite corner, and if they get pressure on Ben (everyone does with that O-line), they'll make this interesting... that said, Pittsburgh is a team I'm still really high on, and Cincy hasn't come far enough for me to pick them...
  • Bills @ Cowboys - 1:00 CBS - I don't know what to make of the Bills... they were so explosive early in the year, and while Fred Jackson has continued to be spectacular, the Fitzpatrick/Johnson/Nelson trio has really slowed down... fortunately for them, Dallas' defense has been putrid the last couple weeks... this one comes down to the usual thing for the Cowboys... how does Romo play?... I think this is "good Romo" and I'm taking Dallas
  • Lions @ Bears - 4:00 FOX - Huge game for the wild-card situation in the NFC (yes, I'm conceding the division to the Pack)... Jay Cutler has been playing well recently, and the Lions aren't flying as high as they were the last time these teams met... I think it's as simple as how the Bears o-line plays... if Cutler is running for his life like a few weeks ago, they can't beat Detroit...
  • Giants @ Niners - 4:00 FOX - I'm SO conflicted here... on the one hand, this is a typical Eli Manning stinkbomb spot... but on the other hand, I still don't believe in Alex Smith, especially in a big game against a team that can pressure him... can I pick a tie?...
  • Pats @ Jets - 8:00 NBC - You won't see me picking against Tom Brady after 2 losses in a row... I won't do it... but if you're a Jets fan, I'd be rooting for them to open Sanchez up and let him wing it a bit here... the Pats secondary is legendarily bad...
  • Vikes @ Packers - 8:30 Monday ESPN - What an awful game... Pack by 20...
Enjoy it...

Friday, November 11, 2011

11/11/11: Thursday Night Football, Lockout, etc.

Greetings all... a good old-fashioned daily update post... it's been a while...
  • The Chargers and Raiders played a football game last night... while half the country couldn't watch it (me included) because of the foolishness with NFL Network and its distribution... at any rate... Raiders 24, Chargers 17... the lead story for me is Michael Bush going for 242 yards from scrimmage... I know that the Chargers offensive meltdown is a sexier story (we're getting there), but any time a backup running back goes north of 240? It's a big deal, even if he's the best backup RB in the league (he is)... What do we think of Philip Rivers? 23 of 47 for 274, 2 TDs, 1 INT... not awful right? but he's consistently been south of expectations this year, and 23 of 47 is unacceptable against a pretty mediocre Oakland secondary (to be nice about it)... probably didn't help that Vincent Jackson no-showed (1 catch for 22 yards on 7 targets) and Tolbert/Mathews combined for just 70 yards on the ground... but Rivers needs more heat... oh... and I should probably say nice things about Carson Palmer since I kill him all the time... 299 yards and he had some zip going from what I saw..
  • Virginia Tech 37, Georgia Tech 26... big story locally for obvious reasons, but this one bounced GT from the division race in the ACC, and cements VT as a top-10 team... I thought the game swung on an idiotic personal foul penalty by Jeremiah Attaochu... it was 26-21 GT at the time and the Jackets had VT stopped on 3rd and 19 before Attaochu literally punched Logan Thomas... VT went on to score a TD on the drive and that was that... kind of a big blow for GT to cap a 3 of 4 losing skid, and bury their conference title hopes... the season now rides on the Georgia game...
  • Tiger Woods is winning a golf tournament... granted it's the Australian Open (aka in Australia), but he's winning... just saying...
  • The NCAA slaps Ohio State with a "failure to monitor" charge... this story has gone away nationally for the most part (despite my best efforts lol), but it's a pleasure to see the Buckeyes toiling...
  • The Union and the Players broke again late last night after a long negotiating session... some reports are semi-encouraging (like ones that have the BRI agreed to)... and some reports are terrifying (like if they pass this deadline, the owners will pull the rug out)... I have a sneaky desire to write about a 5,000 word rant about this, and you'll probably see it if this goes badly in the next few days...
And finally...
  • I should probably comment on the Joe Paterno situation... Penn State should obviously be ashamed, and I want to point out first and foremost that the MONSTER here is Jerry Sandusky... not Joe Paterno, not the president, etc.... that being said, I'm cool with everyone being fired... I don't agree that Paterno should've been gone before the AD (who's still employed), but everyone should go... How do I feel about Paterno? I feel like he did the absolute minimum in this situation, and while that isn't grounds for legal trouble (that we know of), his behavior certainly left a lot to be desired.... clean house, Penn State... everyone must go at this point...

Thursday, November 10, 2011

2011-12 NCAA Hoops Preview

Greetings all... let me apologize (again) for lack of content... I got nothin... but anyway, here comes a relatively massive NCAA hoops preview (in one post, but hey, it's long)... let's go...

Let's go conference-by-conference first...

ACC

This preview boils down to what you think of North Carolina... there is wide-ranging speculation that this could be an "all-timer"-type team... that's pretty strong praise, and you can see why behind their front-court of Zeller/Henson/Barnes, and the return of Kendall Marshall at the point... that being said, I think they win the league, but not in an overly dominant fashion... Elsewhere, I really like Duke's team, and if they get a leap out of the Plumlee brothers now that Singler is gone, they'll be a contender... watch out for Austin Rivers... if he takes the Kyrie Irving role and runs with it (unselfishly), they'll be scary... Florida State is the only other semi-contender because they will defend you all over the place... unfortunately in a league this proud, those are the only tourney "locks" in my opinion... Virginia and Virginia Tech are the next tier, and I'm not sold...
  • Definite Tourney Teams - North Carolina, Duke, Florida State
  • Fringe Teams - Virginia, Virginia Tech, Miami, Georgia Tech
  • First Team All- Conference - Tyler Zeller (UNC), Mike Scott (UVA), Harrison Barnes (UNC), Durand Scott (Miami), Kendall Marshall (UNC)
  • Second Team All-Conference - John Henson (UNC), Ryan Kelly (Duke), Mason Plumlee (Duke), Austin Rivers (Duke), Michael Snaer (FSU)
  • Freshman of the Year - Austin Rivers
  • Player of the Year - Harrison Barnes
Big East

It's almost not even fair to do a preview of this league... at least in one-part... 16 teams of pure goodness, and while this could be the last of the Big East as we know it, it's still the epicenter of college hoops for one more year... UConn is considered, by most, to be the favorite... they return everything EXCEPT Kemba from the title team last year, and they have a big-time freshman in Andre Drummond... Syracuse returns Kris Joseph, Scoop Jardine, and company, and may be the deepest team in the league... Pitt brings back Ashton Gibbs (maybe the most prolific shooter in the country) and that tough, rugged style they always employ under Jamie Dixon... I could go all day here...
  • Definite Tourney Teams - UConn, Pitt, Syracuse, Louisville, Villanova, Marquette
  • Fringe Teams - Cincy, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Georgetown, St. John's
  • First Team All- Conference - Alex Oriakhi (UConn), Kevin Jones (WV), Jeremy Lamb (UConn), Ashton Gibbs (Pitt), Maalik Wayns (Nova)
  • Second Team All-Conference - Mouph Yarou (Nova), Andre Drummond (UConn), Jason Clark (G-Town), Tim Abromaitis (ND), Scoop Jardine (Cuse)
  • Freshman of the Year - Andre Drummond
  • Player of the Year - Ashton Gibbs
Big 10

This may be the most lopsided of the Big 6 conference as far as who people are picking to win it... Ohio State is the only team I've seen picked to win, and rightly so... they return the best player (Sullinger), one of the best coaches in Matta, and a ton of talent elsewhere in a good, but not top-heavy league... Michigan would be in the conversation with the Buckeyes had Darius Morris not foolishly left early (I'm not bitter at all), but I have them at #2 with the return of every other core player and the maturation of Tim Hardaway, Jr... Wisconsin is always a team to be reckoned with and they return one of my favorite players in the country in Jordan Taylor... and Michigan State is there... the talent level has dipped a bit, but Izzo's team will be around... oh... and Robbie Hummel is back... yes, I'm serious...
  • Definite Tourney Teams - Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin
  • Fringe Teams - Purdue (moves to definite if Hummel is healthy all year), Illinois, Indiana
  • First Team All- Conference - Robbie Hummel (Purdue), Jared Sullinger (OSU), Draymond Green (MSU), Tim Hardaway (Mich), Jordan Taylor (Wisc)
  • Second Team All-Conference - Trevor Mbakwe (Minnesota), Deshaun Thomas (OSU), John Shurna (NW), William Buford (OSU), Aaron Craft (OSU)
  • Freshman of the Year - Cody Zeller (Indiana)
  • Player of the Year - Jared Sullinger
Big 12

This league belongs to Kansas... they've won (or tied for the regular season) the conference 7 times in a row... seven... they just reload and move on... and that continues here led by Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor... Baylor is the most talented team with Perry Jones (athletic freak), and Quincy Miller... Texas A&M and Missouri have new coaches, but big-time talent and depth respectively, and they should be quality teams... always a deep league...
  • Definite Tourney Teams - Kansas, Baylor, A&M, Missouri,
  • Fringe Teams - Oklahoma State, Texas, Iowa State
  • First Team All- Conference - Thomas Robinson (Kansas), Perry Jones (Baylor), Myck Kabongo (Texas), Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas), Marcus Denmon (Missou)
  • Second Team All-Conference - Khris Middleton (A&M), LeBryan Nash (OK State), Quincy Miller (Baylor), J'Covan Brown (Texas), Rodney McGruder (K-State)
  • Freshman of the Year - LeBryan Nash
  • Player of the Year - Thomas Robinson

Pac-12

I almost feel unqualified to write about the Pac-12 because it's the least covered conference (East coast bias still exists), but then I realize it's because... it kind of stinks?... Now... let me say that it ISN'T as bad as the media lets it seem, but there's not a national title contending team in the league in my estimation, and they have a long way to go... UCLA is loaded up front and they are my preseason pick to win this thing behind Reeves Nelson and the massive Josh Smith... Arizona keeps recruiting talent, but it'll be a big task to overcome the loss of Williams and Jones... Cal has a better roster than they've had in a while, and Mike Montgomery knows how to win games... and I haven't even mentioned perennial contender, Washington, who has Terrence Ross, Abdul Gaddy, and freshman Tony Wroten coming in...

  • Definite Tourney Teams - UCLA, Arizona, Washington
  • Fringe Teams - Cal, Stanford, Oregon
  • First Team All- Conference - Josh Smith (UCLA), Reeves Nelson (UCLA), Dwight Powell (Stanford), Jorge Gutierrez (Cal), Josiah Turner (Arizona)
  • Second Team All-Conference - Tony Woods (Oregon) Harper Kemp (Cal), Jared Cunningham (Oregon State), Terrence Ross (Washington), Trent Lockett (Arizona State)
  • Freshman of the Year - Josiah Turner
  • Player of the Year - Reeves Nelson
SEC

I can smell the SEC from here... Yes, the Pac-12 is worse... but you don't seem to hear as much about how bad the bottom of the SEC is... typical... anyway, Kentucky brings in another RIDICULOUS freshman class led by Anthony Davis and is everyone's preseason favorite... Florida returns 4 legitimate guards (too many?) to go with Patric Young underneath.... Vandy is a team everyone seems to love except me, but there's no denying they have top-of-conference talent... the injury to Festus Ezeli hurts them early... and that's about it for locks... watch out for Mississippi State if Renardo Sidney ever gets his life together (good luck)...

  • Definite Tourney Teams - Kentucky, Vandy, Florida
  • Fringe Teams - Miss State, Alabama
  • First Team All- Conference - Anthony Davis (Kentucky), Terrence Jones (Kentucky), Marquis Teague (Kentucky), John Jenkins (Vandy), Doron Lamb (Kentucky)
  • Second Team All-Conference - JaMychal Green (Bama), Jeffery Taylor (Vandy), Festus Ezeli (Vandy), Dee Bost (Miss State), Erving Walker (Florida)
  • Freshman of the Year - Anthony Davis
  • Player of the Year - John Jenkins
ELSEWHERE

College hoops, unlike college football, exists beyond the power six conferences... I can't hit everyone here, but I'll hit on every team that I think can make a conceivably deep tourney run... Memphis is poised to blitz through Conference USA with a talented, deep roster led by Will Barton... that's a potential top-10 team... Xavier is a team that we're all familiar with at this point, but Tu Holloway may be a 1st-team All-American, and the Indiana transfer will lead them to the A-10 title... Gonzaga is Gonzaga... they return Robert Sacre (he's STILL there?!), Elias Harris, and David Stockton... still the most talented of the West coast mid-majors on a yearly basis... Temple will give Xavier a run at the A-10 title led by Ramone Moore and Juan Fernandez... The WCC is overall loaded (relatively of course)... we've already hit on Gonzaga, but Saint Mary's is very good (Rob Jones and Matthew Dellavedova), Santa Clara has talent, and BYU is playing in that league this year (did you know that?!)... maybe the best conference outside of the Big Six... The Mountain West and Missouri Valley each have tourney teams (New Mexico and UNLV in the MWC and Wichita State in the MVC) for sure, and they are always entertaining... not to mention some of the unearthed gems (players) from around the country that I'll give love to here... watch out for: Orlando Johnson (UCSB), Kyle Weems (Missouri State), Doug McDermott (Creighton), Andrew Nicholson (St. Bonaventure), DeAndre Kane (Marshall), Brandon Davies (BYU, yes that guy), and Casper Ware (Long Beach State)...

Awards/Predictions

Okay then... guess I should pick some All-Americans and some tourney teams... here we go...
  • 1st Team - Tyler Zeller (UNC), Jared Sullinger (Ohio State), Harrison Barnes (UNC), Tu Holloway (Xavier), Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin)
  • 2nd Team - Thomas Robinson (Kansas), Perry Jones (Baylor), Elias Harris (Gonzaga), John Jenkins (Vandy), Ashton Gibbs (Pitt)
  • 3rd Team - Trevor Mbakwe (Minnesota), Reeves Nelson (UCLA), Jeremy Lamb (UConn), Marcus Denmon (Missouri), Tim Hardaway (Michigan)
  • All-Freshman 1st Team - Austin Rivers (Duke), Myck Kabongo (Texas), Jabari Brown (Oregon), LeBryan Nash (OK State), Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
  • All-Freshman 2nd Team - Josiah Turner (Arizona), Brad Beal (Florida), Quincy Miller (Baylor), Michael Gilchrist (Kentucky), Andre Drummond (UConn)
  • Player of the Year - Harrison Barnes
Way, way, way too early team predictions...
  • Sweet 16 - North Carolina, Duke, Florida State, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan, UConn, Syracuse, Pitt, Kansas, Xavier, Temple, Gonzaga, UCLA
  • Elite 8 - North Carolina, Duke, Kentucky, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Syracuse, Pitt, Xavier
  • Final 4 - North Carolina, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Syracuse
  • Champs - Ohio State over North Carolina
And oh yes... you know this is a reverse jinx...

Enjoy it everyone... it's the only hoops we have...

Thursday, November 3, 2011

The Lockout Continues...

Greetings all...

Yes, I've been off the radar... but no, I'm not shutting things down... it's been a combination of the NBA lockout (ongoing and brutal), baseball ending, college hoops not starting yet, and a busy schedule... i'll be back... don't fear...

Football preview before the weekend... stay tuned